| Pentagon officials worried withholding aid was illegal Posted: 11 Oct 2019 02:00 AM PDT  The Ukraine affair has turned into an impeachment inquiry that could see President Trump removed from office. But it is also an example of yet another federal agency — this time, the Pentagon — caught off-guard by the president's political imperatives.
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| Student's emotional allegation of sexual assault by Hong Kong police sparks investigation and anger Posted: 11 Oct 2019 08:40 AM PDT  An emotional livestreamed account from a young female student alleging sexual assault at the hands of the police sparked fresh anger and new protests in Hong Kong on Friday. A video of Sonia Ng, who waived her anonymity to make the accusations during an open forum on Thursday night at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, went viral in the financial hub, prompting hundreds of office workers to stage a lunchtime rally against alleged police violence. The Hong Kong police force, currently facing an enormous trust deficit with the public, said it had immediately launched an investigation on Friday morning and had tried unsuccessfully to reach the young woman, who had not yet made a formal complaint. "The Police accord high priority to such a serious allegation and we appeal to the female to provide concrete evidence so that we can proceed with a fair fact-finding investigation," the force said in a statement on its Facebook page. Ms Ng told the packed university gathering, in the presence of Rocky Tuan, the vice-chancellor, that she had been arrested at the Prince Edward metro station, which was stormed by riot police on August 31. She claimed she was sexually assaulted at a police station before being taken to San Uk Ling, a holding centre close to the border with mainland China where the pro-democracy movement alleges arrested protesters have been abused. In an earlier testimony, which she gave anonymously at September rally, she accused a male officer of hitting her breast, reported the Hong Kong Free Press. She alleged that detained protesters had been body-searched in darkened rooms and that others had also "suffered sexual violence." The young student then removed her mask to reveal her identity, asking Mr Tuan to explicitly denounce police violence. People form a human chain during a protest in Tai Po Credit: REUTERS/Susana Vera "I am willing to be courageous and take off my mask, would you also be brave and support us?" she asked. The vice-chancellor replied that he condemned all violence, but he faced a barrage of tough questions from students about the level of support the university had provided during four months of escalating tensions with the police during pro-democracy protests. Ms Ng's claims add to the mounting public anger over heavy-handed police tactics in the city, which has seen close to 3,000 arrests, and multiple injuries on both sides, including the shooting of two teenage boys. Tony Tse, the vice-chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Council, asked people in need to come forward. "We hope that those who were treated unfairly or sexually assaulted will make complaints to us. We will follow up," he said in a radio show on Friday.
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| California Democrats Spend Nearly $1 Million To Settle Harassment Suits Against Former Chair Posted: 11 Oct 2019 12:39 PM PDT  Former chairman Eric Bauman cost the California Democratic Party more than $800,000 in a discrimination and sexual misconduct settlements, according to records reviewed by the Los Angeles Times.State and federal campaign finance filings show $378,348 in legal settlements for three lawsuits, filed by Alton Wang, William Rodriguez-Kennedy, and Kate Earley. In January, the trio filed against Bauman, and alleged that the abuse was "well-known and apparently tolerated" by other officials. The plaintiffs accused Bauman of unwanted touching and sexually explicit comments."Our party is at its best when it lives up to our values. One of those values is treating people fairly," current party chair Rusty Hicks told the Times in a statement. "We have reached an equitable settlement that begins the process of getting back to the work 9 million California Democrats expect from us."Several other cases brought against Bauman by former party staffers remain active or pending. Bauman first took a leave of absence and then resigned last November following claims of misconduct toward staff members and activists. He said that he planned to seek treatment for alcohol abuse in a statement apologizing for his actions."I deeply regret if my behavior has caused pain to any of the outstanding individuals with whom I've had the privilege to work. I appreciate the courage it took for these individuals to come forward to tell their stories," Bauman said at the time. "Leading the California Democratic Party to historic victories has been the honor of a lifetime, and I look forward to continuing this important work upon the conclusion of the investigation and when my health allows."More settlements could could severely hamper Democratic campaign funding during a cycle in which the party has seven vulnerable House seats to defend. California Democrats reported nearly $12 million in total funding in their latest campaign finance filings.
