Today's News: January 15, 2018

World News

Netanyahu in India for first visit by Israeli PM in 15 years
New Delhi (AFP) – Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New Delhi on Sunday for the first visit by an Israeli leader to India in 15 years, promising closer ties with the regional power. Netanyahu and his wife Sara were welcomed at the international airport in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who made history in July when he became the first Indian leader to visit Israel. “This visit is an opportunity to enhance cooperation with a global economic, security, technology and tourism power,” Netanyahu said in a statement ahead of his visit.
Illegals Fleeing to Canada Find Even Liberal Canada Has Limits to Freebies
True Pundit – With renewed pressure brought to bear by President Donald Trump on illegal aliens in the U.S., Canada is warning immigrants here that illegally crossing into Canada is not a free ticket to permanent residency and they can still be deported back to their point of origin if they steal across America’s northern border. With many illegal immigrants becoming uneasy over their status in the U.S., some are eyeing a trip northward to a country many are told will accept everyone and give them lots of free stuff to boot. But Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s immigration minister, recently warned illegals that they shouldn’t waltz into Canada and necessarily expect to get cradle to the grave freebies, according to the New York Times.
UK scrambles 2 RAF Typhoon fighter jets to intercept Russian planes
RT – Britain scrambled two Royal Air Force Typhoon jets from Scotland to intercept Russian planes close to the United Kingdom’s airspace, a defence ministry spokesman said.
The Typhoons took off from RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland, at around 9:30 am to tackle the alleged encroachment. A RAF spokesman said: “This is a live operation and therefore we will not be providing any additional information until the mission is complete.” The Russian plane model is yet to be identified as the operation is still ongoing. French and Belgian air forces have reportedly also been deployed to tackle the situation.
Russian envoy accuses US of ‘destabilizing’ the world
Moscow (CNN)Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the United States of destabilizing the world, airing a list of grievances over the Trump administration’s foreign policy.
Lavrov dedicated the opening of his annual press conference Monday to castigating the US, which is expected to soon issue a fresh round of sanctions against Russia over its interference in the 2016 US election. Russia has long denied meddling in the vote.
South Africa to formally protest Trump’s remarks
Johannesburg (CNN)South Africa issued a diplomatic protest to the United States Monday over President Donald Trump’s “shithole countries” comments, according to its foreign ministry.
South African diplomats also met with the US Embassy’s Charge d’Affaires Monday to express their concerns.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

