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PBC News & Comment: Lithuanian Scammer Got $100 Million from Facebook, Google

Facebook and Google are named as the victims of Lithuanian scam that netted $100 million, Facebook reports on its “fake news”…–Facebook releases report on how governments launched and amplified “fake news”, in vague report that downplays the impact

–US drops to 43rd place in global media index, due to Trump attacks

–freed from prison in November, journalist Barrett Brown is arrested just before planned interview with PBS

–meaningless milestone: media flooded with “100 days” stories about 45

–Buzzfeed features 100 Lies & False Statements from Trump & Friends

–The Intercept reports that Trump has targeted undocumented families, not felons, in first 100 days

–no government shutdown this week, as Trump tells reporters that playing President is hard….”I thought it would be easier”

–despite Trump claims of growing the economy, first quarter numbers are very weak

–100 days of Trump, and Teabagger Jim DeMint is out at Heritage Foundation

–Trump, Tillerson and Haley are not on the same page about Syria or North Korea

–Trump says China is helping with North Korea, but China says deployment of missile defense isn’t helping

–200 empty desks at State Dept, Tillerson plans “listening tour” of Foggy Bottom

–Israel is fingered for bombing raid that hit alleged Hezbollah depot near Damascus

–Palestinian leader Abbas tries to use Israel as wedge against Hamas, threatening electricity in Gaza

–those Afghan troops trained by the US after years and billions spent, aren’t very good at fighting, but they know how to torture, Shadowproof reports

–NSA is stopping one of many surveillance programs, restoring a smidge of our 4th Amendment rights

–2 in-depth interviews this week expose corrupt FBI handling of “domestic terrorism” cases, with Trevor Aaronson and Beau Hodai

–Death Week in Arkansas, as 4th execution draws objections to gasping and twitching during 3-drug fatal mix

–in Oklahoma, commission states that “innocent people have been sentenced to death”

–on The Daily Show, Trevor Noah plays the race card in defending Obama’s deal for $400,000 speech to Wall Street firm, as The Intercept exposes how Cantor Fitzgerald execs handled 9/11 settlement money