Yahoo News

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday tweeted that Mexico will reimburse American taxpayers for a new border wall and that U.S. money spent will be for the “sake of speed.”

His tweet came as congressional Republicans and his top aides consider a plan to ask Congress to ensure money is available in U.S. coffers for the wall without passing any new legislation. Instead, they would rely on existing law that already authorizes fencing and other technology along the southern border.   Continue reading “Trump on border wall: Mexico will pay us back”

AZ Central – by Yihyun Jeong

A Flagstaff police officer has resigned after an internal review found him to be in violation of department policies and an independent report released Wednesday criticized his actions in punching a woman he was trying to arrest, authorities said.

Officer Jeff Bonar resigned after the department recommended his termination, Flagstaff Police Chief Kevin Treadway said at a news conference Wednesday.   Continue reading “Flagstaff officer resigns after department review, critical report on his punching of woman”

Can you say Denver Broncos, This shit a maddening!

WKYT

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Fayette County school leaders announced Tuesday night that the mascot of the new Frederick Douglass High School will no longer be the Stallions.

The mascot and colors for the new school, which is under construction off Winchester Road, were unveiled Monday.   Continue reading “High school ditches ‘Stallion’ mascot because it’s … ‘sexist’”

World Events and the Bible

WEB Notes: The bigger story here is the water crisis in Damascus. The city has been ravaged by war and now a water crisis that is affecting 5.5 million people.

Continue reading “UN: 2017 Can Be A Year Of Diplomacy In Syria. Damascus Water Crisis”

Gothamist – by Gaby Del Valle

Citing passenger safety and a need to combat driver fatigue, the city has proposed new rules that would require Uber and similar companies to share passenger pickup and drop-off data—but the ride-hailing company says these regulations could endanger its passengers, and is seeking to enlist them in its latest battle with the city.

On Wednesday, NYC-based Uber customers received an email with the subject line “The government wants to know where you’re headed … on every ride” that encouraged them to tweet at the Taxi and Limousine Commission using the hashtag #TLCDontTrackMe.   Continue reading “Citing Privacy Concerns, Uber Fights City’s Plan To Track Drivers’ Trips”

The College Fix – by Jeremy Beaman

‘Goal is to create a sense of security in vulnerability …’ 

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is currently taking applications for its “Men’s Project,” a six-week program that aims to counter the alleged harmful effects of society’s masculinity paradigms and pressures and empower participants to promote “gender equity.”   Continue reading “Male college students to undergo ‘critical self-reflection’ of masculinity”

Washington Examiner – by Paige Winfield

Lawsuits are mounting against the Obama administration’s new requirements for transgender care, but the issue might turn in challengers’ favor under the incoming Trump administration.

The Catholic Benefits Association, which represents more than 700 Catholic employers including many hospitals, filed a lawsuit in federal court Dec. 28 in an effort to get its members exempted from the rule. Five states and several other Christian healthcare providers are already fighting the requirement in another case against the rule. A Texas judge halted the rule over the weekend.   Continue reading “Lawsuits pile up against Obama administration’s new transgender care rule”

RT

A BBC show has sparked controversy online after mocking British women who have travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) and marry its fighters.

The Real Housewives of ISIS is a two-minute comedy skit produced as part of BBC 2’s new ‘Revolting’ show, which marks the return of pranksters and comedians Jolyon Rubinstein and Heydon Prowse to British TV.   Continue reading “Is the BBC’s ‘Real Housewives of ISIS’ comedy sketch in poor taste?”

RT

A prestigious UK university has introduced ‘trigger warnings’ into its theology course over fears students may be distressed when studying the crucifixion of Jesus.

The University of Glasgow introduced the warnings for students taking a class called Creation to Apocalypse: Introduction to the Bible (Level 1).

Popular in US educational institutions, trigger warnings were introduced to warn people about content which may ‘trigger’ a post-traumatic stress reaction.   Continue reading “Christ’s crucifixion might be ‘too distressing’ for some UK university students”

Fox 5 News

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) – Ivanka Trump will be by any measure one of the most influential first daughters in history. Even those who wanted someone else to win have taken notice.

“Dear Ivanka” letters filled the window of a pop-up store in Union Square. Some signs plead with the future first daughter to tell her father climate change is real. Others read “Dear Ivanka, Every family deserves family leave.” Another uses profanity to express emotion: “Dear Ivanka, your daddy is scary as hell.” An Instagram account with the same name posts similar sentiments.   Continue reading “‘Dear Ivanka’ letters surface online and IRL”

NBC 4 New York – by Michael George

Two police officers were captured on video appearing to pose for a selfie in front of a home as it went up in flames on Long Island Thursday afternoon.

The fire destroyed the house in Uniondale, though no one was hurt.

Moments after the officers posed for their apparent photo op, one of them appeared to approach another man taking selfies as if to ask him to leave the scene.    Continue reading “Cops Appear to Take Selfie in Front of Burning Home”

Yahoo News

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) — For the first time, the Marine Corps has put three enlisted female Marines in a ground combat unit once open only to men, officials said Thursday.

They will serve as a rifleman, machine gunner and mortar Marine, said 1st Lt. John McCombs, spokesman for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejuene.   Continue reading “3 women become 1st female US Marines in ground infantry unit”

NBC News

The nation’s top intelligence official on Thursday defended his colleagues’ findings that Russian agents interfered in the U.S. election — and dismissed the credibility of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange a day after the president-elect appeared to back him over the intelligence community.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper also took a swipe at the president-elect for “disparaging” the intelligence community.   Continue reading “DNI Chief Clapper Takes Swipe at Trump, Assange as He Defends Russia Hack Intel”