If Dr. King Was Alive Today, He’d Be Arrested and Called an Anti-Police ‘Thug’
The Free Thought Project – Nearly 50 years after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., his struggle for peace lives on. When most people think of the great man, born Michael King on January 15, 1929, they see an advocate for peace, who is celebrated by the US government — honored every year in January, on the third Monday. However, what the government tells us and what this great man did are two separate stories. Dr. King’s position as the leader of the Civil Rights Movement began after his election as spokesman for the Montgomery Improvement Association in December of 1955. What also started in that December of 1955 was the FBI’s investigation into him. According to a report out of Stanford University titled, Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Global Freedom Struggle, the FBI had it out for Dr. King as soon as he began making waves. With a state that owes its very existence to the monopoly it holds on the use of violence, anyone who is pro-peace is a potential threat. This was the case in the 20th century just as it is the case in the 21st century. The fact that Americans take off of work one day in January, does not negate the reality that this struggle continues. Dr. King’s activism was often met with brutal backlash from police. Just like the protesters of today, who peacefully march in solidarity to end police violence, the protesters of the 50s and 60s were met with violence from the police.
Attacks against non-violent protesters are nothing new. In the 60s, as the marches increased, so did the attacks against non-violent demonstrators. The first march took place on March 7, 1965, and it gained the nickname “Bloody Sunday” after its 600 marchers were attacked at the Edmund Pettus Bridge after leaving Selma; state troopers and county posse attacked the unarmed marchers with billy clubs and tear gas. Dr. King was no stranger to police and being arrested, in fact, during his 12-year run as the leader of the civil rights movement, he was arrested 30 times. Today, there is a good chance Dr. King would be referred to as a ‘thug’ by a large portion of society — and police — for his activism. Dr. King, like many of the protesters of today, stood against state violence and war. Those who wage the wars and initiate the violence, delegating a single day in January to honor a man who stood against their very tactics, is defamatory to this struggle for peace, to say the least.
>> Here is a list of some of King’s most emblematic quotes
Hawaii Agency Behind Erroneous Missile Alert Gets Death Threats
Newsmax – The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA) is receiving death threats following Saturday’s false missile alert that panicked millions on the island, Hawaii News Now reported on Monday. HIEMA’s spokesman released a statement saying, “We understand that members of our community are angry about Saturday’s false alarm, and we are looking at these messages as individuals blowing off steam. While we take any threat against our personnel seriously, we are doing our best not to escalate the situation.” The Federal Communications Commission is conducting an investigation into what went wrong, CBS News reported, with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai saying in a statement that Hawaii “did not have reasonable safeguards or process controls in place to prevent the transmission of a false alert.”
Related: Three life-changing lessons to learn from Hawaii’s false ballistic missile warning (that sent unprepared citizens into a total panic)
Natural News – As you’re probably aware by now, the government of Hawaii texted out an emergency ballistic missile warning over the weekend, terrifying its citizens with the following text:
EMERGENCY ALERT: BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
It actually was a drill, it turns out, but in the 38 minutes after this text was sent out, Hawaiians panicked in the streets, crying and screaming for dear life, according to multiple media reports.
Three crucial lessons in all this
There are three crucial lessons you need to learn from this false alarm episode:
#1) The government is beyond incompetent.
The entire system for sending out terrifying alerts to the population is controlled, apparently, by one extremely incompetent person who has absolute authority over sending these alerts, with no oversight whatsoever
#2) People lose their minds… almost nobody is prepared for anything unexpected
The second big lesson here is that almost nobody in general society is actually prepared for a nuclear strike (or any emergency, for that matter). Far from the organized, cool-headed response we’re always told will happen by “prepper skeptics” who think preparedness is rooted in paranoia, this episode proved, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that people go insane when it’s all about to hit the fan
#3) Time to assess your own situation: What would YOU do if a North Korean nuke were just minutes away?
This accidental alert also served another purpose: It reminds us all to take a serious look at our own preparedness status. How ready are you for a nuclear attack on your city? Do you even know what to do in the immediate aftermath of an attack? The CDC recently tried to educate people about nuclear attack defenses, but this is the same corrupt deep state agency that can’t even prevent people from catching the flu
Assess your supplies BEFORE the missiles are in the air
Right now is the time to take a whole new look at your preparedness supplies, including storable food and dietary iodine, which can help protect your thyroid from iodine-131 radiation exposure
Chelsea Manning Files Documents to Run For Senate
Gizmodo – Former U.S. Army intelligence analyst, Wikileaks whistleblower, and trans activist Chelsea Manning has filed documents to run for a Senate seat in Maryland currently held by incumbent Democrat Ben Cardin, the Washington Post reported.
Journalists Falsely Report U.S. Ambassadors Resigned Over Trump’s Alleged ‘S***hole’ Comments
Washington Free Beacon – A number of journalists falsely reported that two U.S. ambassadors resigned in protest of alleged comments President Donald Trump made Thursday, when he was accused of using vulgar language to describe many third-world countries.
