| Rep. Justin Amash turned on Trump. Will his Michigan district follow him — or turn on him? Posted: 17 Nov 2019 03:00 AM PST  If you want to understand how impeachment is being seen by actual Americans, there may be no better place to go than Grand Rapids, Mich. In part that's because the area around Grand Rapids, comprising Michigan's Third Congressional District, is one of only about two dozen districts in the nation to vote for Barack Obama and for Donald Trump.
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| PHOTOS: Hong Kong police storm university held by protesters Posted: 18 Nov 2019 11:26 AM PST  Police breached a Hong Kong university campus held by protesters early Monday after an all-night siege that included firing repeated barrages of tear gas and water cannons. Anti-government protesters have barricaded themselves inside Hong Kong Polytechnic University for days.
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| Ukraine ex-president named witness in power abuse probe Posted: 18 Nov 2019 09:35 AM PST  Ukraine's former president Petro Poroshenko has been designated a witness in a criminal investigation related to the nomination of judges, the state investigation bureau said on Monday. Poroshenko has been embroiled in a number of investigations since leaving office in May. "His status is that of a witness," a spokeswoman for the state investigation bureau, which handles high-profile cases, told AFP.
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| Spanish court says wanted Venezuelan spy still missing Posted: 18 Nov 2019 07:15 AM PST  A Spanish National Court official confirmed Monday that a former Venezuelan spymaster accused of attempting to "flood" the United States with drugs remains missing since an order for his arrest pending extradition was issued this month. The official said the order for Maj. Gen. Hugo Carvajal's arrest in Madrid was issued Nov. 8, after the court reversed an earlier ruling that rejected the U.S. extradition request for allegedly being politically motivated. Carvajal was for over a decade the eyes and ears in the military of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.
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| Mexico, Uruguay and Caribbean Community reject use of force in Venezuela -statement Posted: 18 Nov 2019 10:26 AM PST ![Mexico, Uruguay and Caribbean Community reject use of force in Venezuela -statement]( "Mexico, Uruguay and Caribbean Community reject use of force in Venezuela -statement") Mexico, Uruguay and representatives of the Caribbean Community on Monday rejected the use of force and human rights violations in Venezuela, urging a peaceful and democratic solution to solve the crisis in the troubled South American nation. The group issued the statement after Venezuela's opposition staged nationwide protests against Nicolas Maduro on Saturday and called for a new wave of demonstrations to revive stalled efforts to topple the deeply unpopular ruling Socialist Party.
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| China's H-20 and JH-XX Stealth Bombers: Beijing's Very Own Deadly B-2 Bombers? Posted: 18 Nov 2019 01:49 AM PST  What role will they have? Should America be worried?
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| Iraqi Spy Chief: ISIS Regrouping and Plotting Mass Prison Breaks Posted: 18 Nov 2019 09:24 AM PST  Head of Iraqi military intelligence Lt. Gen. Saad al-Allaq said in a Monday interview with CNN that ISIS is regrouping and planning new attacks as well as prison breaks.According to al-Allaq, top ISIS leaders have fled north from Syria into Turkey, where they are currently trying to reestablish the organization."Some of its important leadership fled north, I mean in the direction of neighboring countries and into border areas like Gazientep [in southern Turkey]," said al-Allaq. "They have secretly crossed into these areas from the Syrian-Turkish border -- top leaders who have money. They crossed with the help of smugglers by paying [a] large amount of money and have secretly entered Turkish territory."Al-Allaq said that the ISIS supporters who managed to flee into Turkey "play a key role in the recruitment of fighters and terrorists."In comments to CNN, spokesmen for the Turkish government said they were looking into al-Allaq's allegations. Turkey has arrested a sister, wife, and other family members of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-styled "Caliph" of ISIS, who was killed by U.S. special forces in October. The country has also detained 42 people accused of carrying out wire transfers for ISIS.Turkey's recent invasion of northeast Syria sparked fears among U.S. lawmakers that ISIS members held in Kurdish detention facilities would be set free in the ensuing fighting. President Trump has made clear his backing for Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, although he has threatened to impose sanctions against Turkey if the country acted in ways Trump considered "off-limits."Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) has said the withdrawal of American troops from the region in advance of Turkey's invasion was a "disaster in the making" that "ensures ISIS comeback."
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| Rodney Reed's mother says the 'truth will and shall set him free' after her son was granted a stay of execution Posted: 18 Nov 2019 09:40 AM PST  Rodney Reed has spent 20 years in prison for the 1996 murder of a 19-year-old woman named Stacey Stites.
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| Pelosi: Trump's 'insecurity as an impostor' drives his Twitter attacks Posted: 17 Nov 2019 08:47 AM PST  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi strongly criticized President Trump's "totally wrong and inappropriate" Twitter attack on a long-serving U.S. diplomat during last week's impeachment testimony.
