Pompeo dropping hints about Port blast ?

https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/09/16/pompeo-to-france-hezbollahs-weapons-will-torpedo-attempts-to-intervene-in-lebanon/

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday that France’s intervention to resolve the crisis in Lebanon is bound to fail unless the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons is not dealt with first.

“The United States has assumed its responsibility, and we will stop Iran buying Chinese tanks and Russian air defense systems and then selling weapons to Hezbollah [and] torpedoing [French] President [Emmanuel] Macron’s efforts in Lebanon,” Pompeo told France Inter radio, according to Reuters.

“You can’t allow Iran to have more money, power and arms, and at the same time try to disconnect Hezbollah from the disasters it provoked in Lebanon.”

French President Emmanuel Macron visited Lebanon in early September after the massive explosion in the Beirut port on Aug. 4, and helped Lebanese political parties agree to make Lebanon’s ambassador to Germany, Mustapha Adib, the prime minister-designate.

However, he has not yet addressed the major issue of Hezbollah’s weapons and power in the country.

https://www.state.gov/on-presidential-revisions-to-the-u-s-marine-scientific-research-policy-by-the-president-of-the-united-states/

To improve our ability to explore, map, and inventory waters under U.S. jurisdiction and ocean resources, increase our maritime domain awareness, and enhance maritime security, the United States has updated its policy on marine scientific research (MSR). All MSR conducted by foreign researchers, foreign states, and international organizations in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and on the U.S. continental shelf is now subject to advance consent by the U.S. government consistent with international law. As a research nation, the United States recognizes the importance of MSR and its valuable contributions to society, and we will continue to facilitate MSR consent.

Previously, the United States required advance consent for MSR conducted in its EEZ and on the U.S. continental shelf only when such research implicated certain U.S. domestic legal requirements. The change in policy is consistent with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention and with the practice of other coastal states and protects American citizens’ interests. The revised policy significantly enhances U.S. maritime domain awareness by ensuring visibility of vessels and personnel conducting MSR and facilitates the efficient receipt of the scientific data acquired from such research.

For more information please see https://www.state.gov/marine-scientific-research-consent-overview/ or write to OES-PA-DG@state.gov.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/cortneyobrien/2020/09/16/oops-vp-pence-accidentally-left-off-hundreds-of-mailin-ballots-in-michigan-n2576279

Are hundreds of Michigan voters who serve in the military or live overseas about to get mail-in ballots that are missing a pretty important name? Election officials recently discovered that, in lieu of Mike Pence, was the name Jeremy Cohen, Jo Jorgenson’s Libertarian running mate.

The Detroit News explained what caused the egregious mishap.

The error occurred with ballots meant to be mailed or emailed to Michigan residents living abroad under the Military and Overseas Empowerment (MOVE) Act. Those ballots usually are downloaded by local clerks' offices upon request from an overseas voter and either printed and mailed, or downloaded via PDF and emailed to the voter before the election.

Within a roughly two-hour time frame Tuesday afternoon, ballots downloaded from the state website to be mailed or emailed to those overseas “had an error in the presidential race impacting how candidates and running mates were listed,” according to an email sent from the state to clerks impacted by the error.

The Michigan Secretary of State's Office confirmed the error, and apologized, adding that she doesn't know how many of these ballots were already sent out.

"There was a temporary error in the (Qualified Voter File) data that caused some ballots downloaded (Tuesday) to display incorrect ballot information when clerks downloaded the (Qualified Voter File) ballot sent to military and overseas voters," said Tracy Wimmer, a spokeswoman for Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. "Approximately 400 ballots were downloaded by clerks during this period; we don’t know how many were sent."

https://dailycaller.com/2020/09/16/man-detained-vandalism-jesus-statue-el-paso-texas-st-patrick-catholic-church-bishop-mark-seitz/

Police detained a man after he allegedly decapitated a statue of Jesus inside a Catholic Church in El Paso, Texas, the church reported.

