CLG News

Russia 'won't allow' another US military action in Syria based on false flag - OPCW envoy | 26 April 2018 | Russia's envoy to the OPCW said it was crucial to avoid new false-flag attacks in Syria and that Moscow "won't allow" US military action there, as he described details of Russian findings on the site of the alleged Douma incident. New false-flag operations against Damascus are "possible, since our American partners are once again threatening to take military action against Syria, but we will not allow that," Russia's permanent representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Aleksandr Shulgin, said during a press conference in The Hague on Thursday. The meeting was called by Russia's OPCW mission and featured witnesses of the April 7 alleged chemical incident in the city of Douma. It highlighted the findings of Russian military experts, who were among the first to reach the site of the purported attack and locate the "munitions" that supposedly hit the residential buildings.

North Korea's Kim Jong Un crosses DMZ line for historic meeting with South Korea | 26 April 2018 | North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has crossed the line dividing the demilitarized zone to meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in what's being described as a historic summit. Kim made that first step, a great leap for the Korean Peninsula. The two posed for photos facing the North, then facing the South. Just about when Moon ushered Kim to walk toward the red carpet, Kim made a gesture offering Moon to take a step back across the demarcation line, to his side of the border. Whether pre-planned or not, the two smiled and took that step holding hands. Escorted by traditional music, Moon and Kim walked together to the "Peace House," a three-story building where the official summit will take place.

Senate Confirms C.I.A. Chief Mike Pompeo to Be Secretary of State | 26 April 2018 | The Senate easily confirmed Mike Pompeo on Thursday as the United States' 70th secretary of state, elevating the current C.I.A. director and an outspoken foreign policy hawk to be the nation's top diplomat. In the end, the 57-to-42 tally lacked the drama of other nail-biting confirmation votes in the Trump era. This week, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, the nominee's main Republican antagonist, bowed to pressure from President Trump to drop his objections. Ultimately, seven members of the Senate Democratic caucus -- five of whom face re-election this year in states that Mr. Trump won in 2016 -- joined a united Republican conference to support Mr. Pompeo's confirmation.

Texas Democratic group crops Melania out of the viral photo featuring the four former presidents and first ladies at Barbara Bush's funeral | 26 April 2018 | A Democratic Party official in Texas has apologized after he cropped out First Lady Melania Trump from a photo in which she poses with former presidents and their wives at Barbara Bush's funeral. The original photo, which was taken by a spokesperson for former President George H.W. Bush, went viral on Sunday. It shows Bush; his son, former President [sic] George W. Bush; former first lady Laura Bush; former President Bill Clinton; his wife, Hillary Clinton; former President Barack Obama; his wife, Michelle Obama; and Melania Trump... The same photo was posted on Facebook by the Lubbock County (Texas) Democratic Party Headquarters - though it showed everyone except for the current first lady. Leo Flores, the vice chair, told KCBD-TV that 'it was an honest mistake.'

San Onofre's Nuclear Waste Storage Tanks Already Breaking --Busted bolt found in new tank meant to hold spent fuel | 25 April 2018 | Just a few months into Southern California Edison's very controversial plan to relocate spent nuclear fuel to holding tanks on the beach at San Onofre, crews are finding the holding tanks aren't working properly. The LA Times reported last month that when workers tried to move spent fuel from a cooling tank to dry storage tanks--that are kept a mere 100-feet from the shoreline--broken bolts were found in the long-term storage tanks. Those tanks are meant to hold and stabilize the spent fuel rods indefinitely.

Massive evacuations ordered after Superior refinery explosions that injured least 11 | 26 April 2018 | (Superior, WI) series of explosions and fires rocked the Husky Energy oil refinery in Superior Thursday, sending a black plume of acrid smoke across the city, forcing massive evacuations and sending several people to local hospitals. At least 11 people were confirmed injured in hospitals in Duluth and Superior, one with a serious blast injury, Essentia Health and St. Luke's hospital officials reported...No details were available on the extent of refinery damage or what caused the initial explosion which occurred just after 10 a.m. But a second, larger fire erupted just after noon with multiple explosions, sending another thick, black cloud for miles.

Democratic leadership pressured progressive to drop out of race, secretly taped audio reveals | 26 April 2018 | A national progressive group is fundraising for a Democratic congressional candidate who secretly taped House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) urging him to drop out of a contested Democratic primary. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) is asking its members to make a donation for Democrat Levi Tillemann, a former Obama administration official who's running to the left in a primary against leading candidate Jason Crow, an attorney and Army veteran. The winner of the primary will face Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), a top target for Democrats. Tillemann secretly taped a conversation with Hoyer late last year in Denver, when Hoyer encouraged him to step aside, according to the recording obtained by The Intercept.

