| Candidates propose expanding the 'war on terror' to counter the real threat: White supremacists Posted: 29 Aug 2019 02:00 AM PDT  Since the El Paso shooting, which was declared an act of "domestic terrorism" by the Justice Department, the FBI has thwarted seven mass shootings, including attacks planned by alleged white supremacists. But those arrested are unlikely to be designated as domestic terrorists or face any federal terrorism-related charges.
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| Hong Kong Police Warn of More Arrests After Sweep of Activists Posted: 30 Aug 2019 03:35 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong police arrested prominent opposition figures including Joshua Wong -- and warned other protesters could share their fate at illegal demonstrations this weekend -- raising tensions as authorities seek to quell pro-democracy demonstrations that have raged for almost three months.The 22-year-old Wong, who was scheduled to speak about the protests in the U.S. next month, was among well-known pro-democracy activists arrested by police on Thursday and Friday. Those arrested included Wong's fellow leader of 2014 Occupy protests, Agnes Chow; independence advocate Andy Chan; and District Councilor Rick Hui.Police said more than 20 people were arrested since Thursday, and warned at a briefing Friday that others could be charged if they take part in protests without official approval. A colonial statute passed during a wave of deadly riots in the 1960s allows authorities to the power to imprison those who participate in unlawful assemblies for as long as five years and more than 900 have been arrested on a variety of charges since June.The arrests were part of a broader push back against the largely leaderless protest movement, which flared up in June over now-suspended legislation allowing extraditions to China before widening into a broader push for more democracy. The Civil Human Rights Front -- the organizer of the biggest recent demonstrations -- said Friday it was forced to cancel a rally planned for Saturday after police withheld approval.The crisis in the former British colony threatens to distract from Chinese President Xi Jinping's celebrations of 70 years of Communist Party rule on Oct. 1, which will highlight the country's rebound from imperialism, war and inner turmoil. Hong Kong's embattled chief executive, Carrie Lam, earlier this week called for a dialogue with the opposition, while refusing to rule out invoking a sweeping colonial-era law that allows for easier arrests, deportations, censorship and property seizures."We still keep on our fight and we shall not surrender," Wong told reporters as he and Chow emerged from court after being released on bail on charges related by unlawful assembly. "I urge the international community to send a message to President Xi, sending troops or using emergency ordinance is not the way out."The summer's political unrest has been the worst since the city's return to Chinese rule in 1997, with demonstrations that have resulted in often-violent clashes between protesters and police. Political observers said the moves ran the risk of drawing more people into the streets for unauthorized rallies, which can more easily get out of hand."Such actions are tantamount to inciting trouble at a time when the government is talking about dialogue and trying to lower the temperature," said Kevin Yam, a political commentator and member of Hong Kong's pro-democracy Progressive Lawyers Group. "You can't on the one hand say, 'Let's lower the temperature, let's talk, let's make nice,' and on the other hand do something like this."Ronny Tong, a member of Lam's advisory Executive Council, acknowledged that "the timing could have been better," said said he had faith in Hong Kong's rule of law and the police."The most important thing is that Hong Kong is a place where the rule of law still is alive and kicking," Tong said. "We have a very able and independent judiciary. And the police know that. They know that unless they have a reasonable chance of a conviction, they would not try to arrest somebody at random only to give out a political message."Separately, Reuters reported Chinese authorities had earlier this month rejected a Hong Kong government proposal to formally withdraw extradition legislation that sparked the protests. The bill's withdrawal and an independent inquiry into the unrest were seen as the most feasible compromises, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed senior Hong Kong government official.Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. warned employees not to take part in a general strike planned for next week, after the airline's chief executive, Rupert Hogg, stepped down to take responsibility for the uproar over airline staff's participation in earlier actions. Two other organizers of recent protests, including CHRF leader Jimmy Sham and Max Chung, were attacked Thursday in the latest of several reported incidents of mob violence against activists.891 Arrests, 2,071 Tear-Gas Canisters: Hong Kong's Protests By the NumbersTaiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen -- who has helped resuscitate her re-election prospects by criticizing Beijing's handling of the protests -- was among the first officials to express concern about the arrests. She called on authorities to comply with their promises of democracy, freedom and human rights to the city's people, according to a statement from her office.While the three arrested activists are among Hong Kong's most prominent opposition voices --- Wong was the subject of a Netflix documentary titled "Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower" -- none was seen as a central figure in the recent protests. The decentralized movement relies on social media apps and chat rooms to propose and revise protest plans on the fly.Still, Wong has come under scrutiny for his meetings with U.S. officials, with China's foreign ministry singling out one particular meeting with a U.S. diplomat. Wong was also planning to travel to the U.S. in September to speak out against what he described as authorities' plans to establish "martial law" ahead of the National Day holiday.Countdown to 2047: What Will Happen to Hong Kong?: QuickTakeThe latest charges against Wong resulted from his role in a June 21 rally, in which he encouraged demonstrators to surround the police headquarters complex in Wan Chai, days after his release from jail on separate protest-related charges. Chan, the pro-independence founder of the banned Hong Kong National Party, said in a post on his personal Facebook page that he was stopped at the city's airport departures area on Thursday night."They're trying to plant a seed of fear in people's minds, so that people will stop from attending protests, either the one tomorrow or ones in the future," said Alvin Yeung, a pro-democracy lawmaker. "But my judgment is they won't succeed, because Hong Kong people are very brave."(Updates with Executive Council member comments in eighth paragraph.)\--With assistance from Sheryl Tian Tong Lee and Shawna Kwan.To contact the reporters on this story: Iain Marlow in Hong Kong at imarlow1@bloomberg.net;Natalie Lung in Hong Kong at flung6@bloomberg.net;Annie Lee in Hong Kong at olee42@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Scott at bscott66@bloomberg.net, Karen LeighFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Former Canadian Prime Minister Tweets That She Is 'Rooting' for Hurricane Dorian to Hit Trump's Mar-a-Lago Posted: 30 Aug 2019 07:45 AM PDT  Former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell tweeted that she is "rooting" for Hurricane Dorian to make a "a direct hit" on President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
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| ‘Frozen in time’: Eerie footage inside 170-year-old shipwreck from lost Arctic expedition Posted: 29 Aug 2019 06:56 AM PDT  Archaeologists have obtained unprecedented footage of an Arctic shipwreck "frozen in time" for more than a century and a half.Video from inside HMS Terror reveals china plates and bottles still stacked on shelves, eerily well-preserved officers' cabins and weapons still in their racks.