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| Photos of the 2019 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe at Lightning Lap Posted: 11 Oct 2019 03:00 AM PDT |
| Venezuela denies entry to Guatemalan president-elect, scuppering meeting with opposition leader Posted: 12 Oct 2019 06:17 AM PDT  Venezuelan authorities on Saturday denied Guatemala's president-elect Alejandro Giammattei entry into Venezuela, where he was scheduled to meet with opposition leader Juan Guaido. Giammattei, a conservative who won the Central American country's presidency in August, landed at Simon Bolivar international airport near the capital Caracas but was placed on a departing flight to Panama in part because he had not been invited by socialist President Nicolas Maduro, authorities said.
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| Norwegian Cruise Line Passengers Mutiny Over Changed Plans and Poor Conditions Posted: 11 Oct 2019 07:43 AM PDT  It is not clear if the rebellion was sparked by the clogged toilets or the canceled visit to Scotland, but passengers on the Norwegian Cruise Line ship had had enough. In recent days, travelers on the "mystical fjords" voyage in Europe have staged (and live tweeted) a veritable mutiny after inclement weather forced repeated changes to their itinerary and trapped them at sea.The ship, called Norwegian Spirit, departed from Southampton, England, recently for a 14-day voyage with planned stops in the Netherlands, Norway and Iceland. But those plans were scuttled by bad weather, forcing the ship to plan new stops -- some of which were then also canceled because of the weather. Passengers said they were stuck at sea for three days.By Monday, a fed-up -- and social media-savvy -- group of passengers rallied in the ship's atrium to vent their outrage at the crew, demand a refund from the company and post images and video of their revolt on newly created Twitter and YouTube accounts. They described the scene as a "riot" and "open rebellion.""Buddy, you're not a manager, we want the head -- who is driving the boat?" a passenger in one video asked a uniformed crew member, who stood flanked by security personnel in a crowd of angry vacationers. Nearby, a woman screamed."What you're doing right now is you're not helping the situation, you're getting people amped up," the passenger said to the crew member. Later, looking into the camera, the passenger said: "Nothing on this itinerary is the same. Nothing is the same. Not one thing."Passengers shared grim images of their trip on Twitter, including video and pictures of toilets that did not flush, a picture of a uniformed crew member in a scrum of angry passengers grabbing one of them by the wrist, and a receipt for a $79 tour of the ship that included a visit to the laundry room."After three days floating around the Atlantic the bathrooms are backing up, not flushing, and out of order today on Norwegian Spirit," one protester, Cody McNutt, wrote on a Twitter account he started to share updates from the protests. He said it "smelled like sewage in public areas on the ship."McNutt wrote that the ship was scheduled to dock in Southampton on Friday but that he had gotten off at an earlier port."Many passengers got off the ship when it stopped after 3 days stuck floating the ocean, fearing for their safety and health," he wrote.Another video showed crew members retreating up a staircase to escape dozens of angry passengers in the ship's atrium, many of whom could be seen holding their phones over their heads to record the mayhem. The man being booed was the captain, the passengers said."We don't want to be on this ship!" one man yelled, as the crew members clambered up the stairs. Another man agreed, yelling, "We want off the ship!"In another video, passengers at a reception desk can be seen angrily reacting to staff members who advised them to call the cruise line's Miami headquarters for information.Again, many of the passengers can be seen recording the scene with their phones. "It's a good thing we got this fancy new phone here for our trip," a woman quipped.A representative for Norwegian Cruise Line declined on Thursday to provide a day-by-day breakdown of events on the ship or to provide its original and modified itineraries. In a statement, the company pleaded for calm."We understand that it is disheartening when we are unable to call on ports that our guests have been looking forward to visiting," the company said. "However, we do ask for our guests' patience, cooperation and understanding that severe weather conditions are an act of God and cannot be controlled, influenced or remediated by the cruise line."A spokesman said that the itinerary was changed because of "severe weather conditions" and that the company had offered its passengers 25% off the cost of a future cruise.But on social media, the protesters said that offer was not enough.They held up signs in the ship's atrium and chanted: "Refund! Refund! Refund!"This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2019 The New York Times Company
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| Sondland will defy State Department order not to testify in impeachment probe, lawyer says Posted: 11 Oct 2019 07:18 AM PDT  After being blocked from testifying in the House impeachment inquiry, Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the EU and a central player in the Ukraine controversy, will appear before Congress next week.
