The Serious Side - part 4

Trump was probably angry at Tillerson for condemning the Russians for the poisonings in England. 

He still hasn't said a word , but stated we will condemn Russia or whoever it may be. We know he is not going 

insult Putin he wants to be friends and do business with Putin.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5496899/Shoes-placed-Capitol-children-killed-guns.html

[size=34]Seven thousand pairs of shoes are placed in front of the US Capitol to remember children killed by gun violence since Sandy Hook massacre[/size]

• The demonstration on Tuesday was organized by global advocacy group Avaaz
  
  
• Avaaz says 7,000 represents every child killed due to gun violence since the December 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting
  
  
• Some of the shoes were donated by families who lost their children in shootings
  
  
• Celebrities such as Chelsea Handler and Susan Sarandon also donated shoes
  
  
• The memorial comes the day before the scheduled national student walkout to protest gun violence following the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting
  
  

By MARY KEKATOS FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 17:10 EDT, 13 March 2018 | UPDATED: 17:23 EDT, 13 March 2018

    


Thousands of pairs of shoes were placed on the lawn in front of the US Capitol on Tuesday to mark every child who has been killed due to gun violence since the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre.
According to global advocacy group Avaaz, which organized the protests, 7,000 pairs of shoes were collected for the 'Monument for our Kids' memorial to bring 'the heartbreak of gun violence to Congress' doorstep'.
Though most of the shoes were collected in a two week period, some were donated by families who lost their children to gun violence.
The organization also said that some celebrities donated shoes as well, including Chelsea Handler, Alyssa Milano, Bette Midler, and Susan Sarandon. 


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Thousands of pairs of shoes were placed on the lawn in front of the US Capitol on Tuesday to mark every child who has been killed due to gun violence since the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre


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According to activist group Avaaz, which organized the protests, 7,000 pairs of shoes were collected for the 'Monument for our Kids' memorial to bring 'the heartbreak of gun violence to Congress' doorstep'


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Though most of the shoes were collected in a two week period, some of those were donated by families who lost their children to gun violence

[size=10][size=18]Shoe memorial shows the number of kids killed by gun violence

[/size][/size]


One of the parents who attended the protest on Tuesday was Tom Mauser, whose 15-year-old son Daniel was killed in the 1999 Columbine shooting. 
He wore the gray Vans his son was wearing when he was shot.
'I'll be traveling to DC literally wearing my son Daniel's shoes, the ones he wore the day he died at Columbine,' Mauser said in a press release before the event. 



'I think this kind of event with shoes offers a very powerful metaphor both for how we miss the victims who once filled those shoes, and also for how we see ourselves wanting to walk in their place, seeking change, so that others don't have to walk this painful journey.'
Event organizers claimed the 7,000 pairs of shoes - 14,000 shoes altogether - symbolized the 7,000 children killed in the US between December 14, 2012 and March 13, 2018.


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The organization also said that some celebrities donated shoes as well, including Chelsea Handler, Alyssa Milano, Bette Midler, and Susan Sarandon


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Event organizers claimed the 7,000 pairs of shoes - 14,000 shoes altogether - symbolized the 7,000 children killed in the US between December 14, 2012 and March 13, 2018 


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Lori Haas, whose daughter was shot twice during the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, stands among the 7,000 empty pairs of shoes in front of the US Capitol
According to a press release issued in advance of the event, the figure of 7,000 came in part from an American Academy of Pediatrics study. 
Although there was no link to any figures or date, Avaaz said the study found that guns kill an average of '1,300 American kids a year'.
Between the Sandy Hook massacre and the US Capitol protest, about five years and three months have passed. The figure used by Avaaz would amount to approximately 6,825 children killed by guns in that time period.


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The memorial comes the day before the scheduled national student walkout to protest gun violence following the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting last month


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Students all over the country plan to walk out of school for exactly 17 minutes at 10am local time to honor the 17 people who lost their lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School


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One of the parents who attended the protest on Tuesday was Tom Mauser, whose 15-year-old son Daniel was killed in the 1999 Columbine shooting
The memorial comes the day before the scheduled national student walkout to protest gun violence following the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting last month.
Students all over the country plan to walk out of school for exactly 17 minutes at 10am local time to honor the 17 people who lost their lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. 
It also comes ahead of the March For Our Lives protest on March 24 during which students will take to the streets of Washington, DC to protest gun violence and advocate for measures of gun control 
The Parkland shooting was the deadliest school shooting since 26 - 20 students and six teachers - were killed in 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

It's incredible

Amazing and awful same time

So brave...to share their precious shoes...

A message from relatives of the victims of the  Dunblane shooting today.......the anniversary of the shooting that killed 16 small schoolchildren and one teacher

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=OauJreWjhZE

I wish our countries politicians cared about the citizens as much as they do the money and the rights of gun owners.

This interesting. Trump really likes the man behind this.....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-43389032/how-russia-uses-propaganda-to-discredit-opponents

A bit of good news. Democrat Conor Lamb won the Congressional seat in the Pennsylvania 18th - even though Trump (who won the district by 20 points) went there twice and the Republicans poured money into the coffers of his opponent.

Maybe the tide really is starting to turn.

It is encouraging Lizzy.  The last few state elections have shown to have resulted in close races, even if the Democrats haven’t won them all.  It seems that the Trump effect doesn’t necessarily translate so easily to state elections.  Makes me think that those running for re-election this fall may not want Trump visiting their districts to endorse them.  We all know that Trump just goes to campaign rallies to promote himself.  And, honestly, his rhetoric at these rallies is getting a bit stale now.

party animal - not! wrote:

This interesting. Trump really likes the man behind this.....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-43389032/how-russia-uses-propaganda-to-discredit-opponents

Yes he does.  I’m so glad Theresa May came down hard on Russia for the attempted murder of a former Russian spy and his daughter.  I’m sure it wasn’t a difficult decision for May as it is constantly for the Trumpster.  He is such a coward.  However I think that he doesn’t have much choice but to back up the UK on this one.   Maybe he will privately ask Putin for forgiveness, kiss his ring, whatever it takes ....

Yep it was a great statement from her this morning - and it looks as if she will ask Parliament to enact the Magnitsky Act too........

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/11/us/national-school-walkout-march-14/index.html

Glad to see they're keeping up the momentum.........

Those kids have a lot of determination , I hope the parent's will support them in this. I also hope at election

time they will vote the one's who don't want gun control out of office.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5499137/U-S-students-ready-walk-walk-support-tough-gun-laws.html

[size=38]Thousands of high school students across the country abandon lessons and walk out of their classrooms to protest gun violence one month after the Parkland massacre[/size]

• Students across the country walked out of schools at 10am in a mass protest
  
  
• The walkout is to protest gun violence and support tighter gun control
  
  
• It takes place exactly one month after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida
  
  
• The walkout lasted 17 minutes in honor of the 17 people killed in the massacre
  
  
• Some school districts said they would discipline any student who walks out'
  
  
• On Tuesday oosecutors said they would seek the death penalty against Stoneman Douglas gunman Nikolas Cruz 
  
  
• Viacom said it would suspend programming, including MTV and Comedy Central, at 10am in each US time zone for the 17 minutes
  
  

By REUTERS and MARY KEKATOS FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 06:02 EDT, 14 March 2018 | UPDATED: 11:17 EDT, 14 March 2018

    


US teenagers from coast to coast on Wednesday joined students from the Florida high school where a gunman killed 17 people last month in a national walkout.
The #ENOUGH National School Walkout, which began at 10am local time across the country, lasted 17 minutes, commemorating each of the students and staff killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
The walkout is part of a burgeoning, grass-roots movement that emerged immediately after the February 14 attack.
Led by student-survivors, activists have lobbied state and federal lawmakers, and even met with President Donald Trump, to call for new restrictions on gun ownership, a right protected by the Second Amendment of the US Constitution.

'It's really amazing how much awareness we've brought to this issue and so many people are willing to participate,' said Stoneman Douglas senior Ashley Schulman on Tuesday.
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO 


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US teenagers from coast to coast on Wednesday joined students from the Florida high school where a gunman killed 17 people last month in a national walkout in support of tighter gun control (Pictured, students participate in the walkout in Parkland, Florida)


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The #ENOUGH National School Walkout, which began at 10am local time across the country, will last 17 minutes, commemorating each of the students and staff killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on February 14 (Pictured, students participate in the walkout in Washington, DC)


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The protest will take place a day after Florida prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty for Nikolas Cruz, who has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder for the mass shooting (Pictured, student participate in the walkout in Queens, New York


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At Fiorello H Laguardia High School in Manhattan, students sit and lie down and block West 62nd Street as part of the walkout


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Freshman Kennedi Lawson, 14, carries a sign as student walkout at Cherry Hill West High School in Cherry Hill, New Jersey mountainside




Share
At Columbine High School in Colorado, once 10am local time strikes, students will not only walkout bur also participate in a 30-second moment of silence - 17 seconds for the Parkland victims and 13 for the victims of the 1999 massacre at Columbine that was the catalyst for a wave of school attacks.
Students from more than 2,800 schools and groups will participate, many with the backing of their school districts, according to the walkout's organizers, who also coordinated the Women's March protests staged nationwide over the past two years.
Support has also come from the American Civil Liberties Union and Viacom Inc, which said all seven of its networks, including MTV, would suspend programming at 10am in each US time zone for the 17 minutes.
The protest will take place a day after Florida prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty for Nikolas Cruz, who has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder for the mass shooting. 


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Students from more than 2,800 schools and groups will participate, many with the backing of their school districts, according to the walkout's organizers


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Led by student-survivors, activists have lobbied state and federal lawmakers, and even met with President Donald Trump, to call for new restrictions on gun ownership


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 In support of the walkouts, Viacom said that its networks, including MTV, BET, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, would suspend programming at 10am in each US time zone for the 17 minutes (Pictured, people arrive at Stoneman Douglas for the walkout)


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A few school districts around the country have warned against protests during school hours that students could face discipline for doing so 

[size=18]Students protest outside White House on National School Walkout



[/size]

Robert Runcie, the Broward County school superintendent, said the district, which includes Stoneman Douglas, would respect the free speech rights of students and allow them to participate in the demonstration.
But a few school districts around the country have warned against protests during school hours.
Administrators in Sayreville, New Jersey told students that anyone who walked out of class would face punishment, according to myCentralJersey.com. 


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Hundreds of students walk out of Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York, as part of a nationwide protest against gun violence


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Students at Fiorello H Laguardia High School in New York City carry signs protesting the sale of semi-automatic weapons


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Students march in support of the National School Walkout in the Queens borough of New York City 

[size=18]Hundreds of New York students walk out to protest lax gun laws



[/size]








Board of Education President Kevin Ciak said failure to follow the rules would result in suspensions, the news site reported. The district did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The New York City Department of Education said it would allow students to participate if they submitted a signed permission slip from their parents. It would consider the walkout an excused absence.
In Newtown, Pennsylvania, Council Rock School District will designate an area inside schools where students could gather in a 'non-political fashion' to remember the shooting victims. 


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Despite the snow, students at the Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton, Ohio, gathered on the soccer field as they participated in the walkout


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Students filed out of Perry Hall High School in Perry Hall, Maryland, as they joined teenagers across the country in a walkout

[size=18]New Jersey students walkout of school to protest gun violence



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Officials will block all entrance and exit points for the duration of the protest to prevent any walkout.
Robert Fraser, the Council Rock superintendent, sent a warning to parents that any student who walks out of school will face discipline.
More than 40 of US colleges and universities, including Yale, Brown and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have said their admissions offices would not penalize any applicants who are disciplined for protesting.
'I, for one, will be cheering these students on from New Haven,' wrote Hannah Mendlowitz, an admissions and recruitment official at Yale University, in a blog post in February.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5498995/PM-prepares-lay-response-Russia-Salisbury-outrage.html



[size=34]Theresa May vows to EXPEL 23 of Putin's spies, CANCELS all contact with Moscow and calls for international SANCTIONS as Russia warns: 'Our response will not be long in coming'[/size]

• Theresa May has unveiled the UK's response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack
  
  
• Donald Trump voiced support for Britain's position in telephone call last night
  
  
• Mrs May already had the backing of France and Germany to stand up to Moscow
  
  
• Moscow said it would retaliate if May delivers on threatened 'punitive' response
  
  
• UK has made formal protest over nerve agent use at UN Human Rights Council
  
  
• Britain calling for emergency session of the UN security council to discuss issue 
  
  
• Russian embassy said the UK action is 'unacceptable' and threatened to hit back
  
  

By JAMES TAPSFIELD, POLITICAL EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE and KATE FERGUSON, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 05:28 EDT, 14 March 2018 | UPDATED: 13:33 EDT, 14 March 2018

    