Reuters reported Friday that U.S. Ambassador to Panama John Feeley had resigned, citing his unwillingness to advance Trump policies. “As a junior foreign service officer, I signed an oath to serve faithfully the president and his administration in an apolitical fashion, even when I might not agree with certain policies,” he wrote in his resignation letter. “My instructors made clear that if I believed I could not do that, I would be honor bound to resign. That time has come.” Because the Reuters story came the day after the Trump comments, media outlets like MSNBC falsely assumed the two were connected.
Georgia senator now says Trump ‘did not use that word’
Yahoo News – A senator who attended the closed-door meeting during which the president reportedly insulted Haiti and various African nations with an expletive now says Trump never said the word. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., who supports Trump’s immigration policies, had previously claimed that he did not recall whether or not Trump used this incendiary language. But on ABC News’ “This Week,” he repeatedly said that the meeting had been grossly and totally misrepresented in the press. The show’s host, George Stephanopoulos, pointed out that Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have told others that the reports were more or less accurate.
Donald Trump’s Support Among Blacks Has Doubled Since 2016, Amid Racism Claims
Breitbart – Two new polls show President Donald Trump’s rising support among black voters, highlighting his political gains from pushing employers to hire Americans instead of lower-wage migrants. The growing support from blacks — despite furious Democratic claims of racism — could become a shocking political validation in November when Trump will face millions of upper-income Democratic voters who are angry at his “Buy American, Hire American” policies.
Among black men, Trump’s “2017 average approval rating significantly exceeds his 2016 vote share,” admitted a January 11 article in the Atlantic by author Ronald Brownstein. “23 percent of black men approved of Trump’s performance versus 11 percent of black women,” said the article. That score averages out to 17 percent, or twice the 8 percent score he was given in the 2016 exit polls.
FBI, DOJ Argue for Dismissal of Suit About Garland, Texas Attack
Washington Free Beacon – The FBI and the Department of Justice are arguing for a liability case against them to be dismissed, while at the same time admitting to key details surrounding the bureau’s involvement in the 2015 terrorist attack on the “Draw Muhammad” event in Garland, Texas. In that attack, the first in the United States for which ISIS claimed responsibility, Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, drove to the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland in a car loaded with six guns and over a thousand rounds of ammunition. The two men opened fire when they were stopped at a perimeter checkpoint. A security guard, Bruce Joiner, was shot in the leg and the two attackers were killed just yards away from where the shooting began. Joiner filed suit last October, claiming the FBI was partially responsible for his injuries. His suit argues the bureau “solicited, encouraged, directed and aided members of ISIS in planning and carrying out the May 3 attack,” and is asking for just over $8 million damages. Court filings from Thursday confirm that an undercover FBI agent was in a separate car directly behind the attackers when they opened fire, and that the agent, “was dressed in Middle Eastern attire and police almost killed him, but he saved his life by claiming to be an FBI agent.” Lawyers with the Justice Department are asking the court to dismiss the case, arguing that the FBI is immune from liability under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
US Senator Grassley Investigates Vaccine Corruption in Unsanctioned Experimental Herpes Vaccine Human Research
Health Impact News – Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote to Acting Secretary Eric Hargan of the Department of the Health and Human Services (HHS), Commissioner Scott Gottlieb of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Director Jerry Menikoff of the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) concerning news reports of apparently unsanctioned human research testing conducted by Southern Illinois University (SIU) professor William Halford which put individuals at extreme health risk. Testing involving the use of human subjects in the U.S. is regulated by what is known as the “Common Rule.” Among other regulations, these include minimizing risk to the subject, selecting subjects equitably, receiving informed consent, continual monitoring and respecting privacy. News reports indicate that Halford may have violated nearly every requirement of the Common Rule. Emails from the professor reportedly stated that it would be “suicide” if the manner in which he conducted the research were to be made public.
Police Tell Student Activists Their “Free Speech” is Scaring Other Students
Activist Post – In yet another test of the U.S. Constitution’s protected freedom of speech, the Constitution Club at Southern Illinois University (SIU) inflated a giant beach ball and asked students to come by, grab a sharpie, and write whatever they felt like writing on the ball.
The students’ free speech rights exercise was quickly interrupted by campus police who informed the club members they had received complaints about the ball and the group would need to stop their activities. According to Campus Reform, the reason SIU chose to attempt to stop the demonstration was that campus police said the students did not go through the proper channels to be able to hold the demonstration. Ultimately, the group was allowed to continue with their free speech demonstration but not before having to make contact with campus police to explain their actions. The SIU police did not appear to want to interrupt what the group was doing but were under marching orders from their superiors. “This is not considered like a public place,” one campus police officer told the students. “Right now, we’re going to have to put the ball away … it’s freaking a lot of people out … people are reporting that they’re scared of the beach ball, and what’s going on here.”

