Saturday, July 22, 2017

President Trump Participates in the Commissioning Ceremony for the Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78)


President Trump's Weekly Address


President Trump Visits with Survivors from the USS Arizona


This video was published on YouTube on July 21, 2017.

Vice President Pence Hosts a Roundtable Discussion


The video was published on YouTube on July 21, 2017.

DL Hughley on Sean Spicer & the Trump Administration

Trump Team Pushes Back on Mueller Probe


Source: CBS News

The Case to Save 'Baby Charlie' Faces New International Battle

 

Spicer Bows out of White House


Source: FRANCE 24 English

Iran Open to Dialogue with Saudis, Says Top Diplomat


Source: FRANCE 24 English

Afghans Live in Fear as Kidnappings Soar


Source: FRANCE 24 English

Kenya Court Rules Dubai Firm Can Print Presidential Ballots


Iraq's Mosul: Rebuilding a City Fractured by Sectarian Mistrust


Source: FRANCE 24 English

From Soweto to the UN: "Princess of Africa" Yvonne Chaka Chaka Awarded for Her Humanitarian Work


Source: FRANCE 24 English

Exxon Sues US Over $2m Fine for Violating Russia Sanctions


Source: FRANCE 24 English

Is This the End of Emmanuel Macron's Honeymoon Period?


Source: FRANCE 24 English

Jeff Sessions Back Under Media Spotlight


Source: euronews (in English)

Qatar's Emir Says His Country is Ready for Dialogue to Resolve Diplomatic Crisis


Source: euronews (in English)

Russian Foreign Minister Downplays Trump-Putin Meetings


Source: euronews (in English)

Hundreds Spend Night Outdoors Following Kos Earthquake


Source: euronews (in English)

Thousands Protest as Poland's Senate Passes Contested Judiciary Bill


Source: euronews (in English)

Six Killed in Violence Following New Israeli Security Measures at Jerusalem's Holiest Site


Source: euronews (in English)

Erdogan Attacks Germany Over Investment Scare


Source: euronews (in English)

Thursday, July 20, 2017

OJ Simpson Parole Hearing, Verdict: Full Report

In Memoriam: Bruce Lee (November 27, 1940 - July 20, 1973)

 
 
Fans Pay Respects at Seattle Gravesite



By Ryan Yamamoto

SEATTLE -- Even in death, Bruce Lee’s life continues to have an impact.

This week, hundreds of his fans and followers will make the trip to Lake View Cemetery in Seattle to visit his and his son Brandon’s gravesite to pay their respects to the martial arts master.

“To be here at this time on the anniversary of his passing it feels really cool,” said Anthony Gazotti, who traveled from Colorado. “All energy here is amazing.”

Bruce Lee died 44 years ago, on July 20, 1973, at the age of 32.

Seventeen-year-old Russell Chow traveled with his family from Los Angeles. He began studying Lee’s martial arts system of “Jeet Kune Do” at the age of 5.

Click here for the full article. 

Source: KOMONEWS.com

Congressional Democrats: 'We're Ready to Work with GOP on Health Care'


Click here for video.

Source: C-SPAN

Combating Gangs in Communities


A House Judiciary subcommittee examines the challenges posed by gangs in some of the nation’s communities, including violent crime, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.

Click here for video. 

Source: C-SPAN

Saving Our Youth: Gang Members Serving Hard Time Look To Repair Fractured Lives


Source: CBS2

Trailblazers in Black History: Sojourner Truth


Dr. Boyce Watkins: Ebony Magazine Can't Pay It's Writers - I Predict They Will Go Bankrupt

 
This video was published on YouTube on July 17, 2017.

The Dr Boyce Watkins Channel is an all-black news and commentary channel that features a number of African American thinkers, commentators and speakers. The views of each video are not necessarily representative of those of Dr Boyce Watkins himself. 

Source: Boyce Watkins

Why Does Everyone Ignore Black People Who Don't Rap or Play Basketball?


This video was published on YouTube on July 18, 2017. 

