Cruz Files Bill to Ban American ISIS Fighters From Returning to the U.S.

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By Adam Kredo. Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) [filed] legislation on Friday to ban American citizens who fight alongside the Islamic State (IS) and other terror groups from returning to the United States, where they pose a significant terror threat, according to sources in the senator’s office.

Cruz, who first proposed the legislation last year, seeks to strip those Americans who travel abroad to fight with IS (also known as ISIL or ISIS) of their U.S. citizenship rights and stop them from coming back stateside.

The bill, known as the Expatriate Terrorist Act (E.T.A.), tightens and updates existing regulations by which a U.S. citizen effectively renounces his or her citizenship.

Cruz said that he is filing the bill partly in response to President Obama’s Tuesday State of the Union address, which he described as “detached from reality” on the foreign policy front. (Read more about the bill to ban American ISIS fighters from returning to the U.S. HERE)

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Charlie Hebdo Protests Erupt Across Southern Asia

By Khurram Shahzad. Tens of thousands across Afghanistan, Pakistan and Muslim-majority Indian Kashmir took to the streets on Friday for southern Asia’s biggest protests yet against satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo’s cartoon portrayal of the Prophet Mohammed.

Up to 20,000 demonstrators in the western Afghan city of Herat and 15,000 in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, burned French flags and chanted slogans calling for France’s downfall, while a smaller Pakistani protest saw an effigy of France’s President Francois Hollande set on fire.

In Srinagar, the largest city on the Indian-controlled side of the disputed region of Kashmir, police clashed with a contingent of around 3,000 demonstrators after shops and businesses were ordered to close by a leading Muslim organisation and several separatist groups. (Read more from this story HERE)

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GOP RIP: The Formerly Pro-Life Party

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Last October, Reince Priebus gave a speech with a conspicuous omission. Just 33 days before the midterm elections, the Republican National Committee Chairman headed to George Washington University to give a speech on the issues that bring Republicans together. Priebus ticked off a lengthy list of policy proposals that all the party’s candidates could highlight, noting that they could work for anyone, “whether you’re running for governor in New England or Congress in the South or statehouse in the West.”

The speech was highly detailed. The chairman praised specific pieces of legislation and touted the construction of the Keystone Pipeline and the passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment as issues that could unite GOP politicians. On these points and many others, Priebus was clear as glass. But on one enormous issue, the chairman was oddly opaque.

“As Republicans we’re pro-family; and we’re also pro-life,” he said, according to the transcript of his prepared remarks. “So when a woman faces an unplanned pregnancy, society should offer our support and compassion. She should know that adoption is possible. Our laws should be improved to make adoption an easier path for families who want to open their homes to children.”

And that was it. The GOP is pro-life, the chairman said, so the GOP supports making adoption easier. Priebus didn’t add anything beyond that. He couldn’t have, given the reference to the party’s New England gubernatorial candidates, almost all of whom are pro-choice. As the last 24 hours have shown, anti-abortion votes are a dicey prospect for some Hill Republicans. And the Keystone Pipeline just might have broader support among Washington Republicans than the pro-life movement. (Read more about the formerly pro-life party HERE)

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Obama Veers Off of Talking Points, Claims Homosexuality is a Choice, not Genetically Predetermined

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Photo Credit: GettyPresident Barack Obama’s gay allies are ignoring his endorsement of the long-standing claim that sexual orientation is a matter of choice.

“I think people know that treating folks unfairly, even if you disagree with their lifestyle choice… Let them live their lives and under the law they should be treated equally,” he said 25 minutes into his Wednesday interview with GloZell Green, a YouTube personality.

Obama’s statement violates progressives’ demand that Americans believe there’s no choice in sexual orientation.

But Obama’s statement reflects mainstream views.

A May 2014 poll by Gallup showed that only 42 percent of Americans believe all gay people are “born that way,” regardless of choice. Thirty-seven percent of Americans believe that homosexuality is linked to upbringing and environment. (Read more from “Obama: Homosexuality is a Choice” HERE)

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Proposed Law to Allow Assisted Suicide Gaining Support

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Two Democratic state senators in California proposed a “right-to-die” bill to the state legislature on Wednesday, alongside the family of the young woman who brought the issue to light.

Late last year, Californian Brittany Maynard made waves on national news and social media as a result of her desire to end her life on her own terms, as opposed to her alternative of living out a painful terminal illness.

Maynard had tried to end her life at what she felt was an appropriate moment, as she was stricken with an aggressive and debilitating brain tumor.

When the state of California refused to help her carry out her decision, she and her husband ended up moving to Oregon, where assisted suicide isn’t prohibited by law.