Veteran News

Hypocrisy: Trump Signs Veterans’ Mental Health Bill as Jeff Sessions Declares War on Their Medicine
The Free Thought Project – President Trump signed an executive order that was presented as an effort to improve veterans’ mental health treatment, just days after reports claimed that Attorney General Jeff Sessions plans to wage war on their medicine by rescinding a policy that keeps federal prosecutors from aggressively enforcing federal law in states where cannabis is legal. Trump signed an executive order titled, “Supporting our Veterans during their Transition from Uniformed Service to Civilian Life” on Jan. 9. The order calls for the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary of Homeland Security to work together to provide “seamless access to mental health treatment and suicide prevention resources for transitioning uniformed service members in the year following discharge, separation, or retirement.” The measure is intended to improve reintegration into civilian life and to prevent suicide if at all possible. But the type of mental health services Trump is asking for almost certainly do not involve using cannabis for PTSD, depression, or chronic pain. That is because the U.S. Attorney General just rescinded the Cole memo, allowing state Attorney Generals to go after legal weed. As The Free Thought Project has reported on numerous occasions, legal cannabis and access to it is not supported by VA hospitals.

Economy & Business

Germany to include Chinese yuan in currency reserves
RT – Germany’s central bank has decided to add the Chinese currency to its foreign exchange reserves, according to Bundesbank board member Andreas Dombret. The move could further boost the international status of the yuan. Speaking at a finance forum on Monday, he said the decision was taken last year after the European Central Bank (ECB) switched €500 million ($611 million) worth of its US dollar reserves into yuan. The move reportedly reflects the increased use of the Chinese currency and Beijing’s importance as one of the eurozone’s biggest trading partners.
Oil hovers below $70 highs, clouded by rise in U.S. output
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – Oil hovered near a three-year high above $70 a barrel on Monday on signs that production cuts by OPEC and Russia are tightening supplies, although analysts warned of “red flags” due to surging U.S. production.

Energy & Environment

California Mudslides Death Toll Rises To At Least 20, Residents Told To Evacuate
NPR – Updated 1:40 p.m. ET on Sunday
The death toll rose to 20 on Sunday as authorities ramped up search and rescue efforts for those missing in the deadly mudslides in Santa Barbara, Calif. And hope of finding the four remaining missing persons alive, five days after storm devastated the region, is vanishing.
“We’re still in rescue mode and we still hope to find someone alive, although the chances of that are becoming slim,” Justin Cooper, a spokesperson for the multi-agency response team, told Reuters.
Philippines volcano begins spewing lava
CNN – (CNN)The Philippines’ most active volcano has begun erupting again, after thousands of people on the main island of Luzon were earlier forced to evacuate. A photo of Mayon volcano published late Monday local time by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) showed lava flows pouring down its side and a large plume of fiery smoke above the summit. Authorities on Sunday upgraded the alert level at the Mayon volcano in the southern part of Luzon to “level 3” after observing steam eruptions and a bright lava glow.
Earthquake in Peru destroys dozens of homes, kills 1 man
LIMA, Peru (AP) — A powerful earthquake struck off Peru’s coast early Sunday, tumbling adobe homes in small, rural towns, killing at least one person and injuring dozens, officials said.

Science & Technology

Ford Plans $11 Billion Investment, 40 Electric Vehicles by 2022
Newsmax – Ford Motor Co. will significantly increase its planned investments in electric vehicles to $11 billion by 2022 and have 40 hybrid and fully electric vehicles in its model lineup, Chairman Bill Ford said on Sunday at the Detroit auto show.
US to ‘carefully’ review GM request on autonomous car: Chao
Infowars – Regulators will “carefully and responsibly” review General Motors’ request to test an autonomous car without a steering wheel, US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Sunday. “It is now coming to the stage with the rapid advancement of self-driving technology that this request is now a reality,” Chao said on the sidelines of the Detroit Auto Show. “So we will view the petition carefully and responsibly.” GM on Friday unveiled the Cruise AV, an autonomous vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals, announcing it had asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to exempt it from a number of federal standards that cannot be met with a driverless car.