US to expand role in Syria - Mattis | 26 April 2018 | The United States will expand its role in Syria, Secretary of Defense James Mattis has said. The expansion comes in response to increased Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS [but still I-CIA-SIS]) offensives in the region. "Right now we are not withdrawing," Mattis told the Senate Armed Services Committee. "We are continuing the fight, we are going to expand it and bring in more regional support..." In his statement, Mattis maintained that the US was not stepping in to take sides [except for the $200M the US just gave to the White Helmets terrorist group, so they can stage more false flags] in the ongoing conflict in Syria. "No military solution is possible in the Syrian civil war," Mattis said.

Breaking: Bill Cosby retrial: Jury finds him guilty on all three counts of sexual assault | 26 April 2018 | The jury in the Bill Cosby sexual-assault retrial has reached a verdict after a day and a half of deliberations: He has been found guilty on all three counts. Jury deliberations in Bill Cosby's sexual-assault retrial resumed for a second day Thursday after the jury listened to nearly an hour of read-back testimony by Cosby's star defense witness, who sought to raise doubts about the credibility of main accuser Andrea Constand. The seven men and five women of the jury spent hours deliberating on the first day on Wednesday, but also sent out multiple questions and requests for read-backs of statements and testimony.

Knife crime rises in England and Wales as London murders surge | 26 April 2018 | Police recording of knife crime rose by 22% in England and Wales last year while London experienced a surging murder rate, official figures show. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), police recorded 39,598 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument in 2017 - up from 32,468 in the previous 12 months. There was an 11% increases in firearms offences, with 6,604 crimes recorded last year. The ONS said both knife and gun offences tended to be disproportionately concentrated in London and other cities.

Daily Beast to 'hit pause' on Joy Reid columns; MSNBC host backs of speaking event | 26 April 2018 | The Daily Beast is "going to hit pause" on Joy Reid's columns while its reporters investigate the MSNBC host's claims around hacking of her old blog, which included homophobic comments that she says were "fabricated." The decision to pause Reid's columns comes after Reid's hacking claims are being questioned after The Internet Archive said earlier this week it could find no evidence to back up Reid's claim of hacking. Reid apologized for other homophobic comments found on the same blog, "The Reid Report," in December. Buzzfeed also reported on Wednesday that Reid backed out of a scheduled panel discussion event in New York organized by former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's media venture CAFE.

Dr. Ronny Jackson withdraws as VA secretary nominee | 26 April 2018 | Dr. Ronny Jackson, the embattled nominee for secretary of Veterans Affairs, withdrew his name from consideration on Thursday, saying the "false allegations" against him have become a "distraction" for President Trump. The announcement comes after more allegations surfaced overnight, including that he crashed a government car while drunk. Trump still defended Jackson Thursday morning and described the allegations as false...But on Thursday morning, he pulled his name. "The allegations against me are completely false and fabricated," he said in a statement.

Judge: Bars are allowed to throw out Trump supporters | 25 April 2018 | A Manhattan judge ruled Wednesday that there's nothing "outrageous" about throwing the president's supporters out of bars -- because the law doesn't protect against political discrimination. Philadelphia accountant Greg Piatek, 31, was bounced from a West Village watering hole in January 2017, just after Trump took the oath of office, for wearing a "Make America Great Again" cap, according to his lawsuit over the incident. "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 claims the staff of The Happiest Hour on West 10th Street told him after he and his pals complained about the rude service they were getting from a bartender.

Kim and Moon to meet at military demarcation line before summit | 26 Apri 2018 | North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and the South's president Moon Jae-in will meet at the Military Demarcation Line that divides the peninsula before their summit Friday, Seoul said, in an occasion laden with symbolism. Moon will greet his visitor at the concrete blocks that mark the border between the two Koreas in the Demilitarized Zone, the chief of the South's presidential secretariat Im Jong-seok said. When Kim steps over the line he will become the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the Korean War ended 65 years ago.

US violating international law by breaking into Russian consulate in Seattle - embassy | 25 April 2018 | The US government is violating international law with its decision to break into Russia’s locked consulate in Seattle, the Russian embassy in Washington said in a statement. "What we see now is a gross violation of the Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Convention on Consular Relations," commented Nikolay Pukalov, the head of the embassy's consular department. "The Russian side did not agree on stripping diplomatic status from our property in Seattle and did not give permission to American officials to enter our territory." The spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, called the development "a hostile takeover" of the compound by the US.

