Senate opposition builds to confirmation of Pompeo as Secretary of State, after revelation of Easter meeting with Kim Jong Un….--North and South Korea appear to make progress, discussing formal end to 1950’s war leading to a treaty and US recognition of N. Korea
--UN envoy Nikki Haley feuds with White House after Trump changed his mind about new sanctions on Russia, leaving her with wrong talking points
--Vice posts biased report about Russian claim of chemical weapons elements found in Douma at site formerly controlled by proxy fighters
Update, 4.19.18: Here's the link to the video of Bashar al Assad driving himself to Ghouta
--NY Times reports rancor and bickering as Israel marks 70th anniversary, and Netanyahu jockies for face time
--Sen. Bernie Sanders gives strong speech at J Street conference, with his most aggressive criticism of Israel to date, reports Zaid Jilani at The Intercept
--at ConsortiumNews, Gareth Porter offers a credible alt theory about Skripal attack; at minimum, it disproves claim that “only Russia” could’ve done it
--in latest tweet attack on Comey, Trump contradicts himself about the reason he fired the FBI director
--Peter Maass looks at the non-Trump chapters of Comey’s book, and slams Comey’s views of victims of the FBI and law enforcement
--Senate leader McConnell won’t allow vote on bill to protect Mueller from firing, because he doesn’t think Trump will try to fire Mueller
--McConnell is trying to block coal baron Don Blankenship in W. Virginia senate primary, drawing attacks from Trumpers and Tea Party types
--the court-ordered exposure of Sean Hannity as client of Michael Cohen is also revealing how cozy Hannity is with Trump
--Johnny Dwyer points out that attorney-client privilege was breached when defense attorney Lynne Stewart got 10 years in prison
--analysis of fundraising shows big liberal shift in Dems running for Congress this year
--total power outage—second in less than a week—blacks out Puerto Rico
--in Iceland, bitcoin their escaped from prison, was captured on flight to Stockholm that also carried Iceland’s prime minister
--move over Sully, America’s new hero(ine) pilot is Tammi Jo Shults, who safely landed Southwest flight after engine exploded, one passenger died
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