| Biden saying he'd only serve one term would be an Election Day risk with little reward, new Insider poll shows Posted: 17 Dec 2019 12:23 PM PST  Former Vice President Joe Biden would seemingly risk losing much more than he'd gain from announcing his intention to serve one term.
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| Victims of Catholic Clergy Sex Abuse Sue Pope Francis Posted: 17 Dec 2019 11:53 AM PST  Victims of sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy are suing Pope Francis, claiming he and senior Vatican officials knew that a number of priests molested children but kept the revelation a secret, the New York Post reported on Tuesday.The class-action lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, brought by seven victims of abuse. The sole defendant named in the suit is the Holy See, the governing body of the entire Catholic Church, at whose head is the Pope."The Holy See has known for centuries that Catholic priests were using their positions and roles in Catholic parishes and schools to sexually molest children," the suit alleges.Pope Francis on Tuesday ended the policy of "pontifical secrecy" to guard information on sexual abuse cases. Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the Vatican's leading investigator of sex abuse crimes, called the move an "epochal decision" that will facilitate greater communication between civil law enforcement and church investigators.Francis said that cases of alleged abuse should still be handled with "security, integrity and confidentiality" to protect victims and the accused.The class-action suit alleges the "pontifical secrecy" rule prevented many church officials from revealing abuse."This mandatory secrecy policy, imposed on threat of removal and ex-communication, bound Bishops and Dioceses for well over a century," the suit reads.The suit was brought by victims following the enactment of the Child Victims Act in New York state in February. The law extended the statute of limitations in criminal sex abuse cases to age 28, while civil suits can be brought by a victim until age 55.
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| Archaeologists in Greece find 3,500-year-old royal tombs Posted: 17 Dec 2019 11:07 AM PST  American archaeologists have discovered two monumental royal tombs dating from about 3,500 years ago near a major Mycenaean-era palace in Greece's southern Peloponnese region, the Greek culture ministry said Tuesday. A ministry statement said the dome-shaped roofs of both tombs near the Bronze Age palace of Pylos collapsed during antiquity, and the chambers became filled with so much earth and rubble that grave robbers couldn't get in to plunder them. Recovered grave goods from the two tombs included a golden seal ring and a golden amulet of an ancient Egyptian goddess, highlighting Bronze Age trade and cultural links.
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| The 25 Best Sandbox Games Posted: 17 Dec 2019 12:37 PM PST |
| Susan Collins to announce reelection plans this week Posted: 17 Dec 2019 10:36 AM PST  The Maine Republican said in an interview she was poised to announce her intentions.
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| Malaysia to host major summit of Muslim leaders Posted: 17 Dec 2019 03:06 AM PST  Malaysia will this week host a summit of Muslim leaders billed as a forum to look at the Islamic world's problems, but it will be closely watched for Middle East power plays and their stance on China's Uighur minority. Leaders from Iran, Turkey, and Qatar will be among hundreds of delegates attending the three-day event set to discuss myriad challenges faced by Muslims. The summit has been pushed by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has long championed greater solidarity among the world's Islamic communities -- and wants to boost his country's standing on the international stage.
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| United Airlines flight grounded after flames burst from engine Posted: 16 Dec 2019 10:00 AM PST  A United Airlines flight originating in San Diego has been forced to make an emergency landing in New Mexico, after an engine malfunction caused flames to shoot out of an engine.The flight was on its way to Chicago when it was forced to make an emergency landing in Albuquerque, where it safely made it to the ground.
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| Associate of Giuliani says $1M from Russia was loan to wife Posted: 16 Dec 2019 11:20 AM PST  Lev Parnas, an associate of Rudy Giuliani who has been indicted on U.S. campaign finance charges, said a $1 million transfer into his wife's bank account from Russia was the proceeds of a loan, not an attempt to conceal his assets.
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| Chernobyl At Sea: When A Soviet Submarine Created An Atomic Disaster Posted: 17 Dec 2019 07:24 AM PST  The incident remained a secret until the end of the Cold War.
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| Is Rep. Jeff Van Drew a Democrat or Republican? He won't say on eve of impeachment vote Posted: 17 Dec 2019 02:15 PM PST  Van Drew fended off questions over whether his party change would be considered a betrayal to constituents and whether this was a political decision.