A powerful discussion between Dr. Boyce Watkins and Asha Castleberry.

Source: Boyce Watkins

Burundi Robotics Team Missing After Competition in DC

WASHINGTON — Six teenage members of the Burundi robotics team were reported missing after competing in an international competition this week in Washington.

Police tweeted missing person fliers Wednesday asking for help finding the teens last seen in the area of the FIRST Global Challenge around the time of Tuesday's final matches. The missing team members include two 17-year-old girls and four males ranging in age from 16 to 18.

Two of the six teens, Audrey Mwamikazi, 17, and Don Ingabire, 16, were seen crossing the border from the U.S. into Canada, police said Thursday. But no additional details were released.

The competition, designed to encourage youths to pursue careers in math and science, attracted teams of teenagers from more than 150 nations. A squad of girls from Afghanistan drew the most attention after they were twice rejected for U.S. visas and President Donald Trump intervened. 

Click here for the full article.

Inside the NYPD's Critical Response Command


Lawmakers Unite in Support of Sen. John McCain


Senate Democrats Urge Action from White House on Opioid Crisis


Source: CBS News

Attorney General Jeff Sessions Announces International Cybercrime Enforcement Action


Source: ABC News

Goldman Family Speaks Out Before OJ Simpson Parole Hearing


Source: ABC News

What to Watch at OJ Simpson's Parole Hearing


Source: ABC News

IBEW Local 3 Strike Rally with NYC Councilman Rory Lanceman


IBEW Local 3 at Spectrum has been on strike since April. At this rally in Queens (NY), they were joined by Councilman Rory Lanceman.

This video was published on YouTube on June 22, 2017. 

Source: UCOMMCommunications

Mayor de Blasio Hosts Town Hall Meeting in Queens


This video was posted on YouTube on July 19, 2017.

Source: NYC Mayor's Office

Mayor de Blasio Stops by Phone Bank


Students Call on Governor Cuomo to Sign SUNY/CUNY MOE

 
Albany – The Student Assembly of The State University of New York (SUNYSA) and the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) today announced a groundbreaking partnership in support of Maintenance of Effort and an accessible quality higher education in the State of New York. The Maintenance of Effort Provision which aims to increase state support for The State University of New York and The City University of New York was passed recently by both houses of the New York State Legislature. It now goes before Governor Andrew Cuomo who, in 2015, vetoed the same measure.
 
Through an online petition sponsored by the Student Assembly and NYPIRG, hundreds of students and supporters are calling on Governor Cuomo to sign Maintenance of Effort.
 
"This partnership could not have come at a more critical time,” said Student Assembly President and SUNY Trustee Marc Cohen who is a graduate student at the University at Albany. “We are calling upon every organization and individual who care about the interests of public colleges to sign on to our ongoing initiative. Governor Cuomo continues to be a strong proponent of accessible public higher education, and has proven to make it a central part of who we are as a state. We are hopeful that he will sign this critical provision as a full and honest Maintenance of Effort will put more New Yorkers to work, increase educational quality, and directly contribute to building the world's most competitive workforce."
 
“On average, New York college students graduate with $30,000 in student loans,” said Smitha Varghese, Chair of NYPIRG Board of Directors and CUNY Queens College student. “With capital chains weighing us down, we are then expected to work for years just to make ends meet while paying off the astronomical costs that keep us down. The Maintenance of Effort bill will address this growing issue, and allow the government to rightfully foot the growing costs that college students simply cannot afford to pay.”
 
“I am very excited to be partnering with NYPIRG on a crucial initiative so important to all of the students we represent,” said Conner Wolfe, SUNYSA Representative and Chair of the Joint Maintenance of Effort Advocacy Committee which includes students and staff from SUNYSA and NYPIRG. “This is the start of an ongoing mutually beneficial relationship with the Student Assembly and NYPIRG to ensure access to a quality public education in New York and a full Maintenance of Effort.”
 
The petition is available online at www.sunysa.org/moe. 
 
