We Are Change

President Donald Trump held his first meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House on Friday, and staged a joint press conference shortly after.

Merkel’s reaction when @realDonaldTrump makes that wiretapping joke is something (A+ cut by @sts10) pic.twitter.com/7jhJJwudAS

— Brian Ries (@moneyries) March 17, 2017

When asked by a reporter about claims that Obama wiretapped Trump Tower, the president gestured towards the German leader and said, “at least we have something in common, perhaps.”

In 2010, the National Security Agency monitored Merkel’s cellphone with direct authorization by President Barack Obama. After Merkel found out about the wiretap, she placed a “strongly worded” call to Obama, calling his actions “totally unacceptable, if true.”

“This would be a grave breach of trust,” Merkel said through her spokesman Steffen Seibert at the time. “Such practices must immediately be put to a stop.”

The two leaders both described their “working lunch” meeting as “very good,” and when asked by reporters if they discussed NATO, Trump responded that they “discussed many things.”

At the press conference, which began nearly an hour late, Trump praised the leadership of Chancellor Merkel, saying that the two nations must work together to “defeat radical Islamic terrorism” and Daesh.

“Immigration is a privilege not a right,” Trump said, “and the safety of our citizens must always come first.”

For her part, Merkel opened her remarks by saying that it is always better to talk to one another, instead of talking about one another.

Asked by a reporter if she approves of Trump’s style, Merkel said that she had received a warm welcome, and that the two leaders had tried to reach a compromise on issues where they disagree.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to find compromise, but that is what we have been elected for,” Merkel said.

During his presidential campaign, Trump harshly criticized Merkel for her liberal policies on accepting refugees, saying that she is “ruining Germany.”

It was expected that the duo would also discuss Russia, and during the press conference Trump stated that the two nations will work together to come up with a plan for peace regarding Ukraine.

“The president will be very interested in hearing the chancellor’s views on her experience interacting with Putin,” a senior administration official told reporters.

The meeting was originally scheduled to take place on Tuesday, but had to be postponed due to the snow storm that hit the east coast. It was Merkel’s first visit to the US in two years.

Originally published on Sputnik News

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Family members of the 9/11 victims are beginning to worry that President Trump may not keep his campaign promise to pursue justice related to Saudi Arabia and the 9/11 attacks.

Article via Activist Post by Derrick Broze

On Tuesday, President Trump met with Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a meeting that CNN and The Washington Post called a “reset” of relations between the United States and the Saudi Kingdom. “Ali Shihabi, executive director of the Arabia Foundation, who was part of the Saudi delegation to the White House, said the Saudi leadership and the Trump administration are in ‘perfect alignment’ on the Iran nuclear deal and said Trump understands Saudi Arabia’s conflict with Iran is an ‘existential battle’”, CNN reported.

The Trump Administration also recently has announced that they will approve the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia that were previously frozen in the final months of the Obama administration. These actions have caused concern for some of Trump’s supporters who worry that he is aligning with a nation who has a horrible track record on human rights and is responsible for one of the most extreme interpretations of Islam (Wahhabism).

One group who was optimistic that President Trump might keep the promises made by candidate Trump is the 9/11 Families and Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism. The organization is largely responsible for pushing the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which was passed late in 2016, despite a veto from former President Obama. JASTA has changed the law to allow victims of terrorism and their families to sue nations suspected of financing or otherwise sponsoring terrorism.

Prior to the law this was only legal for countries who are on the U.S. government’s “state sponsors of terror” list, which includes nations like North Korea and Iran. JASTA unanimously passed the Senate in May 2016 and the House in mid-August 2016 after a hard-fought battle by the families of the victims of 9/11. Former President Obama kept his promise to veto legislation, citing threats to U.S. national security. In a stunning rebuke to the president, the veto was overrode by Congress. Following the veto, President Obama said it was “a mistake” and set a “dangerous precedent.”

The Daily Caller reports that the 9/11 Families sent a letter to President Trump asking him to clarify his position on Saudi Arabia and their role in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. “This letter is inspired by news reports that today you met with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al Saud,” reads the letter from Terry Strada, a widow and the national chair for the 9/11 Families & Survivors.

