Today's News: September 18, 2018

World News

Afghan Taliban Launches Deadly Attacks amid Peace Negotiations
Breitbart – Multiple Taliban attacks on police and military bases and checkpoints in different parts of Afghanistan reportedly left at least 27 members of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) dead, Afghan officials revealed on Monday.

Donald Trump Warns China Against Hurting Farmers, Ranchers, and Industrial Workers with Tariffs
Breitbart – President Donald Trump warned China on Monday against retaliating to the latest round of economic tariffs with additional tariffs of their own.

Greece to move 2,000 out of overcrowded Lesbos migrant camp
Fox – Some 2,000 asylum-seekers will be moved out of a severely overcrowded migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos this month, a Greek official said Tuesday as charities slammed conditions at the camp, which has raw sewage running out of its main entrance.

North Korea state media blasts US ‘gangster logic’ hours before Kim Jong Un praises June summit with Trump
Fox – Hours after his state media apparatus blasted the United States for spewing “gangster-like” rhetoric that has “deadlocked” denuclearization talks, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un credited the “historic” June summit with President Trump as helping to stabilize the region.

U.S. News, Politics & Government

Suspending the Constitution: In America Today, the Government Does Whatever It Wants
John Whitehead – “That was when they suspended the Constitution. They said it would be temporary. There wasn’t even any rioting in the streets. People stayed home at night, watching television, looking for some direction. There wasn’t even an enemy you could put your finger on.”—Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale
We can pretend that the Constitution, which was written to hold the government accountable, is still our governing document.
The reality we must come to terms with, however, is that in the America we live in today, the government does whatever it wants, freedom be damned.
“We the people” have been terrorized, traumatized, and tricked into a semi-permanent state of compliance by a government that cares nothing for our lives or our liberties.
The bogeyman’s names and faces may change over time (terrorism, the war on drugs, illegal immigration, etc.), but the end result remains the same: our unquestioning acquiescence to anything the government wants to do in exchange for the phantom promise of safety and security.
Thus, in the so-called named of national security, the Constitution has been steadily chipped away at, undermined, eroded, whittled down, and generally discarded to such an extent that what we are left with today is but a shadow of the robust document adopted more than two centuries ago.
Most of the damage, however, has been inflicted upon the Bill of Rights—the first ten amendments to the Constitution—which historically served as the bulwark from government abuse.
A recitation of the Bill of Rights—set against a backdrop of government surveillance, militarized police, SWAT team raids, asset forfeiture, eminent domain, overcriminalization, armed surveillance drones, whole body scanners, stop and frisk searches (all sanctioned by Congress, the White House, the courts and the like)—would understandably sound more like a eulogy to freedoms lost than an affirmation of rights we truly possess.

Nike Outlet Calls Police on Man Waving Pro-Police Flag Outside Store
Breitbart – A Little Rock, Arkansas, Nike outlet called police last Friday after a man waving a pro-police flag appeared outside the store, a report says.

Andrew McCabe Reveals Book Title, Claims Trump ‘Undermining America’s Safety’
Breitbart – Fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, who is currently under federal investigation for improper media disclosures, will release a book this winter chronicling his time at the bureau and serve up harsh criticism of President Donald Trump.

Project Veritas unmasks anti-Trump ‘deep state’ fighter
Activist Post – James O’Keefe’s Project Veritas released a video Tuesday of a member of the anti-Trump “deep state,” a career civil servant who says on camera he is there to work not for American taxpayers but the Democratic Socialists of America.

Trump administration sets refugee cap at 30,000
Washington Times – The Trump administration said it will admit no more than 30,000 refugees next year, the lowest cap in history, making good on a presidential promise and enraging immigrant rights activists, who said the U.S. is shirking its global duty.

House passes bill to create terrorist registry
WND – A bill that targets the problem of “radicalization” by creating a national terrorist registry passed the House of Representatives.
It would help the United States track dozens of convicted terrorists whose prison terms are nearing completion, points out Patrick Dunleavy, a former deputy inspector general for the New York State Department of Corrections.
The Terrorist Release Announcements to Counter Extremist Recidivism Act, or TRACER, would direct the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department to inform state and local authorities of anticipated release dates and where the released terrorists will live.

Kavanaugh accuser has not yet accepted invitation to testify before Congress
Fox – Much has been made of Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford’s invitation to testify before an open hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee next week — but it’s not set in stone yet she will actually come.

UC-Berkeley police were told not to use student restrooms during Milo protest: officer
Fox – A University of California Berkeley Police Department employee said officers endured “dehumanizing and bullying behavior” when they were told not to use public restrooms during a demonstration on campus because their presence was “upsetting” students.
The unnamed UCPD security patrol officer, who has 25 years of campus community service, sent the email to UCB Chancellor Carol Christ last September — amid right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos’ 2017 appearance on campus — saying he’s “never been treated with such disrespect and disregard,” according to a document obtained by a Young America’s Foundation (YAF) public-records request.
The officer said, aside from violating the law, restricting police officers and employees “from using a publicly accessible restroom, in a publicly accessible building is unconscionable.”

Ex-Oklahoma state senator gets 15-year prison sentence for child sex trafficking
Fox – A former Republican state senator in Oklahoma was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison Monday for child sex trafficking.

