| Judge blocks Trump's favorite construction company from building private border wall Posted: 06 Dec 2019 06:16 PM PST  A federal judge in McAllen, Texas, has temporarily blocked a plan for a construction firm favored by President Trump to build a privately funded segment of border wall along the banks of the Rio Grande River.
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| The 2 US Navy sailors being hailed as heroes in the Pensacola shooting were fresh out of military training Posted: 07 Dec 2019 07:36 PM PST  Another victim from a previous shooting in Florida bore some semblance to the reported victims of the recent Naval Air Station shooting.
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| Mayor Pete Turns to God to Win Over Black Supporters Posted: 08 Dec 2019 02:05 AM PST  As Mayor Pete Buttigieg kickstarts his campaign to win over African-American voters who are skeptical of his spotty track record on issues of concern to black communities—or who are entirely unfamiliar with him at all—the millennial mayor is returning to one of the touchstones of his early campaign: his faith."It's not for nothing that a lot of my experiences even back home addressing black voters, specifically, is in church," Buttigieg recently told reporters aboard his campaign bus in New Hampshire, in response to a question about what "clicks" with African-American audiences. "Knowing how important an organizing principle faith is in so many black families, in so many parts of the black community."Buttigieg, more than any other candidate seeking the Democratic nomination, has emphasized his identity as a Christian as part of his appeal to voters who, at first glance, might not feel like they have a lot in common with the white millennial mayor from the Midwest. In a series of appearances in front of predominantly black audiences across the American South this week, Buttigieg frequently leaned into his Episcopalian faith as a way to connect with black voters who have been, until recently, an afterthought for his campaign."I believe that I am here to make myself useful—that I am part of this political process to make myself useful, but also that I was put on this Earth in order to make myself useful to others," Buttigieg told a largely black congregation during Sunday services at Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, North Carolina. "These are the values that I was taught by my parents. These are the values that I'm taught by my faith."The appearance at Greenleaf, which was founded by formerly enslaved people and has served as a hub for civil rights activism under the Rev. William J. Barber II, kicked off a week of events, policy launches and advertising spots intended to boost his support among non-white voters. The next day, Buttigieg held a meet-and-greet in Allendale, South Carolina, a town where three-quarters of residents are black and which hasn't seen a Democratic candidate for president since John Edwards campaigned there in 2008. Allendale Democratic Party Chair Willa Jennings began the event with a question about his lack of support among black voters."I hear a lot about how you don't have support from African-Americans… I just want to know why they're saying that about you," Jennings asked in front of the 50-person audience, much smaller in size than Buttigieg's recent rallies in Iowa and New Hampshire. Buttigieg responded that while it's important for him to earn the support of black voters, he's "new on the scene," and doesn't expect communities that have been "taken for granted" by other Democratic candidates to grant him their trust so easily."We've got to share our own city's story, where we've had the good, the bad, and the in-between," Buttigieg said.The week-long outreach itinerary also included the release of a "health equity" plan intended to boost health-care access and treatment quality for patients of color and other at-risk communities; a business round-table with community leaders in Birmingham, Alabama; and a tour of South Carolina State University, the only public historically black college and university in the state, to visit the Orangeburg Massacre Monument, which commemorates the shooting of three young black men protesting a segregated bowling alley by South Carolina Highway Patrol officers. Buttigieg also dropped his first statewide television ad in South Carolina. The spot, part of a $2 million ad buy, begins with Buttigieg quoting scripture, and features B-roll of him speaking to largely black voters and supporters."In our White House, you won't have to shake your head and ask yourself, whatever happened to 'I was hungry and you fed me, I was a stranger and you welcomed me'?" Buttigieg says in the ad, quoting Matthew 25:35.Buttigieg has emphasized his Episcopalian faith since the outset of his candidacy, alternately to welcome religious voters who have felt neglected by Democrats or to highlight what he sees as the theological hypocrisy of Christian evangelicals who support President Donald Trump."I think good faith is so important," Buttigieg told The Daily Beast in a conversation about his relationship with Vice President Mike Pence in March. "Even when I have a very stark disagreement with somebody, it's just a lot easier on both sides I think for us to navigate it if we both understand where the other is coming from, and believe that those different opinions are something we came by honestly."Rep. André Carson, an Indiana Democrat and the sole black member of the state's congressional delegation, told The Daily Beast that Buttigieg's approach to black voters is a strong one. "African-Americans form the backbone of the Democratic Party—in Indiana and across America. Our community's ongoing commitment to social justice and civil rights has and should serve as a moral compass as the party continues to move in a progressive direction," Carson told The Daily Beast. While noting that he has not yet endorsed any candidate for president, Carson said that he believes Buttigieg "recognizes and appreciates this legacy," and hopes he continues to "build bridges to heal the divides that exist.""All candidates should prioritize achieving greater understanding of issues that impact African-Americans and other minority groups," Carson said.No Democratic candidate has won the party's nomination without winning a majority of African-Americans in more than three decades, and black voters are a key demographic