“As you know, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a defendant in our lawsuit because of the involvement of its agents in supporting the 9/11 hijackers, and for support that flowed to al Qaeda through institutions the Kingdom established and funded to spread a radical form of Islam that lies at the root of both al Qaeda and, more recently, ISIS,” the letter states. “Despite mounting evidence, the Saudis have refused to accept accountability for their actions and the injury they have caused across the globe.”

While Trump was running for office he gave interviews calling for the release of the “secret pages,” in reference to the 28 pages of the Senate report on 9/11. Although the final report amounts to over 800 pages, the 28 pages were classified by former President George W. Bush shortly after the report was released in 2002. The 28 pages make up the bulk of a section titled “Part 4: Finding, Discussion and Narrative Regarding Certain Sensitive National Security Matters.” Officials who saw the documents before their release stated that the information related to financing of the suspected terrorists, and points a finger at members of the government of Saudi Arabia. Upon seeing the pages himself, Kentucky Republican Congressman Thomas Massie said there will be “anger, frustration, and embarrassment when these 28 pages finally come out.”

Candidate Trump also gave an interview on Fox News’s “Fox & Friends” stating that the release of the pages would be “very profound,” and relate to Saudi Arabia’s role in the 9/11 attacks. “That’s very serious stuff,” Trump said. “It’s sort of nice to know who your friends are and perhaps who your enemies are. You’re going to see some very revealing things released in those papers.”

Strada also accused the Saudis of engaging in a “$1.3 million-per-month propaganda campaign to manipulate the public and Congress into supporting a gutting of JASTA,” which she says is “backed by more than a dozen lobbying firms and 100 registered foreign agents.” As the Caller notes, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently paid at least one large public relations firm — Qorvis MSLGROUP in Washington, D.C. — to recruit American military veterans who would agree to visit Capitol Hill to tell members of Congress that they oppose a new federal law allowing civil lawsuits against state sponsors of terrorism.” The veterans’ all-expenses-paid trips apparently including a free stay at Trump International Hotel.

“This outrageous propaganda campaign — especially the disgusting effort to turn the veterans’ community against the 9/11 families — has been deeply hurtful to our community, and it must stop,” Strada wrote. “We would appreciate it if you and your Administration could make this point clear with the Saudi Kingdom, if you did not already have the opportunity to do so today.”

Deputy Crown Prince Salman called the meeting with Trump a “historic turning point in bilateral relations” between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. This historic turn is also signaled by the recent news that President Trump has approved the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia that were previously frozen in the final months of the Obama administration.

Once again, despite the rhetoric from political candidates, including a supposed “anti-establishment” candidate like Donald Trump, we are seeing no real radical change that benefits the people. Instead, we are seeing the continuation of more of the same war, torture, spying, and partnering with terrorists. Perhaps, the Trump supporters will soon be ready to acknowledge that they were (once again) fooled by the system and the elitists who wield it for their benefit.

Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist and liberty activist. He is the Lead Investigative Reporter for ActivistPost.com and the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com. Follow him on Twitter. Derrick is the author of three books: The Conscious Resistance: Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 1 and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 2

Derrick is available for interviews. Please contact Derrick@activistpost.com

This article may be freely reposted in part or in full with author attribution and source link.

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A Secret Service laptop with information on President Trump’s tower floor plans and Hillary Clinton’s email investigation has been stolen.

The laptop was stolen from an agent’s car in New York City.

According to law enforcement sources, detectives with the New York Police Department are searching for the stolen laptop, which contains pages of important and sensitive information Reuters reported.

ABC News cited sources that said the documents included Trump tower floor plans and Hillary Clinton’s email investigation.

CBS News added that sources told them that some of the documents included important files on Pope Francis.

The theft is considered a compromise of national security.

Authorities are looking at surveillance video to try and identify the suspect.

(This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.)

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The pro-government Turkish newspaper “Turkish Daily” depicted Chancellor Angela Merkel as “She Hitler” on its front page, wearing a Nazi uniform with a Hitler mustache.