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| Trump advisory council recommends expanding private business in national parks Posted: 11 Oct 2019 02:00 AM PDT  The Trump administration is moving forward with an ambitious plan to give private businesses greater access to national parks, according to a memorandum written by an advisory council for the Department of the Interior.
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| Vivid gladiator fresco discovered at Pompeii Posted: 11 Oct 2019 08:11 AM PDT  A vivid fresco depicting an armour-clad gladiator standing victorious as his wounded opponent stumbles gushing blood has been discovered in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, Italy's culture ministry said Friday. The striking scene in gold, blue and red was uncovered in what experts think was a tavern frequented by gladiators, who fought each other, prisoners and wild animals for the public's entertainment. Gladiators were killed or shown mercy," Pompeii's director Massimo Osanna said.
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| Ted Cruz urges Hong Kong protesters to shun violence, accuses Carrie Lam of 'weakness' Posted: 12 Oct 2019 09:35 AM PDT ![Ted Cruz urges Hong Kong protesters to shun violence, accuses Carrie Lam of 'weakness']( "Ted Cruz urges Hong Kong protesters to shun violence, accuses Carrie Lam of 'weakness'") Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) wasn't able to make any inroads with Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam during his visit to the city Saturday, but he did get a chance to meet with a few pro-democracy protesters.Cruz was supposed to meet with Lam, but he was informed upon landing that the meeting was canceled. Cruz said Lam's office had asked that the details of their meeting remain secret and requested Cruz not speak to the press about it. Apparently, the senator wasn't keen on those terms, and it looks like the disagreement proved to be a sticking point for both sides. Cruz described the cancelation as a "sign of weakness" and "fear of the protesters on the streets of Hong Kong." Cruz, who is one of Congress' staunchest Beijing critics, was reportedly wearing all black when he arrived in Hong Kong in solidarity with the protest movement. He said he met with a few of the movement's leaders and urged them to shun any forms of violence, even in response to police or government brutality, while they continue their efforts. Cruz wasn't the only U.S. official who came up during Hong Kong's 19th consecutive week of demonstrations. Protesters were reportedly determined to prove to President Trump that the rallies were still going strong after Trump said they had "toned down a lot" and that China had made "great progress" in its response to the situation. "We will still come out here swinging the American flag to let him know he is wrong," one protester told The Wall Street Journal, adding that many people are still holding out for U.S. support.
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| Bill Gates, who said he had no relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, reportedly met with the disgraced financier multiple times, including a 2011 meeting with billionaire Eva Dubin and her teenage daughter Posted: 12 Oct 2019 03:49 PM PDT  The disgraced financier sought to work with JPMorgan and Gates' foundation on multiple funds, per the New York Times.
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| Christian Communities in Northeast Syria Are the Target of a Turkish Attack for the First Time in Over a Century Posted: 11 Oct 2019 09:01 AM PDT  Turkey plans to use the Syrian National Army, an alliance of Islamist rebels, for its operations in Northern Syria.
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| More potential whistleblowers are contacting Congress Posted: 11 Oct 2019 12:25 PM PDT  New potential whistleblowers are coming forward to the House Democrats' impeachment inquiry, two congressional sources tell the Daily Beast.
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| The Latest: Fire witness reports sparks near electric lines Posted: 11 Oct 2019 06:30 PM PDT  Los Angeles arson investigators say a witness reported seeing sparks or flames coming from a power line near where a wildfire is believed to have started. Peter Sanders, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department, says investigators are seeking additional witnesses. Southern California Edison says it owns the transmission tower that was shown on KABC-TV.