in several must-win general election states like Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.Polling indicates that Buttigieg has his work cut out for him. His polling numbers among African-American likely voters in South Carolina are infinitesimal, according to a recent Quinnipiac survey that showed him with the support of zero percent of black respondents. Buttigieg's campaign has been quick to point out that nearly half of African-Americans told pollsters that they hadn't heard enough about the mayor of Indiana's fourth-largest city, and Buttigieg himself has noted that no candidate aside from former Vice President Joe Biden has yet been able to build the kind of diverse coalition Democrats say they need to beat Trump.With these obstacles to support, faith could be a useful method to introduce him as a candidate, particularly as a gay candidate. A Politico/Morning Consult poll published in October found that more voters are wary of supporting a gay candidate than almost any other minority group, with the exception of an atheist, although Buttigieg has aggressively pushed back on the notion that homophobia could be at the root of his lack of support in black communities."If you look at look at the most anti-LGBT politicians and policies in recent years, [it's] mostly white voters bringing them to power," Buttigieg told reporters on his campaign bus last month.Barber, the pastor at Greenleaf Christian Church, similarly urged the white people in attendance at Sunday services to "stop putting that on black folk," calling the idea that African-Americans are disproportionately homphobic a "false narrative that was created by the National Organization for Marriage to separate people.""There's some phobia among all folks," Barber preached.There's no guarantee that black voters will flock to Buttigieg once they become more familiar with his much-touted biography—particularly since some aspects of those biography have complicated his outreach to black voters so far. From the long history of tensions between law enforcement and black residents in South Bend to Buttigieg's past statements about minority public school students lacking academic role models, which prompted a highly read piece in The Root titled "Pete Buttigieg Is a Lying MF." (Buttigieg later called the author of that piece, who said of that conversation that "Pete Buttigieg listened, which is all you can ask a white man to do.")To some black lawmakers, however, Buttigieg's late outreach comes off as borderline desperate."He is trying to get every single black person he can think of," said Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH), when asked about Buttigieg's outreach to the Congressional Black Caucus. "He acts as though he's never interacted with black people. He represents a city that is 26 percent black."Even Buttigieg's mostly white supporters have started publicly fretting about his anemic support among black voters. At a barn party in central New Hampshire last month, one white supporter asked Buttigieg how he planned to "get beyond white New Hampshire, white Iowa" and address the concerns of black voters to build the coalition.Those weaknesses have prompted opponents like former HUD Secretary Julián Castro and Sen. Cory Booker to blast Buttigieg's lack of black support as disqualifying in and of itself—and even some of his most prominent black supporters have found themselves facing accusations that they're being used as pawns by the candidate. A thread calling Buttigieg's travelling press secretary Nina Smith "his token black woman" has been retweeted by numerous liberal critics of the mayor, and an event held by black Buttigieg supporters in South Bend on Wednesday descended into chaos when a group of Black Lives Matter activists turned up."Where are the black leaders who don't have three-piece suits, leather jackets, and nice clothing?" a white man in a Black Lives Matter T-shirt yelled at the event, interrupting South Bend Common Council member Sharon McBride, who had just returned from joining Buttigieg at campaign events in South Carolina "to be a witness" to his work on behalf of black constituents."Who chose these people as black leaders?" the man asked, before seizing the microphone from McBride and saying that he wanted to hear "from a real black woman."The man was later removed from the event, but not until an older woman in attendance threateningly raised her cane to quell his protest.Buttigieg, who was not in attendance, told reporters that the incident "shows kind of where politics has come to.""This is the climate that we're in, and we need to continue making sure that everyone is empowered to speak their truth, their experience, and in particular, when it comes to South Bend's story," he said.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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| Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley Says South Carolinians Saw the Confederate Flag as 'Service' Before Dylan Roof 'Hijacked' It Posted: 07 Dec 2019 09:13 AM PST  Many argued Haley was not fully acknowledging the flag's Civil War and segregationists origins
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| Body of slain doctor returns home to Japan from Afghanistan Posted: 08 Dec 2019 01:26 AM PST  The body of a Japanese doctor killed in a roadside shooting in Afghanistan arrived back home Sunday, with government officials on hand to lead a brief ceremony of mourning at Tokyo's Narita International Airport. Tetsu Nakamura was killed last week, along with five Afghans who had been traveling with him. Keisuke Suzuki, Japan's state minister of foreign affairs, joined other officials in bowing their heads in prayer after laying flowers by the coffin, draped in white, in a solemn ceremony in honor of Nakamura at the airport.
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| Could Mexico's Version of the Marine Corps Crush the Cartels? Posted: 07 Dec 2019 12:00 PM PST  Could this work?
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| How the Cool Kids of the Left Turned on Elizabeth Warren Posted: 08 Dec 2019 04:04 AM PST ![How the Cool Kids of the Left Turned on Elizabeth Warren]( "How the Cool Kids of the Left Turned on Elizabeth Warren") The socialists of Jacobin magazine used to treat her like a promising alternative to Bernie Sanders. Now they write as if she's almost as bad as Joe Biden. What gives?