• [email=?subject=Read%20this:%20Theresa%20May%20vows%20to%20EXPEL%2023%20of%20Putin%27s%20spies,%20CANCELS%20all%20contact%20with%20Moscow%20and%20calls%20for%20international%20SANCTIONS%20as%20Russia%20warns:%20%27Our%20response%20will%20not%20be%20long%20in%20coming%27%C2%A0&body=Theresa%20May%20vows%20to%20EXPEL%2023%20of%20Putin%27s%20spies%2C%20CANCELS%20all%20contact%20with%20Moscow%20and%20calls%20for%20international%20SANCTIONS%20as%20Russia%20warns%3A%20%27Our%20response%20will%20not%20be%20long%20in%20coming%27%C2%A0%0A%0AThe%20Prime%20Minister%20unveiled%20a%20tough%20package%20of%20responses%20and%20urged%20the%20international%20community%20to%20join%20sanctions%20as%20tensions%20with%20Moscow%20reached%20levels%20not%20seen%20for%20decades.%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-5498995%2FPM-prepares-lay-response-Russia-Salisbury-outrage.html%3Fito%3Demail_share_article-top%0A%0A%0AMost%20Read%20Articles%3A%0A%0A%27Death%20was%20a%20relief%20for%20him%27%3A%20Stephen%20Hawking%27s%20second%20ex-wife%20who%20once%20faced%20allegations%20of%20abuse%20against%20him%20claims%20%27ladies%27%20man%27%20proposed%20to%20her%20TWICE%20after%20their%20divorce%C2%A0%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-5498269%2FProfessor-Stephen-Hawking-dead-76.html%3Fito%3Demail_share_article-top_most-read-articles%0A%0AHillary%20now%20sprains%20her%20HAND%20after%20falling%20TWICE%20down%20the%20stairs%3A%20Injury-prone%20Clinton%20cancels%20trip%20to%20a%20fort%20in%20India%20and%20is%20told%20to%20rest%20by%20doctors%20following%20yet%20another%20injury%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-5497877%2FHillary-sprains-hand-falling-twice-stairs-India.html%3Fito%3Demail_share_article-top_most-read-articles%0A%0ATen-month-old%20French%20Bulldog%20puppy%20dies%20on%20a%20United%20Flight%20after%20air%20crew%20%27order%20its%20owner%20to%20put%20it%20in%20overhead%20compartment%27%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-5496981%2FPuppy-dies-air-crew-say-overhead-compartment.html%3Fito%3Demail_share_article-top_most-read-articles%0A%0A]e-mail[/email]
   
  
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Theresa May today announced she is expelling 23 Russian spies as she laid out Britain's retaliation over the Salisbury nerve gas outrage - as Moscow vowed revenge.
The Prime Minister gave the 'undeclared intelligence agents' a week to leave the UK and suspended 'all high level contact' with the country.
She also paved the way for a crackdown on cronies of Vladimir Putin, suggesting there would be no tolerance for corrupt money in London and raising the prospect of asset seizures.
But within hours Russia had issued a dark threat to hit back, saying the measures are 'absolutely unacceptable' and warning 'our response measures will not be long in coming'.

The threat raises the prospects for a tit for tat escalation from the Russians and Number 10 is braced for British officials to be  expelled from Moscow in retaliation. 
The PM announced the tough measures as relations with Moscow reached a new post Cold War low in the wake of the attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
Mrs May also suggested that covert reprisals would be undertaken - in an apparent hint at cyber attacks. 


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The PM, pictured in the Commons today, is set to unveil diplomatic expulsions as tensions with Moscow reach levels not seen for decades


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Theresa May's statement to MPs today came after a deadline passed for Russia to explain how Novichok nerve agent came to be used against a former spy in Salisbury



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Mrs May, pictured leaving No10 this morning, held a meeting with her National Security Council to discuss the Salisbury attack



Mrs May - who directly condemned Vladimir Putin in her statement to the Commons - said she was determined that the measures would 'fundamentally degrade Russian intelligence' capability in the UK.
'They have treated the use of this poison with sarcasm and disdain… There is no other conclusion other than that the Russian state was responsible for the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter,' Mrs May said. 
The carefully-calibrated package was widely welcomed by MPs, although some warned that the government must be ready to step up action again if necessary. The UK has also called for an urgent meeting of the UN security council.
But Russia immediately threatened to hit back in kind. After being notified of the reprisals at the Foreign Office, ambassador to the UK Alexander Yakovenko branded them a 'provocation' and 'unacceptable' and confirmed there would be expulsions of British diplomats.
The dramatic escalation of the spat with Russia came as Mrs May outlined her plans to MPs in parliament today.
In another frenetic day of claim and counterclaim with the Kremlin:

• Mrs May said the government had come to the conclusion that the 'Russian state was responsible for the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter'.
  
• She announced the eviction of 40 per cent of diplomats from the Russian embassy, with 23 being ordered to leave the UK within a week.
  
• The PM confirmed that ministers and the Royal Family will boycott the World Cup in Russian this summer. She also suggested the FA will want to 'consider their position' in light of her statement. 
  
• The government will bring forward legislation to toughen powers to impose sanctions and tackle espionage by foreign states. 
  
• Paving the way for a crackdown on Russian oligarchs, Mrs May said there would be tighter checks on those coming to the UK and there could be 'no place' for corruption. 
  
• The UK has summoned an urgent meeting of the UN security council to discuss the nerve agent attack amid calls for international reprisals.
  
• Jeremy Corbyn prompted fury by calling for 'dialogue' with Russia and refusing to give a full-throated condemnation, while his spokesman suggested the security services might be wrong because they claimed there were WMD in Iraq. 
  

Mrs May said: 'Under the Vienna Convention the United kingdom will now expel 23 Russian diplomats who have been identified as undeclared intelligence officers - they have just one week to leave.
'This will be the single biggest expulsion in over 30 years and it reflects the fact this is not the first time that the Russian state has acted against our country.

What action has Theresa May announced against Russia?

The PM today unveiled the fleet of measures being taken against Russia today
Theresa May has announced a fleet of tough measures against Russia in the wake of the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
They include:
Expulsion of diplomats 
Britain will expel 23 Russian embassy staff who have been identified as 'undeclared intelligence officers' from the country within a week.
This is the biggest expulsion of diplomats since 1971 when Ted Heath kicked 90 Soviet staff out after the UK uncovered a large Communist spy ring.
All high-level contacts with Russia will also be suspended in protest. 
New and tougher anti-espionage laws will be brought forward to help degrade Russia's capabilities in the UK. 
The World Cup: 
Ministers and the Royal Family will boycott the football World Cup in Russia this summer. 
Britain hopes that other allies  will also snub the sporting event . 
Tougher Sanctions: 
Theresa May also signaled that Russian oligarchs wanting to come into the UK and live the high life in London will face tough new checks and sanctions.
The Government will now back amendments to bring in a Magnitsky Law into the UK - which imposes sanctions on Russians found to be linked to corruption or human rights abuses. 
Private plane checks 
While checks on Russian nationals coming to the UK will be stepped up.
This will include increased checks on private flights and extra customs checks.
The UK will also freeze Russian state assets. 
Cyber warfare? 
Mrs May suggested there will be covert action that would not be announced - an apparent hint at cyber attacks.
But this is unlikely to ever be confirmed by the Government officially. 
 




'Through these expulsions we will fundamentally degrade Russian intelligence capability in the UK for years to come. And if they seek to rebuild it we will prevent them from doing so.'
The expulsions amount to around 40 per cent of the 58-strong contingent at the Russian embassy.
By contrast, just four diplomats were expelled following the murder of Alexander Litvinenko in 2006. 
All high-level contacts with Russia will be frozen, with ministers and the Royal Family boycotting the football world cup in the country this summer.
However, there was no indication that there will be a move to withdraw the England team.
In an apparent reference to the activities of Russian oligarchs, Mrs May said there would be tighter checks on those coming to the country. 
She said there could be 'no place' for corruption in the UK and the authorities would 'freeze Russian State assets wherever we have the evidence that they may be used to threaten the life or property of UK nationals or residents'.
Checks on private flights and freight traffic will be stepped up to detect and track those who could endanger the security of the UK.
Mrs May told MPs: 'Led by the National Crime Agency, we will continue to bring all the capabilities of UK law enforcement to bear against serious criminals and corrupt elites. There is no place for these people - or their money - in our country.'
She went on: 'We will also table a government amendment to the Sanctions Bill to strengthen our powers to impose sanctions in response to the violation of human rights,' she said.
'In doing so we will play our part in the international effort to punish those responsible for the sorts of abuses suffered by Sergei Magnitsky.'
Calling out Mr Putin by name, Mrs May said: 'Many of us looked at a post-Soviet Russia with hope. 
'We wanted a better relationship and it is tragic that President Putin has chosen to act in this way.
'But we will not tolerate the threat to life of British people and others on British soil from the Russian Government. Nor will we tolerate such a flagrant breach of Russia's international obligations.' 
Ministers are now braced for a tit-for-tat move by Moscow. 
Russian ambassador Mr Yakovenko said tonight: 'There will be expulsions. As you understand in diplomatic practice, there will be answers from the Russian side.' 
The Russian embassy to the UK said in a statement: 'We consider this hostile action as totally unacceptable, unjustified and shortsighted.
'All the responsibility for the deterioration of the Russia-UK relationship lies with the current political leadership of Britain.' 
They added: 'The statement made by British Prime Minister Theresa May in Parliament on measures to “punish” Russia, under the false pretext of its alleged involvement in the poisoning of Sergey Skripal and his daughter, constitutes an unprecedented, flagrant provocation that undermines the foundations of normal dialogue between our countries.
'We believe it is absolutely unacceptable and unworthy of the British Government to seek to further seriously aggravate relations in pursuit of its unseemly political ends, having announced a whole series of hostile measures, including the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats from the country.'
They added:  'Needless to say, our response measures will not be long in coming.' 


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Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured in Dagestan yesterday) has mocked Britain over the nerve agent attack in Salisbury

[size=18]May bans ministers and royal family from attending World Cup



[/size]



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Investigators in protective suits in the Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury, where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found critically ill after exposure to a nerve agent, as the investigation into the attack continues


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Boris Johnson was in Downing Street today for the meeting of the National Security Council


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Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and Home Secretary Amber Rudd also attended the NSC session in 10 Downing Street this morning



European Council president Donald Tusk said today that the 'brutal' attack could be put on the agenda for a summit next week

[size=18]Russian Foreign Ministry reacts to May's '24 hour ultimatum'

[/size]
Earlier, Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'Moscow has nothing to do with the accident in Britain.
'Moscow does not accept unfounded accusations that are not based on evidence and a language of ultimatums.' 
Mrs May met her National Security Council this morning, after winning support from allies including the US, Germany and France for reprisals.
US President Donald Trump vowed to back the UK 'all the way' in the stand off when he spoke to Mrs May by telephone last night.
The PM had already secured the backing of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.

MINISTERS AND ROYAL FAMILY ARE TO BOYCOTT WORLD CUP IN RUSSIA 

Ministers and the Royal Family will boycott the World Cup in Russia in protest at the outrage in Salisbury, Theresa May said today. 
All high-level contacts with Russia have been frozen, including attendance at the football tournament this summer.
The PM said: 'In the aftermath of this appalling act against our country this relationship cannot be the same.'
Mrs May gave no indication that there will be any attempt to compel the England team to withdraw.
But she said she thought the FA would want to 'consider their position' in light of her statement. 



European Council president Donald Tusk said today that the 'brutal' attack could be put on the agenda for a summit next week. 
'I express my full solidarity with PM @theresa_may in the face of the brutal attack inspired, most likely, by Moscow. I'm ready to put the issue on next week's #EUCO agenda,' he said.  
Russia had demanded to see samples of the Novichok substance found in Sergei Skripal's body before it considered responding to Mrs May's midnight deadline. 
Moscow's ambassador to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Alexander Shulgin, accused the UK of 'fomenting hysteria'.
'Sooner or later they will have to be held accountable for their lies,' he said. 
In an extraordinary series of tweets last night, the Russian embassy to London posted threatening messages accompanied by pictures of what appears to be vials of poison.
But UK ambassador Julian Braithwaite told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this morning that Moscow's behaviour was an 'affront'.
'The council and the United Nations General Assembly have decried Russia's violations of international law with alarming regularity,' he said. 
'Its reckless behaviour is an affront to all this body stands for.'
A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'The UK has called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to update Council members on the investigation into the nerve agent attack in Salisbury.' 


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Prime Minister Theresa May (left) has had her ultimatum dismissed by Vladimir Putin (right) and his officials in Moscow

[size=18]'British actions are unacceptable': Russian ambassador on May



[/size]



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An officer wearing a protective suit, a gas mask with a hood and rubber gloves inspects evidence in Salisbury last night


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Mrs May received support from across the Commons when she delivered her statement this afternoon. 
But Mr Corbyn was jeered and met with cries of 'shame' as he failed to back the PM's tough stance.
He prompted gasps of disbelief as he parroted the Russian line calling for Britain to share samples of the poison used against Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with Moscow to run their own tests.
And he used the assassination attempt to blast Government cuts to diplomats, while call for a 'robust dialogue' with Vladimir Putin.
There was fresh fury after the exchanges when his official spokesman said MI5 could be wrong in blaming Russia because they were wrong about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Told of the comments, Mrs May said: 'It is quite wrong and outrageous that the leader of the opposition's spokesman has made the comments in relation to this that he has.' 
John Woodcock was among Labour backbenchers who took swipes at Mr Corbyn's response in the chamber.
Mr Woodcock, a long-term critic of the veteran left-winger, said: 'This is a day for the House to speak as one for the nation, and (Mrs May) will be reassured to hear that a clear majority of Labour MPs, alongside the leaders of every other party, support the firm stance which she is taking.'
Labour former minister Pat McFadden said: 'Responding with strength and resolve when your country is under threat is an essential component of political leadership.
'There is a Labour tradition that understands that and it has been understood by prime ministers of all parties who have stood at that despatch box.
'That means when chemical weapons are used, we need more than words, but deeds.'
Tory former minister Anna Soubry said: 'It is noticeable that the length and breadth of this place has completely supported not just the wise words and the leadership of the Prime Minister, but also her firm actions.
'With the notable exception of the frontbench of the opposition, and that is a shameful moment.'