Right-wing tabloid daily Gunes (“Sun”) printed the picture along with the words in German: “#Frau Hitler” and called her an “ugly aunt,” reported AP.

Turkey and Europe have been in a bitter spat after Germany and the Netherlands blocked Turkish ministers from holding rallies to campaign for a “yes” vote in next month’s referendum on expanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s powers.

This was followed by the German government’s newspaper a few days ago accusing the Turkish leader of “endangering Europe’s stability through his lust for power.”

“Bild tells the truth to Erdogan’s face — you are not a democrat! You are hurting your country!” the German daily said.

Erdogan has constantly accused Germany and the Netherlands of acting like “Nazis,” and claimed Merkel is “supporting terrorists.”

The paper also accused Merkel of supporting terrorist organizations and trying to be the leader of fascists using Austria, the Netherlands, and Belgium in “Germany’s backyard.”

“Germany, which has open arms for terrorist organizations… is trying to instigate the whole of Europe against Turkey,” the daily said.

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President Donald Trump held his first meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House on Friday, and staged a joint press conference you can watch live below.

The conference was set to start at 1:20 P.M. EST but has been delayed for unknown reasons.

The two leaders both described their “working lunch” meeting as “very good,” and when asked by reporters if they discussed NATO, Trump responded that they “discussed many things.”

Despite the meeting being described as “very good” President Trump refused to shake Merkel’s hand the DailyWire reported.

During his presidential campaign, Trump harshly criticized Merkel for her liberal policies on accepting refugees, saying that she is “ruining Germany.” As well as previously criticized NATO calling the alliance “obsolete.”

It was expected that the two would also discuss Russia.

“The president will be very interested in hearing the chancellor’s views on her experience interacting with Putin,” a senior administration official told reporters.

The meeting was originally scheduled to take place on Tuesday but was postponed due to the snowstorm Stella that hit the east coast. It was Merkel’s first visit to the U.S. in two years.

The press conference began around 2:10 P.M. EST. President Trump opened up speaking about the meeting that him and Merkel had. He expressed that a “stronger America is better for the world.”

Merkel said that it was a “pleasure to be at the white house and speak with President Donald Trump.”

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Oklahoma Republican state senator Ralph Shortey, who campaigned as a “champion of family values,” was arrested after police found him in a motel room with a teenage boy and drugs.

Ralph Shortey, 35, was charged with three felonies, including engaging in child prostitution, transporting a minor for prostitution and engaging in prostitution within 1,000 feet of a church.

Police found Shortey inside a motel room with a 17-year-old teenager who is identified in charging records as “JM.”

While Oklahoma’s laws set the age of consent at 16 in the state, Oklahoma’s child prostitution statute applies to any person under the age of 18 years old.

When officers arrived they “observed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the room and inside the room at the time of their contact with the defendant,” the affidavit said, adding that officers also “found an opened box of condoms in the defendant’s backpack.”

Police also discovered that JM and Shortey exchanged sexually explicit messages.

“Would you be interested in sexual stuff?” Shortey allegedly wrote.

“Yes,” JM allegedly replied.

Both Shortey and JM admitted to police that they met a year ago through a Craigslist “personal encounter ad.”

“The Oklahoma Republican Party takes all accusations against elected officials seriously, especially when the welfare of a minor is involved. We have reached out to Senator Shortey for comment and have not heard back from him at this time. We await the report from law enforcement on whether charges will be filed,” Pam Pollard, the Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, told NewsChannel 4.

Shortey was punished by the state Senate on Wednesday in a 43-0 vote for “disorderly behavior.”

The senator still holds his seat but was stripped of his perks as a senator, his office, and his parking space.

“The charges against him do not reflect the character and decorum that we expect of an elected official,” Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said.

Oklahoma Senate President Mike Schulz said that the investigation was still ongoing and Shortey was innocent until proven guilty.

“This is not a presumption of guilt or innocence. The Oklahoma Senate has full faith that the judicial system will play out appropriately and bring this matter to a lawful conclusion. This resolution reserves the right of the Oklahoma Senate to pursue further action if more facts come to light. It would be inappropriate to comment any further due to the pending investigation,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz.