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| Pearl Harbor veteran to be interred on sunken ship Posted: 07 Dec 2019 12:47 PM PST  With speeches and salutes, veterans and officials on Saturday commemorated the 78th anniversary of the 1941 sneak attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor, which brought a previously reluctant United States into World War II. A ceremony honoring survivors attended by US Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and Washington's ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris was held within sight of the sunken USS Arizona, which was bombed in the opening moments of the attack that killed more than 2,400 Americans. Later in the day, the remains of Lauren Bruner, who died in September at age 98 and was among the last sailors rescued from the Arizona after it exploded into flames, will be interred in the wreckage.
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| A Uighur Dutch woman admitted to leaking secret Chinese cables on Muslim oppression. She's going public to stop China's death threats. Posted: 08 Dec 2019 07:35 AM PST  Asiye Abdulaheb told the Dutch De Volkskrant newspaper that she had a role in disseminating the explosive internal documents on Xinjiang.
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| Democrats Must Not Have an All-White Debate—and the White Candidates Should Say So Posted: 07 Dec 2019 02:15 AM PST  The news that Senator Kamala Harris has dropped out of the race highlights the fact that the Democratic field is growing less diverse with each passing month. It's now reached the point where a field that showed such promising diversity at first has been whittled down essentially to four people with first-tier status, and they're all white. There is diversity within than foursome--a gay man, a Jewish man, a woman. But in a party so dependent on voters of color, this is striking--and not in a good way. Of course, there is nothing wrong with Democrats selecting a white presidential candidate to represent the party. But that should be up to the voters, and not the DNC by means of their debate inclusion practices.Those candidates can, however strike a blow for diversity. They should band together and threaten to boycott the December Democratic debate unless the DNC and media partners agree to not exclude candidates who have shown measurable public support before the voting begins. That includes, at the very least, Cory Booker and Julian Castro, and could also include Andrew Yang and Tulsi Gabbard, who have managed to make the most recent debate stage despite long odds.Although Harris had qualified for the December debate, her exit could create an unacceptable scenario on December 19 when the candidates gather in Los Angeles. Booker and Castro's exclusion, coupled with the probable exclusion of other candidates of color including Yang and Gabbard, means the December debate could very well include only six candidates, all of them white. (Booker, Castro, Yang, and Gabbard have all hit the fundraising threshold, but not the polling one.)Kamala Harris Quits 2020 Race: 'She Didn't Know What She Was About'Democrats and the DNC should be asking themselves if they really want to eliminate all the candidates of color before the first states even get to vote. And the leading candidates, all of whom are white, should do something about it.There is precedent for the top-tier candidates banding together to protect the integrity of the debate process. Back in January 2016, NBC News, as a DNC debate sponsor, tried to bar former governor Martin O'Malley from its debate, citing his poor polling numbers compared to Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. While it was apparent that O'Malley's campaign was going nowhere, it was obvious to any objective observer that eliminating him was a choice for voters in Iowa and the other primary states to make—not NBC News.On January 8, 2016 shortly after noon, Sanders tweeted that O'Malley should be allowed on the next debate stage. Literally one minute later, the Clinton campaign tweeted out similar support for O'Malley's inclusion. And a few hours later, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz tweeted that the DNC was also demanding that NBC News include O'Malley.This joint public pressure ensured O'Malley's inclusion. It turned out to be his final debate, but it was the voters, and not outside organizations, who chose O'Malley's fate.Dear Debate Moderators, You Are Working Up Democrats About the Wrong IssueNow, it is the DNC itself that is the culprit of such unfair practices. The party has established criteria for the December debate, which will mean that Booker and Castro could both be possibly excluded from the stage.Booker and Castro have been able to organically secure more than 200,000 unique donors each, and both have shown measurable poll support, especially with African-Americans and Latinos respectively. Excluding these two candidates of color, who represent crucial aspects of the Democratic base, from debates before Iowa could be a mistake with lasting implications for the party and country.I personally like some of these candidates, such as Booker and Castro, while I am not fond of Gabbard. But whether I like them isn't the point. It is not my place nor anyone else's place to deny a candidate an equal opportunity to make their case.Maybe there is an argument to be made for a smaller debate stage at some point, but the DNC has set up criteria that allows a billionaire to buy his spot while excluding serious candidates with a following and something to say.And while we're on the subject of Tom Steyer, he has spent $47 million of his own money in what amounts to a scam. Since he needs donors only to meet the DNC's bizarre debate criteria, he has essentially purchased his donor base, through tactics such as selling $1 swag with free shipping—usually items worth far more than $1—that has nothing to do with him or his presidential campaign. Why should he be allowed to "sell" a button about climate change or opposing Donald Trump for $1 and use that as some kind of indicia of popular support? He has also blanketed early states with enough TV ads and fancy mail to get his name identification up to the point that just enough people might utter it to a pollster because they recognize it.Former Mayor Mike Bloomberg is eschewing debates thus far, but with his $52 billion in net worth it's not hard to imagine clever ways for him to meet future DNC debate thresholds.A debate stage that lets a white billionaire like Steyer buy his spot but excludes substantive candidates of color like Booker and Castro is neither democratic nor representative of the Democratic Party.As a person of color, I hope the DNC and the frontrunners are listening. It isn't the DNC's place to eliminate viable candidates before voters are allowed a say. I hope Biden, Sanders, Warren, and others will step up to tell the DNC that the Democratic Party is stronger when all viable candidates are allowed to be heard.David de la Fuente is a senior political analyst at Third Way.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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| Screams and goodbyes as scores die in devastating India factory fire Posted: 08 Dec 2019 12:56 PM PST  At least 43 people were killed Sunday in a devastating fire that ripped through a bag factory in the congested old quarter of the Indian capital New Delhi, with survivors describing the screams of workers trapped inside. The blaze was the worst in Delhi since 59 movie-goers died in a cinema in 1997. The cause of the blaze is not yet known, but the city's poor planning and lax enforcement of building and safety codes have often been blamed for such deadly incidents.