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| 'People aren't stupid': de Blasio slams Bloomberg's 'stop-and-frisk' apology Posted: 18 Nov 2019 12:27 PM PST  Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg apologized for the controversial "stop-and-frisk" policy, but Bill de Blasio says he had six years to say sorry.
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| Vatican: top anti-money laundering official leaves post Posted: 18 Nov 2019 07:44 AM PST  The Vatican's top financial investigator charged with investigating money laundering and other such crimes has left his post after the non-renewal of his contract, the Holy See said on Monday. Rene Bruelhart, a Swiss lawyer, had worked for the Vatican's financial watchdog, the Financial Information Authority (FIA), since 2012. "Thanking him for his service in recent years (the Holy Father) has appointed his successor," the Vatican said in a statement, saying that Bruelhart's mandate had expired.
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| 2 dead as French bridge collapse sends vehicles into river Posted: 18 Nov 2019 07:27 AM PST  A 15-year-old girl and a truck driver died Monday when a road bridge collapsed in rural southwest France, dumping several vehicles into a river and prompting nationwide questions about bridge safety. Bystanders were able to rescue the girl's mother after her car fell into the Tarn River near the village of Mirepoix-sur-Tarn, regional prosecutor Dominique Alzeari told reporters. Several hours later, Mirepoix-sur-Tarn Mayor Eric Oget said on BFM television that a truck driver whose vehicle fell into the river was also found dead, and rescuers were working to extract his body.
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| UPDATE 2-Saudi-led coalition says Yemen's Houthis seize ship in Red Sea Posted: 18 Nov 2019 09:34 AM PST ![UPDATE 2-Saudi-led coalition says Yemen's Houthis seize ship in Red Sea]( "UPDATE 2-Saudi-led coalition says Yemen's Houthis seize ship in Red Sea") The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen said on Monday the Houthis had seized a vessel towing a South Korean drilling rig at the southern end of the Red Sea. Coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki said in a statement carried by Saudi state media that the vessel was seized late on Sunday by armed Houthis. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a senior Houthi official later told Reuters the group's forces had seized a "suspect vessel" in the Red Sea and that the crew were being treated well.
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| Has the U.S. Army Created Its Ultimate Weapon? Posted: 18 Nov 2019 02:05 AM PST  Armed Army robot vehicles conducted reconnaissance, called for indirect fire and then, when directed by human decision-makers, attacked and destroyed enemy targets in a recent experiment designed to assess the technical maturity and readiness of autonomous ground drones.
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| Rudy Giuliani's son has a White House job where he doesn't seem to do much Posted: 18 Nov 2019 10:15 AM PST ![Rudy Giuliani's son has a White House job where he doesn't seem to do much]( "Rudy Giuliani's son has a White House job where he doesn't seem to do much") Rudy Giuliani's unflinching love for President Trump didn't come out of nowhere.Sure, Trump and his lawyer have a lot of shared history thanks to their reputations as some of most well-known and New Yorkiest New Yorkers of all time. But Giuliani's staunchest affinity for Trump comes from how the president brings Giuliani and his son Andrew Giuliani together, Giuliani tells The Atlantic.The 31-year-old Andrew Giuliani has a White House job as an associate director in the Office of Public Liaison, with current and former White House officials telling The Atlantic he coordinates events with athletes. Yet "sports-team visits are more special-occasion than scheduling staple in the business of government," especially with teams often rejecting meetings with Trump, The Atlantic writes. That's led White House officials to say it's clear Andrew Giuliani got a "nepotism job" thanks to his father's name, with one saying "he's just having a nice time" and not exactly working hard.But Rudy Giuliani says that's just not the case. This "wasn't the usual 'hire my kid' situation," Giuliani said, because even though his son has "known the president since he was a baby ... they also had a relationship independent of me." That relationship came into play when Andrew Giuliani was a teenager and Rudy Giuliani was going through a divorce with Andrew's mother Donna. Andrew Giuliani "credits Trump with helping him navigate" his father's divorce and "particularly with helping him repair his relationship with Rudy," two former White House officials tell The Atlantic -- and Rudy Giuliani said he agrees.Andrew Giuliani didn't return a request for comment. Read more at The Atlantic.More stories from theweek.com The potential lie that could actually destroy Trump The coming death of just about every rock legend How China can win a trade war in 1 move
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| Too Far Left? Some Candidates Don't Buy the Argument Posted: 17 Nov 2019 08:51 AM PST  LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The crowded Democratic field of presidential candidates grappled with President Barack Obama's advice and legacy Saturday, the day after the former president sounded an unusual public warning about moving too far left in the primary race.While none were willing to directly rebuff Obama, a few candidates offered implicit criticism, saying that Democrats should be careful to steadfastly back the field so that whoever wins the nomination can count on enthusiastic support from all corners of the party."What we're doing right now, creating these dynamics within the Democratic Party, we've got to be careful," Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said, his voice rising as he addressed reporters in Long Beach, California, after speaking at the state's Democratic convention. "Because whoever is the nominee, we have one shot to make Donald Trump a one-term president. And so I'm not interested in delineating left or right or criticizing other folks.""Let's stop tearing each other down, let's stop drawing artificial lines," he added. "I'm tired in this