| UPDATE 4-Thousands protest in Indian Kashmir over new status despite clampdown Posted: 09 Aug 2019 06:04 AM PDT ![UPDATE 4-Thousands protest in Indian Kashmir over new status despite clampdown]( "UPDATE 4-Thousands protest in Indian Kashmir over new status despite clampdown") Indian police used tear gas and pellets to fight back at least 10,000 people protesting Delhi's withdrawal of special rights for Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir state in its main city of Srinagar on Friday, a police official and two witnesses said. The demonstration soon after Friday prayers was the largest since authorities locked down the revolt-torn region five days ago, cutting off telephone and internet services and detaining more than 500 political and separatist leaders. In a tweeted statement on Saturday, spokeswoman for India's Ministry of Home Affairs, Vasudha Gupta, said that the estimate of 10,000 was "completely fabricated & incorrect".
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| Epstein’s Victims Will Pursue Civil Cases Against His Estate Posted: 10 Aug 2019 12:46 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Jeffrey Epstein is dead in an apparent suicide, but the women who say he sexually abused them plan to seek justice by suing his estate and helping any prosecutions of his enablers, according to lawyers and one of the women.Epstein, a financier accused of sex trafficking and conspiracy, was found dead Saturday morning in his jail cell in lower Manhattan. He was accused last month of trafficking underage girls from 2002 to 2005, but authorities may have expanded the case after dozens of potential victims contacted the FBI.Prosecutors acknowledged that Epstein's death posed "yet another hurdle" for victims but signaled that others may be charged with aiding him. "Our investigation of the conduct charged in the Indictment – which included a conspiracy count – remains ongoing," U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said in a statement.Last month, Jennifer Araoz said he had raped her when she was a 15-year-old New York City high school student. On Saturday, she was angry that Epstein won't have to face the survivors of his abuse in court."We have to live with the scars of his actions for the rest of our lives, while he will never face the consequences of the crimes he committed," or the "pain and trauma he caused so many people," Araoz said in a statement. "Epstein is gone, but justice must still be served."Dozens of women claim that Epstein lured them to his Palm Beach, Florida, mansion, where he coerced them into sex, paid them, and asked them to bring him other girls. At least one other woman claims that Epstein trafficked her to his rich and powerful friends.The abuse allegedly took place as well at his Manhattan mansion, his Virgin Islands island and his New Mexico ranch property.Epstein may now carry to his grave some secrets of his sordid conduct, the escapades of his wealthy friends, and the mysteries of his financial dealings.Cheated Once Again"Jeffrey Epstein's victims have once again been cheated out of an opportunity for justice," said Jack Scarola, a Florida attorney who represented five women and litigated with him for 12 years. "I'm sure that none of them regret his death. All of them regret the loss of information that died with him."Lawyers said that victims may pursue civil lawsuits against the estate of Epstein, a process that could take years and run up against laws barring claims that are too old. A decade ago, more than two dozen women reached confidential settlements with Epstein in Florida. The size of Epstein's estate is unknown, although prosecutors say that after his arrest, he claimed a net worth of $559 million.Many questions have arisen since then about his wealth and business practices.Araoz's lawyer said she planned to sue under a New York law that takes effect on Aug. 14, giving victims of child sexual abuse one year to sue over older claims. In Florida, sexual abuse victims have four years to file claims, with some exceptions for children, said Scarola.Emotional DayEmotions ran high for lawyers and victims on Saturday."It's possible that other people who conspired to protect Epstein, destroy evidence, pay off witnesses, or otherwise facilitate his sexual trafficking and predatory pedophilia may be charged," said attorney Josh Schiller of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP in Manhattan, whose firm represents nine victims. "They may also be sued individually as they are identified."One person at potential risk is Ghislaine Maxwell, a friend of Epstein's who at least one victim has accused of procuring underage girls for him. She settled an earlier case but could be named in other lawsuits.Attorney Lisa Bloom, who represents three women, said the estate should preserve assets for his victims."I am calling today for the administrators of Jeffrey Epstein's estate to freeze all his assets and hold them for his victims who are filing civil cases," Bloom said in a tweet. "Their lives have been shattered by his sexual assaults, their careers derailed. They deserve full and fair compensation NOW."Epstein entered a controversial non-prosecution agreement more than a decade ago with U.S. prosecutors, which barred federal charges in the Southern District of Florida against him and four named conspirators. Instead, he admitted to two state prostitution charges and served 13 months in jail.Federal prosecutors in New York, who filed sex trafficking charges against Epstein last month, said they weren't bound by the non-prosecution agreement in Florida."I hope and expect that the investigation into his co-conspirators is ongoing and will continue," Scarola said. "It's hard to imagine that there is not an ongoing investigation into the involvement of others in Epstein's criminal activities."A federal judge ruled in February that the Justice Department broke the law by making that deal without consulting the accusers. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, who was the lead federal prosecutor in Florida, resigned last month because of renewed public fury over the case. The judge in Florida is considering how to proceed in that case, in which Epstein was a party.Constitutional RightIn his civil lawsuits a decade ago, Epstein repeatedly invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination before settling cases."The civil cases against Jeffrey Epstein were prosecuted in the absence of Epstein, who was asserting his Fifth Amendment right throughout," Scarola said. "He might as well have been dead. The claims were progressing in the absence of Epstein being a source of information."Epstein's death came a day after a federal appeals court unsealed hundreds of pages of documents in a case that revealed new details about how he allegedly lured his victims and who enabled his sexual crimes.Read more: Epstein Pal Maxwell Loses Last-Ditch Attempt to Seal PapersThe filings revealed new allegations of sexual abuse by powerful men who associates with Epstein, including former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, and asset manager Glenn Dubin, chairman of Castleton Commodities International LLC. All three men deny the claims.(Adds prosecutors' statement in third paragraph.)To contact the reporters on this story: David Voreacos in New York at dvoreacos@bloomberg.net;Patricia Hurtado in Federal Court in Manhattan at pathurtado@bloomberg.net;Erik Larson in New York at elarson4@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Heather Smith at hsmith26@bloomberg.net, Ros Krasny, Ian FisherFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Twitter reverses course, unlocks McConnell campaign account Posted: 09 Aug 2019 10:19 AM PDT  McConnell's team quickly celebrated the move, posting a tweet that reads "Victory!!! Thank you to EVERYONE for helping FreeMitch."
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| Russia says five died in missile test explosion Posted: 10 Aug 2019 12:46 AM PDT  Russia's nuclear agency on Saturday said an explosion at an Arctic missile testing site had killed five of its staff after the military had put the toll at two. In a statement, Rosatom said the accident killed five of its staff and injured three, who suffered burns and other injuries. The statement came after authorities in a nearby city said the accident had caused a spike in radiation levels but the military had denied this.
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| Police are investigating a social media threat of the 'biggest mass shooting in modern American history' targeting Walmart stores in Missouri Posted: 10 Aug 2019 11:33 AM PDT  The threat was posted this week to Reddit by someone claiming to have two AR-15 semi-automatic weapons and 22 pipe bombs.
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| Joe Biden says 'poor kids' are 'just as talented as white kids' Posted: 09 Aug 2019 08:58 AM PDT  The former vice president quickly corrected himself. He made the comment while speaking to the Iowa Asian and Latino Coalition Thursday night.
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| Man believes Trump 'ordered him' to attack child for ‘disrespecting’ national anthem by keeping hat on, lawyer says Posted: 09 Aug 2019 06:25 AM PDT  A man suspected of attacking a child who was wearing a hat during the US National Anthem believed he was encouraged by Donald Trump to carry out the assault, according to his lawyer. Curt Brockway, a 39-year-old US Army veteran who was charged on Monday in the assault, suffered a traumatic brain injury in a vehicle crash in 2000 that has affected his decision making, attorney Lance Jasper told the Missoulian. The lawyer said he will seek a mental health evaluation for Mr Brockway, who seemingly became caught up in the heightened animosity and rhetoric gripping the nation, and convinced himself that he was following the president's orders."His commander in chief is telling people that if they kneel, they should be fired, or if they burn a flag, they should be punished," Mr Jasper said.He added that Mr Brockway "certainly didn't understand it was a crime."Mr Brockway told a sheriff's deputy that he asked the boy to remove his hat out of respect for the national anthem before the start of the county rodeo, Mineral County Attorney Ellen Donohue wrote in the document describing the attack.The boy reportedly cursed at Mr Brockway in response, and the man grabbed him by the throat, "lifted him into the air and slammed the boy into the ground," Ms Donohue wrote.Mr Jasper's comments arrived as prosecutors formally charged Mr Brockway with assault on a minor, a felony that carries a maximum five-year prison sentence and a $50,000 (£41,183) fine upon conviction.Prosecutors said the boy was airlifted to a hospital for a possible concussion and skull fracture. His condition was not immediately known.Conduct during the playing of the national anthem has been an issue in recent years, with some NFL players kneeling to protest police brutality. Mr Trump once called for NFL owners to fire players who kneel or engage in other acts of protest during the anthem."Trump never necessarily says go hurt somebody, but the message is absolutely clear," Mr Jasper said. "I am certain of the fact that (Brockway) was doing what he believed he was told to do, essentially, by the president. ... Everyone should learn to dial it down a little bit, from the president to Mineral County."The Associated Press contributed to this report
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| Family sues Glenview nursing home over video of aides taunting woman, 91, with dementia; aides charged and fired Posted: 10 Aug 2019 07:23 AM PDT  Two nursing home aides in north suburban Glenview have been fired and charged after a Snapchat video showed them taunting a 91-year-old woman with dementia. Her family is now taking legal action.