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| Elizabeth Warren demands billionaire Michael Bloomberg release accusers from NDAs Posted: 16 Dec 2019 07:41 PM PST  Michael Bloomberg has been under scrutiny after he was accused of creating a hostile work environment for women in his company in the 1990s.
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| No bond for ex-Mexico security official charged with bribery Posted: 17 Dec 2019 11:20 AM PST  A judge in Texas ordered Mexico's former top security official to remain held without bond Tuesday as he awaits trial for allegedly accepting a fortune in drug-money bribes for letting the notorious Sinaloa cartel operate with impunity. Genaro Garcia Luna, 51, was indicted on three counts of cocaine trafficking conspiracy and a false statements charge. Magistrate Judge David Horan ordered Garcia Luna held in Texas until marshals could transfer him to New York, where Sinaloa kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was tried in 2018.
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| Joe Biden coldly rains on Trump's happy-poll parade Posted: 16 Dec 2019 08:54 PM PST  President Trump had a good poll on Monday: In a USA Today/Suffolk University survey, he leads all his potential Democratic rivals, including former Vice President Joe Biden by 3 percentage points, just inside the poll's ±3 point margin of error. But that's not the poll Trump highlighted on Twitter Monday afternoon — in fact, it's not quite clear what poll he was tweeting about that has his approval rating at 51 percent, or even above 50 percent. Biden either found that elusive poll or just decided he might just as well make up a number, too.> This same poll has you losing to me by 7 points. https://t.co/cbwKoCbW7b> > — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 16, 2019Biden does lead Trump by 7 points in a new Fox News poll, but Trump's overall approval rating in that survey is 45 percent, with 53 percent disapproving of his job performance. In the RealClearPolitics average of polls, Biden leads Trump by 6.2 percentage points and Trump's average approval rating is 44 percent, 8.8 points underwater.In any case, point made, point won. The USA Today/Suffolk poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters Dec. 10-14.More stories from theweek.com How the fall of Elizabeth Warren has shaken up the 2020 race Quentin Tarantino might not make that Star Trek movie after all 6 powerful phrases every parent should use
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| Toronto mass shooting victims sue gun maker Smith & Wesson in $150m lawsuit Posted: 17 Dec 2019 09:40 AM PST  * Two people died and 13 were injured in July 2018 attack * Lawsuit claims company created 'ultra-hazardous product'Victims of a mass shooting in Toronto have launched a class action lawsuit against gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson, alleging the company failed to implement key safety features in its weapons that could have prevented the 2018 attack.The suit, the first of its kind in Canada, was filed in Ontario superior court on Monday. Plaintiffs are seeking C$150m in damages from the American company.On the evening of 22 July 2018, Faisal Hussain opened fire on the city's bustling Danforth avenue, killing two people and injuring 13 others. He killed himself following a shootout with police.The weapon used in the attack – an M&P40 semi-automatic pistol – had been stolen from a gun dealer in the province of Saskatchewan.The lead plaintiffs in the case are Skye McLeod and Samantha Price, recent high-school graduates and friends who were celebrating a birthday when Hussain opened fire. As pedestrians ran for cover, Price was hit in the leg and her friend, 18-year-old Reese Fallon, was shot dead. A young child in the area, Julianna Kozis, 10, was also killed.The suit, which has not yet been certified by a judge, alleges Smith & Wesson created an "ultra-hazardous product" and delayed implementing technology that prevents unauthorized users from firing the weapon. The claims within the lawsuit have not been proven in court.Often taking the form fingerprint sensor or a radio-frequency microchip, numerous "smart gun" technologies exist that can prevent unauthorized firing of a weapon. Gun lobby groups in the United States, led by the National Rifle Association, have fought for years against widespread adoption of the safety features."What we have right now, is a technology from the 19th century," said Malcolm Ruby, the lawyer representing victims' families, told the Guardian. "People aren't still using rotary telephones any more. They've moved on. But this is an industry that has refused to modernize."Without the technology in place, the lawsuit claims it was "reasonably foreseeable" people such as Hussain could inflict widespread damage with a stolen weapon.The suit also refers to an agreement between Smith & Wesson and the US government, dating back nearly 20 years, in which the company pledged to make smart gun technology a key feature in new firearm designs – but never did."Despite the agreement, in 2005 the defendant introduced the … model of the handgun used in the Danforth shooting, which failed to include smart gun technology," the lawsuit read.Following a flurry of litigation against American gun manufacturers in the late 1990s, the companies are now largely shielded from claims of negligence in the US. But families of victims in the Sandy Hook shooting won a key victory last month, when the US supreme court allowed a lawsuit against gun maker Remington Arms to go ahead. There are no special protections for the manufacturers in Canada, said Ruby.The lawsuit is open to victims of the shooting who suffered injury while fleeing the gunfire, as well as the families of victims. Smith & Wesson has stated it does not comment on the pending litigation."If you have a product that can harm people – you're obligated to fix that," said Ruby. "And we know these guns have caused widespread harm over the years – and will continue to do so."