Shortey could be impeached with a two-thirds vote or 32 members of the Senate’s vote.

Shortey faces a separate internal investigation into his years of work with the YMCA’s Youth and Government program which he volunteered with for 17 years for various field trips.

Shortey’s bond was set at $100,000, and he has since been released according to court records.

Shortey’s arrest is just the latest in a series high-profile of child sex crime arrests made in the last two months.

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Article via Truth Theory by Jess Murray

Marijuana has the potential to stop MRSA, according to studies. Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the Assistant Director General for the World Health Organization’s Health Security department, has explained that antibiotic resistant bacteria are now one of the top health concerns in the world, as “common infections and minor injuries, which have been treatable for decades, can once again kill”.

The creation of “superbugs” have emerged from the antibiotics that were designed to treat them initially. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes over 10,000 deaths each year, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and is a direct by-product of the overuse of antibiotics.

MRSA infects open wounds and increases the chance of death by over 60%, according to the CDC. In addition to this, it can also spread easily between people in close contact. In late 2014, the situation became so severe that President Obama issued an executive order to combat antibiotic resistant bacteria, which he called “a serious threat to public health and the economy.”

Back in 2008, a study carried out by a team of British and Italian researchers found that marijuana could stop MRSA after five of marijuana’s most common cannabinoids were tested against six different MRSA strains of “clinical relevance”. The results found that each cannabinoid showed “potent activity” against bacteria. Cannabinoids are substances that are unique to the cannabis plant, and have been found to have wide-ranging medicinal properties, including fighting cancer, reversing inflammation and acting as powerful antioxidants. Simon Gibbons, one of the authors of the study and head of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry at the University College London School of Pharmacy, said in a follow up interview in the MIT Technological Review, “Everything points towards these compounds having been evolved by the plants as antimicrobial defenses that specifically target bacterial cells.”

He stated, “The actual mechanism by which they kill the bugs is still a mystery…I really cannot hazard a guess how they do it, but their high potency as antibiotics suggests there must be a very specific mechanism.” Following the study, the researchers recommended cannabis as the source of new and effective antibiotic products that should be commonly used now. Giovanni Appendino, a professor at Italy’s Piemonte Orientale University and co-author of the study, said, “The most practical application of cannabinoids would be as topical agents to treat ulcers and wounds in a hospital environment, decreasing the burden of antibiotics.”

Shelley White wrote in the preface to her recently published book, Cannabis for Lyme Disease and Related Conditions: Scientific Basis and Anecdotal Evidence for Medicinal Use, “Within a few months, Cannabis oil had done what years of antibiotics had failed to do, it had given me my life back.” Shelley told Reset.Me, “I most certainly believe it works as an antibacterial. I just am not comfortable calling it a cure due to the fact that the disease is so complex and each case is different.” Shelley’s book is a story of personal healing that also contains a lot of solid scientific research. It begins with an overview of the antibacterial properties of cannabis, before looking at the evidence supporting the plant’s ability to rid the symptoms of disease that antibiotics cannot.

Reports state that, although the White House just lifted many of the restrictions on medical marijuana research that had been in place since the 1990s, it is unlikely that science will find a more powerful marijuana based product than the simple homemade oil which Shelley talks about in her book.

THIS ARTICLE IS OFFERED UNDER CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE. IT’S OKAY TO REPUBLISH IT ANYWHERE AS LONG AS ATTRIBUTION BIO IS INCLUDED AND ALL LINKS REMAIN INTACT.

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Article via Zero Hedge

Turkey’s arch-nemesis – well, one of many –  Dutch politician Geert Wilders may have just suffered a major disappointment in his recent political career after yesterday’s Netherlands general election, but that did not mean that the diplomatic scandal between Turkey and the Netherlands has been put on hiatus; on the contrary: Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned that Europe is headed for “wars of religion” and claiming Dutch politicians are taking the continent “to a cliff.”