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| See the 2020 Chevy Corvette in Every Color Available Posted: 09 Aug 2019 08:42 AM PDT |
| Elon Musk Says He Supports 2020 White House Hopeful Andrew Yang Posted: 10 Aug 2019 12:33 PM PDT ![Elon Musk Says He Supports 2020 White House Hopeful Andrew Yang]( "Elon Musk Says He Supports 2020 White House Hopeful Andrew Yang") (Bloomberg) -- Elon Musk supports Andrew Yang, the Tesla Inc. chief executive officer said in a tweet that could give the tech entrepreneur's 2020 White House bid a boost.Musk, who often interacts with some of his almost 28 million followers on Twitter, made the declaration while responding to political commentator Dan Carlin, who uses the handle @HardcoreHistory. Carlin's tweet had cited Yang's earlier tweet on leadership.Musk said in a separate tweet that universal basic income, an idea Yang supports, is "obviously needed."The CEO jokingly added that Yang would be the first "openly goth" U.S. president. Yang told Jezebel in April he wanted to be America's first ex-goth president. The comments came after Yang tweeted some pictures of his younger self and revealed his favorite bands were The Smiths and The Cure.Yang has qualified for the next round of presidential primary debates to be held next month in Houston, the ninth Democrat to do so."The country heard my message and is ready to talk about real solutions to gun violence, the new realities of the American economy, and how we measure our health and success as a nation," Yang said in a statement on Thursday. "I'm excited to have those conversations in Houston and throughout the 2020 election."To contact the reporter on this story: Maria Jose Valero in New York at mvalero3@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Polina Noskova at pnoskova@bloomberg.net, Virginia Van Natta, Ros KrasnyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| A Russian military ammo depot that blew up earlier this week just exploded again Posted: 09 Aug 2019 12:16 PM PDT  The ammo depot, believed to house tens of thousands of artillery shells, exploded on Monday. It just exploded again, injuring at least ten more people.
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| U.S. service member killed in Iraq: coalition statement Posted: 10 Aug 2019 08:11 AM PDT ![U.S. service member killed in Iraq: coalition statement]( "U.S. service member killed in Iraq: coalition statement") A United States service member advising Iraqi security forces on a mission was killed on Saturday in the northern Nineveh province, the U.S.-led international coalition fighting Islamic State said in a statement. "One U.S. service member died today during an Iraqi Security Force mission in Ninewah province, Iraq, while advising and accompanying the (Iraqi security forces) during a planned operation, the statement said. It added that the name of the service member would be withheld until next of kin have been notified.
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| Israeli army kills 4 militants trying to cross Gaza fence Posted: 10 Aug 2019 12:06 PM PDT ![Israeli army kills 4 militants trying to cross Gaza fence]( "Israeli army kills 4 militants trying to cross Gaza fence") Israeli troops killed four Palestinian militants who attempted to cross through the perimeter fence from the Gaza Strip on Saturday, and in the West Bank arrested members of a Palestinian cell suspected in the killing of an off-duty soldier this week. The army said in a statement that militants who killed Dvir Sorek, 18, outside a settlement near Hebron were arrested and the car they used in the attack was seized. Israel's Channel 13 TV reported that the suspects included two brothers from Hebron.