election of hearing some people say, 'Well if this person gets elected, I can't support them,' and then other people say, 'If this person gets elected, I can't support them.' Are you kidding me?"During a televised forum sponsored by Univision, Jorge Ramos, an anchor for the Spanish-language station, asked Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont if Obama was right in saying that "the average American doesn't think we have to completely tear down the system."Sanders chuckled briefly and responded, "Well, it depends on what you mean by tear down the system.""The agenda that we have is an agenda supported by the vast majority of working people," he said. "When I talk about raising the minimum wage to a living wage, I'm not tearing down the system. We're fighting for justice. When I talk about health care being a human right and ending the embarrassment of America being the only major country on earth that does not guarantee health care for every man, woman and child, that's not tearing down the system. That's doing what we should have done 30 years ago."Julian Castro, who served as the housing secretary under Obama and has embraced some of the most left-leaning policies during the primary, said that he "always takes what President Obama says very very seriously."But, he emphatically said that he believed any of the candidates would be well-positioned to defeat Trump."I don't think that anybody in this campaign has articulated a vision for the future of the country that would not command a majority of voters in November of 2020," he said. "Their vision for the future of the country is much better and will be more popular than Donald Trump's."The comments came just a day after Obama spoke at a forum in Washington, D.C., and warned against Democrats moving too far to the left, particularly on issues such as health care and immigration. While Obama did not mention any candidate by name, he took aim at the "activist wing" of the Democratic Party and "left-leaning Twitter feeds," saying they were out of touch with the average voter."This is still a country that is less revolutionary than it is interested in improvement," he told an audience of some of the party's wealthiest donors Friday evening.The remarks were a rare departure for Obama. While the former president has spoken privately with nearly all the candidates, he has been careful to avoid exerting any influence on the race.Aides said his comments were intended to calm the nerves of Democrats who were worried about the strength of their historically large field, but Obama ended up reinforcing some of their more pressing concerns.Some establishment Democrats, elected officials and top donors have fretted that the liberal platforms of Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren would complicate their paths to the general election, arguing that they would lose voters in rural areas and in the suburban districts that helped the party win back the House last year. They are particularly worried about the politics of "Medicare for All," fearing it could transform health care, an issue that has been a political asset for Democrats, into a liability."We're changing something that clearly is a message that, in 2018, resonated with voters and we're making the issue about our plan rather than what the president has or has not done," former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota said.Among the liberal wing of the party, Obama's remarks prompted fierce backlash online and the creation of the hashtag TooFarLeft by Peter Daou, a former adviser to Hillary Clinton.Warren declined to address Obama's implicit criticism and instead praised the former president's efforts on health care."I so admire what President Obama did. He is the one who led the way on health care and got health care coverage for tens of millions of Americans when nobody thought that was possible," she said, speaking to reporters after a campaign event in Waverly, Iowa."Those are huge changes in this country, and they have made a difference for millions of people, and I will always be grateful," she said.Former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts did not address Obama's comments directly but argued that he defied ideological labels."Don't put me in a box," he told reporters. "I don't fit. By the way, neither do most voters.""One of the most exciting things about this moment is that the public's appetite for solutions as big as the challenges we face is greater than it's been in a long, long while," he said. "Our goals should be ambitious."Patrick received a tepid response to his five-minute speech at the California Democratic Convention in Long Beach on Saturday, his first major address since declaring his bid for the presidency."I am not running, my friends, to be president of the Democrats. I am running to be president of the United States." But he quickly added: "I'm not talking about a moderate agenda. This is no time for a moderate agenda. I'm talking about being woke, while leaving room for the still waking."Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota was among those objecting to Obama's premise. She published a tweet listing some of the priorities of the progressive left, with the rejoinder, "Count me in!"This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2019 The New York Times Company
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| Here's how FedEx will fly giant panda Bei Bei to China via its 'Panda Express' Posted: 18 Nov 2019 08:08 AM PST  A FedEx plane will soon take a 15-plus hour flight from the U.S. to China. Its cargo: one giant panda, supplies and plenty of snacks.
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| US ends sanction waivers for Iran's Fordow nuclear plant Posted: 18 Nov 2019 02:10 PM PST  The United States announced Monday it would halt sanctions waivers for Iran's Fordow plant, ending a key part of a landmark nuclear deal after Tehran said it had resumed enrichment activities. The move is intended to end Russian and European cooperation with Iran on the once-secret site, which was supposed to become a civilian research center under the 2015 agreement. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's announcement of renewed activity at Fordow -- a series of steps taken by Tehran as it presses European allies to make good on sanctions relief promised for compliance.
