| Pentagon officials worried withholding aid was illegal Posted: 11 Oct 2019 02:00 AM PDT  The Ukraine affair has turned into an impeachment inquiry that could see President Trump removed from office. But it is also an example of yet another federal agency — this time, the Pentagon — caught off-guard by the president's political imperatives.
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| Student's emotional allegation of sexual assault by Hong Kong police sparks investigation and anger Posted: 11 Oct 2019 08:40 AM PDT  An emotional livestreamed account from a young female student alleging sexual assault at the hands of the police sparked fresh anger and new protests in Hong Kong on Friday. A video of Sonia Ng, who waived her anonymity to make the accusations during an open forum on Thursday night at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, went viral in the financial hub, prompting hundreds of office workers to stage a lunchtime rally against alleged police violence. The Hong Kong police force, currently facing an enormous trust deficit with the public, said it had immediately launched an investigation on Friday morning and had tried unsuccessfully to reach the young woman, who had not yet made a formal complaint. "The Police accord high priority to such a serious allegation and we appeal to the female to provide concrete evidence so that we can proceed with a fair fact-finding investigation," the force said in a statement on its Facebook page. Ms Ng told the packed university gathering, in the presence of Rocky Tuan, the vice-chancellor, that she had been arrested at the Prince Edward metro station, which was stormed by riot police on August 31. She claimed she was sexually assaulted at a police station before being taken to San Uk Ling, a holding centre close to the border with mainland China where the pro-democracy movement alleges arrested protesters have been abused. In an earlier testimony, which she gave anonymously at September rally, she accused a male officer of hitting her breast, reported the Hong Kong Free Press. She alleged that detained protesters had been body-searched in darkened rooms and that others had also "suffered sexual violence." The young student then removed her mask to reveal her identity, asking Mr Tuan to explicitly denounce police violence. People form a human chain during a protest in Tai Po Credit: REUTERS/Susana Vera "I am willing to be courageous and take off my mask, would you also be brave and support us?" she asked. The vice-chancellor replied that he condemned all violence, but he faced a barrage of tough questions from students about the level of support the university had provided during four months of escalating tensions with the police during pro-democracy protests. Ms Ng's claims add to the mounting public anger over heavy-handed police tactics in the city, which has seen close to 3,000 arrests, and multiple injuries on both sides, including the shooting of two teenage boys. Tony Tse, the vice-chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Council, asked people in need to come forward. "We hope that those who were treated unfairly or sexually assaulted will make complaints to us. We will follow up," he said in a radio show on Friday.
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| Firefighters make progress against deadly Los Angeles wildfire Posted: 12 Oct 2019 01:05 PM PDT  The Los Angeles Fire Department said the fire was 19 percent contained after "aggressive" overnight air operations in support of ground crews, up from 13 percent a day earlier, and mandatory evacuation orders were lifted for several areas, including all neighborhoods south of the 118 Freeway. At least one death has been attributed to the Saddleridge fire, a man who authorities said suffered a heart attack while trying to fight encroaching flames on his property rather than heeding evacuation orders. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, the LAFD said, and 31 structures have been either damaged or destroyed.
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| California Democrats Spend Nearly $1 Million To Settle Harassment Suits Against Former Chair Posted: 11 Oct 2019 12:39 PM PDT  Former chairman Eric Bauman cost the California Democratic Party more than $800,000 in a discrimination and sexual misconduct settlements, according to records reviewed by the Los Angeles Times.State and federal campaign finance filings show $378,348 in legal settlements for three lawsuits, filed by Alton Wang, William Rodriguez-Kennedy, and Kate Earley. In January, the trio filed against Bauman, and alleged that the abuse was "well-known and apparently tolerated" by other officials. The plaintiffs accused Bauman of unwanted touching and sexually explicit comments."Our party is at its best when it lives up to our values. One of those values is treating people fairly," current party chair Rusty Hicks told the Times in a statement. "We have reached an equitable settlement that begins the process of getting back to the work 9 million California Democrats expect from us."Several other cases brought against Bauman by former party staffers remain active or pending. Bauman first took a leave of absence and then resigned last November following claims of misconduct toward staff members and activists. He said that he planned to seek treatment for alcohol abuse in a statement apologizing for his actions."I deeply regret if my behavior has caused pain to any of the outstanding individuals with whom I've had the privilege to work. I appreciate the courage it took for these individuals to come forward to tell their stories," Bauman said at the time. "Leading the California Democratic Party to historic victories has been the honor of a lifetime, and I look forward to continuing this important work upon the conclusion of the investigation and when my health allows."More settlements could could severely hamper Democratic campaign funding during a cycle in which the party has seven vulnerable House seats to defend. California Democrats reported nearly $12 million in total funding in their latest campaign finance filings.