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| Woman cleared of murder charges after 35 years in prison gets $3 million Posted: 29 Aug 2019 01:19 PM PDT  A woman who spent 35 years in prison for a Nevada murder she didn't commit before she was exonerated by DNA evidence will get $3 million in a partial settlement of a federal civil rights lawsuit, her attorney said Wednesday.
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| Alabama Governor Apologizes for Blackface Skit, Refuses to Resign Posted: 30 Aug 2019 07:07 AM PDT  Alabama Governor Kay Ivey apologized Thursday for a blackface skit she participated in while a student at Auburn University during the 1960s."I offer my heartfelt apologies for the pain and embarrassment this causes, and I will do all I can — going forward — to help show the nation that the Alabama of today is a far cry from the Alabama of the 1960s," Ivey said in a statement. "We have come a long way, for sure, but we still have a long way to go."The Republican governor, 74, stopped short of capitulating to calls from Alabama Democrats to resign, however."While some may attempt to excuse this as acceptable behavior for a college student during the mid-1960s, that is not who I am today, and it is not what my Administration represents all these years later," Ivey insisted.The governor claimed she cannot recall either the skit or a 1967 interview on a campus radio program with her then-fiancé, who described how Ivey had "had put some black paint all over her face" for the bit. However, she acknowledged she had likely participated in such a skit and said she has "genuine remorse" now for her involvement.Democratic state representative Terri Sewell dismissed Ivey's apology as not reparation enough, saying the governor's actions are "reprehensible and are deeply offensive."Her words of apology ring hollow if not met with real action to bridge the racial divide," Sewell added.
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| Wave of child sex abuse lawsuits threatens Boy Scouts Posted: 29 Aug 2019 10:16 PM PDT  The Boy Scouts of America is facing a threat from a growing wave of lawsuits over decades-old allegations of sexual abuse. The Scouts have been sued in multiple states in recent months by purported abuse victims, including plaintiffs taking advantage of new state laws or court decisions that are now allowing suits previously barred because of the age of the allegations. A lawyer representing 150 people who say they were abused as Boy Scouts is planning a suit in New Jersey when the state's new civil statute of limitations law takes effect Dec. 1.
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| 155 migrants force entry into Spain's Ceuta enclave Posted: 30 Aug 2019 03:41 AM PDT  A group of 155 migrants forced their way into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Friday, Spanish authorities said. "They are all from sub-Saharan Africa, the majority from Guinea," a spokesman for the central government's office in Ceuta told AFP.
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| Trump 2020 press secretary: President has never lied to American people Posted: 29 Aug 2019 12:01 PM PDT  "Interview's over," CNN's Chris Cuomo said to Trump's campaign press secretary Kayleigh McEnany after she refused back off the statement that the president has never lied.