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| Avalanche hits Indian army post in Himalayas, 6 killed Posted: 18 Nov 2019 08:18 AM PST  An avalanche hit an Indian army post Monday on a Himalayan glacier in the disputed Kashmir region, killing four soldiers and their two civilian porters, the army said. Rescuers pulled six soldiers and two porters from the snow, said army spokesman Lt. Col. Abhinav Navneet. The group was on patrol near the post when the area was hit by the avalanche, Navneet said.
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| U.S. charges Miami professor in Venezuela money laundering scheme Posted: 18 Nov 2019 12:52 PM PST ![U.S. charges Miami professor in Venezuela money laundering scheme]( "U.S. charges Miami professor in Venezuela money laundering scheme") Prosecutors in New York accused professor Bruce Bagley of receiving $2.5 million in deposits from bank accounts in Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that were the proceeds of bribery and embezzlement in Venezuela, a Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office press release said. It said he retained about 10% as a commission.
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| Back in 2017, Russian Nuclear Submarines Fired Torpedoes at Each Other Posted: 17 Nov 2019 01:11 AM PST  It was a drill--and thank god for that.
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| Trump prepares to seize private land in Texas for border wall: Report Posted: 17 Nov 2019 10:33 AM PST  The Trump administration is preparing to submit court filings as soon as next week as a necessary step toward seizing private land in Texas for its wall on the border with Mexico, NBC reported on Thursday.
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| Chick-fil-A to End Donations to Christian Charities after LGBT Backlash Posted: 18 Nov 2019 09:05 AM PST  Chick-fil-A said Monday that it has stopped donations to several Christian organizations after receiving backlash from LGBT rights activists over the last several weeks.The U.S. fast food chain said that as it expands, it will no longer donate to the Salvation Army, the Paul Anderson Youth Home, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which opposes same-sex marriage. The company's charity, the Chick-fil-A Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to the two organizations."We made multi-year commitments to both organizations and we fulfilled those obligations in 2018," a representative for Chick-fil-A said, saying the chain will now focus its charitable donations on "education, homelessness and hunger."The franchise, famous for closing on Sunday, plans to donate a total of close to $9 million to charity include a $25,000 to a local food bank for each new restaurant the company opens."There's no question we know that, as we go into new markets, we need to be clear about who we are," Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operating Officer Tim Tassopoulos told Bisnow. "There are lots of articles and newscasts about Chick-fil-A, and we thought we needed to be clear about our message."Chick-fil-A has a long history of being on the receiving end of criticism from LGBT rights groups. In March, the San Antonio City Council took steps to effectively ban Chick-fil-A from San Antonio's airport after the company donated $2 million to the Christian charities it no longer supports."When there is a tension, we want to make sure we're being clear. We think this is going to be helpful," Tassopoulos said of the company's decision to pull its support from the charities. "It's just the right thing to do: to be clear, caring, and supportive and do it in the community."Correction: A previous version of this article stated incorrectly that Chick-fil-A includes Bible verses on its paper cups.
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| Fox News Host Hits Trump for Attacking Chris Wallace: You’re ‘Not Entitled to Praise’ Posted: 18 Nov 2019 03:51 PM PST  Fox NewsFox News aired a rare bit of "Common Sense" on Monday afternoon when host Neil Cavuto ended his show with a strong defense of his colleague Chris Wallace, who earned the wrath of President Trump for daring to challenge House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA).Trump tweeted on Sunday that Scalise "blew the nasty & obnoxious Chris Wallace (will never be his father, Mike!) away on Chris's lowest rated (unless I'm on) morning show," adding, "This kind of dumb and unfair interview would never have happened in the @FoxNews past." Zooming out, Cavuto asked his viewers, "What makes something 'fake news?'" before explaining that the president "doesn't distinguish" between false reporting and journalism that reflects poorly on him. "Now we can debate whether any crime was committed here," Cavuto said, "but Chris challenged Scalise concluding the witnesses that testified last week didn't see a crime committed here. That was his view of what they said, but that was not what they said." He went on to say it "was a pity" Trump didn't keep watching Fox News Sunday to see Wallace "just as aggressively going after" Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT). Speaking directly to Trump, Cavuto said, "Now while it's understandable not to like what you hear, Mr. President, it is not understandable to tune out what you would very much like to hear." He futilely urged Trump to watch "the things you might like and, yes, the things you might not like." While Trump is "entitled" to his opinion, Cavuto said journalists "aren't entitled to praise" him unconditionally—as he has come to expect from Fox's primetime hosts. "We're obligated to question you and always be fair to you," he said. "We will. Even if it risks inviting your wrath." Trevor Noah Slams Fox News: They Think Viewers Are 'Too Dumb' to Follow ImpeachmentRead 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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| Christine Blasey Ford makes rare public remarks, a year after Kavanaugh ordeal Posted: 18 Nov 2019 06:25 AM PST  Professor who accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault says 'I did not feel courageous. I was simply doing my duty as a citizen'Dr Christine Blasey Ford accepting an award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California in Beverly Hills on Sunday night. Photograph: Alberto E Rodríguez/Getty ImagesChristine Blasey Ford, who accused supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, made a rare public appearance on Sunday night."When I came forward last