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| Armed Trump supporter detained with gun and knife outside immigrant centre in El Paso Posted: 09 Aug 2019 08:11 AM PDT  An armed Trump supporter sparked a security alert at an immigrant community centre in El Paso when he was spotted "brandishing" a knife outside.Thomas Bartram, 21, was detained by police following reports of a suspicious man parked in front of the building, four days after 22 people were killed in a mass shooting in the city.Mr Bartram, who was legally carrying a gun, was questioned by officers but was released after they decided he had not committed any criminal offence.Photographs and video footage posted online showed Mr Bartram being arrested next to a truck bearing a mocked up image of the US president as Rambo wielding a rocket launcher.Staff at the Casa Carmelita criticised the decision by the El Paso police department, claiming that the man had "clear intent to conduct an armed assault" on the day of Mr Trump's visit."He was sitting in his truck wearing blue latex gloves, and brandishing a knife," they posted on the organisation's Facebook page."Police recovered a loaded gun, ammo, and a bag of white powder from his person. This happens just as Trump departs El Paso and follows a pattern of local organisers being targeted and increased violence and hate crimes." Organisers also claimed the Trump supporter's presence outside the centre caused women to start "fleeing down the street, warning neighbours as they ran away."The El Paso police department tweeted that "officers responded to a suspicious subject at the 900 block of Stanton near Casa Carmelita" at 7pm on 7 July."The subject was detained, interviewed and released after it was determined that no criminal offence had been committed," it added.A police spokesman confirmed the detained man was carrying a firearm legally.Mr Bartram had previously been photographed wearing plastic safety goggles while visiting a vigil for the victims of the shooting in El Paso.He claimed he drove to the city from Houston to "come out and support" Mr Trump and denied allegations he was brandishing the weapons.Asked about the knife and the gloves, he told NBC News: "I was eating prickly pears." The "white powder" was a protein supplement, he said. Mr Bartram added: "I'm definitely not a white supremacist."Seven of the victims of the El Paso shooting carried out by a suspected white supremacist were Mexican citizens. Thirteen were US citizens, one was German and one remains unknown.
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| Hundreds of Mexicans and Guatemalans Among Those Detained in Mississippi Raids Posted: 09 Aug 2019 04:40 AM PDT  122 Mexicans and 176 Guatemalans among those arrested in immigration raids
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| Fox News Reporter Publicly Rebukes Tucker Carlson: ‘White Supremacy Is Real’ Posted: 09 Aug 2019 11:35 AM PDT  Chip SomodevillaThree days after Fox News host Tucker Carlson declared on-air that white supremacy is a "hoax," his colleague, Fox News reporter Cristina Corbin, tweeted out a rebuke of the primetime star's comments, noting that his views do not represent hers."White supremacy is real, as evidenced by fact," she wrote on Friday. "Claims that it is a 'hoax' do not represent my views."Corbin is currently listed on Fox News' website as "an investigative reporter and producer based in New York." Her bio page was still active as of this article's publication. Her most recent article with Fox News, a report on Canadian murder suspects, was published on July 31.Corbin's public pushback on Carlson is reminiscent of another recent episode in which a lower-level Fox News employee publicly took a stand against a right-wing host on the network. In March, after weekend host Jeanine Pirro drew outrage for suggesting Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) didn't believe in the Constitution because she wears a hijab, several Fox employees publicly blasted the pro-Trump host. Pirro would eventually be suspended for two weeks for her on-air comments.During his Tuesday night broadcast, Carlson dismissed the notion that white supremacy is an "real problem in America," calling concerns about it a "hoax" and a "conspiracy theory" despite this past weekend's mass shooting in El Paso before which the shooter allegedly posted a white-supremacist manifesto targeting Hispanic immigrants. Carlson's remarks were swiftly met with outrage and backlash, prompting renewed calls for advertisers to drop his show and for Fox News to fire the conservative host.The network has yet to give any official comment or statement on Carlson's inflammatory remarks. The primetime host, meanwhile, announced Wednesday that he will be on vacation until Aug. 19. Fox News quickly noted that Carlson's break was pre-planned, though—perhaps coincidentally—there has long been a pattern of other Fox hosts taking "pre-planned" vacations following controversy over their on-air comments. Fox News did not immediately respond to request for comment on Corbin's tweet about Carlson.