On Friday U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spearheaded a ministerial session of officials and leaders from within Africa to discuss ongoing issues and policy priorities from the perspective of the U.S.   [Speech Video and Transcript]

[Transcript] SECRETARY TILLERSON: Thank you. And good morning, everyone. It really is my honor to welcome all of you to the State Department this morning.
And we are grateful to see so many friends and partners here in the United States, and appreciate you traveling to be with us today for this event.
I have been very eager to host this ministerial meeting to bring together leaders from the continent to address our shared goals and, as I was sharing with the chairman of the African Union yesterday evening, I have not had the chance during my time as Secretary of State to travel to the continent.
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Eric Trump appears on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo to review the first year of President Trump’s administration and discuss current events:

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Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney appears on CNN today with Jake Tapper to discuss the Tax Reform Bill and the current Senate version.
Tapper has the ‘Media Matters’ talking points cued up; however, unfortunately for Tapper, Mulvaney knows the intricacies and swats the annoying gnatter chat. Actually, in the $30k example provided by Tapper – Mulvaney went easy on him.

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Interestingly, Mick Mulvaney was also appointed to be the interim head of the CFPB this week; which has ramifications for left-wing economic control loons far greater than the tax reform package.  [More on that later.]  OMB Director Mick Mulvaney also appeared on CBS with John Dickerson (below):
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UCLA basketball players LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill were arrested in China for shoplifting while attending basketball tournament. UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero said the players stole from three stores in China including sunglasses stolen by LiAngelo Ball from a Louis Vitton store.
During a state visit to China President Donald Trump requested leniency and consideration from President Xi Jinping. The players were released as President Trump returned from Asia.
Now, the ungrateful father of LiAngelo Ball, LeVar Ball, dismisses the efforts of President Trump:

“Who?” LaVar Ball told ESPN on Friday, when asked about Trump’s involvement in the matter. “What was he over there for? Don’t tell me nothing. Everybody wants to make it seem like he helped me out.”

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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

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

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 †

The Argentine military submarine ARA San Juan has been missing for approximately three days.  Today there were reports of seven attempted transmissions from frequencies that appear to emanate from the sub.  However, they were only a few seconds in duration and no direct communication was possible.
The Argentine’s are asking for help.  The U.S. Navy has dispatched a P8-A Poseidon search aircraft and NASA has changed mission for a close proximity P-3 Orion aircraft that was already in the vicinity.

(CNN) The crew of a missing Argentine military submarine tried contacting naval bases seven times, Argentina’s Defense Ministry said. The calls were made on Saturday to different bases between 10:52 a.m. and 3:42 p.m. and ranged from four to 36 seconds long, the ministry said in a statement to CNN en Español. No communication connection was made.
The navy said the military is working with a US-based company that specializes in satellite communication to determine the location of the submarine, which has been missing for more than three days.

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It was massively unreported in 2014 when Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took control of the Gaza Sinai border and began removing the Hamas Terror tunnels.  As we watched the local media reporting, it was almost unbelievable how western media were ignoring the events. (example)
A full one-third of all homes on the Gaza border with Egypt contained Hamas tunnels used to smuggle weapons.  One of the discovered tunnels was 1.5 miles long (link).  In order to deal with the scale of the issue, al-Sisi ordered the removal of houses to facilitate an almost mile-wide buffer zone.   During the effort massive tunnels were discovered that the terrorist network Hamas was using to smuggle weapons.

It was al-Sisi’s efforts on that border that eventually forced the terms of a 2014 ceasefire between Hamas/Palestinian Authority and Israel.  By forcing Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to speak with one voice President al-Sisi changed the paradigm of willful blindness supporting terrorism.
Since 2014/2015 the border area has been secured by Egypt and no weapons have been able to flow into Gaza.  The inability of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas to fuel further terror created the space for the Palestinian Authority to extend it’s influence.
Eventually, absent their ability to fuel terrorist activity, Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood diminished in influence; later granting the PA with unified governing authority.  The “big squeeze” paid off.
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George, the brain. Angus, the heart. Malcolm was always the soul…

…no words.

…”It is with deepest sorrow that we inform you of the death of Malcolm Young, beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother. Malcolm passed away peacefully with his family by his bedside”…  [MORE]

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During an event celebrating multiple NCAA championship teams at the White House, the champion Oklahoma State University softball team asks President Trump if he would allow them to pray with him.   Watch:

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President Trump was visibly moved by the prayer which is evident in the extended version of the video below.
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