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| Finger-wagging Muslim women become Indian protest symbols Posted: 17 Dec 2019 12:31 AM PST  A group of Muslim women who formed a barricade around a male student being attacked by baton-swinging police have become symbols of the protests currently gripping India. In a video that has gone viral, the four young women rush to surround the young man as police in riot gear thrash at him with six-foot (two-metre) bamboo sticks known as "lathi". The protests, which raged for another day on Tuesday, follow the passing by parliament last week of legislation making it easier for people from three neighbouring countries to get Indian citizenship.
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| Russia Spread Disinformation Related to Yovanovitch and Steele Posted: 17 Dec 2019 12:16 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- A Russian-linked operation aimed at dividing Western allies spread disinformation on social media for three years on such topics as the "Steele dossier" and the performance of former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, according to a new report.Hundreds of accounts on multiple internet platforms amplified 44 narratives in at least six languages over the course of the effort, which targeted relationships between the U.S. and U.K, as well as the U.S. and Germany, among other Western allies, according to a report released Tuesday by Graphika, a company that uses artificial intelligence to map and analyze information on social media.Two of the false narratives focused on American political controversies, "the smear campaign" against Yovanovitch in 2019 and "the dossier of claims against U.S. President Donald Trump in early 2017," Ben Nimmo, the head of investigations at Graphika, wrote in the report. Yovanovitch, who was removed from her post in May, testified in the U.S. House Intelligence Committee's impeachment investigation hearings against Trump. The dossier was part of the false story that U.K. intelligence officials interfered in the 2016 election, according to the report."It looks like this operation leverages U.S. political stories to cause trouble between America and its allies," Nimmo said.Still, Graphika's research concluded "none of these stories gained significant traction. This operation struggled to place its content in front of real users, perhaps in part because of the measures it took to hide the true identity of its operators, such as the use of single-use burner accounts."The disinformation effort ran from October 2016 to October 2019 and was part of a broader, Russian-based operation known as "Secondary Infektion," according to Graphika. Facebook Inc. and Reddit have previously removed accounts related to the operation.The report comes after Russia spread disinformation ahead of the U.K. election last week and American intelligence agencies have warned that foreign actors will seek to influence voter perceptions ahead of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.Starting in October, accounts related to Secondary Infektion amplified leaked trade documents in the run-up to the Dec. 12 U.K. election. Nimmo wrote that the U.K. element of the operation appeared to be the only narrative among the disinformation stories in the report that gained significant traction on social media."All the earlier stories were based on forgeries," he wrote. "Some were carefully crafted, others were laughably inept, but all were false. Almost all these stories fell flat. By contrast, the leak of genuine U.K. trade documents was one of the headline moments of the U.K. election campaign and made the news well beyond British shores."The disinformation campaign also touched on a topic of special interest to Russia. "A cluster of articles spread alarming rumors about the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, games from which Russia had been banned for doping," according to the report.To contact the reporter on this story: Alyza Sebenius in Washington at asebenius@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Andrew Martin at amartin146@bloomberg.net, Andrew Pollack, Sara FordenFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Why Giving Israel Spare American B-52 Bombers Is A Terrible Idea Posted: 16 Dec 2019 03:30 PM PST  A great way to drag America into conflict.