She passed away on November 1, 2014. (Read more about the proposed law that will allow assisted suicide HERE)

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Federal Judge Orders State to Issue Illegal Aliens Driver’s Licenses

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A federal judge granted a permanent injunction Thursday affirming the ability of young immigrants protected from deportation to obtain an Arizona driver’s license.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge David Campbell came exactly one month after the so-called DREAMers began getting driver’s licenses in Arizona for the first time.

Arizona was one of the last states where officials refused to issue driver’s licenses to young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children but allowed to remain under a 2012 Obama administration program.

Former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, waged a lengthy legal battle over the program.

Courts ruled against Arizona on several occasions and cleared the way for licenses to be issued starting Dec. 22. (Read more from “Arizona Now Must Issue Illegal Aliens Driver’s Licenses” HERE)

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Sarah Palin on 2016: Time to Ditch the “No Girls Allowed” Sign on the Oval Office Door

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Just before she heads to Iowa for the first major conservative showcase of the 2016 election cycle, Sarah Palin said “of course” she’s interested in the 2016 presidential election.

“Yeah, I mean, of course, when you have a servant’s heart, when you know that there is opportunity to do all you can to put yourself forward in the name of offering service, anybody would be interested,” Palin told ABC News’ Neal Karlinsky while serving wild boar chili to the homeless in Las Vegas Thursday.

When asked again if she could be “possibly” interested in a presidential campaign, she answered, “We definitely had enough of seeing that — America has had enough of seeing that — sign on the Oval Office door saying, ‘No Girls Allowed.’ I know that.”

While serving up bowls to those gathered in line, the former Alaska governor clarified, “It doesn’t necessarily have to be me, though, but no, America is definitely ready for real change.

“It doesn’t have to be myself, but yes … happy to drive that competition, because competition will make everyone better and produce more and be more candid regarding their solutions they will offer this country. I am very interested in that competitive process and, again, not necessarily me.” (Read more about Sarah Palin on 2016 HERE)

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Palin: GOP Establishment has a Case of Deflated Balls

By Samuel Smith. While appearing at a hunting and outdoors trade show in Las Vegas on Thursday, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin declined to comment on current hot-button political issues but sent the clear message to Republican leadership in Congress that they need to go on the “offensive” with the new majority they have in both houses.

After promoting her outdoor-themed reality show “Amazing America” at the SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show), the 50-year-old former vice presidential candidate told The Blaze that Republicans in Congress need to start acting like they actually have the majority and urged GOP Congress members to stop playing “defense.”

“I’m not going to talk politics except to say the GOP had better go on offense,” Palin asserted. “Man, they are not going to win a game on defense. Being in the majority there in D.C. — we’re blowing it if we just bend our back.”

In issuing her comments, Palin used a metaphor comparing the Republican leadership to the scandal-ridden New England Patriots to drive home the point.

“That GOP leadership, that establishment, they’ve got to get their stuff together. I love what they believe in, I believe in it too. But they’ve got to get tough man,” Palin explained. “You know what? It’s not just the New England Patriots who are dealing with deflated balls right now.” (Read more from this story HERE)

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Disneyland Measles Outbreak “Starting to Sweep the Country”

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Photo Credit: CBS Baltimore By Christie Ileto. A health warning. The extremely contagious measles virus is back. An outbreak that started at Disneyland is starting to sweep the country.

Christie Ileto has the push for children to get vaccinated.

Measles was thought to have been eliminated in the U.S. 15 years ago. Now its back, targeting those who haven’t been immunized.

The outbreak that started in California’s Disneyland is expanding. At least 75 cases of measles span six states.

“It’s scary to think the happiest place on Earth is infected with measles,” one Disney employee said. (Read more about the measles outbreak in California HERE)

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Arizona Medical Director on Measles: “One of the Most Contagious Diseases Known to Man”

By Connie Sexton. A recent but rare case of the measles in Maricopa County has health officials reminding the public of the disease’s potential harm and the benefits of being vaccinated.

“It’s one of the most contagious diseases known to man,” said Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine, the county’s medical director for disease control. Although measles are extremely rare, one in a thousand cases leads to inflammation around the brain, deafness and cognitive impairment, and one to two cases in a thousand are fatal, she said. “The measles vaccine is one of the best we have. No vaccine is perfect, but this is almost 100 percent perfect.”

County officials hope those who have never been vaccinated will do so now, in light of the news Thursday that a woman in her 50s living in the county tested positive for measles. Officials believe it’s likely the woman contracted the disease Dec. 15-20 while visiting Disneyland, which has been linked to an outbreak in California, Sunenshine said. (Read more from this story HERE)

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ISIS Says Countdown For Japan’s Hostages has Begun

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NY Post By Mari Yamaguchi and Elaine Kurtenbach. Japan promised Saturday not to give up “until the very end” on efforts to rescue two Japanese hostages threatened with beheading by Islamic militants demanding a $200 million ransom, after a deadline passed with no word from the captors.