September," she said, accepting an award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California in Beverly Hills, "I did not feel courageous. I was simply doing my duty as a citizen."embed"I understood that not everyone would welcome my information, and I was prepared for a variety of outcomes, including being dismissed."Blasey Ford, a professor of psychology at Palo Alto University in California, came forward in September 2018, as Kavanaugh's nomination was before the Senate.In testimony before the Senate judiciary committee, she alleged that he assaulted her at a party in suburban Maryland in 1982, pinning her down, groping her, trying to remove her clothing and putting his hand over her mouth when she screamed.Kavanaugh angrily denied the allegation – and similar claims against him – and was confirmed as Donald Trump's second supreme court pick.His ascent, after that of Neil Gorsuch, tipped the ideological balance of the highest court in favour of conservative justices.Kavanaugh also appeared in public last week, addressing an event on Friday in Washington and staged by the Federalist Society, the rightwing group which has played an influential role in Trump's supreme court picks."I signed up for what I knew would be an ugly process," he said. But he said he had expected his confirmation to be "maybe not that ugly".Kavanaugh was confirmed by just two votes, the narrowest margin for a supreme court justice since 1881.His appearance at Union Station in Washington was greeted by protests, including women dressed up as characters from The Handmaid's Tale television series.Last year, lawyers for Ford said her life had been "turned upside down" and she had effectively gone into hiding, such was the vitriol directed her way after her testimony in the Senate.Ford "received a stunning amount of support from her community and from fellow citizens across our country", the lawyers said in a letter to Senate judiciary committee chairman, Chuck Grassley."At the same time, however, her worst fears have materialized. She has been the target of vicious harassment and even death threats. As a result of these kind of threats, her family was forced to relocate out of their home. Her email has been hacked, and she has been impersonated online."At the Beverly Hills event on Sunday, Blasey Ford accepted the Roger Baldwin Courage Award, named for the founder of the ACLU. When coming forward, she said, she had "simply thought that it was my duty as a citizen and that anyone in my position would do the same thing".
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| Jodie Chesney's killer jailed for life as judge laments criminals 'carving up areas' of London Posted: 18 Nov 2019 08:07 AM PST  Two drug dealing teenagers have been jailed for life for the "callous and casual" murder of girl scout Jodie Chesney, who was stabbed to death in an east London park. County lines dealer Svenson Ong-a-Kwie, 19, and his 17-year-old apprentice, Arron Isaacs had been looking to take revenge on rivals when they killed Jodie by mistake, the Old Bailey heard. The popular 17-year-old student had been relaxing with friends in Amy's Park in Harold Hill, east London, on the evening of March 1 when two shadowy figures emerged from the dark and one knifed her in the back. She screamed and collapsed in the arms of her boyfriend, Eddie Coyle, 18, as her attackers made off in a fellow drug dealer's car. Days later, they were arrested together as they fled from the rear of a house connected with the youth. The defendants denied Jodie's murder, each blaming the other for inflicting the fatal wound. But prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC told jurors that both were responsible for the killing, amid incidents of "casual violence" in the drug-dealing world. The jury deliberated for less than six hours to find them guilty last week of Jodie's murder. Jodie Chesney Judge Wendy Joseph QC handed Ong-a-Kwie a life sentence with a minimum of 26 years. She sentenced Isaacs to be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure for at least 18 years. She said that Jodie's death led to a "world of anguish" for her family, which came amid "tit for tat" incidents. Jodie was the victim of "callous, casual and irresponsible violence" which had shocked the community "to the core", she said. On the evidence, she found Ong-a-Kwie was the stabber and the 17-year-old his "enthusiastic supporter". Isaacs was initially shielded by anonymity, but now he can be named after the judge lifted reporting restrictions. In doing so, she said: "What is important is that a blameless girl is dead at the hands of those engaged in and those that associate with drug dealing on the streets which Jodie and other blameless young people must live. "This death has brought great unease in the community. Those suffering, which spreads much further than Jodie's friends and family, need and have a right to known and understand how this has come about." The judge lamented the impact of criminals that had "carved up areas of the capital of this country". She added: "The dangers this brings to decent law-abiding members of the public is graphically spelled out in this case." The court heard moving tributes to Jodie and the "ripple effect" her murder had among friends, family and the wider community. Mr Coyle has been left with post-traumatic stress from witnessing her murder. Svenson Ong-a-Kwie was a county lines drug dealer Credit: PA He said: "Jodie was funny, silly, she always made fun of me and she had a bright future ahead of her. She was full of energy and was always out doing something. We had been going out for three months. "I've never lost anyone before and for the first funeral I've gone to to be my own girlfriend's is incredibly hard. I loved her." Jodie's father, Peter Chesney, who gave up a job in the City, said: "I have lost the most precious human being I will ever know. I have no idea how I'm going to continue my life or come to terms with the loss." Her sister, Lucy, said: "Jodie will be greatly missed and the people who caused such tragedy to a whole family should hang their head in shame. You have ripped away a bright future that was destined to make a change to many lives." The court heard that Ong-a-Kwie had convictions for possessing and supplying drugs. He admitted being in breach of a six-week suspended sentence for handling stolen jewellery dating back to October last year. Isaacs had previous convictions for possessing a screwdriver, actual bodily harm, possession of cannabis as well as aggravated vehicle-taking.