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| End of the Road Draws Near for Democrats Shut Out of Next Debate Posted: 30 Aug 2019 01:00 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Many of the 10 candidates who didn't make the cut for the third Democratic presidential debate, now face a big decision -- drop out or keep running at the end of the pack.Losing a spot on the stage means more than just being deprived of a powerful platform. It's a signal to donors, supporters and primary-state voters that an already-struggling candidate has failed to break out. So what's that candidate to do?"Drop out," said Rebecca Katz, a Democratic strategist and founder of New Deal Strategies. "These candidates have had months, and in many cases two separate debates, to make their case to the American people."On Thursday the Democratic National Committee announced that Tom Steyer, Michael Bennet, Tulsi Gabbard, Marianne Williamson, Steve Bullock, Bill de Blasio, Tim Ryan, John Delaney and Joe Sestak will have to sit out of the Sept. 12 debate in Houston.The culling is no accident: The DNC set more stringent criteria for the September debate in hopes of winnowing an unprecedented field of more than 20 candidates. To make the stage this time candidates needed to attain 130,000 individual donors and register 2% support in four DNC-approved polls. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York dropped out hours before the qualification deadline on Wednesday, when it became clear she wouldn't meet either threshold.Three other candidates left the race in recent weeks -- John Hickenlooper, Jay Inslee and Seth Moulton. Hickenlooper has since launched a bid for Colorado's U.S. Senate seat and Inslee has said he will run for a third term as governor of Washington state.DNC Chairman Tom Perez dismissed candidates' complaints that the polling and fundraising requirements were unfair. He said the DNC helped candidates clear the bar by working with TV networks to offer "an unprecedented amount of free earned media" through hour-long town halls."With all due respect, the notion that we created burdens for candidates –- no, we gave opportunities to candidates and we will continue to give opportunities to candidates," he told Bloomberg. "Then it's up to them to take advantage to those opportunities."The end of a campaign doesn't mean the candidate won't serve in the next administration. Those who do not become the eventual party nominee often go on to Cabinet positions or other executive-appointed roles. After the 2016 election, for example, Donald Trump picked former rivals Ben Carson and Rick Perry to serve as as secretaries of housing and energy. They might also become the nominee's running mate.Democratic strategists like Lynda Tran, a partner at 270 Strategies, expects to see more drop out."If they don't end up in the debate stage, they know I think in their heart of hearts that that is not a good sign of their campaign," Tran said. "At some point people will start paying attention primarily to the front-runners."And voters should question the motivation of some candidates for sticking around after they didn't make the grade, Katz said."Why are the candidates who can't get more than 2% staying in the race? Is it about issues or is it about ego?"One candidate is pledging to stay on. Steve Bullock, the Montana governor, is a Democrat running a state Trump won in 2016."There are over 150 days before voters express their preference in Iowa and New Hampshire. It's those voters in early states and across the country who will decide this election," he said.If the September debate isn't the campaign-ending breaking point for candidates, Tran predicts the fourth one in October will be. Many of the lower-polling candidates like Gabbard, and even those who made the cut like Beto O'Rourke, have begun to dance around the growing possibility that they won't be the nominee.On stage in Houston will be Joe Biden, along with Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar. They will be joined by Pete Buttigieg, Andrew Yang, O'Rourke and Julián Castro.\--With assistance from Jennifer Epstein.To contact the reporter on this story: Emma Kinery in Washington at ekinery@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Wendy Benjaminson at wbenjaminson@bloomberg.net, Max BerleyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Russia strips Azeri blogger of citizenship and moves to deport him Posted: 30 Aug 2019 07:59 AM PDT ![Russia strips Azeri blogger of citizenship and moves to deport him]( "Russia strips Azeri blogger of citizenship and moves to deport him") Russia has ordered an immigrant blogger critical of the authorities in his native Azerbaijan to be deported there after revoking his Russian citizenship, his family said. Elvin Isaev, 39, who has held Russian citizenship for almost two decades, has run a video blog about politics in Azerbaijan from St Petersburg where he has lived with his Russian-born wife.
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| Wreck of paddle steamer throws light on British support for Confederacy slave states during US Civil War Posted: 29 Aug 2019 10:00 PM PDT  Britain has long been proud of its historically progressive attitude to slavery, frequently pointing to the fact that this country abolished the trade across its territories as early as 1833. But beneath the waters of Liverpool Bay lies something that should dent our complacency about this country's role in the ending of human bondage. The wreck of the paddle steamer Leila, which sank on its maiden voyage in 1865, sheds new light on the actions of some British businessmen in supporting the southern slave states of the Confederacy during the US Civil War. Now the wreck - described by historians as "one of the most historically-significant in the north west" - is to be granted protected status on the advice of Historic England. The 19th century paddle steamer was on its maiden voyage from Liverpool to Bermuda loaded with guns and supplies for Confederate forces when it foundered on 14th January 1865 during stormy weather in Liverpool Bay, with the loss of 47 lives. The wreck on the Leila on the seabed in Liverpool Bay Credit: Historic England Leila was secretly built in Liverpool on behalf of the Confederate Government late in the American Civil War of 1861 to 1865 as a purpose-built vessel to run the blockade imposed on the southern states by the Union forces of Abraham Lincoln. She was technically advanced for her day and was designed to evade the northern Union ships enforcing the blockade. Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England said: "The Lelia is one of a small group of British ships involved in British complicity in running guns and munitions to the Confederates. "Though the UK remained officially neutral throughout the American Civil War, the Leila comprises evidence of the British financing of blockade runners that sent munitions and luxuries to Confederate ports in return for cotton and tobacco. As such it is very significant as historical evidence." Although the British Government's position on the blockade was officially neutral, opinion in Britain over the issue of the Civil War was split. Many Lancashire cotton workers supported the blockade and the Union's fight against the slave states, even though it resulted in a downturn in the weaving industry and severe hardship for their families. Such was their support for the abolitionist cause that a statue of Lincoln was erected in their honour in 1919, with a plaque reproducing his letter of 19th January 1863 to the Manchester cotton workers thanking them for their support. Statue of Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln Square, Manchester, inscribed with his letter of thanks to the city's cotton weavers Credit: Phil Portus / Alamy Stock Photo But there were those in Britain willing to take advantage of the war and help supply the slave states with goods and materials. At the start of the Civil War, the Confederacy lacked the manufacturing capacity to compete with the more industrialised northern states and so relied on importing war supplies, including guns and ammunition, to sustain its war effort. It acquired fast steamships, mainly paddle steamers, from British and other shipbuilders, intended to breach the naval blockade of its main ports imposed by the Union in 1861 in an attempt to strangle the southern war effort. They hoped a combination of speed and stealth would help them to break the blockade, enabling them to carry cotton and tobacco to Europe and war supplies back to the Confederacy. The Lelia was built in Millers shipyard in Toxteth, Liverpool, where shipbuilders had been experimenting with the early use of steel, which, being lighter than iron, allowed for larger cargo space and greater speed - perfect for blockade runners. The paddle steamer was only identified in 1997 after a bell marked 'Lelia 1864' was recovered from close to the wreck beneath Liverpool Bay by a local diver. An infra-red photograph of the wreck of the Leila Credit: Historic England The partially-buried remains of the Leila include one of the paddle wheels, the engine and boiler rooms, less well-preserved cargo areas and a steam winch. The deck and all structures that were on it have not survived, but as much as 1.9m of its hull remains buried in the seabed, raising the prospect that its cargo of British-manufactured munitions and machinery may have been partially preserved . The Leila is one of three blockade busters to have been discovered in British waters. The other is the paddle steamer Iona II, which sank in 1864 in foggy conditions close to the Isle of Lundy in the Bristol Channel on her first trans-Atlantic voyage. The Iona II's sister ship Iona I, also a paddle steamer believed to be involved in gun-running, was lost in 1862 in the inner Clyde Estuary, near Greenock, in Scotland. Rebecca Pow, Heritage Minister at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said: "Protecting sites like the wreck of the Lelia helps us to preserve an important story about Britain's role in the American Civil War. "Although the conflict happened over a hundred years ago, it is right that we ensure the protection of this site so we can learn more about one of the most significant shipwrecks off the coast of North West England and broaden our knowledge about our nation's seafaring history." A print depicting the upsetting of the Liverpool lifeboat during its ill fated attempt to rescue the crew of the Leila Credit: Historic England
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| We need Unions for All. It's a bold agenda for helping everyone get ahead in our economy. Posted: 30 Aug 2019 02:00 AM PDT  We need serious plans to empower all workers to form unions, no matter what job they do. 'Unions for All' is our litmus test for 2020 candidates.
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| Buttigieg Denounces ‘Hypocrisy’ of Pence, Other Christian Politicians Posted: 30 Aug 2019 09:44 AM PDT  Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg blasted Vice President Mike Pence and other Christian politicians this week for adopting what he charged were un-Christian political stances.Asked by Religion News whether he would call "sinful" those Christian politicians who supported the Trump administration's since-scrapped policy of separating families arrested after crossing the southern border illegally, Buttigieg declined to go that far."I'll be careful to use that word to kind of point out a speck in my brother's eye," the South Bend, Ind. mayor replied. "What I would say is that it's clear that some naked sins are being at best condoned by people who then summon religious arguments. That rings more and more hollow.""It's not just that we might have a different interpretation of faith, it's that these arguments no longer stack up even on their own merits, right?" the openly gay Buttigieg continued. "For example, Mike Pence's view of Christian sexuality is obviously a little different than mine. But even with his view, it makes no sense to condone this president and his behavior. So there's two layers to this. There's the fact that I subscribe to a vision of faith that leads me to a certain place politically. But it's also just seeing the hypocrisy among people who now endorse people and practices that are offensive, not only to my values, but to their own."Buttigieg made a similar accusation during the first Democratic presidential primary debate in June, calling out the "hypocrisy" of Christians who supported the family-separation policy."For a party that associates itself with Christianity to say that it is okay to suggest that God would smile on the division of families at the hands of federal agents, that God would condone putting children in cages, has lost all claim to ever use religious language again," he said.The Indiana mayor targeted Pence directly earlier this year as well, saying during an address to the LGBTQ Victory Fund's annual brunch that he wishes "the Mike Pences of the world would understand. . . . If you've got a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me. Your quarrel, sir, is with my creator."Pence pushed back at the time, saying he takes issue with what he saw as Buttigieg's personal attacks."He said some things that are critical of my Christian faith and about me personally. And he knows better. He knows me," said Pence, who has long been an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage.
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| The 10 Least Expensive New Mid-Size SUVs to Own Posted: 29 Aug 2019 09:02 AM PDT |
| El Salvador busts alleged migrant smuggling network, nabs 25 Posted: 29 Aug 2019 12:10 PM PDT  At least 25 people were arrested across El Salvador on Thursday, including businesspeople, lawyers and a former police officer, as part of an operation to break up an alleged migrant smuggling network. Authorities said they conducted raids in a number of municipalities and seized 23 vehicles and 14 properties with a collective value of about $1 million. The director of the attorney general's office anticorruption unit said 32 arrest warrants were issued.
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| Omar tweets she received death threat targeting her at the Minnesota State Fair Posted: 29 Aug 2019 06:19 AM PDT  "I hate that we live in a world where you have to be protected from fellow humans," said Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota.
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| Veterans condemn new citizenship policy for kids of overseas U.S. service members Posted: 29 Aug 2019 03:04 PM PDT  A policy change announced by the Trump administration this week that would end automatic citizenship for the children of certain U.S. military personnel or government employees stationed abroad was denounced as "disgusting and disgraceful" by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.
