Massive Explosion Rocks Syrian Military Base, Registered as an Earthquake on Seismographs, Raises Fears of Russia Retaliation

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A 2.6 magnitude earthquake was recorded close to Taqsees, Hama, Syria at 10:40 PM local time (3:40 NY time) Sunday, at the same time Syrian TV reported several explosions in the same area.

Moments later, videos of an intense set of explosions, reportedly at a Syrian military base at Jabal al-Bukhut 47, some 10 miles south-east of Hama, began to pop on the social networks.

One report cited a hostile strike (Israel) that targeted an ammunition depots in the Hama area which is one of the depots used mostly by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. . .

Early Sunday morning (before the explosions), Syrian sources reported that an Iranian military plane from Tehran landed in the Hama airport. It was unusual enough event that the Syrian sources felt it important to report at the time.

(Read more from “Massive Explosion Rocks Syrian Military Base, Registered as an Earthquake on Seismographs, Raises Fears of Russia Retaliation” HERE)

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New Fukushima Nightmare for Japan Utility

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There’s a building boom going on at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan where on March 11, 2011, as the coast was catastrophically flooded by an earthquake-triggered tsunami, three of the six reactors melted down . . .

Tepco, which owns the site, has built hundreds of massive storage tanks to hold the radioactive water that is leaking from the disaster . . .

The report explained there have been improvements in the filtering system since the disaster seven years ago, but none of the processes so far has been able to catch tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen . . .

“Some of those tanks and pipes will eventually fail. It’s inevitable,” Dale Klein, a former head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, told the publication.

Klein says the concentrations are low enough that the water can safely be released into the sea, Wired reported, but “the notion of dumping tons of radioactive water into the ocean is understandably a tough sell.” (Read more from “New Fukushima Nightmare for Japan Utility” HERE)

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People ‘Associated with’ Caravan Have Entered U.S. Illegally

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By The L.A. Times. Some people associated with the Central American migrant caravan, which arrived in Tijuana this week, have crossed into the United States illegally in the last 24 hours, federal officials said Saturday.

A pregnant woman and some children as young as 4 were detected entering the U.S. through a canyon that authorities described in a statement as dark, treacherous and “notorious for human and drug smuggling.”

They were said to have climbed over a dilapidated scrap metal border fence on either side of the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

The statement was issued Saturday afternoon by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (Read more from “People ‘Associated with’ Caravan Have Entered U.S. Illegally” HERE)

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Migrants Who Traveled with Caravan Vow to Wait at Border Until They Are Granted Asylum

By CNN. After a difficult, monthlong journey from Central America to the US-Mexico border, dozens of asylum-seeking migrants are vowing to remain outside an immigration processing center until “every last one” is admitted into the country, an organizer with the caravan said late Sunday.

Earlier, the migrants marched from Friendship Park in Tijuana, Mexico to the San Ysidro port of entry. They stood on the Mexican side; on the other side lay San Diego, California. It was the final leg for some in the caravan of hundreds of migrants, which had reached Tijuana on Tuesday.

Alex Mensing, an organizer with Pueblo Sin Fronteras, which assembled the caravan, said 50 migrants were admitted to the immigration processing center on the Mexico side. He said the migrants’ decision to not return to a nearby shelter overnight was made in solidarity with the asylum seekers who are inside the facility. (Read more from “Migrants Who Traveled with Caravan Vow to Wait at Border Until They Are Granted Asylum” HERE)

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Mattis Explains Why He Ordered the ‘Annihilation’ of Hundreds of Russian Soldiers

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By The Blaze. Back in February, reports surfaced that hundreds of Russian mercenaries were killed during an attack on a U.S. base in Syria’s Deir Ezzor region. … Yesterday, during a hearing with the the Senate Armed Services Committee, Secretary of Defense James Mattis explained why he directed the strike.

“The Russian high command in Syria assured us it was not their people, and my direction to the chairman was for the force, then, to be annihilated,” said Mattis. “And it was.” (Read more from “Mattis Explains Why He Ordered the ‘Annihilation’ of Hundreds of Russian Soldiers” HERE)

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Mattis: Criminal Charges Likely Amid Probe into Intelligence Contract

By Federal News Radio. Defense Secretary James Mattis told lawmakers Thursday it’s probable that federal officials will file criminal charges as part of an ongoing investigation into a series of contracts the Army issued to help establish security forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The contracts were supposed to be used to help those nations build their own intelligence gathering capabilities, but audits thus far have pointed to tens of millions of dollars in potential fraud connected to at least one vendor, including for luxury vehicles and six-figure salaries paid to its employees who performed no discernible work.

The ongoing criminal investigation involves a series of agreements, beginning in 2007, that wound up costing $458 million.

