Sen.
Lindsey Graham: Silencing Sen. Elizabeth Warren 'Was Long Overdue'
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham says the silencing of Sen. Elizabeth
Warren on the Senate floor Tuesday was "long overdue." The South Carolina
senator appeared on the Mike Gallagher Show Wednesday, where he said Warren
reading the letter from Coretta Scott King -- in which she expressed opposition
to Jeff Sessions' nomination to the federal bench in 1986 -- was defamatory
to Sessions, now an Alabama senator. The Massachusetts Democrat was ruled
to be in violation of Senate rules for impugning another senator. "The
bottom line is, it was long overdue with her," he said. "I mean, she is
clearly running for the nomination in 2020." "The Democratic Party is being
pushed really hard by the most extreme voices in their community, and they
just don't know how to handle it," he added. "If they empower her, then
I think the Democratic Party is gonna lose way with the vast majority of
the American people." CNN
VOA VIEW: Democrats are losing more and
more.
When
It Comes To School, Harsh Parenting Can Backfire
Most of us modern parents worry at some point (maybe daily!) whether
we are parenting our kids the right way. At a time when we see countless
examples of helicopter parenting and entitled children who can't cope with
setbacks, there are plenty of reasons to be asking ourselves if we're firm
enough with our kids. But a new study in the journal Child Development
shows how being too firm, to the point of being harsh -- which includes
yelling, hitting and shoving and using other verbal and physical threats
as punishment -- could negatively impact our children's ability to succeed
in high school and college. Previous research has showed how hitting children
can lead to them to be more aggressive and to suffer from mental health
issues such as depression and anxiety, which could ultimately result in
learning difficulties. CNN
Rev.
Graham Warns: 'God Uses Extreme Vetting'
If you want to reach the Promised Land and "enter the gates of Heaven,"
you must believe in Jesus Christ who "stamped and sealed" your "immigration
status in Heaven" with His own blood, said Rev. Franklin Graham, son of
world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham. You cannot "immigrate" from this
earthly world into Heaven without faith in Christ, who employs "extreme
vetting," he stressed. In a Feb. 8 post on Facebook, Rev. Franklin Graham
said, "Im on my way to Puerto Ricoto warn people that God uses extreme
vetting." "What do I mean by that?" he said. "I want the people of
Puerto Rico to know that God loves them and that there is only one way
to enter the gates of Heavenand that is through faith in Jesus Christ,
and Him alone." CNS News
Lawyers:
Castile Was Reaching For Gun When Officer Shot Him
Attorneys for a Minnesota police officer accused of fatally shooting
a black man during a traffic stop say Philando Castile's gun was accessible
and that he was reaching for it when he was killed. The Star Tribune reports
that a memo filed Tuesday in Ramsey County District Court contradicts prosecutors'
claims that St. Anthony Officer Jeronimo Yanez didn't see the weapon and
made conflicting statements about it. Yanez is charged in Ramsey County
with manslaughter and two other felonies in the July 6 killing of the 32-year-old
school cafeteria employee in Falcon Heights. Castile's girlfriend streamed
the aftermath of the shooting live on Facebook. The memo says the shots
fire by Yanez, who is Latino, "were intentional and justified." A judge
will hear arguments and issue a decision Feb. 15. Philadelphia
Inquirer
VOA VIEW: A person is innocent until proven
guilty.
Monster
Snowstorm Set To Wreak Havoc On NYC
The snow is really coming, folks. Meteorologists tracking the winter
storm system thats slated to hit the Big Apple on Thursday say the city
is still expected to see up to a foot of the white stuff along with freezing
rain, brutal winds and possibly even thundersnow. Its really starting
to gather some strength and is continuing to do so, explained Brian Edwards,
meteorologist with AccuWeather. Theres a lot of energy and instability,
he told The Post. The storm still has a lot of time to deepen, too. As
of 10:00 p.m. Wednesday, New York City was still forecast to receive between
8 to 12 inches of snow, while parts of Long Island were expected to see
an inch or two more. NY Post
ISIS
Fighters Call Trumps Travel Order A Blessed Ban
ISIS fighters are reportedly hailing President Trumps executive order
on immigration as the Blessed Ban saying it proves to their followers
that America really does hate Islam. A resident in the Iraqi city of
Mosul, which is still considered an Islamic State stronghold, told New
York Times terror correspondent Rukmini Callimachi that the jihadists have
been openly celebrating the ban ever since Trump singed it into effect
on Jan. 27. Theyve even coined a phrase for it, she tweeted Wednesday.