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| Honduras declares state of emergency in prison system Posted: 17 Dec 2019 01:12 PM PST ![Honduras declares state of emergency in prison system]( "Honduras declares state of emergency in prison system") Honduras declared a state of emergency in its prison system Tuesday, suspending its civilian leaders and replacing them with a special commission led by military officers. The surprise move came four days after the slaying of Pedro Ildefonso Armas, the director of Honduras' maximum security prison. In October, Armas was chatting with accused drug trafficker Nery López Sanabria inside the prison when several inmates killed the inmate.
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| Greta Thunberg clapped back at Deutsche Bahn after it appeared to accuse her of staging a picture of her sitting on the floor of an 'overcrowded' train Posted: 16 Dec 2019 02:39 AM PST  The 16-year-old Thunberg was traveling home from Madrid by train after attending the UN climate conference.
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| Supreme Court upholds homeless people's right to sleep on public property outdoors Posted: 16 Dec 2019 12:50 PM PST  The U.S. Supreme Court let stand a ruling that said homeless people have a constitutional right to sleep on public property outdoors if no other shelter is available to them. The justices without comment on Monday turned away an appeal by Boise, Idaho, which said the federal appeals court ruling would leave cities "powerless" to address residents' health and safety concerns.
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| Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch went on Fox News to promote his book — and to echo the 'war on Christmas' myth Posted: 17 Dec 2019 11:26 AM PST  Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch is the latest victim in the war on Christmas.On Tuesday, Gorsuch appeared on Fox & Friends to promote his recent book — an odd move for a supposedly nonpartisan judge. President Trump's favorite show is known for its solidly conservative agenda, and Gorsuch quickly played into Fox & Friends' hands with the first two words he spoke.When Gorsuch was introduced Tuesday, he pointedly replied with a "Merry Christmas," to which host Ainsley Earhardt responded "I love that you say that." After all, Fox News has been fighting for the right to say that phrase for years as it's drowned out by "Happy Holidays." Gorsuch's choice words soon drew a few critics from the politically correct crowd, prompting Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a certified member of the Merry Christmas militia, to come to his defense.In an attempt to combat "Democrats" who are supposedly "smear[ing] him for wishing Americans a Merry Christmas," Tillis tweeted out a link to a card he's putting together for Gorsuch and his family.> I worked tirelessly to confirm Justice Gorsuch, and I'm not about to let Democrats smear him for wishing Americans a Merry Christmas. That's why I'm putting together a Merry Christmas card to send to Justice Gorsuch and his family – will you add your name? https://t.co/DsPKgbJF0p https://t.co/kYeUEke7gb> > — Thom Tillis (@ThomTillis) December 17, 2019Clicking to Tillis' site reveals a digital Christmas greeting that's reminiscent of a young coder's first web design project. Visitors are welcome to send Gorsuch a Christmas greeting of their own — a system which will absolutely not be abused in any way.More stories from theweek.com How the fall of Elizabeth Warren has shaken up the 2020 race Quentin Tarantino might not make that Star Trek movie after all 6 powerful phrases every parent should use
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| Maxine Waters Claims Trump Agreed to Lift Sanctions in Exchange for Putin’s Election Help, Admits She ‘Doesn’t Have the Facts to Prove It’ Posted: 17 Dec 2019 12:31 PM PST  Representative Maxine Waters (D., Calif.) on Monday said she still believes that President Trump conspired with Russian President Vladimir Putin to win the 2016 elections despite lacking any evidence to support her claim.While it is has been widely established that the Kremlin interfered in the 2016 election on Trump's behalf, special counsel Robert Mueller's two-year investigation yielded no evidence that President Trump or anyone on his campaign coordinated with the Russians."I believe, even though I don't have the facts to prove it, I believe that Putin wanted to lift the sanctions [against Russia]," Waters told CNN's Erin Burnett on Tuesday. "He's always wanted to lift these sanctions that were placed on him because of his interfering with, and incursion into Crimea.""And so I believe that they wanted to elect President Trump and Trump—I will always believe this—that he agreed that if he got elected that he would lift those sanctions," Waters continued. "He would like to do it; he's not been able to do it, but when [Republicans] talk about, 'we're just making things up' and he talks about this as a 'witch hunt,' there are too many facts."Waters has a history of controversial statements regarding Trump and the extreme threat he poses to the country. In 2018 Waters publicly called on anti-Trump protesters to "harass" Trump supporters in response to the President's immigration policies."If you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere," Waters told protesters. The next day she said protesters will "absolutely harass them [administration officials] until they decide that they're going to tell the President, 'No, I can't hang with you.'"In an October CNN interview, the Representative said Trump should be in "solitary confinement.""Impeachment is not good enough for Trump," Waters said. "He needs to be imprisoned and placed in solitary confinement.""But for now," she added, "impeachment is the imperative."President Trump is currently the subject of an impeachment push by House Democrats due to his conduct regarding Ukraine. The House will likely vote to approve two articles of impeachment, for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress respectively, by the end of this week.