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| Norwegian Cruise Line Passengers Mutiny Over Changed Plans and Poor Conditions Posted: 11 Oct 2019 07:43 AM PDT  It is not clear if the rebellion was sparked by the clogged toilets or the canceled visit to Scotland, but passengers on the Norwegian Cruise Line ship had had enough. In recent days, travelers on the "mystical fjords" voyage in Europe have staged (and live tweeted) a veritable mutiny after inclement weather forced repeated changes to their itinerary and trapped them at sea.The ship, called Norwegian Spirit, departed from Southampton, England, recently for a 14-day voyage with planned stops in the Netherlands, Norway and Iceland. But those plans were scuttled by bad weather, forcing the ship to plan new stops -- some of which were then also canceled because of the weather. Passengers said they were stuck at sea for three days.By Monday, a fed-up -- and social media-savvy -- group of passengers rallied in the ship's atrium to vent their outrage at the crew, demand a refund from the company and post images and video of their revolt on newly created Twitter and YouTube accounts. They described the scene as a "riot" and "open rebellion.""Buddy, you're not a manager, we want the head -- who is driving the boat?" a passenger in one video asked a uniformed crew member, who stood flanked by security personnel in a crowd of angry vacationers. Nearby, a woman screamed."What you're doing right now is you're not helping the situation, you're getting people amped up," the passenger said to the crew member. Later, looking into the camera, the passenger said: "Nothing on this itinerary is the same. Nothing is the same. Not one thing."Passengers shared grim images of their trip on Twitter, including video and pictures of toilets that did not flush, a picture of a uniformed crew member in a scrum of angry passengers grabbing one of them by the wrist, and a receipt for a $79 tour of the ship that included a visit to the laundry room."After three days floating around the Atlantic the bathrooms are backing up, not flushing, and out of order today on Norwegian Spirit," one protester, Cody McNutt, wrote on a Twitter account he started to share updates from the protests. He said it "smelled like sewage in public areas on the ship."McNutt wrote that the ship was scheduled to dock in Southampton on Friday but that he had gotten off at an earlier port."Many passengers got off the ship when it stopped after 3 days stuck floating the ocean, fearing for their safety and health," he wrote.Another video showed crew members retreating up a staircase to escape dozens of angry passengers in the ship's atrium, many of whom could be seen holding their phones over their heads to record the mayhem. The man being booed was the captain, the passengers said."We don't want to be on this ship!" one man yelled, as the crew members clambered up the stairs. Another man agreed, yelling, "We want off the ship!"In another video, passengers at a reception desk can be seen angrily reacting to staff members who advised them to call the cruise line's Miami headquarters for information.Again, many of the passengers can be seen recording the scene with their phones. "It's a good thing we got this fancy new phone here for our trip," a woman quipped.A representative for Norwegian Cruise Line declined on Thursday to provide a day-by-day breakdown of events on the ship or to provide its original and modified itineraries. In a statement, the company pleaded for calm."We understand that it is disheartening when we are unable to call on ports that our guests have been looking forward to visiting," the company said. "However, we do ask for our guests' patience, cooperation and understanding that severe weather conditions are an act of God and cannot be controlled, influenced or remediated by the cruise line."A spokesman said that the itinerary was changed because of "severe weather conditions" and that the company had offered its passengers 25% off the cost of a future cruise.But on social media, the protesters said that offer was not enough.They held up signs in the ship's atrium and chanted: "Refund! Refund! Refund!"This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2019 The New York Times Company
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| Photos of the 2019 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe at Lightning Lap Posted: 11 Oct 2019 03:00 AM PDT |
| Ford announces plans to display 6 Ford Ranger concepts at SEMA 2019 Posted: 11 Oct 2019 06:32 AM PDT  To show off all the customization possibilities available for the Ford Ranger, Ford is bringing 6 unique concept models of the pick-up to this year's SEMA show, taking place next month. What better place to display the breadth of customization possibilities available for the Ford Ranger than at one of the biggest automotive specialty products trade shows in the US? Ford is using SEMA 2019 as an opportunity to exhibit six concepts of the pickup with six distinct looks and purposes.
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| American Airlines passengers told they may have been exposed to hepatitis A by a flight attendant Posted: 11 Oct 2019 08:32 AM PDT  Thirty-six American Airlines passengers were notified that they may have been exposed to hepatitis A by a flight attendant, Charlotte, N.C.'s WSOC-TV reported.