There were no commercial plane crashes on September 11, 2001 | 20 April 2018 | EVERY supposed one of the 256 passengers on 9-11 paid for their tickets in cash on THE MORNING OF 9-11! NOT ONE used a single credit card and there are no electronic receipts from anyone or any company anywhere in the world. Why? There were no commercial plane crashes on 9-11...The reason EVERY video filming the Pentagon was immediately confiscated (80+ at last count) was because there were no commercial plane crashes on 9-11...The reason that NONE of the 256 passengers (except ATTA) drove and parked their own cars at ANY airport on 9-11 is because there were no commercial plane crashes on 9-11...The reason that tens of millions of dollars were made on "put options" which shorted United and American Airlines just days before 9-11 and the US REFUSES to release exactly who made those financial bets is because there were no commercial plane crashes on 9-11...The reason that Rumsfeld announced $2.3 TRILLION had been "lost" at the Pentagon on 9-10-01 and that the 28 accounting experts would be looking into it (ALL 28 died in the Pentagon plane attack and all investigations were immediately dropped) was because there were no commercial plane crashes on 9-11. The reason the Pentagon was conducting a "MASCAL" (Mass Casualty) exercise ON THE DAY OF 9-11 at the Pentagon involving a PLANE CRASHING INTO IT…was once again for a weak plausible deniability excuse because there were no commercial plane crashes on 9-11.

Trump welcomes Macron to the White House | 24 April 2018 | President Trump on Tuesday welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to the White House, hailing their close friendship as an example for the world. "The wonderful friendship we have developed over the last year is a testament to the enduring friendship that binds our two nations," Trump said during a formal arrival ceremony on the South Lawn. The president and first lady Melania Trump rolled out the red carpet for Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron.

Migrant caravan arrives at US-Mexican border | 24 April 2018 | Around 100 Central American migrants from a caravan that infuriated President Donald Trump arrived Tuesday at the US-Mexican border, where many plan to seek asylum in the United States, according to organizers. Two busloads of migrants arrived in the border city of Mexicali -- which sits opposite Calexico, California -- and paused for a rest stop before continuing west towards Tijuana, said AFP correspondents traveling with them. The migrants are part of a caravan of more than 1,000 people that set out from Mexico's southern border on March 25.

A man was threatening to jump off an overpass. Big rigs parked underneath to break his fall. | 24 April 2018 | A man stood on a freeway overpass near Detroit early Thursday, threatening to jump. So thirteen tractor-trailers lined up underneath, ready to break his fall. Troopers closed off both directions of Interstate 696 and asked for the truckers' help, hoping to protect the man in case he fell or jumped, said Lt. Mike Shaw of the Michigan State Police. Asking truckers to help in such cases is not unusual, Shaw said, but "most of the time these events are (resolved) pretty fast, so we only get one semi." This time it took about three hours to get the man, whom police declined to identify, down from the bridge, he said.

Toronto van attack suspect Alek Minassian charged with 10 counts of murder | 24 April 2018 | The Toronto van attack suspect has been charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 cases of attempted murder. Alek Minassian, 25, is suspected of driving a rented van that mounted the pavement on a busy street at lunchtime, killing 10 people. Another 15 are believed to have been injured. Minassian, who was arrested shortly after the attack on Monday, made his first court appearance. He did not enter a plea to the charges and was ordered to return to court on 10 May.

George H.W. Bush hospitalized with blood infection day after wife Barbara's funeral | 23 April 2018 | President George H.W. Bush has been hospitalized for an infection just a day after the burial of his wife Barbara. A statement released Monday from Bush's office stated the former sitting president was admitted to Houston Methodist Hospital on Sunday morning "after contracting an infection that spread to his blood." His office added Bush has been "responding to treatments and appears to be recovering."

10 dead, 15 injured as pedestrians struck 'one after one' in north Toronto van attack --Alek Minassian, 25, is the alleged driver in the attack, CBC News has confirmed. | 23 April 2018 | Ten people are dead and 15 others are injured after a van driver plowed into a number of pedestrians Monday in the Yonge Street and Finch Avenue area of North York in Toronto. One suspect is in custody. CBC News has confirmed that Alek Minassian, a 25-year-old Richmond Hill, Ont., man, is the alleged driver in the attack. His LinkedIn profile identifies him as a student at Seneca College.

