Author: NC

Yahoo News – by MATTHEW LEE and LOLITA C. BALDOR

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is amending its regulations for weapons sales to allow the export of armed military drones to friendly nations and allies.

The State Department said Tuesday the new policy would allow foreign governments that meet certain requirements — and pledge not to use the unmanned aircraft illegally — to buy the vehicles that have played a critical but controversial role in combating terrorism and are increasingly used for other purposes. Recipient countries would be required to sign end-use statements certifying that the drones would not be used for unlawful surveillance or force against domestic populations and would only be used in internationally sanctioned military operations, such as self-defense.   Continue reading “US to allow export of armed military drones”

Breitbart – by Michelle Moons

Measles continues to spread internationally, with ten cases now appearing in Quebec, Canada connected to a California outbreak, according to a Feb. 11 report by the Public Health Department (PHD) of the Agency for Health and Social Services of Lanaudière.

The Canadian public health release fell short of specifically relating the outbreak to the Disneyland cases, but did state: “the first cases contracted the virus during a visit to a park in California, where other cases have been reported.*”   Continue reading “Measles Hits Canada in Disneyland Outbreak”

Breitbart – by Sarah Rumpf

After a long day of debate and passionate public testimony from both sides, the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee has voted to recommend that the Texas Senate pass both SB 11, the “campus carry” bill, and SB 17, the “open carry” bill. Both bills now head to the full Texas Senate for consideration. The vote came just before 6:00 pm Central Time on Thursday.

The vote was 7-2, on partisan lines, for both bills, with the two Democrats on the committee, Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) and Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) voting against. Republicans on the committee who voted in favor of the bills are Committee Chair Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston), Sen. Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury), Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), Sen. Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls), Sen. Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay), Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), and Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown).   Continue reading “Texas Open Carry & Campus Carry Bills Pass Committee”

Breitbart – by Caroline May

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte is shining the light on a change made to the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that could put hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship.

According to the House Judiciary Committee, the Obama administration announced Thursday that it will allow illegal immigrants seeking deferred status to apply for DACA and advance parole (which allows them to travel abroad and reenter the country) simultaneously.   Continue reading “Goodlatte: Obama Program Could Put ‘Hundreds Of Thousands’ Illegal Immigrants On Path To Citizenship”

The Daily Caller – by Neil Munro

The spread of vibrant social diversity is constricting the GOP’s ability to champion conservative causes, such as smaller government and independent families, President Barack Obama said in a softball media interview.

“Over the long term, I’m pretty optimistic, and the reason is because this country just becomes more and more of a hodgepodge of folks,” Obama told Vox editor Ezra Klein.   Continue reading “Obama “Hopeful” Immigration Will Drown Conservatism”

ABC News – by RYAN J. FOLEY

An Iowa widow is charged with a crime and had nearly $19,000 seized from her bank after depositing her late husband’s legally earned money in a way that evaded federal reporting requirements.

Janet Malone, 68, of Dubuque, is facing civil and criminal proceedings under a law intended to help investigators track large sums of cash tied to criminal activity such as drug trafficking and terrorism. But some members of Congress and libertarian groups have complained that the IRS and federal prosecutors are unfairly using it against ordinary people who deposit lawfully obtained money in increments below $10,000.   Continue reading “US Charges Iowa Widow Over How She Deposited Husband’s Cash”

Free Beacon – by Bill Gertz

HONOLULU—China has suggested arming Hawaii’s independence activists in retaliation for U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and recently threatened to challenge American sovereignty by making legal claims to the Pacific islands as its territory.

Chinese threats to back several groups of Hawaiian independence activists who want to restore the islands’ constitutional monarchy, ousted in a U.S.-backed coup over a century ago, has raised concerns that military facilities on the strategic central Pacific archipelago are threatened at a time when the Obama administration is engaged in a major shift toward Asia as part of its military and diplomatic rebalance.   Continue reading “Hawaiian Independence Movement Attracts Chinese Interest”

Observer – by Ken Kurson

On Wednesday night, several dozen people with the means to attend an event so pricey its invitation doesn’t list an expected contribution will gather in the Park Avenue apartment of Henry and Marie-Josée Kravis to meet Jeb Bush and add to the quickly filling coffers of Right to Rise, the PAC set up to aid Mr. Bush’s presidential ambitions. The affair will be co-chaired by Mr. Kravis’ colleagues at KKR, including Ken Mehlman, who managed George W. Bush’s 2004 campaign and later became chairman of the Republican National Committee.    Continue reading “Henry Kissinger Chooses Jeb Bush: Sources”

Breitbart – by AWR Hawkins

California Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) has introduced legislation to protect Californians from being falsely accused of gun violence in the new era of “Gun Violence Restraining Orders” (GVROs).

