CLG News

North Korean media rips Biden: a 'fool of low IQ' | 21 May 2019 | North Korea’s state media outlet KCNA hammered former Vice President Joe Biden Tuesday as a "snob bereft of elementary quality as human being" as the Democratic presidential primary gets underway. "He is self-praising himself as being the most popular presidential candidate. This is enough to make a cat laugh," the agency wrote in a commentary piece. The news outlet went on to belittle Biden as a "fool of low IQ," citing his college grades and disparaging him for falling asleep at a 2011 speech by former President Barack Obama.

Republican wins special House election in Pennsylvania | 21 May 2019 | Fred Keller, a Republican state representative, beat Democrat Marc Friedenberg in the race to represent Pennsylvania's 12th District on Tuesday. Keller's victory means that the north-central Pennsylvania district will remain in Republican hands after former Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.) stepped down in January, less than one month into his fifth term in office...Keller also got a last-minute boost on Monday when Trump held a rally in Montoursville, inside the 12th District, to campaign with the GOP hopeful.

Andrea, season's first named storm, forms in Atlantic, breaking record | 21 May 2019 | Subtropical storm Andrea formed Monday about 295 miles west southwest of Bermuda and 12 days ahead of the official June 1 start date of hurricane season. Data from an Air Force reconnaissance aircraft indicates that the low pressure system located several hundred miles southwest of Bermuda has developed a well-defined center with maximum sustained winds of about 40 mph, forecasters from the National Hurricane Center said. Its early arrival means the Atlantic basin has now had named storms prior to June 1 in the past five consecutive years, breaking a record of named storm formations prior to June 1 from the 1951 to 1954 time frame, according to Colorado State University storm researcher Phil Klotzbach.

Democrats fume as McGahn skips House hearing: 'Our subpoenas are not optional' | 21 May 2019 | The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee vowed Tuesday to go to court if necessary to seek former White House Counsel Don McGahn's testimony, after he defied a subpoena and skipped a committee hearing at President Trump's direction. The move infuriated Democrats and touched off what could be another high-profile battle over holding a Trump official in contempt of Congress. "Let me be clear, this committee will hear Mr. McGahn's testimony, even if we have to go to court to secure it," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y, said at the beginning of the hearing which McGahn did not attend.

Nadler prepares to punish Don McGahn after White House directs former counsel not to testify | 21 May 2019 | Former White House counsel Don McGahn will not appear Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee, his lawyers said in a letter Monday, defying the committee's subpoena. It's a move that appears to set the stage for another contempt vote to retaliate against the Trump administration for rejecting the demands of Congress, as committee Chairman Jerry Nadler threatened late Monday to do whatever was necessary to make McGahn appear before his panel, which convenes Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET. "As with the subpoena for documents, Mr. McGahn again finds himself facing contradictory instructions from two co-equal branches of government," McGahn's attorney William A. Burck said in a letter to Nadler. He added later, "Under these circumstances, and also conscious of the duties he, as an attorney, owes to his former client, Mr. McGahn must decline to appear at the hearing tomorrow."

Trump on abortion: I am 'pro-life' with 'three exceptions' | 18 May 2019 | President Trump on Saturday tweeted about the abortion issue in the wake of recently passed strict laws in Alabama, Georgia, and other states, reports USA Today. "As most people know, and for those who would like to know, I am strongly Pro-Life, with the three exceptions - Rape, Incest and protecting the Life of the mother – the same position taken by Ronald Reagan," Trump tweeted.

'Nuclear coffin' containing Cold War bomb tests 'leaking' deadly radioactive sludge --A Cold War-era nuclear "coffin" may be leaking radioactive material into the Pacific Ocean, a UN chief has warned. | 19 May 2019 | Nuclear waste from Cold War weapons tests are thought to be leaking from "concrete coffin" into the Pacific Ocean. The United Nations Secretary General recently revealed he was "worried" about the deadly nuclear waste escaping from a concrete dome designed to trap atomic "sludge" resulting from Cold War nuclear bomb tests. The dome is located on the Pacific Ocean's Runit Island and was created as a dumping ground for radioactive waste in the 1970s.

Katyusha rocket fired into Baghdad Green Zone | 19 May 2019 | A Katyusha rocket was fired Sunday into Baghdad's Green Zone housing government offices and embassies including the US mission, days after the United States evacuated staff from Iraq citing threats from Iran. "A Katyusha rocket crashed into the Green Zone without causing casualties," the Iraqi security services said in a brief statement without giving further details...It was not immediately clear who was behind Sunday's attack. But a police source told AFP that "initial reports indicate that the rocket was fired from an open field" in southern Baghdad. [Sounds like a Saudi/CIA false flag.]