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| Sondland will defy State Department order not to testify in impeachment probe, lawyer says Posted: 11 Oct 2019 07:18 AM PDT  After being blocked from testifying in the House impeachment inquiry, Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the EU and a central player in the Ukraine controversy, will appear before Congress next week.
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| Trump advisory council recommends expanding private business in national parks Posted: 11 Oct 2019 02:00 AM PDT  The Trump administration is moving forward with an ambitious plan to give private businesses greater access to national parks, according to a memorandum written by an advisory council for the Department of the Interior.
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| Venezuela denies entry to Guatemalan president-elect, scuppering meeting with opposition leader Posted: 12 Oct 2019 06:17 AM PDT  Venezuelan authorities on Saturday denied Guatemala's president-elect Alejandro Giammattei entry into Venezuela, where he was scheduled to meet with opposition leader Juan Guaido. Giammattei, a conservative who won the Central American country's presidency in August, landed at Simon Bolivar international airport near the capital Caracas but was placed on a departing flight to Panama in part because he had not been invited by socialist President Nicolas Maduro, authorities said.
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| Vivid gladiator fresco discovered at Pompeii Posted: 11 Oct 2019 08:11 AM PDT  A vivid fresco depicting an armour-clad gladiator standing victorious as his wounded opponent stumbles gushing blood has been discovered in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, Italy's culture ministry said Friday. The striking scene in gold, blue and red was uncovered in what experts think was a tavern frequented by gladiators, who fought each other, prisoners and wild animals for the public's entertainment. Gladiators were killed or shown mercy," Pompeii's director Massimo Osanna said.
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| Bill Gates, who said he had no relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, reportedly met with the disgraced financier multiple times, including a 2011 meeting with billionaire Eva Dubin and her teenage daughter Posted: 12 Oct 2019 03:49 PM PDT  The disgraced financier sought to work with JPMorgan and Gates' foundation on multiple funds, per the New York Times.
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| Iran Attacked Saudi Arabia's Oil Facilities, But Not For the Reason You Think Posted: 11 Oct 2019 01:00 PM PDT  Iran doesn't want war.
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| In case you didn't have enough to worry about, there are now fish that can walk on land Posted: 11 Oct 2019 11:32 AM PDT  As an invasive species that can outcompete native wildlife, Georgia officials are advising residents that find the fish to "kill it immediately."
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| A Man Wearing a Colin Kaepernick Jersey Was Thrown Out of Trump's Minneapolis Rally. Here's What He Says Happened Posted: 12 Oct 2019 07:25 AM PDT  Saul Eugene, 23, attended Trump's rally in Minnesota wearing a Kaepernick jersey. Security at the venue later kicked him out.
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| Ohio ban on Down syndrome abortion blocked by U.S. appeals court Posted: 11 Oct 2019 11:13 AM PDT ![Ohio ban on Down syndrome abortion blocked by U.S. appeals court]( "Ohio ban on Down syndrome abortion blocked by U.S. appeals court") Upholding a preliminary injunction, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati said the law was invalid under Supreme Court precedents because it had the purpose and effect of preventing some women from obtaining pre-viability abortions. The law known as House Bill 214 subjected doctors to as much as 18 months in prison for performing abortions when they knew a pregnant woman based her decision to abort at least in part on a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome in the fetus, or other reason to believe that condition was present. John Kasich, then Ohio's Republican governor, signed the law in December 2017, following passage by the Republican-controlled legislature.
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| In Hong Kong, all trust gone between police and protesters Posted: 12 Oct 2019 08:24 AM PDT  In trying to end the anti-government demonstrations, which broke out in multiple locations again on Saturday and are now in their fifth month, one of the most pressing problems to solve for Hong Kong leaders will be dispelling the now widespread public scorn for police officers. Protest graffiti likening officers to dogs and worse is all over the city, and protesters Saturday chanted for the force to be disbanded. Riot police deployed but stayed far behind the day's largest rally, which drew thousands of peaceful marchers in Kowloon.
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| The Navy SEALs Could Take on Iran's Special Forces in a War Posted: 10 Oct 2019 10:00 PM PDT  But at a price.
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| Federal judges rule against Trump in 3 cases on executive powers Posted: 11 Oct 2019 01:23 PM PDT  The president's legal team was handed three courtroom defeats on Friday.