Speaking at a rally in Antalya on Thursday, Cavusoglu assessed the outcome of the Dutch elections which saw a failure for the anti-Muslim, anti-EU Geert Wilders garnering a majority of the votes, after a campaign rallying for the closure of mosques and banning of the Koran.

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PornHub offered to plow anyone that emailed them.

Article via True Activist by Brianna Acuesta

In an attempt to bolster their public image and be philanthropic, PornHub sent out a fleet of trucks to plow snow for residents in Boston, New Jersey, and New York following Storm Stella. The website used a punny phrase on Twitter, offering to help followers “get plowed,” which caused an uproar in laughter and support as people requested their services throughout the hardest hit cities.

Hey Boston! Are you snowed in on #snowday? Fear not! #pornhubplows to the rescue! Hit us up at phubplows@gmail.com to plow your brains out! pic.twitter.com/bYmHD6QVwP

— Pornhub ARIA (@Pornhub) March 14, 2017

“The PornHub team understands that by this time of year, most cities have run up their budget in snow removal,” PornHub Vice President Corey Price told Boston Magazine, “and we thought we’d lend a hand in getting our fans plowed.”

As inappropriate as it might be, the gesture was all in good fun and the site really did help out a lot of people who were still snowed in and whose living and work areas had not yet been plowed. With the budget being exhausted and the regular plows working overtime throughout the state, PornHub actually provided a much-needed service. They offered it much in the way their content online is offered as well—for free.

The site sent out two dozen trucks in all and are offering to plow the parking lots for small businesses on demand, although they aren’t plowing personal driveways. Fear not, PornHub doesn’t plan on blowing their load (their phrasing) in one day—they have announced that they intend to send the fleet to other areas around the country that have exhausted their snow plow budget.

Pornhub plows all the way from Boston, to NY and NJ!! Call us to blow your load! #pornhubplows pic.twitter.com/k8vbvagiMM

— Pornhub ARIA (@Pornhub) March 14, 2017

This is a great marketing campaign, although we’re pretty sure PornHub was not hurting for viewers prior to this publicity stunt. While it may not have brought in new viewers, it certainly helped their own public image in showcasing one of the many ways the company tries to give back. The site runs philanthropic campaigns every so often, such as their “Panda Style” campaign, which started on Thursday, and gives back to Pandas by donating to their conservation.

Would you email PornHub to ask for a plowing? Please share, like, and comment on this article!

This article (PornHub Helps People “Get Plowed” During The Winter — But It’s Not What You Think) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com

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Article via Zero Hedge

In a bill aimed at securing a “right to be forgotten,” introduced by Assemblyman David I. Weprin and (as Senate Bill 4561 by state Sen. Tony Avella), liberal New York politicians would require people to remove ‘inaccurate,’ ‘irrelevant,’ ‘inadequate’ or ‘excessive’ statements about others…

• Within 30 days of a ”request from an individual,”
• “all search engines and online speakers] shall remove … content about such individual, and links or indexes to any of the same, that is ‘inaccurate’, ‘irrelevant’, ‘inadequate’ or ‘excessive,’ ”
• “and without replacing such removed … content with any disclaimer [or] takedown notice.”
• “ ‘[I]naccurate’, ‘irrelevant’, ‘inadequate’, or ‘excessive’ shall mean content,”
• “which after a significant lapse in time from its first publication,”
• “is no longer material to current public debate or discourse,”
• “especially when considered in light of the financial, reputational and/or demonstrable other harm that the information … is causing to the requester’s professional, financial, reputational or other interest,”
• “with the exception of content related to convicted felonies, legal matters relating to violence, or a matter that is of significant current public interest, and as to which the requester’s role with regard to the matter is central and substantial.”

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Hints at New Approach, But Offers No Details

Article via Antiwar

Speaking today during a visit to Japan, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared the last 20 years of “diplomatic and other efforts” with North Korea to have failed, declaring North Korea’s nuclear program an “ever-escalating threat,” and calling for a new approach.

Between rising tensions with North Korea, and the US deploying missile drones to the border just a few days ago, this talk of a new approach may be seen as an ominous sign of a more directly confrontational policy, it’s not totally clear that’s the case, since Tillerson went out of his way to avoid details.