Judge upholds House panel subpoena for Trump financial records | 20 May 2019 | A district judge on Monday upheld a subpoena issued by the House Oversight and Reform Committee for President Trump's financial records, dealing a blow to White House efforts to resist the Democrats' investigations. In a 41-page opinion, Judge Amit Mehta, an Obama appointee, found that the panel, under the leadership of Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), had valid reasons for requesting the president's financial records from the accounting firm Mazars, even though they predated his entering office.

White House tells McGahn to defy House subpoena, as DOJ asserts 'immunity' | 20 May 2019 | President Trump has directed former White House Counsel Don McGahn to skip a House Judiciary Committee hearing scheduled for Tuesday, citing a Justice Department opinion that he cannot be compelled to testify about his official duties. In a statement released Monday afternoon, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders blasted Democrats for continuing to pursue Trump investigations, saying they want a "wasteful and unnecessary do-over" in the wake of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe -- and describing the subpoena for McGahn as part of that...The related DOJ memo said McGahn, like other senior advisers to a president, has "immunity" from being compelled to testify about his official duties.

Amash doubles down on Trump and impeachment | 20 May 2019 | Rep. Justin Amash (R-China-owned-Mich.) on Monday doubled down on his critical remarks of President Trump, detailing in a series of tweets why he thinks the case can be made that Trump should be impeached for obstruction of justice. In a series of subsequent tweets, Amash sought to shoot down a number of prominent defenses of the president's behavior illustrated in special counsel Robert Mueller's report. Amash on Saturday became the first Republican lawmaker to say Trump engaged in "impeachable conduct."

Republican Justin Amash Calls for Impeachment - While Holding Personal Business Interests in China | 18 May 2019 | Michigan Republican Congressman Justin Amash made headlines Saturday by declaring on Twitter that President Trump deserved impeachment. The media was quick to promote his position and advance an anti-Trump narrative. However, a review of Amash's financial interests quickly reveals a very personal business motive. His family tool business is heavily invested in Chinese manufacturing. In his 2017 financial disclosure forms, Representative Amash reports income of between $100,000 to $1,000,000/yr. for his ownership stake in Michigan Industrial Tools. Michigan Industrial Tools is the parent company, manufacturing in China, that produces Tekton Tools, Justin Amash's Michigan family business.

Pro-Trump GOP state rep announces Amash primary challenge in Michigan | 20 May 2019 | A Michigan state lawmaker on Monday announced he will mount a primary challenge to Rep. Justin Amash (R-Deep State dirt-bag-Mich.) after the congressman tweeted that he believed President Trump had committed impeachable offenses, according to the Detroit Free Press. State Rep. Jim Lower (R) said he would challenge Amash in the Republican primary for his western Michigan seat rather than seek a third term in the state legislature. Lower said he had been planning to run before Amash's remarks but fast-tracked his announcement after the tweets this weekend despite originally planning to make it closer to July 4.

If Tehran wants to fight, that'll be the official end of Iran, Trump warns | 20 May 2019 | President Donald Trump has warned Tehran that it would be "the official end" of the Islamic Republic if it threatens the US, just as Washington builds up its military presence near Iran under the pretext of national security. It's unclear what triggered the US leader this time around, as Iranian officials have consistently said in recent days that they want to avoid a military confrontation with the US. Earlier on Sunday, the commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards, Major General Hossein Salami, insisted that Iran only wants peace, but isn’t afraid to fight America.

'Dangerous, disturbing:' Whistleblower raided by US police for refusing to reveal source talks to RT | 20 May 2019 | After trying to break in with a sledgehammer, cops eventually raided the home of freelance reporter Bryan Carmody, seizing property and handcuffing him. RT spoke with Carmody about the raid, and its implications for press freedom. "I have not been arrested, I have not been accused, and I have not been charged with any crime," the journalist explained. Nonetheless, he sat in handcuffs for 6 hours while 10 officers from the San Francisco Police Department, weapons drawn, ransacked his home after presenting him with a search warrant.

