| Pence: 'The Bible stays' at veterans hospital facing lawsuit Posted: 30 Aug 2019 10:22 AM PDT  "We will always respect the freedom of religion of every veteran of every faith," Pence said in a speech addressing the American Legion National Convention in Indianapolis on Wednesday. The military religious freedom foundation that originally objected to the Bible called the president a "repulsive and repellent fundamentalist Christian" bully.
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| US police fire pepper spray after pro-Trump 'Straight Pride' parade Posted: 31 Aug 2019 02:48 PM PDT  US police fired pepper spray Saturday after counter-demonstrators accused them of protecting "Straight Pride" advocates who support President Donald Trump, and refused to let officers re-open a road. The unrest came after the counter-protesters and "Straight Pride" group -- considered homophobic extremists by their opponents -- staged dueling rallies in Boston. Officers fired pepper spray and made several arrests.
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| Hong Kong Police Warn of More Arrests After Sweep of Activists Posted: 30 Aug 2019 03:35 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong police arrested prominent opposition figures including Joshua Wong -- and warned other protesters could share their fate at illegal demonstrations this weekend -- raising tensions as authorities seek to quell pro-democracy demonstrations that have raged for almost three months.The 22-year-old Wong, who was scheduled to speak about the protests in the U.S. next month, was among well-known pro-democracy activists arrested by police on Thursday and Friday. Those arrested included Wong's fellow leader of 2014 Occupy protests, Agnes Chow; independence advocate Andy Chan; and District Councilor Rick Hui.Police said more than 20 people were arrested since Thursday, and warned at a briefing Friday that others could be charged if they take part in protests without official approval. A colonial statute passed during a wave of deadly riots in the 1960s allows authorities to the power to imprison those who participate in unlawful assemblies for as long as five years and more than 900 have been arrested on a variety of charges since June.The arrests were part of a broader push back against the largely leaderless protest movement, which flared up in June over now-suspended legislation allowing extraditions to China before widening into a broader push for more democracy. The Civil Human Rights Front -- the organizer of the biggest recent demonstrations -- said Friday it was forced to cancel a rally planned for Saturday after police withheld approval.The crisis in the former British colony threatens to distract from Chinese President Xi Jinping's celebrations of 70 years of Communist Party rule on Oct. 1, which will highlight the country's rebound from imperialism, war and inner turmoil. Hong Kong's embattled chief executive, Carrie Lam, earlier this week called for a dialogue with the opposition, while refusing to rule out invoking a sweeping colonial-era law that allows for easier arrests, deportations, censorship and property seizures."We still keep on our fight and we shall not surrender," Wong told reporters as he and Chow emerged from court after being released on bail on charges related by unlawful assembly. "I urge the international community to send a message to President Xi, sending troops or using emergency ordinance is not the way out."The summer's political unrest has been the worst since the city's return to Chinese rule in 1997, with demonstrations that have resulted in often-violent clashes between protesters and police. Political observers said the moves ran the risk of drawing more people into the streets for unauthorized rallies, which can more easily get out of hand."Such actions are tantamount to inciting trouble at a time when the government is talking about dialogue and trying to lower the temperature," said Kevin Yam, a political commentator and member of Hong Kong's pro-democracy Progressive Lawyers Group. "You can't on the one hand say, 'Let's lower the temperature, let's talk, let's make nice,' and on the other hand do something like this."Ronny Tong, a member of Lam's advisory Executive Council, acknowledged that "the timing could have been better," said said he had faith in Hong Kong's rule of law and the police."The most important thing is that Hong Kong is a place where the rule of law still is alive and kicking," Tong said. "We have a very able and independent judiciary. And the police know that. They know that unless they have a reasonable chance of a conviction, they would not try to arrest somebody at random only to give out a political message."Separately, Reuters reported Chinese authorities had earlier this month rejected a Hong Kong government proposal to formally withdraw extradition legislation that sparked the protests. The bill's withdrawal and an independent inquiry into the unrest were seen as the most feasible compromises, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed senior Hong Kong government official.Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. warned employees not to take part in a general strike planned for next week, after the airline's chief executive, Rupert Hogg, stepped down to take responsibility for the uproar over airline staff's participation in earlier actions. Two other organizers of recent protests, including CHRF leader Jimmy Sham and Max Chung, were attacked Thursday in the latest of several reported incidents of mob violence against activists.891 Arrests, 2,071 Tear-Gas Canisters: Hong Kong's Protests By the NumbersTaiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen -- who has helped resuscitate her re-election prospects by criticizing Beijing's handling of the protests -- was among the first officials to express concern about the arrests. She called on authorities to comply with their promises of democracy, freedom and human rights to the city's people, according to a statement from her office.While the three arrested activists are among Hong Kong's most prominent opposition voices --- Wong was the subject of a Netflix documentary titled "Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower" -- none was seen as a central figure in the recent protests. The decentralized movement relies on social media apps and chat rooms to propose and revise protest plans on the fly.Still, Wong has come under scrutiny for his meetings with U.S. officials, with China's foreign ministry singling out one particular meeting with a U.S. diplomat. Wong was also planning to travel to the U.S. in September to speak out against what he described as authorities' plans to establish "martial law" ahead of the National Day holiday.Countdown to 2047: What Will Happen to Hong Kong?: QuickTakeThe latest charges against Wong resulted from his role in a June 21 rally, in which he encouraged demonstrators to surround the police headquarters complex in Wan Chai, days after his release from jail on separate protest-related charges. Chan, the pro-independence founder of the banned Hong Kong National Party, said in a post on his personal Facebook page that he was stopped at the city's airport departures area on Thursday night."They're trying to plant a seed of fear in people's minds, so that people will stop from attending protests, either the one tomorrow or ones in the future," said Alvin Yeung, a pro-democracy lawmaker. "But my judgment is they won't succeed, because Hong Kong people are very brave."(Updates with Executive Council member comments in eighth paragraph.)\--With assistance from Sheryl Tian Tong Lee and Shawna Kwan.To contact the reporters on this story: Iain Marlow in Hong Kong at imarlow1@bloomberg.net;Natalie Lung in Hong Kong at flung6@bloomberg.net;Annie Lee in Hong Kong at olee42@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Scott at bscott66@bloomberg.net, Karen LeighFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Democrats shut out of September debate say DNC rules are eliminating candidates before voters tune in Posted: 30 Aug 2019 02:00 AM PDT  The Democratic infighting over the next presidential debate really boils down to one issue: Lower-tier candidates think the party rules are narrowing the field too early. One candidate says winning a statewide race should be added as a criterion.
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| New York investigators reportedly zero in on Epstein recruiter as net tightens around his 'enablers' Posted: 30 Aug 2019 12:49 PM PDT  New York investigators examining Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking network are turning their attention to a woman who served as his teenage recruiter, it has been claimed. Haley Robson was 16 when she was approached at a swimming pool near her home in Florida by a high school acquaintance who offered her the chance to make some money. Miss Robson, now 33, was told she had to give massages to a billionaire in Palm Beach. She went to Epstein's house and gave him a massage, she said in a 2009 deposition. She then started recruiting other girls and young women to do the same, and was paid by Epstein to bring the girls to him. On Friday two sources told The New York Times that Miss Robson was among the Epstein "enablers" being looked at by prosecutors, who have said that Epstein's death does not mean the end of the case. Sarah Kellen and Ghislaine Maxwell, pictured together in 2005 in New York There has been much speculation that other Epstein associates – including British heiress Ghislaine Maxwell and Epstein employees Sarah Kellen, Lesley Groff, Adriana Ross and Nadia Marcinkova – could also be drawn into the investigation. But the paper's report is the first time that sources within the investigation have confirmed that they are looking into the activities of any particular one of his associates. The four employees were all granted immunity under a 2007 plea deal reached in Florida. All four have denied any wrongdoing through their lawyers. Miss Robson told The New York Times that she has "nothing to say". She added: "I would appreciate if I was not contacted." Court documents show that Miss Robson was placed under surveillance by Florida police in 2005, when they first began investigating the accusations against Epstein. Jeffrey Epstein with Adriana Ross in May 2005. Ms Ross was granted immunity by Palm Beach authorities as part of Epstein's 2007 plea deal When questioned, aged 19, she told police: "I'm like Heidi Fleiss" – the infamous Hollywood madam who recruited prostitutes for film stars. She provided police with the names and ages of all the girls she had bought to Epstein, thus implicating herself in a number of crimes. Miss Robson told police she had provided Epstein with at least six girls over a two-year period, with the youngest being 14 and the oldest a 23-year-old woman. She said that she was reprimanded by Epstein for bringing a 23-year-old to him, as he told her the woman was too old. In the 2009 deposition, Miss Robson said she considered suing Epstein. "I just thought it was the easy way out," she said. "And then I decided that this is my life, and I have to take responsibility for it, because I did volunteer."