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Biden Says He Was Vice President During Parkland Shooting Posted: 10 Aug 2019 03:53 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Joe Biden said he was vice president when the deadly high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, took place. Except, it happened in 2018, more than a year after he left office -- the latest gaffe by the Democratic presidential front-runner.Biden told reporters in Iowa on Saturday that "those kids in Parkland came up to see me when I was vice president." But when they visited Capitol Hill to talk with members of Congress, lawmakers were "basically cowering, not wanting to see them. They did not want to face it on camera."The former vice president was making a point about the changing conversation around gun violence in this country, and how as more and more ordinary people are touched by mass shootings, they are more likely to call for action.An official with the Biden campaign said the former vice president was thinking of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, when he misspoke. That attack, in which 20 children between six and seven years old were killed along with six staff members, was in December 2012.Survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, made national headlines for their demonstrations and calls for action, including visits by some students to the nation's capital. The shooting, the deadliest high school killing spree in U.S. history, occurred on Feb. 14, 2018, and left 17 dead and injured more than a dozen others. The assailant was an expelled student.Biden, along with former Representative Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat who was shot in the head during an event with constituents in Tucson in 2011, met with Stoneman students in Washington days after the 2018 incident.The statement was the latest in a string of gaffes that have plagued Biden on the campaign trail. On Thursday, Biden, 76, told a group of Asian and Hispanic voters that "poor kids are just as bright" as white children. And last week he referred to mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, as having taken place in Houston and Michigan.In both cases he quickly caught himself. And on Saturday Biden told reporters he misspoke on his "poor kids" comment but said that overall, people understood the point he was trying to make."I don't think anybody thinks I meant anything other than what I said I meant," Biden said.President Donald Trump, who's spending the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, was quick to seize on Biden's blunder. He said on Twitter that the former vice president "doesn't have a clue." (Updates with Trump tweet in final paragraph.)To contact the reporter on this story: Emma Kinery in Washington at ekinery@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Wendy Benjaminson at wbenjaminson@bloomberg.net, Ros Krasny, Ian FisherFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Jeffrey Epstein has died in jail by apparent suicide, 2 weeks after he was placed on suicide watch then taken off it Posted: 10 Aug 2019 06:08 AM PDT  Jeffrey Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell Saturday morning. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. He was put on suicide watch in July.
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| REFILE-India's Kashmir clampdown pushes some in Pakistan to discuss rejoining militants Posted: 10 Aug 2019 01:54 AM PDT ![REFILE-India's Kashmir clampdown pushes some in Pakistan to discuss rejoining militants]( "REFILE-India's Kashmir clampdown pushes some in Pakistan to discuss rejoining militants") MUZAFFARABAD/CHAKOTHI, Pakistan, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Three decades ago, Ali Mohamad says he made a trip into Indian-controlled Kashmir to join a small armed militant group. Now he works in a shop on the Pakistani side of the region, but he hasn't given up thoughts of returning to the conflict. After the Indian government clamped down on Kashmir this week, Ali has again been thinking of going back.
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| 28 Sweet Summer Peach Desserts (That Aren't Pie) Posted: 09 Aug 2019 07:31 AM PDT |
| Elderly couple found dead from murder-suicide after they couldn’t afford wife’s healthcare: ‘We will be in the front bedroom’ Posted: 10 Aug 2019 05:23 AM PDT A man in Washington state has killed both himself and his wife after raising fears about struggling to pay medical expenses for her ongoing health conditions.The couple were identified by the Whatcom County Medical Examiner as Brian S Jones, 77, and Patricia Whitney-Jones, 76.Mr Jones, who lived near the city of Ferndale, called emergency services on Wednesday morning and said he was going to shoot himself, according to the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office. He said he had prepared a note for the sheriff which contained information and instructions. In spite of the operator's efforts to keep him on the line, Mr Jones is then said to have told the operator, "we will be in the front bedroom", before disconnecting the call.Police arrived around 15 minutes later and set up a perimeter around the house and attempted to intervene for about an hour with a crisis negotiator and loud hailer.But it was too late, as officials then used a robot-mounted camera to look inside the home and found the bodies of the married couple. Authorities said they believe Mr Jones shot his wife and then himself. They were found lying together.A statement from Whatcom Sheriff Bill Elfo said state officials are investigating the incident which is deemed to be a murder-suicide.According to the sheriff, Mr Jones told the operator: "I am going to shoot myself".Several notes were left in the home "citing severe ongoing medical problems with the wife and expressing concerns that the couple did not have sufficient resources to pay for medical care", according to the sheriff's statement."It is very tragic that one of our senior citizens would find himself in such desperate circumstances where he felt murder and suicide were the only option. Help is always available with a call to 911," Mr Elfo said in the post.Numerous firearms were seized and two dogs found in the house were taken to an animal shelter.Sherrie Schulteis, a neighbour of the couple, said she often spoke to Mr Jones and watched out for each other's homes but was totally unaware about the extent to which he was struggling mentally and financially."[Mr Jones and I] were always waving and talking about our yards or our flowers," she told The Lynden Tribune. "It's a little tiny community where we all know each other, but we don't really know each other."