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| In new pro-Israel shift, US no longer calls settlements illegal Posted: 18 Nov 2019 12:35 PM PST  The United States no longer believes that Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories are illegal, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Monday, in the latest pro-Israel shift by Washington. The statement puts the United States at odds with virtually all countries and UN Security Council resolutions and comes just as centrist Benny Gantz races to form a government to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close ally of President Donald Trump.
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| Mexican president defends indigenous pensions plan Posted: 18 Nov 2019 09:57 AM PST ![Mexican president defends indigenous pensions plan]( "Mexican president defends indigenous pensions plan") Mexico's president on Monday defended a plan to provide pensions to indigenous people starting at age 65, compared with 68 for other Mexicans. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who was elected last year after campaigning to help marginalized people, said those who question the idea should visit poor indigenous communities to see how residents live. "It is painful that a senior in the city, age 65, is better preserved than an indigenous person of 65 because they work, they eat poorly, they have to walk for kilometers and they suffer greatly," López Obrador said.
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| Evo Morales Says 32-Year-Old Senator Is Bolivia’s Rightful President Posted: 18 Nov 2019 02:20 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- A 32-year-old senator from Bolivia's majority socialist party should be the nation's president, ousted leader Evo Morales said in an interview.Monica Eva Copa, from Morales's MAS party, was elected leader by the Senate last week. Morales says that makes her the legal head of state, rather than Jeanine Anez, whose claim to be interim president has been recognized by the U.S. and Brazil. Anez and her backers have begun an aggressive remaking of the nation's foreign policy to align it with the programs of conservative leaders such as Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro and Chile's Sebastian Pinera.Anez "has no constitutional right" to occupy the office, Morales told Bloomberg News in Mexico City on Monday. "The people don't recognize her, and that's why there are so many demonstrations."Bolivia has been in violent turmoil since Morales's opponents accused him of trying to rig the Oct. 20 presidential vote. He quit Nov. 10 along with his vice president and the heads of congress, saying he's the victim of a "right-wing coup."Coup or No Coup, Bolivia's Morales Fell From Grace: QuickTakeAt least 20 people have died in clashes since he left as security forces put down protests against Anez's government. Other countries in the region, from Chile to Ecuador have been roiled by violent unrest in recent weeks, amid austerity programs and weak economic growth.Anez and her allies should be investigated for the deaths of protesters, which amount to "genocide" Morales said.After Morales fled to Mexico, Anez declared herself Senate leader in a session of congress boycotted by Morales's allies, who have a majority in both houses. Both Anez and Monica Eva Copa claim to be the Senate leader who, under the constitution, would become president when the regular president and vice president are absent.Since taking power, Anez has implemented policies radically different from Morales's, including cutting the nation's alliances with Venezuela and Cuba. She's pledged to hold new elections as soon as possible.Morales said he won't take part in the upcoming elections, and would turn down the candidacy even if offered. Read More: Civil Unrest Haunts Those Who Remember Latin America's JuntasMorales won a fourth term in the Oct. 20 presidential election, but the Organization of American States said the vote was unreliable and plagued by irregularities. He stepped down after three weeks of protests after he lost the backing of the security forces.(Updates to add Morales comments in which he says he won't be a candidate in the upcoming elections.)To contact the reporter on this story: Nacha Cattan in Mexico City at ncattan@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Juan Pablo Spinetto at jspinetto@bloomberg.net, Matthew Bristow, Stephen MerelmanFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Nikki Haley and George Conway spat on Twitter after he calls GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik 'lying trash' Posted: 18 Nov 2019 04:17 PM PST  After George Conway called GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik "lying trash," Nikki Haley said he is "the last person that can call someone 'trash.'"
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| WikiLeaks founder Assange has unsuitable computer in jail, court told Posted: 18 Nov 2019 05:41 AM PST  WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is struggling to prepare for his case fighting extradition to the United States because he has been given an unsuitable computer in prison, his lawyer told a British court on Monday. Assange, 48, who spent seven years holed up in Ecuador's embassy before he was dragged out in April, is wanted in the United States to face 18 counts including conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law. Appearing at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court via video link, Assange spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth in a hearing that lasted just a few minutes.
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| John Oliver Says If You Want to Irritate Donald Trump, Fill Out the 2020 Census Posted: 18 Nov 2019 12:38 AM PST  "This administration clearly thinks that some people don't count," Oliver says.