Breaking: After Late Vote Switch, Senate Panel Approves Pompeo for Secretary of State | 23 April 2018 | The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a late pivot on Monday evening, approved the confirmation of Mike Pompeo to be the next secretary of state, after Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, bowed to pressure from President Trump and dropped his opposition. For days, the committee appeared ready to deliver a historic rebuke...It has been almost 30 years since any cabinet nominee was reported to the full Senate with an unfavorable recommendation. But minutes before the committee convened, Mr. Paul, an ardent opponent of interventionist foreign policy, declared his support for Mr. Pompeo, the C.I.A. director, to lead the State Department, securing approval from the committee. "After calling continuously for weeks for Director Pompeo to support President Trump's belief that the Iraq war was a mistake, and that it is time to leave Afghanistan, today I received confirmation that Director Pompeo agrees with President Trump," Mr. Paul wrote.

Rand Paul says he'll support Mike Pompeo for secretary of state | 23 April 2018 | Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, said Monday he would back CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state after getting what he said were assurances about Iraq and Afghanistan. Paul had previously opposed Pompeo's nomination. He made his announcement just ahead of a vote on Pompeo's nomination in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ten people dead, 15 injured after van hits pedestrians in north Toronto | 23 April 2018 | Ten people are dead, and 15 more are injured, after a rental van mowed down pedestrians for close to three kilometres in north Toronto on Monday afternoon. Emergency crews received a number of frantic calls around 1:30 p.m., after a white rental van mounted the sidewalk at the busy Yonge Street and Finch Avenue intersection and struck a number of people. A source has confirmed to the Globe and Mail that the suspect is Alek Minassian. Officials do not believe he was motivated by terrorism.

U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn should be kept off the 2018 ballot, Colorado Supreme Court rules | 23 April 2018 | Six-term U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado Springs should be kept off the Republican primary ballot this year, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled Monday in a decision that -- if upheld -- could end the longtime conservative lawmaker's congressional career. The ruling finds in favor of a lawsuit that contended Lamborn didn't properly petition his way onto the ballot because of problems with those he hired to gather signatures for his re-election bid. Five Republicans from the GOP congressman's district have questioned whether workers Lamborn hired to gather signatures for his re-election bid were actually Colorado residents, a state requirement. A lower court earlier this month largely sided with Lamborn that he had enough signatures to be on the ballot, but the opposition appealed, leading to the Colorado Supreme Court ruling.

Trump orders DHS not to let immigrant caravans into US | 23 April 2018 | President Trump said Monday he's ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to turn away caravans of immigrants attempting to enter the U.S. through the southern border. He called U.S. immigration policy "a disgrace," and pushed for additional funding for his border wall. Trump has in recent weeks warned multiple times of caravans of migrants making their way toward the U.S.

Multiple fatalities after pedestrians struck by van in Toronto | 23 April 2018 | There appears to be a number of fatalities after multiple pedestrians were struck by a white van in Toronto and police say the driver has been arrested. Toronto police said the incident happened around 1 p.m. on Monday in the area of Yonge Street and Finch Avenue. "Reports were that a white van mounted the curb, drove down the sidewalk at southbound Yonge, south of Finch, and struck eight to 10 people possibly, the numbers aren't confirmed yet," Toronto police spokesperson Gary Long told Global News.

Waffle House shooter arrested, after cops 'lost him' in stolen car chase days before shootings | 23 April 2018 | The man who cops believe gunned down four people at a Waffle House restaurant in Tennessee was arrested on Monday, just over an hour after cops admitted he led police on a chase in a stolen BMW days before the rampage. The Nashville Metro Police Department said Travis Reinking, 29, stole a BMW from a dealership [Yes, because it's so easy to steal a high-end car from a dealership and get away clean.] in Brentwood on Tuesday and led authorities on a chase before they lost him [?] in heavy rush-hour traffic. [Wow, Travis Reinking must be Jason Bourne.] Metro Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron told reporters cops chased the vehicle, but then opted to track the car via a GPS device. [And then what?] ...Aaron also said a civilian found a soft laptop case on Sunday night near a truck stop along Interstate 24 and brought it home with him. Police said the person found a handwritten ID card with "Travis Reinking" on the bag. [Yes, it was found right alongside the 9/11 hijackers' passports, in the rubble of the WTC.]

Breaking: Van ploughs through crowd in Toronto - 'injuries everywhere' as police seize driver | 23 April 2018 | Toronto police said between eight and 10 people may have been injured after a van ploughed through a crowd in the Canadian city. The driver is believed to have fled the scene, local media has reported. He was later taken into custody by police. Witnesses said the driver appeared to deliberately drive at speed on the pavement before "crumbling" pedestrians.