Swedish prosecutors request Assange detention: First step to European arrest warrant --Swedes' EAW could be a starter or a main | 20 May 2019 | Sweden's deputy director of public prosecution Eva-Marie Persson has asked a district court for a detention order for Julian Assange on suspicion of rape. Assuming it is granted, this is the first step in issuing a European Arrest Warrant for the WikiLeaks founder. Persson said in a statement: "If the court decides to detain him, I will issue a European Arrest Warrant concerning surrender to Sweden." She said she sees no reason why the move would cause conflict with the US extradition request.

DNA tests reveal 30% of suspected fraudulent migrant families were unrelated | 18 May 2019 | Some of the migrant families arrested at the southern border weren't actually families. In a pilot program, approximately 30% of rapid DNA tests of immigrant adults who were suspected of arriving at the southern border with children who weren't theirs revealed the adults were not related to the children, an official involved in the system's temporary rollout who asked to be anonymous...told the Washington Examiner Friday. "There's been some concern about, 'Are they stepfathers or adopted fathers?'" the official said. "Those were not the case. In these cases, they are misrepresented as family members."

Utah man arrested for allegedly making threats against YouTube employees in San Bruno | 20 May 2019 | An Orem man is accused of making online threats to shoot YouTube employees, going so far as to drive to their Northern California headquarters with a gun. David Swanson was released from jail Sunday after posting $100,000 bail. The 35-year-old is facing a felony charge of making terroristic threats.

US prosecutors to 'help themselves' to Julian Assange's possessions --Material from WikiLeaks founder's time in Ecuadorian embassy is said to include two manuscripts | 19 May 2019 | Julian Assange's belongings from his time living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London will be handed over to US prosecutors on Monday, according to WikiLeaks. Ecuadorian officials are travelling to London to allow US prosecutors to "help themselves" to items including legal papers, medical records and electronic equipment, it was claimed. WikiLeaks said UN officials and Assange's lawyers were being stopped from being present. Lawyers said it was an illegal seizure of property, which has been requested by the US authorities. The material is said to include two of Assange's manuscripts.

Arab nations begin 'enhanced security patrols' in Persian Gulf - US Fifth Fleet | 19 May 2019 | The US and its allies began enhanced maritime security patrols in the international waters of the Persian Gulf in close cooperation with the US Fifth Fleet on Saturday, amid Washington's tensions with Iran. The Countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) were "specifically increasing communication and coordination with each other in support of regional naval cooperation and maritime security operations in the Arabian Gulf," Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said in a statement on Facebook. The navies and coast guards of the Arab states "are working in tight coordination with each other and the United States Navy," it added.

Facebook temporarily suspended conservative commentator Candace Owens | 19 May 2019 | Conservative commentator Candace Owens's Facebook account was temporarily suspended this week, a spokesperson for the social media company confirmed to Fox News on Friday. The representative said her account was mistakenly suspended because of a recent post she shared that had been flagged for violating the site's community standards. The post read: "Black America must wake up to the great liberal hoax. White supremacy is not a threat. Liberal supremacy is." It also reportedly featured data on the poverty rates between black and white Americans.

Multiple casualties after U.S. airstrike in Afghanistan - report | 19 May 2019 | Multiple Afghan police officers were reportedly killed in U.S. airstrikes in the southern part of Afghanistan on Thursday. Afghan officials told The Washington Post that people were killed in U.S. airstrikes but gave inconsistent information on the number of fatalities, saying that between eight and 18 people were killed and 14 were wounded. U.S. military officials told The Post that Afghan and Taliban forces were killed, but did not say how many casualties there were.

US warns commercial flights near Persian Gulf could be 'misidentified,' amid tensions with Iran | 18 May 2019 | Commercial airliners flying over the wider Persian Gulf could be "misidentified" and targeted amid the increasing escalation between the U.S. and Iran, American diplomats said in a warning Saturday. The warning, relayed by U.S. diplomatic posts from the Federal Aviation Administration, stressed that the current tensions, with Iran-backed militias reportedly moving missiles closer to American bases in Iraq, are posing a risk to global air travel. All commercial aircraft flying over the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman need to be aware of the ongoing escalation, the warning reads, adding that the threat presents "an increasing inadvertent risk to U.S. civil aviation operations due to the potential for miscalculation or misidentification," the warning said.