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| Hurricane Dorian track update: Storm strengthens to Cat 4 storm, may turn before FL landfall Posted: 31 Aug 2019 08:26 AM PDT  Hurricane Dorian has gained fearsome new muscle as an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm. Latest models show Dorian turning before landfall in Florida meaning possible impact near the NC coast later this week.
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| Delta Air Lines pilot charged with alcohol violation Posted: 30 Aug 2019 02:18 PM PDT  A Delta Air Lines pilot from Minnesota was charged Friday with operating an aircraft under the influence of alcohol. Tests confirmed that 37-year-old Gabriel Schroeder, of Rosemont, had a blood alcohol level between 0.04% and 0.08% when detectives arrested him on a plane at the Minneapolis airport just as it started boarding for a flight to San Diego on July 20, according to the criminal complaint. The limit set by the Federal Aviation Administration is 0.04%, which is half the legal limit for driving in Minnesota.
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| Man charged after making gun gesture with finger has appeal rejected Posted: 30 Aug 2019 09:03 AM PDT  On a warm day in June 2018, Stephen Kirchner was walking with a fellow neighbour when they came up on Josh Klingseisen's yard.They were not friendly with Mr Klingseisen. In fact, the woman walking with Kirchner, Elaine Natore, had a "no contact" order against Mr Klingseisen, who happened to be outside mulching in his yard in Manor Township, Pennsylvania, as the two neighbours passed. Kirchner stopped, and the two men made eye contact.
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| Fox Business Host Stuart Varney Tells Joe Walsh: Trump Has Never Lied Posted: 30 Aug 2019 10:30 AM PDT  Fox Business Network host Stuart Varney proclaimed with a straight face on Friday morning that President Donald Trump has never lied to the American people, asserting that Trump has only ever exaggerated and spun.During an interview with former one-term tea party Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL), who recently announced a long-shot primary bid against Trump, the Fox host took issue with Walsh's insistence that Trump is a pathological liar, asking the ex-congressman for specifics.Walsh, meanwhile, pointed to recent reports that White House aides have admitted that the president recently faked high-level phone calls with China regarding trade in an effort to boost markets, something Varney claimed doesn't count as a lie."That's not a lie," Varney exclaimed. "If the man said and he did that high-level talks had been held with China, that is not a lie. They were held with China.""Stuart, he said there were high-level phone calls with Chinese officials, his staff admitted that was not true, that he lied in order to manipulate the market," Walsh retorted, prompting Varney to wave him off."Give me another one," the pro-Trump anchor huffed.Walsh, however, pushed back, asking Varney if he genuinely didn't believe that was a lie. When the Fox Business host insisted he did not and personally objected to Walsh calling it one, the former Republican lawmaker then wondered if Varney actually believed if Trump has ever fibbed."Stuart, do you believe this president lies?" Walsh asked."No," Varney replied."You don't believe he's ever lied?" Walsh shot back in disbelief."He exaggerates and spins," the Fox host retorted."Okay. Do you believe he's ever told the American people a lie?" Walsh pressed again."No," Varney stated.From there, Varney tried to flip it back around on Walsh, asking him if he lied when he said President Barack Obama was a Muslim, causing Walsh to admit it was a lie and that he's apologized for that.Varney's delusional declaration that the president—who has told at least 12,000 lies and false statement since entering the White House—has never lied comes on the heels of Trump 2020 campaign spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany saying the same thing on CNN earlier this week, flooring CNN anchor Chris Cuomo.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| German media, lawmakers point finger at Moscow over executed Georgian Posted: 31 Aug 2019 09:32 AM PDT  Despite Russian denials, German politicians and media are blaming Moscow for the Berlin assassination of a Georgian who once fought Russian forces in Chechnya, an affair that could spark a diplomatic crisis. One security source, in comments to German weekly Der Spiegel, described the killing as a second Skripal affair -- referring to the attempt on the life of a former Russian agent in England last year. On Friday, August 23, German police arrested a 49-year-old suspect from Russia's Chechnya republic, shortly after Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, 40, had been shot dead.