The Blessed Ban.' Iraq is one of the seven predominantly Muslim countries
along with Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from which
refugees and citizens are temporarily barred from entering.
NY Post
CIA
Chief To Visit Turkey In Sign Of Improving Ties With US
In a sign of improving ties, Turkish officials said Wednesday that
U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and
responded "positively" on two key Turkish demands that had soured Ankara's
relations with the Obama administration. Following the 45-minute telephone
conversation late Tuesday, officials from Erdogan's office also announced
that CIA Director Mike Pompeo would be making his first overseas visit
to Turkey on Thursday. The decision showed the importance the new administration
attaches to Turkey, a country on the frontline of the fight against the
Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. CNS News
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Russian
Paper Says Domestic Abuse Has Advantage: Survivors Give Birth To More
Boys
As Russia moves to decriminalize certain forms of domestic violence,
one of the countrys leading newspapers is claiming that hitting women
actually has a benefit, citing the research of a discredited scientist.
Komsomolskaya Pravda, a leading tabloid read by millions in Russia, published
an article Tuesday in its science section with the title, From evil men,
boys born. In the column, the author claims that abuse leads to an increased
likelihood of conceiving males. Recent scientific studies show the wives
of angry men have a reason to be proud of their bruises. Biologists say
that beaten-up women have a valuable advantage: they more often give birth
to boys! the story read, per The Guardian. Miami
Herald
Gov.
Kasich To Newspaper Editors: 'I Want You To Survive'
Republican Gov. John Kasich repeated his belief in the importance of
the free press Wednesday as tensions between the media and the administration
of President Donald Trump remain high. The former congressman and 2016
presidential contender declined to directly take on Trump, who he refused
to endorse, campaign with or vote for last year, while speaking to editors
and publishers convened by the Ohio Newspaper Association. But Kasich said
he wanted to see the industry survive and thrive. "I'd like to stand for
all of you, for all of you who have real content, for all of you who've
decided in a really crazy, changing world that your point of view, your
editorials, your writings, your articles are critically important," Kasich
said. Kasich sided with Trump on the sanctuary cities issue, saying he
believes the president is right to oppose their efforts to enact certain
immigrant protections. SF Gate
VOA VIEW: Newspapers are dead, not buried,
yet.
Former
White House Photographer Keeps Subtly Mocking The Trump Administration
On Instagram
"I like these drapes better than the new ones. Don't you think?" The
caption is a reference to President Trump changing the red curtains to
gold ones. Former White House photographer Pete Souza spent eight years
documenting Barack Obama's presidency, and it seems he's not done portraying
Obama in a favorable light. Souza, who has a new, non-White House-branded
Instagram account, has been using it to subtly mock the Trump administration
since Inauguration Day. Almost every major controversy involving Donald
Trump is referenced in some way in Souza's photos. When the Washington
Post reported Trump's tense phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm
Turnbull, Souza posted a cheery photo of Obama laughing with Turnbull.
As Trump feuded with Mexico over the payment for his border wall, Souza
offered up an image of Obama drinking with Mexican President Enrique Pena
Nieto. SF Gate
Yemen
Raid: Spicer Says McCain, Other Critics Owe Apology To Dead SEAL
The White House said Wednesday that anyone who questions the success
of last week's deadly U.S.-led raid in Yemen "owes an apology" to the Navy
SEAL who was killed there. Press Secretary Sean Spicer's comments came
shortly after Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who chairs the Senate
Armed Services Committee, said he would not call the raid a success. "When
you lose a $75 million airplane and, more importantly, an American life
is lost
I don't believe you can call it a success," McCain, who was briefed
after the raid, told NBC News. MSNBC
VOA VIEW: McCain is a loser.