Economy & Business

Senate backs bill to avert shutdown, boost military spending
Fox – The Senate has approved a wide-ranging $854 billion bill that provides a fix to keep the government open through Dec. 7 and funds the military and a host of civilian agencies.

China Retaliates! Levies Tariffs on $60B in U.S. Goods
Breitbart – China lobbed retaliatory tariffs on $60 billion in U.S. imports Tuesday after the U.S. announced new tariffs across $200 billion in Chinese goods.

Science & Technology

New Mexico Suing Google & Twitter for Knowingly and Illegally Exploiting Children Online
As YouTube, Google, and Twitter crack down on peaceful channels, censor alternative media, and allow child exploitation videos to flourish, New Mexico has filed a lawsuit against them and several app developers for illegally collecting data from children under the age of 13 without parental consent.
According to UPI, New Mexico Attorney General Balderas said the companies are violating the 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a federal law, by collecting and selling the data on children.
“These apps can track where children live, play, and go to school with incredible precision,” Balderas said of the insidious practice. “These multi-million-dollar tech companies partnering with app developers are taking advantage of New Mexican children, and the unacceptable risk of data breach and access from third parties who seek to exploit and harm our children will not be tolerated in New Mexico.”

Privacy Violation Alert: Google Admits To Changing Phone Settings Remotely
Activist Post – Google has apologized after admitting to changing the settings on Android users phones remotely and without the phone owners’ permission. Several Android users noticed their battery saver setting had been activated last week without their consent.
Most of the affected posters on Reddit described having a Google Pixel device. Other brands of Android devices were also mentioned, including the Essential Phone, which was designed by one of the creators of Android. Google Pixel phone users were surprised to see their phones’ battery saver function turned on while the battery is at 99% without them turning it on. This unusual incident was first reported by the Android Police, who said that a “substantial” number of Pixel owners complained about such a thing happening, according to the Business Times.

Health

Syphilis cases up 44 percent in California county
Fox – Health officials are attempting to combat a record-high number of syphilis cases in San Joaquin County after the area saw a 44 percent increase from 2016 to 2017, making it the second highest in the state.

Breast milk is the BEST protection against bacterial infections in nursing babies
NaturalNews – Babies need to be breastfed because breast milk contains antibodies that can help them fight off various illnesses. According to a study, breast milk can also help nursing infants fight off bacterial infections.
Data from the study, which involved researchers from Vanderbilt University, revealed that this is possible due to a complex mixture of fats, proteins, and sugars in breast milk. The study was published in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases.

Household Chemicals Tied to Kidney Problems
Newsmax Health – Widely used household and industrial chemicals may harm the kidneys, researchers say.
These manufactured chemicals, called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are not biodegradable. People are exposed to them through contaminated soil, food, water, and air.
“The kidneys are very sensitive organs, particularly when it comes to environmental toxins that can get in our bloodstream,” said study author Dr. John Stanifer of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
“Because so many people are exposed to these PFAS chemicals, and to the newer, increasingly produced alternative PFAS agents such as GenX, it is critical to understand if and how these chemicals may contribute to kidney disease,” Stanifer said.

Find Out How Fennel Tea May Work Wonders for You
Mercola – Fennel has been linked to numerous health benefits because of its high concentration of anethole, estragole, phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals and volatile compounds.9,10 Fennel tea may help:11,12,13
Reduce spasms in the gut and other parts of the body — This is due to its antispasmodic effects.14,15
Improve digestion — Fennel tea has long been utilized as a digestive aid. It’s said to help expel gas,16 reduce bloating and cramping, stimulate the digestive process17 and ensure maximum nutrient uptake.
Help relieve constipation — Fennel tea may help relax digestive muscles,18 and assist in cleansing the body and moving toxins through the system.19
Detoxify the body — Fennel may work as a blood cleanser and diuretic20 that keeps the kidneys and liver healthy, and may eliminate toxins found in these organs.21
Raise the amount of antioxidants in the body — Antioxidants in fennel tea may help the body combat harmful toxins you’re exposed to22 and fight harmful oxidative damage.23
Enhance immunity — Fennel has powerful antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal effects,24 and has been linked to combating flu and colds.25,26
Decrease inflammation — Fennel tea is said to possess anti-inflammatory properties that may target sore and inflamed gums, and address pain caused by gout and arthritis.27
Protect the eyes — Fennel tea may assist with addressing poor eyesight, while its antibacterial and immune-boosting properties may shield the eyes from conditions like macular degeneration and cataracts.28
Help address respiratory distress — Fennel tea may work as an expectorant.29,30
Lower blood pressure levels — Nitrites found in fennel seeds may play a role in stimulating vascular effects within the body.31
Balance hormone levels — Compounds in fennel tea are known to possess estrogen-like qualities that may lead to a balancing effect on female hormones.
Help with breast milk production — Fennel has been utilized as a galactagogue, or a substance that increases the quality and quantity of breastmilk.32
Potentially help babies with colic — For babies with colic, fennel tea may be a good remedy.33 Research has suggested that this drink may assist with reducing its symptoms.34
Reduce weight — Fennel tea may help with weight loss through different mechanisms. It may promote urination (as fennel is a good diuretic),35 help prevent water retention36 and aid in regulating appetite.
Assist with better sleep — It’s said that fennel tea can relax the muscles and help the person feel more ready to sleep.37
Freshen breath — The tea’s antibacterial properties assist in cleansing pathogens that cause bad breath.38