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| Mexican president backs official accused of suspect real estate purchases Posted: 30 Aug 2019 02:00 PM PDT ![Mexican president backs official accused of suspect real estate purchases]( "Mexican president backs official accused of suspect real estate purchases") Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday expressed support for Manuel Bartlett, the head of national electricity company CFE, despite accusations that Bartlett has improperly accumulated nearly two dozen luxury properties. "I have confidence in Mr. Bartlett," Lopez Obrador told reporters at his morning news conference. The president tapped Bartlett, a veteran politician with a controversial past, to lead Mexico's state-owned power utility.
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| 10 Hacks Every Grill-Meister Should Master Posted: 29 Aug 2019 09:02 AM PDT |
| Japan PM wraps up Africa meet with debt warning aimed at China Posted: 29 Aug 2019 11:25 PM PDT  Investors in Africa must beware of burdening countries with "excessive" debt, Japan's prime minister warned Friday, an apparent swipe at China whose Belt and Road policy has been accused of saddling poor nations with crippling debt. Speaking to reporters at the end of an African development conference outside Tokyo, Shinzo Abe emphasised that countries in the G20 group of top economies, including China, had committed to the concept of "debt sustainability". "In providing assistance to Africa, we have to take note of the debt burden of the recipient country and take care that the debt burden does not become excessive," Abe said when asked about China's influence in Africa.
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| Man charged after making gun gesture with finger has appeal rejected Posted: 30 Aug 2019 09:03 AM PDT  On a warm day in June 2018, Stephen Kirchner was walking with a fellow neighbour when they came up on Josh Klingseisen's yard.They were not friendly with Mr Klingseisen. In fact, the woman walking with Kirchner, Elaine Natore, had a "no contact" order against Mr Klingseisen, who happened to be outside mulching in his yard in Manor Township, Pennsylvania, as the two neighbours passed. Kirchner stopped, and the two men made eye contact.
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| Kashmiris say Indian officers tortured them and shoved mud in their mouths so they couldn't scream. The army denies it ever happened. Posted: 30 Aug 2019 04:18 AM PDT  A new BBC report details gruesome allegations from civilians living in Kashmiri villages known to be hubs of anti-India militant groups.
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| Israel Is Escalating Its Shadow War With Iran. Here's What to Know Posted: 29 Aug 2019 01:35 PM PDT  Israel-attributed attacks on targets in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq highlight the risks of a wider confrontation
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| The Latest: Dorian strengthens as it eyes Southeast US Posted: 28 Aug 2019 08:26 PM PDT  Hurricane Dorian is strengthening as it moves toward the U.S. Southeast coast. The National Hurricane Center said Thursday evening that Dorian should move over the Atlantic well east of the southeastern and central Bahamas on Thursday and Friday. The Miami-based hurricane center says the storm could grow into a dangerous Category 3 storm by Labor Day as it pushes northwest in the general direction of Florida.
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| Fox News Host Jeanine Pirro believes Democrats plotting to ‘replace American citizens with illegals’ Posted: 29 Aug 2019 05:48 PM PDT  Appearing on Fox Nation's The Todd Starnes Show on Thursday, Fox News host Jeanine Pirro was asked by Starnes if Democrats and liberals hate President Trump and his supporters.
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| DOJ declines prosecution of ex-FBI Director James Comey for leaked Trump memos, found he violated policy Posted: 29 Aug 2019 01:32 PM PDT  The Department of Justice declined prosecution of ex-FBI Dir. James Comey for leaked Trump memos, but the inspector general found he violated policy.
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| Iran goes further in breaching nuclear deal, IAEA report shows Posted: 30 Aug 2019 08:01 AM PDT  Iran has gone further in breaching its nuclear deal with world powers, increasing its stock of enriched uranium and refining it to a greater purity than allowed, the U.N. atomic agency report said on Friday. The quarterly report from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is policing the 2015 deal, confirms Iran is progressively backing out of the deal in retaliation for Washington's withdrawal form the accord and renewal of sanctions that have hit Iranian oil sales. Iran has said it will breach the deal's limits on its nuclear activities one by one, ratcheting up pressure on parties who still hope to save it.
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| Six countries block UN sanctions against Somalia's Al-Shabaab Posted: 29 Aug 2019 06:17 PM PDT  Six UN Security Council members on Wednesday blocked a move to include Somali jihadist group Al-Shabaab on a list of organizations such as Al-Qaeda that are under international sanctions, diplomatic sources said. Several NGOs and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently stepped in to oppose the classification, which would have effectively kept humanitarian aid away from millions of Somalis living in Al-Shabaab-controlled areas. Germany, Belgium, Poland, France, Kuwait and the United States were the six countries whose votes blocked the implementation of the new sanctions.
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| 5,000 bodies found in unmarked graves in Mexico since 2006 Posted: 30 Aug 2019 01:54 PM PDT  Nearly 5,000 bodies have been found in more than 3,000 unmarked graves since Mexico deployed the army to fight drug trafficking in 2006, the government said Friday in its first comprehensive report on the carnage. Mexico has been hit by a wave of violence since launching the so-called "drug war," and activists and family members of the country's 40,000 missing persons have been denouncing mass graves for years. It found 3,024 unmarked graves nationwide, with at least 4,974 bodies, Karla Quintana, head of the national search commission for missing persons, told a news conference alongside President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on International Day of the Disappeared.