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Mr Corbyn was jeered and met with cries of 'shame' as he failed to back the PM's tough stance


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There was fresh fury after the exchanges in the Commons when Mr Corbyn's official spokesman said MI5 could be wrong in blaming Russia because they were wrong about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq
Tory former minister Mark Francois praised Mrs May's response as 'having flashes of the Iron Lady about it', and said it was 'in stark contrast to the attitude of the leader of the Opposition'.
He branded Mr Corbyn a 'CND-badge wearing apologist for the Russian state'.  
Foreign Affairs Committee chair Tom Tugendhat urged Mrs May to 'use the tools at her disposal to expose the wealth' of Mr Putin and his family in the wake of the nerve agent attack.  

Timeline of Sergei Skripal's poisoning

Sunday, March 4th - 4.15pm: Wiltshire Police find a man and woman unconscious on a bench at the The Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury and cordon off the area
Monday, 5th - 11am: Salisbury District Hospital, where the pair were taken, declares a major incident and its A&E department is closed.
8pm: Police officers are first seen outside Mr Skripal's home in Salisbury
10pm: Police close a Zizzi restaurant near the shopping centre.
Tuesday, 6th -  11.30am: Police also cordon off the Bishop's Mill pub in Salisbury, where Mr Skripal and his daughter may have gone after leaving Zizzi.
9pm: Firefighters in Hazmat suits are sent to an ambulance base in Amesbury, eight miles away from the scene where they were found.
Wednesday, 7th - 3:30pm: Cordon around Mr Skripal's house is extended to the top of the cul-de-sac.
Thursday, 8th - 2pm: Police were revealed to have cordoned off the graves of Mr Skripal's wife and son in Salisbury.
2pm: Police also extend the cordon around Mr Skripal's home from 50 yards to 150 yards and around the corner.
7.30pm: Police in protective gear go to Ashley Wood Recovery in Salisbury to examine a maroon BMW-3 series, the same car driven by the former spy.
Friday, 9th -10am: Military convoy of 180 troops arrives in Salisbury, including chemical weapons experts, to join the investigation.
3pm: Detectives in Hazmat suits descend on Salisbury cemetery and removed items from Mrs Skripal and her son's grave. 
Sunday, 11th - The army remove police cars and ambulances thought to have been contaminated.
Monday, 12th - Army close off village of Winterslow and Sainsbury's car park in Salisbury to remove vehicles.  




Mr Tugendhat said he wanted to see more use of 'unexplained wealth orders'.
'Could I also ask her if she will use the tools at her disposal to expose the wealth of the Putin family,' the Tory MP said.
'Three billion dollars (£2.15billion) or more has been stolen from the Russian people by that man.
'We should expose him for what he is and not be a useful idiot hiding behind legalism of his crimes.'
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable added his voice to the calls for more use of unexplained wealth orders.
He said: 'Can I ask what is her response to the brave leader of the opposition in Russia Alexei Navalny - who is not allowed to stand in the presidential election - who has said that the most effective action the British Government can take is to use its legal powers such as the unexplained wealth orders against named individuals who are critical to the Putin operation. 
'He names in particular Mr Alisher Usmanov, who has substantial property and sporting interests, and the First Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Igor Shuvalov, who owns, among other things, a £14 million flat overlooking the Ministry of Defence. Will the Prime Minister act?'
Mrs May said: 'On the unexplained wealth orders, of course those are tools that we do use but we have to use properly in accordance with the rule of law following the due processes that should take place.'
As relations between the two countries hit the lowest point since the Cold War overnight, Nikolai Glushkov, the right-hand man of Mr Putin's 'personal enemy number one', was found dead at his London home.
He is said to have borne marks of strangulation.  
It was also claimed that Mr Skripal and his daughter might have been poisoned when the nerve agent was smeared on the door handles of their car.  
In its string of messages last night, the Russian embassy feed stated: 'Moscow will not respond to London's ultimatum until it receives samples of the chemical substance to which the UK investigators are referring.
'Britain must comply with the Chemical Weapons Convention which stipulates joint investigation into the incident, for which Moscow is ready.
'Without that, there can be no sense in any statements from London. The incident appears to be yet another crooked attempt by the UK authorities to discredit Russia.
'Any threat to take 'punitive' measures against Russia will meet with a response. The British side should be aware of that.' 
Following the call with Mrs Merkel, Downing Street said: 'They discussed the pattern of aggressive Russian behaviour and agreed it would be important to act in unison with allies to counter it.
'Chancellor Merkel condemned the attack and said she stood in full solidarity with the UK.
'They agreed that the international community should coordinate closely as the investigation developed and in the wake of Russia's response.' 
The former director of Britain's communications spying agency GCHQ, Robert Hannigan, said her response should include 'the expulsion of diplomats on a scale we probably haven't seen since the Cold War'.
Speaking to BBC radio, Hannigan also backed 'hitting the economic targets', including Russians doing business in London, but warned against a large-scale cyberattack. 


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Investigators in protective suits in the Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury, where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found critically ill after exposure to a nerve agent


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US President Donald Trump told Mrs May in a call last night that he was with Britain 'all the way' and demanded Russia provide 'unambiguous' answers


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Theresa May has held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and Angela Merkel on the phone about the Salisbury attempted murder
Senior MEP Guy Verhofstadt offered EU support and said: 'We stand shoulder to shoulder with the British people.
'It must be made clear that an attack against one EU & NATO country is an attack on all of us.' 
British officials have been drawing up plans to hit back hard at Russia if they do not have an explanation.
Tough sanctions could target the Kremlin and Putin's cronies, freezing assets and stopping them from travelling to the UK.
They are also expected to expel many of Russia's diplomats - although probably not break off diplomatic relations altogether.
But Britain will need to get support from the UN and Nato allies in order to impose sanctions that will really bite and be felt by the Kremlin.
The PM dramatically pointed the finger at Putin for the poison attack on Monday, saying it was'highly likely' it was linked to Russia.
Branding the attack a 'reckless and despicable act', Mrs May said the substance used was a 'military grade' agent Moscow has produced.
Together with Russia's previous actions and tactics, including the killing of Alexander Litvinenko, the UK authorities concluded it was 'highly likely' to be involved in the episode. 
Mrs May said the government would not accept such an attempt to 'murder innocent civilians on our soil'. 
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said allies are mobilising to support the UK and hit back at Russia. Speaking yesterday, he said: 'I've been very encouraged so far by the strength of the support that we are getting.

[size=18]Area in Dorset cordoned off following Salisbury spy investigation


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Sergei Skripal (left) and his daughter Yulia (right) have been in a critical condition since they were found unconscious on a bench outside a shopping centre in Salisbury on March 4
'I think in particular from President Macron of France, I talked to Sigmar Gabriel my German counterpart, and from Washington where Rex Tillerson last night made it absolutely clear that he sees this as part of a pattern of disruptive behaviour, increasingly disruptive behaviour, malign behaviour by Russia, the reckless use of chemical weapons, the support for the reckless use of chemical weapons which stretches from Syria now to the streets of Salisbury.
'I've been encouraged by the willingness of our friends to show support and solidarity.' 
Whitehall sources said they were accelerating their offensive cyber programme and could hit select targets for a specific effect. 
It is understood this could see a specialist cyber unit deployed in the UK to attack Kremlin computer networks spewing Russian propaganda and trolling factories spreading fake news. 
General Sir Chris Deverell, commander of Joint Forces Command, has revealed how the UK has a specialist unit which is dedicated to 'offensive cyber' run jointly by the MoD and GCHQ.
So far it has worked on Islamic State but this could be expanded towards Russia.


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Police have put a forensics tent over the parking meter outside Salisbury's Sainsbury's store amid fears it was used by Sergei Skripal


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Vladimir Putin said in a Russia TV interview he could forgive nearly everything, but not 'betrayal' - but the Kremlin has denied plotting to kill Sergei Skripal

[size=18]Jeremy Corbyn: Government has failed to talk with Moscow Kremlin


[/size]
[size=18]Russia expert says UK can do little in ex-spy poisoning case


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In an interview with the Mail last week, he said the military could hit back at disinformation spread by Russian trolling factories. 
He said: 'There are two ways you could respond. One is putting your own messages out to compete with the messages that actors like that are sending. And the other is with a cyber-attack.
'Whether or not you could use cyber as a weapon would depend upon the specific circumstances and the law.' He said that there was a specific capability in which troops tackle mistruths spread by enemies. 
Another option is for the Government to implement a British version of the US's Magnitsky Act, which lists Russians involved in corruption and human rights abuses, banning them from entering the country.  
The Kremlin was given a deadline of midnight to respond to the evidence, but has refused to do so. 
Doubts were raised about the US's backing yesterday when Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was sacked hours after condemning Russia.
However, it appears the axing of Mr Tillerson was unrelated and Mr Trump has now offered his support.      


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Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia (pictured in Zizzi in 2016) left a trail of nerve agent in the restaurant after their poisoning


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Locals have said chemical weapons experts are removing a potentially contaminated vehicle from a local business

[size=18]Boris Johnson says the UK response to Russia will be 'robust'


[/size]



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The investigation into the poisoning has led to a series of locations around Salisbury being sealed off and decontaminated


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Soldiers in Hazmat suits closed down a village near Salisbury yesterday as they removed a recovery truck thought to have towed Mr Skripal's car from the scene

[size=18]Putin warns enemies of Russia they will swallow poison

[/size]
'You're a disgrace to your party!' Fury as Corbyn says he does not TRUST security services' evidence that Russia is to blame for spy nerve agent attack 
Jeremy Corbyn was today branded a 'disgrace' after he failed to condemn the Kremlin and suggested Russia might not be behind the Salisbury poisoning.
The Labour leader was jeered and met with cries of 'shame' as he stood up in the Commons and failed to back Theresa May's tough stance against Russia.
He prompted gasps of disbelief as he parroted the Russian line calling for Britain to share samples of the poison used against Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with Moscow to run their own tests.
And he used the assassination attempt to blast Government cuts to diplomats and call for a 'robust dialogue' with Vladimir Putin.


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Jeremy Corbyn, pictured with his communications chief Seumus Milne, a former Communist who has downplayed the number of people imprisoned under Stalin's murderous rule. the coterie of Marxist advisers who surrund the Labour leader has raised questions about his response to the poison spy plot
He sparked fresh fury after his official spokesman said MI5 could be wrong in blaming Russia because they were wrong about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
The PM tore into the Labour leader for failing to condemn Moscow despite all the evidence pointing to Russian state involvement in the murder attempt. 
Tory Business Minister Claire Perry shouted across the Chamber to the Labour leader: 'You're a disgrace to your party.'
Mr Corbyn's spokesman tried to cast doubt over the Government's assertion that Russia is behind the attack.
He said: 'In these times of crises initial reaction is not necessarily backed by reality and fact.


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Labour MP Pat McFadden (pictured in the Commons today) took a stinging swipe at Mr Corbyn, saying: 'Responding with strength and resolve when you're country is under threat is an essential component of political leadership....there is a Labour tradition which understands that.'
'Jeremy has been proved to make the right call time and time again.
He added: 'There is a history between WMDs and intelligence which is problematic.'
The PM said she was 'surprised and shocked' at the statement, which was repeated to her in the Chamber.
In a fiery exchange in the House of Commons today, Mr Corbyn was condemned by the Prime Minister, many Labour MPs and Tories for failing to strike the right tone on the Salisbury poisoning.
Labour moderates queued up to publicly back the PM's action and to take stinging swipes at their own pacifist leader.
Labour MP Pat McFadden said: 'Responding with strength and resolve when you're country is under threat is an essential component of political leadership....there is a Labour tradition which understands that.' 
 

'Paralysis, convulsions, you can't breathe and after that you die': Scientist who helped create the lethal nerve agent Novichok used to attack Russian spy in Salisbury reveals its terrifying effects
The Russian whistleblower who exposed the country's secret chemical weapons programme has revealed the horrific effect of the Novichok nerve agents on their victims.
Vil Mirzayanov described the use of the lethal toxins as a 'brazen' attack by Vladimir Putin, who 'thinks he can use everything to kill enemies'.
Mr Mirzayanov says a large dose of Novichok 'paralyses' victims before 'it causes convulsions, you can't breathe and after that you die'.


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Vil Mirzayanov (pictured) described the use of the lethal toxins as a 'brazen' attack by Vladimir Putin, who 'thinks he can use everything to kill enemies'
The exiled scientist shocked the world in 1992 when he revealed that promises by the Soviet Union to reduce its chemical weapon stockpiles were hollow.
He worked in the top-secret Moscow laboratory where a new generation of even more potent poisons was being perfected.
These gruesome chemical weapons, named 'Novichok' after the Russian for 'newcomer', were designed to be even more lethal than VX or sarin.
At the time, one former top Soviet military adviser described them as 'political weapons', adding: 'They have a powerful moral and psychological effect.'
Shockingly, they can be created from common, unrestricted and undetectable industrial and agricultural chemicals available worldwide.


