From the Trenches World Report

RT News

Access to YouTube has been cut off in Turkey after an explosive leak of audiotapes that appeared to show ministers talking about provoking military intervention in Syria. Other social media have already been blocked ahead of tumultuous local elections.

The latest leaked audio recording, which reportedly led to the ban, appears to show top government officials discussing a potential attack on the tomb of Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire.   Continue reading “Turkey shuts off YouTube after ‘Syria invasion plan’ leak”

RT News

Alaska is poised to become the third US state to ban use of unmanned aircraft, or drones, by hunters, as several other states have taken steps to curb use of the technology when in pursuit of wild game.

On March 17, the Alaska Board of Game approved a regulatory proposal that would prohibit hunters from using unmanned aerial vehicles to locate and track game. The state’s Department of Law is expected to approve the rule on July 1, the Anchorage Daily News reported.   Continue reading “Alaska latest state to seek ban on drone use by hunters”

RT News

While admitting he is not fully briefed on the repercussions, a former US president has admitted that he would be open to pardoning Edward Snowden if the former NSA contractor returned to the states and was convicted of leaking classified agency secrets.

President Jimmy Carter, a Georgia Democrat who sat in the Oval Office from 1977 to 1981, has been outspoken in his criticism of the NSA surveillance programs Snowden revealed last year. Touching on a number of topics during an interview with the Washington Post, Carter, 89, said he does not have “the information President Obama has about what has been done to our security apparatus,” but that absolving Snowden of his crimes should be an option.   Continue reading “Fmr US President Carter open to pardoning Snowden”

RT News

President Obama’s key speech in Brussels on Ukraine and attempts to isolate Russia appears to be an exercise of omission, mutually-exclusive statements and unveiled double standards.

Here’s a quick look at what Obama told an audience of some 2,000 people in his damning 30-minute speech.   Continue reading “Obama says ‘bigger nations cannot simply bully smaller ones’. Wait… what?”

RT News

Scientists have scored a breakthrough in high-energy biofuels by producing a bacterium that synthesizes highly-efficient pinene, a hydrocarbon made by trees. It could soon replace existing alternatives and usher in a new era of rocket engines.

Researchers have struggled for years with the problem of cheaper options to the JP-10, the very expensive petroleum-based fuel used in aerospace applications. What was underneath their nose the whole time isn’t a petroleum alternative, but a biological one – one that has just been made six times more efficient than previous attempts – synthesized by a Georgia Tech graduate who inserted enzymes from trees into the new bacterium and boosted pinene production dramatically.   Continue reading “Highly powerful new biofuel could change rocket engines forever”

News10 KXTV – by Darla Givens and Monica Woods

SACRAMENTO – At least two tornadoes touched down in Northern California Wednesday evening.

The first tornado was spotted in Glenn County. Trained spotters reported seeing a funnel cloud around 3:15 p.m. This cell moved very slow and continued to bring a chance of severe weather for nearly three hours. The storm produced hail nearly 1.25 inches in diameter.   Continue reading “2 tornadoes reported, multiple funnel clouds spotted in NorCal”

CBS Seattle -by Benjamin Fearnow

Clackamas County, Ore. (CBS SEATTLE) – An Oregon woman who was threatened with eviction if she did not remove the American flag from her front window has now been asked to place the “colored drape” on a flag pole.

Elodia Royce, 58, received a notice two weeks ago that she would face eviction after a neighbor complained to the landlord about the “colored drape” placed in her window. But the “colored drape” is an American flag she has displayed for six years in support of herfamily and friends who have served in the military,KGW-TV reports.   Continue reading “Grandmother Gets Eviction Notice Labeling American Flag A ‘Colored Drape’”

Reason – by J.D. Tuccille

Breitbart – by AWR Hawkins

On March 26th Mark Witaschek’s trial over his possession of a shotgun shell in his Washington, D.C., home took a turn, and he was found guilty of “attempted possession of unlawful ammunition” over 25 muzzleloader bullets which were also in his house – these are lead and copper bullets without primers.

In other words, they are inert; one could hit them with a hammer or throw them into a fire and there would be no explosion because such bullets have no gunpowder encased behind them.   Continue reading “Man on Trial for Shotgun Shell Possession in DC Found Guilty of Possessing Inert ‘Bullets’ Instead”

Activist Post – by Joe Wright

Many of us know retired police officers who remember a world where it was considered a failure to draw a weapon unless under direct attack. Even if such an action was required, the result was nightmare inducing. Today’s police seem to have lost such empathy. As a consequence, police are rarely a welcome sight these days; they are being equipped and trained as if they are an occupying force (even in small towns), replete with body armor, tactical gear, and vehicles coming straight from the US military at bargain prices.   Continue reading “The Militarized U.S. Police, by the Numbers”

The Lonely Conservative

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has been caught paying over $30,000 for jewelry from his granddaughter’s company out of campaign funds. He says the purchases were gifts for supporters, but as Jon Ralston pointed out, “The FEC wants to know more about the gifts purchased with campaign funds. The rules only allow officials to give gifts of nominal value. It would take quite a number of nominal gifts to add up to $17,000. Either way, the optics here are just horrific.” The average price for items from his granddaughter’s company is $70, which seems to be a little bit more than “nominal.”   Continue reading “Harry Reid Doesn’t Like Reporters Poking Into His Family Affairs”

American Everyman – by Straits Times

A Malaysian team have told relatives of Chinese passengers on board the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 that there was sealed evidence that cannot be made public, as they came under fire from the angry relatives at a briefing on Wednesday.

The sealed evidence included air traffic control radio transcript, radar data and airport security recordings.   Continue reading “Malaysia says there’s sealed evidence on MH370 that cannot be made public”

The Daily Fusion

In September 2013, China’s net imports of petroleum and other liquids exceeded those of the United States on a monthly basis, making it the largest net importer of crude oil and other liquids in the world.

The rise in China’s net imports of petroleum and other liquids is driven by steady economic growth, with rapidly rising Chinese petroleum demand outpacing production growth.   Continue reading “China Becomes World’s Largest Importer of Petroleum”

Pat Dollard

HOUSTON – Emergency crews are on the scene after reports of shots being fired at a Houston TV station.

Houston police say multiple shots were fired Thursday morning at the KTRK-TV Channel 13 building.

An email to staff says that no one was hurt. Employees were being urged to shelter in place and say away from windows.   Continue reading “Report: Shots Fired Outside Houston Tv Station”