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| TikTok is reportedly considering a rebrand in the US to shed its Chinese roots Posted: 18 Nov 2019 04:31 AM PST  ByteDance, the company which owns short-form video app TikTok, has recently come under fire due to the fact that it is headquartered in China.
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| Bangladesh organises onion airlift as prices hit record high Posted: 18 Nov 2019 05:30 AM PST  South Asia's onion crisis has widened, with Bangladesh airlifting supplies of the vegetable and the prime minister claiming prices are so high she has stopped eating them. The spike in Bangladesh has put a staple ingredient for much South Asian food out of reach of the country's poor and follows a similar price hike in India. Prices in Bangladesh rocketed after India banned exports to conserve its own stocks after they were hit first by drought and then by heavy monsoon rains. As prices reached record levels, Bangladesh's largest opposition party blamed the government for the hike and on Monday called for nationwide protests. The humble bulb is so important to daily cooking in South Asia that shortages have a history of political fallout and a reputation for even toppling governments. One kilo of the vegetable in Bangladesh usually costs 30 taka (27p) but soared to up to 260 taka (£2.37) after India's export ban was imposed. Hours-long queues have formed to purchase the staple of South Asian cuisine Credit: AFP India has seen its own spike in prices after a sharp fall in production and the issue has become a political headache for Delhi. India has already released its national buffer stocks and imposed measures to stop onion hoarding. Hasan Jahid Tusher, deputy press secretary for Bangladesh's prime minister Sheikh Hasina, told AFP onions were being imported by air freight, and that "prime minister said she has stopped using onion in dishes". None of the dishes at the PM's residence in Dhaka on Saturday contained onions, he added. Media in Bangladesh reported onion consignments arrived at a major port in Chittagong city on Sunday after the government imported stocks from Myanmar, Turkey, China and Egypt. The increasing prices have pushed onions off restaurant and domestic menus, with Bangladeshis having to adjust their cooking and tastebuds. "Onion has become an essential part of the taste buds of the people of this region, including Bangladesh," a restaurateur called Shafiqul Islam told bdnews24. "A food can be eatable, but not much delicious without onion. Onion is a must for fish and meat recipes, biriyani and many other dishes." The state run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has attracted long queues waiting for subsidised onions. "Even if I have to stand another two hours, I will do that. I can save some 250 taka by buying one kilo of TCB onion. I am standing here because I have to save money," said Ratan, an English teacher. "I am 41 years old. I have never seen onion prices ever crossing beyond 120 taka." Drought badly hit India's first onion harvest in the spring, while unusually heavy monsoon rains hit the second harvest. The fluctuating price of onions is widely used as an everyday measure of inflation and a sudden inability for the poor to buy them can quickly focus concern over wider economic problems. Indira Ghandi came to power in 1980 citing soaring onion prices as a metaphor for economic failures of the government. The issue dominated state elections in 1998 and again became a political crisis in 2010. India last week said it was importing 100,000 tons of onions in a bid to curb rising prices. Pakistan has meanwhile seen its own vegetable inflation, with a spike in tomato prices. A government finance adviser came in for widespread mockery after he insisted tomatoes were to be found for 17 rupees (8p) per kg. The price is more than 10 times that.
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| Iran exceeds authorised heavy water reserves: IAEA Posted: 18 Nov 2019 03:04 PM PST  The UN's nuclear watchdog said Monday that Iran's stock of heavy water for reactors has surpassed the limit set under its agreement with world powers. The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement that Iran's heavy water production plant was in operation and that its stock of heavy water reserves was 131.5 tonnes, above the 130-tonne limit.
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| At least 4 wounded by gunshots during protest in Haiti Posted: 18 Nov 2019 01:31 PM PST  PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — At least four people were shot and wounded during a small protest in Haiti's capital Monday after a speech by embattled President Jovenel Moise. Monday was the anniversary of a key battle of the Haitian Revolution, and earlier in the day Moise rejected calls to resign. Opponents say Moise should leave office over economic mismanagement and failure to investigate corruption.
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| China Defends Crackdown on Muslim Minorities after Document Leak Reveals Human Rights Abuses Posted: 18 Nov 2019 06:24 AM PST  China defended on Monday its crackdown on Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region after a document leak to the New York Times revealed the details of Beijing's concerted repression efforts.On Friday the Times published papers leaked from within China's Communist party that detailed directives to party officials on how to handle the detention of Uighurs, Kazakhs, and other Muslims as part of what China asserts is a campaign against Islamic extremism. Chinese president Xi Jinping was quoted as saying the government should show "absolutely no mercy" in its crackdown."It is precisely because of a series of preventive counterterrorism and de-extremism measures taken in a timely manner that Xinjiang, which had been deeply plagued by terrorism, has not had a violent terrorist incident for three years," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on Monday.China has detained roughly one million Muslims in Xinjiang, housing them in so-called reeducation camps meant to reduce prisoners' identification with Islam and foster obedience toward the Communist party, according to international human rights groups. According to former inmates, Chinese government and military personnel regularly torture and rape prisoners. One report indicated China is pairing ethnic Han men to women whose husbands have been detained.The Communist party-owned newspaper The Global Times reported that Uighur families with members who escaped China were actually happy with their lives. "They are ashamed of the scum among their families," the report said.In October, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced sanctions on Chinese officials believed to participate in the repression of Uighurs and other minorites."China must end its draconian surveillance and repression, release all those arbitrarily detained, and cease its coercion of Chinese Muslims abroad," Pompeo wrote on Twitter at the time.
