Today In News: May 28, 2017

Today in News:

(ടുഡേ ഇൻ ന്യൂസ്):

• "The times in which we can fully count on others are somewhat over, as I have experienced in the past few days," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the crowd of some 2,500 people. "And so all I can say is that we Europeans must really take our destiny into our own hands," she said. G7 leaders were unable to reach unanimous agreement on climate change after US President Donald Trump said he needed more time to decide whether to back a key climate accord.

• President Rodrigo Duterte announced Tuesday he was imposing a 60-day period of martial law in the southern Philippines. The Philippine military said on Sunday it had found the bodies of 16 civilians as troops tried to gain control over Marawi City, which has been under siege from ISIS-allied militants.

• North Korea fired a Scud-class ballistic missile on Monday from the region of Wonsan on its east coast in an easterly direction. The missile is likely to fall in the sea within Japan's exclusive economic zone. The missile flew for 6 minutes, with a range of 450km.

• A US-led air raid in March against a building in the Iraqi city of Mosul killed at least 105 civilians, the Pentagon admitted, with the death toll expected to reach 150. According to the Pentagon's summary of the investigation, a 500-lbs bomb was dropped at 8am on March 17 in Mosul's al-Jadidah district which targeted two snipers of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) who the Pentagon claim were in the building and who had engaged with Iraqi counterterrorism forces.  The Pentagon says airstrikes it carried out on the house were the deadliest since 2003. 

     

• President Donald Trump is frustrated by what he views as his team’s inability to contain the burgeoning crisis involving alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Experienced public relations hands and lawyers are being recruited to deal with the drumbeat of new revelations about Moscow’s interference and possible improper dealings with the Trump campaign and associates. The White House also grappled with reports that Kushner proposed setting up a secret back channel between the Kremlin and the Trump transition team during a December meeting.

• Until a week ago, Britain’s upcoming general election (Theresa May vs. Jeremy Corbyn) as a forgone conclusion---May's Conservative party was to be the projected winner against Labour party's, Corbyn.  Security now is the dominant theme in a contest that was supposed to be about Britain’s exit from the European Union, with the main parties battling over which can keep Britain safer.  Recent polling has shown that the Labour party continues to narrow the gap on the Conservatives--trailing by 5 points.

-Olivier Roy on the apocalyptic nihilism of modern terrorists

Today In News: May 27, 2017

Today in News:

(ടുഡേ ഇൻ ന്യൂസ്):

• Anyone questioned by Robert Mueller’s team (FBI Director under George W. Bush & now independent investigator for Russiagate) may find that just having encrypted apps on their phones--which didn’t exist the last time there was a major Washington investigation of this kind—may raise suspicions that they’re hiding information. Under US Criminal Law, documents must be preserved once an individual is aware they may become relevant to an investigation, even if there’s no formal notice one has begun.

•  The National Rifle Association (NRA) have motivated some gun owners to purchase insurance policies that could cushion their financial burden in the event that they shoot someone.

• Leaving for his first international trip,Trump left the USA amid tumult---his firing of the FBI Director, Jim Comey; and leaking of classified information to Russian diplomats the day after the Comey firing. Although the trip itself was free of catastrophic missteps, it does not alleviate the pressures that are crowding in at Trump at home---the appointment of Robert Mueller as a special counsel to look into allegations of collusion with Russia;  approval ratings that are the worst of any president so early into his tenure;  and an uncertain outlook for his major legislative priorities.  

• Amid the Russian investigation, it is now known that Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and adviser, spoke with Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak in early December of last year about setting up a "secure communications channel ... using Russian diplomatic facilities" in the U.S., according to the report.

• Trump's advisers are planning to establish a "war room" to combat mounting questions about communication between Russia and his presidential campaign before and after November's presidential election, while bringing new aides into the White House, administration officials and persons close to Trump told Reuters. Kushner and Bannon are instrumental in helping with the creation of this room. 

• At the end of a G7 summit, "The entire discussion of climate was very difficult, if not to say very dissatisfying," German Chancellor Angela Merkal said. "There are no indications that the United States will stay with the Paris Agreement or not."

• U.S. President Donald Trump has told "confidants," including the head of the Environmental Protection Agency Scott Pruitt, that he plans to leave a landmark international agreement on climate change.

• A white supremacist fatally stabbed two passengers aboard a Portland, Oregon, commuter train after they tried to stop him from harassing two young women who appeared to be Muslim, police said on Saturday.

Bernie Sanders Slams Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney

Did You Know?

• The United States, today, has more income and wealth inequality than any major country on Earth.

• This Trump budget includes a massive transfer of wealth from working families, the elderly, children, the sick, the poor--the most vulnerable members of society--to the Top 1%.

• Today, 52% of all income is going to the Top 1%.

• The Top 1/10 owns just as much wealth as the bottom 90% all together.

• This budget put forth by Mick Mulvaney (US Budget Director) gives $52,000,000,000 ( $52B) in tax breaks to the wealthiest family who are already worth $128B--The Walton Family.
• Free college for the entire nation = $60B; Trump gave $52B to one family.
• Families include--to name a few--:
• The Walton family (Wal-Mart dynasty)
• The Koch family (Koch Industries)
• The Mars family (Mars Candy)
• The Torrance family (Campbell Soup)

• 3 trillion in tax breaks to top 1% by eliminating the Block Grant --which will:
• Throw 17 million children off of health insurance
• Stops Meals on Wheels program. 
• The WIC (Women, Infant, Children) program for new & struggling mothers.

• USA would also move to a "territorial tax" system which does not tax US foreign earnings. Companies' earnings that are abroad would only face a onetime tax.

• With the repeal of the Estate Tax, deceased billionaires have more power from the grave than living low-income families.