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| Kamala Harris to Donald Trump Jr: 'You wouldn’t know a joke if one raised you' Posted: 11 Oct 2019 07:43 PM PDT  The 2020 democratic hopeful was responding to the President's son calling her "The most disingenuous person in politics, after Hillary" for laughing at her own jokes
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| Four dead, 17 missing as fierce typhoon pounds Tokyo Posted: 12 Oct 2019 04:35 PM PDT  Four people were killed and 17 were missing after the most powerful typhoon to hit Japan in decades paralyzed Tokyo, flooding rivers and putting millions under evacuation warning before plowing up the northeastern coast. Authorities lifted rain and flood warnings for the Kanto region around a becalmed Tokyo before dawn, and by Sunday morning were starting to lift them on areas further north. Typhoon Hagibis was expected to head out to sea on Sunday evening once it churned its way up the northeastern coast and the northern island of Hokkaido.
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| Exposed and under fire, Syria's Kurds may turn to Damascus Posted: 12 Oct 2019 02:36 AM PDT  A US withdrawal from Syria's northern border this week has exposed Washington's Kurdish partners to a Turkish assault, creating conditions for a rapprochement with Damascus that both sides need badly, analysts said. The main US partner in the years-long battle against the Islamic State group, Kurdish forces were left to fend for themselves after allied US forces pulled back on Monday. What the Kurds resent as a US betrayal paved the way for a Turkish operation that has seen Ankara bombard positions since Wednesday and send forces across the border.
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| Mother to sue over 'wrongful removal' of children by Dutch social services Posted: 12 Oct 2019 09:28 AM PDT  A mother who says her two children were wrongfully taken into care shortly after their ninth birthday by Dutch social services intends to launch legal action against the authorities who handled the case. On March 23, 2012, Nikolai and Anastasia Antonova were removed from their mother's care. Among the reasons cited for their removal was that the children spoke their mother Jelena's native language Russian at home, not Dutch. Social workers also claimed their mother might flee with them to Latvia to escape the children's estranged father. The children had "severely conflicting loyalties" to their parents, social workers who were working closely with their father said. The children had previously said they were frightened of their father and did not want to see him again. The original care order was instituted for a year but was subsequently extended on several occasions. Ms Antonova alleges that the children were held without the right legal permission. The Dutch Court of Appeal made repeated rulings that the children should be reunited with their mother but these were overturned when the child protection board, part of the justice ministry, sought the extension of the care order in a lower family court. The family's case was first highlighted by the late Christopher Booker in a series of columns for The Sunday Telegraph. The case was also raised in the European parliament in March 2014. MEPs were shown a video of the children being taken away from their home, captured by their brother Ilja Antonovs. The children were eventually permanently reunited with their mother in November 2014 after two years and eight months when a judge ruled that they should never have been removed from their mother's care. The order followed a report from a family psychologist Dr De Jong who concluded that Ms Antonova was not guilty of neglect. Jelena Antonova was subsequently granted permission to question, under oath, social workers who handled the case and officials from two different authorities connected to the children's care. On June 18 and September 2 Ms Antonova questioned social workers and is now preparing to sue three parties linked to the ordeal; Salvation Army Youth Protection, the Ministry of Justice and Security and the youth protection service of Gelderland province. During the questioning, a number of flaws in the conduct of youth care emerged, the family claims. They are now suing the three parties for the "unlawful and careless removal of the children", claiming they are liable "for the damage suffered and to be suffered" by the family. Youth Protection said it is prohibited from commenting on individual cases. The Netherlands Salvation Army said it does not respond to individual cases but pointed out that Salvation Army Youth Protection always acts under the instruction of the Dutch legal authorities. The Ministry of Justice and Security and Gelderland youth protection did not respond to repeated requests for comment this week.