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| He tried to save his wife from their burning home. She died holding his hand Posted: 08 Dec 2019 03:39 PM PST  "She was my best friend," Todd Gillette said of his 50-year-old wife, who died in a house fire in South Dakota.
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| Flu season arrives early, driven by an unexpected virus Posted: 08 Dec 2019 09:20 AM PST  The winter flu season is off to its earliest start in more than 15 years. An early wave of illness in the South has begun to spread more broadly, and there's a chance flu season could peak much earlier than normal, health officials say.
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| North Dakota county may become US's 1st to bar new refugees Posted: 08 Dec 2019 10:53 AM PST  Reuben Panchol was forced to leave war-torn Sudan decades ago as a child, embarking on an odyssey that eventually brought him to the American Midwest and left him eternally grateful to the country that took him in. "I am an American citizen, a North Dakotan," said Panchol, a 38-year-old father of four. If they vote to bar refugees, as expected, Burleigh County — home to about 95,000 people and the capital city of Bismarck — could become the first local government to do so since President Donald Trump issued an executive order making it possible.
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| 5-Year-Old Carried a Toddler Through Minus 31-Degree Weather After Left Alone in Alaska Home Posted: 08 Dec 2019 11:08 AM PST  The children, who were dressed just in socks and light clothing, both received cold-related injuries
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| Plot Emerged to Fix Venezuela Without Maduro or Guaido Posted: 08 Dec 2019 04:47 AM PST ![Plot Emerged to Fix Venezuela Without Maduro or Guaido]( "Plot Emerged to Fix Venezuela Without Maduro or Guaido") (Bloomberg) -- The standoff in Venezuela briefly took a new twist, according to a report from the Spanish newspaper ABC.People close to both President Nicolas Maduro and his rival Juan Guaido plotted to push both men aside and end the nation's crisis with the rule of a temporary junta, the newspaper reported without citing where it got the information.The article didn't cite sources by name, nor was it completely clear how deeply embedded the plan was before it was discovered and fell apart. But the story suggests a strong desire within the camps of both men to end the standoff between Maduro and Guaido almost a year old. Guaido, the National Assembly president, has been recognized by more than 50 countries, including the U.S., as Venezuela's leader.Third WayThe ABC story suggested a third way, which the paper reported was born out of talks between emissaries of high-ranking Venezuelan officials with opposition leaders, in four countries between April and October this year, after huge rallies demanding Maduro's exit.The key figure appears to be Humberto Calderon Berti, then the designated ambassador to Colombia who Guaido dismissed last month. He was the main Guaido negotiator in the talks with the emissaries for Venezuelan officials who defied Maduro.At some point in the talks, the paper said, Calderon Berti was approached to head a "transitional junta" -- a small group of powerful men who would lead the nation for 18 months. The paper said that an agreement was drafted by August, with the document outlining the political changes to oust Maduro, sideline Guaido and install the junta sent around to the key players.The Venezuelan officials who sent emissaries for the secret talks included president of the National Constituent Assembly Diosdado Cabello, one of Venezuela's most powerful men with strong ties to the military, Supreme Court President Maikel Moreno and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino.The negotiations were complex, involving the reconciliation of various factions within the army and voiding the May 2018 presidential elections Maduro is widely seen as winning only by fraud.Temporary JuntaThe paper cites discussions in which a Cabello emissary, army captain Carlos Aguilera Borjas, suggests that Calderon Berti head the temporary junta. The paper says that Maduro's regime discovered the talks, which then came to an end.Calderon Berti told ABC newspaper that he met with Aguilera Borjas and others. But these meetings were part of his diplomatic duties and had nothing to do with a plot to form a junta, Calderon Berti said.Guaido's representatives declined to comment on the ABC report, while the Maduro government didn't respond to requests to do so.To contact the reporter on this story: Jose Orozco in Mexico City at jorozco8@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ney Hayashi at ncruz4@bloomberg.net, Ian Fisher, Matthew G. MillerFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| AOC calls out Trump after news that Amazon plans to hire 1,500 employees in New York City Posted: 07 Dec 2019 02:07 PM PST  Following reports that Amazon plans to open a new office in New York City, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted that the Trump administration "should focus more on cutting public assistance to billionaires instead of poor families."