On a Facebook post dated February 4, Melendez wrote: “I did not enact the law [creating GVROs], but I’m awfully happy to be the one to undo it.”   Continue reading “Lawmaker Pushing Bill to Protect Gun Owners from False ‘Gun Violence’ Claims”

Breitbart – by Merrill Hope

Parents in Texas appear to be rejecting the idea of immunizing their children against early childhood diseases. The nationwide measles outbreak has swept 14 states, most predominantly in California. The Lone Star state has been lucky so far and has been spared from the outbreak of the virulent virus. Despite this eruption, more Texas parents are saying “no” to inoculating their children from many childhood diseases including the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 102 cases of measles were reported nationally between January 1-30. Only one case was reported in Texas back in July 2014. Dallas County Department of Health & Human Services (DCHHS) Director Zachary Thompson issued a health advisory after the confirmed case was announced last summer in North Texas.     Continue reading “More Texas Parents Say ‘No’ to Measles Vaccine Despite Nationwide Outbreak”

And I’m sure the U.S. government will sit and do nothing about them.

Breitbart – by ILDEFONSO ORTIZ

MCALLEN, Texas – Two American citizens who are U.S. Army veterans remain missing after taking a trip to the Mexican border city of Matamoros.

According to information released to Breitbart Texas by Brownsville Police, Ernesto and Jesus Garcia had travelled to Matamoros on January 30th to visit relatives. The two brothers were supposed to drive back to Brownsville on Monday at around 2 a.m. They have not been heard from.   Continue reading “Two US Army Vets Missing In Mexican Border City With Raging Cartel War”

Breitbart – by Lana Shadwick

MISSION, Texas – A bipartisan delegation of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) was at Anzalduras Park on the Rio Grande border on Saturday. Breitbart Texas was there when Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI), ranking member Tom Carper (D-DE), and committee member Ben Sasse (R-NE), finished their Rio Grande tour of the war-torn region near Reynosa and Matamoros.

The Park is located across the river from Reynosa and Matamoros, and security was tight with two armed escort boats and at least one helicopter overhead. The region is currently the scene of a bloody war between factions of the Gulf Cartel and the violence appears to be escalating. It is also the region where two U.S. Army veterans are currently missing.   Continue reading “Homeland Security Committee Senators Tour War-Torn Texas Border Region”

Breitbart – by AWR Hawkins

On Sunday, MSNBC aired Melissa Harris-Perry’s interview of Attorney General Eric Holder and he said the “single failure” of his tenure as AG was the failure to secure gun control.

In the interview, Harris-Perry looked at Holder and said, “You once said the worst day in office was the day that you had to walk through the bloodied aftermath” following the heinous attack on Sandy Hook Elementary. She said, “Children were slaughtered in their classrooms and we have not made any meaningful progress on changing the access to guns in this country. Are we a nation of cowards when it comes to guns?”   Continue reading “Eric Holder: Inability to Pass Gun Control My ‘Single Failure’”

Yahoo News – by Lesley Wroughton and Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is pressing Cuba to allow the opening of its embassy in Havana by April, U.S. officials told Reuters, despite the Communist island’s demand that it first be removed from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.

A refusal by Cuba to allow the United States to quickly establish an official embassy for the first time in half a century could complicate talks between the Cold War foes, reflecting enduring mistrust as they move to end decades of confrontation.   Continue reading “U.S. pressing Cuba to restore diplomatic ties before April – officials”

Medical Xpress

Since 1970, life expectancy around the world has risen dramatically, with people living more than 10 years longer. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that starting when people are in their mid-to-late-20s, the brain begins to wither—its volume and weight begin to decrease. As this occurs, the brain can begin to lose some of its functional abilities.   Continue reading “Forever young: Meditation might slow the age-related loss of gray matter in the brain”

Salt Lake Tribune – by Lee Davidson

Continue reading “Massive Utah cyberattacks — up to 300 million per day — may be aimed at NSA facility”

Fox 2 Now

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WSHM) — A Springfield man stole a police cruiser and drove around the city while taunting police over the radio after officers responded to a disturbance between him and his girlfriend early Thursday morning. Officers Shelley Whitley and Christopher Roberts responded to the disturbance on Laurelton Street at about 4 a.m. and were greeted by a woman who said she wanted her boyfriend removed from her home, according to Springfield police Sgt. John Delaney.   Continue reading “‘Possessed driver’ steals police cruiser, taunts police over radio”

Breitbart – by Michelle Moon

Border patrol agents with National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) Local 1613 are publicly voicing concern over new policies the representatives say pose a threat to national security.

Among the issues the NBPC Local 1613 representatives cited in speaking with Breitbart California after a Tuesday meeting with Congressman Duncan Hunter were Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), an exceedingly high bar for prosecution of criminal aliens, agent pay reductions, decreased training time, and the need for improved equipment.   Continue reading “Border Patrol Agents Speaking Out Against New Orders”