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| A boat was up close and personal with Italy's Stromboli volcano and just barely got away as it began to erupt Posted: 29 Aug 2019 08:14 AM PDT  Italy's Stromboli volcano erupted off the coast of Sicily. And one boat off the coast got a little close to the scene just as the eruption started.
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| Israel's Anti-Drone Industry Takes Off Posted: 30 Aug 2019 08:37 AM PDT ![Israel's Anti-Drone Industry Takes Off]( "Israel's Anti-Drone Industry Takes Off") In late August, Israeli military officials claimed responsibility for airstrikes in Syria targeting Iranian-made "killer drones" intended to attack Israel. While the Aug. 24 incident sparked worries of escalation in this tense region, many are questioning how Israel -- or any other country -- would or could detect and defend itself against a fleet of explosive-laden drones. Some question how it's possible to differentiate between civilian drones that could be used for terrorism or espionage and those that are simply doing things like making food deliveries.
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| Taiwan demands China disclose whereabouts of missing citizen Posted: 30 Aug 2019 06:07 AM PDT  Officials in Taiwan demanded Friday that China disclose information about the disappearance of a Taiwanese man who reportedly distributed photos of Chinese troops massing equipment just outside protest-racked Hong Kong. Friends and family have been unable to reach Lee Meng-chu, a volunteer activity organizer in a small township in southern Taiwan, for 10 days, the Taiwanese government's Mainland Affairs Council said after receiving pleas for help from Lee's family members. Communist Party-ruled China often detains people over political matters and may hold them in an unknown location for several months if they are suspected of threatening national security.
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| The Invasion of Poland Wasn't Hitler's First Aggression. Here's Why That Move Marked the Beginning of WWII Posted: 30 Aug 2019 09:00 AM PDT  Roughly 1.5 million German soldiers, 2,000 airplanes and 2,500 tanks crossed the Polish border on Sept. 1, 1939
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| AOC criticizes ex-Democratic senator for advising Lyft in battle over California gig worker bill Posted: 29 Aug 2019 08:33 PM PDT  The freshman congresswoman ripped former Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who is helping Lyft fight a gig worker bill in California.
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| Hurricane Dorian strengthens to category 4 as Florida braces for storm Posted: 30 Aug 2019 04:09 PM PDT  Landfall anticipated early Tuesday on state's east coast with maximum sustained winds of 140mphRich DiGiulio removes an awning from the Mulligans Beach House Bar & Grill in preparation for Hurricane Dorian, Friday, 30 August 2019, in Vero Beach, Florida. Photograph: Lynne Sladky/APResidents of Florida braced for what could be a historically damaging storm on Friday as Hurricane Dorian lingered in the western Atlantic, building strength in advance of its anticipated landfall early on Tuesday on the state's east coast.The storm strengthened into an "extremely dangerous" category 4 hurricane on Friday evening, amid fears it could prove to be the most powerful hurricane to hit Florida's east coast in nearly 30 years. Forecasters warned that Dorian could wallop the state with "extremely dangerous" 140mph (225 kph) winds.> NHC: Dorian is now a category 4 pic.twitter.com/gqZn7FDjC1> > — Brandon Wall (@Walldo) August 31, 2019"It could be an absolute monster," Donald Trump said in a video address, pledging federal support for local disaster relief efforts.Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, declared a state of emergency for every county in the state and warned of a potential "multi-day" event, but stopped short of declaring any emergency evacuations.Emergency preparations were under way up and down the Atlantic coast, from Jacksonville in the north to Miami and the Florida Keys, as well as in Orlando and inland areas.Ominously, on Friday morning the storm had developed a distinct eye and slowed its westward progress, meaning it could spend more time over land – and do more damage.Meteorologists said Dorian could make landfall in Florida on Tuesday as a category 4 hurricane."If it makes landfall as a category 3 or 4 hurricane, that's a big deal," the University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy told the Associated Press. "A lot of people are going to be affected. A lot of insurance claims."Hurricane Dorian gains strength as it tracks towards the Florida coast, on 30 August. Photograph: NOAA GOES-East/Handout/Getty ImagesDeSantis acknowledged fuel shortages across the state as residents formed long lines at petrol stations, supermarkets and hardware stores. Officials advised residents to stockpile canned food, water and other supplies and to refill essential prescriptions.Coastal residents were amassing sandbags against potential flooding and tacking plywood over windows and doors. Officials directed residents in the hurricane's path to check their preparedness plan against advice on the state's storm emergency website and to be on guard against price gouging and fraud.DeSantis announced that highway patrol cars would escort fuel trucks to expedite distribution."We're doing all we can on the fuel," he said.Earlier predictions of an arrival of the storm early on the Labor Day holiday, Monday, were revised in anticipation of an early Tuesday arrival. Storm surge could be made worse by extreme tides associated with the new moon, which fell on Friday.A hurricane watch was in effect for the north-western Bahamas, with a risk of life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding were anticipated in all affected areas.While it was unclear where on the Florida coastline Dorian would make landfall, Trump compared the storm to the 1992 Hurricane Andrew, which likewise tore into Florida along the Atlantic coast, killing 65 and tallying $27bn in damage."It does seem almost certain that it's hitting dead center, and that's not good," Trump said. "Somebody said bigger, or at least as big as Andrew."Trump is traveling to Camp David in Maryland, where he will monitor the storm after he canceled his planned trip to Poland this weekend.Forecasters have put Trump's luxury resort of Mar-a-Lago in the crosshairs of the storm. Late Friday, the National Hurricane Center's projected track showed Dorian hitting near Fort Pierce, some 70 miles north of the so-called "winter White House", then running along the coastline as it moved north. However forecasters cautioned that the storm's track was still highly uncertain and even a small deviation could put Dorian offshore or well inland.The major models of the storm showed it most likely deflecting up the Atlantic coast after making landfall but the risk remained, DeSantis said, that the storm could cross Florida and move into the Gulf of Mexico, to potentially grow in strength once again over relatively warm and shallow waters."Obviously a storm that cuts across the state, crosses the Gulf and then slams the Panhandle is a bad, bad thing for us," DeSantis said."Not every path of the storm has the same probability but you've got to be prepared for that. It's too soon to tell."Dorian's approach has played havoc with people's Labor Day weekend plans. Major airlines began allowing travelers to change their reservations without a fee. The big cruise lines began rerouting their ships. Disney World and the other resorts in Orlando found themselves in the storm's projected path.Jessica Armesto and her one-year-old daughter, Mila, had planned to have breakfast with Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy at Disney World. Instead, Armesto decided to take shelter at her mother's hurricane-resistant house in Miami with its kitchen full of nonperishable foods."It felt like it was better to be safe than sorry, so we canceled our plans," she said.