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| Merkel Calls for Compromise as East-West Gap Risks Social Fabric Posted: 31 Aug 2019 06:01 AM PDT ![Merkel Calls for Compromise as East-West Gap Risks Social Fabric]( "Merkel Calls for Compromise as East-West Gap Risks Social Fabric") (Bloomberg) -- Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a better exchange of ideas between different parts of Germany as social tensions in the former communist east look set to contribute to bruising electoral losses for the parties in her coalition.Speaking after receiving an honorary degree from a university in Leipzig, where she was a student, Merkel cautioned that finding common ground was key to counter the risk of populism tearing at the country's social fabric."Without compromise, society cannot hold together," said the chancellor, who grew up in eastern Germany.Her trip to Leipzig coincides with two state elections in Germany's east on Sunday. In Brandenburg and Saxony, support for Merkel's Christian Democrats and her junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, is expected to drop sharply amid high turnout for the far-right AfD party. The results could be another blow to Merkel's fragile government and lead to its collapse, creating political instability as Europe's largest economy faces the specter of recession.While people in the east grappled with existential crises in the aftermath of reunification 30 years ago, the west was largely stable. Merkel said people in the east and west need to understand each other's histories better in order to reach a "true understanding of one another for the future."To contact the reporters on this story: Kristie Pladson in Leipzig at kpladson@bloomberg.net;Piotr Skolimowski in Leipzig at pskolimowski@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Schaefer at dschaefer36@bloomberg.net, Chris Reiter, Rachel GrahamFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Joe Biden under fire for war hero story 'filled with inaccuracies' Posted: 30 Aug 2019 11:32 AM PDT  Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential hopeful, is facing renewed questions over his memory and whether he is too old for office after telling an anecdote about a war hero that appears to be littered with inaccuracies. The former US vice president faced scrutiny after recounting an emotive story of how a soldier he once presented with a medal did not want it because the person colleague tried to save had died. Speaking in New Hampshire last week, Mr Biden recalled how he once visited Afghanistan's Konar province while vice president and met a navy captain who scrambled down a 60ft ravine under fire to retrieve a comrade. Mr Biden said that when he tried to pin a Silver Star on the man at an honouring ceremony, the soldier replied: "Do not pin it on me, Sir! Please, Sir. Do not do that! He died. He died!'" While telling the anecdote Mr Biden had said: "This is the God's truth, my word as a Biden." Joe Biden, right, and senator Cory Booker during a debate between Democratic presidential hopefuls in July Credit: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson However an investigation by The Washington Post based on interviews with more than a dozen US troops, commanders and Biden campaign officials found that many of the facts were wrong. Mr Biden, the paper reported, appears to have merged details from three separate events into a single story. "In the space of three minutes, Biden got the time period, the location, the heroic act, the type of medal, the military branch and the rank of the recipient wrong, as well as his own role in the ceremony," a line in the article read. The Biden campaign has not challenged the accuracy of the report, but Mr Biden himself has pushed back on criticism over the anecdote. "I was making the point how courageous these people are," Mr Biden said in a subsequent interview, adding later: "I don't know what the problem is. I mean, what is it that I said wrong?" The issue has forced the spotlight once again on Mr Biden's age and suitability for office. He is 76 and would be 78 on his first day in the Oval Office – the oldest person ever elected to the US presidency. Joe Biden was Barack Obama's vice president for eight years Credit: AP Photo/Susan Walsh Mr Biden continues to be the clear frontrunner to take on Donald Trump at the November 2020 elections, according to multiple opinion polls of Democrat voters, but the gap has narrowed this year. In recent months Mr Biden has made a slew of errors in public, sometimes simply saying the