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Information from some sites may not be reliable, or may not be vetted.
Some sources may require subscription.
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from BBC News (UK)
LEFT-CENTER BIAS
The Church of England has apologised to the relatives of a bishop for the way it investigated child abuse claims made against him decades after his death. Former Bishop of Chichester George Bell, who died in 1958, was alleged to have repeatedly abused a young girl. She made a formal complaint in 1995 and, 10 years later, won an apology and compensation from the Church. A report into the handling of the case has criticised the Church's actions, describing its process as "deficient".
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from CNSNews.com (& MRC & NewsBusters)
RIGHT BIAS
Snotty Chris Cuomo Ignores Evidence, Taunts GOP for Calling Out Bias in FBI Investigation
Republican Congressman Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was grilled by the tirelessly snarky CNN anchor, Chris Cuomo, in a lengthy 13-minute- “interview” on Friday morning's New Day. From the very beginning, Gaetz was attacked, insulted, interrupted, and berated by Cuomo over his “partisan” position calling for Mueller to be fired for conflicts of interest on the Russia probe.
NBC’s Mitchell Paints Iran Threat as Just a Political Ploy By Trump
In a shocking press conference on Thursday, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley presented the press an Iran-constructed missile that was fired at the Riyadh airport deep inside Saudi Arabia by extremists in Yemen. The point of the press conference was to show just how much of a threat Iran was to the region with their supplies of military hardware to terrorists. But NBC’s Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell didn’t seem to buy it.
Snotty Chris Cuomo Ignores Evidence, Taunts GOP for Calling Out Bias in FBI Investigation
Republican Congressman Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was grilled by the tirelessly snarky CNN anchor, Chris Cuomo, in a lengthy 13-minute- “interview” on Friday morning's New Day. From the very beginning, Gaetz was attacked, insulted, interrupted, and berated by Cuomo over his “partisan” position calling for Mueller to be fired for conflicts of interest on the Russia probe.
NBC’s Mitchell Paints Iran Threat as Just a Political Ploy By Trump
In a shocking press conference on Thursday, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley presented the press an Iran-constructed missile that was fired at the Riyadh airport deep inside Saudi Arabia by extremists in Yemen. The point of the press conference was to show just how much of a threat Iran was to the region with their supplies of military hardware to terrorists. But NBC’s Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell didn’t seem to buy it.
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from Freedom Foundation (WA)
Nonprofit Organization in Olympia, Washington
Has the legislature fixed public education?
With House Bill 2242 becoming law, the Washington State Legislature adopted the final elements of a plan to fully fund public education and satisfy the Washington Supreme Court in the case of McCleary v. State of Washington. The court agreed, stating, “The 2017 legislature enacted a funding system that, when fully implemented, will achieve constitutional compliance according to the benchmarks that have consistently guided judicial oversight.” The plan and the increases in recent years are stunning, but those who care about services for children are wise to have some lingering questions.
With House Bill 2242 becoming law, the Washington State Legislature adopted the final elements of a plan to fully fund public education and satisfy the Washington Supreme Court in the case of McCleary v. State of Washington. The court agreed, stating, “The 2017 legislature enacted a funding system that, when fully implemented, will achieve constitutional compliance according to the benchmarks that have consistently guided judicial oversight.” The plan and the increases in recent years are stunning, but those who care about services for children are wise to have some lingering questions.
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from The Guardian (UK)
LEFT-CENTER BIAS, HIGH, daily newspaper
Anglican church 'rushed to judgment' in George Bell child abuse case
Lord Carlile report says Church of England was wrong to accept claims of alleged victim against former bishop ‘without sufficient investigations’.
How to eat: pork pie
In the Midlands, pork pie is a traditional Christmas breakfast. But could you face it first thing? Must it always be served cold? Or do you scarf it with chips and gravy?
Anglican church 'rushed to judgment' in George Bell child abuse case
Lord Carlile report says Church of England was wrong to accept claims of alleged victim against former bishop ‘without sufficient investigations’.
How to eat: pork pie
In the Midlands, pork pie is a traditional Christmas breakfast. But could you face it first thing? Must it always be served cold? Or do you scarf it with chips and gravy?
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from The Heritage Foundation
RIGHT BIAS, MIXED, think tank in Washington, D.C
The High Tide of Red Tape Ebbs Under Trump’s Ambitious Deregulatory Push
The Trump administration on Thursday released an ambitious regulatory agenda that commits federal agencies to more than 400 deregulatory actions in fiscal 2018, and to cutting future regulatory costs to the private sector by $9.8 billion. There is urgent need for reform. Regulation acts as a stealth tax on the American people and the U.S. economy and exacts an incalculable toll on individual liberty.