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| Thousands sign Hiroshima petition to save A-bomb buildings Posted: 16 Dec 2019 08:23 PM PST  Thousands of people have signed an online petition against the planned demolition of two early 20th-century buildings that remained intact after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima devastated the Japanese city. A local government official confirmed to AFP on Tuesday they had received the petition signed by 12,000 citizens calling for the preservation of the buildings that stand 2.7 kilometres (2 miles) from the 1945 blast.
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| In 1968, North Korean Commandos Launched a Raid into South Korea Posted: 17 Dec 2019 11:07 AM PST  How did it end?
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| India endures fifth day of violent protests as Modi doubles down on religious citizenship law Posted: 16 Dec 2019 07:56 AM PST  Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, appealed for calm today as violent nationwide student-led protests against "anti-Muslim" citizenship legislation continued for a fifth day. Students from Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi took to the streets again despite police firing tear gas and baton charging protesters yesterday, accusing the government of introducing the legislation to suppress Muslims. Approximately 100 people were hospitalised and a group of 50 students was arrested overnight, and have since been released. The chancellor of the university has said she will press charges against the police after videos circulated on social media of officers brutally attacking peaceful protesters. In one video circulated on social media, a group of female students stopped a male student from being beaten up by forming a human shield. How to rescue a victim during a lynching incident. Real life demo by women students of Jamia pic.twitter.com/cHavlAtxmH— Natasha Badhwar (@natashabadhwar) December 15, 2019 Large protests also erupted in other major cities across India, including Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. Students at Nadwa University in Lucknow reported being locked in by police, and claim stones were thrown at them. The Citizenship Amendment Act sets out rules that allow followers of six religions – including Christians, Sikhs and Hindus – who come from neighbouring Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to become Indian citizens. Citizenship is offered on the condition applicants had to leave their country because of being persecuted for their religion, and they must have been living in India for six years. However, Mr Modi has not extended the offer of citizenship to Muslims. Critics, including the United Nations, say the act marginalises the minority of 193 million. It is the latest in a string of actions the government, led by the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, has taken against India's Muslim population. In August, Mr Modi revoked the autonomous status enjoyed by the Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir and announced 1.9 million people in Assam – largely Muslims – would be detained and deported as part of a new National Register of Citizens. Assam has been the site of the most violent protests, with six dead since Thursday, but the state has now been placed under curfew. Reminiscent of the ongoing crackdown in Kashmir, over 1,400 people have also been taken into preventive custody and internet services have been blocked. The north-eastern state of Assam witnessed the most violent protests with six people dying. It has now been placed under curfew Credit: Biju Boro/AP Protesters in Assam are concerned the bill could lead to unprecedented migration into the state, diluting its heavily inter-tribal culture and exacerbating ethnic tensions. Opposition leaders have said they will not recognise the law, including Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal. Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the opposition Congress party, accused Mr Modi of having "only a narrow agenda, to make people fight." Despite criticism Mr Modi doubled down on the passing of the act telling a rally on Sunday his decision was "1,000 per cent correct". "This is the time to maintain peace, unity and brotherhood," he implored. The largest demonstrations took place at Islamic academic institutions, including Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh and Maulana Azad Urdu University in Hyderabad. Several Indian human rights groups and a Muslim political party have filed petitions to challenge the citizenship law in the Supreme Court. They argue it violates Article 14 of the Indian Constitution which guarantees the right to equality regardless of religion. The British Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to the north-east of India while the curfew continues.
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| Double-murderer deported to Germany after decades in US jail Posted: 17 Dec 2019 05:58 AM PST  A German man who has served 33 years in a US prison for a double murder arrived back in Germany on Tuesday, after receiving parole. Officials in the state of Virginia allowed 53-year-old Jens Soering, the son of a diplomat, to be released on parole. "I'm so happy to be in Germany after 33 years in prison in the US," he told journalists in a short statement at Frankfurt Airport.