wrong word and at other times making factual inaccuracies. Mr Biden recently recalled how he met with victims of the Parkland, Florida shooting while vice president. However the shooting happened more than a year after he left office. At a candidates debate last month Mr Biden accidentally referred to a rival as the "future president" rather than "senator" and tripped up when trying to urge supporters to look at his website. Mr Trump's supporters jumped on the gaffe. Mike Huckabee, the former Republican presidential hopeful, tweeted: "Starting to feel sorry for ol' Joe. He's now become the incarnation of Forrest Gump, showing up in every moment of history, even though he wasn't there and gets it all wrong." Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and attorney to Mr Trump, tweeted: "Does Biden plagiarise because he's a serial liar or has a seriously impaired memory?" In this instance, Mr Biden appears to have merged three different events regarding feats of wartime bravery, according to The Washington Post. Mr Biden was present in 2008 when a US soldier called Miles Foltz was honoured in Konar province, Afghanistan. But the award was not a Silver Star, the colleague he rescued did not die, Mr Biden was not yet vice president and he did not personally present the honour. Donald Trump is facing re-election in November 2020. The Democrats will start voting on who they want to take him on in February 2020 Credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst In 2011, Mr Biden did present a medal to a soldier, Chad Workman, who insisted he did not want it because the person he tried to save died. But the ceremony was in Wardak, not Konar, the recipient was not a navy captain and the fatality happened in a burning vehicle. At another event in 2014, a soldier called Kyle White was honoured for saving colleagues after some had fallen down a ravine. But the award was the Medal of Honor, the event was at the White House and Barack Obama, not Mr Biden, made the presentation. It is unclear whether the blunder, reports of which were carried prominently by US cable news on Friday, will impact Mr Biden's standings in the race for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
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| Hurricane Dorian heading to the Bahamas: What we know about its latest path Posted: 31 Aug 2019 12:15 PM PDT  The strengthened storm bears down on the Bahamas but may turn north before hitting Florida directly.
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| Woman tosses Molotov cocktail into Fla. Citizenship office Posted: 31 Aug 2019 10:35 AM PDT ![Woman tosses Molotov cocktail into Fla. Citizenship office]( "Woman tosses Molotov cocktail into Fla. Citizenship office") A woman tossed a lit Molotov cocktail into the lobby of a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Oakland Park, Florida. No one was reported injured, according to a report of the incident sent to Trump administration officials and viewed by The Associated Press. Law enforcement officials believe the woman intended to cause harm but the incident wasn't related to other ones where Homeland Security agencies were targeted.
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| US Attorney rebukes white nationalists in impassioned speech Posted: 30 Aug 2019 01:40 PM PDT  Bonnie Deutsch Burdman of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation discusses the remarks of U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman and the impact of white nationalism.
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| Will It Grill? Posted: 31 Aug 2019 06:00 AM PDT |
| Two Former New York Detectives Avoid Jail, Given Probation For Sex With Teen They Held In Custody Posted: 30 Aug 2019 03:52 PM PDT  The officers had arrested an 18-year-old who admitted to having marijuana on her person
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| EU's Barnier says Brexit deal cannot be changed Posted: 31 Aug 2019 03:05 PM PDT  EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said Saturday the bloc will not change the divorce deal agreed with Britain and that he is "not optimistic" of avoiding a no-deal outcome. Barnier said the most contentious element of the agreement, the so-called backstop mechanism aimed at keeping the Northern Irish border open in all circumstances, must remain. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who took power last month, has called for the provision to be scrapped in order to reach a new deal ahead of the country's latest October 31 departure date.