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Vil Mirzayanov described the use of the lethal toxins as a 'brazen' attack by Vladimir Putin (pictured), who 'thinks he can use everything to kill enemies'
As a result, weapons inspectors fear other rogue nations, including Syria and North Korea, could have their own lethal stockpiles of the powerful nerve agents.
Speaking from his home in New Jersey, Mr Mirzayanov, 83, described the top-secret laboratory as a 'criminal enterprise'.
'It's a brazen attack,' he said. 'Putin thinks he can use everything to kill enemies. They don't tolerate any opponents.
'They should be punished. It's an open demonstration of this Russian terrorism.
'The Russian government is telling people who are thinking about revealing more secrets that they can expect the same fate.'
Asked how the nerve agent works, he added: 'It's for paralysing people, it causes you convulsions and you can't breathe and after that you die. If you get enough of a dose of it.
'It's real torture, it's impossible to imagine. Even in low doses the pain can go on for weeks. You cannot imagine the horror, it's so bad.'
The Novichok family of nerve agents were secretly developed over two decades at a research facility 50 miles outside the Russian capital.
Many times more potent than other better known chemical weapons, Novichok agents can render gas masks and protective equipment useless.


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One of the few labs capable of producing a nerve agent like that used in the attack on a Russian double agent in the UK is in Russia's foreign intelligence headquarters, it was claimed today
Sometimes described as 'gases' they are in fact liquid, intended to be delivered as a fine spray.
A series of poisons, known as Novichok 5, 7, 8 and 9 to identify them, were produced amid conditions of complete secrecy.
They all kill the same way. By inhibiting enzymes that control nerve receptors in the brain.
One expert said victims simply 'forget to breathe'. A tiny drop, almost undetectable, placed on the skin or inhaled can cause death within minutes.
Describing his work, Mr Mirzayanov said: 'They were normal laboratories, they were not underground or anything. They were testing and developing.
'There were around 1,000 people working on this, it was a big deal. You have to test it on animals and after that you have to study the chemical properties... so many laboratories were involved.'
In 1987, one physicist at the laboratory was saved despite being exposed to the chemical when a ventilator stopped working. Witnesses described how he staggered out of the room, describing seeing bright hallucinations before collapsing and being rushed to hospital by the KGB. He was left with permanent injuries after being critically ill for ten days and unable to walk for six months.

[size=18]Scientist Vil Mirzayanov about nerve agent Novichok in 2009


[/size]
Last night experts described nerve agents such as Novichok as second only to the 'atom bomb' as the most deadly weapons ever made. They said that because the ingredients were so common, the poison was ideal for use in an assassination, as well as a weapon of mass destruction.
Pharmacology expert Professor Gary Stephens said: 'This is a more dangerous and sophisticated agent than sarin or VX and is harder to identify. It causes a slowing of the heart and restriction of the airways, leading to death by asphyxiation.
'One of the main reasons these agents are developed is because their component parts are not on the banned list. It means the chemicals that are mixed to create it are much easier to deliver with no risk to the health of the courier.'
Professor Robert Stockman, of the University of Nottingham, said traces of nerve agents did not linger. He added: 'These agents react with water to degrade, including moisture in the air, and so in the UK they would have a very limited lifetime. This is presumably why the street in Salisbury was being hosed down as a precaution – it would effectively destroy the agent.'


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Military personnel in chemical suits searching the car park behind Salisbury Police Station
Russia went into denial early today, with a former FSB chief claiming scientists at Porton Down had poisoned ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
A top Moscow chemical weapons expert echoed the charge while also alleging nerve agent novichok did not exist.
Moscow was scrambling today to respond to Theresa May's demand for an explanation for the Salisbury attack by midnight.
In an extraordinary blast, Vladimir Putin's predecessor as FSB secret service chief Nikolay Kovalyov claimed Porton Down government laboratory - which identified Russian-made novichok as the agent that poisoned the Skripals - was likely to have been behind the attack.
'There is a laboratory (near Salisbury), which is famous all over the world,' he dismissively told Britain.
'Check if anything leaked from there.'


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Soldiers in Hazmat suits yesterday loaded up and removed an ambulance believed to have taken Miss Skripal to hospital
Meanwhile, chemical weapons scientist Dr Anton Utkin - a former UN inspector in Iraq - denied the existence of novichok, and echoed the claim that Britain maybe responsible for the poisoning.
He led the destruction of chemical weapons in Russia.
'I was dealing with elimination of Russian chemical weapons and with all the responsibility I can say that we have never had a weapon under this name,' he said.
Actually, it is very strange that British experts have found out the formula of this 'super secret' poison nobody knows about. It is not clear either how they managed to determine that it was produced in Russia.
'If you know the technology, it is not possible to find out who made a chemical weapon – if the method is the same, the formulas of the substances will be identical. So this news only provokes more questions.'
Utkin said the West had earlier made a 'toxic noise' about Russia's alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria.
'And now right in the heart of Great Britain this traitor is killed with a neuroparalytic substance.
'All this happens at a very convenient time – before the Russian presidential election and World Cup. If I were British, I would not blame Russians but check my own security systems first.
'Something strange is happening there – it is not the first time when criminals are walking around the country with highly toxic and radioactive substances and the secret services have no idea about it.'


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A police car was loaded up to be removed yesterday as the Army and emergency services continue the clean-up operation

[size=18]Armed forces investigate nerve agent attack in Salisbury


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Dr Utkin has worked for the State Scientific Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology which is suspected of being behind the development of novichik starting in 1973.
Kovalyov, now an MP, said the accusations by May were a 'provocation' against Russia.
There was no sense for Russia seek to kill a spy convicted 12 years ago when the publicity would damage the campaign for the presidential election, he said.
'Just be logical. There is no logic here,' he said. 'England is turning into a dangerous country.'
'If I were to speak for the Ministry for Foreign affairs, I would have issued a statement that would not recommend our spies and traitors to live there because it is dangerous to these citizens,' he said. 'The chain is already rather long.'

[size=18]Johnson threatens sanctions if Russia responsible for 'poisoning'



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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5500963/Trump-picks-CNBCs-Larry-Kudlow-new-chief-economic-adviser.html

[size=34]BREAKING NEWS: TV financial commentator Larry Kudlow will be Trump's new chief economic adviser[/size]

• Gary Cohn is out as chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers
  
  
• Trump has apparently tapped CNBC contributor Larry Kudlow to replace him
  
  
• Kudlow has accepted; the announcement could come as soon as Thursday
  
  
• Kudlow disagrees with Trump on the use of tariffs in international trade
  
  
• He is a White House veteran, having served as an economist in the Reagan administration's Office of Management and Budget 
  
  

By DAVID MARTOSKO, US POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM  and WIRES
PUBLISHED: 13:00 EDT, 14 March 2018 | UPDATED: 13:43 EDT, 14 March 2018

    

President Donald Trump has chosen CNBC senior contributor Larry Kudlow to succeed Gary Cohn as his top economic adviser, according to reports, and could make it official as soon as Thursday.
CNBC reported that Trump offered him the job Tuesday night. According to The Washington Post, Kudlow accepted the position on Wednesday.
The news website Axios cited a source who believes Trump thinks Kudlow 'can get him good TV coverage.' 
Trump had praised the 70-year-old veteran financial commentator and campaign supporter on Tuesday as he left the White House for California.

Trump told reporters then that he was 'looking at Larry Kudlow very strongly' and noted that while the two didn't agree about the president's recent decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, Kudlow's views would be helpful to him in the Oval Office.


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President Donald Trump has settled on conservative television personality Larry Kudlow to replace top economic advisor Gary Cohn at the White House


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The president had telegraphed his choice on Tuesday, saying Kudlow had 'a very good chance'
'We don't agree on everything, but in this case I think that's good,' Trump said. 'I want to have different opinions. We agree on most. He now has come around to believing in tariffs as a negotiating point.' 
'I think Larry has a very good chance,' he continued – noting that Kudlow is a friend and political campaign supporter.
'Larry has been a friend of mine for a long time. He backed me very early in the campaign. I think he was one of my original backers. He's a very, very talented man.'
'I'm also speaking to many others. But I think Larry has a very good chance,' Trump added.
Kudlow is CNBC's senior contributor and was previously the host of CNBC's prime-time 'The Kudlow Report.' He served in the Office of Management and Budget during President Ronald Reagan's administration.
He also served as chief economist at the onetime investment bank Bear Stearns from 1987 to 1994. 



Share


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Economic analyst Larry Kudlow is shown appearing on CNBC from the New York Stock Exchange in 2018
The White House will likely stay away from commenting on an episode that thrust Kudlow into the national spotlight in 1994: his admission of a long battle with alcohol and cocaine addiction.
Kudlow ended his time at Bear Stearns following a four-week medical leave.  
'I went into drug rehab,' he would later tell The New York Times. 'I had an alcohol and substance-abuse problem that needed to be taken care of.'
Kudlow said then that he had been attending 12-step recovery meetings twice a day for more than a year. 
'I am willing to share with you my problem,' he told the Times, channeling the ethos of Alcoholics Anonymous and other self-help programs. 'Anyone who blames Bear Stearns is not right. I take full personal responsibility.'
Kudlow has spoken more about that part of his life in recent years, telling The Washington Post that he decided not to run against Chuck Schumer in New York for a U.S. Senate seat because campaigning would cause him to miss too many AA meetings.
He's been sober for 24 years. 


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Trump said Tuesday as he left the White House for California that Kudlow is 'a very, very talented man'


Trump had been considering a potential replacement for Cohn as director of the National Economic Council for more than a week. 
In addition to Kudlow, the potential successors included Chris Liddell, who serves as the White House's director of strategic initiatives, and Shahira Knight, Cohn's deputy and a key architect of the president's tax overhaul law.
The president said last week that Cohn, the former top Goldman Sachs executive, was likely to return to his administration in the future. 
Cohn strongly opposed the president's plan to slap tariffs on the steel and aluminum imports and worked to provide exemptions to U.S. allies such as Canada and Mexico.
But Cohn did play a central role in helping Trump enact a sweeping tax overhaul law, coordinating with members of Congress. 
His departure has been worrisome for Capitol Hill Republicans and business groups who have been concerned that Trump may install more protectionist economic policies amid a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

http://people.com/politics/5-times-larry-kudlow-new-economic-chief-wrong/

[url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpeople.com%2Fpolitics%2F5-times-larry-kudlow-new-economic-chief-wrong%2F&media=https%3A%2F%2Fpeopledotcom.files.wordpress.com%2F2018%2F03%2F180313-larry-kudlow-economic-advisor.jpg&description=Power Lunch][/url]

POWER LUNCH -- Pictured: Larry Kudlow, conservative economist and former host of CNBC's "The Kudlow Report," considering a Senate bid against Senator Blumenthal, shown here in an interview on September 15, 2015 -- (Photo by: Adam Jeffery/CNBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
IAN SALISBURY 
March 14, 2018 01:41 PM
President Trump named cable-TV personality Larry Kudlow as his top economic advisor on Wednesday.
There’s just one problem with that idea: The longtime television personality, who would gain a key role in shaping U.S. economic policy, has a well-known history of making some shockingly wrong financial predictions.
The 70-year old Kudlow — former host of CNBC’s Kudlow Report, which ran from 2009 to 2014 — is one of America’s most recognizable financial commentators. With his signature bright ties and slicked-back hair, a throwback to the 1980s (when he was a Reagan administration wunderkind), Kudlow has been an informal Trump advisor in the past.
On Tuesday, the president told reporters he was close to choosing Kudlow to lead the National Economic Council — a role vacated when former Goldman Sachs executive Gary Cohn quit amid a dispute over tariffs.
Kudlow’s on-air chops, reportedly one of the things Trump admires about him, could help the administration sell its economic policies to the nation. But his glitzy resume has some big drawbacks too.
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The NEC, created in 1993, has historically been led by experienced business executives like Cohn or academics like Larry Summers, who served under President Obama. Yet while Kudlow is sometimes described as an economist, he has no economics Ph.D. — and, in fact, didn’t even major in economics at college. As for his Wall Street career, it ended in the mid-1990s amid what Kudlow admitted was a serious drug and alcohol problem.
Since then, he’s largely spent his career being confident and colorful in front of cable-television cameras, stumping for American business and Reagan-style economic fixes, especially tax cuts for the wealthy.
But while partisanship and cheerleading makes for good viewing, Kudlow’s broken-clock-is-right-twice-a-day approach has led to some jaw-droppingly bad economic predictions. Indeed, Wall Street watchers have made something of a parlor game tallying and mocking Kudlow’s incorrect — sometimes stunningly so — economic predictions. (A spokeswoman for Kudlow & Co., the company that handles Kudlow’s appearances, declined to comment on his track record as a pundit.)
A few examples follow. Be amused.
Or terrified.