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| Federal judges rule against Trump in 3 cases on executive powers Posted: 11 Oct 2019 01:23 PM PDT  The president's legal team was handed three courtroom defeats on Friday.
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| US to send 3,000 troops to Saudi Arabia as it withdraws from Syria Posted: 11 Oct 2019 09:54 AM PDT  The United States is to send an additional 3,000 troops to Saudi Arabia "to assure and enhance" the country's security in the wake of the Aramco oil attacks, the Pentagon announced on Friday. Mark Esper, the defence secretary, said the US was sending two more Patriot missile batteries, one THAAD ballistic missile interception system, two fighter squadrons and one air expeditionary wing. It came as Iran claimed yesterday that one of its oil tankers had been struck with missiles off the coast of Saudi Arabia in an incident shrouded in mystery. The new deployment means that, since May, the US has sent an additional 14,000 members of the armed forces into the region. "Secretary Esper informed Saudi Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Muhammad bin Salman this morning of the additional troop deployment to assure and enhance the defense of Saudi Arabia," the Pentagon said. "As we have stated, the United States does not seek conflict with the Iranian regime, but we will retain a robust military capability in the region that is ready to respond to any crisis and will defend US forces and interest in the region." The announcement came just days after Mr Trump declared all US troops would be pulled out of Syria, complaining about "ridiculous endless wars". Mr Trump had campaigned on a promise to get US servicemen out of the Middle East, putting America First, and the decision is unlikely to go down well with his base. Iranian state television said the explosion damaged two storerooms aboard the unnamed oil tanker Credit: twitter Iranian media claimed its vessel was hit on Friday morning about 60 miles from the Saudi port of Jeddah, causing it to leak oil into the Red Sea. The National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) said the ship was damaged but stable and denied reports it had been set ablaze. Tensions have been high since the Spring after an Iranian tanker suspected of carrying crude to Syria in violation of EU sanctions was seized off Gibraltar. In retaliation, Iran's Revolutionary Guard impounded British-flagged tanker Stena Impero. Then last month Saudi's oil fields were hit by a large-scale missile and drone attack it blamed on Tehran, which saw production plummet and oil prices soar. Iran's foreign ministry claimed the vessel, which was first named as Sinopa before it was identified as the Sabiti, had been "targeted twice" but did not provide further details. On Friday morning, an unnamed source told Iran media the vessel was struck by missiles "probably" originating from Saudi Arabia, but Iran's national oil company later denied the claim. Pictures released on Iranian media later showed no discernible damage and no evidence of any fire. TankerTrackers, which monitors oil exports, told the Telegraph there was no independent evidence to suggest the vessel had been hit. Iranian tanker attack "Had she been struck, they wouldn't be sailing back as fast as they are sailing right now. She's moving at 10 knots an hour," they said. "(Iran is) fishing for higher prices, trying to remind the world that geopolitical risk is its way of controlling the oil market." Oil prices surged two per cent on the news. Publicly available ship tracking records show both ships are currently in the Red Sea. The Sinopa turned its transmitter on earlier this week for the first time in more than 50 days. The Sabiti, meanwhile, turned its tracker on early Friday after nearly 60 days of no transmissions. It is common for Iranian tankers to turn off automatic identification systems (AIS) to avoid detection - often to evade international sanctions or harassment from Saudi Arabia. TankerTrackers said this suggested the Sabiti, laden with one million barrels of oil may have been heading for Syria. However, it declared the Gulf as its destination. Thina Margrethe Saltvedt, an analyst at Nordea Markets, said it was not the particulars of the latest incident that were worrying traders but the fear of worse to come. "The risk premium is rising... not because the tanker per se contains enough oil to squeeze the market," she said. "But the risk that this incident will be retaliated or more attacks would come either in Iran, Saudi Arabia or Iraq."