Militants affiliated with the Islamic State group posted an online warning Friday afternoon that the “countdown has begun” for the extremists to kill 47-year-old Kenji Goto and 42-year-old Haruna Yukawa. The extremists gave Prime Minister Shinzo Abe 72 hours to pay the ransom, and the deadline expired Friday.

The posting, which appeared on a forum popular among Islamic State militants and sympathizers, did not show any images of the hostages, who are believed to be held somewhere in Syria. (Read more on how ISIS says countdown for Japan’s hostages has begun HERE)

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Was the New ISIS Hostage Video Filmed Indoors?

By Associated Press. The video of two Japanese hostages being held by the Islamic State group seems, like past IS videos, made in an arid, desert setting. But suspicions are emerging that the message was not prepared outdoors at all.

An expert in these videos said it was more likely completed in an indoor studio with a false backdrop made to appear that it was outdoors.

Kenji Goto, a journalist, and Haruna Yukawa, who runs a security company, are seen kneeling in orange jumpsuits with a masked man holding a knife between them. The hostage-holders are threatening to kill the men if the Japanese government does not pay a $200 million ransom.

The video, posted on militant websites Tuesday and identified as being made by the Islamic State group’s al-Furqan media arm, appears to have been filmed in the same location as those showing American hostages James Foley, Steven Sotloff and Peter Kassig and British captives David Haines and Alan Henning. (Read more from this story HERE)

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Lawmaker Looking to Ban Silhouette Targets (+video)

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As if we don’t have enough silly stuff to deal with right now with Sharon Watts calling for her followers to assault people legally carrying weapons. Now it looks like a lawmaker is pushing a bill to ban the use of silhouette targets.

Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland (D) wants people to know that life is precious, all life. Including the poor guy printed on the target I guess. But what he fails to realize is that they are used for a purpose, to train citizens and law enforcement to gun fight. They teach the person shooting what they are going to likely see in the event of a self-defense shooting. They build muscle memory and help shooters train for the possibility that they may one day need to put their training to use.

Rep. Kirkland recommends that they switch to animals that are hunted, asking “Why not use a deer, why not use an animal that folks are hunting and not a human silhouette?” (Read more about the attempt to ban silhouette targets HERE)

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New Documents Show David Gregory Not Prosecuted Because He Was “Too Nice a Guy”

By William Jacobson. This is likely the final chapter in the saga of our two-year long fight to obtain important documents regarding the non-prosecution of David Gregory for possessing on Meet the Press an illegal high-capacity ammunition magazine.

The short version is that the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department warned NBC News that it could not possess an actual high-capacity magazine, but NBC News went ahead and did it anyway. The MPD recommended a warrant for Gregory’s arrest, but that request was nixed by the D.C. Attorney General Irvin Nathan because — my paraphrase — Gregory was just too nice a guy and had no other criminal intent.

That attitude stood in stark contrast to the D.C. Attorney General’s vigorous prosecution of other lesser-known people who also were nice people and had no other criminal intent, but violated D.C.’s gun laws. (Read more from this story HERE)

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Watch: Daycare Employee Caught Kicking Baby in the Head

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By Claire McNeill. After kicking a toddler in the head in an apparent effort to wake her up, a child care employee at Kids Stop-N-Play day care in Holiday was arrested and charged with child abuse, according to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Sixteen-month-old Lillian Roan was dotted with bruises when her mother picked her up from the day care Saturday afternoon: one underneath her eye, three on her forehead, and a red, bald patch created when the worker kicked her daughter in the head, Lillian’s mother said.

Later that day, Pasco sheriff’s deputies arrested Linda K. Klemm, 48, of Tarpon Springs and charged her with child abuse. She was released on $5,000 bail Sunday. (Read more from “Daycare Employee Caught Kicking Baby in the Head” HERE)

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New Gerber Baby Announced

By Jennifer Van Laar. Gerber has announced the winner of the 2014 Gerber “Be Our Baby” Contest, and watch out – she’s so adorable that watching the video of her “interview” on the Today show could leave you with a case of baby fever.

Seven-month-old baby Grace from East Petersburg, Pennsylvania, beat out 180,000 competitors to win this year’s contest. Her prizes include a year of free Gerber food, $50,000, and the opportunity to appear as the 2015 Gerber spokesbaby.

This is the fifth year Gerber has held the “Be Our Baby” contest. It’s not all about looks, though, say Gerber spokespeople. (Read more from this story HERE)

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