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| Washington's giant pandas could be sent back to China in latest casualty of US-China trade war Posted: 31 Aug 2019 05:30 AM PDT  Washington's National Zoo may be left without any giant pandas amid fears Donald Trump's ongoing trade war with China could see the bears become a political tool. The Smithsonian National Zoo's panda bears are one of the main draws for its two million annual visitors but the current lease of its two adults, male Tian Tian and female Mei Xiang, is due to expire next year. The zoo's only other panda, Bei Bei, turned four this month - the age where pandas fully mature and are able to breed - and will be sent back to China for a breeding programme within the next few months under a prior agreement. China's giant pandas have often been used to sweeten relations with international partners; Washington's National Zoo received its first pair in 1972 to commemorate President Richard Nixon's successful visit to China. Those bears were a gift, but the current pair were sent over under a lease agreement which has since been extended multiple times but is now set to expire on December 7 2020. Giant panda Bei Bei eats his frozen 4th birthday cake at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington Credit: ALASTAIR PIKE/AFP But there are now fears that the two pandas could be drawn into the tit-for-tat trade war which has seen tensions between America and China escalate in recent months. Mr Trump has repeatedly rebuked the country for treating America "unfairly" and his administration is poised to impose 15 percent tariffs on some $112 billion of Chinese imports today/SUN. Beijing has warned that it has "ample" means to retaliate but has also signalled its willingness to continue negotiating. The zoo said it has not started discussions with the Chinese about Mei Xiang and Tian Tian's lease but hope the pandas will be able to stay. However there is some speculation the Chinese government may wish to hold off negotiations until closer to the November 2020 US presidential election, when the political landscape becomes clearer. "Our agreements are based on science surrounding the giant pandas," Pamela Baker-Masson, a spokeswoman for the zoo, told the Washington Post. "We've accomplished a lot over the last 40-plus years. Now both sides have to take a look at what the future science goals should be, and they go from there." China sent Mei Xiang and Tian Tian in 2000 on a 10-year, $10 million lease to the zoo, the lease was renegotiated in 2011 for five years at a cost of $500,000 a year. Another agreement was struck in 2015 to extend the lease until the end of 2020. To add to the tension around the panda's fate, the zoo is currently waiting on tenter hooks to establish whether Mei Xiang is pregnant. The panda's behaviour has changed in the last month, suggesting she may be pregnant, but she has had several false pregnancies in recent years.
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| Hurricane Dorian may be similar to Matthew — but stronger and slower, forecaster warns Posted: 31 Aug 2019 10:15 AM PDT ![Hurricane Dorian may be similar to Matthew — but stronger and slower, forecaster warns]( "Hurricane Dorian may be similar to Matthew — but stronger and slower, forecaster warns") While residents should "think in Matthew terms," the storm could still come over the Florida Coast, forecaster Bryan Norcross said.
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| Illinois Republican Rep. Shimkus won't run again in 2020 Posted: 30 Aug 2019 03:25 PM PDT  U.S. Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois said Friday he won't run for re-election after more than 20 years in Congress, the 14th House Republican to decline a 2020 race. Shimkus represents the 15th District, which includes all or part of 33 counties stretching from central Illinois to near the southern tip. Shimkus, 61, of Collinsville has won in three different districts after boundaries were changed following the decennial census.