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| Harry Dunn: Dominic Raab calls for US diplomat’s wife to return to UK if she is charged Posted: 17 Dec 2019 10:43 AM PST  The foreign secretary has called for an American woman accused of killing a British teenager in a car crash to return to the UK if she is charged.Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a US intelligence officer, fled back to her home country after claiming intelligence immunity following the crash in August.
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| U.S. Expelled Two Chinese Diplomats after Unauthorized Entry into SEAL Team 6 Headquarters Posted: 17 Dec 2019 06:40 AM PST  The U.S. secretly expelled two Chinese diplomats in September after entering a Virginia military base that houses the headquarters of SEAL Team 6, the New York Times reported Tuesday.The diplomats, along with their wives, were detained after the four drove through the outer perimeter of the Dam Neck Annex of Naval Air Station Oceana, south of Virginia Beach. They ignored orders from guards to turn back and were only stopped by fire trucks that were driven to block their path, according to the Times. One of the men is allegedly an intelligence operative with diplomatic cover.The U.S. has refused to comment on the incident or even confirm or deny that it took place. China, however, acknowledged on Monday that the two diplomats were expelled."The US accusation on our officials is completely inconsistent with the truth," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, who was formerly stationed at the country's embassy in Washington. "We urge the U.S. to correct its mistake, withdraw this decision and protect Chinese diplomats' legitimate rights and interests according to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations."Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Uriah Orland told the Times he had no further information about the incident. "We take the security of all our installations very seriously," Orland said.The news comes at a time of escalated tensions between the U.S. and China. The two countries are currently locked in a trade war, and President Trump is currently pushing for a trade agreement that will see both sides reduce tariffs on imports.There have been several other recent U.S.-China espionage incidents, including the sentencing of a former CIA officer who was convicted of spying for China.
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| Finland’s Millennial PM Warned of Baby Boomer Threat to Finances Posted: 17 Dec 2019 01:03 AM PST  (Bloomberg) -- The world's youngest prime minister needs to act quickly to tackle one of Europe's fastest-aging populations.Finland's central bank said on Tuesday that the burden on public finances, as more people head for retirement, is unsustainable and requires a political response. The warning comes just days after 34-year-old Prime Minister Sanna Marin took office.The so-called sustainability gap -- which measures the difference between spending and income -- has widened to 4.7% relative to gross domestic product, from about 3% a year ago, the Bank of Finland said in a report on Tuesday. The biggest contributors to the increase are cooling growth, higher government borrowing and political stalling over health and welfare reform.According to the European Commission, the sustainability gap poses a significant risk to the long-term health of public finances when it exceeds 6%, while a reading of under 2% denotes low risk."One factor currently weighing on the long-term outlook for the public finances is the fact that the baby-boom generation has reached retirement age," the central bank said. "This has increased public pension expenditure, and over the next few years it will also lead to a more rapid increase in expenditure on health care and long-term care of the elderly."Like much of Europe, Finland needs to come to grips with the growing pressures of an aging and shrinking population. In the Nordic nation's case, the issue assumes even greater importance because of its generous welfare state, relatively low immigration and the constraints of euro membership.While recent governments have taken action to address the problem, more needs to be done, said the central bank, which has been issuing similar warnings since the start of the decade.The new government of Sanna Marin, the world's youngest prime minister, has confirmed previous plans to raise the employment rate to 75% of the working-age people, from about 72% now. According to Governor Olli Rehn, the objective is "well-justified.""More determined action should, however, be taken to strengthen the public finances and the prerequisites for employment," he said.The central bank on Tuesday also cut its growth forecasts for the euro area's northernmost economy, to 0.9% in 2020 and 1.1% in 2021. Its previous forecasts pointed to growth rates of 1.5% and 1.3% respectively.(Adds central bank quote in fourth paragraph)To contact the reporter on this story: Kati Pohjanpalo in Helsinki at kpohjanpalo@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Tasneem Hanfi Brögger at tbrogger@bloomberg.net, Nick RigilloFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| U.S. sues CVS for fraudulently billing Medicare, Medicaid for invalid prescriptions Posted: 17 Dec 2019 07:48 AM PST  CVS Health Corp and its Omnicare unit were sued on Tuesday by the U.S. government, which accused them of fraudulently billing Medicare and other programs for drugs for older and disabled people without valid prescriptions. The Department of Justice joined whistleblower litigation accusing Omnicare of violating the federal False Claims Act for illegally dispensing drugs to tens of thousands of patients in assisted living facilities, group homes for people with special needs, and other long-term care facilities. According to a civil complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, Omnicare would often assign new numbers to prescriptions after the original prescriptions expired or ran out of refills.