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| Ocasio-Cortez tells world's mayors drastic action needed on climate crisis Posted: 11 Oct 2019 11:15 AM PDT  In a passionate address to leaders of 94 cities in Copenhagen, the congresswoman called 'runaway' pursuit of profit unsustainableUS congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned that tackling the climate crisis will involve making dramatic economic changes in a passionate closing speech at the C40 World Mayors summit in Copenhagen on Friday.In her first overseas appearance as an elected politician, the 29-year-old was invited to speak after the C40, which represents the mayors of 94 cities worldwide, and which this week pledged support for a global version of her flagship Green New Deal policy."It is unsustainable to continue to believe [in] our system of runaway, unaccountable, lawbreaking pursuit of profit," she told the conference.Instead, she said, the world needed to adopt "a cooperative, collaborative" system, "whose economy … benefits the middle and lower classes and marginalised people"."Our current logic created this mess and operating in the same way will not get us out."This uncompromising message won her a powerful round of applause. But it was when she came to the impact climate change had had on her own life, and on her family in Puerto Rico, that she became emotional. "I speak to you as a human being, a woman whose dreams of motherhood now taste bittersweet because of what I know about our children's future," she said, her voice breaking as if she was struggling to hold back tears. "That our actions are responsible for bringing their most dire possibilities into focus." From the moment she began speaking, the main hall at the summit became completely still, and when she finished, the ovation she received far exceeded that received by the veteran climate campaigner and former vice-president Al Gore, Denmark's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen; or the UN secretary general, António Guterres. "She got a rockstar welcome in that audience," Nicholas Reece, a city councillor from Melbourne, Australia, said. "There's just something about her which is really mobilising and electrifying people around the world, particularly young people." After her speech, Ocasio-Cortez joined the weekly Fridays for Future rally outside Copenhagen city hall, where she called on the gathered activists to "make sure the politicians sweat a little bit".A substantial crowd, combining local activists with mayors and youth delegates from the summit, had turned out to meet her. "We have to face the oil and coal industry, the CO2-emitting industry, Wall Street, Bolsonaro, Donald Trump," she said to cheers from the crowd. "We can't and won't win by staying home."Emilie Baliozian, a youth delegate who had come to the summit from Paris, watched Ocasio-Cortez's speech despite the pounding rain. "It was so empowering. It was clearly directed to us. I know it, she's going to be president one day, because we're going to be the voters of tomorrow," she said. "It's super cool that she came all this way," said Selma White, 14, a regular at Copenhagen's Fridays for Future protests. "It's really inspiring." Ocasio-Cortez arrived in Copenhagen on Wednesday morning and immediately began posting images of the city to her 4 million followers on Instagram. She was invited to attend a royal dinner hosted by Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, and his wife, Princess Mary, at the city's Christiansborg Palace on Thursday evening. But she stayed away from the summit itself until the moment she delivered her speech.• This article was amended on 12 October 2019 to correct the spelling of Emilie Baliozian's name.
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| Harry Dunn: US woman allegedly involved in crash does not have diplomatic immunity, says Foreign Office Posted: 12 Oct 2019 07:54 AM PDT  The US diplomat's wife allegedly involved in a crash which killed a teenager does not have diplomatic immunity, the Foreign Office has said.A letter, that appears to have been sent by foreign secretary Dominic Raab to Harry Dunn's parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, says: "The question remains when such immunity comes to an end, regardless of any waiver.
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| NASA conducts spacewalk as world's 1st spacewalker dies Posted: 11 Oct 2019 11:47 AM PDT  Astronauts replaced oversized batteries outside the International Space Station on Friday, as news broke of the death of the world's first spacewalker. NASA interrupted live TV coverage of its second spacewalk this week to announce Leonov's death at age 85. Leonov's 12-minute spacewalk on March 18, 1965, preceded the first U.S. spacewalk by Ed White by less than three months.
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| BEHOLD: Is China's DF-26 Missile a Real Threat to U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers? Posted: 12 Oct 2019 09:00 AM PDT  Will Beijing's strategy work?
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| Trump mounts last-minute push to thwart Democratic governor in Louisiana Posted: 11 Oct 2019 02:30 PM PDT  President Donald Trump traveled to Louisiana Friday for an eleventh-hour mission to stop the state's Democratic governor — one of the few statewide Democrats in the Deep South — from winning a second term. If that has the makings of an awkward spectacle, blame Louisiana's open primary system. Candidates from both parties, including incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards, are running in Saturday's primary.
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| The White House accidentally sent Ukraine talking points to House Democrats again Posted: 11 Oct 2019 01:00 PM PDT ![The White House accidentally sent Ukraine talking points to House Democrats again]( "The White House accidentally sent Ukraine talking points to House Democrats again") They've done it again.The White House on Friday sent around a list of talking points on Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who testified before Congress as part of its impeachment inquiry Friday. The only problem? The talking points went out to House Democrats, ABC News' Ben Siegel reports.> This appears to be the second time the White House has sent impeachment talking points to House Democrats - this time on Yovanovitch: pic.twitter.com/vv5BeYwqXs> > -- Ben Siegel (@benyc) October 11, 2019If this all sounds familiar, it should. Last month, in the aftermath of the rough transcript of President Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky being released, the White House immediately blasted out its talking points but inadvertently sent them to Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).> The first time, the White House immediately attempted to "recall" the email, although it seems they've yet to do so here. This time, perhaps, whoever it is who works for the leader of the free world but is incapable of basic email use is too humiliated to even try. > These do not seem to have been recalled... yet. https://t.co/mVXk74w4Fy> > -- Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) October 11, 2019
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| DUP's Dodds says Northern Ireland must stay in full UK customs union: Repubblica Posted: 12 Oct 2019 08:35 AM PDT  A mooted eleventh-hour solution to the deadlock over Brexit cannot work because Northern Ireland must remain in a full United Kingdom customs union, the deputy leader of the province's key political party said on Saturday. With the Oct 31 deadline for a new Brexit divorce deal looming, an EU diplomat and an official said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has proposed keeping Northern Ireland in some form of EU customs partnership as well as a UK customs union. Italian newspaper Repubblica quoted its deputy leader Nigel Dodds as saying the proposal Johnson is said to have made "cannot work, because Northern Ireland has to remain fully part of the UK customs union".