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| Suspect in Berlin killing had links to Russian state security: Der Spiegel Posted: 30 Aug 2019 04:33 AM PDT ![Suspect in Berlin killing had links to Russian state security: Der Spiegel]( "Suspect in Berlin killing had links to Russian state security: Der Spiegel") The suspect detained over the killing last week of a Georgian citizen in Berlin had a passport whose number linked him to Russian security services, German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Friday. Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, who had previously fought alongside anti-Moscow separatists in the province of Chechnya, was shot twice in the head last Friday as he headed through a central Berlin park to the mosque. If confirmed, the report could add to problems between the European Union and Moscow, which are already at odds over the apparent murder attempt against a Russian defector in Britain last year.
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| Worsening fuel shortage in impoverished Haiti Posted: 29 Aug 2019 06:43 PM PDT  Port-au-Prince (AFP) - Haiti's long-suffering population has faced an extra burden for more than a week: closed service stations and lines of motorists hoping to buy even a few drops of petrol during a fuel shortage that's getting worse. Haiti is one of the world's poorest countries which has faced months of political turmoil. "I have been in this never-ending line for hours," a driver of one of Port-au-Prince's ubiquitous motorbike taxis complained.
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| Democrats target non-religious voters, criticize 'religious liberty' Posted: 30 Aug 2019 03:15 AM PDT  Reaction from Fox News contributor Pastor Robert Jeffress on 'Fox & Friends First.'
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| Utah man found guilty of running massive opioid ring Posted: 30 Aug 2019 04:39 PM PDT  A Utah man was convicted Friday of running a multimillion-dollar opioid ring that sent hundreds of thousands of potentially deadly pills across the country in a scheme that authorities said helped fuel the nation's opioid epidemic. A jury reached the verdict after deliberating less than a day in the case against Aaron Shamo. "He's 29 and his life is over," defense attorney Greg Skordas said after the verdict was read.
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| Israel 'plants dummy decoy' soldiers on border with Lebanon after Hizbollah threats Posted: 29 Aug 2019 08:59 AM PDT  Israel has positioned dummy decoys dressed as soldiers on the border with Lebanon, according to local reports, as the country prepares for strikes by Hizbollah. Israel and Hizbollah, which last fought a war in 2006, are on high alert after Israel carried out a series of attacks on the group in Lebanon and neighbouring Syria and Hizbollah promised a retaliation. Lebanese journalist Ali Shueib, who works for Hizbollah's al-Manar TV station, tweeted photos of off-road army vehicles with what appeared to be a mannequin in the front seat. "Stop the jokes," he tweeted, saying that using these dummies only reveals "'stupidity and foolishness' because you have not learned that you are facing men that have the intelligence, professionalism, courage, and faith to defeat." خلصنا المزح بموضوع الجيب ✋ هذه الفضيحة كفيلة بإسقاط رؤوس كبيرة في جيشكم !! لأنها تدل عن "غباء وحمق" لأنكم لم تتعلموا بعد انكم بمواجة رجال لديهم من الحكمة والحرفية والشجاعة والإيمان مايكفي لهزيمتكم !!انضبوا وضبوا تماثيلكم .. هالحركات حتى الأطفال بلعبة الغميضة ما بيعملوها ✋ pic.twitter.com/0FqVHC0hF9— علي شعيب ���� (@ali_shoeib1) August 29, 2019 Or Heller, an Israeli military correspondent for Channel 10 News, posted a close-up of the dummy taken from the other side of the vehicle, suggesting that Israel had placed it there in anticipation of a Hizbollah assault. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has been known to use mannequins, placing them in bunkers or sniper's nests in an effort to trick its enemies into thinking they are manned by soldiers and leading them to reveal their position. Hizbollah, which is backed by Iran, have been warning they intend to carry out "calculated strike" against Israel in the coming days, in revenge for an Israeli strike in Syria which killed two Hizbollah fighters and a drone attack which is reported to have targeted precision-missile technology over the weekend. וכך ניראות הבובות בקו, בתמונה שחבר צפוני צילם. ברקע: ההבנה בצהל שנארסראללה סינדל את עצמו לתגובה על תקיפת הרחפנים בדאחייה. בדפוסי הפעולה האפשריים שלו: מטען, ירי צליפה, או ירי טילים נגד טנקים. pic.twitter.com/0jJ3QGc2iB— Or Heller אור הלר (@OrHeller) August 29, 2019 Sources close to the Shia movement had indicated to the Telegraph that the group would look to attack Israeli troops along the border and send drones into the country in a "like-for-like" retaliation for the drone attack. Israel is fighting a shadow war with arch-foe Iran, targeting its proxies in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq and attempting to disturb the flow of weapons. On its Twitter account on Thursday, the IDF went public with what it said were details about an extensive Iranian-sponsored project to provide Hizbollah with the means to produce precision-guided missiles. It released the names of four Iranian Quds Forces officers it alleged to be training Hizbollah members in Lebanon. Members of Lebanon's Shia Hizbollah movement carry the coffin of a fighter killed in Israeli strikes in Syria, during the funeral in