Source: SUNYSA

Trust No One – Protecting Data Centers Against Cyber Espionage

 
By Paul Darby

Security concerns are rippling across the IT industry. The WannaCry ransomware attack which hit the NHS and data theft incidents like that experienced by Wonga, the payday loan company, leave a sense of unease that traditional security measures are failing to allay.

Data centers have particular challenges to face when it comes to security, because they not only need to construct cyber-defenses, but physical barriers too, to protect and safeguard equipment and sensitive data.

Now there is a new threat lurking that is set to put data center security in the spotlight, and that is the exponential rise in politically motivated, or state-sponsored cyber-attacks. 

Spy games

The rumors about leaked communications from hacked servers that circulated following the US Presidential election continue to surface in news stories, and more recently the new French President, Emmanuel Macron was targeted by a coordinated hacking attack which saw thousands of internal emails and other documents released in an attempt to destabilise the vote.

In this case, Russia was accused of masterminding the attack, but Russia is only one of several countries that are known to be a source of politically motivated cyber-hacks. Up there too are the US, China, Iran, North Korea and Israel.

Migration to cloud services and the increasing use of data centers and colocation facilities has become more and more popular with local and national government departments in recent years for the storage of sensitive data. While these strategies help governments to take advantage of enormous economic and workflow advantages, they also herald a relinquishing of control of their data and they are increasingly dependent on the cloud or data center operator to implement the highest levels of security.

Click here for the full article.

Source: Vidder

Macron Shows Solidarity with Soldiers After Army Head Quits


Source: euronews (in English)

Nine Steps to Sementia Prevention


Source: euronews (in English)

Salvador Dali Exhumed for Paternity Test


Source: euronews (in English)

Suspects 'Tortured' at Cameroon Military Base, Says Amnesty


Source: euronews (in English)

Donald Trump Jr. to Appear Before US Senate Committees


Source: euronews (in English)

Brazilian Judge Freezes Ex-President Lula's Assets Following Conviction


Source: euronews (in English)

Israeli PM Visits Europe's Largest Synagogue in Budapest


Source: euronews (in English)

Israeli PM and Central European States Attack EU


Source: euronews (in English)

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Body Camera Shows Baltimore Police Officer Allegedly Planting Evidence


President Trump Leads Made in America Roundtable


Sen. John McCain Diagnosed With Brain Tumor


Senate to Vote on Obamacare Repeal Next Week


Source: CBS News

Supreme Court Allows Broader Family Exceptions to Trump Travel Ban


The U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday cleared the way for a broader list of family exceptions to President Trump's ban on issuing visas to people in six Muslim-majority countries.

The justices declined to put a halt to a ruling by a federal judge in Hawaii who said grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and siblings-in-law must be added to the list of close family members who can still get visas to travel to the U.S. during the 90 days while Trump's executive order is in force. 

Click here for the full article. 

Governor Cuomo Delivers Remarks At LIA Luncheon About Transforming The LIRR


Second Trump-Putin Discussion Draws Scrutiny


Source: CBS News

President Trump Has Lunch with Members of Congress


Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity Report


'Shark Tank's' Daymond John & Leesa Sleep Donate 50 Mattresses to Los Angeles LGBT Center



This past month, Daymond teamed up with Leesa Sleep to donate 50 mattresses to the LGBT Center of Los Angeles. The center is dedicated to building a world where the LGBT community can prosper in health, as equals and complete members of society. They welcome more than 500,000 visitors per year and offer a transitional dorm-style housing. 

Daymond and Leesa Sleep teamed up earlier this year to donate 270 mattresses to Philadelphia’s Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission.  

Click here for summary and video. 

Source: https://daymondjohn.com

New Yorkers Can Begin Taking Paid Family Leave on January 1, 2018


Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced that the state has adopted regulations implementing New York's landmark Paid Family Leave program. These regulations outline the responsibilities of employers and insurance carriers in implementing the most comprehensive paid family leave program in the nation.

