Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence holds press availability

“Who was aware of it? Why it was not disclosed to Congress? Who requested and authorized the additional unmasking? Whether anyone directed the intelligence community to focus on Trump associates? And whether any laws, regulations or procedures were violated.”

Nunes said he would be heading to the White House later today to inform them of his findings.

Published on Mar 22, 2017

On Wednesday afternoon, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff (CA) addressed House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes briefing President Donald Trump on the committee’s investigation of surveillance of the Trump team.

In a brutal statement, Schiff wrote that he has “grave concerns” that “a credible investigation cannot be conducted” since Nunes tipped off the president to the investigation’s findings.

When asked about Rep. Devin Nunes‘ surprise announcement that there may have been „incidental collection“ of Trump communications, the president told reporters he felt „somewhat“ vindicated in his claims that he was wiretapped.

„I recently confirmed that, on numerous occasions, the intelligence community incidentally collected information about U.S. citizens involved in the Trump transition,“ Nunes told reporters at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. „Details about U.S. persons associated with the incoming administration, details with little or no apparent foreign intelligence value, were widely disseminated in intelligence community reporting.“

In der Affäre um angebliches Abhören von US-Präsident Donald Trump vor seiner Amtseinführung sind plötzlich neue Erkenntnisse aufgetaucht…

(10:28 AM ET) U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is hosting Iraq‘s prime minister and top diplomats from the coalition partners in Washington. They‘ll discuss new ideas to expand the fight against ISIS and prepare for the aftermath of its defeat.

Der Vorsitzender der „Euro-Gruppe“ meint, die im Finanzsystem „Euro“ verschuldeten „südländischen“ Staaten hätten ihr „ganzes Geld für Schnaps und Frauen“ ausgegeben. Der Berufszyniker Dijsselbloem spricht dabei genau die „breite Mehrheit“ in Deutschland an, die keine Ahnung hat wie das Währungssystem funktioniert mit dem sie selbst immer weniger und Wenige immer mehr zu „Euro“ kommen.

Jeroen Dijsselbloem, niederländischer Finanzminister und Chef der Eurogruppe, hat in Italien mit Kritik an den südeuropäischen Ländern für Empörung gesorgt. Im Interview mit der „Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung“ hatte der Niederländer am Dienstag behauptet, die südeuropäischen Länder würden Geld verschwenden und sich nicht an die Regeln des Stabilitätspakts halten – und zu einer deftigen Wortwahl gegriffen.

As Techdirt has reported, the election of Donald Trump has turned the world of US trade deals upside-down. The US officially pulled out of TPP, although some still hope it might come back in some form. TAFTA/TTIP seems to be on ice, but Trump‘s choice for US trade representative has just said he is open to resuming negotiations, so it‘s not clear what might happen there (or with TISA). Against that confusing backdrop, the European Union has been quick to emphasize that it is in favor of trade deals, and is keen to sign as many as possible, presumably hoping to fill the economic and political vacuum left by the US.

One of the negotiations that has been going on in the background is for a major trade agreement between the EU and Japan. It began back in March 2013, but has garnered little attention, as people focused on the more imminent threats of TPP, TTIP, CETA and TISA. That‘s just changed, thanks in part to a joint statement signed by dozens of civil societies in both the EU and Japan, who write:

Bald können nationale Justizbehörden die Erhebung von Beweisen in anderen EU-Mitgliedstaaten anordnen. Ermöglicht wird auch die grenzüberschreitende Überwachung des Telekommunikationsverkehrs. Die Standardisierungsbehörde ETSI arbeitet deshalb an Schnittstellen zum Ausleiten abgehörter Telefonate.

Ex-premier Matteo Renzi called on Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem to quit on Wednesday after the Dutchman was quoted as saying that southern European countries „spend everything on alcohol and woman and then ask for help“.

US-Präsident Donald Trump nimmt am NATO-Gipfel Ende Mai teil und trifft zuvor am 12. April NATO-Generalsekretär Jens Stoltenberg. Das Weisse Haus bestätigte Trumps Teilnahme an dem Spitzentreffen des Bündnisses am Dienstagabend.

(…)

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to skip a meeting with NATO foreign ministers next month in order to stay home for a visit by China‘s president and will go to Russia later in April, U.S. officials said on Monday, disclosing an itinerary that allies may see as giving Moscow priority over them.