Health

Junk Food Alters Genes, Immune System
Newsmax Health – Something new to scare you, if you’re a burgers-and-fries fan: A troubling new study led by German scientists has found that fast-food diets boost inflammation in the body and over time change genes and the immune system in ways the boost the risk for diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. In fact, the University of Bonn researchers found that the immune system responds to a fast food-style Western diet the same way as it would react to a bacterial or viral infection. What’s more, the impacts are long lasting and, the study claims, even switching to a healthy diet may not fully reverse the damage once initially triggered.
Daily probiotic improves acne-prone skin
Natural Health News – Supplementing with probiotics may help the appearance of adult acne, according to new research, and may also hit at a much deeper connection between gut and skin health than previously understood. In recent years, probiotics have become synonymous with helping maintain good digestive health. Whether as live active cultures found in some yogurts or as daily supplements, probiotics are live, “friendly” bacteria that may benefit a person’s health.
Now, emerging research is suggesting that the benefits of probiotics may extend beyond the digestive tract to the skin. In fact, skin prone to acne or rosacea has shown improvement with daily probiotic use, giving dermatologists reason to consider supplementing traditional acne therapy with a dose of beneficial bacteria.
More Than 100 Are Dead As The Worst Flu Epidemic In Years Sweeps Across The United States
The Economic Collapse Blog – This flu season is already off to a record-setting beginning, and many believe that it could ultimately be the worst that we have seen in decades. In fact, it has been reported that if we stay on this current pace that this could truly be the worst flu season in more than 50 years. As you will see below, the CDC is reporting widespread flu activity from coast to coast, and the death toll has already crossed 100. Here in the United States, flu season usually begins in October and ends in May, and so we still have a long way to go before it is over.
9 Ways To Stay Fit Without Even Trying
Off The Grid News – Most people would like to improve their overall fitness level, whether they are morbidly obese or whether they are simply not quite as spry or strong as they’d like to be. But working a fitness routine into an already busy day can be challenging, and going “on a diet” is not most people’s idea of fun.
What if there were some way you could work toward your weight management and muscle maintenance goals, without going to the gym or dieting? Here are few easy tricks that can make a real health difference without even trying.

Carry your lunch to school or work. Instead of being at the mercy of whatever your local fast food joint, corner deli, or in-house cafeteria is serving up, you will do better to control the ingredients and portions yourself. Not only that, but carrying your own lunch saves time—no waiting in lines or going out—and can potentially save a ton of money.
Park further out in the parking lot. Walking those few extra steps every trip will add up, and will be good for you.
Keep snacks in the car. We’ve all been there: running late from work, or stuck doing errands that take forever, rolling right past mealtime and unable to stop ourselves from stopping somewhere for a quick candy bar or order of French fries to stave off hunger pangs. The problem with grabbing junk food on the run is that it’s just empty calories—a quick fix that doesn’t hold us for long. Instead, try carrying sensible food that can be eaten out-of-hand when you head out for the day. Take a few minutes before leaving to cut up a few chunks of cheese, core and slice an apple or raw produce, grab a home-baked muffin or slice of bread, or toss some nuts and dried fruit into a zip-top bag or plastic container.
Read labels. So-called “health foods” can be misleading. Foods like energy drinks and granola bars can be full of calories and sugar.
Don’t buy junk food in bulk packages. Sure, it’s cheaper per chip and per candy corn, but is it really your goal to spend the least possible money to increase your blood sugar and cholesterol? Once it’s in your house, you have to continue to say no to it until it’s gone.
Brush and floss your teeth right after your evening meal. This accomplishes two things. First, it will help you say no thanks to snacks later. Second, it will make you more apt to be diligent about dental hygiene.
Pay attention to portion control. Just a handful of healthy pecans or dried cranberries—what can it hurt, right? Nothing, as long as it’s really just a “handful.”
Take the stairs. Every. Single. Time. Unless you are injured or sick or carrying a heavy load, opt for the stairs.
Take every pound and calorie seriously. Nobody goes to bed one night in medium-sized pajamas and wakes up the next morning tipping the scales at 500 pounds. It goes on one pound at a time. People often say, “Oh, what’s a few cookies? But they are wrong.