Today's News: January 19, 2018

World News

Russia to Decommission Two Largest Nuclear Subs in the World – Source
Sputnik – The submarines have already been withdrawn from operational status in the Russian Navy as their further use is unprofitable. The two largest nuclear-powered submarines of Project 941 (the Akula code) Arkhangelsk and Severstal are planned to be decommissioned, a source in the shipbuilding industry told RIA Novosti. “Their further operation is unprofitable: they have already been withdrawn from the Navy, Rosatom is to decommission them after 2020,” the source said.
Chilean protests, threats ‘unprecedented’ for papal visit
Christian Science Monitor – As he does during every papal visit, Pope Francis produced plenty of surprises in Chile: He married a couple during a flight, stopped his motorcade to help a fallen police officer, and wept with victims of sex abuse by priests. But the pope also faced protests and a level of hostility unheard of in modern times for a papal visit. Anti-pope protests had to be broken up with tear gas, attackers burned at least 11 Roman Catholic churches, and pamphlets were found threatening Francis that the “next bomb would be in your cassock.” “This kind of violence during a papal visit is absolutely unprecedented. And Chile is historically a very solidly Catholic nation,” said Andrew Chesnut, the Catholic studies chair at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Russia ‘moving’ military observers in Syria’s Afrin
Al Jazeera – Russia has started moving military observers away from an area in northwestern Syria where Turkey is planning an offensive against Kurdish fighters, a Turkish official told Al Jazeera.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Mattis says US competitive warfighting edge has eroded
AP – Countering China’s rapidly expanding military and an increasingly aggressive Russia are now the U.S. military’s top national security priorities, outpacing the threat of terrorism, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Friday. He said competition with those adversaries has threatened America’s military advantage around the world. Laying out a broad new strategy for the Defense Department, Mattis warned that all aspects of the military’s competitive warfighting edge have eroded. He said building a force that can deter war with established and emerging military powers in Moscow and Beijing, and U.S. enemies such as North Korea and Iran will require increased investment to make the military more lethal, agile and ready to fight.
Comey to Teach College Course on Ethical Leadership
Newsmax – Ousted FBI Director James Comey will teach a course on ethical leadership at his alma mater, the College of William & Mary, The Washington Post is reporting. Comey, who was fired by President Donald Trump last year, will teach the course this fall and in the spring and summer of 2019, according to the newspaper. The course will be offered through the school’s Washington center and is open to students at the Williamsburg, Va., college.
US shutdown: Senate bill on verge of collapse amid rancour
BBC – The Republican-controlled Senate’s bid to avert a US government shutdown is teetering on the brink of collapse as it races against a midnight deadline. The House of Representatives voted 230-197 on Thursday night for a budget bill to extend funding until next month. But the upper chamber is set for a nail-biting vote, with Republicans and Democrats still split on immigration. President Donald Trump has called off a trip to his Florida golf club this weekend until a deal can be struck. He has invited Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer to the White House for last-ditch talks.
Kentucky House Passes Bill to Put Limits on Drones, Help Thwart Federal Surveillance Program
Activist Post – Yesterday, the Kentucky House unanimously passed a bill that would require police to get a warrant before engaging in drone surveillance in most situations. Final passage of this legislation would not only establish important privacy protections at the state level, it would also help thwart the federal surveillance state. Rep. Diane St. Onge (R-Lakeside Park) and Rep. Reginald Meeks (D-Louisville) introduced House Bill 22 (HB22) on Jan. 2. The legislation would prohibit the use of a drone for a “search” unless authorized under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Section 10 of the Kentucky Constitution. This would require police to get a warrant before conducting drone surveillance in most situations. In order for the search to be valid, the warrant would have to specifically authorize the use of an unmanned aircraft system. The proposed law would require police to minimize data collection on non-suspects and would prohibit the disclosure of any such data without a court order.

Economy & Business

Bitcoin is a ‘Project of US Intelligence,’ Kaspersky Lab Co-Founder Claims
Sputnik – Natalya Kaspersky claimed that Bitcoin was designed to provide financing for US and British intelligence activities around the world. The expert called the cryptocurrency “dollar 2.0.”
The Bitcoin cryptocurrency was developed by “American intelligence agencies,” Natalya Kaspersky, CEO of the InfoWatch group of companies and specialist in cyber security systems, said during her presentation at ITMO University in St. Petersburg. Kaspersky was giving a speech on information wars and digital sovereignty. Photos of her presentation entitled “Modern technologies – the basis for information and cyber-wars,” have been published on social media.

Health

Use Breathwork Techniques to Boost Your Mental State
Dr. Axe – Breathwork is a way of changing your breathing patterns in order to influence how you’re feeling and improve your mental and even physical health. Breathwork draws from eastern practices like Tai Chi and yoga — if you’ve done breathing exercises in a yoga class, you’re already familiar with a bit of breathwork. You can find breathing exercises here. As breathwork techniques, pursed lip breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, yoga breathing, 4-7-8 breaths and breath counting are all really effective ways of practicing breathwork anywhere you
Are.
Breathwork Benefits: