World News Review

'Win a baby' contest has heartwarming ending

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 18:12:53 -0500

When Krista and Anthony Rivera had problems conceiving their first child, they turned to a radio contest that promised free IVF. Now they are a family of three. CNN's Anderson Cooper reports. Watch "Full Circle" weeknights at 5 p.m. ET.

‘Joe is an uncle to our state’: South Carolina polls show Biden with blowout lead

mcaputo@politico.com (Marc Caputo) — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 18:08:50 -0500

Joe Biden is blowing away his Democratic rivals in South Carolina, according to three new polls that show he’s the only candidate with outsized support from African-American voters in the first-in-the-South primary.

While the former vice president has lost ground in surveys of overwhelmingly white Iowa and New Hampshire, Biden is pulling in about a third of the overall primary vote in South Carolina. His lead there is powered by a 44 percent backing from black voters, surveys from Quinnipiac University and the University of North Florida released Monday show.

Another survey released Monday, from CBS News/YouGov, shows even stronger support from black voters in South Carolina. Biden receives more than half of his support from African-Americans and has 45 percent overall support.

His next-closest opponents in South Carolina are Sen. Elizabeth Warren, at 17 percent, and Sen. Bernie Sanders at 15 percent in the CBS poll.

In the Quinnipiac poll, Biden has 33 percent support and Warren and Sanders are at 13 and 11 percent, respectively. In the UNF survey, Biden registers 36 percent support, with Warren and Sanders tied at 10 percent.

The polls bolster claims by Biden’s allies that he’s the only candidate in the race who can point to a broad base of support with a pillar of the Democratic Party – African-Americans.

Their continued backing is essential to Biden’s bid — particularly in the South — since black voters could account for one-in-four total voters during primary season. High black turnout is also crucial to any Democrat’s chances in a general election.

While Biden is benefitting from his status as vice president to the first black president, his longstanding ties to South Carolina and the attacks on his character by Donald Trump have also reinforced his position, according to state Sen. Marlon Kimpson, a Democrat from North Charleston who is neutral in the race and has hosted numerous candidates in his majority-black district.

“Ironically, Trump has helped Biden here,” Kimpson said.

“People I talk to believe Biden doesn’t get a fair shake. And there’s some ownership of him. He has been friendly to our state. He was President Obama’s vice president. There’s sort of a feeling of kinship with him,” Kimpson said. “And people don’t like folk picking on their relative. They believe Joe is an uncle to our state. And Trump’s preoccupation and fascination with taking him out has resonated.”

Kimpson and the pollsters cautioned that the race is still fluid and anything can still happen. The surveys show that many voters have indicated they could switch their votes. There’s also a sizable pool of undecided voters, about a fifth of the state electorate

“If Biden goes into Atlanta in the debate this week and says something stupid, well, he can’t afford any major problems,” Kimpson said.

The newest polls are a gut-punch to the two African-American senators who have looked to the state as a springboard, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker. They’ve premised their candidacies on doing well enough in Iowa, New Hampshire or Nevada in order to gain momentum and capture the support of South Carolina’s black voters -- estimated to be as much as two-thirds of the primary vote in the state.

The senators’ calculus also counts on the implosion of Biden’s campaign, which has so far failed to materialize.

Harris only has 3 percent overall support in South Carolina and 6 percent support from black voters there, while Booker has 2 percent support overall and from black voters in the state, according to Quinnipiac’s survey. In UNF’s poll, Harris has 4 percent overall support and also from black voters, while Booker is at 2 percent in both categories.

UNF surveyed 437 Democratic voters by cell and landline phones for its poll, which has a margin of error of +/- 4.7 percentage points. Quinnipiac surveyed 768 likely voters by cell and landline phones. And CBS surveyed 933 Democrats in the state via internet-based web panels. CBS/YouGov did not provide detailed breakdowns of poll respondents by race.

The polls suggest South Carolina, the final early state to vote on Feb. 29, is an uphill climb for Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who is the leader in a recent flagship poll in Iowa.

In the UNF survey, Buttigieg had 3 percent support overall and 1 percent support from African-American voters. In Quinnipiac’s poll, Buttigieg registered no support among black voters and was at 6 percent overall.

“It’s certainly a warning sign for all of the other candidates,” UNF political science professor Michael Binder said, referring to the preferences of black voters so far.

Binder cautioned that early polls like this will change as the campaign grinds on and candidates win or lose in the early states. But at the moment, Biden’s support shows how strong he is with black voters.

“Biden right now is the toughest kid on the block in South Carolina and until someone comes along and punches him in the nose, he’s going to stay that way,” Binder said.

Name identification is a major asset for Biden in South Carolina. Only 8 percent say they haven’t heard enough about him in Quinnipiac’s poll, the only to survey the leading Democratic candidates’ favorability ratings. Sanders is well-liked, too, but less so than Biden with only 9 percent saying they haven’t heard enough. The rest of the field remains largely unknown to South Carolina Democratic voters in the Quinnipiac poll, by anywhere from a fifth to half of voters surveyed.

“There’s definitely some familiarity with Joe Biden that is helping him. Voters in South Carolina know him and like him,” said Mary Snow, a polling analyst for Quinnipiac, who added that 24 percent of voters in the primary said electability was the most important issue for them and of them, 40 percent supported Biden.

The polls also show that California billionaire Tom Steyer is creeping up in South Carolina, where he has spent at least $7.5 million on TV and radio, about $1 million on Facebook and hundreds of thousands of dollars more on digital advertising and mail blanketing the state.

Steyer is at 8 percent in the UNF poll, 5 percent in Quinnipiac but only 2 percent in the CBS/YouGov poll.

South Carolina state Rep. Russell Ott, who endorsed Steyer, said he believes the race is “up for grabs” but that “Biden is the default candidate for many.”

“I believe that Tom Steyer matches up best against Trump in terms of the economy and bringing back rural America,” said Ott. “I’m unfortunately very concerned that Joe Biden is going to bring more baggage in the race than he is going to need long term to be successful.”

Ott also pointed out that Republicans won’t hold a 2020 primary and many in the state might cross over and vote in the Democratic race, making it potentially more unpredictable.

The Quinnipiac poll brings Steyer and entrepreneur Andrew Yang closer to the requirements for participating in the Dec. 19 Democratic primary debate, which is co-hosted by POLITICO and PBS Newshour.

Steyer’s 5 percent in the Quinnipiac poll pushed him across the required polling threshold to participate in the debate (candidates need to get 4 percent in four polls approved by the Democratic National Committee or 6 percent in two DNC-approved polls in early states). Steyer still needs to hit a donor threshold of 200,000 unique supporters, but his campaign was confident he would hit that mark before the Dec. 12 deadline.

Yang hit 4 percent in the Quinnipiac poll. This is his third qualifying poll toward the December debate and his campaign has said he has already exceeded the donor mark.

The other billionaire who is expected to enter the race, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has upside-down approval numbers, with 16 percent viewing him favorably and 26 percent unfavorably in the Quinnipiac poll.

The Quinnipiac poll also reveals the long odds facing Deval Patrick, Massachusetts’ first black governor, who jumped into the race last week after opting against it months ago, robbing him of time, campaign contributions, an easy-to-assemble staff or debate appearances.

“[Patrick] has his work cut out for him in introducing himself to voters,” said Snow. “Nearly 8 in 10 likely voters say they haven't heard enough about Patrick to form an opinion of him.”

In North Charleston, state Sen. Kimpson said he doesn’t understand the math for Patrick at this late date.

“Deval Patrick is an excellent candidate ... a year ago,” Kimpson said, spelling out the ellipses as “dot, dot, dot” to emphasize how too much time has passed. “I don’t know how he’s going to do it.”

Zach Montellaro contributed to this report.

Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine

Massachusetts man charged after 5-year-old son brings cocaine to school

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 18:07:04 -0500

A Massachusetts man pleaded not guilty Friday to drug possession and reckless child endangerment charges after his 5-year-old son brought cocaine to school.

US angers Palestinians with reversal on Israeli settlements

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 18:03:50 -0500

Trump administration no longer considers settlements violate international law

U.S. blacklists former Kenyan attorney general over corruption allegations

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 18:01:39 -0500

The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on Kenya's former attorney general, Amos Sitswila Wako, accusing him of involvement in "significant" corruption, according to a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

DOJ inspector general scheduled to testify about Russia report

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 18:00:01 -0500

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on December 11 to discuss the findings of his report into the opening of the Russia investigation, Chairman Lindsey Graham announced Monday.

Fierce clashes in Hong Kong as police lay siege to university

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:54:07 -0500

Hundreds of students holed up on campus as protesters call for new rallies

Live updates: Trump says he will ‘strongly consider’ providing written testimony; McConnell ‘can’t imagine’ president being removed from office - The Washington Post

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:53:00 -0500

Essex lorry deaths: Vietnam offers grieving families loans to return bodies

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:50:30 -0500

Government loans are offered to relatives of the Essex lorry dead to repatriate their loved ones.

Harriet Tubman museum set to open in 2020

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:50:23 -0500

The museum's official opening is June 2020 and will launch next to the historic Macedonia Baptist Church.

Senior Trump admin official Mina Chang resigns after NBC News report

Dan De Luce and Laura Strickler and Ari Sen — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:50:00 -0500

Mina Chang resigned Monday, 6 days after an NBC News report about her resume inflation and hours after NBC asked her about newly discovered false claims.

Dow continues to climb above 28,000

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:49:51 -0500

Dow closes at another record high; Fox Biz Flash: 11/18.

Syracuse student after racist incidents: I don't feel safe

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:49:24 -0500

A student group has staged a sit-in at Syracuse University following a string of racist incidents. One student who says says she has personally experienced racist language on campus joins Anderson Cooper to discuss their protest and demands. Watch "Full Circle" weeknights at 5 p.m. ET.

Hong Kong violence continues: Police storm university, threaten to use live rounds

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:48:03 -0500

Greg Palkot on Hong Kong

Greece's Moria camp on Lesbos: An ongoing quandary

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:48:00 -0500

The Greek government has vowed to do something about its overcrowded island migrant camps. But things are not getting much better, as Max Zander reports from the island of Lesbos.

Taylor Swift can perform hits at the AMAs after all

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:47:39 -0500

Everyone needs to calm down. It seems Taylor Swift can perform her hits, including those that were the subject of very public dispute last week, at the upcoming American Music Awards.

Mali army loses 24 soldiers in Niger border attack

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:45:52 -0500

The incident in northern Mali comes weeks after one of the deadliest attacks in recent years.

U.S. softens stance on Israeli settlements, draws Palestinian outrage

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:45:49 -0500

The United States on Monday effectively backed Israel's right to build Jewish settlements on the occupied West Bank by abandoning its four-decade-old position that they were "inconsistent with international law."

Police say victims of Fresno football party shooting were "targeted"

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:45:28 -0500

Gunmen who killed four men and wounded six others at a backyard football-viewing party of mostly ethnic Hmong had targeted the residence in Fresno, California, possibly in retaliation for a previous altercation, police said on Monday.

US 'Gravely Concerned' About Deepening Unrest in Hong Kong

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:45:03 -0500

The United States is "gravely concerned by the deepening political unrest and violence in Hong Kong" as the confrontation between police and protesters has escalated in recent days.

"We've repeatedly called for restraint from all parties in Hong Kong. Violence by any side is unacceptable. The Hong Kong government bears primary responsibility for bringing calm to Hong Kong," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday during a press briefing at the State Department.

Pompeo's remarks came amid a dramatic escalation in unrest, with Hong Kong police threatening to fire live bullets if demonstrators did not stop using weapons in the latest anti-government protests.

"Unrest and violence cannot be resolved by law enforcement efforts alone. The government must take clear steps to address public concerns," added the top U.S. diplomat.

Police interrogate protesters who left the occupied campus of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University that is surrounded by police in Hong Kong, China, Nov. 18, 2019.

Senior U.S. officials have repeatedly called on the Chinese government to honor its promises to the Hong Kong people "who want the freedoms and liberties" that they have been promised in the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a U.N.-registered treaty.

On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hit out at China, pointing to leaked documents that "delineate the government's chilling, systematic campaign against ethnic minorities in another supposedly autonomous region, Xinjiang."

"The problem is Beijing's efforts to erect the same kind of sinister, brutal surveillance state in Hong Kong that China is also trying to set up everywhere else," McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor. "The protesters are not the problem. It is Beijing and the Hong Kong leadership who must de-escalate."

The top Republican in the Senate called on the Trump administration to not solely focus on trade, when it comes to China, but also "make Hong Kong's autonomy a key topic within our bilateral diplomacy."

Polytechnic University siege

Earlier Monday, police tightened the barricade around the Polytechnic University and prevented dozens of students from breaking through police lines.

The president of the Polytechnic University said he has brokered a truce with police that would allow the hundreds of protesters trapped inside the campus to leave peacefully.

A view of the area where protesters crafted Molotov cocktails inside Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) campus, in Hong Kong, China, Nov. 19, 2019.

Teng Jin-Guang Teng said he received assurances from police for a temporary suspension of the use of force if the protesters do not initiate the violence.

"We have also received permission from the police for you to leave the campus peacefully, and I will personally accompany you to the police station to ensure that your case will be fairly processed," Teng said.

It is unclear whether and when the truce was taking effect.

Dozens of student protesters, however, made another frantic attempt to escape the university that has been surrounded by riot police, as the siege on the campus entered a second day.

Waves of students fled on foot late Monday, running through clouds of tear gas as they attempted to break through police lines.

Threat of lethal force

It was the second concerted attempt by students to flee the urban campus, which has been surrounded by police who have repeatedly warned they will use lethal force.

Live feeds showed riot police chasing down students, some of whom were covered in blood. It was not immediately clear how many were arrested and how many may have escaped the campus successfully.

The clashes raised fears that the siege would end in a deadly crackdown.

An anti-government demonstrator cries after coming out of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) to surrender, in Hong Kong, China, Nov. 19, 2019.

Students barricaded themselves on the campus, and several others across Hong Kong, early last week, stockpiling homemade weapons such as petrol bombs, slingshots and bricks.

Early Monday, VOA saw police arrest dozens of students, who were detained with plastic wire ties around their wrists. Some were marched in front of reporters as they were taken away toward waiting police vans.

"I can't imagine this happening in Hong Kong. We are a civilized city and we are witnessing so many uncivilized acts," said a young man nicknamed Ronald, who came out to witness the campus siege firsthand. "We all have something in common and we all want to achieve the same thing.

"In my opinion, (the students) are not really violent. They are acting in response to the police force," he said.

Thousands of riot and other police have surrounded the urban campus of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University for the past day, warning the students to drop their weapons. But a hardcore group showed no signs of surrender. Earlier, police said they were arresting students on riot related charges.

The number of casualties is not clear. Police on Sunday warned they would use lethal force if they continued to be attacked. Local media reports said live rounds were used in several cases.

The clashes are some of the worst violence since anti-government protests began in Hong Kong five months ago.

Escalating protests

Since June, Hong Kong has seen massive, regular demonstrations, which started in opposition to a proposed bill that would have allowed Hong Kong citizens to be extradited to the mainland. The protests quickly morphed into wider calls for democracy and opposition to growing Chinese influence.

Police in riot gear move through a cloud of smoke as they detain a protester at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Nov. 18, 2019.

A smaller group of hardcore protesters, many of whom are college students, have also increasingly engaged in more aggressive tactics — clashing with police, destroying public infrastructure, and vandalizing symbols of state power. The students have defended the tactics as a necessary response to police violence and the government's refusal to accept their demands.

Hong Kong Polytechnic University is one of at least five campuses where students this week barricaded themselves in, blocking roads and collecting makeshift weapons in case of an attack by authorities. Most of the protesters had left the other campuses by Saturday, though a group of hardcore protesters remained at Polytechnic.

The protests escalated in the past week, following the first death of a protester who fell from a building during clashes between protesters and police.

US businesswoman: I kept Boris Johnson's secrets but he's fed me to the wolves

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:44:51 -0500

Jennifer Arcuri, the American businesswoman at the center of a controversy over whether Boris Johnson failed to declare a potential conflict of interest when he was Mayor of London, has said she has kept the Prime Minister's "secrets" and accused him of refusing to talk to her since he entered Downing Street.

Hong Kong university becomes center of tense standoff between police, protesters

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:44:09 -0500

Police and protesters in a tense standoff at Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University

'No one needs to be a billionaire', Britain's Labour Party says

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:43:32 -0500

Britain's opposition Labour Party will on Tuesday take aim at "obscene" billionaires, pledging a radical redistribution of wealth to cut the power of the super rich who it says bankroll Prime Minister Boris Johnson in return for tax breaks.

Wall Street nudges up as investors await U.S.-China trade clarity

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:40:25 -0500

Wall Street's three main indexes on Monday barely extended the previous session's closing records as investors waited for concrete progress on U.S.-China trade relations after mixed headlines.

Congress could depose IRS whistleblower who alleged interference in audit of Trump's taxes

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:38:11 -0500

The Democratic-led House Ways and Means Committee is weighing whether to depose a whistleblower who alleged political interference in the presidential audit program, according to a source familiar with their thinking.

Congress could depose whistleblower who alleged interference in audit of Trump's taxes

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:38:11 -0500

Protesters try to escape Hong Kong university after violent all-night clashes with police

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:37:12 -0500

A small number of protesters remain trapped inside a Hong Kong university campus that was the site of a prolonged battle with police into the early hours of Monday morning, after the majority fled as authorities closed in.

Trump testifying in Congress would legitimize Democrats' impeachment efforts: Former U.S. assistant attorney

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:36:55 -0500

Trump, impeachment, Democrats

Democrats' impeachment spectacle returns to Capitol Hill

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:36:20 -0500

Key witnesses set to testify before Congress in week 2 of the public impeachment hearings; reaction and analysis on 'The Five.'

Ben Carson slams Maxine Waters: ‘Basic manners elude you’

kodonnell@politico.com (Katy O'Donnell) — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:36:18 -0500

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson accused House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) of hypocrisy on homelessness today in a blistering letter charging her with lacking “basic manners.”

“My mother always taught me that people shouldn’t throw rocks, especially while they live in a glass house,” Carson wrote, according to a copy of the letter obtained by POLITICO. “Because of that wise lesson, I was a little surprised to read your hostile letter to President Trump regarding the record number of homeless Americans in California, particularly in your district.”

Waters had written Trump on Oct. 28 demanding answers on reports that the administration is mulling moving homeless people off the streets in California.

“Your shamelessness knows no bounds,” Waters wrote in that letter.

Carson threw the charge back at her today in his response: “Shamelessness is a career politician of 30 years laying blame,” he wrote.

“Shamelessness is allowing more than 55,000 Americans to live on the very streets they represent,” Carson added, referring to the homeless population of Los Angeles city and county.

“To me, the most compassionate, obvious, and logical solution would be to get as many homeless Americans off the streets — with a roof over their heads — as soon as humanly possible,” he said.

“I have sent multiple letters to your office and requested numerous meetings, but each time you’ve refused,” Carson wrote. “Basic manners elude you and it seems that instead of producing results, you’re more interested in producing cheap headlines at the President’s expense — like a true career politician.”

Waters‘ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

He also alluded to the dust-up over his comments about transgender people this fall. Carson has maintained that he was merely repeating a concern that “big, hairy men” were trying to enter women’s shelters and refused to apologize for the remark when he appeared before Waters’ committee last month.

“Shamelessness is allowing anyone other than a biological female into a battered women’s shelter,” Carson wrote today.

Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine

FirstFT: Today’s top stories

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:35:11 -0500

Your daily briefing on the news

North Korea says no more talks with U.S. just so Trump can boast

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:34:18 -0500

North Korea said on Monday it was not interested in meaningless talks with the United States just so President Donald Trump had something to boast about and demanded an end to what it called a policy of hostility if the United States wanted dialogue.

House lawyer tells court investigators looking at whether Trump lied to Mueller

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:33:41 -0500

Did Trump lie to Mueller? Democrats' lawyer tells appeals court finding out is 'key part' of impeachment inquiry.

Pompeo announces reversal of longstanding US policy on Israeli settlements

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:32:17 -0500

• Gaza ceasefire holds after days of fighting • Watch: US moved embassy to Jerusalem in 2018

Pompeo announces reversal of longstanding US policy on Israeli settlements - CNN

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:32:00 -0500

Pompeo announces reversal of longstanding US policy on Israeli settlements CNN
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In Shift, U.S. Says Israeli Settlements in West Bank Do Not Violate International Law The New York Times
Trump administration reverses Obama policy on Israeli settlements CBS News
View full coverage on Google News

Attorneys for women who say Jeffrey Epstein abused them slam Prince Andrew's BBC interview

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:31:38 -0500

Attorneys representing women who say Jeffrey Epstein abused them criticized Prince Andrew Monday and urged him to speak to law enforcement amid growing backlash to the British royal's stunning BBC interview.

Attorneys for women who say Jeffrey Epstein abused them slam Prince Andrew's interview

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:31:38 -0500

NFL player Myles Garrett appeals indefinite suspension imposed after helmet-swinging brawl, source says

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:31:17 -0500

Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett is appealing the indefinite suspension he received from the NFL after after he struck another player with a helmet, according to a source with direct knowledge of the appeal.

NFL player appeals indefinite suspension after helmet-swinging brawl, source says

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:31:17 -0500

NFL player appeals indefinite suspension after helmet-swinging brawl

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:31:17 -0500

NFL player appeals suspension after helmet-swinging brawl

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:31:17 -0500

At Hong Kong university, a daring escape but fears of bloodshed

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:28:09 -0500

Dozens of Hong Kong protesters staged a dramatic escape from a university campus sealed off by police on Monday by shimmying down plastic hosing from a bridge and fleeing on waiting motorbikes as the police fired projectiles.

Pompeo says U.S. concerned about Hong Kong violence, says China must honor freedoms

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:28:09 -0500

The United States is gravely concerned about deepening political unrest and violence in Hong Kong, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday, urging the city's government to take clear steps to address public concerns.

After Court Hearing Jackson Accusers Feel 'Closer' to New Trials - TMZ

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:28:00 -0500

After Court Hearing Jackson Accusers Feel 'Closer' to New Trials TMZView full coverage on Google News

Patrick Frazee convicted of killing his fiancée

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:26:21 -0500

Jury deliberations began Monday in the murder trial of Patrick Frazee, a Colorado man accused of killing his fiancée with a bat last year.

US says Israeli settlements on West Bank are not illegal

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:26:16 -0500

Statement angers Arab leaders and undermines hopes for a peace deal

Patrick Frazee convicted of killing his fiancée - CNN

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:26:00 -0500

Patrick Frazee convicted of killing his fiancée CNN
Patrick Frazee is found guilty of murdering fiancée Kelsey Berreth Daily Mail
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Chief justice orders delay in House fight for Trump records

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:25:10 -0500

Chief Justice John Roberts is ordering an indefinite delay in the House of Representatives’ demand for President Donald Trump’s financial records

Patrick Frazee found guilty of killing missing fiancee Kelsey Berreth

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:24:54 -0500

Patrick Frazee was accused of killing Kelsey Berreth on Thanksgiving Day 2018.

FBI arrests central Indiana mayor amid city investigation

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:23:09 -0500

A central Indiana mayor has been indicted on a federal charge of theft of government funds for allegedly taking a $5,000 bribe in exchange for a public contract

Evansville church, Operation Christmas Child works to spread Christmas joy worldwide - Courier & Press

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:19:00 -0500

Evansville church, Operation Christmas Child works to spread Christmas joy worldwide Courier & Press

'KUWTK': Khloe Kardashian Seeks Therapy for Being Obsessed With Cleaning and Organization - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:18:04 -0500

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Buttigieg campaign criticized for using stock photo of Kenyan woman to promote plan to address US racism

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:16:43 -0500

A Buttigieg campaign spokesman apologized for the use of the photo "and for the confusion it created," adding that the use of stock photos is "standard practice."

Opposition Wins No Seats in Belarus Election; Lukashenko Vows to Stay Put

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:16:36 -0500

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko maintained his hold on power after results published Monday showed not a single opposition candidate had won a seat in a weekend parliamentary election.

Lukashenko has governed the former Soviet republic with an iron fist for a quarter of a century and he announced on Sunday he would stand again in the 2020 presidential election.

The 65-year-old has given more leeway to the opposition and released political prisoners in recent years in a bid to improve ties with the West after disputes with traditional ally Moscow.

But official data on Monday showed, on a 77% turnout, no opposition figure won a seat. At the last election in 2016, two opposition members won seats for the first time in 20 years but neither was allowed to stand again this time around.

FILE - Members of a local election commission sort ballots before starting to count votes after the parliamentary election in Minsk, Belarus, Nov. 17, 2019.

"The (election) result has long been determined. The authorities selected approved candidates. A change of power in Belarus is not possible through elections," Nikolai Statkevich, a leading opposition figure, told Reuters.

Western monitoring agencies have not judged a Belarus election to be free and fair since 1995, and on Monday international observers criticized the lack of a level playing field and questioned whether results were reported honestly.

"These elections have demonstrated an overall lack of respect for democratic commitments," said Margareta Cederfelt, leader of an observer mission from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

"Parliamentary elections are in danger of becoming a formality," she added.

The European Union called the election a "lost opportunity" to conduct a fair vote and urged Minsk to carry out reforms ahead of the presidential election next year.

"This will also be key for achieving the full potential of EU-Belarus relations, building on the positive cooperation of the last three years," it said in a statement.

Yauheni Preiherman, director of the Minsk Dialogue Council on International Relations, said Sunday's election result was unlikely to lead to a freeze in ties with the EU because other issues were at stake in the relationship.

The EU and Minsk are negotiating an agreement on a simplified visa regime, while Brussels is also pressing Belarus to abolish the death penalty.

Lukashenko: 'Trust me'

Lukashenko said on Sunday the Belarusian people could vote him out of office next year if they no longer wanted him.

"I have promised that I would not hang on to this seat until my fingers turn blue. Trust me, it's not really the softest chair," he told reporters.

U.S. and EU sanctions imposed on Belarus over its treatment of political opponents were mostly lifted in 2016 following the release of political prisoners and other reforms.

In September, the United States and Belarus announced they would resume ambassadorial relations for the first time since 2008.

Relations with Russia suffered after Minsk refused to recognize Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in 2014. Moscow also cut subsidies to Belarus that have long kept the country of 9.5 million in its orbit.

WeWork braces for mass layoffs this week

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:15:49 -0500

One month after WeWork's former CEO, Adam Neumman, received a massive payout despite all but running the company into the ground, more than 12,000 global staffers are bracing for mass layoffs this week.

Mold outbreak in Seattle Children's Hospital linked to infections, deaths since 2001 - SFGate

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:13:00 -0500

Syracuse University is grappling with racist incidents. Hear one student describe their demands for change

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:12:12 -0500

Von der Leyen's European Commission complete after final nominee accepted

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:08:00 -0500

Oliver Varhelyi's candidacy for the role of neighborhood and enlargement commissioner has been approved by EU lawmakers. The Hungarian's nomination was originally met with skepticism due to his links to Viktor Orban.

Epstein victim claims she was invited to party with Duke of York on Jeffrey Epstein's 'orgy island'

Nick Allen — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:06:45 -0500

Trump says he'd 'strongly consider' giving written testimony in impeachment inquiry

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:05:47 -0500

Trump tweets he would "strongly consider" giving written testimony even though he doesn't like "giving credibility to this No Due Process Hoax."

Trump defender's fame rockets; so does her opponent's fundraising

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:04:32 -0500

President Donald Trump declared "a star is born" after Republican Representative Elise Stefanik strongly defended him during last week's impeachment hearings in Congress. But someone else also got a boost from Stefanik's new fame: her Democratic election opponent.

Trump says he will 'strongly consider' testifying in impeachment inquiry

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:04:15 -0500

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said for the first time that he might be willing to testify in the impeachment inquiry over his dealings with Ukraine, even as Democrats questioned the truthfulness of his testimony in the Russia 2016 election interference probe.

Pompeo declines to defend ex-U.S. ambassador after Trump attack

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:04:15 -0500

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday he was proud of what the United States had done in Ukraine and declined to defend former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch who was attacked on Twitter by President Donald Trump.

Patrick Frazee found guilty of first-degree murder in death of fiancée, Kelsey Berreth - NBC News

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:03:00 -0500

An official who testified privately about an overheard phone call between Trump and a US ambassador dealing with Ukraine will attend hearings Thursday

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:02:48 -0500

A US official in Kiev who overheard a phone conversation between the US ambassador to the European Union and President Donald Trump will testify publicly as part of the House impeachment inquiry.

US official in Kiev added to Thursday's public impeachment hearing

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:02:48 -0500

A US official in Kiev who overheard a phone conversation between the US ambassador to the European Union and President Donald Trump will testify publicly as part of the House impeachment inquiry.

US diplomat added to Thursday's hearing

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:02:48 -0500

A US official in Kiev who overheard a phone conversation between the US ambassador to the European Union and President Donald Trump will testify publicly as part of the House impeachment inquiry.

Doctor on Trump's hospital visit: It's worrisome

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:01:24 -0500

• Analysis: Why you can't trust the White House on Trump's health • Trump's visit to Walter Reed 'not protocol' for routine visit, source says

Indiana mayor Dennis Tyler arrested by FBI in City Hall corruption probe - Fox News

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:00:51 -0500

US says Israeli settlements are no longer illegal

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:00:42 -0500

The US says Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are not inconsistent with international law.

SoftBank-Line tie-up may have come too late

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:00:27 -0500

Deal that hopes to create an AI powerhouse sounded less like a dream five years ago

China used academic recruitment programs to steal U.S. research: Senate report

Stephen Dinan — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:00:00 -0500

China-backed researchers deployed to American universities have been siphoning off taxpayer funding for their own research, giving their Chinese overseers first look at their work and stealing intellectual property from their U.S. employers, a bipartisan Senate report revealed Monday.

Beiing's interest in stealing U.S. military and economic secrets has long ...

Minnesota Twins prospect Ryan Costello found dead in New Zealand

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:59:55 -0500

Ryan Costello, a prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization, was found dead in New Zealand at age 23.

Jury deliberations begin in the Patrick Frazee murder trial

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:59:35 -0500

Jury deliberations began Monday in the murder trial of Patrick Frazee, a Colorado man accused of killing his fiancée with a bat last year.

DeMint on NYT-FedEx dispute: If you believe what you read in the New York Times, get your head examined

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:59:09 -0500

Former South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint on feud between the New York Times and FedEx.

Bolivia's interim president cancels trip due to 'credible threat' as crisis roars on

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:57:42 -0500

Bolivia's interim president Jeanine Anez was forced to suspend a trip out of the capital La Paz planned for Monday, a government spokesman said, after a threat on her life by a "criminal group."

Apple reportedly announces a surprise event for December - CNET

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:55:00 -0500

Apple reportedly announces a surprise event for December CNETView full coverage on Google News

Chick-fil-A will no longer fund anti-LGBTQ organizations

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:53:53 -0500

The fast-food chain's donations have come under fire from activists.

White House knew in May Ukraine felt pressured to investigate Bidens

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:52:51 -0500

US administration officials knew as early as May 2019 that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky felt pressure from President Donald Trump's allies to conduct investigations that were politically useful to the American president.

White House knew in May Ukraine felt pressured to probe Bidens

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:52:51 -0500

Recent testimony undercuts the President's argument that the Ukrainians did not feel pressed to investigate Trump's political rivals

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:52:51 -0500

Trump administration knew in May Zelensky felt pressured to investigate Bidens - CNN

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:52:00 -0500

Bomb squad responds to smoking backpack on plane at Chicago airport

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:51:53 -0500

A backpack emitting smoke aboard a stationary Southwest Airlines flight on Monday drew a response from the bomb squad at Chicago's Midway International Airport.

Bomb squad responds to backpack putting out smoke on Southwest plane at Chicago airport - CNN

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:51:00 -0500

Witnesses scheduled to testify this week in the U.S. impeachment inquiry

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:50:46 -0500

The U.S. House of Representatives' impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump shifts into higher gear this week when a parade of officials will face questioning by lawmakers over Trump's dealings with Ukraine.

Apple special December event: “honoring” apps and games - The Verge

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:49:04 -0500

U.S. diplomat David Holmes to testify in public impeachment hearing on Thursday

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:48:30 -0500

David Holmes, a U.S. embassy official in Ukraine, will testify publicly on Thursday before the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee in the inquiry into whether President Donald Trump should be impeached, the panel said on Monday.

Joe Biden leads crowded Democratic field by 20 points in new South Carolina poll

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:47:47 -0500

A Quinnipiac University poll out of South Carolina shows Biden leading the Democratic field by 20 points including high favorablity and recognition.

Google requested a trove of documents from the Texas attorney general's antitrust probe

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:46:46 -0500

Google is calling on Texas's attorney general to hand over a vast trove of internal documents and communications related to a multi-state antitrust probe of the tech giant, including any information supplied to regulators by Texas's outside consultants and Google's chief critics and rivals.

US settlement announcement prompts Israeli calls for takeover - The Guardian

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:44:00 -0500

US settlement announcement prompts Israeli calls for takeover The Guardian

Water vapor detected on Jupiter's moon Europa, adding intrigue to potential for life

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:42:27 -0500

For the first time, scientists have discovered the presence of water vapor above the surface on Europa, Jupiter's icy moon first visited by one of the Voyager probes 40 years ago.

California to Stop Buying GM, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler Vehicles Over Emissions Fight

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:42:13 -0500

California said on Monday it will halt all purchases of new vehicles for state government fleets from GM, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler and other automakers backing President Donald Trump in a battle to strip the state of authority to regulate tailpipe emissions.

Between 2016 and 2018, California purchased $58.6 million in vehicles from General Motors Corp, $55.8 million from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, $10.6 million from Toyota Motor Corp and $9 million from Nissan.

Last month, GM, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler and members of the Global Automakers trade association backed the Trump administration's effort to bar California from setting tailpipe standards, which are more rigid than Washington's proposed national standards.

The automakers declined or did not immediately comment on California's announced ban on purchases of their vehicles.

FILE - California Gov. Gavin Newsom addresses a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., July 23, 2019.

Starting in January, the state will only buy from automakers that recognize California's legal authority to set emissions standards. Those automakers include Ford, Honda, BMW and Volkswagen, which struck a deal with California in July to follow revised state vehicle emissions standards.

"Car makers that have chosen to be on the wrong side of history will be on the losing end of California's buying power," California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement.

California purchased $69.2 million in vehicles from Ford over the three-year period, $565,000 from Honda and none from the German automakers.

The state also disclosed it will immediately no longer allow state agencies to buy sedans powered by an internal combustion engine, with exemptions for certain public safety vehicles.

California's vehicle rules have been adopted by 13 other states.

Lawsuits

On Friday, California and 22 other U.S. states challenged the Trump administration's decision to revoke California's legal authority to set vehicle tailpipe emissions rules and require a rising number of zero emission vehicles (ZEV).

The move follows a separate lawsuit filed in September by the states against the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration seeking to undo a parallel determination.

In August 2018, the Trump administration proposed freezing fuel efficiency requirements at 2020 levels through 2026, reversing planned 5% annual increases.

The Trump administration's final requirements are expected in the coming months and are set to modestly boost fuel efficiency versus the initial proposal, with several automakers anticipating annual increases of about 1.5%. That would be much less stringent than the Obama rules.

CalMatters, a non-profit California journalism website, reported California's decision to stop buying some vehicles earlier.

Parents of Cornell freshman who died after frat party offering $10k reward - NBC News

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:40:00 -0500

EU says Israeli settlement on Palestinian territory is illegal

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:38:26 -0500

The European Union said on Monday that it continued to believe that Israeli settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territory was illegal under international law and eroded prospects for lasting peace.

Stocks climb on Huawei extension, buoying U.S. Treasuries

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:38:24 -0500

Global equity markets edged higher on Monday, lifting prices of U.S. government debt, as a 90-day extension allowing U.S. companies to do business with China's Huawei eased the latest spike in investor angst over U.S.-Sino trade tensions.

Apple announces special app-focused event for December 2nd - 9to5Mac

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:36:00 -0500

Elizabeth Banks Spoke Out About "Charlie's Angels" Being A "Flop" And It Started A Whole Controversy - BuzzFeed

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:36:00 -0500

Live updates: Trump says he will ‘strongly consider’ providing written testimony; McConnell ‘can’t imagine’ him being removed from office - The Washington Post

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:34:00 -0500

United States Continues To Lead World In Supercomputing - Energy.gov

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:33:09 -0500

United States Continues To Lead World In Supercomputing Energy.gov

Iran Blocks Internet for 3rd Day as Death Toll From Protests Rises to Eight

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:32:20 -0500

Authorities in Iran have blocked internet service for a third day as part of a crackdown on nationwide anti-government protests in which at least eight people have been killed since the unrest began Friday.

In a Monday interview with VOA Persian, the director of the London-based internet observatory NetBlocks said web access in the Islamic Republic remained severely disrupted after Iran blocked it late Saturday local time.

"This is essentially a near-total blackout," Alp Toker said. "There are a few (internet) routes out (of the country), but these are very technical right now, so it's not practical to circumvent these measures for most people." Toker said some technically savvy Iranians might be able to get web access using a fixed line or broadband connection rather than a mobile device.

The internet outage has made it difficult for Iranians to share protest images and information with each other and the outside world. The demonstrations erupted in response to the government abruptly raising the subsidized price of gas by 50% early Friday.

The government said revenue from the higher prices would be used to provide cash handouts to poor families.

While Iran's new gas price of 13 cents a liter remains among the cheapest in the world, many Iranians see it as putting a further burden on their wallets at a time of worsening economic conditions.

Iran's currency has slumped, with unemployment and inflation surging since the United States began tightening sanctions against it last year in a bid to force Tehran to stop perceived malign behaviors.

Toker said any short-term advantage that Iran's government might gain from blocking the internet would be outweighed by the costs.

"The internet is an outlet for people to democratically express their views, and if they can't do this, there's actually a risk that these protests could become more violent," Toker said.

"We also see economic harms, with tens of millions of dollars of losses to Iran's developed information and communications technology (ICT) industry. People are going to start losing their businesses because they rely on connectivity."

Images verified by VOA Persian and sent from Iran showed the bodies of at least seven protesters killed by security forces who opened fire on demonstrations in seven cities on Saturday. The bodies were seen in footage from the cities of Behbahan, Karaj, Marivan, Shahriar, Shiraz, Sirjan and Tehran's Baharestan district.

VOA Persian was not able to confirm the names of the protesters who were killed.

Iranian state media said at least one member of the security forces also was killed in protests since Friday. They said hundreds of people were arrested, some armed, for engaging in violent acts such as attacking banks and looting stores.

Many of the anti-government protests that VOA Persian has confirmed in more than 50 towns and cities across the country have been peaceful.

WATCH: Iranian anti-government protesters block a road in the central city of Shiraz on Nov. 17, 2019.

One video clip verified by VOA Persian showed demonstrators blocking a street in the central city of Shiraz on Sunday and chanting "death to the dictator," a reference to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It has been a common chant of protesters since Iranians angered with government corruption and mismanagement last took to the streets around the country in December 2017.

WATCH: Iranian protesters chant anti-government slogans at Tehran University on Nov. 17, 2019.

tehran university video player.

Link

Another video clip from Sunday showed chanting protesters at Tehran University, where they said Iran had "lost" its oil wealth by squandering it on Islamist militias engaged in regional conflicts.

In remarks to the international media on Monday, government spokesman Ali Rabiei said the situation in the country was "80% calmer" than Sunday. "Only some minor problems remain, and by tomorrow and the day after, there will remain no riots," he predicted.

Iran's ongoing internet outage made it difficult for VOA Persian to verify whether any protests had occurred on Monday.

In a threatening message published by state media, Iran's most powerful military branch, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said it will take "decisive" action against any continued efforts to disturb peace and security.

IRGC forces and their affiliated Basij militia violently suppressed the nationwide anti-government protests that began in late December 2017 and stretched into January 2018. At least 22 people were killed.

This article originated in VOA's Persian service. Farhad Pouladi contributed to this report.

At least 4 wounded by gunshots during protest in Haiti

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:31:50 -0500

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.

Rep. Lesko: I don not think the impeachment process is fair

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:31:31 -0500

House Judiciary Committee member Debbie Lesko reacts to public impeachment hearings.

Scientists Waging War Against Malaria Stumble into Bioethics Debate

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:31:19 -0500

The African continent accounts for a whopping 90-percent of the world’s malaria cases. Scientists in Burkina Faso recently deployed a new weapon in the war on malaria. As VOA’s Arash Arabasadi reports, their battle faces bioethical blowback.

Trump administration knew in May Zelensky felt pressured to investigate Bidens

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:31:08 -0500

Apple announces press event on Dec. 2 - CNBC

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:31:00 -0500

Spain Orders Extradition of Venezuela's Ex-Intelligence Chief to US

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:29:59 -0500

Spain's High Court on Monday ordered the extradition of Venezuela's former military intelligence chief to the United States, reversing an earlier decision to refuse the request.

Hugo Carvajal, an ally of Venezuela's late Socialist leader Hugo Chavez, is wanted by U.S. authorities on allegations of drug trafficking. He has previously denied accusations that he collaborated with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia to help smuggle cocaine into the United States.

The High Court said in a written ruling there was "sufficient evidence to justify the extradition".

It said there was "continued and organized conduct in relation to drug trafficking carried out during 20 years that... constitutes the crime of belonging to a criminal organization and collaboration with a terrorist organization."

Carvajal was arrested in Spain at the request of U.S. authorities in April, but freed in September after the High Court initially rejected the U.S. extradition request.

Spanish media reported last week that Carvajal had gone missing, and police confirmed that they were searching for him, without commenting on why or for how long.

His lawyer, Maria Dolores de Arguelles, told Reuters on Monday she had "no idea" where he was, but said she planned to use all legal means to fight the extradition.

Yemen's Houthi rebels hijack towboat with apparent Saudi link - The Guardian

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:27:00 -0500

Yemen's Houthi rebels hijack towboat with apparent Saudi link The Guardian

Trump's dangerous plan to make it easier to export assault weapons

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:25:58 -0500

Less than 10 days after six children and three women of a US family of were killed in Mexico, drawing national and international alarm, the Trump administration indicated it would move forward with a dangerous policy change that would make the types of weapons most likely used in that tragedy easier to export. The move seemingly skirts Congress and is counter to the apparent will of the American public. The change is tone deaf to today's needs and must be stopped.

U.S. to no longer waive sanctions on Iranian nuclear site, watching Iran's protests: Pompeo

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:25:20 -0500

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that the United States is terminating its sanctions waiver related to Iran's Fordow nuclear plant, adding that it is closely monitoring protests in Iran and is deeply concerned by reports of several fatalities.

Rutter, Holzhauer, and Jennings to battle for the fate of the universe in ultimate Jeopardy! showdown - The A.V. Club

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:23:00 -0500

Colombia Authorizes Riot-Control Measures Ahead of Protests

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:21:32 -0500

Colombia on Monday said it would authorize local authorities to adopt exceptional measures to contain protests planned for Thursday, given the government's wariness over the sort of violent unrest that has swept other Latin American capitals.

Student groups and unions called the demonstrations, saying the conservative administration of President Ivan Duque is seeking to impose labor and pension reforms, though Duque has repeatedly denied this in attempts to calm critics.

Interior Minister Nancy Patricia Gutierrez said on Monday that "false motivations for the call to strike" existed and reaffirmed that the government was not planning to increase the retirement age or lower the minimum wage.

Local and regional authorities would be able to impose curfews and limits on carrying weapons and the sale of alcoholic drinks "when circumstances merit it," Gutierrez told reporters.

Police would be on maximum alert, she added.

In recent weeks, conservative governments in Ecuador and Chile have been shaken by anti-austerity protests. In Bolivia, leftist Evo Morales on Nov. 10 resigned over allegations of vote-tampering after widespread unrest.

Resilient dollar must crack for risk appetite

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:19:16 -0500

Mike Mackenzie’s daily analysis of what’s moving global markets

Brazil Amazon Deforestation Soars to 11-year High under Bolsonaro

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:18:30 -0500

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest rose to its highest in over a decade this year, government data on Monday showed, confirming a sharp increase under the leadership of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro.

The data from Brazil's INPE space research agency, which showed deforestation soaring 29.5% to 9,762 square kilometers for the 12 months through July 2019, sparked an uncharacteristic admission by the government that something needed to be done to stem the tide.

It was the worst level of deforestation since 2008, heaping further pressure on the environmental policy of Bolsonaro who favors developing the Amazon region economically.

The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest and is considered key to the fight against climate change because of the vast amounts of carbon dioxide it absorbs.

Risks to the forest drew global concern in August when fires raged through the Amazon, drawing sharp criticism from France's President Emmanuel Macron.

At a briefing to discuss the numbers, Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said the rise in deforestation showed the need for a new strategy to combat the illegal logging, mining and land grabbing which he said were to blame.

Environmentalists and nongovernmental organizations placed the blame squarely on the government, saying that Bolsonaro's strong pro-development rhetoric and policies to weaken environmental enforcement are behind the rise in illegal activity.

"The Bolsonaro government is responsible for every inch of forest destroyed. This government today is the worst enemy of the Amazon," said Marcio Astrini, public policy coordinator for Greenpeace, in a statement.

Bolsonaro's office directed Reuters to remarks made by Salles and another official and did not comment further on the issue.

In August, Reuters reported Bolsonaro's government had systematically weakened environmental agency Ibama, grounding a team of elite enforcement commandos and forbidding agents from destroying machinery used to illegally deforest.

Brazil's Climate Observatory, a network of nongovernmental organizations, said the 2019 increase in deforestation was the fastest in percentage terms since the 1990s and the third fastest of all-time.

In response to the numbers, Salles vowed to roll out a series of measures to counter the rising deforestation, including stepping up enforcement efforts assisted by high-resolution satellite imaging.

The minister said he would meet governors of Amazon states on Wednesday to discuss tactics to counter deforestation.

All options are on the table, according to Salles, including mobilizing the military for use in environmental enforcement operations.

Government reversal

Salles' recognition that deforestation is indeed on the rise comes after months of the government casting doubt on preliminary monthly data showing destruction was skyrocketing.

At multiple press briefings earlier this year, Salles alleged the monthly data was unreliable and contained inconsistencies. He had urged journalists not to report the monthly figures and wait for the annual data, announced Monday.

Bolsonaro had accused the INPE space research agency of lying about the monthly data. In a high-profile dispute, then-INPE chief Ricardo Galvao stood by the data and called Bolsonaro "a joke of a 14-year-old boy that is not suitable for a president of Brazil." Galvao was later fired.

The annual figure accounts for seven months under Bolsonaro, but also measures five months under the previous government.

It also does not account for destruction after July.

Preliminary data for August to October shows deforestation more than doubled compared to the same period a year-prior to 3,704 square kilometers.

NGOs say they fear that protections could be weakened further as the government considers allowing commercial agriculture on native reserves, expanding wildcat mining and allowing for illegally occupied land to be "regularized."

Beef prices are also at record highs in Brazil, leading some environmentalists to fear it could fuel land grabbing for cattle ranching - one of the biggest drivers of deforestation.

"The coming years could be even worse," said Carlos Rittl, executive-secretary for Climate Observatory.

Sony patent may show a familiar-looking controller for the PS5 - Engadget

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:18:07 -0500

Sony patent may show a familiar-looking controller for the PS5 Engadget
PlayStation 5 Controller Design Revealed - IGN Now IGN
Potential PS5 controller patent reveals first look at the DualShock 5 GamesRadar
Checkpoint: DualShock 5 Battery Life - Will The Missing Light Bar Help? PlayStation Universe
New Patent Reveals PlayStation 5 Controller Design - IGN IGN
View full coverage on Google News

McConnell Urges Trump to Speak Out on Protests: Hong Kong Update

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:17:33 -0500

(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam urged protesters holed up in a university to heed police calls to surrender, as tens of thousands of protesters marched to support the trapped demonstrators.Police and protesters clashed around Hong Kong Polytechnic University for much of the day, leading to multiple arrests and injuries. Running battles have occurred, with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators who threw bricks and Molotov cocktails.Demonstrations seeking greater democracy in the Beijing-controlled territory have become increasingly violent in recent weeks, with protesters vandalizing transportation networks and China-friendly businesses as they push for demands including an independent probe into police violence and the ability to nominate and elect city leaders.Key Developments:Lam decries violence near universityTens of thousands march to rescue campus demonstratorsOfficial says chaos putting Sunday’s election at riskMediators try to persuade protesters to leave campus peacefullyHere’s the latest:McConnell Urges Trump to Speak Out on Protests (5:09 a.m.)U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged President Donald Trump to speak out on behalf of the protesters in Hong Kong.“The world should hear from him directly that the United States stands with these brave women and men,” McConnell said Monday afternoon on the Senate floor.McConnell said Trump should make Hong Kong’s autonomy a focus of America’s bilateral engagement with China, not just trade. The Republican leader’s comments come as the Senate moves to expedited passage of legislation this week which would place Hong Kong’s special trading status with the U.S. under annual review.Pompeo calls on Lam to allow independent probe (4:06 a.m.)Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said the U.S. is “gravely concerned” about rising violence in Hong Kong and called on Lam to allow an independent probe of protest incidents.Speaking to reporters in Washington on Monday afternoon, Pompeo said violence by any side in the dispute is “unacceptable,” but he singled out Hong Kong’s government as having a primary responsibility to keep events peaceful.Pompeo’s comments followed an earlier White House statement calling on Beijing to “honor its commitments under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and to protect Hong Kong’s freedom, legal system, and democratic way of life.”Tsang, school principals try to coax out protesters (11:54 p.m.)Former Legislative Council President Jasper Tsang and law professor Eric Cheung tried to persuade protesters to leave the campus peacefully, pledging to accompany them to police stations to ensure they won’t be treated violently. “If there’s tear gas, I will get it first,” Tsang said.Separately, some 20 secondary school principals arrived at the campus to escort students off the premises as clashes continued between demonstrators and police in the nearby area. An estimated 150 secondary school students are stuck, with some suffering injuries, Li Kin-man, one of the principals told reporters. Police have promised to let those under 18 years old leave after recording their identity, he said.Thousands reinforce trapped campus demonstrators (9:55 p.m.)Tens of thousands of protesters heeded calls to reinforce and save the demonstrators trapped in the PolyU campus, using umbrellas to battle back tear gas and water cannons in nearby Tsim Sha Tsui.Police fired tear gas at high points of the campus buildings after a number of protesters tried to escape by abseiling out, according to Radio Television Hong Kong.U.K. government ‘seriously concerned’ (8:45 p.m.)The U.K., which handed Hong Kong over to Chinese rule in 1997, said it was “seriously concerned” by the escalating violence from both protesters and authorities around university campuses in the city.“It is vital that those who are injured are able to receive appropriate medical treatment, and that safe passage is made available for all those who wish to leave the area. We need to see an end to the violence, and for all sides to engage in meaningful political dialogue ahead of the District Council elections on Sunday,” according to a statement attributed to a Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson.Officials warn public to steer clear of PolyU (6:20 p.m.)Top Hong Kong officials urged the public not to approach or reinforce the PolyU campus amid calls for rallies near the university. Security Secretary John Lee urged those remaining at the campus to surrender to police in an orderly and peaceful manner. He condemned the use of weapons by protesters, including remote-controlled bombs, catapults and petrol bombs.As the standoff ground on, Matthew Cheung, the city’s No. 2 official, vowed that the government was determined to tackle “deep-seated problems” and that ending violence remained its top priority.Violence putting election at risk (5:36 p.m.)The escalating violence in recent days has “reduced the chance of holding” citywide District Council elections as scheduled Sunday, Patrick Nip, secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, told reporters Monday. Nip said staff at polling stations and candidates must feel safe on election day and that people need to be able to get to the polls without disruption.“Postponing would be a difficult decision,” Nip said, adding that the government wouldn’t take such a step “unless absolutely necessary.”Lam decries PolyU violence (5:18 p.m.)Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, decried the chaos around PolyU in a Facebook post Monday, blaming “rioters” for continuing “to escalate the level of violence.” “Police have repeatedly made appeals and people in PolyU campus should listen,” she said.Protesters call for rallies (5:14 p.m.)Protesters have called for rallies from 7 p.m. in Tsim Sha Tsui, a location near the university, to support those who are stuck in PolyU.City’s No. 2 to meet media (5:11 p.m.)Hong Kong Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung and Secretary for Security John Lee will meet the media at 6 p.m. local time at the government headquarters, according to a statement.Police tell university protesters to surrender (4:23 p.m.)Protesters inside PolyU should stop their violence immediately and surrender as the situation is getting “risky,” Cheuk Hau-yip, regional commander of Kowloon West, told reporters at a briefing on Monday. He said all protesters leaving the university would be arrested for participation in a riot.Police are most concerned about fires being lit as “rioters” charge at them outside PolyU, he said, without giving an estimate on how many protesters are still there. He also said police arrested a group of demonstrators who claimed to be volunteer first aid workers and journalists.Police said they allowed Red Cross volunteers into the PolyU campus around 2 p.m. to offer medical assistance to those injured. Some of them were brought to the hospital, according to a statement on Facebook.About 600 still trapped, SCMP reports (4:07 p.m.)About 600 people are still trapped on the PolyU campus, the South China Morning Post reported, citing Derek Liu Kin-kwan, president of the university’s student union.Clashes as protesters flee university (2:05 p.m.)Police fired tear gas and made arrests as dozens of black-clad protesters ran to escape Hong Kong Polytechnic University, which is under siege by officers. Television images showed police wrestling some protesters to the ground, and at times beating them with batons, while others climbed down trees next to an overpass to avoid arrest.It was unclear how many protesters remained in the university. Several police appeared to point guns at protesters, but there were no indications that anyone was shot.Schools to remain closed (1:30 p.m.)Hong Kong’s Education Bureau said schools will remain closed Tuesday “since there are still unstable factors affecting the roads and traffic conditions and more time should be given for schools to make good preparation for class resumption.” Schools have been suspended since last Thursday on safety concerns. Some primary and secondary schools are expected to resume classes Wednesday, while kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability or intellectual disability will remain closed till Sunday.Mask ban found unconstitutional (1 p.m.)A Hong Kong court ruled that the mask ban imposed by Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s government was incompatible with the Basic Law, the mini-constitution that governs the financial hub. The High Court ruled that the ban, which has been widely ignored by protesters, went further in curbing people’s fundamental rights than the situation warranted.Hong Kong’s government had invoked a colonial-era Emergency Regulations Ordinance to pass the prohibition on face-coverings, angering protesters and igniting fresh protests. Recent protests have seen thousands of people wearing masks in contravention of the law, and many have been arrested for violating it.Protesters gather once again in Central (12:45 p.m.)Protesters, including many professionals and office workers, have started gathering and blocking roads in Hong Kong’s Central financial district. Last week, there were five-straight days of lunch time protests in the heart of Asia’s key financial hub, with many white-collar workers hitting the streets to chant protest slogans. Police fired numerous tear gas volleys in the area last week, sending bystanders and office workers running for cover past the area’s luxury retail outlets.Goldman Sachs cancels anniversary event (12:30 p.m.)Goldman Sachs Groups Inc. is postponing a Hong Kong event to mark the firm’s 150th anniversary. The celebration was scheduled to be held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong, but was delayed because of ongoing protests, according to an email the bank sent to attendees.Police urge protesters to drop weapons (11:46 a.m.)In a series of Twitter posts, Hong Kong’s police force urged protesters to drop their weapons, remove their gas masks and leave PolyU in an “orderly manner” without making any menacing moves toward officers. A large group of “masked rioters” armed with petrol bombs charged at police cordons around 8 a.m., police said.Carrie Lam visits officer in hospital (11:30 a.m.)Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam visited an injured police officer at the city’s Kwong Wah Hospital, according to the South China Morning Post, which tweeted a video of her emerging from a hospital building. She declined to take any questions.Protests block roads in Kowloon (11:10 a.m.)Small groups of protesters blocked roads in the Jordan and Tsim Sha Tsui areas, not far from the standoff at PolyU. Activists had issued calls on social media for demonstrators to come out to the Kowloon area, as well as Central, to support protesters still at the university. So far, there were no significant crowds in Central.Military defends clean-up effort (10:35 a.m.)A spokesman for China’s military defended the decision by the local People’s Liberation Army garrison in Hong Kong to come out into the streets Saturday and help clean up from last week’s protests. The soldiers “joined the citizens in clearing these road blocks and their efforts were welcomed by the Hong Kong citizens,” Senior Colonel Wu Qian told a briefing Monday on the sidelines of a regional security meeting in Bangkok.“Ending violence and restoring order is the most pressing task we have in Hong Kong,” Wu said, citing a similar statement by Chinese President Xi Jinping last week.Dozens of protesters detained (9 a.m.)Police detained dozens of protesters in Tsim Sha Tsui East, near the PolyU campus, where clashes have been the most intense in recent hours. At least 30 could been seen on television feeds sitting on the ground with their hands restrained. It was unclear how many protesters and students were still on campus.\--With assistance from Stanley James, Linus Chua, Sebastian Tong, Shelly Banjo, Glen Carey, Fion Li, Shawna Kwan, Karen Leigh and Laura Litvan.To contact the reporters on this story: Natalie Lung in Hong Kong at flung6@bloomberg.net;Iain Marlow in Hong Kong at imarlow1@bloomberg.net;Annie Lee in Hong Kong at olee42@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Scott at bscott66@bloomberg.net, Chris Kay, Bill FariesFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

'Possibility of life': scientists map Saturn's exotic moon Titan - Reuters

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:17:00 -0500

'Possibility of life': scientists map Saturn's exotic moon Titan ReutersView full coverage on Google News

Gunman kills at least 2 people in Walmart parking lot, police say

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:13:18 -0500

Late financier Jeffrey Epstein's estate faces lawsuit from new accuser

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:12:49 -0500

Another woman sued the estate of Jeffrey Epstein in Manhattan federal court on Monday, saying the late financier subjected her to a "vicious, prolonged sexual assault" at his New Mexico ranch when she was 15.

Lyft is pulling its scooters from cities across the US

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:12:30 -0500

Electric scooter enthusiasts in Nashville, San Antonio and Columbus, Ohio, will have one less brand to ride starting next week.

Airbus A320 beats Boeing 737 as world's most popular plane - Business Insider

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:07:06 -0500

Airbus A320 beats Boeing 737 as world's most popular plane Business Insider

'Gay' Penguin Couple Had No Egg of Their Own. So They Stole One. - Livescience.com

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:07:00 -0500

'Gay' Penguin Couple Had No Egg of Their Own. So They Stole One. Livescience.com

Mali army says 24 soldiers, 17 militants killed in attack on northern patrol

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:06:31 -0500

Twenty-four Malian soldiers were killed and 29 wounded in an attack on an army patrol in northern Mali on Monday in which 17 militants were also killed, a spokesman for the army said.

Coty takes $600 million bet on reality star Kylie Jenner's beauty brands

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:03:16 -0500

Coty Inc said on Monday it would pay $600 million for a majority stake in Kylie Jenner's make-up and skincare businesses, as it looks to tap into the reality TV star's huge social media reach, sending its shares up as much as 5%.

Food, gasoline shortages reported in Bolivian cities

PAOLA FLORES — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:02:39 -0500

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) - Residents in several Bolivian cities are reporting food and gasoline shortages because of protests by supporters of ousted President Evo Morales, who resigned after a disputed election and nationwide unrest.

Bolivia’s interim government said Monday that its efforts to resupply La Paz face challenges because ...

Russia returns three Ukrainian navy boats seized in Strait of Kerch ahead of Putin-Zelenskiy meeting

Roland Oliphant — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:02:11 -0500

Leonid meteor shower rewards stargazers who braved the cold

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:00:15 -0500

The Leonid meteor shower peaked over the weekend, delighting stargazers who bundled up to catch the early-morning show.

Isil terrorists hack ordinary people's dormant Twitter accounts to promote jihad

Charles Hymas — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:00:00 -0500

The world is getting windier and it could mean a big boost for alternative energy - CNBC

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:00:00 -0500

The world is getting windier and it could mean a big boost for alternative energy CNBC

An ode to the tempting spawns of Pokémon Sword and Shield’s Wild Area - Polygon

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:00:00 -0500

Chicago’s Band of Bohemia plans to open a taproom in Ravenswood - Eater Chicago

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:00:00 -0500

Chicago’s Band of Bohemia plans to open a taproom in Ravenswood Eater Chicago

Iran's Guards warn of 'decisive' action if unrest continues

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:59:37 -0500

Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards warned anti-government protesters on Monday of "decisive" action if unrest over gasoline price hikes does not cease, state media said, hinting at a harsh security crackdown.

Trump says he'll consider testifying in inquiry

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:58:03 -0500

9 fascinating facts about the Ford Mustang Mach-E - Fox News

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:56:39 -0500

Princess Diana's 'John Travolta dress' is for sale

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:56:22 -0500

A dress Princess Diana wore when she danced with John Travolta is up for sale.

Trump Administration to Recognize Israeli Settlements, Overturning Decades of U.S. Policy - U.S. News & World Report

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:56:14 -0500

Trump Administration to Recognize Israeli Settlements, Overturning Decades of U.S. Policy U.S. News & World Report

Warren Calls Out Blackstone for ‘Shameless’ Profits From Housing

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:56:02 -0500

(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 its subsidiary, 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.

Pompeo declines to defend Marie Yovanovitch and Bill Taylor after saying he 'always defends State Department employees'

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:55:23 -0500

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is speaking out about why he's not speaking out.Pompeo gave one of the Trump administration's rare press conferences Monday to announce another pro-Israel policy and was immediately hit with impeachment questions. Specifically, Pompeo was asked about one current and one former State Department employee -- and refused to defend them even though he said earlier that's something he "always" does.After his announcement, Pompeo was asked to respond to accusations that he didn't fully support State Department employees, including the fact that he didn't issue a statement of support to Marie Yovanovitch when she was ousted as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. "I'm not going to get into the issues surrounding the Democrat impeachment inquiry," Pompeo said, though when asked again, he said he would "always defend" them.> "I'm not going to get into the issues surrounding the Democrat impeachment inquiry," Sec. Mike Pompeo says when questioned about criticism whether he has properly defended State Dept. employees. "Just not going to do it today." https://t.co/JsAo4rT8TM pic.twitter.com/GpOHZ83uQZ> > -- ABC News (@ABC) November 18, 2019Pompeo didn't acknowledge that he had refused to defend one specific employee, in this case Yovanovitch. He then declined to say whether he had confidence in ambassador Bill Taylor, who replaced Yovanovitch, after he provided damaging testimony against the Trump administration in last week's impeachment hearings.The conference's main purpose was to announce the U.S. would no longer automatically consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be "inconsistent with international law," as they were found under a 1978 State Department legal opinion. It's yet another affirmation of the Trump administration's pro-Israel stance, and is sure to be opposed by Palestinians and their supporters.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

Taylor Swift cleared to perform hits at AMAs amid feud with Scooter Braun, Big Machine Records: report - Fox News

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:55:23 -0500

Pope Replaces Financial Watchdog Head Amid Fallout from Raid

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:54:43 -0500

Pope Francis on Monday replaced the head of the Vatican's financial watchdog agency amid continuing fallout from a controversial Vatican police raid on the agency's offices that jeopardized the Holy See's international financial reputation.

Francis thanked Rene Bruelhart for his work as president of the Financial Intelligence Authority as his term ended. The Vatican said the replacement's name would be released next week.

The AIF board had given its full support to AIF's management after the Oct. 1 raid, which was sparked by a police investigation into a Vatican real estate deal in London.

But even with that vote of support, international damage to the Holy See's reputation was done.

AIF works with financial intelligence units around the world in the fight against money laundering, tax evasion and other financial crimes. Officials expressed alarm that countries could be less willing to share confidential information with AIF in the future if that could so easily end up in the hands of Vatican police.

FILE - Rene Bruelhart, president of the Vatican Financial Information Authority, right, and Tommaso Di Ruzza, director of the Vatican Financial Information Authority, talk to the media at the Vatican, April 28, 2016.

According to the search warrant, which was seen by The Associated Press, Vatican prosecutors only alleged that the AIF's actions in the real estate operation were "not clear" and faulted its director, Tommaso Di Ruzza, for being in contact with a London law firm.

Prosecutors appeared to have misunderstood that AIF was working with Britain's financial intelligence unit to try to catch the businessmen who were fleecing the Holy See in the real estate deal.

The Vatican's secretariat of state had put 150 million euros into the luxury apartment building in London's tony Chelsea neighborhood, only to see tens of millions end up in the pockets of middlemen who were managing the venture.

The secretariat of state in 2018 decided to buy the building outright while working with British authorities to nab the middlemen. But internally, the Vatican bank and auditor general's office raised an alarm with Vatican prosecutors that the buyout looked suspicious, sparking the raids on AIF and the secretariat of state.

As a result, the Vatican investigation appears more the result of an internal turf battle — between the Vatican bank on one side, and the secretariat of state and AIF on the other — over the secretariat of state's sizeable financial assets, which are kept outside the bank and off the Vatican's balance sheet.

The Swiss-born Bruelhart, dubbed the 007 of anti-money laundering efforts by some media, had joined the Vatican in 2012 to help turn around its reputation as a scandal-marred offshore tax haven. Under his leadership, the Vatican won coveted membership in the Egmont Group, which groups financial information agencies from 130 countries to share information in the global fight against money laundering and terror financing.

Then-Pope Benedict XVI created AIF in 2010 as part of the Vatican's push to comply with international norms to fight money laundering.

Bruelhart's departure, coupled with the continued suspension of the AIF's director di Ruzza, means that the AIF is without a leader going into a crucial period of consultations with Moneyval evaluators ahead of a regularly scheduled on-site visit early next year.

Chinese ambassador to UK accuses Britain of covertly backing Hong Kong protesters

Roland Oliphant — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:53:00 -0500

Justice Department to Terminate Longstanding Legal Rules for Movie Distribution - Wall Street Journal

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:53:00 -0500

Justice Department to Terminate Longstanding Legal Rules for Movie Distribution Wall Street JournalView full coverage on Google News

Italy busts international antiquity smuggling ring

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:52:00 -0500

Police found 10,000 ancient Roman artifacts and arrested 23 suspects. However, many of the pieces have already been sold at auction.

Arcuri says she had 'very special relationship' with UK's Johnson

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:50:58 -0500

U.S. businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri said on Monday that she had "a very special relationship" with Prime Minister Boris Johnson while he was mayor of London but declined to say if it amounted to an affair.

US Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Trump Tax Ruling

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:50:18 -0500

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday temporarily blocked a lower court ruling that would have required President Donald Trump to turn over some of his financial records to a Democratic-led committee in the House of Representatives.

Trump, in two conflicts with opposition lawmakers and prosecutors investigating his finances, has sought to shield disclosure of his personal and business affairs. He is only the second U.S. leader in the last four decades to refuse to make his tax returns public.

Last week, a federal appellate court in Washington refused to rehear a ruling from a divided three-judge panel that Trump's accounting firm, Mazars, must turn over eight years of Trump's financial records.

But Trump appealed and the Supreme Court, at least for the moment, blocked the need for Mazars to comply with the lower court ruling to turn over the documents.

The order issued by Chief Justice John Roberts did not indicate whether the court ultimately plans to hear Trump's appeal. The Roberts order puts the lower court ruling on hold while the nine Supreme Court justices decide how to proceed.

In separate litigation, Trump has asked the Supreme Court to bar turning over the Mazars financial records to prosecutors in New York who are investigating the president's business deals.

The case could eventually result in a major decision on the extent of presidential immunity from criminal prosecution.

Trump's lawyers have argued that as long as Trump remains in office he is immune from criminal proceedings and investigations.

"That the Constitution would empower thousands of state and local prosecutors to embroil the president in criminal proceedings is unimaginable," Trump's lawyers argued.

The accounting firm has said that it will turn over the documents the prosecutors want if Trump loses the case.

At embattled Hong Kong university, a dramatic escape

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:49:34 -0500

Impeachment: Lawmakers investigating if Trump lied to Mueller

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:47:56 -0500

The president earlier suggested he would testify before Congress as a part of the inquiry.

White House official sues Politico and reporter for libel

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:47:07 -0500

Kash Patel, the National Security Council's senior counterterrorism director, denies reports that he gave President Trump negative information about Ukraine; insight from Fox News media analyst Howard Kurtz.

News from around the world - 7NEWS

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:46:57 -0500

News from around the world 7NEWS

Taylor Swift can perform her hits at the AMAs after all

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:45:24 -0500

Everyone needs to calm down. It seems Taylor Swift can perform her hits, including those that were the subject of very public dispute last week, at the upcoming American Music Awards.

Taylor Swift will be able to perform her hits at the AMAs after all - CNN

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:45:00 -0500

Leaked intelligence report reveals Iran's grip on Iraq

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:44:00 -0500

Iranian intelligence cables have revealed the country's tangled involvement in Iraqi affairs. The revelation comes as Iraq enters its sixth week of civil unrest over Iranian influence.

Bella Hadid Makes Peace with Selena Gomez After IG Deletion - TMZ

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:44:00 -0500

Bella Hadid Makes Peace with Selena Gomez After IG Deletion TMZ
Selena Gomez Reacts to Bella Hadid Deleting Post She Commented On TooFab
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Selena Gomez's Attempt at Praising Bella Hadid Ends Badly Yahoo Entertainment
Selena Gomez Responds to Bella Hadid's Deleted IG Post E! News
View full coverage on Google News

Leaked intelligence trove reveals Iran's grip on Iraq

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:44:00 -0500

Iranian intelligence cables have revealed the country's tangled involvement in Iraqi affairs. The revelation comes as Iraq enters its sixth week of civil unrest over Iranian influence.

Analysis: Why Trump might have actually helped lose the Louisiana governor's race

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:43:17 -0500

To hear Rep. Steve Scalise tell it, President Donald Trump nearly won the Louisiana governor's race all by himself.

IAEA: Iran's Heavy Water Stock Exceeds Authorized Limit

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:41:23 -0500

The U.N.'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 tons, above the 130-ton limit.

"On 17 November, the Agency verified that the Heavy Water Production Plant (HWPP) was in operation and that Iran's stock of heavy water was 131.5 metric tonnes," an IAEA spokesperson said.

It was the first time the agency has recorded a volume greater than the level agreed upon as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) reached in 2015 with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United States and the European Union.

Incoming Top EU Diplomat Commits to Save Iran Nuclear Deal

The Spaniard set to become the European Union's point-man in Iran says the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran must be preserved

The U.S. unilaterally withdrew from it in May last year, after which Iran began reducing its commitments in a bid to win concessions from those still party to the accord.

Heavy water is not itself radioactive but is used by some nuclear reactors to absorb neutrons from nuclear fission.

Heavy water reactors can be used to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons as an alternative to enriched uranium.

Earlier this month meanwhile, the IAEA reported that uranium particles had been detected at an undeclared site in Iran.

The report also confirmed that Iran has ramped up uranium enrichment, in breach of the 2015 deal, feeding uranium hexafluoride gas into previously mothballed enrichment centrifuges at the underground Fordow plant south of Tehran.

Since September, Iran has also been producing enriched uranium at a known facility in Natanz.

It has exceeded a 300-kilogram limit on stocks of enriched uranium and has breached a uranium enrichment cap of 3.67 percent.

At 4.5 percent, the level nonetheless remained well below the more than 90-percent level required for a nuclear warhead.

Donald Trump says he would 'consider' providing impeachment testimony

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:41:14 -0500

Responding to request from Nancy Pelosi, Trump tweets he doesn't like "giving credibility to this No Due Process Hoax" and "I like the idea."

Hong Kong protesters attempt daring escape down ropes as police seal off university

Roland Oliphant — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:41:06 -0500

Betting firms deploy AI to get gaming machine addicts to 'cool off' from their gambling

Charles Hymas — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:39:33 -0500

Taylor Swift Allowed to Perform Old Songs at AMAs, Says Former Label - Rolling Stone

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:37:00 -0500

Taylor Swift Allowed to Perform Old Songs at AMAs, Says Former Label Rolling Stone
Scooter Braun "Frustrated" With Scott Borchetta Over Taylor Swift Feud | E! News E! News
Opening Bell 11.18.19 Dealbreaker
Taylor Swift's American Music Awards Medley In Limbo Amid Conflicting Reports NPR
Taylor Swift's Message To Fans Results In 'Threats' To Producers, 'Shut Down' Office The Daily Wire
View full coverage on Google News

The viral 'Secret Sister' gift exchange is a scam, consumer watchdog warns

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:36:32 -0500

If a stranger on the internet promises you a Christmas gift for a $10 buy-in and some personal information, it probably isn't legit, the Better Business Bureau warns. Not only will you be conned out of a gift, but you might have accidentally joined an illegal pyramid scheme.

House Republicans ask GOP senator for info on Ukraine

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:36:29 -0500

House Republicans are asking a Republican senator who spoke to President Donald Trump and the US Ambassador to the European Union about the freezing of US security aid to Ukraine to provide information relevant to the Democrats' impeachment inquiry.

In case you were wondering, Idris Elba is 'OK'

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:36:18 -0500

In case you were wondering, Idris Elba is "doing OK."

The Latest: Utility plans more power outages in California

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:35:20 -0500

Northern California is bracing for more power outages after Pacific Gas & Electric started notifying customers that it may turn off electricity Wednesday because of strong winds that could spark wildfires. The notices Monday come as California lawmakers prepare to grill PG&E officials at a hearing over massive outages last month, including one that affected nearly 2.5 million people. California regulators have ordered PG&E to say why it should not be sanctioned for violating state rules regarding such shutoffs.

Pompeo deflects criticism of Yovanovitch's ouster

amarshall@politico.com (Abbey Marshall) — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:33:46 -0500

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday offered a defense of former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch's ouster, stating she was not removed for a “nefarious purpose.”

"It is worth noting that Ambassador Yovanovitch's departure preceded the arrival of Bill Taylor,” he said in a news conference. “So there are some ideas out there that somehow this change was designed to enable some nefarious purpose.”

“You should just look at the simple fact that it was Bill Taylor that replaced Ambassador Yovanovitch, who in each case has been driving towards the appropriate Ukraine policy, which I am happy to talk about,” Pompeo continued, deflecting further questions about the ongoing impeachment hearings in the House.

Yovanovitch appeared before investigators Friday to publicly testify in the House impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump, stating she was abandoned by the State Department who refused to defend her amid a “smear campaign” by the president's allies.

In her testimony, Yovanovitch told investigators there was a concern within the State Department that any statement supporting her would be undermined by a “contradicting” tweet from Trump. While she was testifying, Trump criticized her on Twitter: “Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad.”

When pressed Monday on whether he would defend State Department employees, Pompeo responded, "I always defend State Department employees,” but declined to offer further explanation.

Pompeo previously downplayed reports of low morale at the State Department that have been exacerbated by the House impeachment investigation.

“It’s a big organization,” he said Wednesday. “I’m sure there’s lots of different thoughts. But suffice it to say, the American people should be comfortable knowing that we are continuing to do the hard work to deliver good policy outcomes for President Trump and the United States.”

Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine

US Softens Position on Israel Settlements in West Bank

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:31:56 -0500

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to announce on Monday that the U.S. is softening its position on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, the latest in a series of Trump administration moves that weaken Palestinian claims to statehood.

Pompeo plans to repudiate a 1978 State Department legal opinion that held that civilian settlements in the occupied territories are “inconsistent with international law.'' The move will likely anger Palestinians and put the U.S. at odds with other nations working to end the conflict.

The Trump administration views the opinion, the basis for long-standing U.S. opposition to expanding the settlements, as a distraction and believes any legal questions about the issue should be addressed by Israeli courts, according to a draft of Pompeo's remarks on the policy obtained by The Associated Press.

“Calling the establishment of civilian settlements inconsistent with international law has not advanced the cause of peace” Pompeo says in the draft. “The hard truth is that there will never be a judicial resolution to the conflict, and arguments about who is right and who is wrong as a matter of international law will not bring peace.”

U.S. administration moves that have weakened Palestinian efforts to achieve statehood have included President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the movement of the U.S. Embassy to that city and the closure of the Palestinian diplomatic office in Washington.

Even though the decision is largely symbolic, it could also give a boost to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political survival after he was unable to form a coalition government following recent elections.

In addition, it could spell further trouble for the administration's oft-promised peace plan, which is unlikely to gather much international support by endorsing a position contrary to the global consensus.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, Nov. 3, 2019.

The Netanyahu government was dealt a blow on settlements just last week when the European Court of Justice ruled products made in Israeli settlements must be labeled as such.

The 1978 legal opinion on settlements is known as the Hansell Memorandum. It had been the basis for more than 40 years of carefully worded U.S. opposition to settlement construction that had varied in its tone and strength depending on the president's position.

The international community overwhelmingly considers the settlements illegal. This is based in part on the Fourth Geneva Convention, which bars an occupying power from transferring parts of its own civilian population to occupied territory.

In the final days of the Obama administration, the U.S. allowed the U.N. Security Council to pass a resolution declaring the settlements a “flagrant violation” of international law.

Pompeo was expected to say that the U.S. would not take a position on the legality of specific settlements and that that the new policy would not extend beyond the West Bank and create a precedent for other territorial disputes.

He also planned to say that the decision did not mean the administration was prejudging the status of the West Bank in any eventual Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

The shift is a victory for Netanyahu, a longtime booster of the settlements, and had been strongly supported by U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and big Trump donor Sheldon Adelson. Friedman was a major fundraiser for the settlements before becoming ambassador.

It may be taken by Netanyahu and the settlement movement as a green light for additional construction, or even annexation, of lands claimed by the Palestinians for a future state.

The anti-settlement monitoring group Peace Now, along with AP reporting, has found a sharp increase in settlement planning and construction since Trump took office.

For Netanyahu, the welcome boost comes at a time when he has been weakened domestically by mounting legal woes and two inconclusive elections this year.

Benny Gantz, leader of Blue and White party, speaks at the President's residence, in Jerusalem, Oct. 23, 2019.

Unable to secure a parliamentary majority, Netanyahu is now anxiously waiting to see if his chief rival, Benny Gantz, can put together a coalition. If Gantz fails, the country could be forced into a third election with Netanyahu facing the distraction of a trial.

Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war and quickly began settling the newly conquered territory.

Today, some 700,000 Israeli settlers live in the two areas, which are both claimed by the Palestinians for their state.

After the war, it immediately annexed east Jerusalem, home to the holy city's most important religious sites, in a move that is not internationally recognized.

But Israel has never annexed the West Bank, even as it has dotted the territory with scores of settlements and tiny settlement outposts.

While claiming the fate of the settlements is a subject for negotiations, it has steadily expanded them. Some major settlements have over 30,000 residents, resembling small cities and serving as suburbs of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

The Palestinians and most of the world say the settlements undermine hopes for a two-state solution by gobbling up land sought by the Palestinians.

Israel's settlement activities have also drawn attention to its treatment of Palestinians.

While Jewish settlers can freely enter Israel and vote in Israeli elections, West Bank Palestinians are subject to Israeli military law, require permits to enter Israel and do not have the right to vote in Israeli elections.

Kate Middleton is a knockout in Alexander McQueen on date night with William - AOL

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:30:41 -0500

U.S. threatens sanctions on Iraqi officials over protester deaths

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:30:03 -0500

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday said the United States was prepared to impose sanctions on any Iraqi officials found to be corrupt as well as those responsible for the deaths and wounding of peaceful protesters.

Kylie Jenner SELLS Majority of Kylie Cosmetics! - Entertainment Tonight

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:30:00 -0500

Kylie Jenner SELLS Majority of Kylie Cosmetics! Entertainment Tonight
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What We Can Learn From the Near-Death of the Banana - TIME

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:29:36 -0500

What We Can Learn From the Near-Death of the Banana TIME

What We Can Learn From the Near-Death of the Banana

Anna Purna Kambhampaty — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:29:17 -0500

The banana has been the subject of Andy Warhol’s cover art for the Velvet Underground’s debut album, can arguably be the most devastating item in the Mario Kart video game franchise and is one of the world’s most consumed fruits. And humanity’s love of bananas may still be on the rise, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. On average, says Chris Barrett, a professor of agriculture at Cornell University, citing that U.N. data, every person on earth chows down on 130 bananas a year, at a rate of nearly three a week.

But the banana as we know it may also be on the verge of extinction. The situation led Colombia—where the economy relies heavily on the crop, as it does in several other countries including Ecuador, Costa Rica and Guatemala—to declare a national state of emergency in August. Banana experts around the world have raised concerns that it may be too late to reverse the damage.

The reason for the problem comes down to a single disease, but it also has far-reaching implications—and the world is watching. Even if the world’s relationship to bananas may never be the same, the lessons of the fruit can still save us from damage that could hit far beyond the produce aisle.

“The story of the banana is really the story of modern agriculture exemplified in a single fruit,” says Daniel Bebber, who leads the BananEx research group at the University of Exeter. “It has all of the ingredients of equitability and sustainability issues, disease pressure, and climate change impact all in one. It’s a very good lesson for us.”

Ninety-nine percent of exported bananas are a variety called the Cavendish—the attractive, golden-yellow fruit seen in the supermarket today.

But that wasn’t always the case. There are many varieties of banana in the world, and until the later half of the 19th century, the dominant one was called the Gros Michel. It was widely considered tastier than the Cavendish, and more difficult to bruise. But in the 1950s, the crop was swept by a strain of Panama disease, also known as banana wilt, brought on by the spread of a noxious, soil-inhabiting fungus. Desperate for a solution, the world’s banana farmers turned to the Cavendish. The Cavendish was resistant to the disease and fit other market needs: it could stay green for several weeks after being harvested (ideal for shipments to Europe), it had a high yield rate and it looked good in stores. Plus, multinational fruit companies had no other disease-resistant variety available that could be ready quickly for mass exportation.

The switched worked. As the Gros Michel was ravaged by disease, the Cavendish banana took over the world’s markets and kitchens. In fact, the entire banana supply chain is now set up to suit the very specific needs of that variety.

To the people who pay attention to such things, it wasn’t long before a case of banana déjà vu set in: the Cavendish had supplanted the Gros Michel, but—even though it had initially been selected for being disease-resistant—it was still at risk. Almost a decade ago, Dan Koeppel, author of Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World, warned in an NPR interview that Panama Disease would return to the world’s largest banana exporters, and this time with a strain that would hit the Cavendish hard. “[Every] single banana scientist I spoke to—and that was quite a few—says it’s not an ‘if,’ it’s a ‘when,’ and 10 to 30 years,” he said. “It only takes a single clump of contaminated dirt, literally, to get this thing rampaging across entire continents.”

Sure enough, the confirmation of the presence of Tropical Race 4 (TR4), another strain of Panama disease, on banana farms in Colombia, prompted this summer’s declaration of emergency there.

“The situation is very urgent,” says Bebber.

There are any number of ways the problem can spread. When it comes to bananas, everything from truck tires to workers’ boots can be disease carriers. But the bigger problem is how hard it is to stop. Because banana farmers are overwhelmingly growing the same exact crop—the Cavendish—they were all vulnerable to the same diseases.

“A lot of people would agree that we need to move to a more diverse, more sustainable system for bananas and agriculture in general,” says Bebber, “where we don’t put all our hope into a single, genetically identical crop.”

There’s a name for this situation: monoculture, the practice of fostering just one variety of something. Monoculture has its benefits. The entire system is standard, so there’s rarely new production and maintenance processes, and everything is compatible and familiar to users. On the other hand, as banana farmers learned, in a monoculture, all instances are prone to the same set of attacks. If someone or something figures out how to affect just one, the entire system is put at risk.

And as the banana industry has begun to battle the effects of monoculture, someone else has taken notice: the tech world.

The parallel was noticed as early as the late 1990s. Stephanie Forrest, one of the early researchers in this area, commonly cites the banana problem in lectures explaining the importance of diversity in computer systems. Forrest argues that some of the most notorious software attacks in history are comparable to Panama disease’s threat to the Cavendish; uniform software systems lead to uniform vulnerabilities. For example, the 1988 Morris Worm infected an estimated 10% of all computers connected to the Internet within just 24 hours, and, more recently, the 2016 Mirai Botnet, which allowed an outside party to remotely control a network of internet-connected devices, brought down Twitter, Netflix, CNN and more.

“Monocultures are dangerous in almost every facet of life,” echoes Fred B. Schneider, a cybersecurity expert at Cornell University. “With people, of course, populations are stronger and more disease-resistant if there’s more genetic diversity. And with transportation, it’s more effective to have several different options—when a train line is shut down, if you have other choices at your disposal, like a car or another form of transit, you won’t be stuck.”

Schneider points out that software monocultures are common because, without them, using your computer would be a lot harder. Default configuration settings, for example, are the norm to help users who may not be experts in the technology they’re using. Defaults like that can protect people from some problems, but also lead to others, as all the systems using the same default are vulnerable to the same problems. Knowledge of the problem, thanks to understanding of the issues facing crops like bananas, have led technologists to take steps to introduce artificial diversity into their systems. “To make a system artificially diverse, you just rearrange its guts in ways where the differences do not affect functionality in a material way,” Schneider says. Microsoft implemented one of the first large-scale commercial developments of artificial diversity in their Windows OS system, by randomizing the internal locations where important pieces of system data were stored.

For bananas, addressing the problems caused by monoculture may be harder, as market standards and supply chains make it very expensive for fruit companies to cultivate multiple varieties.

Jan Sochor—LatinContent via Getty ImagesA Colombian worker carries crude bananas to a transport car at a banana plantation. (Photo by Jan Sochor/Latincontent/Getty Images)

Existing disease-resistant varieties haven’t made inroads on the international market, but The Honduras Foundation for Agricultural Research (FHIA) has spent more than three years working on developing a disease-resistant variety that is as close as possible to the Cavendish, so that the world’s banana infrastructure doesn’t have to be reshaped from scratch. Still, that’s a process that can take 15 to 20 years, Bebber estimates.

Genetic engineering can lead to the development of new varieties at much faster rates than traditional breeding methods, but it can also turn consumers off. However, it has been the answer to similar problems in the past—for example, when the papaya ringspot virus threatened the papaya supply in the 1990s, “the major supply shock was averted through the development of a transgenic ringspot virus-resistant papaya,” explains Cornell’s Barrett. He believes that consumers’ fears might ease if it becomes one of the only viable answers to the issues created by monoculture production. The UK-based biotech company Tropic Biosciences has received $10 million in funding to use gene-editing technology to research solutions to widespread issues with tropical crops, focusing specially on disease resistance in bananas.

And while even the most Cavendish-like of FHIA’s disease-resistant varieties, a banana known as the FHIA-18, hasn’t yet met the standards of multinational buyers, that may change, according to Adolfo Martinez, director general of FHIA. “It’s still not close enough to the Cavendish,” he says, but he thinks the crisis may convince them. “Maybe now, companies will be more interested in it.”

So, what’s next for the banana? Will it simply disappear from our diets, album covers and video games? Bebber says the banana may change, but hopes are high that it won’t completely vanish. “Science,” he says, “will find a way.” Meanwhile, tech researchers are watching—hoping they can once again learn a lesson from biology, learning how to prevent a crisis before everything goes bananas.

UN envoy: Libya peace possible if outside interference ends

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:28:45 -0500

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. envoy for Libya says an agreement to end Libya’s conflict is possible, but only if all Libyans reject outside interference in their affairs.

Ghassan Salame told the Security Council on Monday that preparations for an international summit in Berlin are underway, and that a ...

Mali army says 24 soldiers killed, 29 wounded in militant attack

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:28:43 -0500

Twenty-four Malian soldiers were killed and 29 wounded when militants attacked a patrol in northern Mali on Monday, a spokesman for the army told Reuters, updating an earlier death toll of seven.

Pompeo announces softer U.S. stance on Israel's Jewish settlements

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:28:17 -0500

The United States on Monday effectively backed Israel's right to build Jewish settlements on the occupied West Bank by abandoning its four-decade position that they were "inconsistent with international law."

'People aren't stupid': de Blasio slams Bloomberg's 'stop-and-frisk' apology

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:27:41 -0500

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.

Police body camera captures heart-stopping moment officers find kidnapped 8-year-old

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:27:32 -0500

Officers rescued an 8-year-old from a Fort Worth area hotel room in May.

NHS to cover doctors’ tax to avert winter staff crisis

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:26:56 -0500

Medics have been avoiding extra shifts for fear of triggering punitive pension charges

Secretary of State Pompeo announces US is softening position on Israeli settlements in occupied West

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:26:49 -0500

The move will likely anger Palestinians and put the U.S. at odds with other nations working to end the conflict; reaction from Amy Jaffe, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

S&P 500 hangs close to record as stocks churn

STAN CHOE and DAMIAN J. TROISE — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:26:48 -0500

NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stock indexes hung close to their record levels in afternoon trading on Monday, as markets wait for the next development in trade talks between the United States and China.

All three major indexes were nearly unchanged from where they finished Friday, but the seemingly placid ...

US indexes inch up as stocks churn, markets await trade deal

STAN CHOE and DAMIAN J. TROISE — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:26:48 -0500

NEW YORK (AP) - The U.S. stock market inched higher Monday, the latest nudge in its record-setting, six-week run, as markets wait for the next development in trade talks between the United States and China.

All three major indexes edged above the all-time highs they set on Friday, though the ...

U.S. embassy in Jerusalem issues travel warning after Pompeo's settlement announcement

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:25:47 -0500

The U.S. embassy in Jerusalem on Monday warned Americans about traveling in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, soon after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the United States was softening its position on Israel's Jewish settlements.