Ted
Cruz: Angry Elizabeth Warren Lashing Out At The American People
Sen. Ted Cruz said Sen. Elizabeth Warren was lashing out at the American
people Tuesday because shes angry about the November election. Mr. Cruz
said Mrs. Warren was lashing out at Jeff Sessions and, really, lashing
out at the American people [because] shes angry about the election. Republicans
rebuked Mrs. Warren Tuesday on the Senate floor, saying she was impugning
the character of Sen. Jeff Sessions, who is President Trumps pick to be
the next attorney general. Senate Democrats are holding the floor to protest
Mr. Sessions nomination. The Democrats are angry and theyre out of their
minds, Mr. Cruz, Texas Republican, said on Fox News. Washington
Times
Trump
To Approve Weapons Packages To Saudi Arabia, Bahrain Blocked By Obama
The Trump administration is poised to move quickly to approve major
weapons packages for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain that President Obama blocked
during his final months in office over human rights concerns in both nations,
U.S. officials and congressional sources say. While the White House declined
to discuss its plans, one U.S. official directly involved in the transfers
told The Washington Times that a roughly $300 million precision-guided
missile technology package for Riyadh and a multibillion-dollar F-16 deal
for Bahrain are now in the pipeline ready for clearance from the new administration.
The deals, if approved, would send a significant signal about the priorities
of the new administration, where the security challenge posed by forces
such as Islamist jihadi groups and Iran is taking a much greater precedence
in setting foreign policy. Washington Times
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Trump
Accuser Follows Cosby Playbook By Pursuing Defamation Suit
When former reality television contestant Summer Zervos accused Donald
Trump of sexual misconduct last fall, she pursued her claims solely in
the court of public opinion, since the allegations dated too far back to
allow a lawsuit. But last month, she found a fresh approach to fight the
former host of "The Apprentice," who has vehemently denied her allegations
that he groped her in 2007. By professing his innocence, the man who is
now president of the United States had effectively called her a liar, Servos
alleges in a defamation lawsuit. The suit copied a rare legal tactic employed
most notably by several women who have accused the actor and comedian Bill
Cosby of sexual assault: using his denials as the basis for a defamation
claim. Reuters
Trump
Playing Catch-Up To Fill Gop Government Posts
With Senate confirmation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, President
Donald Trump filled another important post in his new government. Only
685 to go. In his third week in office, Trump's young government remains
a work in progress, with hundreds of empty desks in agency offices across
Washington. While the president has criticized Democrats for the delays,
he also shares at least part of the blame for moving more slowly than his
predecessor to submit vetting information and paperwork for his nominations.
A tally of appointments and unfilled posts illustrates the daunting challenge
facing any new president. Through Wednesday, Trump's team has nominated
35 people to fill 693 high-level positions that require Senate confirmation,
according to data maintained by the Partnership for Public Service. At
this stage in 2009, then-President Barack Obama's administration had nominated
38 officials in all. Houston Chronicle
CIA
Chief Arrives In Turkey To Discuss IS
A Turkish official says CIA chief Mike Pompeo has arrived in Turkey
to discuss the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.
The security official said Thursday that Pompeo who is making his first
overseas trip since taking office is scheduled to meet with his Turkish
counterpart as well as with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Talks include
plans for a possible operation to retake the Islamic State group stronghold
of Raqqa, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line
with government regulations. Pompeo's visit follows U.S. President Donald
Trump's telephone conversation with Erdogan. Turkey is hoping for a reset
in relations that were strained under the Obama administration over Turkish
demands for the extradition of a U.S-based cleric and opposition to U.S.
backing for Syrian Kurdish fighters. Charlotte Observer
Bacon
Without The Pig Inches Closer To Your Breakfast
What if you could take the pig out of the bacon? Were getting there.
Slowly, but maybe surely. This week, the path toward animal-free meat grew
slightly clearer in a paper published in the journal Nature. The findings
feed the notion that in several years you may feast on a real burger
not tofu or some portobello stand-in, but real flesh made without livestock.