The declaration that diplomacy has “failed” may also be targeted at China, which has been trying to coax the US and North Korea to the negotiating table, and suggesting mutual measures aimed at reducing tensions, proposals which were immediately rejected by the US.

Indeed, the Trump Administration went out of its way just last week to declare diplomacy was not viable because North Korea is “irrational,” and today’s comments only underscore that stance by the Trump Administration, although it also raises doubts about whether diplomacy can really be said to have “failed” if they’re unwilling to even countenance it as an option.

Tillerson also appeared to try to forestall the fear that this was a prelude to military action, at least a bit, by insisting that North Korea has “nothing to fear” from the US, though again this came just a couple of weeks after the White House openly declared military force an option against them.

Japanese officials appeared quick to concur with Tillerson that diplomacy was not an option with North Korea, and with South Korea having been quick to lash out at Chinese proposals for trust-building concessions, it is unclear what might bring the US to the negotiating table in the future.

This article first appeared on Antiwar.com and was authored by Jason Ditz.

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The Syrian government of Damascus has fired several anti-aircraft missiles At Israeli jets.

Tel Aviv – According to local media, shots were heard ringing out Thursday night in the Jordan Valley region. A spokesman for the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) claims they were targeted from the ground by anti-aircraft missiles in response to their attack on several ground targets.

“I can say that the sirens were the result of the incident,” an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson told Sputnik, referring to the launch of missiles at Israeli planes that carried out attacks on targets in Syria.

The IDF reports that no damages occurred on the Israeli side.

The Israeli Missile Defense System (Arrow) intercepted one of the missiles near Jerusalem. Despite being introduced in the late 90s, this was the first use of Israel’s Arrow defense apparatus.

Haaretz is describing the event as the most serious military incident between Israel and Syria since the outbreak of the Syrian War.

As tensions rise between Israel and Syria, this is surely not a welcoming development to the optimists in the Middle East, hopeful for a truce which appears to be furthering from likelihood by the day.

Israel has been taking part in several airstrikes on government targets within Syria over the past couple of months. Syrian officials claim the airstrikes are an attempt to strengthen terrorist forces in the country as the civil war continues to rage. Following the airstrikes, Damascus vowed repercussions.

Israeli officials claim they are taking out terrorist targets including ISIS, and an Al-Nusra front. Many questions have been raised as to why Syrian government-controlled areas are being hit despite the December 2016 ceasefire which solely leaves out terrorist organizations.

This latest incident between Damascus and Israel comes hours after Al-Masdar News reported more than 100 Syrian casualties due to U.S. airstrikes obliterating a mosque in northwestern Syria.

The tensions have been rising between the two countries in January earlier this year, Israel Bombed the Mezzeh Syrian military airport west of Damascus less than five miles away from Syrian President Bashar Assad’s palace. The Syrian Arab Army promised there would be retaliation for the acts of aggression and said that there would be repercussions for Israel for the “flagrant attack” on the military base.

Is this the retaliation by the Syrian military for the Israeli’s attack in January on their airport or is this self-defense by the Syrian government protecting its airspace?

[RELATED: Israel Bombs Syrian Airport; Syrian Army Warns of Retaliation]

SW #Aleppo: multpile airstrikes killed over 57 civilians in Al-Jinah’s Mosque. Rescue teams working to extract people from rubble. pic.twitter.com/6G7wp1IVyv

— Qalaat Al Mudiq (@QalaatAlMudiq) March 16, 2017

(This is a developing story check back for updates stay tuned to We Are Change.)

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Recently I spoke with author and economic analyst John Sneisen about the astonishing breaking story that half of the daily global silver production was dumped in a matter of minutes. A massive selloff of paper contracts!

The culprits appear to be unknown but it has resulted in a 4% fall in value, leading to some temporary panic.
As John Sneisen notes, we are living in very interesting times. We are seeing things that we’ve never seen before.
In the video, John breaks down what exactly this means as very few people if any are actually talking about it.