According to an audit the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction published in July, the lion’s share of those funds went to a single subcontractor, New Century Consulting (NCC). But SIGAR concluded that because of poor recordkeeping and a reliance on vendors to grade their own performance, it’s almost impossible to determine whether the contracts’ objectives were ever met. (Read more from “Mattis: Criminal Charges Likely Amid Probe into Intelligence Contract” HERE)

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Facebook’s Latest Technique to Silence Conservatives Gets Exposed — and the Facts Are Damning

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By The Blaze. . .In an exclusive story, the Daily Caller News Foundation obtained and reported on several hundred new text messages between FBI agent Peter Strzok and bureau lawyer Lisa Page. The text messages were turned over to Congress late Thursday and the DCNF reported on them Friday morning.

However, much of the DCNF’s readership was unable to access the story after the news organization shared it on the Daily Caller’s Facebook page. That’s because Facebook labeled the story “spam” and severely limited its circulation.

Facebook went so far as to prevent users, and the outlet, from sharing the story, urging them to post something else. . .

A Facebook spokesperson confirmed to the DCNF that its story “triggered one of our automated spam signals – likely because of the high activity that is mentioned in that alert.” Facebook assured the news outlet it would correct the error.

The Facebook spokesperson said several news outlets have been affected by its news feed algorithm triggering a “false positive,” preventing the outlets from posting stories because the algorithm deemed them “spam.” (Read more from “Facebook’s Latest Technique to Silence Conservatives Gets Exposed — and the Facts Are Damning” HERE)

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Facebook Blocks Daily Caller Story on FBI Texts — Blames ‘Spam’ Algorithm

By The Daily Caller. Facebook blocked users Friday from sharing a Daily Caller story on the 300 “missing” text messages between FBI Agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page that were turned over to Congress on Thursday night.

The Daily Caller News Foundation obtained and published the text messages early Friday morning. Sometime Friday afternoon, however, Facebook began blocking users from sharing the story with their friends, warning them that the story could be spam.

TheDCNF’s reporters attempted several times to post the story on Facebook after readers began complaining that Facebook wouldn’t allow them to share the story. Each time, Facebook rejected the post with a caution message. . .

Multiple news outlets appears to been affected by the algorithm’s “false positive,” the spokesperson said, noting that “a few different links and publishers” were inaccurately blocked as “spam.” (Read more from “Facebook Blocks Daily Caller Story on FBI Texts — Blames ‘Spam’ Algorithm” HERE)

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This Is the Only Way North Korea Will Abandon Nuclear Weapons

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By The Blaze. North Korea leader Kim Jong-un told South Korea President Moon Jae-in that he would abandon his nuclear weapons if the United States will formally end the Korean War and promise not to invade his country, the South Korean government announced Sunday. . .

The announcement was declared a confidence-building gesture ahead of a proposed summit meeting in May with President Donald Trump, the New York Times reported. Kim also claimed he would invite experts and journalists from South Korea and the United States to watch the shutdown his country’s only known underground nuclear test site.

Members of the Trump administration were cautious about the possibility of reaching a deal, the report stated. A plan to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear program is expected to span a period of about two years.

John Bolton, Trump’s new national security adviser, said that would be accompanied by a “full, complete, total disclosure of everything related to their nuclear program with a full international verification,” according to the report.

Still, an apparent concession was categorized by U.S. officials as a promising sign in the quest to end a standoff on the Koren Peninsula that has remained in place since the end of the Korean War 65 years ago. (Read more from “This Is the Only Way North Korea Will Abandon Nuclear Weapons” HERE)

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North Korea: Chinese Foreign Minister to Visit Pyongyang After Historic Talks

By BBC. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is to visit North Korea this week, after historic talks between the North and South last Friday.

The trip comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity following the landmark day on the peninsula.

China is North Korea’s only remaining economic ally, but this will be its highest level visit there in years.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to meet US President Donald Trump in the coming weeks.

South Korea has already spoken to the leaders of US and Japan. (Read more from “North Korea: Chinese Foreign Minister to Visit Pyongyang After Historic Talks” HERE)

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This Is the Action Trump Will Take If Border Wall Is Not Funded

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At a rally Saturday night in Washington, Michigan, President Donald Trump suggested that he’d be willing to force a government shutdown during the next round of budget talks in September if Congress continued to stall funding for a border wall between the United States and Mexico.

Speaking to a large crowd about an hour outside of Detroit — in an area of the state once heavily dependent on the auto industry to survive — Trump talked up his administration’s progress in righting “disastrous trade deals,” and reviving American industry, according to local media. He also took credit, in large part, for several major foreign policy advancements, including a tentative peace between North and South Korea, inked just this week.

But recognizing the crowd at his Michigan rally was similar to those crowds that joined him on the campaign trail, Trump quickly pivoted to border security, claiming Congress had abrogated its duty to the American people by refusing to fund a border wall in full and without reservation.

If Congress didn’t correct its course, Trump said, he’ll block further attempts to fund the government.

“We need security. We need the wall,” Trump announced. “We come up again on September 28th, and if we don’t get border security, we’ll have no choice. We’ll close down the country because we need border security.” (Read more from “This Is the Action Trump Will Take If Border Wall Is Not Funded” HERE)

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White House Dinner ‘Entertainment’ Burned by Right and Left After Attacking Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Appearance

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Many reporters — even those typically associated with left-leaning media outlets — were left shocked and aghast at comedian Michelle Wolf’s bizarre and mean-spirited White House Correspondents’ Dinner monologue, after the feminist joked about abortion, CNN’s Jake Tapper, and White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ weight and appearance as Sanders looked on from her seat at the head table.