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| Warren Calls Out Blackstone for ‘Shameless’ Profits From Housing Posted: 18 Nov 2019 12:56 PM PST ![Warren Calls Out Blackstone for 'Shameless' Profits From Housing]( "Warren Calls Out Blackstone for 'Shameless' Profits From Housing") (Bloomberg) -- Elizabeth Warren called out Blackstone Group Inc. for its real estate practices as she laid out her tenants' rights plan, accusing the company of "shamelessly" profiting from the 2008 housing crisis.Her criticism on Monday was the latest instance of the Democratic 2020 presidential candidate singling out Wall Street companies and investors by name for actions she says contribute to inequality.In a Medium post where she laid out proposals to strengthen tenants' rights, Warren assailed Blackstone for going on a "shopping spree" in the wake of the 2008 crisis and buying apartments and single-family homes that had been foreclosed. She also took aim at Colony Capital Inc. and Cerberus Capital Management."Some of the same Wall Street firms that tanked the dream of home ownership for millions of American families are now the country's biggest landlords -- profiting off the destruction they caused," Warren wrote in her post.Blackstone noted that in fact it began purchasing homes through a now-independent company it founded, Invitation Homes, in 2012, after the housing crisis that began in 2008 had abated. The company said vacant homes were dragging down property values for surrounding homes, and Blackstone's purchases and billion-dollar investments in renovations boosted local economies and employment. The firm was spending $150 million a week buying single-family homes."Though we are only a tiny percentage of the housing market, we are proud of our investments, which are helping address the housing shortage by adding high-quality, professionally managed rental housing, while contributing to local economies and creating jobs -- all on behalf of our investors, which include retirement systems for millions of teachers, nurses, firefighters and other pensioners," said Jen Friedman, senior vice president for global public affairs at Blackstone.Blackstone is one of the world's largest real-estate investors, and has about $554 billion in total assets under management. The business is so profitable it has made both founder Stephen Schwarzman and president Jonathan Gray, who oversaw Blackstone's massive real estate growth, billionaires several times over.Warren has singled out some of the largest U.S. corporations, including Facebook Inc., Exxon Mobil Corp., Walmart Inc., and Wells Fargo & Co., as she campaigns for the Democratic nomination by championing working- and middle-class families. The Massachusetts senator promised to break up big corporations, crack down on their political influence and enforce strict regulations on Wall Street.She has also engaged in fights with such Wall Street figures as Lloyd Blankfein and Leon Cooperman.Warren's latest attack comes in a policy proposal to withhold federal funding from corporate landlords with a history of "harassing" tenants. Corporate landlords would be required to publicly disclose data like median rent, the number of tenants they've evicted and building code violations, as well as the names of any individuals with an ownership interest of 25% or more.Warren also pointed to Blackstone's $5.3 billion deal to buy New York's Stuyvesant Town, an 80-acre Manhattan development with more than 11,000 apartments. Under the terms of the deal, about 5,000 of those apartments would remain "affordable" for 20 years, according to an announcement by New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio.Warren has proposed spending $500 billion to build about 3 million housing units in the U.S., and also said her administration would provide a nationwide right-to-counsel and establish a federal grant program aimed at benefiting low-income tenants facing eviction. She said she'd create a federal Tenant Protection Bureau, modeled after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a key component of the 2010 Wall Street overhaul legislation that she advocated.(Updates with details on Blackstone's housing purchases in fifth paragraph.)To contact the reporters on this story: Misyrlena Egkolfopoulou in Washington at megkolfopoul@bloomberg.net;Heather Perlberg in Washington at hperlberg@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Wendy Benjaminson at wbenjaminson@bloomberg.net, ;Sam Mamudi at smamudi@bloomberg.net, Gregory MottFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Will Donald Trump's Strategy Bring Down Iran? Posted: 17 Nov 2019 11:30 PM PST  It's unlikely but possible.
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| Police swoop as Hong Kong protesters try to flee Posted: 18 Nov 2019 12:52 AM PST  Hong Kong riot police swooped on pro-democracy protesters trying to flee a university they had set ablaze Monday, in one of the most violent confrontations seen in nearly six months of unrest. Hundreds of demonstrators clashed throughout the day with police who had threatened to use deadly force, as protests also flared in other parts of the city. China has refused to budge on any of the protesters' demands, and warned it will not tolerate dissent.
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