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| Counterfactual: A Nazi Invasion of Britain? (Hitler Wins World War II?) Posted: 17 Dec 2019 02:53 AM PST  Learn the true story of Operation Sea Lion.
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| Trump complains about inability to prosecute Schiff, says they 'handle things' differently in Guatemala Posted: 17 Dec 2019 01:21 PM PST  Shortly after his scathing impeachment protest letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was publicized Tuesday, President Trump addressed his displeasure with the proceedings in person.While meeting with Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales at the White House, Trump called the House's impeachment proceedings a "total sham" and, as he often does, saved some personal criticism for House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Trump accused Schiff of falsely attributing a statement to him and then complained about how "House immunity" protected the congressman from prosecution."In Guatemala they handle things...much tougher than that," Trump said with Morales seated beside him.It's not exactly clear what Trump was implying with the comment -- or how much he knows about Guatemala's judicial system -- but he certainly thinks Schiff should face some form of punishment.> Trump suggests Adam Schiff should face severe punishment for paraphrasing his Zelensky call during a hearing: "In Guatemala they handle things much tougher than that." pic.twitter.com/bUMrsKJpyv> > -- Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 17, 2019As for himself? In case you were still wondering, Trump won't be taking any responsibility for the creation of the impeachment saga. > Q: "Do you take any responsibility for the fact that you are about to be impeached?" > > President Trump: "No. I don't take any. Zero, to put it mildly." pic.twitter.com/yMwdtzNIuy> > -- CSPAN (@cspan) December 17, 2019More stories from theweek.com How the fall of Elizabeth Warren has shaken up the 2020 race Quentin Tarantino might not make that Star Trek movie after all 6 powerful phrases every parent should use
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| U.S. plans to buy 22 aging fighter jets from Switzerland Posted: 16 Dec 2019 08:13 AM PST  The U.S. is expected to buy 22 aging fighter jets from Switzerland, a country that's struggling to modernize its own air force. U.S. Navy representatives and the Swiss defense procurement agency discussed the deal in July, an agency spokesman said on Sunday. The contract is expected to be signed once U.S. lawmakers approve the fiscal 2020 defense budget, he said.
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| Rescuers free entangled humpback whale off California coast Posted: 17 Dec 2019 01:35 PM PST  A rescue team helped free a young humpback whale that was tangled in fishing gear south of San Francisco days after a fisherman first spotted it, a conservation group said Tuesday. The team in a small inflatable boat in Monterey Bay attached five large, hot-pink buoys to the fishing line to slow down the whale and keep it near the surface Friday, said Peggy Stap, founder and executive director of Marine Life Studies, a Northern California conservation group. The whale was spotted again two days later, but conservation groups and the Coast Guard couldn't find it after an all-day search.
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| Chinese police confirm Hong Kong cross-border bridge arrests Posted: 16 Dec 2019 02:17 AM PST  China announced Monday they have arrested more than one person at a temporary police checkpoint on a mega cross-border bridge, including a Hong Konger who was reported missing over the weekend by his family. It is the first time mainland officers have confirmed arrests on the artificial island that connects an enormous tunnel and bridge system linking Hong Kong to the cities of Macau and Zhuhai on the other side of the Pearl River Delta. The man's son told local media Saturday that after his father had texted to say he was being detained at a mainland police checkpoint he had been unable to find out what happened and had filed a missing person case with Hong Kong officers.