the Ghobeiry neighbourhood of southern Beirut Credit: AFP Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, said Tehran had in recent months increased the pace of the project such that it was "faster in terms of buildings, facilities, locations, conversion and manufacturing facilities, and it means more people, operatives involved in doing so". "It is time for them (the Lebanese government) to understand their responsibility and understand the fact that what they are letting Hizbollah and Iran do on Lebanese soil is their responsibility," Lt Col. Conricus said. Israel has said that it holds the Lebanese state responsible for Hizbollah's actions since the movement now has MPs in parliament. Lebanon on Wednesday opened fire on Israeli drones operating inside Lebanese airspace, after warning its neighbour it would defend its sovereignty.
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| India's top ports on alert for attacks from 'Pakistan-trained commandos' Posted: 29 Aug 2019 03:48 AM PDT  India's two main ports said on Thursday they had been warned by the coastguard and intelligence officials that Pakistan-trained commandos have entered Indian waters to carry out underwater attacks on port facilities. The Mundra Port, run by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd , and the state-owned Kandla Port had asked their employees and ship operators to be vigilant, port officials and the ports said in advisories seen by Reuters. Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated since India revoked the special status of its portion of the Himalayan region of Kashmir on Aug. 5 and moved to quell objections by shutting down communications and clamping down on local leaders.
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| She Said Google’s Top Lawyer Ruined Her Life. He’s Not Saying ‘Sorry.’ Posted: 29 Aug 2019 03:56 PM PDT  Chip Somodevilla/GettyAlphabet's Chief Legal Officer David Drummond offered a non-apology Thursday to a woman who at various points was his employee, his extramarital partner, and the mother of his child. She accused him of ruining her life.Jennifer Blakely, a Silicon Valley angel investor and former senior contracts manager for Google, described the tumultuous course of their relationship in a detailed blog post published Wednesday. Drummond was formerly Google's general counsel and therefore Blakely's boss when the two began their relationship in 2004. They had a son in 2007, at which point Drummond disclosed their relationship to their employer.Blakely made a number of damning allegations in her new post. She said that once Google knew of her relationship with Drummond, the company forced her to transfer to the sales department, an area where she had no experience. She also accused Drummond of failing to pay child support until she filed a custody suit against him, of ignoring their son, and of sleeping with other subordinates. "I knew David's treatment of our son and me was nothing short of abuse," she wrote.Drummond gave a statement, first reported by BuzzFeed News, in which he called himself "far from perfect" and that he and Blakely had a "difficult" breakup that he regretted. He did not apologize to her and denied her claim that he dated another colleague at Google.Drummond's power at the company is difficult to overstate. He has been with Google since 2002 and was present for many key moments in the company's history, including when Google made its public debut on the stock exchange in 2004. At prominent Congressional hearings, Drummond at times sat directly behind former Google CEO Eric Schmidt as he testified.News of Drummond and Blakely's relationship was first reported in a New York Times story that detailed how the company paid Android creator Andy Rubin a $90 million severance package after he allegedly coerced subordinates into sexual acts during the course of their relationship. The story also described how Google's founders and executives often dated employees. The report prompted Google employees across the globe to walk out of work in protest.In her Medium post, Blakely wrote that once, when she confronted Drummond over his behavior, he pointed to a news article about Google CEO Eric Schmidt's philandering to justify himself. Google's culture, she wrote, permitted such conduct. "I see how standards that I was willing to indulge early on became institutionalized behavior as Google's world prominence grew and its executives grew more powerful," she wrote. "For me, the abuse of power didn't stop with being pushed out. Afterwards I was pushed down, lest I got in the way of the behavior that had become even more oppressive and entitled.Drummond concluded his statement tersely: "I know Jennifer feels wronged and understand that she wants to speak out about it. But I won't be getting into a public back and forth about these personal matters."Blakely did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Drummond could not be reached for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Trump made up phone call with China at G7 summit, White House aides admit Posted: 30 Aug 2019 10:05 AM PDT  The mystery behind a confusing phone call Donald Trump claims he had with "China" has been revealed: the president simply made it up to try to boost the market.White House aides have admitted that positive phone calls the president claimed he had had with China at last week's G7 summit "didn't happen the way he said they did", according to a report from CNN.
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