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| Kamala Harris Attended LA Fundraisers The Same Day She Missed Endorsement Interview Posted: 30 Aug 2019 12:35 PM PDT  Ethan Miller/GettySen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) had been scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session with the left-wing Working Families Party on August 22 as part of the organization's endorsement process. She did not attend, and as a result of missing the session—and not being able to reschedule before a planned endorsement vote next month—she is now out of contention for the party's endorsement, as first reported by NBC News. That same day, Harris did appear at two California fundraisers, respectively hosted by actress Jessica Alba and MGM Motion Picture Group President Jon Glickman and Bridgid Coulter, the CEO of Blackbird Collective, an outfit focused on providing workspaces for women of color. Harris' campaign told The Daily Beast that it did not miss the Q&A; because of the fundraisers. But her scheduling choices still sparked confusion at the WFP. "We don't know how the campaign makes decisions," Rob Duffey, national communications director for WFP told The Daily Beast. "We were willing to be flexible on time and locations, however, and we are disappointed they didn't find a time to hear questions from our members."According to a source with the party who was familiar with the scheduling process, the group spent about a month trying to coordinate the session with Harris, even offering to do it in the Los Angeles area to accommodate her campaign schedule. According to a release sent out on August 12, the conversation was scheduled for 6:30 PM EST on August 22 and was to last for an hour. The Harris campaign canceled the WFP session two days prior to the day it was supposed to be taped. And a Harris spokesperson confirmed to NBC News that the Senator would not be able to do the Q&A; prior to the group's endorsement vote next month. This is not the first time a Harris fundraiser has led to questions about campaign priorities. Two weeks ago, the Senator was accused of missing a climate forum to attend a fundraiser. She ultimately moved her schedule around amid the public outcry. The Working Families Party is a left-wing political party that sprung up in New York in 1998, but has spread into active chapters throughout the country. It was first organized as a labor-backed coalition and has advocated for a $15 minimum wage and Medicare for All. It's unclear whether Harris' careful co-opting of some of the party's major progressive priorities would have won the party over, particularly as their members have a broad array of more historically progressive candidates from which to choose. Still, the Senator had been among six presidential contenders up for WFP's endorsement. The other five, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro already conducted their Q&A;'s with the group. In the 2016 primary, WFP chose to back Sanders though they eventually supported Hillary Clinton when she became the Democratic nominee. Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Swedish teen climate activist leads protest near UN Posted: 30 Aug 2019 01:47 PM PDT  Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg drew crowds on land Friday after her two-week sail across the Atlantic as the 16-year-old Swede led a protest march in front of the United Nations. Hundreds of activists, many of them teenagers, surrounded her outside U.N. headquarters, chanting, "Fossil lobbyists have got to go" and, "It's too hot!" — referriang to global warming. It was the New York edition of her weekly Fridays For Future, the student school strikes she has inspired in about 100 cities worldwide.
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| Simone Biles's Brother Charged With Murder in Shooting That Left 3 Dead at AirBnb Posted: 30 Aug 2019 05:48 AM PDT  Tevin Biles-Thomas, the brother of Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, has been arrested and charged in a shooting at a Cleveland AirBnB.
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| Mexican president backs official accused of suspect real estate purchases Posted: 30 Aug 2019 02:06 PM PDT  Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday expressed support for Manuel Bartlett, the head of national electricity company CFE, despite accusations that Bartlett has improperly accumulated nearly two dozen luxury properties. "I have confidence in Mr. Bartlett," Lopez Obrador told reporters at his morning news conference. The president tapped Bartlett, a veteran politician with a controversial past, to lead Mexico's state-owned power utility.
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| Police admit white powder seized during drugs bust at Gatwick airport is actually cake mix for vegan bakery Posted: 30 Aug 2019 12:47 PM PDT  Police have admitted that white powder seized during a "huge" drugs bust at Gatwick airport is actually cake mix for vegan bakery. Vegan pizza restaurant Purezza was transporting ingredients in a suitcase when a member of staff was stopped by the police on August 28. The white powder, which was divided into 25 blue bags, was sent for tests before officers accepted it was not illegal. British Transport Police said: "'Officers were called to Gatwick Airport station at 1.34pm on August 28 after a suitcase was found containing 25 bags of powder. "Following a number of inquiries and tests, it was determined these bags of powder were cake ingredients for a vegan bakery. "They were soon reunited with the owner, who has promised officers and staff a slice of cake in return." The restaurant, which has venues in Brighton and Camden, London, later tweeted: "Thanks for going easy on us guys! "A slab of cake all round is in order when you're next in Brighton."
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| Preparing for Hurricane Dorian: Hurricanes are hard to predict. Human nature isn't. Posted: 31 Aug 2019 03:00 AM PDT  Do some media hype tropical weather just to attract readers and viewers? Maybe. But they err on the side of caution when it comes to warning readers.