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| DUP's Dodds says Northern Ireland must stay in full UK customs union: Repubblica Posted: 12 Oct 2019 08:35 AM PDT  A mooted eleventh-hour solution to the deadlock over Brexit cannot work because Northern Ireland must remain in a full United Kingdom customs union, the deputy leader of the province's key political party said on Saturday. With the Oct 31 deadline for a new Brexit divorce deal looming, an EU diplomat and an official said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has proposed keeping Northern Ireland in some form of EU customs partnership as well as a UK customs union. Italian newspaper Repubblica quoted its deputy leader Nigel Dodds as saying the proposal Johnson is said to have made "cannot work, because Northern Ireland has to remain fully part of the UK customs union".
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| American Airlines passengers told they may have been exposed to hepatitis A by a flight attendant Posted: 11 Oct 2019 08:32 AM PDT  Thirty-six American Airlines passengers were notified that they may have been exposed to hepatitis A by a flight attendant, Charlotte, N.C.'s WSOC-TV reported.
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| BEHOLD: Is China's DF-26 Missile a Real Threat to U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers? Posted: 12 Oct 2019 09:00 AM PDT  Will Beijing's strategy work?
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| A Man Wearing a Colin Kaepernick Jersey Was Thrown Out of Trump's Minneapolis Rally. Here's What He Says Happened Posted: 12 Oct 2019 07:25 AM PDT  Saul Eugene, 23, attended Trump's rally in Minnesota wearing a Kaepernick jersey. Security at the venue later kicked him out.
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| In Hong Kong, all trust gone between police and protesters Posted: 12 Oct 2019 08:24 AM PDT  In trying to end the anti-government demonstrations, which broke out in multiple locations again on Saturday and are now in their fifth month, one of the most pressing problems to solve for Hong Kong leaders will be dispelling the now widespread public scorn for police officers. Protest graffiti likening officers to dogs and worse is all over the city, and protesters Saturday chanted for the force to be disbanded. Riot police deployed but stayed far behind the day's largest rally, which drew thousands of peaceful marchers in Kowloon.
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| Secretary of Defense Esper blames Turkey for attacks on Kurds, says US has not abandoned them Posted: 11 Oct 2019 01:38 PM PDT  Top Pentagon official says Turkey's attack on Kurds was 'impulsive,' and Turkish artillery shells land within a quarter mile of U.S. troops.
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| In case you didn't have enough to worry about, there are now fish that can walk on land Posted: 11 Oct 2019 11:32 AM PDT  As an invasive species that can outcompete native wildlife, Georgia officials are advising residents that find the fish to "kill it immediately."
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| Ohio ban on Down syndrome abortion blocked by U.S. appeals court Posted: 11 Oct 2019 11:13 AM PDT ![Ohio ban on Down syndrome abortion blocked by U.S. appeals court]( "Ohio ban on Down syndrome abortion blocked by U.S. appeals court") Upholding a preliminary injunction, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati said the law was invalid under Supreme Court precedents because it had the purpose and effect of preventing some women from obtaining pre-viability abortions. The law known as House Bill 214 subjected doctors to as much as 18 months in prison for performing abortions when they knew a pregnant woman based her decision to abort at least in part on a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome in the fetus, or other reason to believe that condition was present. John Kasich, then Ohio's Republican governor, signed the law in December 2017, following passage by the Republican-controlled legislature.
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| Rescue efforts underway as Typhoon Hagibis kills four in Japan Posted: 12 Oct 2019 04:03 PM PDT  Japan's military scrambled Sunday to rescue people trapped by flooding in the aftermath of powerful Typhoon Hagibis, which killed at least four people, caused landslides and burst rivers. Serious flooding was reported in central Japan's Nagano, where a burst levee sent swollen waters from the Chikuma river gushing into residential neighbourhoods, flooding homes up to the second floor. Japan's military deployed helicopters to rescue people seen in aerial footage standing on balconies waving towels to attract attention.
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| Iran Attacked Saudi Arabia's Oil Facilities, But Not For the Reason You Think Posted: 11 Oct 2019 01:00 PM PDT  Iran doesn't want war.