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| Indian police investigated over killings of rape suspects Posted: 07 Dec 2019 05:25 AM PST  A top Indian rights group on Saturday launched an investigation into the police shooting of four rape-murder suspects after accusations they were gunned down in cold blood to assuage public anger. The launch of the investigation by the National Human Rights Commission comes as India also reeled from the death of another woman on Friday, set on fire on her way to a sexual assault court hearing in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
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| American soldiers banned from Italian main street after vicious brawl Posted: 08 Dec 2019 08:08 AM PST  Around 2,000 US Army soldiers have been banned from one of the main streets in the Italian city of Vicenza after a brawl between soldiers and locals. The temporary ban, which affects members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade stationed in the city, involves the quaint via Contra' Pescherie Vecchie, where two young Vicenza men say they were surrounded and beaten by several soldiers after a verbal exchange just outside a popular watering hole for off duty combat paratroopers. "This is not my face. I was not like this before," Riccardo Passaro, 21, told La Repubblica from the hospital where he is recovering from reconstructive facial surgery after his jaw was shattered. City authorities are studying CCTV images to identify the culprits of the latest violent episode, which prompted Mayor Francesco Rucco to request special restrictive measures from the base commander. Col. Kenneth Burgess issued a memo warning that personnel caught entering the restricted zone during the 45-day ban faced disciplinary sanctions. "It is a decree without precedent in Vicenza and for this we thank the American authorities," Mayor Rucco said. The US military presence in Vicenza has been expanding for the last decade, with construction of the large Del Din annex north of the historic Ederle garrison to help lodge US Africa Command and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which conducts contingency response and NATO ally training in Europe. Vicenza's 113,000 inhabitants now intermingle, mostly peacefully, with more than 12,000 Americans, including military family members and employees of the two bases bookending the city. But an uptick in problems related to heavy drinking, violence and public disorder since the expansion has exasperated locals. In 2014, several rape investigations and a car crash in the city centre involving three pedestrians made headlines. In 2016 and 2017 there were bloody brawls involving injuries and property damage. And in 2018, police intervened 550 times in violent incidents involving Americans, prompting new joint night patrols this year by U.S. military police and Italian Carabinieri.
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| 'I felt like I was going to die': A harrowing look into CIA torture from the eyes of a detainee Posted: 07 Dec 2019 10:27 AM PST  A CIA detainee's drawings detail the brutal reach of torture. They are part of a new Seton Hall report called "How America Tortures."
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| Over 500 law professors say Trump engaged in 'impeachable conduct' in his dealings with Ukraine Posted: 07 Dec 2019 01:17 PM PST  The scholars said both chambers of Congress "would be acting well within their constitutional powers" if they vote to impeach and remove Trump.
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| Lebanese-born donor of Hitler items welcomed in Israel Posted: 08 Dec 2019 07:27 AM PST  Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday welcomed a Lebanese-born Swiss real estate mogul who purchased Nazi memorabilia at a German auction and is donating the items to Israel. Chatila, a Lebanese Christian who has lived in Switzerland for decades, paid some 600,000 euros ($660,000) for the items at the Munich auction last month, intending to destroy them after reading of Jewish groups' objections to the sale. Among the items he bought were Adolf Hitler's top hat, a silver-plated edition of Hitler's "Mein Kampf" and a typewriter used by the dictator's secretary.
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| If Russia Invaded Europe, Britian Would Need to Bring Back This 1 Weapon Posted: 06 Dec 2019 07:00 PM PST  Hint: It's a certain type of bomb.
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| UPDATE 3-Four dead in shooting near Mexico's presidential residence Posted: 07 Dec 2019 03:19 PM PST ![UPDATE 3-Four dead in shooting near Mexico's presidential residence]( "UPDATE 3-Four dead in shooting near Mexico's presidential residence") Four people were killed and two injured in a shooting on Saturday near Mexico's National Palace, the presidential residence in the capital's historic downtown, officials said. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was traveling outside of Mexico City on Saturday. Preliminary reports indicated an armed man entered a building on a small street near the palace looking to relieve himself, Mexico City police said.
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| Catholic Celebrity to Challenge Polish President in 2020 Vote Posted: 08 Dec 2019 09:22 AM PST ![Catholic Celebrity to Challenge Polish President in 2020 Vote]( "Catholic Celebrity to Challenge Polish President in 2020 Vote") (Bloomberg) -- Szymon Holownia, a TV show host and writer known for his Catholic views, announced plans to run against incumbent Andrzej Duda in next year's presidential election.The 43-year-old political newcomer focused his announcement on social solidarity, climate protection and higher standards in Polish politics, characterized by what he called "a devouring clinch" between the ruling Law & Justice and the main opposition party Civic Platform."It's time for a man coming from the bottom to fix what's broken at the top," he said in his announcement speech delivered in a theater in Gdansk, north of Poland. "I want a Poland in which there's no "either-or," but "and-and," and where both sides can be right."Holownia rose to fame as the co-host of Poland's edition of "Got Talent," a TV show he quit last month after 12 seasons. Holownia is an activist, writer and journalist supporting the liberal wing of Poland's Catholic church. In his announcement speech, Holownia called for "friendly separation" of the church and the state.Holownia is likely to be one of at least a handful of challengers to Duda in the 2020 vote. The current president, who has the backing of the ruling camp which won the general election this year, tops all presidential and trust polls. The Civic Platform is still to pick its presidential candidate.To contact the reporter on this story: Maciej Onoszko in Warsaw at monoszko@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Hannah Benjamin at hbenjamin1@bloomberg.net, Andrew DavisFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Obergefell: Supreme Court, lawmakers have more to do to prevent anti-LGBTQ discrimination Posted: 08 Dec 2019 02:00 AM PST  Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect — and that means ensuring no one faces unfair treatment because of their LGBTQ+ identity.
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| French murder suspect emerges from coma after swallowing poison Posted: 07 Dec 2019 10:39 AM PST  The suspect for the rape and murder of a young woman in northern France almost two decades ago was slowly emerging from a coma while under guard in hospital Saturday after he swallowed pesticide in an apparent suicide bid following his conviction. Willy Bardon, on trial over the murder of Elodie Kulik in 2002 in a case that has attracted strong interest in France for years, ingested the substance at the courthouse in the northern city of Amiens late on Friday. Bardon, 45, is under round-the-clock police surveillance in hospital.
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| Hundreds of thousands march through Hong Kong in largest protest for weeks Posted: 08 Dec 2019 07:56 AM PST  Hundreds of thousands of black-clad, masked protesters from all walks of life took part in one of the largest mass rallies of Hong Kong's six-month-long pro-democracy movement on Sunday, in a show of continued defiance against Chinese rule. Demonstrators expressed their anger that a sweeping victory for pan-democratic parties in district elections two weeks ago has led to few concessions from the city's unpopular leader, Carrie Lam, towards demands including more voting rights and an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality. The resounding election defeat for the pro-Beijing establishment shattered earlier government claims that the city's "silent majority" was against the protests, while Sunday's march showed that public support for the protest movement remains high. "People are still eager to come out, still eager to demonstrate that they are not satisfied," said Alvin Yeung, a democrat from the Civic Party. "Hong Kong people have a very clear mind, that winning the elections was not the end of everything," he added. "We are not asking for the moon, our demands are not so outrageous. For example, a commission of inquiry, are we asking something so unreasonable?" The turnout - with some in animal masks - appeared to be an indication that the protests are here to stay Credit: Ivan Abreu/ Bloomberg Police said just hours before the march on Hong Kong island that they had arrested 11 people and seized a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, as well as other weapons they feared could be used during the rally. But despite the violent clashes between riot officers and protesters that have marred demonstrations in recent months, many families with young children and old people joined the march that began at the downtown Victoria Park and continued peacefully through the city's main streets for several hours. "I've been to about 80 percent of the demonstrations. I'm 71. What do I have to be afraid of," said Johnny, a retired manufacturer. "Today we are fighting for the freedom of Hong Kong and of the Uighurs," he said, referring to China's repressed Muslim minority. The event organisers, the Civil Human Rights Front – the non-violent umbrella group behind large rallies in June - said that some 800,000 people had joined the protest, which also marked this week's World Human Rights Day. The police force estimated that the march peaked at 183,000. The demonstrators were at times jubilant, with drums and people dressed as cartoon characters cheering the crowd, some of whom flew Union Jacks and other international flags. Some hurled abuse at observing police officers who have increasingly become the focus of public anger because of their heavy-handed tactics, but tensions remained comparatively low. The police took the rare step of granting permission for the mass rally, and officers largely stood to one side as the throngs passed without major incident. As night fell, the crowd continued to flow steadily through the wide boulevards, torch lights from their phones piercing the darkness. As night fell, demonstrators used lights from their smartphones Credit: Justin Chin/ Bloomberg "I think the CCP's [Chinese Communist Party] strategy is to wear us down through time. That's why it's important for us to come out even after the district elections to make our demands heard," said a protester in her 20s, who gave her name as Ms Chu. "In the past six months, the Hong Kong people have become braver and stronger against the police force," she added. "We want to come out to the march and continue to share our feelings because Hong Kong is very special as a multicultural, international city." The anti-government movement was initially sparked by a now-withdrawn bill that would have allowed extraditions to the mainland, but it has now spiraled into a wider set of five demands that include universal suffrage and police accountability. Some 6,000 people have been arrested and hundreds injured during protests that have at times turned violent, and public anger remains high. While the march ended peacefully around 9pm, some fear that a planned strike on Monday may turn violent. "We're now seeking not only our five demands but also retaliation against the police and the government. If political leaders have foreign citizenship it should be revoked. The Hong Kong police should only recruit university graduates," said protester Sam Cheung, 30, ahead of Sunday's march.
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| The 25 Best Tower Defense Games Posted: 08 Dec 2019 06:00 AM PST |
| Trump impeachment: Vote on charges to remove president could happen this week, committee chairman says Posted: 08 Dec 2019 09:16 AM PST  A vote on impeachment charges against Donald Trump could take place this week, according to the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.Jerrold Nadler said draft articles were already being prepared based on the evidence heard during the inquiry over the last months.