Animal rights groups speak giddily about the prospect. Environmentalists
cheer on the developments, imagining a hot dog with a far smaller carbon
footprint. The meat industry says, essentially, bring it on. Kudos
to
these innovative scientists, said Janet Riley, a vice president of the
American Meat Institute. Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Kansas
City Star
Trump
Dismisses Arguments Against Travel Ban As Disgraceful During Sheriffs
Conference
President Donald Trump bashed the attorneys and the judges involved
in deciding whether his travel-related executive order must be reinstated,
calling the arguments "disgraceful" during a speech Wednesday. Trump's
attack comes after a three-judge panel from a San Francisco appeals court
grilled Justice Department attorneys over his ban, which prohibits foreigners
from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States. During
oral arguments Tuesday afternoon, the judges wanted to know whether there's
any evidence backing up the Trump administration's claims that national
security is at risk because of people from those countries. MSNBC
VOA VIEW: The bad guys would be foolish
to attack while the matter is is limbo.
Mississippi
Considers Firing Squad, Gas Chamber As Methods Of Execution
Mississippi lawmakers are advancing a proposal to add firing squad,
electrocution and gas chamber as execution methods in case a court blocks
the use of lethal injection drugs. House Bill 638 is a response to lawsuits
filed by liberal, left-wing radicals, said House Judiciary B Committee
Chairman Andy Gipson, a Republican. The bill passed the House amid opposition
Wednesday, and it moves to the Senate for more debate.
CBS
Major
Global Warming Study Again Questioned, Again Defended
Another round of bickering is boiling over about temperature readings
used in a 2015 study to show how the planet is warming. The issue is about
how readings gathered decades ago were adjusted to try to get a clearer
picture of how the Earths temperature is changing now. Those adjustments
have been questioned by some who reject mainstream climate science and
have tried to claim there has been a pause in global warming. A January
study in a scientific journal used another set of measurements to confirm
the readings and prove again that the earths temperature is rising quickly
and that the warming has not paused. CBS
Rancorous
Senate Silencing Gives Elizabeth Warren A National Boost
The turbulent national debate over race, gender and free speech consumed
the normally staid Senate on Wednesday after the GOP majority voted to
silence Sen. Elizabeth Warren, abruptly elevating her celebrity status
at a moment when liberals are hungry for a leader to take on Donald Trump.
The highly unusual rebuke of the Massachusetts Democrat came as the Senate
weighed President Trumps choice for attorney general, GOP Sen. Jeff Sessions
of Alabama, who secured confirmation on a nearly party-line vote Wednesday
evening. It also gave frustrated Democrats a rallying cry weeks into a
presidency that is dividing the country like few before. I certainly hope
that this anti-free-speech attitude is not traveling down Pennsylvania
Avenue to our great chamber, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New
York warned darkly as Democrats jumped at an opening to link the GOPs
conduct to that of Trump himself. This is not what America is about
silencing speech, especially in this chamber. Boston
Globe
VOA VIEW: Wrong is wrong - even if true,
the national liberal media can not be trusted.
Can
Tom Price Expect An Elizabeth Warren Moment On The Senate Floor?
It all comes down to this for Tom Price. The Senate voted Wednesday
evening to allow up to 30 hours of floor debate on the Roswell Republicans
nomination to be secretary of health and human services. When its all
over, likely in the wee hours of Friday morning, were expecting Price
will be put in charge of a federal agency with a roughly $1 trillion annual
budget. Senators just voted 51-48 along strict party lines to advance Prices
nomination. From here, senators will take turns giving speeches on the
Senate floor. Democrats do not appear to have the votes to stop Republicans
from confirming the seven-term congressman, so their only way of registering
dissent is through blistering floor speeches and perhaps some procedural
delay tactics. Whats unclear is to what degree the debate will take on
the same nakedly partisan tone as the one that characterized consideration
of Jeff Sessions nomination to be attorney general.
Atlanta Journal
China
Praises Trump's Letter To Xi, Belated Well-Wishes
China praised U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday for expressing
a desire for a "constructive relationship" in a letter to Chinese President
Xi Jinping, even though the leaders have not spoken directly since Trump's
inauguration. Trump sent belated well-wishes for the Lunar New Year in
a letter from the White House on Wednesday. He had been the only U.S. president
in recent years not to have issued greetings to the world's most populous
nation on its most important holiday, which fell this year on Jan. 28.