---

What Kudlow said: “There is no question that President Clinton’s across-the-board tax increases…will throw a wet blanket over the recovery and depress the economy’s long-run potential to grow.”
When he said it: 1993
What happened next: The 1990s bull market.
Source: Jonathan Chait/New York

---

What Kudlow said: “This correction will run its course until the middle of the year. Then things will pick up again, because not even Greenspan can stop the Internet economy.”
When he said it: February 2000
What happened next: The Dow would drop another 30% before bottoming out in September 2002 and beginning its comeback. But the Internet-laden Nasdaq, which peaked in March 2000, would not regain that level for another 15 years.
Source: Bull! via MarketWatch

---

What Kudlow said: “The shock therapy of a decisive war will elevate the stock market by a couple thousand points.”
When he said it: June 2002
What happened next: Over the next six months the Dow dropped 1,000 points. Meanwhile, the U.S. war in Iraq — the conflict Kudlow was referring to — proved anything but decisive, dragging on for roughly a decade and costing the U.S. Treasury more than $2 trillion.
Source: National Review

---

What Kudlow said: “But at the end of the day, it will be the middle-class American worker who will benefit most from the pickup in capital formation brought on by Bush’s latest tax cuts. Investors will respond to fresh economic incentives, and a new flow of capital will generate stronger markets, a true business expansion, higher productivity, more jobs, and — perhaps most importantly — outsized gains in real worker wages.”
When he said it: May 2003
What happened next: Americans’ real median household income did tick up over the next several years, but then plunged during the Great Recession. By a decade after Kudlow made his forecast, in 2013, the typical American was making about $1,000 a year less than he or she did in 2003. The wealthiest Americans, however — who benefited directly from the Bush tax cuts — have continued to see their economic fortunes improve.
Source: National Review

---

What Kudlow said: “There’s no recession coming. The pessimistas were wrong. It’s not going to happen. At a bare minimum, we are looking at Goldilocks 2.0. (And that’s a minimum). Goldilocks is alive and well. The Bush boom is alive and well. It’s finishing up its sixth consecutive year with more to come. Yes, it’s still the greatest story never told.”
When he said it: December 2007
What happened next: The global financial crisis, followed by the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Source: National Review

---

What Kudlow said: “Trump and the GOP are on the side of the growth angels with the passage of powerful tax-cut legislation to boost business investment, wages, and take-home family pay.”
When he said it: December 2017
What happened next: We’ll see.

http://people.com/crime/calif-teacher-gun-training-allegedly-fires-weapon-accidentally-injuring-student/

[url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpeople.com%2Fcrime%2Fcalif-teacher-gun-training-allegedly-fires-weapon-accidentally-injuring-student%2F&media=https%3A%2F%2Fpeopledotcom.files.wordpress.com%2F2018%2F03%2Fdennis-alexander1.jpg&description=Seaside City Council Member][/url]

Dennis Alexander
Seaside City Council
CHRIS HARRIS 
March 14, 2018 11:57 AM
California authorities are considering criminal charges against a high school math teacher who allegedly accidentally discharged a firearm during a class about public safety, non-fatally injuring a male student, according to multiple reports.
According to the Washington Post, Dennis Alexander is a reserve police officer with extensive firearms training.
The incident occurred inside Seaside High School, as Alexander was allegedly pointing his gun at the ceiling, the paper reports.
The gun allegedly discharged by accident, and the bullet sent shrapnel flying into a 17-year-old student’s neck, reports KSBW.
• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.
The student’s father, Fermin Gonzales, told KSBW the teacher informed the class he was aiming the gun at the ceiling so he could check whether it was loaded or mot.
“It’s the craziest thing,” Gonzales told the station. “It could have been very bad.”
According to KSBW, Gonzales learned his son had been injured when the teen returned home — with blood on his shirt and wounds to his neck.
“He’s shaken up, but he’s going to be okay,” he said. “I’m just pretty upset that no one told us anything and we had to call the police ourselves to report it.”
KION reports that Alexander is a reserve police officer for Sand City; he is also a Seaside City Councilman.
• For more compelling true crime coverage, follow our Crime magazine on Flipboard.
PEOPLE was unable to reach Alexander for comment.
The incident is being investigated.
The school’s policy, as well as state law, forbids the possession of firearms on school grounds.
Alexander has been placed on administrative leave at both the school at the Sand City Police Department, according to reports.

Kudos to those kids

This guy is exactly the kind of teacher Trump wants to have carry guns in the schools. Seems like no matter how well trained you are accidents can happen. Can you imagine the outcry if he had actually shot one of the kids?! A bad idea is a bad idea - period. No guns in schools!

Wasn't this amazing all across America today?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28Fbo7xTaL8

.......https://twitter.com/krassenstein/status/973921504764276736

Exactly.And courtesy of Lysa Heslov's twitter page. Great as always

It was amazing the kids of America have more common sense than a whole lot of the adults.

So impressed with these young people.  I’m hoping many of them will be voting in the 2018 and 2020 elections.  Send a loud and clear message to the NRA and to Washington.

Donnamarie wrote:So impressed with these young people.  I’m hoping many of them will be voting in the 2018 and 2020 elections.  Send a loud and clear message to the NRA and to Washington.

Exactly!!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5503145/Dylann-Roofs-sister-arrested-bringing-knife-school.html

[size=34]'I hope it's a trap and y'all get shot': Sister, 18, of Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof is arrested for threatening students during the gun walkout, having a knife on school grounds and singling out 'black' protesters[/size]

• Morgan Roof was charged with possession of weapons on school grounds 
  
  
• She is the 18-year-old sister of Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof
  
  
• The younger roof apparently posted a threatening message to her Snapchat
  
  
• 'I hope it's a trap and y'all get shot,' she said about the National School Walkout
  
  
• She then singled out black protesters saying  'we know it's fixing to be nothing but black people walkin' out anyway'
  
  
• Roof was released on a $5,000 bond but is not allowed to return to the school
  
  
• Her posts were particularly alarming because of her brother's racist history
  
  
• Dylann Roof is currently on death row in Indiana after pleading guilty to nine counts of murder in the June 17, 2015 massacre at a black church in Charleston 
  
  

By ABIGAIL MILLER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 21:55 EDT, 14 March 2018 | UPDATED: 00:52 EDT, 15 March 2018

    

The sister of Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof was arrested Wednesday after bringing a knife to school with her and threatening students participating in the walkout against gun control. Morgan Roof is pictured in her mug shot
The sister of Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof was arrested Wednesday after bringing a knife to school with her and threatening students participating in the walkout against gun control.
Morgan Roof has been charged with simple possession of marijuana and two counts of carrying weapons on school grounds, WISTV reported.  She has been released on a $5,000 bond, but was not allowed to return to the location of the incident - AC Flora High School.
The 18-year-old was apprehended after the student body was alarmed due to a threatening post on her Snapchat, in which she said she hopes students participating in the National Walkout Day 'get shot.' 

'We know it's fixing to be nothing but black people walkin' out anyway,' she added.
The post was particularly alarming given her brother, Dylann Roof, opened fire on a church in Charleston, South Carolina, brutally murdering nine black parishioners on June 17, 2015 in an effort to start a race war.
Scroll down for video 


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The sister of the Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof was arrested Wednesday after bringing a knife to school with her and threatening students participating in the walkout against gun control


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Morgan Roof has been charged with simple possession of marijuana and two counts of carrying weapons on school grounds, WISTV reported. She has been released on a $5,000 bond, but was not allowed to go back to school


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The 18-year-old was apprehended after the student body was alarmed due to a threatening post on her Snapchat , in which she said she hopes students participating in the National Walkout Day 'get shot'
[size=10]Sister of Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof given $5000 bond, not allowed to return to school
[/size]






Sister of Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof given $5000 bond, not allowed to return to school



| WBTV Charlotte
Thousands of students across the United States walked out of their school on Wednesday, on the month-anniversary of the Parkland school shooting, to protest gun violence.   
The school she attends, AC Flora, was one of the schools that participated.  
In her Snapchat post she made clear she disagrees with the walkout and went on to say: 'we know it's fixing to be nothing but black people walkin' out anyway.'

• hare
  
  

'Your (sic) walking out for the allowed time of 17 min, they are letting you do this, nothing is gonna change what tf you think it's gonna do?' she wrote in the post. 
'I hope it's a trap and y'all get shot we know it's fixing to be nothing but black people walkin out anyway. No offense ofc buuut (sic).' 


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In her Snapchat post she made clear she disagrees with the walkout and went on to say: 'we know it's fixing to be nothing but black people walkin' out anyway.' She is pictured left with her father Frankln Roof just after her brother committed the massacre in 2015, and right in a Snapchat photo


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Her brother Dylann Roof is a self-avowed white supremacist. He is pictured in June 19 in an image from a video uplink from the detention center to the courtroom during his charging


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He pleaded guilty to nine counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder in the 2015 massacre at Charleston's historic Mother Emanuel AME Church
On her person when she was arrested was a knife, marijuana and pepper spray.   
No students were harmed as a result of this incident.  
Morgan has been taken to to the Alvin S Glenn Detention Center, and Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said the school's administration acted appropriately by alerting the department of the potential threat. 
The school issued a statement to parents on Wednesday to explain the situation and say that the comment was 'not a threat, but was extremely inappropriate.' 
'A student used social media to post a hateful message,' the letter to parents read. 
'The posting was not a threat, but was extremely inappropriate. That student was dealt with in a swift and severe manner as the posting caused quite a disruption.'
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster also issued a statement saying: 'potential tragedy was avoided at AC Flora High School.' 
'In two separate incidents, students and educators reacted quickly to reports of suspicious activity and behavior to their Richland County Sheriff's Department school resource officer. We owe a debt of gratitude to all involved who acted so quickly and decisively.'

[size=18][size=18]Dylann Roof sentenced to death in Jan 2017 for church massacre



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Dylann Roof sentenced to death for South Carolina sh…

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Throughout his trial a disturbing picture was painted of the Roof family. Growing up the children were allegedly victim to and witness of domestic abuse


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During the trial videos of Morgan's visits to Dylann in jail were released, which show that he caused his sister and parents distress while behind bars. Roof is pictured as he enters the church just before killing the nine parishioners 


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In one video she is featured telling him he loves her as he refuses to say it back to her. Morgan and her father are pictured just days after Roof shot up the church in 2015
Morgan's brother Dylann Roof is a self-avowed white supremacist. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder in the 2015 massacre at Charleston's historic Mother Emanuel AME Church.
The 21-year-old is currently on death row in Indiana. 
Throughout his trial a disturbing picture was painted of the Roof family. 
Growing up the children were allegedly victim to and witness of domestic abuse. 
However, the siblings were said to be raised by a loving stepmother, Paige Mann, who married their father Franklin Roof.
During the trial videos of Morgan's visits to Dylann in jail were released, which show that he caused his sister and parents distress while behind bars. 
In one video she is featured telling him he loves her as he refuses to say it back to her. 
'Roof's teenage sister, Morgan, told him that she wanted to attend his execution, if it occurred,' The Post and Courier reported.
'I love you, Dylann, even if you don't love me back,' the paper said she tearfully told him. 
He apparently responded: 'Ok.'

She probably blames Black people for getting her big brother in trouble.

http://time.com/5200929/donald-trump-justin-trudeau-trade/

By ASSOCIATED PRESS 
7:38 AM EDT
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump freestyled with the facts when talking trade with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The Republican described the discussion during a fundraising speech in St. Louis on Wednesday.
According to audio obtained by The Washington Post, Trump insisted that the United States runs a trade deficit with Canada.







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COMING UP...

'KEEP AMERICA GREAT!' DONALD TRUMP PREVIEWS HIS NEW CAMPAIGN MESSAGE AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS THE U.S. SHOULD SOMEDAY HAVE A MILITARY 'SPACE FORCE'[/size]
Trump said Trudeau told him there was no trade deficit. Trump said he replied, “‘Wrong, Justin, you do.’ I didn’t even know. … I had no idea. I just said, ‘You’re wrong.'”
Trump claimed the figures don’t include timber and energy.
However, the Office of the United States Trade Representative says the United States has a trade surplus with Canada.[/size]

Two new Munchin articles:

This re Russia:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/15/trump-sanctions-russia-following-poisoning-british-spy/427464002/

and this from a sixth grader on his budget:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOMMfkCg2NQ

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/15/trump-sanctions-russia-following-poisoning-british-spy/427464002/


[size=32]U.S. sanctions Russia for 2016 election interference and other cyber activity[/size]

Gregory Korte, USA TODAYPublished 10:01 a.m. ET March 15, 2018 | Updated 11:42 a.m. ET March 15, 2018




(Photo: Alexei Druzhinin, AP)

CONNECT[url=https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A//usat.ly/2GvTcF9&text=U.S. sanctions Russia for 2016 election interference and other cyber activity&via=usatoday]TWEET[/url]LINKEDIN 32COMMENTEMAILMORE
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Thursday sanctioned a number of Russian entities for a wide range of behavior that U.S. officials say has sought to disrupt Western governments — including the attempts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.
Among the five entities sanctioned by the Treasury Department Thursday is the Internet Research Agency, which was indicted by a grand jury last month as part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible Trump campaign collusion with Russian efforts. Officials say it's a propaganda outfit that used fake identities to pose as Americans on social media, in order to sew divisiveness during the campaign.
It's the first round of sanctions under a Russia sanctions bill passed by Congress last year — a bill President Trump signed only reluctantly in the face of a veto-proof congressional majority.
Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner said the sanctions were long overdue.
"I think this is a good step. It is not fully sufficient," Warner, D-Va., told MSNBC. "What continues to concern to me is that while you had the administration act, there continues to be a reluctance by the president himself to call out Russia as a bad actor."

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the new round of sanctions shows that the Trump administration is "confronting and countering malign Russian cyber activity, including their attempted interference in U.S. elections, destructive cyber-attacks, and intrusions targeting critical infrastructure."
Also cited in the sanctions: the NotPetya cyber-attack, which affected hospitals and disrupted shipping last year. In February, the White House attributed that attack to the Russian military, calling it the "most destructive and costly cyber-attack in history."
The sanctions freeze any assets of the Russian agents held in U.S. dollars, and block U.S. citizens from engaging in business with them. 
Many targets of Thursday's actions were already on U.S. sanctions lists. 
The sanctions had been in the works for weeks, but the timing comes just as the United States condemned Russia for its use of nerve agent to poison a double agent in the United Kingdom, signing on to a joint statement as a sign of solidarity with European allies.

