Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin has signed a law ratifying a deal with the Syrian government allowing Russia to keep its air base in Syria for almost half a century, official documents show.

The original deal, signed in Damascus in January, sets out the terms under which Russia can use its Hmeymim air base in Latakia Province which it has used to carry out air strikes against forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad.   Continue reading “Putin signs Syria base deal, cementing Russia’s presence there for half a century”

Reuters

A California deputy attorney general has been charged with possessing child pornography at his San Diego County home following a months-long investigation, according to court records and local media.

Raymond Liddy, 53, was arrested at his home in the resort city of Coronado, California, on Tuesday and accused of owning images that appeared to depict minors under age 12 engaging in sexual acts, court records showed.  Continue reading “California deputy attorney general charged with child porn”

Fox 31 Denver

LITTLETON, Colo. — Up to 27 rifles were stolen in a smash-and-grab early Wednesday morning, the Littleton Police Department said.

Police said four suspects smashed the windows on the first floor of a building that housed a motorcycle shop at 3105 W. County Line Road near South Santa Fe Drive.

The suspects then went to the second floor where Warhorse Firearms of the Rockies is located and grabbed up to 27 rifles.   Continue reading “Up to 27 rifles swiped in Littleton smash-and-grab”

Breitbart – by John Binder

An Obama-era refugee deal that will resettle more than 1,200 Middle Easterners in the U.S. and tens of thousands of their foreign family members in years to come is an apparent departure from President Donald Trump’s promise of putting “America First.”

The Australian-U.S. refugee deal was first agreed to in former President Obama’s last months in office, promising to take 1,250 mostly male Middle Eastern refugees off Australia’s hands.

The refugees are being held in detention centers on Manus Island and Nauru Island. Despite Trump’s original statement calling the deal “a dumb deal,” the President has now broken two long campaign promises: Throwing out deals that don’t benefit Americans and stopping the flow of foreign refugees.   Continue reading “U.S.-Australia Refugee Deal Is ‘Worst’ in Decade, Says Expert”

ADL

In recent months Jewish Voice for Peace, the largest and most influential Jewish pro-BDS group in the United States, has taken increasingly radical positions and has employed questionable tactics in pursuit of its mission to diminish support for Israel. The following are some of ADL’s main concerns with the group’s ideology and tactics.   Continue reading “Jewish Voice for Peace: Increasing Anti-Israel Radicalism”

Arizona Science and Innovation – by Nicholas Gerbis

Whether mathematicians or marathoners, those who chase mastery often run into a wall that blocks further progress. Now, eight U.S. Department Of Defense brain studies, one at Arizona State University, aim to help soldiers break through that barrier.

The research, called Targeted Neuroplasticity Training (TNT) joins a range of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) programs related to the White House BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative.  Continue reading “U.S. Department Of Defense Brain Study Seeks To Boost Learning In Soldiers”

NPR

The deaths of 10 migrants in a sweltering 18-wheeler in a San Antonio has raised a lot of questions. One of them: why transport people in the back of a tractor-trailer, especially after they have already crossed the border?

One reason, experts say, is that entering the United States from Mexico illegally involves “two crossings.” You must first cross U.S./Mexico border, then one of the many border patrol checkpoints that exist farther into the United States.

That double crossing “has increased the incentives for smugglers to operate in different ways, and on different sides of the border,” says Correa Cabrera, who researches immigration and border security at UT Rio Grand Valley.   Continue reading “Why Are Undocumented Immigrants Smuggled By Truck?”

Southern Poverty Law Center

The Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative (SIFI) provides pro bono legal representation to immigrants detained in the southeastern United States. By ensuring that skilled attorneys are available, at no charge, to protect the due process rights of detained immigrants, SIFI endeavors to win every meritorious deportation defense case arising out of recent and anticipated immigration enforcement actions.

The project is led by the Southern Poverty Law Center.  It will begin at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, in collaboration with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the American Immigration Council, the Innovation Law Lab and the American Immigration Representation Project. It will then be expanded to other immigrant detention centers throughout the Southeast.    Continue reading “Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative”

The Guardian

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal) is excellent; it is far better and more extensive than I ever expected (Don’t upset the balance of power in the Middle East, 23 June). If followed by all parties, it blocks all avenues for Iran to develop nuclear explosives. To be sure, it is vehemently opposed by Israel’s prime minister Netanyahu and Republicans in Congress.  Continue reading “Iran nuclear deal must be allowed to thrive”

RT

An 18-year-old man has died and at least seven other people aged 13 to 41 are injured, some critically, following a disaster aboard the Fire Ball “thrill ride” at the Ohio State Fair.