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| Piero Terracina, Rome Jew who survived Nazi death camp, dies Posted: 08 Dec 2019 07:08 AM PST  Piero Terracina, described as the last survivor among the Roman Jews who were deported from the Italian capital to Nazi death camps during World War II, has died at 91. Terracina died on Sunday, Rome's Jewish Community said. As a 15-year-old, he escaped the roundup by German occupying troops of Rome's Jews in 1943 and went into hiding with his family.
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| Is Russia's New Anti-Tank Weapon Aimed at the Army's M1 Abrams? Posted: 07 Dec 2019 12:42 PM PST  Maybe, but Russia has its own problem.
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| Samoa says almost 90% of people vaccinated against measles after deadly outbreak Posted: 06 Dec 2019 07:12 PM PST  Samoa said on Saturday nearly 90% of eligible people had been vaccinated against measles as it lifted a two-day curfew imposed amid an outbreak that has killed 65 in recent weeks. There were, however, 103 new cases of measles reported since Friday, Samoa's Health Ministry said it a statement. The measles virus has infected almost 4,500 people in the South Pacific nation of just 200,000 since late October.
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| Day 5 of public transport chaos as French strike bites Posted: 08 Dec 2019 05:32 PM PST  French commuters and tourists braced for a fifth day of public transport chaos Monday as the government prepared to respond to widespread anger over pension reform that has sparked open-ended walkouts. President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and senior cabinet ministers met late Sunday to discuss the contentious reform, which the country's powerful labour unions claim will force many to work longer for a smaller retirement payout. As both the government and unions vowed to stand firm, businesses started counting the costs of the strike which began last Thursday when some 800,000 people took to the streets across France in a mass rejection of plans to introduce a single, points-based pension scheme, unifying 42 existing plans.
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| John Kerry Rallies With Joe Biden, Evoking Some 2004 Parallels Posted: 08 Dec 2019 01:13 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- For some voters, seeing John Kerry and Joe Biden campaign together felt like déjà vu.In 2004, Kerry was the establishment Democrat who struggled in early-state polls but went on to defeat populist rivals for the nomination, propelled by a perception that he was the most "electable" option to face down a Republican incumbent unpopular with the left.Now Biden, having recently won Kerry's endorsement, is looking to replicate that feat with a similar message of experience and steady leadership as he faces serious competition from progressive competitors.But the chummy Washington insiders rallying together on Sunday in New Hampshire also raised the specter of Biden meeting Kerry's general-election fate, by failing to generate the enough voter excitement against an incumbent whose campaign played hard ball.'Electability Argument'"John Kerry was one of those candidates that folks got behind precisely because of the electability argument. And yet," said Rebecca Katz, a Democratic strategist who worked for John Edwards in the 2004 primary and has praised Biden's 2020 rival Elizabeth Warren. "John Kerry was a flawed candidate, but much sharper in '04 than Biden is today."At a town hall in Nashua, Kerry reminisced about the 2004 campaign that he narrowly lost, though he insisted that wouldn't happen to Biden."In November of that year, we turned New Hampshire blue again. Carried Michigan, carried Wisconsin, carried Pennsylvania. We came within one state" of winning the general election, he said. "I know that Joe Biden is the person who can beat Donald Trump and bring this country back together."Enthusiasm GapBut some in the crowd had doubts about Biden's ability to win a general election."That's one of the reasons I'm leaning against him," said Sheryl Laquerre, who recalled her work for Barack Obama's successful 2008 campaign and said she doesn't see the same enthusiasm for Biden. She's leaning toward Warren in the New Hampshire primary.Her husband, Peter, said he's inclined to support Pete Buttigieg because he wants "more progressive thinking and a fresher point of view."Age at Issue Age may play a factor too. Kerry was around 60 when he ran for the White House, facing a Republican president of a similar age. Biden turned 77 in November and is vying to run against Trump, 73. Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is 37.Others were confident Biden would win in part, because the country was sick of Trump and eager for a change.Karen Stefano, who lives in Maryland but attended Biden's Nashua event, said she's "absolutely not" worried about Biden losing to Trump. "He has the gravitas to lead the country on day one," she said. "I don't think he's going to come up short like, sadly, John Kerry did."A Whisker ShortTerry Shumaker, a lawyer and former U.S. ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago who's supporting Biden, said the Kerry endorsement was "highly significant" because the former Massachusetts senator is well-regarded in New Hampshire and won its 2004 primary. He added that "John Kerry came within a whisker of winning that election."The two heaped praise on each other. They overlapped for 24 years in the U.S. Senate and served together in the Obama administration -- Biden as vice president and Kerry as the second-term secretary of State. "John and I have been simpatico, intellectually and politically, for a long, long time," Biden told the crowd.Dirty TricksBut the comparisons to 2004 have their limits. Bush's net approval rating during the election year was around 50%, according to Gallup tracking surveys. Trump's approval has been stuck in the low 40% range throughout his presidency. And many voters believed it was wrong to change administration in the early stages of the Iraq war, which was then only a year old and still popular.Kerry, speaking to reporters, alluded to one notable difference between them: while he was one of the wealthiest members