A Treasury Department statement says the nerve agent attack "demonstrates the reckless and irresponsible conduct" of the Russian government. National security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said even more sanctions are in the works.
Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned in the southern English town of Salisbury earlier this month. The attack had all the fingerprints of a Russian spy operation, especially in its use of a military-grade nerve agent developed by Russia and banned by an international treaty on chemical weapons.
More: Ex-double agent poisoned. Now, Russia and U.K. are battling. Here's how we got here
In the joint statement with the United Kingdom, France and Germany, the United States closed a gap that had emerged earlier this week when White House appeared to stop short of blaming Russia for the attack.
"We share the U.K. assessment that there is no plausible alternative explanation, and note that Russia´s failure to address the legitimate request by the UK government further underlines its responsibility," the four allied countries said in the joint statement. "We call on Russia to address all questions related to the attack in Salisbury."
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office Thursday, Trump said "it certainly looks like the Russians were behind it."
"(It's) something that should never, ever happen, and we’re taking it very seriously, as I think are many others," Trump said.

About the British sanctions on Russia:
I really hope that the British government has true evidence that it was Russia who tried to kill Sergei and Yulia Skripov...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5503859/Republicans-consider-lawsuit-Democrats-claim-Pennsylvania-election-win.html

[size=34]See you in court! Republicans plan legal battle over too-close-to-call Pennsylvania election amid claims of voting machine irregularities[/size]

• Democrat Conor Lamb is claiming victory in the Pennsylvania's 18th district special election after voting on Tuesday
  
  
• But Republican Rick Saccone is refusing to concede and party is now considering legal action while counting of ballots goes on
  
  
• Lawyers have demanded counties preserve their records and complaints could include that voting machines erroneously recorded votes for Lamb
  
  

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
PUBLISHED: 03:44 EDT, 15 March 2018 | UPDATED: 10:58 EDT, 15 March 2018

    

Republicans eyed a recount and a lawsuit over perceived irregularities in a closely watched US election where the Democratic candidate is claiming victory in a Trumpstronghold.
Conor Lamb is clinging to a slender lead in the House of Representatives race in Pennsylvania.
With the last batch of absentee ballots counted, Lamb, a 33-year-old former prosecutor and first-time candidate, saw his edge over Republican Rick Saccone shrink slightly, to 627 votes out of more than 224,000 cast, according to unofficial results.
The four counties in the Pittsburgh-area district reported they had about 375 uncounted provisional, military and overseas ballots.


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Questions: Democrat Conor Lamb was pictured using a voting machine and later claimed victory in the wafer-thin race despite counting still going on. Now Republicans are preparing to sue with one claim being that voting machines recorded votes for the Democrat erroneously


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Not backing down: Rick Saccone, the Republican, is currently behind by 627 votes with 375 to be counted but is refusing to concede

They have seven days to count the provisional ballots, and the deadline to receive military and overseas ballots is Tuesday.
With the margin so close, supporters of either candidate can ask for a recount.
Republicans are considering lodging a recount request, and county officials reported receiving a letter from a law firm requesting that they preserve their records, something the counties say they do under state law.
Separately, Republicans mulled legal action, according to a person familiar with the deliberations.
Democrat Conor Lamb declared victory after the very close Pennsylvania special Congressional election. AP has not called the vote. But AP Politics Writer Bill Barrow says the Democrat's strong showing is bad news for Republicans.
Complaints could include that party lawyers were prevented from observing the counting of some absentee ballots, voting machines erroneously recorded votes from Lamb, and voters were confused by some information from the state elections website.
Officials in Allegheny County, the most populous and Democratic-leaning county in the district, pushed back on Republican claims Wednesday, saying the lawyers had lacked written authorization from the GOP and they had received no reports Tuesday of malfunctioning voting machines.



The Associated Press has not called the race, which is seen nationally as indicator of Democratic enthusiasm and GOP vulnerability heading into the November elections that will determine whether Republicans retain their control of Congress.
Lamb has declared victory. Saccone, a 60-year-old Air Force veteran turned state lawmaker and college instructor, hasn't conceded. Both men stayed out of sight Wednesday, and Saccone's campaign said that Saccone had no plans to concede before vote counting was finished.
The counties, under state law, perform an audit of the results on the electronic voting machines that typically involves comparing the overall tally on a hard drive, a flash drive and a paper tape that separately record each vote. Deviations are a rarity, county officials say.
Absentee ballots are open to inspection to determine whether the person is eligible to vote or whether the voter's intent was clear, and that is more likely where a review might alter a final count, said Douglas Hill, executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.
But a difference is 'never large numbers, it's always around the margins,' Hill said.
Regardless of the outcome, Lamb's showing seemed certain to stoke anxiety among Republicans nationwide and renew enthusiasm among Democrats.


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Edging to the end: Washington County elections director Larry Spahr recounts a group of absentee ballots. With only 657 provisional, military and overseas ballots remaining to be counted an official result is not expected until next week when a recount could be demanded
Trump won the district by about 20 percentage points in 2016, and the seat has been in Republican hands for the past 15 years. It was open now only because Republican Rep. Tim Murphy, who espoused strong anti-abortion views, resigned last fall amid revelations that he had asked a woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair to get an abortion.
Democrats must flip 24 GOP-held seats this fall to seize control of the House, and months ago few had counted on this district to be in play.
Lamb asserted his independence from national Democratic leaders and played down his opposition to Trump. But he also fully embraced organized labor in a district with influential labor unions and a long history of steel-making and coal-mining, hammering Republican tax cuts as a giveaway to the rich and promising to defend Social Security, Medicare and pensions.
Trump and his allies, meanwhile, invested tremendous time and resources in the seat, mindful the contest could be used to measure Trump's lasting appeal among white, working-class voters and Democrats' anti-Trump fervor.
Outside groups aligned with Republicans poured more than $10 million into the contest, about seven times the outside money that helped Lamb.
Saccone had cast himself as the president's 'wingman.' But where Murphy had long allied himself with unions, Saccone's conservative voting record alienated them.
A White House spokesman on Wednesday warned against reading too much into the razor-thin outcome, saying Trump's campaigning for Saccone 'turned what was a deficit for the Republican candidate to what is essentially a tie.'
Lamb's victory is somewhat symbolic.
Under a state court order in a gerrymandering case, the seat is one of Pennsylvania's 18 U.S. House districts whose boundaries will change next year, and the new ones will be in play in this year's mid-term elections.
Even before Tuesday night's vote, Saccone was making plans to seek the nomination in a different district in May's primary, a new southwestern Pennsylvania district that leans solidly Republican without the Pittsburgh suburbs that helped Lamb.
Neither Saccone nor Lamb lives in that district, but Saccone is planning to run there since, under the new boundaries, Saccone's home is in a Pittsburgh-based district that is heavily Democratic and home to longtime Democratic Rep. Mike Doyle.
Lamb is expected to run in a new district west of Pittsburgh against Republican Rep. Keith Rothfus. That district is far less friendly to Republicans than Rothfus' existing district and is described by Republicans as a toss-up.

Mueller news

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/15/politics/robert-mueller-donald-trump-organization-russia/index.html

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/15/politics/robert-mueller-donald-trump-organization-russia/index.html


[size=56]Mueller subpoenas Trump Organization documents in Russia probe[/size]
By Pamela Brown, Evan Perez and Eli Watkins, CNN

Updated 1916 GMT (0316 HKT) March 15, 2018

[size=12]Mudd: One of the biggest losers is Devin Nunes[/size]

Washington (CNN)Special counsel Robert Mueller has subpoenaed the Trump Organization for business documents, a source familiar with the matter told CNN on Thursday.
The New York Times, which first reported the development, said the subpoena included documents related to Russia. The reports mark the first publicly known time that Mueller has demanded documents related to President Donald Trump's businesses.
The subpoena is a sign that the Mueller investigation continues to pick up steam, even as Trump decries remaining questions about potential coordination between his associates and Russia and denies any wrongdoing. Trump has said he would view any investigation of his or his family's personal finances that didn't involve Russia as a "violation" by Mueller that crosses a red line.

CNN reported in January that the company had voluntarily provided documents on a range of events, conversations and meetings from Trump's real estate business to Mueller and congressional investigators, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The source who spoke to CNN on Thursday said the subpoena's intention was to "clean up" and to ensure that all related documents are handed over to the special counsel.
White House special counsel Ty Cobb had no comment. Alan Futerfas, an attorney for the Trump Organization, said in a statement that Thursday's reports are "old news and our assistance and cooperation with the various investigations remains the same today." White House press secretary Sarah Sanders declined to comment on the subpoena, reiterating the administration's position that there was "no collusion" between the Trump campaign and Russia and referring further questions to the Trump Organization.
The Times, citing two people briefed on the matter, said the subpoena was delivered "in recent weeks."
The Times said special counsel witnesses had been asked recently about a potential real estate deal in Moscow, and that investigators have questioned witnesses about the flow of money from the United Arab Emirates to the United States.
CNN has reported that George Nader, a Middle East specialist tied to secret meetings between the UAE and Trump associates, is cooperating with Mueller.
The Times report said the subpoena is related to records prior to Trump's run for office. CNN reported in January that the Trump Organization had provided documents largely from the period after Trump announced his run up to his inauguration.
Lawyers for Trump said last May that over the past decade, Trump's unreleased federal tax returns do not show any income from Russian sources "with a few exceptions."
Sources previously told CNN that Mueller's investigators had been asking witnesses about Trump's business activities in Russia prior to his presidential run, including an unrealized attempt for a Trump Tower in Moscow. Last week, as he took to national airwaves for a series of interviews claiming he would defy a grand jury subpoena in the probe, former Trump aide Sam Nunberg told CNN he suspected investigators wanted to know more about the 2013 Miss Universe pageant Trump hosted in Moscow.
News of the subpoena broke shortly after the Trump administration announced a new raft of sanctions on Russia, including Russian nationals previously indicted in the special counsel probe.
His former campaign chairman Paul Manafort faces more than 300 years in prison if he's convicted of charges stemming from Mueller's investigation that are unrelated to alleged Russian meddling in the election.
Meanwhile, Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee moved earlier this week to close their investigation, saying they found no "collusion" between the Trump campaign and Russia, as well as denying that Russian efforts to interfere in the election were done to bolster Trump, a central tenet of the US intelligence community's conclusion about the meddling.
CNN's Dan Merica contributed to this report.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5507187/Vanessa-Trump-files-divorce-Donald-Trump-Jr.html




[size=34]Trump dumped: Vanessa files for divorce from Donald Jr after 13 years of marriage and five children together
[/size]

• Vanessa Trump has filed for divorce from her husband of 13 years, submitting papers in a Manhattan court on Thursday
  
  
• The couple have five children and a source tells DailyMail.com that Vanessa is not seeking full custody at this time 
  
  
• Donald Trump Jr has yet to comment on the news of his split, but did post a photo of his daughter Chloe sleeping in his bedroom on Wednesday  
  
  

By CHRIS SPARGO FOR DAILYMAIL.COM 
PUBLISHED: 17:23 EDT, 15 March 2018 | UPDATED: 18:08 EDT, 15 March 2018


    



Vanessa Trump has filed for divorce from husband Donald Trump Jr after 12 years of marriage.
The 40-year-old mother-of-five submitted papers in Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday a source tells DailyMail.com.
That source said she is not asking for full custody of the children at this time. 
Vanessa was photographed outside her Manhattan apartment building on Thursday morning shortly before her divorce  papers were filed in court.


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Moving on: Vanessa Trump is seen outside her Manhattan apartment building on Thursday before filing divorce papers in a Manhattan court


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Keeping it civil: The couple have five children and a source tells DailyMail.com that Vanessa is not seeking full custody at this time


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N9othing to say: Vanessa (above) hurried into her building while someone unloaded the car


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Cake by the ocean: The family was last seen together in February when they all celebrated Don III birthday in Palm Beach (above)


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Happier times: The pair were all smiles on a family vacation to Aspen last March, but left early when their son Tristan broke his leg (Don Jr, Ivanka and Vanessa in Aspen)
Vanessa was joined by Secret Service on Thursday, who unloaded her car outside the building.

The men began taking in empty suitcases, suggesting that the children may soon be heading off on a trip over school vacation.
It is unclear if the five children will all head off with together or if the couple will split up their brood.
This will be the first time that a child of the president has entered into divorce proceedings while their father held office. 



Page Six reported on Wednesday that sources close to the pair had said that the two were leading separate lives, and had been for some time.
'The problems have been there for a long time, the couple had hoped to stay together during the president’s time in office, but it is getting harder to resolve their issues,' said one source. 
'He’s never there.'
The two have been spotted together less and less in recent months, and spent almost no time with one another over the holidays at Mar-a-Lago.
Don Jr posted a number of videos to social media during the two weeks that the pair were in Palm Beach which showed him with the couple's children but never Vanessa.
Vanessa was also absent from one of the family dinners and did not attend the annual New Year's Eve gala, with Don Jr. instead taking his son Donnie. 
It was also his birthday that night. 
Then, in February, it was revealed that Vanessa was at an apartment a few blocks away from the family's residence in Manhattan when she opened a letter addressed to her husband containing a mystery white powder.
In the wake of those reports, the two were seen together on February 13 doing the school run with their two youngest children, Chloe and Spencer.
A week later, the entire family traveled down to Mar-a-Lago for Donnie's birthday.
Don Jr posted a photo of that to Instagram which showed everyone smiling for the camera, writing: 'Happy birthday Donnie. Some birthday cake for my 9 year old little man yesterday. Somehow I hit send then but it didn’t go through.' 
Just before that trip however, Don Jr spent Valentine's Day with another lady - his daughter Kai. 
'Valentine’s Day selfie with one of my favorite Valentines. Early dinner with my girl Kai,' wrote Don Jr on Instagram.
Vanessa meanwhile was spotted out to eat with her sons Donnie and Tristan. 