Wolf told the Daily Beast ahead of the program that she was “excited” that Sanders “was finally able to go to prom,” and once on the dias excoriated the press secretary for her makeup, choice of outfit, and weight. “She burns facts & then she uses that ash to create a perfect smoky eye. ‘Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s lies.’ It’s probably lies,” Wolf said as Sanders looked on.

“I’m never really sure what to call Sarah Huckabee Sanders, you know?” Wolf went on. “Is it Sarah Sanders? Is it Sarah Huckabee Sander? Is it Cousin Huckabee? Is it Auntie Huckabee Sanders? Like, what is Uncle Tom but for white women who disappoint other white women? I know… Aunt Coulter.” . . .

Although the joke appeared to earn Wolf the respect of figures like CNN’s Brian Stelter, and progressive icon Joan Walsh — who compared the incident to Stephen Colbert’s 2005 “roast” of then-President George W. Bush without understanding that to be a “roast” the subject has to be in on the joke — most WHCD attendees were turned off by Wolf’s nastiness, even those reporters for whom Trump is a top target.

(Read more from “White House Dinner ‘Entertainment’ Burned by Right and Left After Attacking Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Appearance” HERE)

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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman: Palestinians Need to Negotiate or ‘Shut up and Stop Complaining’

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By The Daily Wire. According to Barak Ravid of Israel’s Channel 10 News and Axios, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shocked Jewish attendees during a meeting in New York in March, saying:

In the last several decades the Palestinian leadership has missed one opportunity after the other and rejected all the peace proposals it was given. It is about time the Palestinians take the proposals and agree to come to the negotiations table or shut up and stop complaining.

Bin Salman also slammed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, reports Ravid, citing inside sources.

Mohammed Bin Salman has risen to fame on a rocket after he was made Crown Prince in June 2017. Since he came to power, bin Salman has begun to open up the nation to more Western values — if only by inches. (Read more from “Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman: Palestinians Need to Negotiate or ‘Shut up and Stop Complaining'” HERE)

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Saudi Crown Prince: Palestinians Should Take What the U.S. Offers

By Axios. In a closed-door meeting with heads of Jewish organizations in New York on March 27th, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) gave harsh criticism of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), according to an Israeli foreign ministry cable sent by a diplomat from the Israeli consulate in New York, as well three sources — Israeli and American — who were briefed about the meeting.

The bottom line of the crown prince’s criticism: Palestinian leadership needs to finally take the proposals it gets from the U.S. or stop complaining . . .

What we’re hearing: A source who was briefed on the meeting told me the attendees were stunned when they heard the Saudi Crown Prince comments on the Palestinian issue. “People literally fell off their chairs,” the source said.

Why it matters: In the last year, the Trump administration has been drafting a plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace. The White House peace team, led by Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Jason Greenblatt, has basically finished drafting the plan and is discussing how and when to launch it. (Read more from “Saudi Crown Prince: Palestinians Should Take What the U.S. Offers” HERE)

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Judge Rules Trump Supporters Can Be Denied Service for Wearing MAGA Hat

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A Manhattan judge ruled Wednesday against a Trump supporter who says he was thrown out of a bar for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, the New York Post reported.

Philadelphia resident Greg Piatek, 31, claimed in his lawsuit against the establishment that he was refused service and then removed from the New York City bar in January last year for wearing a MAGA hat.

“Anyone who supports Trump — or believes in what you believe — is not welcome here! And you need to leave right now because we won’t serve you!” Piatek said the staff of The Happiest Hour told him.

Piatek decided to sue in the Manhattan Supreme Court, saying the incident “offended his sense of being American.”

The bar’s lawyer, Elizabeth Conway, said the law protects religious beliefs — not political views.

“Supporting Trump is not a religion,” Conway said. “Whether you believe it very sincerely, it’s not.”

“He doesn’t allege that he has some sort of belief system that he follows in his everyday life and his hat is sort of an example of that,” she continued.

Paul Liggieri, Piatek’s lawyer, argued his defendant’s hat reflected a “spiritual tribute” to 9/11 victims and should be protected by an anti-discrimination statute.

“The purpose of the hat is that he wore it because he was visiting the 9/11 Memorial,” Liggieri said. “He was paying spiritual tribute to the victims of 9/11. The Make American Great Again hat was part of his spiritual belief.”

“Rather than remove his hat, instead he held true to his spiritual belief and was forced from the bar.”

Judge David Cohen ultimately sided with the bar.

“Plaintiff does not state any faith-based principle to which the hat relates,” Cohen said.

“Here the claim that plaintiff was not served and eventually escorted out of the bar because of his perceived support for President Trump is not outrageous conduct.” (For more from the author of “Judge Rules Trump Supporters Can Be Denied Service for Wearing MAGA Hat” please click HERE)

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