The man allegedly walked into St. Patrick Cathedral on Tuesday and destroyed an almost 90-year-old statue of Jesus behind the main altar of the church, the El Paso Catholic Diocese said in an Instagram post with photos of the statue.

“This statue is one of my favorite representations of Jesus – his arms open wide in welcome, his heart aflame with love for us,” Bishop Mark Seitz said in the statement on the church’s Instagram. “I would often take inspiration from this image as I prepared for Mass.”

“As sad as I am to see a statue attacked and destroyed, I am grateful that it was not a living person,” Seitz added. “But a statue, particularly this statue, concretizes and connects us to persons and ideals that are not visible to our eyes. They reveal to us realities that are close to us, but unseen.”

https://dailycaller.com/2020/09/16/david-hookstead-cratered-spell-checked-donald-trump-twitter/

So, to recount the past two hours for everyone reading this. The Big 10 is playing football again (you’re welcome), and the most powerful man in the world thinks I can do a better job spelling.

If you’re not enjoying this crazy ride that we call life, then you’re simply not paying attention because this is absolutely epic.

China says:

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1201136.shtml

The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on Wednesday urged the US to stop official exchanges with the island of Taiwan, because the Taiwan question is China's internal affair and not open to interference from foreign forces, as the US is planning to send US Undersecretary of State Keith Krach to Taiwan this week for "economic talks" with the authority of the island.

Chinese mainland experts noted that the US has increased its provocation to try to push back China's bottom line on the Taiwan question, and Washington could further provoke before the US presidential election in November.

The Trump administration believes that China is being restrained at the moment and waiting for the results of the US election, and that the Chinese mainland will not react to US provocations on Taiwan, the analysts said. They said China should take actions to make the US feel the pain. Otherwise, the US could send more officials to Taiwan, and other countries might also follow the US suit.

"High-level economic talks" between the island of Taiwan and the US will reportedly take place on Friday, with discussions expected to touch on restructuring supply chains and economic cooperation in the region. Krach will attend the event, Taiwan media reported on Sunday.

Krach's visit will not be finalized until the Trump administration makes a formal announcement, a Taiwan media report cited a source familiar with the matter as saying. Should the visit be confirmed, Krach will be the second high-level US official to visit Taiwan this year, following Azar's trip last month.

Iran doubles down on stupid !

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/severe-consequences-iranian-president-blasts-uae-and-bahrain-over-israel-agreements

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hit back at the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain for signing historic peace treaties with Israel this week.

Rouhani said during a Wednesday Cabinet meeting that the two Gulf countries would bear the “consequences” of normalizing relations with Israel, which he said is “committing more crimes in Palestine every day.”

“Some of the region’s countries, their people are pious Muslims, but their rulers neither understand religion nor (their) debt … to the nation of Palestine, to their brothers speaking their language,” Rouhani said, according to the Times of Israel. “How could you reach out your hands to Israel? And then you want to give them bases in the region? All the severe consequences that would arise from this are on you.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/516665-gop-votes-to-authorize-subpoenas-depositions-in-obama-era-probe

Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted on Wednesday to greenlight subpoenas and depositions as part of an investigation into the FBI’s Russia probe and the Obama administration.

The 8-6 party line vote authorizes Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the chairman of the committee, to issue a combination of subpoenas and set up closed-door depositions with approximately 40 individuals.

Johnson blasted Peters on Wednesday accusing him of forcing the votes to authorize the depositions “based on an absurd interpretation of committee rules.”

But Wednesday’s vote also authorizes subpoenas of new individuals including former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe and Justice Department official Bruce Ohr.

The second unrelated investigation deals with the State Department under former President Barack Obama, Ukraine policy and the Bidens.

The committee had been expected to vote to give Johnson authorization to subpoena Bridget Brink, the U.S. ambassador to Slovakia, for questions related to Burisma Holdings, a Ukraine gas company where Biden's son, Hunter Biden, previously served on the board, and "actual or apparent conflicts of interest with U.S.-Ukraine policy."

But Johnson pulled the vote, saying Brink had agreed to testify voluntarily.