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The couple had been introduced multiple times before going on their first date, with President Trump responsible for two of those introductions.
Vanessa said in a 2006 interview that he twice introduced her to his son at a facshion show in 2003, and she finallu agreed to a date when they met a third time at a mutual friend's party.
Vanessa said that she referred to Donald Jr as 'the one with retarded dad' sat the time.
Don Jr proposed to Vanessa, who was a model and actress at the time, with a $100,000 engagement ring back in 2004.
The proposal was captured by the multiple photographers alerted to the fact that Don Jr would be proposing in front of the same jewelry store from which he obtained the ring for a heavily discounted price. 
They were married at Mar-a-Lago in November 2005, though those plans were almost derailed due to Hurricane Wilma, which forced the couple to move the wedding from the club's lawn to a more sheltered space by the pool due to the damage done by high winds. 
Those nuptials took a backseat in the press however to the fact that the wedding marked one of the rare occasions when Donald and his new wife Melania came face-to-face with his ex Ivana.
Photos from the event show Donald and Melania smiling in the front row while Ivana looks less than pleased to have her picture taken as she sits next to her mother Marie. 
Prior to marrying Don Jr, Vanessa had been linked to Leonardo DiCaprio and had a small role in the film Something's Gotta Give. 
Vanessa was very much in the spotlight prior to the couple's wedding, but once the couple began to have children shifted her focus to raising their sons and daughters.
She gave birth to all five of the couple's children in a span of just seven years. 
In the wake of her father-in-law's announcement that he would be running for president, Vanessa did step out on the campaign trail a bit, and occasionally post on social media. 
Vanessa also may have provided the first clue that she and Don Jr were leading separate lives back in November when she posted a photo of her Christmas tree of Twitter and wrote: I just finished decorating our tree with my kiddies ! We are in the holiday spirit! Christmas will be here soon!'
There was no mention of her husband at all in the tweet.
She last posted a tweet that showed her with Don Jr back in June for President Trump's birthday.
News of the divorce follows a difficult Tuesday for Don Jr, who was campaigning for Rick Saccone in Pennsylvania. 
Saccone has not lost that race at this time but is behind Democrat Conor Lamb.

DonJon Jr and his wife had 5 kids in the space of 7 years, but he found the 'spare' time to travel the world 'hunting' innocent animals and campaign for politicians. Probably symptomatic of his priorities for his family. Like father, like son.

True he is as bright as his dad as well.

I bet a NDA is part of the divorce. Can you imagine the book this woman could write if she didn't need alimony to support her five kids?

You can bet on that and the prenup is air tight

I was stunned by that fact that Jr.’s wife had 5 kids in seven years. Good grief.  And he’s never home?!  Yep, like father, like son.  Got to wonder how faithful he’s been to her or how much he follow’s in daddy’s footsteps. I say good riddance to Donny the Idiot Jr.

I would bet that a big reason for her filing now is so that she gets a large lump sum settlement before Junior's assets are either frozen or put in hock (lawyers' fees and/or bail). She knows what's going on, and she knows tRump Sr will throw anybody - except maybe his crush Ivanka - under the bus.

Did you say.... Crush ?

Melania's probably jealous as hell! Do you think she'll stay with Sr much longer? I'm thinking she'll stay until he's out of office/in jail and then take the money (if there's any left) and run - unless she can find a way to stay married and never have to see him again.

  In a way I feel really sorry for her. I know she made her own bed, but....UGH!

Interesting that she's hired a criminal defence lawyer....

https://www.thecut.com/2018/03/donald-trump-jr-wife-vanessa-criminal-defense-attorney.html

http://people.com/politics/vanessa-trump-criminal-attorney-don-jr-divorce-russia-probe/



Donald Trump Jr.'s Wife Vanessa Files for Divorce After 12 Years of Marriage
Donald Trump Jr. and wife Vanessa are splitting after more than 12 years of marriage



LOGIC AND WIFE JESSICA ANDREA SPLIT AFTER 2 YEARS OF MARRIAGE: REPORT
VANESSA TRUMP WAS SISTER-IN-LAW IVANKA'S 'WONDER WOMAN' BEFORE CALLING IT QUITS WITH DONALD JR.
TRUMP SEXUAL ASSAULT ACCUSERS FIND UNLIKELY HEROINE IN STORMY DANIELS: 'SHE'S GOT A LOT OF GUTS'
TIERNEY MCAFEE 
March 16, 2018 08:00 PM
Vanessa Trump has reportedly hired a criminal defense attorney to represent her in her divorce from Donald Trump Jr., a surprising choice that sparked speculation she could be drawn into special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
The New York Post‘s Page Six, who on Wednesday broke the news of the couple’s impending divorce, reports that White Plains, New York-based criminal lawyer David Feureisen is representing Vanessa, according to paperwork filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday.
The choice seems particularly unusual given that the divorce is listed as “uncontested,” which means the split is amicable and there are no disputes to be resolved in court.
[url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpeople.com%2Fpolitics%2Fvanessa-trump-criminal-attorney-don-jr-divorce-russia-probe%2F&media=https%3A%2F%2Fpeopledotcom.files.wordpress.com%2F2018%2F03%2Fdonald-trump-jr-vanessa-1.jpg&description=Vanessa Trump Hires Criminal Attorney After Don Jr. Split. Could She Be Drawn Into Russia Probe%3F][/url]

Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump
Neena Tankha, a celebrity divorce lawyer and partner at Warshaw Burstein LLP in New York, tells PEOPLE, “There is no explanation for retaining a criminal defense attorney for a divorce case. Even when filing an uncontested divorce, the general practice is to retain a matrimonial attorney, who is familiar with the process of obtaining a Judgment of Divorce.”
Addressing social media speculation over the Russia investigation, Tanhka says that “any theories connecting her choice of attorney to the Russian probe are misplaced, since the marital communications privilege survives the termination of the marriage.”

https://twitter.com/_/status/974686773799514112

Roland Scahill

@rolandscahill

[ltr]Yeah, it’s totally normal to have a criminal defense attorney as your divorce lawyer https://pagesix.com/2018/03/16/vanessa-trump-hires-criminal-defense-attorney-for-donald-jr-divorce/ …[/ltr]




1:18 PM - Mar 16, 2018

Vanessa Trump hires criminal defense attorney for Donald Jr. divorce

She hired the lawyer just as special counsel Robert Mueller subpoenaed the president's family business.
pagesix.com

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Clara Jeffery

@ClaraJeffery

[ltr]“If it’s an amicable situation you wouldn’t be highlighting the criminal aspect” https://pagesix.com/2018/03/16/vanessa-trump-hires-criminal-defense-attorney-for-donald-jr-divorce/ …[/ltr]




12:28 PM - Mar 16, 2018

Vanessa Trump hires criminal defense attorney for Donald Jr. divorce

She hired the lawyer just as special counsel Robert Mueller subpoenaed the president's family business.
pagesix.com

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Ed Krassenstein @EdKrassen

[ltr]BREAKING: Vanessa Trump has hired a criminal defense attorney to represent her in her divorce case against Donald Trump Jr., according to @PageSix. Keep in mind that spousal privilege no longer applies to Vanessa, meaning Mueller could subpoena her to testify against Don Jr.[/ltr]




12:43 PM - Mar 16, 2018

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8h

Mark Meadows

@RepMarkMeadows




[ltr]Important story. When a lead FBI investigator (Peter Strzok) discusses his personal relationship with a FISA judge, the DOJ should not keep that kind of material from Congress, and more importantly, from the American people. We need to know. Period.http://thefederalist.com/2018/03/16/revealed-peter-strzok-had-personal-relationship-with-recused-judge-in-michael-flynn-case/ …[/ltr]

Thea@Thea2326

[ltr]#VanessaTrump hires criminal attorney in her divorce from Jr? I smell a deal to testify !!!! #Mueller #LockHimUp[/ltr]




2:49 PM - Mar 16, 2018

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The celebrity divorce lawyer explains that as a result of the impending divorce, Vanessa will no longer be able to assert spousal testimonial immunity, which would have allowed her to avoid testifying against her husband regarding allegations he colluded with Russia.
But Tanhka says Vanessa could still refuse to answer questions about their private communications during the marriage under the marital communications privilege, which survives the split.
“She may request a kicker for her to maintain those marital communications as private after the divorce,” Tanhka explains.
The divorce bombshell comes after special counsel Mueller reportedly subpoenaed the Trump Organization, which Trump Jr. and younger brother Eric took over after their father became president. The New York Times reported Thursday that Mueller is ordering the company to turn over documents, including some related to Russia.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in her Thursday press briefing that the president is cooperating with the investigation and referred further questions to the Trump Organization.
Over the summer, Trump Jr. found himself at the center of a firestorm after it was revealed that he took a meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016 with a Russian lawyer promising dirt on his father’s Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.
Trump Jr. made matters worse for himself when he tweeted screen shots of the email chain, exposing his glee (“I love it”) over the prospect of learning damaging information about Clinton. Hours later, Trump Jr. went on Fox News’ Hannity and said, “In retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently.”
Mueller’s probe has gradually been closing in on the president’s inner circle and, according to recent reports from The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, is still intensely focused on figuring out what happened during the meeting, as well as investigating President Trump’s claim that the discussion was about American adoptions of Russian children.

Just a note: Vanessa Trump's attorney does divorce work as well as practicing criminal law.

If anything does come of the investigation and she needs a criminal attorney she has one. She killed two birds with one stone.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5511731/Trump-personally-upset-failing-save-sons-marriage.html

[size=34]President Trump is 'personally upset' after failing to save Don Jr. and Vanessa's marriage, new report claims[/size]

• Trump tried to convince Vanessa that her marriage to Don Jr was worth saving, an unnamed source close to the family said
  
  
• The president allegedly knew the couple was having issues before their last public outing together on New Year's Eve for Don Jr's 40th birthday
  
  
• The source also claims the Russia probe was a factor in the couple's separation
  
  
• Vanessa filed for divorce from her husband of 12 years on Thursday
  
  
• President Trump was the one to introduce the former model to his eldest son 
  
  

By DAILYMAIL.COM REPORTER and CHRIS SPARGO FOR DAILYMAIL.COM 
PUBLISHED: 20:31 EDT, 16 March 2018 | UPDATED: 01:06 EDT, 17 March 2018

    



President Donald Trump was the one to introduce his eldest son to his soon-to-be-ex-wife.
So it should come as no surprise that the president apparently tried, to no avail, to convince Vanessa Trump that her marriage to Don Jr was worth saving.
A source close to the family told the New York Daily News that Trump 'tried to intervene with Vanessa and is 'personally upset' that he 'failed as a marriage counselor.' 


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A new report claims President Trump is 'personally upset' after failing to save his eldest son's marriage to soon-to-be-ex-wife Vanessa 


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Vanessa said that Trump twice introduced her to his son at a fashion show in 2003
Trump reportedly already knew the couple was having issues before their last outing for Don Jr's 40th birthday on New Year's Eve and asked them to try to stay together a big longer.

As previously reported, Vanessa filed divorce papers in Manhattan Supreme Court after 12 years of marriage on Thursday.
Page Six reported shortly before the pair filed for divorce that Don Jr's behavior on social media had caused problems in his relationship with Vanessa.
Many are now wondering if Vanessa could be called to testify against her estranged husband should he be indicted in the Russia probe.
'In theory, Vanessa could talk about what Donald Trump Jr. knew about the Russia investigation if spousal privilege doesn't apply, but that would take the divorce into a dark place,' said Joshua Forman, a celebrity divorce attorney at Partner at Chemtob, Moss & Forman.


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Don Jr's behavior on social media allegedly caused problems in his relationship with Vanessa


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Vanessa filed divorce papers after 12 years of marriage and five children on Thursday

'However, she may have signed a prenuptial agreement with a confidentiality clause and would thus be precluded from speaking during or after marriage.' 
And according to the source cited by the NYDN, the Russia probe itself was part of the break-up. 
'The Mueller thing didn't help,' said the insider. 'They don't need people (gossiping) about what she knows or doesn't know about Russia.' 
Also a problem in the marriage was apparently Don Jr's constant absence. While Vanessa resented having to take care of their five children on her own, Don Jr grew up with a father who was always working and saw no issue with his lifestyle, according to the NYDN source.
Don Jr acknowledged his split from wife Vanessa for the first time on Thursday evening in an Instagram post.
'No matter what is going on bedtime cuddling with the smurf puts a Yuge smile on my face. #bedtime#daddysgirl #cuddle,' he wrote alongside a photo of himself lying in bed with his daughter Chloe, the youngest of his five children.