Starting January 1, 2018, Paid Family Leave will provide employees with wage replacement and job protection to help them bond with a child, care for a close relative with a serious health condition, or help relieve family pressures when someone is deployed abroad on active military service. Employees are also entitled to be reinstated to their job when their leave ends and to the continuation of their health insurance during their leave.

"There is a time in everyone's lives where being there for a loved one in need is more important than anything and - finally - New Yorkers will no longer have to choose between losing their job and being a decent human being," Governor Cuomo said. "By enacting and implementing the strongest paid family leave program in the nation, this administration is taking yet another step forward to providing economic justice to all New Yorkers."

Private employers must secure Paid Family Leave insurance coverage or self-insure in time to provide coverage on January 1, 2018. Paid Family Leave premiums will be funded by employees through payroll deductions.

The regulations address eligibility, coverage, the phase-in schedule for Paid Family Leave, and more information on how employees, employers, and insurance carriers will interact to pay benefits. The Workers' Compensation Board regulations implementing Paid Family Leave are available here. The Department of Financial Services implementing regulations for insurance companies, adopted on May 31, 2017, are available here.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said, "By establishing the nation's most comprehensive paid family leave program, New York State stands with working and middle-class families who should not have to make the choice between earning a paycheck and caring for a sick child or ailing parent. Employers and employees alike will benefit greatly and should take advantage of a policy that once again establishes New York as a model for others to follow."

Workers' Compensation Board Chair Kenneth J. Munnelly said, "These regulations will help successfully implement this historic program and give employers and employees ample time to prepare for its arrival. With its strong Paid Family Leave program, New York State is forging a path forward and improving the lives of New York's hard working families."

 For more information, visit the Paid Family Leave website at www.ny.gov/programs/new-york-state-paid-family-leave. The public can also call the Paid Family Leave helpline at (844) 337-6303 with any questions.

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

President Tells Congress to Stay in Town Until They Pass Health Care Bill


President Trump says senators should stay in session until they complete work on a health care bill, saying that he's keeping his promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and they should too. He also jokes with Senator Dean Heller's political future, adding that he hopes he will support the effort. 

Click here for video.

Source: C-SPAN

The Future of the Democratic Party


Representative Tim Ryan (D-OH) discusses the future of the Democratic Party and efforts to pass a 2018 federal budget.

Source: C-SPAN 

Attorney General Announces New Civil Asset Forfeiture Directives


Click here for video.

Source: C-SPAN

DNC Voting Rights Commission News Conference


Source: C-SPAN

The 'I Am Woman' Series: Jackie Joyner-Kersee

 
This video was published on YouTube on February 20, 2014. 

CBN Sports sat down with this track & field legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

Trailblazers in Black History: Dave Chappelle

 
This video was published on YouTube on March 20, 2017. 

In a rare interview, comedian Dave Chappelle tells "CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King about why he is connecting with a part of his family history at Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina. His great-grandfather, Bishop William David Chappelle, was a former president at the university.

Policing in America Needs to Change. Trust Me, I’m a Cop

 
This video was published on YouTube on August 19, 2013. 

Policing has become a conveyor belt of criminal apprehension feeding the criminal justice system so that statistics for arrest and prosecution remain high. It is time for policing to return to Peel's original vision of policing and for police to deter crime and disorder while maintaining community relations.

Sergeant Renée Mitchell is a longtime public servant at the Sacramento Police Department since just before the turn of the century. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of California, Davis, a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco, a Master of Business Administration from the California State University, Sacramento and a Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She was a 2009/2010 Fulbright Police Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge. Currently, she is a Jerry Lee Scholar at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge and a Police Fellow with Police Foundation. 

Source: TEDx Talks

'The Future of Black Music': A Panel Discussion in Harlem

 
 DJ Stormin' Norman


On July 19 at 7 p.m., ImageNation Cinema Foundation, InJoy Enterprises and Positive Community Magazine will host a panel discussion entitled The Future of Black Music.

As a part of Positive Community Magazine's "Positive Music Matters" campaign, InJoy Enterprises and ImageNation will bring together some of the independent artists performing at ImageNation Outdoors, a summer film and music festival. 