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| Federal judge blocks Trump administration 'public charge' rule targeting poor immigrants Posted: 11 Oct 2019 01:20 PM PDT  The Trump administration was set to implement a new "public charge" rule blocking poor immigrants from getting green cards, but a judge blocked it.
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| Millions evacuated as Super Typhoon Hagibis slams into Japan - throwing Rugby World Cup into chaos Posted: 12 Oct 2019 07:36 AM PDT  At least six million people were told to evacuate their homes as Super Typhoon Hagibis smashed into Japan on Saturday, triggering mudslides, flooding and the heaviest rain and winds in 60 years. Within hours of the typhoon making landfall at around 7pm local time (11am UK), at least two people were dead, nine were missing and more than 80 were injured, according to local media. Officials warned that the storm could be the most powerful to hit Japan since one of the worst typhoons on record devastated Tokyo and surrounding areas in 1958, killing more than 1,200 people. Even before the storm hit, there were reports of at least one death, with a 50-year-old man killed when his car overturned in strong winds in Chiba Prefecture, an area just east of Tokyo still recovering from a strong typhoon which hit last month. Four others, including two children, were also injured by a tornado in the same area. One resident there told NHK: "When the winds suddenly hit, they blew the roof off my house. The noise was awful. One of my three children was injured but is now in a hospital." Even before the typhoon hit, strong winds brought havoc to areas such as Chiba, near Tokyo Credit: Katsuya Miyagawa/Kyodo News The typhoon had been brewing over the Pacific Ocean with recorded winds of more than 145 mph. Authorities issued warnings that with gusts likely to exceed that figure, some houses were at risk of being blown down. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of as much as 30 inches of rain in the 24-hour period until midnight on Saturday. Television footage showed images of damage to roofs and walls of buildings in storm-hit spots across Japan. More than 16,000 homes, mainly along the Pacific coastline, were without electricity. Some residential areas along the coast in Shizuoka were also reported as being submerged up to around knee height in tidal surges. The approaching typhoon caused rivers to overflow in the area, with reports of at least one person swept away, and widespread landslide warnings also in place. Three people were missing in Gunma Prefecture after a landslide swept through six houses. The weather system passed directly over Tokyo, one of seven regions subject to the non-compulsory evacuation orders - and where a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit just ahead of the typhoon's arrival. Around 17,000 Self-Defence Forces personnel were on standby across the country for potential deployment on rescue operations. Even as the typhoon moved away from the capital late on Saturday, one expert warned of further flooding as several surrounding prefectures began releasing water from dams, letting it flow downstream. "The situation is now worse than this evening," Nobuyuki Tsuchiya, director of the Japan Riverfront Research Centre, told Reuters. About 1.5 million people in Tokyo live below sea level. Japan's national rugby team waded through floodwater to reach the pitch for practice, with a decision still to be made on Sunday's matches Credit: Japan Rugby Football Union/Reuters A study by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers in June 2018 concluded that a huge storm surge in Tokyo Bay could lead to 8,000 deaths and cause damage estimated at Y115 trillion (£84 billion). Much of the damage would be to infrastructure, such as underground railway lines, roads and bridges, as well as structures on vulnerable reclaimed land in the bay. A disaster simulation prepared by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 2018 suggested that more than 80 square miles of the city could be inundated in a worst-case scenario, accounting for one-third of the entire city. In low-lying areas, water levels could rise as high as 32 feet above mean sea level. The government's estimations are based on data from Typhoon Muroto, which struck the city in September 1934, killing 3,066 people, injuring a further 13,000 and leaving 200,000 people homeless. Authorities in central Japan called on residents of coastal regions to evacuate to higher ground inland and alerts were sent out to mobile phones through messaging systems and are running on television and radio broadcasts. Train services in and around Tokyo were cancelled throughout Saturday, along with long-distance bullet train services. Japanese airlines grounded all domestic and international flights out of Narita and Haneda, the two airports that serve the capital, while theme parks and many shops closed their doors. There are fears for low-lying coastal areas, with residents warned they should move to higher ground inland Credit: Kyodo News/AP A number of companies, including car makers Toyota and Honda, have halted production. Saturday's Rugby World Cup game between England and France in Yokohama has been cancelled, along with the Italy-New Zealand clash in Toyota City. A decision is due to be made at midnight on games scheduled for Sunday, including the all-important Scotland-Japan game, which will decide which nation emerges from the group stages of the tournament. The looming super typhoon has also triggered a frenzy of last-minute buying, with store shelves emptied of bread, instant noodles, bottled water and other perishable foods. Stores in some areas have also reportedly run out of batteries and packing tape that is being put across windows to reduce the possibility of flying glass. Super Typhoon Hagibis - the Tagalog word for "speed" - is the second major storm to hit Japan in just over a month. Typhoon Faxai struck eastern Japan on September 9, killing three people, leaving more than 40 injured and leaving scenes of devastation in its wake. At the peak of the storm, more than 930,000 people were without power and it took two weeks for some areas to have electricity restored.