In 2016, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Scotia Bank, BNP Paribas and several other big banks were caught red-handed manipulating the price of silver and gold. Since the peak in 2012, both silver and gold have been in an artificial bear market, while in actuality they’ve been in a bull market according to several of the top commodity experts.

The big banks and funds like the ESF (Exchange Stabilization Fund) have been manipulating the price for years while eastern countries buy up and hoard gold and silver. Of course, countries like Canada and Venezuela have sold off basically all of their gold while the United States’ gold supply is a mystery.
There is a major power shift happening and it’s time people start asking the questions that need to be asked. Why do globalist financiers and bankers have such a huge interest in manipulating the price of gold and silver while hoarding it?

Many of you can imagine the answer to that question, but as debt builds up under the current fiat currency system and bubbles inflate in the markets like we’ve never seen before, sound money is an important asset for the insurance of free individuals and perhaps it’s about time those individuals take back their wealth and turn away from the destructive quantitative easing and currency manipulation of the state and banking complex.

Decentralization is key to economic survival. Whether we’re talking about sound money or Blockchain, it’s time people start taking notice.

The post HALF Of The Daily Global Silver Production Was Just Dumped In Minutes! appeared first on We Are Change.

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Congressman Bill Pascrell was finishing up an interview with Rachel Maddow when he accidentally said ‘Thank you, sir’ to the MSNBC host.

Maddow has faced a rough week, she fell flat on her face and embarrassed MSNBC when she promised she had President Donald Trump’s tax return, only to have his return from 2005. It revealed that Trump paid millions in taxes at a higher rate than Obama and Sanders.

Rachel Maddow: “Congressman, thanks for being with us tonight sir.”

Congressman: “Thank you, sir…uh I mean ma’am.”

Rachel Maddow: “It’s alright, I answer to both (awkward laugh) it’s actually quite convenient in unexpected places…you’d be surprised. We’ll be right back..”

Maddow appeared redder than an apple and laughed it off as a joke. Youtube user simi510 uploaded the video, which you can watch below.

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Article via Zero Hedge

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and a group of his colleagues are calling on the newly appointed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to immediately investigate how US taxpayer funds are being used by the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to support Soros-backed, leftist political groups in several Eastern European countries including Macedonia and Albania.

According to the letter, potentially millions of taxpayer dollars are being funneled through USAID to Soros’ Open Society Foundations with the explicit goal of pushing his progressive agenda.

“Unfortunately, we have received a credible report that, over the past few years, the U.S. Mission there has actively intervened in the party politics of Macedonia, as well as in the shaping of its media environment and civil society, often favoring left-leaning political group over others.  We find these reports discoraging and, if true, highly problematic.”

“Much of the concerning activity in Macedonia has been perpetuated through USAID funds awarded to implementing entities such as George Soros’ Open Society Foundations.  As the recipient of multiple grant awards and serving as a USAID contractor implementing projects in this small nation of 2.1 million people, our taxpayer funded foreign aid goes far, allowing Foundation Open Society – Macedonia (FOSM) to push a progressive agenda and invigorate the political left.  Our foreign aid should only be used to promote a political agenda if it is in the security or economic interests of our country to do so, and even at that, we must be cautious and respectful in such an endeavor.  We should be especially wary of promoting policies that remain controversial even in our own country and that have the potential to harm our relationship with the citizens of recipient countries.”

As Fox News pointed out, USAID gave nearly $15 million to Soros’ Foundation Open Society – Macedonia, and other Soros-linked organizations in the region, in the last 4 years of Obama’s presidency alone.

The USAID website shows that between 2012 and 2016, USAID gave almost $5 million in taxpayer cash to FOSM for “The Civil Society Project,” which “aims to empower Macedonian citizens to hold government accountable.” USAID’s website links to www.soros.org.mk, and says the project trained hundreds of young Macedonians “in youth activism and the use of new media instruments.”

The State Department told lawmakers that in addition to that project, USAID has recently funded a new Civic Engagement Project which partners with four organizations, including FOSM. The cost is believed to be around $9.5 million.