The silence triggered speculation in China as to whether it was an oversight
or an intentional slight. A statement from the White House late Wednesday
said Trump wrote to Xi that he looked forward to "develop a constructive
relationship that benefits both the United States and China." Foreign Ministry
spokesman Lu Kang said China "highly commended" Trump for the letter to
Xi wishing the Chinese people greetings for the new year and the Lantern
Festival that falls on Saturday. Houston Chronicle
YOU can speak out and be heard by having your own "Column" - Visit the "Public Opinion" Section above.
Hacker
Talks About Links With Russian Spy Agency
A member of a Russian hacking group involved in blackmailing top officials
says that it had contacts with Russia's top domestic security agency. Alexander
Glazastikov said in an interview with independent Dozhd television aired
Thursday that the Federal Security Service, or FSB, had offered the Shaltai
Boltai (Humpty Dumpty) group to work under its control. The group has been
publishing letters and documents stolen from Russian officials. Glazastikov,
who spoke to Dozhd in Tallinn, Estonia, where he's seeking political asylum,
said the group's leader, Vladimir Anikeyev, told him the FSB had offered
him a deal: The hackers would show the spy agency their publications in
advance, in exchange for protection. Tampa Tribune
Trump's
Regulation Trims Not A Big Help For Entrepreneurs
With smiling small business owners surrounding him, Donald Trump held
a ceremony to sign one of his many executive orders on his tenth day in
office. This Executive Order was drafted to keep one of Trumps
campaign promises of cutting regulations for small businesses. Its a nice
show, Mr. Trump. But thats mostly what it is: a show. "This will be the
largest ever cut by far in terms of regulation," Trump said. "We want to
end the unfairness between small and big business caused by regulation.
The executive order would require federal agencies to eliminate two regulations
for every new one they enact. Cutting regulations affecting small business
would be nice indeed, but as with most things in government but especially
with this administration the devils in the details.
USA Today
VOA VIEW: The liberal media hates to report
on anything that is positive about Trump.
Defense,
Intelligence Officials Caution White House On Terrorist Designation For
Irans Revolutionary Guard
Senior defense and intelligence officials have cautioned the White
House that a proposal to designate Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps as
a foreign terrorist organization could endanger U.S. troops in Iraq and
the overall fight against the Islamic State, and would be an unprecedented
use of a law that was not designed to sanction government institutions.
Defense and intelligence concerns have been expressed at the highest levels
over the past several days, as the White House was preparing to roll out
an executive order dealing with both Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps and the Muslim Brotherhood, according to administration officials
who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized
to discuss the sensitive matter. Washington Post
VOA VIEW: And the truth is...
Trump
Blasts Retailer Nordstrom, Raising New Concern On Business Ties
President Donald Trump blasted department store chain Nordstrom Inc
(JWN.N) on Wednesday for dropping his daughter Ivanka's clothing line,
prompting critics to accuse him of misusing public office to benefit his
family's sprawling business empire. After Trump's highly unusual move to
use a White House platform to intervene in a commercial matter involving
his daughter, Nordstrom reiterated that its action last week was based
on declining sales of the Ivanka Trump products. But White House spokesman
Sean Spicer characterized the move as a "direct attack" on the president's
policies. "My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom.
She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!"
Trump wrote on Wednesday on both his personal and official presidential
Twitter accounts. Reuters
Trump
Is 2nd President To Tout Unfinished Intel Factory
President Donald Trump on Wednesday held up Intel's plan to invest
more than $7 billion in an Arizona factory as a win for his economic agenda,
but it's also a reminder that not all corporate commitments come to fruition.
Trump was the second president to celebrate the computer chip maker's attempts
to expand its domestic production at the same facility in Chandler, Arizona.
In 2012, Obama went to the factory's construction site and celebrated that
the plant would produce "some of the fastest and most powerful computer
chips on Earth." ABC
VOA VIEW: It didn't happen.