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| The Latest: Pritzker board member resigns amid senator probe Posted: 11 Oct 2019 01:29 PM PDT  An appointee of Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker has stepped down from the Illinois Tollway board after he was mentioned as part of a federal investigation into a state senator. Cesar Santoy resigned Friday at Pritzker's request after an unredacted search warrant released Friday indicated that authorities sought information involving Santoy and his architectural firm Studio Arq.
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| Harry Dunn: US woman allegedly involved in crash does not have diplomatic immunity, says Foreign Office Posted: 12 Oct 2019 07:54 AM PDT  The US diplomat's wife allegedly involved in a crash which killed a teenager does not have diplomatic immunity, the Foreign Office has said.A letter, that appears to have been sent by foreign secretary Dominic Raab to Harry Dunn's parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, says: "The question remains when such immunity comes to an end, regardless of any waiver.
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| Protesters burn MAGA hats, police use pepper spray in tense hours after Donald Trump rally in Minneapolis Posted: 11 Oct 2019 07:54 AM PDT  Protesters clashed with police and threw urine in the streets after President Donald Trump's campaign rally Thursday night in Minneapolis.
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| U.S. company supplying tear gas to Hong Kong police faces mounting criticism Posted: 11 Oct 2019 01:14 PM PDT  Another U.S. senator has joined a chorus against Pennsylvania-based NonLethal Technologies Inc for selling riot gear to Hong Kong that is being used against pro-democracy protesters. The privately held company, which makes and exports a wide range of riot and crowd control equipment for military and law enforcement agencies, has been in the spotlight ever since it was discovered that Hong Kong police are employing its tear gas canisters to disperse anti-government demonstrations. In one photo that has been widely shared on social media, NonLethal's name is stamped on the casing of a spent tear gas canister.
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| Japan’s Vending Machine Designs Are Like No Other Country’s Posted: 11 Oct 2019 12:25 PM PDT |
| Mother to sue over 'wrongful removal' of children by Dutch social services Posted: 12 Oct 2019 09:28 AM PDT  A mother who says her two children were wrongfully taken into care shortly after their ninth birthday by Dutch social services intends to launch legal action against the authorities who handled the case. On March 23, 2012, Nikolai and Anastasia Antonova were removed from their mother's care. Among the reasons cited for their removal was that the children spoke their mother Jelena's native language Russian at home, not Dutch. Social workers also claimed their mother might flee with them to Latvia to escape the children's estranged father. The children had "severely conflicting loyalties" to their parents, social workers who were working closely with their father said. The children had previously said they were frightened of their father and did not want to see him again. The original care order was instituted for a year but was subsequently extended on several occasions. Ms Antonova alleges that the children were held without the right legal permission. The Dutch Court of Appeal made repeated rulings that the children should be reunited with their mother but these were overturned when the child protection board, part of the justice ministry, sought the extension of the care order in a lower family court. The family's case was first highlighted by the late Christopher Booker in a series of columns for The Sunday Telegraph. The case was also raised in the European parliament in March 2014. MEPs were shown a video of the children being taken away from their home, captured by their brother Ilja Antonovs. The children were eventually permanently reunited with their mother in November 2014 after two years and eight months when a judge ruled that they should never have been removed from their mother's care. The order followed a report from a family psychologist Dr De Jong who concluded that Ms Antonova was not guilty of neglect. Jelena Antonova was subsequently granted permission to question, under oath, social workers who handled the case and officials from two different authorities connected to the children's care. On June 18 and September 2 Ms Antonova questioned social workers and is now preparing to sue three parties linked to the ordeal; Salvation Army Youth Protection, the Ministry of Justice and Security and the youth protection service of Gelderland province. During the questioning, a number of flaws in the conduct of youth care emerged, the family claims. They are now suing the three parties for the "unlawful and careless removal of the children", claiming they are liable "for the damage suffered and to be suffered" by the family. Youth Protection said it is prohibited from commenting on individual cases. The Netherlands Salvation Army said it does not respond to individual cases but pointed out that Salvation Army Youth Protection always acts under the instruction of the Dutch legal authorities. The Ministry of Justice and Security and Gelderland youth protection did not respond to repeated requests for comment this week.