A citizen’s initiative called “Stop Operation Soros” has also published a white paper alleging U.S. money has been funding violent riots in the streets, as well as a Macedonian version of Saul Alinsky’s far-left handbook “Rules for Radicals.”

But Macedonia isn’t the only sovereign nation where U.S. taxpayers are unknowingly funding Soros’ efforts to force his leftist political agenda down the throats of the disaffected youth.

“This problem is not limited to Macedonia, but appears to follow a pattern of alarming activity in this volatile region. 
Respected leaders from Albania have made similar claims of US diplomats and Soros-backed organizations pushing for certain political outcomes in their country.  Foundation Open Society – Albania (FOSA) and its experts, with funding from USAID, have the controversial Strategy Document for Albania Judicial Reform.  Some leaders believe that these “reforms” are ultimately aimed to give the Prime Minister and left-of-center government full control over judiciary power.”

Moreover, similar efforts in Hungary were blasted by Prime Minister Viktor Orban last month who expressed concern about Soros meddling in his country’s political fights, and warned about Soros’ “trans-border empire.” Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó told Fox News last month that they hoped that with a change in
administration in Washington, the Soros-led push against their government would decrease.

“I think it is no secret and everyone knows about the very close relationship between the Democrats and George Soros and his foundations. It is obvious that if Hillary Clinton had won then this pressure on us would be much stronger. With Donald Trump winning we have the hope that this pressure will be decreased on us,” he said.

Widely cited as an example of Soros’ influence during the Obama administration was a 2011 email, published by WikiLeaks, in which Soros urged Hillary Clinton to take action in Albania over recent demonstrations in the capital of Tirana.

Among other things, Soros urged Clinton to “bring the full weight of the international community to bear on Prime Minister Berisha and opposition leader Edi Rama”.

Dear Hillary,

A serious situation has arisen in Albania which needs urgent attention at senior levels of the US government. You may know that an opposition demonstration in Tirana on Friday resulted in the deaths of three people and the destruction of property. There are serious concerns about further unrest connected to a counter-demonstration to be organized by the governing party on Wednesday and a follow-up event by the opposition two days later to memorialize the victims. The prospect of tens of thousands of people entering the streets in an already inflamed political environment bodes ill for the return, of public order and the country’s fragile democratic process.

I believe two things need to be done urgently:

1. Bring the full weight of the international community to bear on Prime Minister Berisha and opposition leader Edi Rama to forestall further public demonstrations and to tone down public pronouncements.

2. Appoint a senior European official as a mediator.

While I am concerned about the rhetoric being used by both sides, I am particularly worried about the actions of the Prime Minister. There is videotape of National Guard members firing on demonstrators from the roof of the Prime Ministry. The Prosecutor (appointed by the Democratic Party) has issued arrest warrants for the individuals in question. The Prime Minister had previously accused the opposition of intentionally murdering these activists as a provocation.

After the tape came out deputies from his party accused the Prosecutor of planning a coup d’etat in collaboration with the opposition, a charge Mr. Berisha repeated today. No arrests have been made as of this writing. The demonstration resulted from opposition protests over the conduct of parliamentary elections in 2009. The political environment has deteriorated ever since and is now approaching levels of 1997, when similar issues caused the country to slide into anarchy and violence. There are signs that Edi Rama’s control of his own people is slipping, which may lead to further violence.

The US and the EU must work in complete harmony over this, but given Albania’s European aspirations the EU must take the lead. That is why I suggest appointing a mediator such as Carl Bildt. Martti Ahtisaari or Miroslav Lajcak, all of whom have strong connections to the Balkans.

My foundation in Tirana is monitoring the situation closely and can provide independent analysis of the crisis.

Thank you, George Soros

Not surprisingly, within a few days, A U.S. envoy was dispatched.

Aren’t we all so lucky that Hillary’s State Department could rely on the “independent analysis” of George Soros during times of crisis?

Read the full letter.

This article first appeared on ZeroHedge.com and was authored by Tyler Durden.

The post Senators Demand State Department Probe Into George Soros Organizations appeared first on We Are Change.