Trump
Is Repeating Obama's Rookie Mistakes
The disastrous roll out of President Donald Trumps clampdown on refugees
and visitors from majority-Muslim countries wasnt how his supporters were
expecting his administration to begin. While it was a cornerstone of his
election campaign, it was poorly thought out, with little consideration
given to the inevitable legal challenges, protests and political backlash.
If this seems somewhat familiar, you need only recall President Barack
Obamas disastrous launch of the Affordable Care Act, a piece of legislation
the administration strained to get through Congress. The website was unusable
and crashed constantly, and was widely recognized as a costly and avoidable
error. It was obvious that the people in charge hadnt thought this through
and failed to stress test the site. It tarnished perceptions of both the
program and the administrations cherished reputation for competence. ABC
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Kenya
Bourt blocks Closing Of World's Biggest Refugee Camp
A Kenyan court ruled Thursday that the government must not close the
world's largest refugee camp and send more than 200,000 people back to
war-torn Somalia, a decision that eases pressure on Somalis who feared
the camp would close by the end of May. Kenya's internal security minister
abused his power by ordering the closure of Dadaab camp, Judge John Mativo
said, adding that the minister and other officials had "acted in excess
and in abuse of their power, in violation of the rule of law and in contravention
of their oaths of office." Rights groups Amnesty International, Kituo cha
Sheria and the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights had challenged
the government's order to close the camp. Tampa Tribune
Trump
Visit Cost Palm Beach County Aviation Businesses More Than $250K
President Donald Trumps four-day visit this past week to Mar-a-Lago
cost airports and aviation-related businesses in Palm Beach County more
than $250,000 in lost sales, according to a new report. The countys
aviation department compiled estimates of losses caused by flight restrictions
imposed during the presidents weekend trip. While commercial jet traffic
was not significantly disrupted, the number of smaller planes landing at
Palm Beach International Airport was reduced as much as 40 percent, according
to the report. That resulted in a $200,000 loss in fuel sales and $17,000
in lost landing fees and other revenue, according to the report. Sun
Sentinel
VOA VIEW: No reports are how much was
wasited on Obama's many dumb trips.
Amid
Controversy Over Sessions Debate, Ted Cruz Says Dems Are 'Party Of The
Ku Klux Klan'
Cruz said Democrats were crying racism when it came to the controversy
surrounding Sessions. The real racists, he said, came from the Democratic
Party, mentioning Southern Dixiecrats of the mid-20th century who supported
the Ku Klux Klan. "The Klan was founded by a great many Democrats, and
yet now the Democrats just accuse anyone they disagree with of being a
racist," Cruz said. "That was a false smear of Senator Sessions, and I
think he's going to make an extraordinary attorney general. After eight
years, we deserve an attorney general who'll be faithful to the law and
faithful to the Constitution." USA Today
American
Airlines CEO Wont Attend Thursday Meeting With Trump
American Airlines Group Inc. chief executive officer wont attend a
Feb. 9 meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump and leaders
from other carriers because it conflicts with a company event. Doug Parker
will remain in Texas where he will address the final day-long session of
Americans annual leadership conference, the airline said Wednesday. At
the meeting, Parker and other top executives will lay out this years priorities
for the worlds largest carrier. Thursdays session is the last of four
that involve more than 6,000 company managers from around the world. Bloomberg
VOA VIEW: Time will tell if not attending
the Trump meeting is a mistake.
