Details are sketchy because of the scale of the explosion.  Reports of dozens killed and hundreds injured.   Reuters reports: Basir Mujahid, a spokesman for Kabul police, said several people were killed and wounded in the blast near the fortified entrance to the German embassy.

“It was a car bomb near the German embassy, but there are several other important compounds and offices near there too. It is hard to say what the exact target is,” Mujahid said.   The explosion shattered windows and blew doors off their hinges in houses hundreds of meters (yards) away.  (link)

The incident happened at around 8:20 a.m. on Wednesday when a massive explosion occurred in a crowded area on the edge of the capital’s Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood, not far from foreign embassies and government buildings. Plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the scene.

It was not immediately clear what was the exact target of the explosion, but photos from the scene showed significant damage and multiple vehicles which were destroyed. At least 319 people had been taken to hospitals, the health ministry said. The Pajhwok news agency said 50 people were killed.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sean Spicer Twitter @PressSec

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

One of the key elements to remember today -when reviewing articles and information about a successful ICBM intercept by a gound-based launch interceptor missile- is the actual interception happened in space (low earth orbit).

This shield program was the visionary “Star Wars” missile defense system originally proposed by President Ronald Reagan.

The development of Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) systems are in conjunction with an anticipated future ‘space-based’ orbiting intercept system – to create the ICBM defense shield.  Today’s GMD interceptor test was successful.  GMD monitors are on land, sea and in orbit.  Congratulations USAF

Around the clock, every day of the year, the GMD system acts as the nation’s shield and first line of defense to warn, alert and defend against the threat of ballistic missile attacks.

(CALIFORNIA)  […]  Today was the very first live-fire test against an ICBM class target for GMD and the United States defense system against ballistic missiles.

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• Remember the media’s apoplectic outrage when Sarah Palin was accused of using “targets” on congressional districts?  Oh, the outrage over optical violence.
• Remember the media’s collective angst when the Rodeo clown was driven out of a job for wearing a Barack Obama Halloween mask?  Oh, the outrage.
• Remember all the media accusations and protestations about Donald Trump supporters being violent?  Oh, the outrage… etc.

Well:  This is CNN !!

(Story Here)

Related:  Hollywood Box Office Has Worst Memorial Day weekend in Two Decades

Reminder: Politics might be downstream from Hollywood’s pop culture, but Hollywood’s pop culture is downstream from economics.

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(Via Reuters) The United States has started distributing arms to Syrian Kurdish fighters battling to help retake the city of Raqqa from Islamic State, a U.S. official told Reuters on Tuesday, as the United States moved ahead with a plan despite concerns by ally Turkey.

The official said distribution of the arms had started in the past 24 hours, based on authority given by President Donald Trump earlier this month. (read more)

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This interview is really quite funny.  Former Governor John Sununu, a vocal 2016 critic of the Trump campaign for the presidency, appears on CNN and completely takes apart the nothingburger narrative surrounding the ‘Vast-Russian-Conspiracy’ theory.

On one hand it’s refreshing and, well, quite funny to see someone pointing out the absurdity of the nonsense.  However, on the other hand the entire narrative has become so ridiculous it’s destroying the legacy media itself; we really don’t want to see the media drop the nonsense because their tenuous grip on it actually helps marginalize them.

Hi John!  Governor Sununu is correct albeit under-emphasized in some points.  John Brennan (CIA) and James Clapper (ODNI) have thrown the entire hot mess into the lap of former FBI Director James Comey.

Funny Watch:  “How Much Crow Are You Going To Eat?“…

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Camerota and CNN are fully immersed in Baghdad Bob level absurdity.

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Quick, to the fainting couches. T-Rex’s State Department is offending the delicate sensibilities of Andrea Mitchell.

The offenses?

• Not enough advanced notice of press briefings; and, wait for it, O.M.G, the horror, • Secretary Tillerson had the audacity to ride his motorcycle and never asked permission from State Department Correspondents.

This Must Not Stand !!

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White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer will be delivering the first media press beating since President Trump returned from his 8 day overseas trip through the mid-East and Europe.  The beating is scheduled to begin around 2:00pm:

UPDATE: Video Added:

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Senior Advisor Kellyanne Conway appears on Fox and Friends to discuss the latest White House information. The Mostly Swamp Media (MSM) are running out of ‘muh russsia ammo’.

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