From the Trenches World Report

Vox – by Dara Lind

Hundreds, or even thousands, of migrant families are set to be released from government detention along the US-Mexico border over the next several days. But while the mass release of families may cheer critics of the Trump administration’s treatment of immigrant families, the government’s new plan will probably lead to hundreds of families getting dropped off en masse at bus stations — literally out in the cold.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency that’s generally responsible for immigrant detention, has already started mass releases of hundreds of families a day.  Continue reading “Trump administration to release hundreds of immigrant families from detention”

The San Diego Union Tribune

Another migrant caravan — with estimates of as many as 15,000 participants — is preparing to leave Honduras on January 15, according to migrant rights advocates and Spanish-language media.

“They say they are even bigger and stronger than the last caravan,” said Irma Garrido, a member of the migrant advocacy group Reactiva Tijuana Foundation.   Continue reading “Another, bigger migrant caravan is set to leave from Honduras next month”

Time

(WASHINGTON) — More police officers have died in the line of duty this year in the United States than in 2017, according to data released Thursday.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund said in a report that 144 federal, state and local officers have died so far in 2018. That figure represents roughly a 12 percent increase from the 129 who died in 2017.   Continue reading “Deaths of Police Officers on Duty on the Rise in the U.S.”

CNBC

Sears, the 125-year-old icon, has 24 hours to survive.

The employer of more than 68,000 filed for bankruptcy in October. Its last shot at survival is a $4.6 billion proposal put forward by its chairman, Eddie Lampert, to buy the company out of bankruptcy through his hedge fund, ESL Investments.ESL is the only party offering to buy Sears as a whole, people familiar with the situation tell CNBC. Without that bid or another like it, liquidators will break the company up into pieces.   Continue reading “Sears may be down to its last 24 hours. Iconic retailer likely liquidates if no bid comes in Friday”

Daily Mail

Calorie limits could be imposed on thousands of supermarket foods and restaurant dishes, it was reported last night.

Plans include stringent caps for ready meals, sandwiches and dining out in an effort to tackle obesity.   Continue reading “Fury as diners face calorie caps on their favourite restaurant meals: Government move to limit portions is blasted as ‘arbitrary and unscientific’”

KOMO News

SEATTLE – Customers of CenturyLink are experiencing a nationwide internet outage that reportedly is affecting 911 emergency calls and causing other havoc in some areas of the country.

According to the website downdetector.com, the outage is affecting many areas across the Pacific Northwest and other parts of the country, including Seattle, Denver, Portland, Los Angeles, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, Boise, Chicago, Phoenix, Cincinnati and other areas.   Continue reading “CenturyLink internet outage reported across U.S.”

Zero Hedge – by Tyler Durden

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen says that the United States will take “extraordinary” protective measures when it comes to immigrant children in custody, after a second Guatemalan child died in custody.

Neilsen will travel later this week to the US-Mexico border to observe medical screenings and conditions at Border Patrol stations, according to AFP.   Continue reading “US Will Take “Extraordinary” Measures To Protect Migrant Children After Second Death”

The Sacramento Bee

Stanislaus County detectives were searching a farmhouse about 12 miles south of Merced on Thursday afternoon in connection with the shooting death of a Newman Police Department corporal.

Sgt. Tom Letras said it is one of several locations being searched as part of the investigation into the death of Cpl. Ronil Singh early Wednesday morning.   Continue reading “Detectives conducting search near Merced for suspect in death of Newman corporal”

Desert Peace – by Evelyn Hecht-Galinski

More than two years ago I wrote a comment with the title “When the Israel lobby rings twice”, but today it doesn’t quite fit anymore. In fact, the lobby has infiltrated German public life. They sit in almost all forums, parties, organizations. And in the media they are constantly on the lookout and consult editorial offices and broadcasters, so that everything goes according to their wishes and criticism of Israel is immediately stopped and the critics are silenced. The influence of this lobby and its demands are unprecedented. Why did the Merkel-Gro/Ko hide until today that during the last German-Israeli government consultations Prime Minister Netanyahu handed over a paper to Chancellor Merkel urging the German government to stop support for non-governmental organizations that allegedly “promote anti-Israeli activities”? We know only too well what this means and who. After all, it now affects anyone who dares to stand up for Palestine’s freedom and against Israeli policies that violate international law.   Continue reading “Nobody Stands In The Way Of Zion”

JTA

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel is going into the medical marijuana export business — if its Cabinet agrees.

The Knesset has passed legislation that would have Israel join the Netherlands and Canada as nations allowing the legal export of medical cannabis.   Continue reading “Israeli lawmakers legalize export of medical marijuana”

Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – A former Israeli armed forces chief who opinion polls show poses the toughest challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bid for reelection next year formally established a political party on Thursday.

Details about Benny Gantz’s Israel Resilience Party, leaked to local media after it was registered, gave little indication of its ideological tilt.   Continue reading “Israeli ex-general, polling closest to Netanyahu, joins 2019 election race”

Patriot or Traitor

The Bush political family dynasty began with Prescott Sheldon Bush Sr. who helped Hitler’s rise to power. Prescott also became the Director of Union Banking Corporation when it was suspected of concealing Nazi gold during the Second World War. Both Prescott’s son, George Herbert Walker Bush, and grandson, George Walker Bush, became the 41st and 43rd Presidents of the United States, respectively, who both initiated wars with Iraq that profited companies with Bush family ties, such as Halliburton and KBR.  Continue reading “Prescott Sheldon Bush is a traitor.”

Gothamist

More than two years after Governor Andrew Cuomo declared victory in the Fight for $15 campaign, an initial group of New York City’s lowest paid workers will finally see the promised figure reflected in their paychecks.

Starting on December 31st, employees at New York City businesses with more than 10 workers will be the first to reach the full $15 minimum wage, which is being implemented in phases throughout the state. The city’s smaller businesses still have another year to offer the hourly wage, while all employers on Long Island and in Westchester get until 2021. The remainder of workers in the state will see the wage floor lifted to $12.50 in two years, at which point the minimum wage will increase at a schedule to be determined by the state, until it hits $15…eventually.   Continue reading “NYC’s Full $15 Minimum Wage Kicks In On New Year’s Eve”

New York Mag

In late November, the Justice Department unsealed indictments against eight people accused of fleecing advertisers of $36 million in two of the largest digital ad-fraud operations ever uncovered. Digital advertisers tend to want two things: people to look at their ads and “premium” websites — i.e., established and legitimate publications — on which to host them.   Continue reading “How Much of the Internet Is Fake? Turns Out, a Lot of It, Actually.”

NPR

In 1983, Utah was the first state to lower its blood alcohol limit from 0.10 to 0.08 for impaired driving. It would take nearly two decades for every state to follow suit, but as they did, the nation’s rate of alcohol-related traffic deaths dropped 10 percent. Now, Utah is pioneering the move to lower it once again.

Beginning Dec. 30 — yes, the day before New Year’s Eve — Utahns will have to be extra careful about drinking and driving. On Sunday, the state’s blood alcohol content limit will drop from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent, marking the strictest DUI law in the country.   Continue reading “Utah First In The Nation To Lower Its DUI Limit To .05 Percent”

KFOX 14

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — About 518 migrants are expected to be released by U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Wednesday, according to the Annunciation House.

That makes more than 1,000 migrants released in the past three days.   Continue reading “About 500 migrants released by ICE Wednesday, over 1,000 released past few days”