The discussion will be moderated by MamaSoul, co-host of the Musical Pathways radio show heard on RhythmAndSoulRadio.com.

Panelists will include DJ Stormin' Norman of Sundae Sermon, V Ferg, Marcia Harris, to name a few. The event will be held at ImageNation's RAW SPACE, 2031 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd.

The event is free and open to the public.

Source: ImageNation

DL Hughley on the Police In America


How Can Election Officials Prevent Future Hacking?


Moderate Republicans Kill Obamacare Repeal Option


Source: CBS News

911 Transcript Released in Police Shooting of Bride-to-Be


Source: ABC News

Related story: Australian PM Calls Minnesota Shooting 'Inexplicable'

'Hookers for Health Care' Are Fighting Against Trumpcare


Source: ABC News

Former Prison Guard Speaks Out Before OJ Simpson Parole Hearing



Source: ABC News

Cuomo's Housing and Discrimination Investigation to Expand



Will Now Include Cases of Discrimination Against Families with Children


The following statement was issued today by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

"A media report this morning suggests a widespread practice of housing discrimination against tenants with children that is repulsive and against the values New York was founded upon. To be clear, these practices are illegal and will not be tolerated.

"Last month, I ordered the Department of Homes and Community Renewal and the Division of Human Rights to open an investigation  into landlord policies and practices that discriminate against individuals based on their immigration status, national origin, ethnicity or race.
 
"I am now directing this probe to be immediately expanded to include discrimination against families with children. This review will include this specific situation and an examination to determine the breadth of this unacceptable practice.

"Housing discrimination violates our core New York values of equality and fairness, and we will not stand idly by and allow this intolerable behavior to continue. Rest assured, New York will always stand up for renters and fight for their rights and protection."

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

New York City Has a 28-Year-Old ‘Nerd’ Running for Mayor

 

The what is poker, the where is some seedy underground New York City venue and the when is December 2009. The who…we’ll get to that in a moment along with the why. First, the three-card flop hits the table and the mind starts racing with all of the mathematical possibilities. For all of poker’s entropy and chaotic randomness, it’s still a game ruled by probability. Bringing order to this order-less ordeal is a valuable skill in a game in which the field of play changes with each passing turn. Take into account all of the variables, analyze the given data and formulate an adaptable strategy. It almost sounds simple until someone catches a face card on the river.

But that’s how Collin Slattery, 28, survived. He didn’t beat you with his cards when he began playing in underground poker games at 15; he beat you with his mind. And it wasn’t about it his ego, it was about his empty stomach.

“I played to make money, though it was mostly a side hustle,” Slattery told me. That’s quite a part-time gig for a teenager. But when you come from an impoverished single-parent family, you get creative. “For all of poker’s luck, it’s still a game of statistics and skill. It’s data driven.”

Slattery isn’t a Rain Man counting cards or a grifter with an ace up his sleeve. He’s just an intelligent guy with an analytical problem-solving mind. It’s what enabled him to beat seasoned poker vets as a kid and it’s what he hopes will win him the title of Mayor of New York City come November.

Wait, what?

Click here for the full article. 

Source: Observer (via The Empire Report)

MTA Considers Banning Food and Blames Commuters for a Track Fire That Caused Major Delays

 

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority may ban food on subways after a trash fire caused commuting chaos on Monday.

Litter left on the subway tracks has been a longstanding issue for the MTA. The state-run agency first tried to eliminate the issue in 2012 by getting rid of trash cans in stations. The controversial experiment was meant to encourage commuters to carry their trash outside.

But the five-year trial run of the garbage bin removal project proved unsuccessful, and the MTA closed the experiment in May. 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com (via The Empire Report)

Schumer: Macron 'Absolutely Right' in Equating Anti-Zionism with Antisemitism

 
By Mchael Wilner

WASHINGTON -- The Senate's highest-ranking Democrat applauded French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday for his remarks over the weekend equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said that Macron was "absolutely right" to deny legitimacy to those who question the founding principles of the Jewish state.