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| Trump suggests he should have extra time as president, in rant over ‘dishonest fool’ Comey’s leaks Posted: 30 Aug 2019 05:39 AM PDT  Donald Trump has suggested he should be given "stolen time back" due to "how unfairly" he has been treated by the FBI and its investigations into him."The disastrous IG Report on James Comey shows, in the strongest of terms, how unfairly I, and tens of millions of great people who support me, were treated," Mr Trump tweeted on Friday morning.
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| The US put sanctions on a Hezbollah-linked bank, a likely show of support for Israel as conflict with Lebanon looms Posted: 30 Aug 2019 07:27 AM PDT  The US sanctions came from the Department of Treasury's Office of Financial Control (OFAC) and targeted Jammal Trust Bank,
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| Sudan court charges Bashir with illegal use of foreign funds Posted: 31 Aug 2019 04:51 AM PDT  A Sudanese court on Saturday charged ousted president Omar al-Bashir, on trial for corruption, with illegal acquisition and use of foreign funds, offences which could put him behind bars for a decade. Judge Al-Sadiq Abdelrahman said at the third session of Bashir's trial that foreign funds of multiple currencies were found at his home. Authorities had "seized 6.9 million euros, $351,770 and 5.7 million Sudanese pounds at (Bashir's) home which he acquired and used illegally," the judge said.
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| UPDATE 2-China's factory activity shrinks for 4th month as trade woes deepen Posted: 30 Aug 2019 06:55 PM PDT ![UPDATE 2-China's factory activity shrinks for 4th month as trade woes deepen]( "UPDATE 2-China's factory activity shrinks for 4th month as trade woes deepen") Factory activity in China shrank in August for the fourth month in a row as the United States ramped up trade pressure and domestic demand remained sluggish, pointing to a further slowdown in the world's second-largest economy. Persistent weakness in China's vast manufacturing sector could fuel expectations that Beijing needs to roll out stimulus more quickly, and more aggressively, to weather the biggest downturn in decades. The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 49.5 in August, China's National Bureau of Statistics said on Saturday, versus 49.7 in July, below the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis.
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| How to See the Northern Lights This Weekend Posted: 30 Aug 2019 10:41 AM PDT  Capture stellar views of the geomagnetic storm.
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| Hurricane Dorian track update: Storm strengthens to Category 4, heads toward Florida Posted: 31 Aug 2019 05:24 AM PDT  Hurricane Dorian has the potential to become the most powerful storm to hit the state's east coast in nearly 30 years.
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| View Every Angle of the 2019 Jeep Renegade Posted: 30 Aug 2019 04:59 PM PDT |
| Joe Biden: 'I think almost anybody' in 2020 Democratic field could be the president Posted: 30 Aug 2019 03:47 PM PDT  In an interview with the Washington Post's Jonathan Capehart, Joe Biden seemed on the verge of undermining his own campaign's argument in favor of his electability.
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| China tells Philippines it won't recognize ruling on sea row Posted: 30 Aug 2019 06:41 PM PDT  Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Philippine counterpart that Beijing will not recognize an international arbitration ruling that has invalidated most of China's claims to virtually the entire South China Sea, the Philippine leader's spokesman said. The row over the disputed waters — a major global shipping route thought to be rich in oil and gas reserves — has for years marred China's relationship with the Philippines and other neighboring countries with rival territorial claims. Beijing has transformed a string of disputed reefs into missile-protected island bases.
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| German nurse under investigation for murdering patients Posted: 30 Aug 2019 09:44 AM PDT  German prosecutors are investigating a male nurse suspected of murdering numerous patients in a case reminiscent of one of the country's worst serial killers, it emerged Friday. Following reports in local media, the state prosecutor in Saarbruecken confirmed that the suspect, identified only as B., was under investigation on five counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. The case bears similarities to that of Niels Hoegel, the serial killer nurse who was handed a life sentence last June for the murder of 85 patients in his care.
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