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Don Jr is pictured on Friday for the first time since news of his impeding divorce. A source told the New York Daily News the pressure of the Russia probe 'did not' help the couple's issues


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This will be the first time that a child of the president has entered into divorce proceedings while their father held office. Vanessa is seen with the couple's two youngest children on Friday
Vanessa listed the divorce as uncontested, meaning that she is not asking for full custody of the children at this time and that Don Jr does not object to the filing.
'After 12 years of marriage, we have decided to go our separate ways,' the pair said in a joint statement.
'We will always have tremendous respect for each other and our families. We have five beautiful children together and they remain our top priority. We ask for your privacy during this time.' 
This will be the first time that a child of the president has entered into divorce proceedings while their father held office. 
The couple had been introduced multiple times before going on their first date, with President Trump responsible for two of those introductions.
Vanessa said in a 2006 interview that he twice introduced her to his son at a fashion show in 2003, and she finally agreed to a date when they met a third time at a mutual friend's party.


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Vanessa listed the divorce as uncontested, meaning that she is not asking for full custody of the children at this time and that Don Jr does not object to the filing


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Happier times: Don Jr proposed to Vanessa, who was a model and actress at the time, with a $100,000 engagement ring back in 2004



She said that she referred to Don Jr as 'the one with retarded dad' at the time.
Don Jr proposed to Vanessa, who was a model and actress at the time, with a $100,000 engagement ring back in 2004.
The proposal was captured by the multiple photographers alerted to the fact that Don Jr would be proposing in front of the same jewelry store from which he obtained the ring for a heavily discounted price. 
Prior to marrying Don Jr, Vanessa had been linked to Leonardo DiCaprio and had a small role in the film Something's Gotta Give.
Vanessa was very much in the spotlight prior to the couple's wedding, but once the couple began to have children shifted her focus to raising their sons and daughters.


+9


In the wake of her father-in-law's announcement that he would be running for president, Vanessa did step out on the campaign trail a bit, and occasionally post on social media
She gave birth to all five of the couple's children in a span of just seven years.
In the wake of her father-in-law's announcement that he would be running for president, Vanessa did step out on the campaign trail a bit, and occasionally post on social media.
Vanessa also may have provided the first clue that she and Don Jr were leading separate lives back in November when she posted a photo of her Christmas tree of Twitter and wrote: 'I just finished decorating our tree with my kiddies ! We are in the holiday spirit! Christmas will be here soon!'
There was no mention of her husband at all in the tweet.
She last posted a tweet that showed her with Don Jr back in June for President Trump's birthday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5512029/U-S-Attorney-General-Sessions-fires-former-FBI-no-2-McCabe.html

[size=34]Trump celebrates the firing of 'choirboy' FBI deputy McCabe days before his retirement claiming he knew of 'corruption at the highest level' - but ex-director says White House is at 'war' with the agency[/size]

• Jeff Sessions fired McCabe late Friday saying he had likely lied under oath
  
  
• It came just two days before McCabe was due to retire, cancelling his pension 
  
  
• Full government pension was said to be worth about $1.8million
  
  
• He was involved in Clinton email investigation and Russia meddling probe
  
  
• McCabe blasts firing saying he'd been 'singled out' in Trump's 'war' on the FBI
  
  
• Trump replies its 'a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI'
  
  
• Nunes memo said McCabe testified that FBI did not rely on 'dirty dossier'
  
  
• That memo also alleged the dossier was a key piece of FBI's FISA application 
  
  
• McCabe took leave from FBI in January days before that memo was released
  
  
• Full inspector general report on potential FBI malfeasance due in coming weeks
  
  
• Comes amid mounting calls for second special counsel to investigate FISA court 
  
  

By KEITH GRIFFITH FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and REUTERS
PUBLISHED: 22:07 EDT, 16 March 2018 | UPDATED: 02:20 EDT, 17 March 2018

    

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has fired Andrew McCabe, the FBI's former No. 2 official who was deeply involved in the agency's investigations of Hillary Clinton and Russia's role in the 2016 US election. 
Sessions announced the firing on Friday, saying that an investigation indicated that McCabe had lied under oath - a major ethical violation for an FBI official and potentially a criminal offense.
President Donald Trump, who has long called for McCabe's firing but said the decision was up to Sessions, chimed in just after midnight on Twitter, calling the ouster 'a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI - A great day for Democracy.'
'Sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy. He knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!' Trump continued. Trump fired Comey as FBI director last May.

The latest sacking came just two days before McCabe planned to retire after more than 20 years of FBI service, yanking the full government pension he would have otherwise qualified for. The pension was said to be worth about $1.8million. 
Sessions explained McCabe's firing by saying that the Justice Department Inspector General and FBI's Office of Professional Responsibility - an office stacked with career employees and McCabe loyalists - had found serious lapses on McCabe's part.
Scroll down for video 


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Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe (above) was fired on Friday, just two days before he was set to get a full pension. He claimed he'd been 'singled out' in Trump's 'war' on the FBI


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AG Jeff Sessions (above) said that internal DOJ and FBI investigations into McCabe's conduct had concluded that he had 'lacked candor - including under oath - on multiple occasions'


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President Donald Trump (pictured on Thursday) has long voiced complaints about McCabe



'Based on the report of the Inspector General, the findings of the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility, and the recommendation of the Department's senior career official, I have terminated the employment of Andrew McCabe effective immediately,' said Sessions. 
Sessions said in a statement that investigators 'concluded that Mr. McCabe had made an unauthorized disclosure to the news media and lacked candor - including under oath - on multiple occasions.' 
The move to fire McCabe was made on the recommendation of FBI disciplinary officials and comes ahead of an IG report expected to conclude that McCabe was not forthcoming with the watchdog office as it reviewed the bureau's handling of the Clinton's email investigation. 
McCabe immediately disputed the findings in his own statement, saying the firing was part of a Trump administration 'war' on the FBI.
'I am being singled out and treated this way because of the role I played, the actions I took, and the events I witnessed in the aftermath of the firing of James Comey,' McCabe said, referring to the former FBI director who was fired by Trump last May.  
'The release of this report was accelerated only after my testimony to the House Intelligence Committee revealed that I would corroborate former Director Comey’s accounts of his discussions with the President.
'The OIG’s (Office of Inspector General) focus on me and this report became a part of an unprecedented effort by the Administration, driven by the President himself, to remove me from my position, destroy my reputation, and possibly strip me of a pension that I worked 21 years to earn.' 
McCabe served as acting FBI director from May 9 to August 2 of 2017, between Comey's firing and Christopher Wray's confirmation in that role.

On Thursday, the White House signaled that it took a dim view of former FBI Deputy Director McCabe's eleventh-hour effort to avoid being fired just days before his retirement was due to begin and he qualified for a lucrative government pension. 
At the same time, the Trump administration made it clear that the president isn't eager to take responsibility for firing him.
'That's a determination that we would leave up to Attorney General [Jeff] Sessions,' White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Thursday.
'But we do think that it is well-documented that he has had some very troubling behavior. And by most accounts [he's] a bad actor and should have some causes for concern.' 
Terminating McCabe 'would be a decision that the Department of Justice would have to make,' Sanders added, punting the ball down Constitution Avenue. 


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White House press secretary Sarah Sanders called McCabe a 'bad actor' on Thursday, referring to his decision to allow FBI officials to speak to reporters about a Clinton Foundation investigation in 2016
[size=3]0%
P[/size]

McCabe had planned to retire on Sunday with full benefits.
He stepped down from his active DOJ role on January 29, but had continued to draw a salary in advance of his planned retirement date following a 22-year federal law enforcement career.
His leave from active duty notably coincided with the public release of the House Intelligence Committee memo on alleged FBI abuses of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) warrants, which came out on February 2.
The memo alleged that McCabe signed one of the four FISC applications to conduct surveillance on former Trump campaign advisor Carter Page.

[size=34]Andrew McCabe full statement on being fired by Jeff Sessions[/size]

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe released the following statement following his firing on March 16, 2017 for alleged 'lack of candor' under oath:  
I have been an FBI Special Agent for over 21 years. I spent half of that time investigating Russian Organized Crime as a street agent and Supervisor in New York City. I have spent the second half of my career focusing on national security issues and protecting this country from terrorism. I served in some of the most challenging, demanding investigative and leadership roles in the FBI. And I was privileged to serve as Deputy Director during a particularly tough time.
For the last year and a half, my family and I have been the targets of an unrelenting assault on our reputation and my service to this country. Articles too numerous to count have leveled every sort of false, defamatory and degrading allegation against us. The president’s tweets have amplified and exacerbated it all. He called for my firing. He called for me to be stripped of my pension after more than 20 years of service. And all along we have said nothing, never wanting to distract from the mission of the FBI by addressing the lies told and repeated about it.
No more.
The investigation by the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) has to be understood in the context of the attacks on my credibility. The investigation flows from my attempt to explain the FBI’s involvement and my supervision of investigations involving Hillary Clinton. I was being portrayed in the media over and over as a political partisan, accused of closing down investigations under political pressure. The FBI was portrayed as caving under that pressure, and making decisions for political rather than law enforcement purposes. Nothing was further from the truth. In fact, this entire investigation stems from my efforts, fully authorized under FBI rules, to set the record straight on behalf of the Bureau and to make it clear that we were continuing an investigation that people in DOJ opposed.
The OIG investigation has focused on information I chose to share with a reporter through my public affairs officer and a legal counselor. As Deputy Director, I was one of only a few people who had the authority to do that. It was not a secret, it took place over several days, and others, including the Director, were aware of the interaction with the reporter. It was the same type of exchange with the media that the Deputy Director oversees several times per week. In fact it was the same type of work that I continued to do under Director Wray, at his request. The investigation subsequently focused on who I talked to, when I talked to them, and so forth. During these inquiries, I answered questions truthfully and as accurately as I could amidst the chaos that surrounded me. And when I thought my answers were misunderstood, I contacted investigators to correct them.
But looking at that in isolation completely misses the big picture. The big picture is a tale of what can happen when law enforcement is politicized, public servants are attacked, and people who are supposed to cherish and protect our institutions become instruments for damaging those institutions and people.
Here is the reality: I am being singled out and treated this way because of the role I played, the actions I took, and the events I witnessed in the aftermath of the firing of James Comey. The release of this report was accelerated only after my testimony to the House Intelligence Committee revealed that I would corroborate former Director Comey’s accounts of his discussions with the President. The OIG’s focus on me and this report became a part of an unprecedented effort by the Administration, driven by the President himself, to remove me from my position, destroy my reputation, and possibly strip me of a pension that I worked 21 years to earn. The accelerated release of the report, and the punitive actions taken in response, make sense only when viewed through this lens. Thursday’s comments from the White House are just the latest example of this.
This attack on my credibility is one part of a larger effort not just to slander me personally, but to taint the FBI, law enforcement, and intelligence professionals more generally. It is part of this Administration’s ongoing war on the FBI and the efforts of the Special Counsel investigation, which continue to this day. Their persistence in this campaign only highlights the importance of the Special Counsel’s work.
I have always prided myself on serving my country with distinction and integrity, and I have always encouraged those around me to do the same. Just ask them. To have my career end in this way, and to be accused of lacking candor when at worst I was distracted in the midst of chaotic events, is incredibly disappointing and unfair. But it will not erase the important work I was prevailed to be a part of, the results of which will in the end be revealed for the country to see.
I have unfailing faith in the men and women of the FBI and I am confident that their efforts to seek justice will not be deterred.
 




Those applications all cited the 'dirty dossier' funded by Hillary Clinton's campaign and complied by British ex-spy Christopher Steele. 
The memo read in part: 'Furthermore, Deputy Director McCabe testified before the Committee in December 2017 that no surveillance warrant would have been sought from the FISC without the Steele dossier information.'
On Thursday, McCabe was summoned to the Justice Department to plead his case in an effort to preserve his pension.
Sessions didn't meet with him personally, but McCabe sat down with senior attorneys in the department.
Trump has complained repeatedly about Sessions, carping that his unexpected recusal from investigations into claims of Trump campaign collusion with Russians sparked an independent counsel probe that he sees as needless and intrusive.  
Trump has frequently singled out McCabe in arguing that FBI leadership is biased against his administration.
He attacked McCabe during his White House campaign trail, following the revelation that his wife had accepted campaign contributions from the political action committee of then-Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton ally, during a failed state Senate run.   
'Problem is that the acting head of the FBI & the person in charge of the Hillary investigation, Andrew McCabe, got $700,000 from H for wife!' Trump tweeted last July. 
The FBI has said McCabe received ethics approval and was not overseeing the Clinton investigation at the time.






The DOJ's Office of Inspector General, which investigated the FBI's handling of the Hillary Clinton classified email affair for more than a year, reportedly concluded that McCabe authorized FBI officials to speak with a journalist for an October 2016 story in The Wall Street Journal.
The IG report, which led to the disciplinary recommendation against McCabe, has not yet been publicly released.
McCabe played key supervisory roles at the FBI during major events including the Boston Marathon bombing. 
The Justice Department sidestepped questions about McCabe on Thursday, telling the Associated Press only that it 'follows a prescribed process by which an employee may be terminated.'
'That process includes recommendations from career employees and no termination decision is final until the conclusion of that process,' an agency spokeswoman said.

That statement from McCabe is everything we need to know.............

Someone keeps reminding me of the playground bully

He is a  bully , coward and a liar and this piece of crap is running our country into the ground.

He will hire people who do as he says and only agrees with him that is why there are so many firings. And congress
is just going along with the nonsense.