How Tariffs and Regressive Trade Policies Hurt the Poor
With round 5 of NAFTA negotiations behind us, Americans can begin to look forward to round 6 in Montreal in the second half of January. While all Americans stand to benefit from free trade, we must not lose sight of who has the most to lose. Tariffs are just taxes on Americans by another name. However, some Americans shoulder a larger burden under protectionism than others. The future of American prosperity is intertwined with the freedom to trade. The U.S. can embrace free trade, or we can run from it. If we run, the poorest Americans will be hurt the most.
Tax Reform Bill Would Give Back Alaskans Control of Their Energy Future
In a compromise tax reform package, Senate and House negotiators have agreed to include language to open Alaska’s coastal plain for energy exploration and production. If passed, the bill would finally give Alaskans more control over their energy future by opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). It’s long past time that Congress empower the people who have a direct stake in the wise management of land, natural resources, and the environment.
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The High Tide of Red Tape Ebbs Under Trump’s Ambitious Deregulatory Push
The Trump administration on Thursday released an ambitious regulatory agenda that commits federal agencies to more than 400 deregulatory actions in fiscal 2018, and to cutting future regulatory costs to the private sector by $9.8 billion. There is urgent need for reform. Regulation acts as a stealth tax on the American people and the U.S. economy and exacts an incalculable toll on individual liberty.
How Tariffs and Regressive Trade Policies Hurt the Poor
With round 5 of NAFTA negotiations behind us, Americans can begin to look forward to round 6 in Montreal in the second half of January. While all Americans stand to benefit from free trade, we must not lose sight of who has the most to lose. Tariffs are just taxes on Americans by another name. However, some Americans shoulder a larger burden under protectionism than others. The future of American prosperity is intertwined with the freedom to trade. The U.S. can embrace free trade, or we can run from it. If we run, the poorest Americans will be hurt the most.
Tax Reform Bill Would Give Back Alaskans Control of Their Energy Future
In a compromise tax reform package, Senate and House negotiators have agreed to include language to open Alaska’s coastal plain for energy exploration and production. If passed, the bill would finally give Alaskans more control over their energy future by opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). It’s long past time that Congress empower the people who have a direct stake in the wise management of land, natural resources, and the environment.
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from The Kansas City Star
Kansas Dem Andrea Ramsey, accused of sexual harassment, will drop out of U.S. House race
“In its rush to claim the high ground in our roiling national conversation about harassment, the Democratic Party has implemented a zero tolerance standard,” Ramsey said in a statement Friday. “For me, that means a vindictive, terminated employee’s false allegations are enough for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) to decide not to support our promising campaign. We are in a national moment where rough justice stands in place of careful analysis, nuance and due process.”
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Kansas Dem Andrea Ramsey, accused of sexual harassment, will drop out of U.S. House race
“In its rush to claim the high ground in our roiling national conversation about harassment, the Democratic Party has implemented a zero tolerance standard,” Ramsey said in a statement Friday. “For me, that means a vindictive, terminated employee’s false allegations are enough for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) to decide not to support our promising campaign. We are in a national moment where rough justice stands in place of careful analysis, nuance and due process.”
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from Kim Komando
My take on net neutrality - Do you agree?
As you are no doubt aware, the FCC voted 3-2 on Thursday, to repeal the 2 1/2-year-old Net Neutrality rules. I’ll admit that the coined phrase, “Net Neutrality” certainly sounded good.
My take on net neutrality - Do you agree?
As you are no doubt aware, the FCC voted 3-2 on Thursday, to repeal the 2 1/2-year-old Net Neutrality rules. I’ll admit that the coined phrase, “Net Neutrality” certainly sounded good.
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from MSN News
In a move that could fundamentally reshape the internet — and spur a new wave of legal wrangling — the Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to repeal its net-neutrality rules.
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from Orthodox Christianity
Organization in Moscow, Russia
The city of Nazareth has announced that it is canceling certain Christmas celebrations as a form of protest against President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to move the U.S. embassy to the Holy City. President Trump announced the move last week, reversing decades of U.S. policy. The decision has been condemned by political and religious leaders throughout the world and has already seen a series of protests and responses throughout the world. Within an hour of the announcement, the Palestinian towns of Christ’s birthplace of Bethlehem and Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank briefly switched off their Christmas lights in protest.
The Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church held its December session yesterday and today, under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, at which it addressed the communiqué of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on its decision to become the “Mother Church” of the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church.
The actively-participating churches of the Estonian Council of Churches (ECC) has adopted a resolution on the necessity of introducing a definition of marriage into the constitution as the union of a man and a woman. Among the member churches is the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. The ECC decided at a local session that it considers it necessary to introduce into the national constitution a definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, according to the council’s Executive Secretary Ruudi Leinus. He also stated that the council will begin preparations for the constitutional amendment, but could not say when the proposal would go to the Riigikogu, the unicameral Estonian parliament.
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from Psephizo
Community
Is Jerusalem important?
Donald Trump made the headlines last week by announcing that he was ordering the US Embassy in Israel to relocate from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Anything involving an announcement by Trump is bound to be incoherent, and the situation in the near east is immensely complex, so you can guarantee that there was going to be a heap of confusion about this. There is absolutely no doubt that the decision has inflamed opinion and, in the short term at least, made violence more likely and pushed further into the distance any possibility of the beginnings of a real peace process. There are several things we need to be aware of as part of the context for this announcement.
Is Jerusalem important?
Donald Trump made the headlines last week by announcing that he was ordering the US Embassy in Israel to relocate from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Anything involving an announcement by Trump is bound to be incoherent, and the situation in the near east is immensely complex, so you can guarantee that there was going to be a heap of confusion about this. There is absolutely no doubt that the decision has inflamed opinion and, in the short term at least, made violence more likely and pushed further into the distance any possibility of the beginnings of a real peace process. There are several things we need to be aware of as part of the context for this announcement.
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from The Spokesman-Review
Newspaper in Spokane, Washington
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Navajo Code Talker Teddy Draper Sr. dies in Arizona at 96
A Navajo Code Talker who used his native language to outsmart the Japanese in World War II has died in Arizona. Navajo Nation officials say Teddy Draper Sr. died Thursday at age 96 in the small city of Prescott. Draper's death came nine days after another Navajo Code Talker, George B. Willie Sr., died in Arizona at age 92.
Archbishop criticised for refusing to clear bishop besmirched by the Church
The Archbishop of Canterbury has been criticised for refusing to clear the bishop besmirched by the Church of England and saying instead that a "significant cloud" hangs over him. A damning report published today by Lord Carlile of Berriew found that the reputation of Bishop George Bell, who was posthumously accused of sexually abusing a child, was "wrongfully and unnecessarily damaged" by the Church, who publicly named him in an apology made in 2015. But in a statement following the report, Justin Welby said Bell was "accused of great wickedness" and apologises only "for the failures of the process".
Archbishop Welby’s response to the George Bell inquiry is shocking
The Church condemned a man of proven good to make itself look good. It must admit that was wrong
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from Stars and Stripes
A Navajo Code Talker who used his native language to outsmart the Japanese in World War II has died in Arizona. Navajo Nation officials say Teddy Draper Sr. died Thursday at age 96 in the small city of Prescott. Draper's death came nine days after another Navajo Code Talker, George B. Willie Sr., died in Arizona at age 92.
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from The Telegraph (UK)
Archbishop criticised for refusing to clear bishop besmirched by the Church
The Archbishop of Canterbury has been criticised for refusing to clear the bishop besmirched by the Church of England and saying instead that a "significant cloud" hangs over him. A damning report published today by Lord Carlile of Berriew found that the reputation of Bishop George Bell, who was posthumously accused of sexually abusing a child, was "wrongfully and unnecessarily damaged" by the Church, who publicly named him in an apology made in 2015. But in a statement following the report, Justin Welby said Bell was "accused of great wickedness" and apologises only "for the failures of the process".
Archbishop Welby’s response to the George Bell inquiry is shocking
The Church condemned a man of proven good to make itself look good. It must admit that was wrong
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from The Washington Post
Newspaper in Washington, D.C.
CDC gets list of forbidden words: Fetus, transgender, diversity
The Trump administration is prohibiting officials at the nation’s top public health agency from using a list of seven words or phrases ... in official documents being prepared for next year’s budget. Policy analysts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta were told of the list of forbidden terms at a meeting Thursday with senior CDC officials who oversee the budget, according to an analyst who took part in the 90-minute briefing. The forbidden terms are “vulnerable,” “entitlement,” “diversity,” “transgender,” “fetus,” “evidence-based” and “science-based.”
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