Secret tracking device found in Navy email to Navy Times amid leak investigation raises legal, ethical questions | 17 May 2019 | A Navy prosecutor last week sent an email to the editor of Navy Times that was embedded with a secret digital tracking device. The tracking device came at a time when the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is mounting an investigation into media leaks surrounding the high-profile court-martial of a Navy SEAL accused of war crimes. That email, from Navy prosecutor Cmdr. Christopher Czaplak to Navy Times editor Carl Prine, came after several months of Navy Times reporting that raised serious questions about the Navy lawyers' handling of the prosecution in the war crimes case.

Chlorine plant fire produces dangerous fumes, closes Pulaski Skyway | 17 May 2019 | (Kearny, NJ) A fire at a Chlorine plant in Hudson County is producing dangerous fumes and forced the closure of the Pulaski Skyway. The fire started around 10 p.m. Friday at the Alden Leeds Corporation plant on Jacobus Avenue. Thick smoke could be seen for miles. Due to the chemicals burning in the fire, officials in northern New Jersey and in New York City warned residents to keep their doors and windows closed to prevent breathing in the fumes.

College Board president pushing 'adversity score' is same man behind controversial Common Core program | 17 May 2019 | The College Board president behind the recent decision to assign applicants an "adversity score" is the same man who courted controversy pushing Common Core, the national K-12 curriculum standards project Deep State insanity that several states adopted, then dropped under pressure from education activists. David Coleman, the architect of Common Core and current president and chief executive of the College Board, has a controversial history with standardized tests and higher learning. Critics claim Common Core, which was designed to establish baseline K-12 curriculum standards but was derided as a power grab from local school boards, should be seen as a cautionary tale. They also suspect Coleman's latest effort, in his current job heading the company behind the SAT test, is an effort to stay relevant amid questions about the fairness of standardized testing.

GOP lawmaker on Iran threat: Directive was to 'kill and kidnap American soldiers' | 17 May 2019 | A top Republican lawmaker said Friday that the threat from Iran picked up by U.S. intelligence – which sparked a U.S. military deployment to the Middle East and heightened tensions across the region – was very specific and involved the possible kidnapping and killing of American soldiers. "To the extent I can discuss it, it was human intelligence," Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told USA TODAY on Friday. He was referring to intelligence information that prompted the Pentagon to deploy an aircraft carrier, along with B-52 bombers and other military forces, to the Middle East. Trump administration officials said the move was made to counter what they described as credible threats from Iran to U.S. forces in region.

Candace Owens suspended from Facebook after she writes, 'Black America must wake up to the great liberal hoax' | 17 May 2019 | Update, 3:38 p.m. EDT: This story was updated to include information that Facebook restored Owens's page with a claim that it had suspended the account by mistake. Facebook has put another "Make America Great Again" supporter in Facebook jail. Candace Owens, communications director at Turning Point USA, tweeted Friday morning that Facebook suspended her personal account over a post that the social media company said violated its "Community Standards." Owens is best known for her Blexit campaign, which urges the black community to leave the Democratic Party and join the Republicans. The outspoken Trump supporter joins a growing list of conservatives whose voices are being censored on social media platforms.

Why the Guardian is changing the language it uses about the environment --From now, house style guide recommends terms such as 'climate crisis' and 'global heating' | 17 May 2019 | The Guardian has updated its style guide to introduce terms that more accurately describe the environmental crises facing the world. Instead of "climate change" [a term shunned by CLG, as it was invented/promoted by Deep State dirt-bag Frank Luntz, whose goal was to ensure regulations would never be imposed on his handlers' corporate interests] the preferred terms are "climate emergency, crisis or breakdown" and "global heating" is favoured over "global warming", although the original terms are not banned... Other terms that have been updated, including the use of "wildlife" rather than "biodiversity", "fish populations" instead of "fish stocks" and "climate science denier" rather than "climate sceptic".

Nuclear 'coffin' may be leaking radioactive material into Pacific Ocean, U.N. chief says --Cracks have also developed in the concrete after decades of exposure and there are concerns it could break apart if hit by a tropical cyclone. | 16 May 2019 | U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres raised concerns Thursday that a concrete dome built last century to contain waste from atomic-bomb tests is leaking radioactive material into the Pacific. Speaking to students in Fiji, Guterres described the structure on Enewetak atoll in the Marshall Islands as "a kind of coffin" and said it was a legacy of Cold War-era nuclear tests [by the United States and France] in the Pacific...Radioactive soil and ash from the explosions was tipped into a crater and capped with a concrete dome 18 inches thick. However, it was only envisaged as a temporary fix and the bottom of the crater was never lined, leading to fears the waste is leaching into the Pacific.