of Congress, Biden consistently ranked among the least affluent. Biden often discusses his working-class roots, which many supporters see as a political asset in swing states."I know what Joe Biden's relationship is to the people that make a difference in those states," Kerry said. "And I think that they like him. They trust him. They've seen him fight for these issues for a long time. And I think when the race comes down to Joe Biden versus Donald Trump, there's just a huge monumental difference between the two of them."Still, Kerry warned that Republicans are using similar dirty tricks on Biden. In 2004, it was attacks on Kerry's Vietnam War record; today, it's accusations of corruption involving Biden's son Hunter's past work for a Ukrainian company."This is not a new strategy. They did it with me, about my military record. It's called create doubt," Kerry said. "And that is precisely what they're trying to do with Joe Biden," he added. "That's absolutely what they're doing with Ukraine."(Michael Bloomberg is also seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. Bloomberg is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News.)To contact the reporter on this story: Sahil Kapur in Nashua, New Hampshire at skapur39@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Wendy Benjaminson at wbenjaminson@bloomberg.net, Ros KrasnyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Iraqi state forces, militia man checkpoints after bloodshed Posted: 08 Dec 2019 09:21 AM PST  Iraqi security forces on Sunday set up checkpoints and manned them alongside unarmed members of a militia group, Iraqi police officials said, to protect anti-government protesters in central Baghdad plazas, two days after a deadly attack by unknown gunmen. The militia group, Saraya Salam or Peace Brigades, are linked to influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, and have been present in Tahrir Square, the epicenter of Iraq's protest movement, where they have offered protection for hundreds of peaceful demonstrators.
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| One of the world's largest basic-income trials, a 2-year program in Finland, was a major flop. But experts say the test was flawed. Posted: 08 Dec 2019 05:51 AM PST  Two years after Finland launched a basic-income trial for unemployed residents, many of the recipients remained jobless.
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| Desperate Syrian Kurds who fled Turkish incursion head home to uncertainty Posted: 08 Dec 2019 07:57 AM PST  Hundreds of Syrian Kurds have returned home from Iraqi refugee camps over recent weeks despite fears for their safety, amid complaints that thousands have been 'imprisoned' with little access to food, healthcare and work. Over the past month, around 100 people have been voluntarily returning each week from camps in Iraq after fleeing northern Syria at the start of a Turkish offensive in October designed to force out Kurdish forces. With winter setting in and resources dwindling, the numbers are likely to grow. Despite an official ceasefire, violence has continued in northeast Syria. The forced withdrawal of Kurdish forces has allowed the return of the Assad regime to some areas, with many fearing it may carry out revenge attacks on its opponents. Human Rights Watch has also accused Turkish-backed forces of human rights abuses against the local population in the so-called 'safe zone' declared by the Turkish government. Some 17,000 Kurds have sought refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan since the early days of the operation. Thousands have fled a Turkish-led offensive that has led to accusations of ethnic cleansing against Kurds in northern Syria Credit: Anadolu Bardarash Camp, which is home to 9,500 newly displaced Syrian Kurds, is under strict security protocols. People are only allowed to step foot outside of the camp if they have a relative already living in the region who will sponsor them and are not allowed to return once they have left. Unable to leave the camp to work, food is scarce and many have turned to selling their blankets and mattresses. Amid growing despair, a young man set himself on fire a few weeks ago, later dying of his burns. A second man is said to have tried the same last week - he was already doused in kerosene when he was saved by intervention from others in the camp. Those without any family in living locally are left with two unfavourable choices. They can stay inside the relatively small camp or return to uncertainty in Syria. "I'd rather die with dignity on my own land than die of hunger," one man said, on the bus to take him back to Syria. He was one of the few daring to try and get back to his home in Darbasiyah on the Turkish border. Most are trying to get back to al Hasakah, wanting to settle just outside of the 'safe zone'. For 52-year-old diabetic Mayasa, the lack of anything more than very basic healthcare is forcing her to go back to Syria. "We are really scared for her. Our areas are still not that safe and the situation could turn at any minute," her son said, explaining that the doctor at the camp would not refer her to a hospital. According to USAID, 117,000 of the 200,000 displaced since the start of the offensive have returned, though it is believed the majority are Arabs rather than Kurds. While the number of Kurds who have returned so far is believed to be relatively low, dozens of people told the Daily Telegraph that they fear they will soon have no choice but to return. Like many young men, 27-year-old Walat, escaped military conscription in 2013 and is wanted by the regime. He said that if conditions don't improve in the coming weeks he will be forced to go back. "The regime is everywhere in Kurdish areas now," he said, referring to a Russian-brokered deal that saw the SDF allow Assad regime troops into its territory - for the first time in five years - to help fight the Turkish offensive. "For me, especially as a Kurd, there is no safety for me in Syria, but at least I might be able to work." he said. While over 5,500 people have been given clearance to leave the camps in KRI, the process is slow, with many citing it as one of the main reasons they are going back to Syria.
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