Jordan warns of 'dangerous consequences' of U.S. shift on West Bank settlements

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:25:18 -0500

Jordan's foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, warned that a U.S. change of position on Monday on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank would have "dangerous consequences" on the prospects of reviving the Middle East peace process.

Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land don't violate international law, US announces

Reuters — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:23:19 -0500

Iconic dress Princess Diana wore while dancing with John Travolta is up for sale

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:22:06 -0500

A dress Princess Diana wore when she danced with John Travolta is up for sale.

Israel welcomes U.S. settlement move, Palestinians outraged

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:21:24 -0500

Israel praised a U.S. decision on Monday to soften its position on Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that upset the Palestinians who said it contradicts international law.

Ghislaine Maxwell is at the center of the Epstein controversy, but she's in hiding

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:19:55 -0500

The British socialite friend of Prince Andrew is accused of recruiting girls for the disgraced financier’s sex trafficking ring Ghislaine Maxwell is accused of recruiting girls for Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. Photograph: Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty ImagesPrince Andrew’s recent interview about his relationship with alleged child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein has sparked many questions but one stands out: what happened to Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite friend of the prince who is accused of procuring victims for the disgraced financier.The Duke of York admitted ties to Maxwell and Epstein during the bombshell BBC Newsnight interview – while adamantly denying wrongdoing and expressing regret for continued association with Epstein.Andrew said he met Epstein through Maxwell, the daughter of late media baron Robert Maxwell. Maxwell has vehemently denied allegations of wrongdoing but her current whereabouts are unknown, with media reports placing sightings of her in various cities in the US and Europe.Epstein committed suicide in a Manhattan jail several months ago, following his arrest on federal sex trafficking charges.At the center of this controversy is Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, who claims Maxwell recruited her to work as his masseuse when she was 15 years old. Giuffre has alleged that a sexual encounter took place with Andrew around 2001, when she was 17.Giuffre claims Epstein flew her to London on his private Jet. After dining with the prince and dancing with him at the Tramp nightclub, she claims, they had a sexual encounter in Maxwell’s Belgravia house.Prince Andrew stands with Virginia Giuffre while Ghislaine Maxwell smiles in the background. Photograph: REX/ShutterstockA photo of Andrew posing with his hand around the teen Giuffre was purportedly taken at Maxwell’s home – she is seen smiling in the background. Andrew said in the Newsnight interview he last had contact with Maxwell earlier this year, prior to Epstein’s arrest.Multiple women in addition to Giuffre have alleged Maxwell enabled Epstein’s sex trafficking ring, either recruiting them directly or planning visits to his homes.Yet Maxwell’s fate remains an almost complete mystery. She has been the target of civil lawsuits but she has not been charged. And while she presently faces civil litigation, the likelihood of a court appearance is unknown. Her last public appearance seems to have been at a Los Angeles fast food restaurant in August, though doubts have been raised about the veracity of that sighting.Multiple attorneys listed for Maxwell did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Federal authorities have said the investigation into Epstein’s sex trafficking is ongoing. But, officially, their comment is general and does not relate specifically to Maxwell or anyone else.Legal opinions about whether Andrew could face legal trouble in the US are split and Maxwell’s role in any legal move against the prince are unclear – though she would likely be vital to such a ploy.Mitchell Garabedian, the Boston lawyer who exposed Catholic clergy sex abuse, said in an email attorneys would want to locate Maxwell in the US, as courts here would have legal power to get her to testify. “Certainly, given Ms Maxwell’s central role in the Epstein matter, what Ms Maxwell has to say as a witness about Prince Andrew’s involvement will greatly affect the opinions of countless others whether connected to law enforcement or otherwise,” Garabedian wrote.Asked whether this meant Andrew was exposed to US legal liability, Garabedian said, “It depends on the facts.”Paul Shechtman, a veteran criminal law attorney who teaches criminal procedure at Columbia University Law School, said that while pursuing a case against Maxwell likely appeals to the federal prosecutors who arrested Epstein, targeting Andrew might not.“Everything points to the fact that she is a serious subject of the southern district [of New York]’s investigation and at the same time, and for a variety of reasons, I don’t think he is,” Shechtman said.Authorities would have to prove Andrew knew someone was underage, Shechtman said, and “as a general matter, having sexual relations with someone who’s underage is a state crime and not a federal crime.“I think his exposure for a federal prosecution is quite small indeed,” he said, adding. “I think he can continue to be a prince.”Rebecca Roiphe, a professor of law at New York Law School and former assistant district attorney in Manhattan, said Andrew’s links to Maxwell meant he was caught up in the scandal, regardless of his links to Epstein. But that did not necessarily mean he would face charges.“The mere fact that Prince Andrew was friends with Maxwell and she was allegedly involved in Epstein’s conduct does not itself prove Prince Andrew’s involvement,” she said in an email. “But it certainly raises questions that will affect publicity and in this particular case publicity is, on its own, quite powerful.”Certainly Andrew’s Newsnight interview was a blow in the global courtroom of public opinion. But amid the fallout from such a catastrophic PR blunder, another uncomfortable fact emerged. With Epstein dead and Maxwell missing, Andrew has become the most public face of an ongoing investigation.“Of course, if it’s proved that Andrew was involved with Maxwell and Epstein in the alleged criminal acts then he could face criminal liability,” Roiphe continued.“Prosecutors are eager to hold someone responsible for Epstein’s alleged crimes. Maxwell is an obvious choice now that Epstein is dead but she is unavailable, which may mean that Prince Andrew is high on their list.”Meanwhile, Epstein’s estate is facing numerous lawsuits from women who say he sexually abused them, many while they were underage. On Monday, a new lawsuit was filed by a woman identified as Jane Doe, who alleged that Epstein assaulted her at his New Mexico ranch when she was 15.“Jane Doe was only 15 years old when Jeffrey Epstein preyed upon her, trafficked her and sexually abused her,” said the accuser’s lawyer, Gloria Allred, at a news conference. “She wants to speak her truth and encourage other underage victims of Jeffrey Epstein who have not yet asserted their legal rights.”

Companies pull support for Prince Andrew's networking event

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:19:11 -0500

Accounting firm KPMG has dropped its support of Prince Andrew's Pitch@Palace networking event, severing ties with the Duke of York before his controversial interview with the BBC on Saturday.

Companies pull support for Prince Andrew's networking event after controversial interview

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:19:11 -0500

Accounting firm KPMG has dropped its support of Prince Andrew's Pitch@Palace networking event, severing ties with the Duke of York before his controversial interview with the BBC on Saturday.

Pompeo bends toward Israel with new U.S. stance toward settlements

Nahal Toosi — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:17:25 -0500

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Monday that the Trump administration would ease its stance on U.S. policy toward Israel, rejecting a 1978 State Department legal opinion that categorically calls Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank "inconsistent with international law."

In an address at the State Department, Pompeo stated that the decision, which is a major boon to Israel and is sure to spark outrage from Palestinians, was not made lightly.

"The conclusion that we will no longer recognize as per se inconsistent with international law is based on the unique facts, history, and circumstances prevented by the establishment of civilian settlements in the West Bank," he said, adding that the administration "carefully" studied all sides of the legal debate surrounding the stance.

Pompeo argued that Israeli courts were equipped to resolve disputes on the legality of individual settlements, but also warned that the policy shift should not be viewed as the U.S. "prejudging the ultimate status of the West Bank."

That, he said, "is for the Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate."

It was a reversal from the Obama administration, which in December 2016 allowed the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution declaring settlement activity a "flagrant violation" of international law with "no legal validity." Pompeo framed the decision as confronting an inconsistency in U.S. policy, noting that shortly after the 1978 opinion from the Carter administration, President Ronald Reagan disagreed with that position just three years later.

"Subsequent administrations recognize that unrestrained settlement activity could be an obstacle to peace," he noted, pointing to the Obama administration move as a departure from that stance. But the shift is also a contrast with the position taken by the rest of the international community.

Just last week, a top European Union court ruled that member states must begin identifying products made in Israeli settlements by labeling them as such, a decision the State Department called deeply concerning. The EU also opposes Israeli settlement expansions, something that Pompeo’s announcement could help pave the way for.

Monday’s announcement is a welcome development for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is fighting for political survival after being unable to form a coalition government following two elections this year and facing legal issues.

"It just shows that this administration is completely out of step with where the international community is and with where our own policy consistently since 1967 has been," said Gerald Feierstein, a former senior State Department official who dealt with Middle East issues. "The reality is that the settlements are a clear violation of international law and nobody else in the world is going to be influenced by a statement to the contrary."

The announcement is simply the latest step the Trump administration has taken to assuage the Israeli government while pressuring the Palestinians. Critics say the moves have dramatically undermined the viability of a future two-state solution by ignoring Palestinian claims to territory.

The moves have included recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, ending foreign aid to the Palestinians, shuttering the Palestinians' office in Washington, and recognizing Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights, which are claimed by Syria. The administration has also stopped referring to the West Bank as being "occupied" and tried to redefine who counts as a Palestinian refugee.

Perhaps the clearest signal that the Trump administration is not interested in a future Palestinian state is that the elements of its Middle East peace plan put forward by Trump son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner do not refer to a two-state solution. Instead, the section of the Kushner plan revealed so far has focused on economics and promising the Palestinians a brighter material future if not political rights.

Pompeo asserted Monday that the move was taken in part because "calling the establishment of civilian settlements inconsistent with international law hasn't worked, hasn't advanced the cause of peace." He added that a "complex political problem" remains, but said that while the U.S. will continue to help facilitate peace between the two sides, Israel and the Palestinians needed to negotiate between themselves.

"The hard truth is, there will never be a judicial resolution to the conflict in arguments about who was right and wrong as a matter of international law, will not bring peace," Pompeo said Monday.

Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine

The World of Dance in Letters, Locations and Clothes - The New York Times

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:17:00 -0500

The World of Dance in Letters, Locations and Clothes The New York Times

3 dead including suspect in shooting outside Oklahoma Walmart

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:14:03 -0500

Walmart confirmed that the shooting occurred in the parking lot.

Poll: Russians negative on U.S., apathetic on Trump

Lauren Meier — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:12:41 -0500

An overwhelming majority of Russians now view relations with the U.S. in a negative way — and are increasingly growing tired of the circus around President Trump, a new state-run agency poll shows.

Over half of Russians (52%) view the relations as "tense," 20% view relations as "cool" and 13% ...

Footage shows daring escape by Hong Kong protesters on motorbikes

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:11:18 -0500

Dozens of protesters escaped from Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Monday on the back of motorbikes as police fired projectiles at them.

Trump administration reverses US stance on Israeli settlements

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:08:59 -0500

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not inconsistent with international law.

Chick-fil-A will no longer donate to anti-LGBTQ organizations

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:08:23 -0500

Chick-fil-A is making major changes to its charitable foundation, ending donations to two organizations that have been criticized for being anti-LGBTQ.

Jury deliberations begin in the Patrick Frazee murder trial - CNN

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:08:00 -0500

Jury deliberations begin in the Patrick Frazee murder trial CNNView full coverage on Google News

Chick-fil-A will no longer donate to anti-LGBTQ organizations - CNN

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:08:00 -0500

Chick-fil-A will no longer donate to anti-LGBTQ organizations CNNView full coverage on Google News

Chiefs vs. Chargers odds, line: Monday Night Football picks, predictions from advanced model on 91-61 run - CBS Sports

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:08:00 -0500

Chiefs vs. Chargers odds, line: Monday Night Football picks, predictions from advanced model on 91-61 run CBS Sports
Here is who national experts are predicting will win Chiefs-Chargers game Kansas City Star
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16-inch MacBook Pro includes exclusive colorful wallpapers, download here - 9to5Mac

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:06:00 -0500

Shooting in Walmart parking lot leaves three dead in Oklahoma

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:05:36 -0500

Three people died in a shooting outside a Walmart store in Oklahoma on Monday morning, law enforcement officials said, the third fatal shooting at the retailer in five months and the latest in a string of gun violence across the United States.

Iran's Guards warn of "decisive" action if unrest continues

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:05:04 -0500

Gunman fatally shoots two people, himself outside Oklahoma Walmart - NBC News

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:05:00 -0500

Gunman fatally shoots two people, himself outside Oklahoma Walmart NBC News
3 shot to death outside Walmart in Duncan, Oklahoma CBS News
Oklahoma Walmart parking lot shooting leaves 2 men, woman dead Fox News
3 Dead After A Shooting At Walmart Parking Lot In Duncan news9.com KWTV
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US says Israeli settlements no longer considered illegal in dramatic shift - The Guardian

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:04:00 -0500

US says Israeli settlements no longer considered illegal in dramatic shift The Guardian

Saudi-led coalition says Yemen's Houthis seize ship in Red Sea

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:03:02 -0500

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.

'Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time' premiering in January

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:02:01 -0500

The three top winners in "Jeopardy!" history are set to compete against each other during a prime time event on ABC in January.

'Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time' premiering in January - CNN

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:02:00 -0500