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| Aviation experts blast FAA over 737 MAX redesign approval: report Posted: 11 Oct 2019 06:16 AM PDT  Aviation experts slammed US regulators for allowing design changes to Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft that have been implicated in two crashes causing the deaths of more than 300 people, according to press reports. The Federal Aviation Administration failed to stick to its own rules, followed out-of-date procedures and lacked the manpower and expertise to properly oversee the alterations, a panel of worldwide experts found. The Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) was put together in March after a 737 MAX run by Ethiopian Airlines crashed, killing all 157 onboard.
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| NASA conducts spacewalk as world's 1st spacewalker dies Posted: 11 Oct 2019 11:47 AM PDT  Astronauts replaced oversized batteries outside the International Space Station on Friday, as news broke of the death of the world's first spacewalker. NASA interrupted live TV coverage of its second spacewalk this week to announce Leonov's death at age 85. Leonov's 12-minute spacewalk on March 18, 1965, preceded the first U.S. spacewalk by Ed White by less than three months.
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| Message to evangelicals: Impeachment is about Donald Trump. It's not an attack on you. Posted: 11 Oct 2019 12:15 AM PDT ![Message to evangelicals: Impeachment is about Donald Trump. It's not an attack on you.]( "Message to evangelicals: Impeachment is about Donald Trump. It's not an attack on you.") When a human object of devotion violates law and moral standards, it's time to break away and recommit to our faith, our principles, our conscience.
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| Two dead near Los Angeles as Saddleridge fire forces 100,000 people to evacuate Posted: 11 Oct 2019 08:23 PM PDT  The Saddleridge fire, which began in Sylmar, is moving quickly thanks to Santa Ana winds, burning homes and forcing evacuations in California near LA
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| CNN anchor Chris Cuomo issued an apology in the middle of the network’s town hall on LGBTQ issues Posted: 11 Oct 2019 11:28 AM PDT  CNN anchor Chris Cuomo issued an apology in the middle of the network's town hall on LGBTQ issues Thursday night after he joked he, too, used female pronouns.
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| Four dead, 17 missing as fierce typhoon pounds Tokyo Posted: 12 Oct 2019 04:35 PM PDT  Four people were killed and 17 were missing after the most powerful typhoon to hit Japan in decades paralyzed Tokyo, flooding rivers and putting millions under evacuation warning before plowing up the northeastern coast. Authorities lifted rain and flood warnings for the Kanto region around a becalmed Tokyo before dawn, and by Sunday morning were starting to lift them on areas further north. Typhoon Hagibis was expected to head out to sea on Sunday evening once it churned its way up the northeastern coast and the northern island of Hokkaido.
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| Beto Proposes to Oppress Church with State Posted: 11 Oct 2019 03:32 PM PDT  Beto O'Rourke's presidential campaign is within the margin of error of non-existence, but in his failure he has found a purpose: expressing the Democratic id. His latest bid for left-wing love came at a CNN forum on gay rights, where he said that churches that oppose same-sex marriage should have to pay taxes.Religious organizations, like secular non-profits, are exempt from taxes because we do not want government to inhibit a thriving civil society. Abolishing the exemption only for religious groups that do not toe the progressive line would be an outrageous oppression of church by state.Other candidates have not yet echoed O'Rourke. But the crowd applauded. And his position has not come out of nowhere. President Obama's solicitor general suggested to the Supreme Court that the tax exemption of religious colleges that oppose same-sex marriage might have to be revisited. Six of the presidential candidates, including leading contender Elizabeth Warren, have co-sponsored the "Equality Act," which specifically states that religious believers could not invoke the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to ask to escape its new restrictions on private conduct. It would be the first congressional limitation of the religious-freedom law since it was enacted, nearly by acclamation, in 1993. Several of the candidates have also endorsed another piece of legislation that is specifically directed at shrinking the reach of that law.If other Democrats are refraining from adopting O'Rourke's stance, then, it is for contingent reasons of prudence rather than lasting ones of principle. The contemporary Democratic party is a threat to the first freedom mentioned in the Constitution.
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