First
Lady Names White House Social Secretary
First lady Melania Trump has named Anna Cristina Niceta Lloyd as White
House social secretary, putting her at the helm of the White House's social
events, state dinners and other high-profile gatherings. Mrs. Trump says
Niceta Lloyd who goes by Rickie brings "solid diplomatic, political
and social entertaining experience" to the job. The White House says Niceta
Lloyd has worked with both Republicans and Democrats in planning events
for the last five presidential inaugurations. She's also assisted the State
Department's Office of Protocol with events with several secretaries of
state. Las Vegas Sun
Scott,
Senates Sole Black Republican, Defends Sessions
Sen. Tim Scott, the Senate's lone African-American Republican, on Wednesday
offered a personal and passionate defense of Sen. Jeff Sessions, President
Donald Trump's embattled choice to be attorney general. Scott, a South
Carolina conservative, noted the racist messages he had received since
announcing his support for Sessions. He spoke of his personal experiences
in introducing the Alabama Republican to African-American pastors at a
racial forum in Charleston. And he read the statements of black Alabama
Democrats vouching for Sessions, who as attorney general would be the nation's
top law enforcement official. Las Vegas Sun
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Trump
Facing Historic Delays In Confirmation Push
Even as he signs executive orders at a furious pace and plans 'yuge'
changes across the federal government, President Trump is dealing with
a major disadvantage: His team is not in place. Not only has the Senate
confirmed just a handful of Trump's Cabinet nominees nearly three weeks
into his presidency, but hundreds of other positions remain unappointed.
Part of the problem is Trump has not named most of those mid-level nominees;
and part, as Trump complained Tuesday night, is Senate Democrats' obstruction
of his Cabinet picks. But one thing is clear: this year's Cabinet confirmation
process is one of the slowest in history. Fox News
Military
Brass Sound Alarm About 'Insidious Decline' In Readiness
For decades, the F/A-18 Hornet has been the Navys front-line combat
jet taking off from aircraft carriers around the globe to enforce no-fly
zones, carry out strikes and even engage in the occasional dogfight. But
the Navys ability to use these planes is now greatly hindered as more
than 60 percent of the jets are out of service. That number is even worse
for the Marine Corps, where 74 percent of its F-18s some of the oldest
in service are not ready for combat operations. These figures are reflective
of the erosion in readiness across all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces
and a source of deepening concern for ranking military members and lawmakers
in both houses of Congress. Top service branch officials sounded the alarm
in a pair of congressional hearings this week about how bad the problem
has become. Fox
Trumps
Deregulation Plan Called Arbitrary In Latest Suit
President Donald Trumps directive that federal agencies discard two
regulations for every one they adopt is arbitrary, unconstitutional and
will harm Americans, two advocacy groups and a union claim. The allegations
made in a federal lawsuit represent yet more push-back to Trumps use of
executive orders to quickly deploy policy changes he touted during his
campaign. Trump argued Wednesday that his power to limit immigration shouldnt
be decided in courts as an appeals panel reviewed how to proceed on a challenge
to his travel-ban. Bloomberg
VOA VIEW: Whose counting.
Trump
Says He Wanted One-Month Warning Ahead Of Travel Ban
President Donald Trump, during a speech to sheriffs and police chiefs
Wednesday, defended the immediate rollout of his immigration executive
order, saying law enforcement advised him not to give an advanced warning.
Trump said he initially thought there should have been a one-month or one-week
notice before issuing the executive order. "We do things well. We did things
right, but the law enforcement people said to me, 'Oh, you can't give a
notice because if you give a notice that you're going to be really tough
in one month from now or in one week from now,'" he said. "I suggested
a month, then I said, 'Well, what about a week?' They said, 'No, you can't
do that because then people are going to pour in.'"
UPI News
Japan's
Shinzo Abe Criticized For 'Golf Summit' With Donald Trump
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to play a round of golf
with U.S. President Donald Trump during his summit on Friday. But Abe's
plan to build friendly ties with the new president is inviting criticism
from ruling and opposition party politicians in Japan, the Mainichi Shimbun
reported on Wednesday. Hiroshi Ogushi, the policy research committee chairman
of the main opposition Democratic Party, said that while golfing is fine
for building personal relationships, he worries about the "kind of message"
Abe's golfing with Trump would send to the world. Ogushi was referring
to Trump's recent executive order that restricts immigration from seven
Muslim-majority countries, a policy that has been met with international
opposition. UPI News
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US Says
It Killed 11 Al-Qaeda Operatives In Syria Air Strikes
US forces killed 11 members of al-Qaeda in two air strikes near Idlib
in Syria, this month, including a former ally of Osama Bin Laden, the Pentagon
said. Captain Jeff Davis, a spokesman, said 10 operatives were killed in
a single strike on 3 February. A second strike on 4 February killed Abu
Hani al-Masri, who had close ties to the late al-Qaeda leader, he said.