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| Aviation experts blast FAA over 737 MAX redesign approval: report Posted: 11 Oct 2019 06:16 AM PDT  Aviation experts slammed US regulators for allowing design changes to Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft that have been implicated in two crashes causing the deaths of more than 300 people, according to press reports. The Federal Aviation Administration failed to stick to its own rules, followed out-of-date procedures and lacked the manpower and expertise to properly oversee the alterations, a panel of worldwide experts found. The Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) was put together in March after a 737 MAX run by Ethiopian Airlines crashed, killing all 157 onboard.
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| Honduran cartel figure testifies he bribed presidents Posted: 11 Oct 2019 04:08 PM PDT  The former boss of Honduras' Los Cachiros cartel testified Friday that he paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to the current and former presidents of Honduras in exchange for protection from extradition to the United States and other favors. Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga said in a Manhattan court that he gave then-President Porfirio Lobo between $500,000 and $600,000 in 2009 and alleged that Lobo helped him launder the proceeds from drug trafficking. Rivera Maradiaga also said he paid a $250,000 bribe to current President Juan Orlando Hernández, without specifying the date.
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| Japan’s Vending Machine Designs Are Like No Other Country’s Posted: 11 Oct 2019 12:25 PM PDT |
| 'Shame on Him': Evangelicals Call Out Trump on Syria Posted: 11 Oct 2019 03:12 PM PDT  One called President Donald Trump's decision "an egregious act of betrayal." Another said the policy could be "the biggest mistake of his presidency." A third said Trump "is in danger of losing the mandate of heaven."Conservative Christians have ardently stood by Trump at most every turn, from allegations of sexual misconduct to his policy of separating migrant families at the border and the Russia investigation.But this week, some of Trump's top evangelical supporters broke rank to raise alarms over his move to withdraw troops from Syria, which prompted Turkish forces to launch a ground and air assault against a Kurdish-led militia that has been a crucial ally in the U.S. fight against the Islamic State militant group.As Turkish warplanes began to bomb Syrian towns on Wednesday, prominent evangelist Franklin Graham called for Trump to reconsider his decision, and worried that the Kurds -- and the Christian minorities in the region they have defended -- could be annihilated."We have many friends in the Kurdish areas," said Graham, whose humanitarian organization, Samaritan's Purse, has done relief work in the region. "We know people on the ground."The concern resonated for many conservative evangelicals who have supported Trump, and called into question his much-touted commitment to religious freedom, a top value for his base. The opposition has arrived at an inopportune time for the president: The administration is weathering a heated battle with Congress, and according to a Fox News poll, more than half of voters now support the president's impeachment.Tony Perkins, who leads the Family Research Council, is calling on the administration to actively demonstrate its support for persecuted religious minorities in the aftermath of the withdrawal. "This is inconsistent with what the president has done," he said.Erick Erickson, a well-known conservative evangelical blogger, wrote on Twitter that Trump had committed "an egregious act of betrayal" to the Kurds. "Shame on him," he said.Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network, said he was "appalled" by the president's decision, and added that "the president of the United States is in great danger of losing the mandate of heaven if he permits this to happen." Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who rarely breaks with the president, said it could be "the biggest mistake of his presidency."Current disappointment is unlikely to translate into substantial or lasting opposition. And not all evangelical supporters have taken issue with Trump's decision. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Dallas and a prominent supporter of Trump, said he "happily" deferred to the commander-in-chief, and he praised Trump for carrying through on a campaign promise to end U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts."Some evangelicals may disagree with the president's decision," Jeffress said, "but I guarantee you there is not one evangelical supporter of the president who would switch their vote and support Elizabeth Warren or Joe Biden over a Syria decision."Franklin Graham stopped short of condemning Trump's policy outright. The evangelist said he communicated with the president or vice president -- he would not specify which leader -- about the troop withdrawal within the last 48 hours, and said he ultimately deferred to their determinations. He declined to give specifics of his conversation."There are so many other issues at stake here," he said, listing things such as Turkey's