As many as five of the injured are in critical condition, according to local media. Columbus Fire Battalion Chief Steve Martin confirmed that the deceased victim was thrown from the ride, Fox News reported. He was 18 years old and died on impact 50 feet from the ride after being thrown into the air at about 7:20pm Eastern on Wednesday, according to the Columbus Dispatch. The fire department confirmed that an 18-year-old was killed, WTTE reported.
Continue reading “1 killed, 7 injured after Ohio State Fair ride malfunctions”

Mail.com

DENVER (AP) — For decades, a well-funded conservative group has helped state lawmakers across the U.S. write legislation to rein in unions, expand charter schools and lower taxes. Now, it’s expanding to the final frontier: normally nonpartisan city halls and county governments, which have become a bastion of liberal resistance to President Donald Trump.

The American Legislative Exchange Council is one of the country’s most prominent conservative groups, and its annual convention in Denver last week drew thousands of state legislators and lobbyists for panels on school choice and marijuana legalization, as well as speeches from conservative luminaries like Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and former Senator James DeMint.  Continue reading “US conservatism expands to final frontier: City Hall”

Mail.com

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Federal authorities planned to announce charges Thursday in what was described as a domestic dispute aboard a cruise ship in U.S. waters off Alaska that led to the death of a 39-year-old Utah woman.

A suspect was taken into custody, the FBI in Anchorage said late Wednesday. Princess Cruises said the woman died Tuesday night on the Emerald Princess, which was carrying 3,400 passengers and 1,100 crew members on a weeklong trip that left Sunday from Seattle. The ship docked in Juneau, Alaska, on Wednesday morning.  Continue reading “Federal authorities to announce charges in cruise ship death”

Mail.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — They couldn’t pass a repeal of “Obamacare,” or find the votes for a White House-backed replacement. So now Senate Republicans are lowering their sights and trying to unite behind a so-called “skinny repeal” that would merely undo just a few of the most unpopular elements of Barack Obama’s law.

The “skinny bill” is an admittedly lowest-common-denominator approach, and it may not even have the votes to pass, either. But as Republicans search for how to keep their years-long effort to repeal and replace “Obamacare” alive, they’re coming to believe that the “skinny bill” may be the only option left.  Continue reading “GOP eyes narrow bill to advance goal on “Obamacare” repeal”

Governing

Becoming a law enforcement officer in South Carolina will require psychological testing under a new requirement aimed at weeding out people not suitable for the job.

The board that oversees the state’s Criminal Justice Academy voted unanimously last week to mandate the screening for all aspiring officers. Starting Jan. 1, all law enforcement agencies’ potential new hires must bring proof of the testing to enroll for training.

“In the environment we’re policing in today, with the scrutiny of law enforcement, obviously this is more important than ever,” said State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel, chairman of the Law Enforcement Training Council.   Continue reading “Psychological Tests Now Part of Police Interviews in South Carolina”

Wired – by Libby Plummer

Google’s DeepMind is developing an AI capable of ‘imagination’, enabling machines to see the consequences of their actions before they make them.

In two new research papers, the British AI firm, which was acquired by Google in 2014, describes new developments for “imagination-based planning” to AI.

Its attempt to create algorithms that simulate the distinctly human ability to construct a plan could eventually help to produce software and hardware capable of solving complex tasks more efficiently.  Continue reading “Google’s DeepMind creates an AI with ‘imagination’”

MassPrivateI

According to EdVenture Partners, college students are being paid to create DHS propaganda videos, games and much more.

“University students develop and execute campaigns and social media strategies against extremism that are credible,authentic, and believable to their peers and resonate within their communities in partnership with Homeland Security.”

Two weeks ago, the University of Maryland won this year’s DHS competition by creating a video game and social media campaign that ‘helps’ people recognize radicalization.   Continue reading “DHS is paying college students to create extremist propaganda games and videos”

World Events and the Bible

WEB Notes: So if it were up to Trump he would have said Iran was non-compliant 180 days ago, even though they are compliant. If that does not tell you something is rotten, nothing will.

President Trump is obliged by law to certify every 90 days whether Iran is complying with the nuclear deal negotiated and championed by his predecessor, but in an interview this week he said that he “personally” expects to find Iran in violation of its commitments the next time.   Continue reading “Trump: Iran May Be Declared Non-Compliant With Nuclear Deal Next Time”

ABC News

People who used e-cigarettes were more likely to kick the habit than those who didn’t, a new study found.

Nicotine patches, gums and medications are known to aid smoking cessation, but there’s no consensus on whether vaping devices can help anti-smoking efforts. The U.S. research is the largest look yet at electronic cigarette users and it found e-cigarettes played a role in helping people quit.   Continue reading “Blowing smoke? E-cigarettes might help smokers quit”