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| VIDEO: Danny Trejo rushes in to rescue child in Sylmar car crash Posted: 09 Aug 2019 12:19 AM PDT  New surveillance video shows actor Danny Trejo rushing in to help a child after a car crash in Sylmar.
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| The El Paso shooting has reignited a debate over whether the federal government has a double-standard when it comes to white nationalist terrorism Posted: 10 Aug 2019 06:17 AM PDT  The government has been unable to address homegrown extremism because of civil liberties concerns and because the US has no domestic terrorism law.
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| Scandal-ridden NRA head LaPierre digs in against gun control Posted: 09 Aug 2019 06:55 AM PDT  In the aftermath of the back-to-back shooting massacres in Texas and Ohio, the debate over gun control has returned to the National Rifle Association and its immense power to stymie any significant legislation on the issue. The man largely responsible for the NRA's uncompromising stance is its decades-long CEO, Wayne LaPierre, who has been engulfed in turmoil and legal issues as he orchestrates the group's latest effort to push back against gun control measures. Law enforcement authorities are investigating the NRA's finances, and the gun group has ousted top officials and traded lawsuits with the longtime marketing firm credited with helping to shape LaPierre's and the NRA's image.
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| Israel navy seeks to raise profile with multi-national drill Posted: 09 Aug 2019 02:59 AM PDT  A huge earthquake hits northern Israel, killing thousands and knocking out infrastructure -- this doomsday scenario was the premise for a multi-national naval drill this week. Sailors from France, Greece and the United States arrived on their vessels and were joined by the Israelis off the Israeli port city of Haifa for the four-day exercise, called Mighty Waves. It was the first time Israel hosted and organised a drill of such scope, said Lieutenant Colonel Liav Zilberman.
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| Here's the Story Behind That Controversial 'Backless Seats' Photo Posted: 09 Aug 2019 12:50 PM PDT  EasyJet told TIME that the flight departed with five spare seats
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| Arizona prosecutor who questioned Kavanaugh accuser promoted Posted: 09 Aug 2019 02:29 PM PDT  An Arizona sex-crimes prosecutor who questioned Christine Blasey Ford about her sexual assault allegation against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been promoted to a top prosecutorial job in metro Phoenix. Rachel Mitchell was named chief deputy of the Maricopa County Attorney's Office last week, taking on the top staff position with Republican County Attorney Bill Montgomery. Mitchell was chief of the county's sex crimes division when the 11 Republican men on the Senate Judiciary Committee enlisted her to question Ford, hoping to avoid the potentially bad optics of men interrogating a woman about her allegation.
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| Mexico detains migrant children in cramped holding center despite court ruling Posted: 09 Aug 2019 01:40 PM PDT ![Mexico detains migrant children in cramped holding center despite court ruling]( "Mexico detains migrant children in cramped holding center despite court ruling") Overcrowding, prison-like conditions, bed bugs and illness are among the complaints of migrants in a Mexico City detention center that holds dozens of minors two months after a court ruled it was unconstitutional. Under the threat of economic sanctions from U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexico has stepped up migrant detentions this year to stem a surge in asylum-seekers from Central America. Known as Las Agujas, the Mexico City holding center enclosed by spike-topped walls in the eastern district of Iztapalapa held about 108 minors as of this week, some of whom are unaccompanied, said Jesus Quintana, who monitors the station for the Mexican human rights ombudsman's office (CNDH).