"Antisemitism is a word that has been used throughout history when Jewish people are judged and measured by one standard and the rest by another," Schumer said. "When everyone else was allowed to farm and Jews could not; when anyone else could live in Moscow and Jews could not; when others could become academics or tradesmen and Jews could not. The word to describe all of these acts is anti-Semitism."

Click here for the full article.

Source: The Jerusalem Post (via The Empire Report) 

Goldman’s Traders Turn In Worst First Half of Blankfein’s Reign




By Dakin Campbell 

Lloyd Blankfein’s roots are letting him down.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. traders turned in their worst first-half performance since Lloyd Blankfein rose from that business to become chief executive officer in 2006.

Revenue from trading stocks and bonds in the first six months of 2017 tumbled 10 percent, dropping to the lowest level since before Blankfein took over from Hank Paulson 11 years ago. Second-quarter revenue from the fixed-income unit plunged 40 percent.

“A mixed operating environment persisted into the second quarter as conditions continued to support underwriting and M&A, while constraining certain market-making activity,” Blankfein said Tuesday in a statement

Click here for the full article/video.

Source: Bloomberg Markets (via The Empire Report) 

2nd Case of Tick-Borne Powassan Virus in Saratoga County, 3rd Suspected

 
By Claire Hughes

Following the death last month of a Gansevoort man who contracted Powassan virus from a tick, a second Saratoga County resident has been hospitalized with the rare disease and a third is suspected of being infected, according to the state Health Department.

The patient with the suspected case has been released from medical treatment, health officials said. Both new cases are adult patients exposed to the virus in June. Health officials would not release further details, citing privacy rules.

The three patients who contracted Powassan virus were from different towns, according to Bryon Backenson, director of the State Health Department's Vector Surveillance Unit.

Click here for the full article. 

Source: timesunion.com (via The Empire Report) 

Turkey Leaks Secret Locations of U.S. Troops in Syria

 
By Roy Gutman 

ISTANBUL—In the latest display of Turkish anger at U.S. policy in Syria, the state news agency has divulged the locations of 10 U.S. military bases and outposts in northern Syria where the U.S. is leading an operation to destroy the so-called Islamic State in its self-styled capital of Raqqa.

The list published by the Anadolu news agency points to a U.S. presence from one end to the other of the Kurdish self-administration region—a distance of more than 200 miles. The Anadolu news agency even listed the number of U.S. troops in several locations and in two instances stipulated the presence of French special forces.

Turkey has openly criticized the Trump administration—and the Obama administration before it—for relying in the battle against ISIS on a militia led by Kurds affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK. A separatist movement now at war with Turkey, the PKK has been listed by the U.S., EU, and Turkey as a terror organization.

To avoid the appearance of allying with such a group, the U.S. military set up the Syrian Democratic Forces, which have a large component of Arab recruits. But they are led by officers from the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the Syrian affiliate of the PKK.

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Daily Beast 

Italy Taking in More and More Underage Migrants


Source: FRANCE 24 English

Mandela's Widow Graça Machel Continues His Work


Source: FRANCE 24 English

Turkish Exiled Cleric Gulen Speaks for the First Time on Key Turkey Failed Coup Figure


Source: FRANCE 24 English

President Emmanuel Macron Names François Lecointre New Armed Forces Chief


Source: FRANCE 24 English

Palestinian Worshippers Clash with Israeli Police


Source: FRANCE 24 English

France: Controversial Anti-Terror Bill Clears Senate Hurdle


Source: FRANCE 24 English

US Imposes New Sanctions on Iran Over Ballistic Missile Program


Source: FRANCE 24 English

Iraqi Forces Hunt for IS Group Sleeper Sells in Mosul


Source: FRANCE 24 English

The Battle for Raqqa Rages as SDF Count the Cost


Source: euronews (in English)

Russia Shows Off Its New Fighter Jet


Source: euronews (in English)