Supreme Court allows Trump administration to enforce military's transgender ban

The Trump administration can begin enforcing its policy restricting many transgender people from serving in the military while legal challenges proceed through the lower courts, the Supreme Court said Tuesday. The court voted 5-4 to grant Justice Department requests to put on hold lower court orders that blocked the Trump administration from enforcing the transgender military ban nationwide. The court split along ideological lines, with justices appointed by Democratic presidents voting to deny the Trump administration’s application to halt the lower court rulings — Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan.

President Trump announced on Twitter in July 2017 that transgender troops would not be permitted to serve in the military in any capacity, and subsequently issued an order barring most transgender people from military service. The policy was swiftly challenged by transgender troops and LGBT rights organizations, which have been successful in the lower courts. The legal challenges are currently proceeding before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/courts/supreme-court-allows-trump-administration-to-enforce-militarys-transgender-ban

Latino leader demands Pledge of Allegiance change to honor immigrants, native Americans, not the flag

A key Latino leader, joining those who said teens were “harassing a Native American elder” at the Lincoln Memorial Friday, is demanding that the Pledge of Allegiance be rewritten to honor “indigenous and immigrant heritage," not the flag.

Even as reports about students from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky “harassing” the native American were discounted, Cesar Vargas, co-director of the Dream Action Coalition, said it was one of the reasons the pledge should be changed. “White teenagers harassing a native American elder or chanting ‘build the wall’ at Mexican immigrants are not isolated incidents. Incorporating ‘our indigenous and immigrant heritage’ is our pledge that we will proactively counter the danger that racism breeds,” he wrote in an editorial.

He made this proposal:

The upgraded version should read: "I pledge allegiance and love to our indigenous and immigrant heritage, rooted in the United States of America, to our civil rights for which we strive, one voice, one nation, for equality and justice for all."

The current pledge states, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Vargas, whose commentary appeared in the Hill, said the pledge has a history of racism. “At worst, the pledge’s disturbing history excludes countless communities, including my own family. At best, reciting the pledge has become a perfunctory exercise of rote memorization,” he wrote. “Our pledge of allegiance should be rooted in optimism, not stem from the fear of a white native-born Protestant culture. It is time to upgrade our pledge so we can truly recite words that live up to a nation that takes pride in our immigrant heritage and equality of all Americans.”

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/latino-leader-demands-pledge-of-allegiance-change-to-honor-immigrants-native-americans-not-the-flag

Supreme Court to allow mystery company to file sealed appeal in grand jury battle linked to Mueller

The Supreme Court said it will allow an unnamed foreign government-owned company to file a sealed appeal related to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. Lower courts ruled that the company must turn over information and comply with a grand jury subpoena issued in Washington. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court denied an emergency request that would have frozen the financial fee the company incurs every day it doesn’t comply with the subpoena.

The Supreme Court had not considered the merits of the appeal, which has yet to be filed. When it is filed, it will be under seal — though there will be a redacted version for the public to view. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in December ruled that the company was exempt to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, and had to comply with the grand jury subpoena.

It is not known whether Mueller is the one who actually issued the subpoena, though CNN reported earlier this month that one of the firms involved is Alston & Bird — a firm that has previously represented a Russian oligarch and a contractor for the Russian government. The extremely secretive case has become a focal point for those watching Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference and possible connections to the Trump campaign. The high court has never before heard a case where all parties and arguments stayed under seal.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/supreme-court-to-allow-mystery-company-to-file-sealed-appeal-in-grand-jury-battle-linked-to-mueller

Saudi Aramco eyes multi-billion-dollar U.S. gas acquisitions: CEO

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - Saudi Aramco, the world’s top oil producer, is looking to acquire natural gas assets in the United States and is willing to spend “billions of dollars” there as it aims to become a global gas player, the company’s CEO said on Tuesday. Amin Nasser told Reuters in an interview that his company wants to increase its U.S. investments. It already owns Motiva, the biggest U.S. oil refinery.

“We have agreed to bring an additional $10 billion in the Motiva refining complex,” said the chief executive, attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “We do have appetite for additional investments in the United States. Aramco’s international gas team has been given an open platform to look at gas acquisitions along the whole supply chain. They have been given significant financial firepower – in the billions of dollars.”

Aramco’s gas expansion strategy needs $150 billion of investment over the next decade as the company plans to increase output and later become a gas exporter, Nasser said in November. Aramco is pushing ahead with its conventional and unconventional gas exploration and production program to feed its fast-growing industries, freeing up more crude oil to export or turn into chemicals. Investing in the U.S. gas and petrochemical sector has become “very lucrative” due to the large availability of ethane resources, Nasser said. “In gas we will be one of the main global players,” he added. Aramco is a major gas player but much of its production is used domestically. The firm plans to boost its gas production to 23 billion standard cubic feet (scf) per day over the next decade, from 14 billion scf now.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude oil exporter, wants to diversify its energy mix and increase the share of its gas capacity to 70 percent in the coming decade from around 50 percent now. Aramco also aims to become a global leader in chemicals with plans to expand its refining operations and petrochemical output. The company is considering acquiring a strategic stake - up to 70 percent - in Saudi Arabia’s SABIC 2010.SE, the world’s fourth-largest petrochemicals maker. Aramco plans to issue bonds in the second quarter of 2019, likely worth about $10 billion, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said this month. The bond issuance could help finance the SABIC acquisition. Nasser said banks were being considered for the bond issuance but declined to identify them.

“Since 2018, we have been preparing quarterly results. We will publish our financial results as part of the bond issuance process,” he said. “I can tell you that investors will like our results; 2017 was a good year and 2018 was even better. We are trying to close the transaction with SABIC soon.”

Aramco is working with JP Morgan (JPM.N) and Morgan Stanley (MS.N) on the SABIC acquisition, sources previously told Reuters. The two banks, along with others, were working on the planned stock market listing of Aramco before the move was put on hold. Aramco’s new planned listing date is 2021, Saudi officials have said.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-davos-meeting-aramco/saudi-aramco-eyes-multi-billion-dollar-u-s-gas-acquisitions-ceo-idUSKCN1PG1W1?il=0

Note: Hmm there have been quite a few gas line explosions..

>>4860836

I think a lot of these statement are made to spark unrest in the country, and create civil war.

>>4860856

Agreed they like nothing more.

>>4860886

These are great, SAVED! Just like this country!

>>4860974

Rings nefarious to me..we will soon find out.