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| Bull, meet China shop: Trump's foreign policy in Asia is disastrous Posted: 09 Aug 2019 03:00 AM PDT  Crippling challenges threaten Asia's bright future – and the US is not helping 'The future of Asia remains bright, but a crippling array of challenges threatens to upend its potential – and could have an immense impact on the US.' Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/ReutersAsia's historical, political and economic landmines are increasingly blowing up, and Donald Trump seems intent on accelerating the damage in ways that could threaten US national security and prosperity.Things didn't always seem so bleak. Analysts have long heralded the coming of the "Asian century". Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and others have transformed from autocracies to democratic members of the G20. Today, nations across Asia are innovative economies, flourishing democracies and contributors to global security. Any measurement of GDP size, military might or population illustrate how Asia could be the most important region in the world in the 21st century.The future of Asia remains bright, but a crippling array of challenges threatens to upend its potential – and could have an immense impact on the US.Two of the most successful democracies in the region – South Korea and Japan, which are also US allies – are in the midst of a diplomatic brawl. The tensions are being driven by the legacy of Japan's occupation of South Korea in the first half of the 20th century – which remains a devastatingly potent political issue in both countries – and starkly divergent approaches to the region from the two current leaders. The countries' militaries have brushed up against one another, a trade war is under way, and South Korean president Moon Jae-in recently, ominously, said: "We will never again lose to Japan."While the US would usually attempt to patch things up, the Trump administration has been mostly absent. A too little, too late effort by the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, during a trilateral meeting with the Japanese and South Korean foreign ministers reportedly went so poorly that the two foreign ministers canceled their own bilateral meetings with Pompeo. South Korea is now reportedly considering withdrawing from a trilateral intelligence sharing agreement that was the product of intense diplomacy by previous US administrations. Close coordination with Seoul and Tokyo is essential to dealing with North Korea, and this rift could undermine the prospects for diplomacy with and deterrence against North Korea.That is especially concerning because North Korea has resumed missile testing, sending a reminder of how little recent diplomacy has achieved. And while diplomacy is the only way to address the threat from North Korea, Trump is so invested in the process – and his own narrative that it has been a success – that he can't even bring himself to criticize Kim Jong-un or the missile tests. In fact, Trump bends over backwards to defend his ongoing bromance with Kim each time the North Korean leader sends another missile message. Meanwhile, North Korea continues building nuclear weapons and advancing its missile technology.Like with most dictators, Trump also spares his "friend", China's president, Xi Jinping, from any criticism, even while escalating a trade war. The trade war, meanwhile, hurts American workers and the US economy, according to the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. If the next round of US tariffs is implemented, some estimate they could cost American families between $700 and $1,270 a year. The incoherence of Trump's approach on China undercuts American prosperity and has done nothing to advance our goals in addressing genuine problems with China.Trump also makes clear his willingness to ignore human rights in the hopes of smoothing the way for a trade deal. The people of Hong Kong are standing up for their democratic rights against growing repression from Beijing, and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is reportedly massing its forces along the border with Hong Kong while the PLA's Hong Kong garrison sends threatening messages in what could be a deterrent to protesters or even a prelude to a Tiananmen-like crackdown.> America's alliances, partnerships and moral authority in the region are frayingBut after talking about the prospects of a trade deal with China, Trump made clear that he doesn't care about what happens in Hong Kong: "Somebody said that at some point they are going to want to stop [the riots]. But that's between Hong Kong and that's between China, because Hong Kong is a part of China … they don't need advice." The message to Xi Jinping was loud and clear: All Trump cares about is trade, and he won't lift a finger if Xi violently cracks down on protesters.The list goes on. Not long after Trump claimed (falsely) to Pakistan's prime minister, Imran Khan, that the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, asked Trump to mediate the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir (the claim itself became a major diplomatic embarrassment for India) the government of India revoked Kashmir's special autonomous status, raising tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. As the US withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, the US secretary of defense, Mark Esper, stoked new concerns of an arms race in Asia when he suggested the US could deploy new ground-based missiles there. Pompeo recently praised the military-run government of Thailand as "returning" to democracy because it held sham elections. And Trump seems unaware of the atrocities being committed against the Rohingya in Myanmar or the Uyghurs in China. America's alliances, partnerships and moral authority in the region are fraying.Trump is an expert at stepping into controversy and making bad situations even worse, and his engagement in Asia is no exception. If these situations continue to spiral out of control, any one of the simmering problems from North Korea to Hong Kong to Kashmir could explode. And that could spell serious trouble for US prosperity and national security. * Michael H Fuchs is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and a former deputy assistant secretary of state for east Asian and Pacific affairs
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| Police: Florida man drives golf cart into Walmart, attempts to run over people Posted: 09 Aug 2019 03:02 AM PDT  A Florida man is facing charges for driving a golf cart through a crowded Walmart.
