Berlin plans ‘center of defense against fake news’ ahead of elections – report

Berlin plans ‘center of defense against fake news’ ahead of elections – report: The German government is seeking to create a center of defense against disinformation ahead of next year’s elections, in the wake of ongoing “fake news” and 'Russian hackers' hysteria generated during the election cycle in the United States.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Trump's EPA Pick Spooks Liberals and the Environmental Lobby

Trump's EPA Pick Spooks Liberals and the Environmental Lobby: Liberals and the environmental left have gone into a tizzy over the selection of Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt as Donald Trump's pick to head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
House minority leader Nancy Pelosi says the Pruitt nomination must be blocked for the sake of the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the planet we will leave our children. New York AG Eric Schneiderman says Pruitt is a dangerous and an unqualified choice. Independent socialist senator Bernie Sanders declares the Pruitt pick is not only dangerous but also sad. The League of Conservation Voters calls Pruitt not just a global warming skeptic but an outright climate denier.
Whew! That's strong stuff. But what is Pruitt's actual offense? He has challenged the EPA's practice of going far beyond its authority to attack the energy industry and thus affect practically every industry in the country. The EPA needs a leash, and Pruitt and other state attorneys general have gone to court to attach it.

Tensions rise at CNN as the network aims for Trump

Tensions rise at CNN as the network aims for Trump: CNN is taking an increasingly negative approach toward its coverage of President-elect Trump, causing at least some tension within the network, inside sources told the Washington Examiner. Trump, according to a New York Post story, told the network he wasn't happy with their coverage during an off-the-record meeting at his headquarters in Trump Tower this week. Trump critiqued the news media at large during the meeting, but CNN was one of the top targets, according to the Post's report. Though Trump's team has said the meeting wasn't as tense as the Post's report, two high-level sources at CNN confirmed that their network was a primary target of the president-elect. CNN has always pledged to hold Trump accountable and that's what we should be doing, another source told the Examiner. Since the election, CNN has out MSNBCed MSNBC, the source said, referring to the liberal slant at CNN's competitor. In the long term, that's a dangerous place to be.

Illegals seeking asylum up 900%, get cash, welfare, school loans

Illegals seeking asylum up 900%, get cash, welfare, school loans: The number of illegals seeking asylum to gain easy access to the United States has jumped 900 percent in less than 10 years, greatly expanding the immigration population receiving Social Security benefits, school loans, green cards, welfare and other taxpayer funded services, according to figures from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. While about 8,000 mostly Latin Americans in 2009 sought asylum, the number is expected to reach 80,000 or more this year, according to a projection from the Center for Immigration Studies. The report said 80 percent come from just three countries that have already flooded the border with youths and young families, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Most claim a fear of torture, abuse, or retaliation, fulfilling the U.S. requirement that they must voice some credible fear of returning home.