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| Germany to investigate own police and military in crackdown on far-Right Posted: 17 Dec 2019 10:02 AM PST  Germany is to investigate its own civil service, police and military for far-Right links. The move is part of a wider crackdown against following a series of incidents, including the assassination of a politician and a failed terror attack on a synagogue by lone far-Right gunmen. "Germany has to become more active against the far-Right," Horst Seehofer, the interior minister, said at a press conference to introduce the measures on Tuesday. The far-Right is responsible for more than half of politically motivated crimes in Germany, he said. Under the new plans, 600 new positions are to be created at the police and domestic intelligence service to focus exclusively on combating the far-Right. A special "central office for far-Right extremists in public service" will be set up by the BfV domestic intelligence service to uncover cases in the police, military and civil service. The move comes after it emerged earlier this month that a sergeant in the German army's special forces has been suspended from duty on suspicion of far-Right activism. Two staff officers are reportedly under investigation for showing the Hitler salute at a private ceremony involving the suspended sergeant. None of the soldiers involved have been named. There have also been a number of cases in the German police. Almost 40 police officers have been questioned in the state of Hesse alone. In Frankfurt, one officer has been arrested and several others questioned over a neo-Nazi threatening letter to a prominent laywer. A bloodbath was narrowly averted in the city of Halle when a far-Right gunman tried to forces his way into a packed synagogue Credit: ANDREAS SPLETT/AFP The wider government crackdown follows two particularly shocking incidents this year. A bloodbath was narrowly avoided in the east German city of Halle in October when a lone far-Right gunman failed to force his way into a synagogue packed with worshippers celebrating Yom Kippur. The gunman, Stephan Balliet, killed two passers by in frustration. He published a "manifesto" ahead of the attack in which he detailed his support for far-Right ideology. In the other incident, Walter Lübcke, a local politician from Angela Merkel's Christian Democrat party (CDU), was shot dead outside his home in June. Stephan Ernst, a known far-Right sympathiser arrested on suspicion of killing Lübcke initially admitted responsibility but later retracted his confession In his initial confession he told police he was motivated by Lübcke's public support for asylum-seekers. "For a long time now the far-Right has been responsible for half of politically motivated crimes. There is also an increase in serious crime and a significant increase in hate speech on the Internet," Holger Munch, the head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police told Tuesday's press conference, "We even see intimidating measures such as the publication of threatening lists in order to hound volunteers and local politicians out of office, posing a threat to democracy."
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| 'Change is happening': Gun violence research could be funded by Congress for first time in 20 years Posted: 17 Dec 2019 03:31 PM PST  The House is expected to vote Tuesday on a bipartisan spending bill that would appropriate funding for gun violence research to the NIH and CDC.
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| U.S. agency upgrades probe into 1.7 million GM vehicles Posted: 17 Dec 2019 05:07 AM PST  The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Tuesday it is upgrading an investigation into 1.7 million General Motors Co vehicles for windshield wiper failures. The auto safety agency opened the probe in November 2018 to see if GM needed to expand a 2016 recall of 2013 model year Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain SUVs to cover additional vehicles.
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| The Moment China Saved North Korea From Extinction Posted: 17 Dec 2019 05:57 AM PST  The Korean War, and history, turned.
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| New Zealand IDs 2 bodies not found after volcano eruption Posted: 16 Dec 2019 09:00 PM PST  Police said Tuesday that an Australian teenager and a New Zealand tour guide are the two people presumed dead but whose bodies have not been found after last week's volcanic eruption on New Zealand's White Island that killed 18 people. New Zealand police said the bodies of Winona Langford, 17, of Sydney and New Zealander Hayden Marshall-Inman, 40, have yet to be accounted for. Authorities believe both bodies are in the waters around White Island, but harsh conditions Tuesday forced an abandonment of the search for the second straight day.
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| Mayor: Schools official who called Jews 'brutes' should quit Posted: 17 Dec 2019 01:27 PM PST  A New Jersey mayor on Tuesday said a school board member should quit over comments she made about the shooting at a kosher market referring to Jews as "brutes" and questioning whether the attackers had a point to make in attacking Jews. A message seeking comment was left with Paige. Board of Education President Sudhan Thomas said in an emailed statement that Paige does not reflect the views of the board and doesn't speak for it.
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| 2 Jacksonville, Florida, siblings vanished while playing in their front yard on Sunday Posted: 17 Dec 2019 07:56 AM PST  Braxton, 6, and Bri'ya Williams, 5, were playing in their front yard on Sunday in Jacksonville, Florida when they disappeared.
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