Al-Masri is said to have set up and run al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan
during the 1980s and 1990s. BBC
Rights
Groups Challenge Israel Settlements Law In Court
Two rights groups have asked Israel's Supreme Court to strike down
a new law retroactively legalising 3,900 settler homes built on private
Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank. Adalah and the Jerusalem Legal
Aid and Human Rights Centre also requested an injunction to freeze its
implementation pending a ruling by the court. The law, passed by Israel's
parliament, has been denounced by Palestinians. Israel's attorney-general
has also warned that it is unconstitutional. BBC
Sarah
Palin Touted As US Ambassador To Canada? You Betcha!
Much of her life has played out like a Canadian stereotype: from her
favourite food of moose stew to her love of snowmobiling. But after a White
House spokesman refused to rule out the possibility that Sarah Palin could
be the next US ambassador to Ottawa, few in Canada seemed to be embracing
the prospect of the former Alaska governor taking up the role. Sarah Palin
as ambassador? New Democrat MP Charlie Angus asked on Twitter. Well that
would show how little Steve Bannon and his pal @realDonaldTrump think of
Canada. Guardian
Donald
Trump White House Warns Iran 'There's A New President In Town'
The White House has issued a warning to Iran that "there's a new president
in town" and it would not "sit by" and allow the country to pursue its
military ambitions. Diplomatic tensions were ratcheted up after Iran's
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public speech since
President Donald Trump's inauguration. He dismissed the US decision to
put Iran "on notice" over a recent ballistic missile test and called on
Iranians to take part in demonstrations on Friday, when the anniversary
of the 1979 Islamic revolution will be marked. Guardian
Defence
Department Seeking To Rent Space In Trump Tower As Concerns Linger Over
President's Business Interests
The Department of Defence is looking to rent space in Trump Tower,
reviving questions over the mingling of Donald Trump's business interests
and his presidency. Military staff always need to be in close proximity
of the commander in chief, who stays in the Manhattan skyscraper when he
visits New York. "In order to meet official mission requirements, the Department
of Defence is working through appropriate channels and in accordance with
all applicable legal requirements in order to acquire a limited amount
of leased space in Trump Tower," Lt. Col. JB Brindle, a Defence Department
spokesman, told CNN. Telegraph
Two
New England Patriots Players Will Refuse Donald Trump's Invitation To White
House After Super Bowl Victory
Two New England Patriots players will not accept an invitation from
Donald Trump to visit the White House after their Super Bowl victory. Devin
McCourty and Martellus Bennett have said they would decline the traditional
White House invitation for the Super Bowl winners because of their feelings
towards the president. Im not going to the White House," McCourty, a
two-time Pro Bowler, told Time. "Basic reason for me is I dont feel accepted
in the White House. With the president having so many strong opinions and
prejudices I believe certain people might feel accepted there while others
wont. Telegraph
VOA VIEW: Dumb mistake.
Somalia:
UN Mission Pledges Support As New President Will Face Daunting Challenges
Congratulating former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo on
his election as Somalias new President, the United Nations Assistance
Mission in the country (UNSOM) said the UN and the wider international
community are ready to assist him in addressing the myriad challenges that
await his Government. We [
] look forward to working with him and his
Government in tackling the many economic, political, security and humanitarian
challenges facing Somalia, UNSOM Spokesperson Joseph Contreras told UN
News after the presidential polling, which followed a nearly 18 month exercise
that included an extended parliamentary electoral proces.
UN News
UN
Commemorates 20 Years Of Protecting Children In Armed Conflicts
Top officials from the United Nations and the international community
today applauded two decades of efforts to protect children from the scourge
of war by marking the 20th anniversary of General Assembly resolution 51/77
(1997) on promotion and protection of the rights of children. In an informal
meeting of the 193-member Assembly in New York, the UN bodys President,
Peter Thomson, called the resolution a landmark development in our global
efforts to improve the protection of children in conflict situations.
UN
News
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