Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced his resignation Monday

President Obama announced the resignation of Chuck Hagel Monday, commending the secretary of defense for his “steady hand” through a period of transition for America’s military. Obama suggested that it was Hagel’s decision to resign after less than two years in office, saying, “If there’s one thing I know about Chuck, it’s that he does not make this or any other decision lightly.” The 68-year-old Hagel said he will say on the job “every day, every moment” until his successor is nominated and confirmed by the Senate.

Jerusalem Post: Israel Is Considering A Military Strike To Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Program

Historic negotiations with Iran will reach an inflection point on Monday, as world powers seek to clinch a comprehensive deal that will, to their satisfaction, end concerns over the nature of its vast, decade-old nuclear program. But reflecting on the deal under discussion with The Jerusalem Post on the eve of the deadline, Israel has issued a stark, public warning to its allies with a clear argument: Current proposals guarantee the perpetuation of a crisis, backing Israel into a corner from which military force against Iran provides the only logical exit.

Bill Cosby Remains Quiet As New Allegations Emerge

Bill Cosby is keeping quiet as new allegations of sexual assault emerge. “I know people are tired of me not saying anything, but a guy doesn’t have to answer to innuendos,” the 77-year-old comedian and actor told Florida Today backstage at his show Friday night in Melbourne. “People should fact check.

Ferguson grand jury decision not expected before Monday

Multiple sources tell CBS News that the announcement of a grand jury decision in the Michael Brown shooting case is not expected before Monday. A 12-member jury is weighing whether to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, who is white, with fatally shooting Brown, a black teenager who was unarmed, on Aug. 9.

Bill Passed: EPA Must Take Advice from Industry Shills, NOT from Independent Scientists

The Environmental Protection Agency is a federal agency that is charged with the responsibility of writing and enforcing legislation to protect human health and the environment.  Established under Nixon in 1970, the EPA is another one of those agencies that sounds like a good idea, until you peel off the shiny friendly top layer to discover the stench of corruption underneath. Up until now, they at least pretended to be there to serve as watchdogs, but it seems like they’ve decided to give up on that silly illusion.

Are You Better Off This Thanksgiving Than You Were Last Thanksgiving?

Are you in better shape financially than you were last Thanksgiving? If so, you should consider yourself to be very fortunate because most Americans are not. As you chow down on turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce this Thursday, please remember that there are millions of Americans that simply cannot afford to eat such a meal.

New DHS immigration rules: Drunk drivers, sex abusers, drug dealers, gun offenders not top deportation priorities

The Department of Homeland Security has just released new “Policies for the Apprehension, Detention, and Removal of Undocumented Immigrants.” Designed to fill in the details after President Obama’s announcement that at least four million currently illegal immigrants will be given work permits, Social Security numbers, and protection from deportation, the DHS guidelines are instructions for the nation’s immigration and border security officers as they administer the president’s directive. The new priorities are striking.

Israel Foils Plot To Assassinate Foreign Minister With Rocket-Propelled Grenade

A Hamas terror cell plotting to assassinate Israel’s hawkish right-wing foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, in a stated bid to “bring about the end to the war in Gaza” has been foiled by the country’s Shin Bet security service, it was announced on Thursday. Four Palestinian men have been arrested in connection with the plan to attack Lieberman’s car with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) while he travelled with his ministerial convoy. According to the Shin Bet statement all the terror plot suspects are from villages near to Bethlehem, close to Nokdim — a guarded Israeli settlement in West Bank where Lieberman owns a home.

Ebola Cases Now Above 15,000 WHO Says

The outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa reached 15,351 cases in what is the worst oubreak of the disease in history, new figures from the World Health Organisation show on Friday. There have also been 5,459 reported deaths linked to the virus, including nearly 3,000 in Liberia alone, according to the latest figures from the WHO. Liberia, along with Guinea and Sierra Leone, have been hardest hit by the outbreak, accounting for almost all the cases and fatalities.

5th grader suspended after pointing imaginary gun with his fingers

A fifth-grade student in Massachusetts was suspended from school for pointing an imaginary gun with his fingers. Nickolas Taylor, who goes to Stacy Middle School in Milford, was suspended for two days for making the fake gun with his fingers and mouthing shooting sounds in the school cafeteria, his dad told the Milford Daily News. “I think this is very slanderous toward Nickolas and his character,” said dad Brian Taylor.

Gold Repatriation Stunner: Dutch Central Bank Secretly Withdrew 122 Tons Of Gold From The New York Fed

A week ago, we penned “The Real Reason Why Germany Halted Its Gold Repatriation From The NY Fed [13]”, in which we got, for the first time ever, an admission by an official source, namely the bank that knows everything that takes place in Germany – Deutsche Bank – what the real reason was for Germany’s gold repatriation halt after obtaining a meager 5 tons from the NY Fed: … the gold community paid great attention to the decision of the German Bundesbank to “bring German gold home”.

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