membership in NATO and U.S. military bases in the country. "It is a very hard decision."Perkins pointed to the administration's other efforts for religious freedom, and said that "one incident doesn't make an administration."Religious freedom, like anti-abortion policy and conservative judges, has often been a point of pride for many of Trump's supporters.At the United Nations last month, Trump earned praise from supporters for highlighting religious freedom instead of prioritizing a major climate summit. As Trump's call with the president of Ukraine roiled Washington last week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, an evangelical who often weaves together Christianity and foreign policy, spoke on religious freedom in Rome.This summer, around the time of the Mueller hearings on Capitol Hill, the State Department convened a celebrated gathering to advance global religious freedom.Conservative Christians can point to the administration's priority of defending religious freedom, but action and policy are more revealing than words, said Meighan Stone, an evangelical Christian and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations."If this administration can't be good allies to the Kurds in this battle, where is this policy that is supposed to be protecting persecuted religious minorities around the world?" she asked. "It is nonexistent."When asked about human rights abuses of non-Christian communities, or in regions that are not as tied to biblical history -- for example, how China has targeted Uighurs and other largely Muslim minorities in the autonomous region of Xinjiang -- Graham demurred."I am not familiar with these people," Graham said of the Uighurs, noting that he had not visited the region. "I'd certainly condemn China for, it's not just the Uighurs, they've been destroying churches."Churches across Christian traditions -- Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant -- often share spiritual and personal ties to congregations in the Middle East, praying for their pastors or families by name, or inviting them to speak when they visit the United States.Many church leaders galvanized support in 2014 when Islamic State fighters targeted, killed and raped fleeing religious minorities, including Christians and Yazidis.Now, that fear is remerging and motivating evangelical alarm, explained Jeremy Courtney, who leads a relief effort called Preemptive Love that works in northeastern Syria and in the Al Hol tent camp, which has been described as a growing hotbed of Islamic State fighters and their families."Another way to view it is Christian self-interest, that if ISIS reconstitutes, then there will be another ISIS genocide against Christians, and maybe Arabs get killed, maybe Yazidis will get killed, but the subtle undercurrent is that maybe Christians will get killed," said Courtney, who was raised as an evangelical in Texas and has lived north of Baghdad for almost 13 years."That is a legitimate concern, it is just disturbing to me," he said. "Christians speaking out on this should be concerned about the Muslims who will lose their lives because of this policy as well."The troop withdrawal in Syria is likely to be a topic of conversation this weekend at the Values Voter Summit in Washington, where Trump is scheduled to speak to hundreds of conservative leaders. At the event, evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson, whom Turkey accused of spying and detained for two years, will receive an award marking the one-year anniversary of his release.For many conservative Christians, Brunson has become a symbol of the Trump administration's commitment to protecting persecuted Christians in unfriendly regions. This week, Trump said on Twitter that America's relationship with Turkey "has been very good."In a phone call Thursday evening, Brunson said the decision to withdraw troops from Syria and the ensuing Turkish attack have left him "distressed." He spoke of the refugees he met working in the Syrian-Turkish border region, including friends who had converted to Christianity and who were currently in Kobani, a Syrian town now under Turkish assault."I don't think Turkey is a friend of the West anymore," Brunson said. "This is a point of great concern to me, obviously."This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2019 The New York Times Company
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| Revealed: Russia's Plan To Destroy U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers In a War Posted: 12 Oct 2019 02:00 AM PDT  Designed during the Cold War.
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| Srebrenica massacre survivors want Handke's Nobel prize revoked Posted: 11 Oct 2019 08:07 AM PDT  SARAJEVO/BELGRADE (Reuters) - Survivors of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre called on Friday for Austrian author Peter Handke's Nobel Prize for Literature to be revoked, saying it was "shameful" to recognize a man who has denied the killings happened. "We shall send a letter to the Committee to revoke the award," Munira Subasic, president of the Mothers of Srebrenica association which represents survivors, told Reuters. Handke could not immediately be reached for comment.
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