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| Man jailed for saying AOC ‘should be shot’ tells police he’s ‘very proud’ he did it Posted: 10 Aug 2019 03:44 AM PDT An Ohio man charged after writing on Facebook that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez "should be shot" told police he was "very proud" that he did it.Timothy James Ireland, 41, was indicted in Toledo for making interstate threats against AOC in addition to separate counts of being a felon and fugitive in possession of a firearm, the US attorney's office in Ohio announced on Friday.Officials say a concerned citizen reached out to U.S. Capitol Police on July 23 to warn of the threatening Facebook post, which they later confirmed was written by Ireland."She should be shot. Can't fire me, my employer would load the gun for me," Ireland wrote, according to police.The statement was apparently posted to Facebook along with a news story about the Democrat congresswoman, leading Capitol Police to call Ireland on August 2 after finding his phone number in public records.The man took full responsibility for the statement while speaking with police, adding he was "very proud" of his work, according to a criminal complaint.Ireland also admitted to having firearms that he "always carries concealed," police say.An FBI criminal history check revealed Ireland had two outstanding warrants, one for violating probation in a felony case in Florida and the other related to a failure to appear for a possession of marijuana charge in Cook County, Georgia.Ireland was also convicted in 1996 on four felony counts of dealing in stolen property in Sarasota County, according to the criminal complaint.The man was present when police raided his Toledo home five days after the phone call, the complaint read. He was detained for the active warrants and admitted to having ammunition inside his house.Investigators say they found three rounds of .32-caliber ammunition, and four rounds belonging to a .45-caliber weapon, stashed in kitchen drawers."There is absolutely no place in the marketplace of ideas for threats of violence against any person, especially those who are elected to represent the American people," US Attorney Justin Herdman said in a release."Disagreement on political issues cannot lead to acts of violence, and if it does, we will seek federal prison time."A spokesman for the Department of Justice said Ireland waived his hearing and will remain in custody at least until a bond hearing next week.Last month a police officer in the US state of Louisiana also took to Facebook to say AOC should be shot, suggesting that she "needs a round – and I don't mean the kind she used to serve".Charlie Rispoli, a 14-year veteran of the police department in Gretna, went on to call her "this vile idiot". He was sacked.His comments came after Donald Trump lashed out at 'The Squad', a group of four congresswoman including AOC, in a roundly condemned racist attack where he told them to "go back" to their countries \- despite them having lived in the US for decades.The Washington Post
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| A floating nuclear plant in Russia features a gym, bar, and pool. An expert calls it 'Chernobyl on ice.' Posted: 09 Aug 2019 05:47 AM PDT  Environmental activists worry about the perils of placing nuclear reactors at sea, where they could be vulnerable to climate-related disasters.
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| Thousands join anti-government protests in Romania Posted: 10 Aug 2019 03:34 PM PDT  Thousands of people rallied in Bucharest on Saturday calling for the government's resignation, exactly one year after a demonstration was violently suppressed by security forces. According to the Romanian news agency Agerpres, an estimated 24,000 protesters gathered outside the government's headquarters in the capital, waving the national flag and shouting "Thieves!" and "Resign!". There's no future for young people," 19-year-old medical student Bogdan Iliescu told AFP.
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| These 6 Brands Are Making the Coolest Pet Gear Posted: 09 Aug 2019 10:24 AM PDT |
| EPA won't approve warning labels for Roundup chemical Posted: 09 Aug 2019 02:04 PM PDT  The Trump administration says it won't approve warning labels for products that contain glyphosate, a move aimed at California as it fights one of the world's largest agriculture companies about the potentially cancer-causing chemical. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency disagrees, saying its research shows the chemical poses no risks to public health. California has not enforced the warning label for glyphosate because Monsanto, the company that makes Roundup, sued and a federal judge temporarily blocked the warning labels last year until the lawsuit could be resolved.
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| Social Security sent out some wrong estimates. What you need to know Posted: 09 Aug 2019 10:08 AM PDT  A very limited number of paper statements that showed estimated benefits in retirement ended up wrong. Here's why and what consumers need to know.
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| It's about time Peter Strzok sued. Firing him from the FBI was abusive Trump hypocrisy. Posted: 09 Aug 2019 12:15 AM PDT  In Donald Trump's administration, speech is only free when it cuts in his favor. The price tag for unflattering speech is your career and reputation.
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