| The Latest: Trump applauds Ukraine-Russia prisoner trade Posted: 07 Sep 2019 08:27 AM PDT  U.S. President Donald Trump is praising the exchange of prisoners carried out by Russia and Ukraine. The trade could give new impetus to efforts to end a five-year conflict Russian-backed separatists are fighting in Ukraine's east, as well as improve longstanding poor relations between the two countries. Trump tweeted: "Russia and Ukraine just swapped large numbers of prisoners.
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| Ryan and Booker Temper Attacks on Biden, Urge Democratic Unity Posted: 07 Sep 2019 12:37 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Two Democratic presidential hopefuls walked back their attacks on front runner Joe Biden as they faced questions Saturday about their previous statements on the former vice president.Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio, who this week said he's lost faith in the front-runner's ability to beat Donald Trump, and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, who spent weeks criticizing Biden's record on race, both said their goal is to win back the White House."I have some concerns with a lot of the candidates," Ryan said at the New Hampshire state Democratic Convention in Manchester. "It was a comment that I made and I'm not backtracking from it, it is a concern you're hearing from a lot of people."But Ryan, who has languished in the low single digits in polls and failed to qualify for the third debate next week, said to reporters at the event that he isn't concerned about Biden's age, after telling Bloomberg on Thursday that he doesn't have faith that a "declining" Biden can defeat Trump.When pressed to explain, Ryan cited "a lack of clarity" when Biden articulates his positions. Asked about whether such attacks threaten Democratic unity, Ryan said the party has a common goal.'Unifying Force'"There is a very unifying force in this world for Democrats and he is the current occupant of the White House," Ryan said.In his call for unity in Manchester, Booker offered up a veiled swipe against rival Bernie Sanders of Vermont."We Democrats have to be careful," Booker said in prepared remarks. "I don't care who our nominee is, but we cannot tolerate Democrats who turn against other Democrats and try to tear us down."Booker's remarks were seen as directed at Sanders, who refused to wholeheartedly back Hillary Clinton after she won the nomination in 2016.Booker, who trails the top-tier candidates at 2.5% in a recent average of polls by RealClearPolitics.com, was asked later by reporters to explain his call for unity after repeatedly faulting Biden on race issues, including calling him "an architect of mass incarceration" for working on the 1994 tough-on-crime legislation."I think pointing out differences is OK," Booker said. "I'm talking about what we've seen in the past election where you had Democrats literally, even after the primary was over, trying to tear down the nominee of our party."Sanders was widely criticized by Democrats in 2016 for not being sufficiently supportive of Clinton after she won the nomination. While Sanders eventually backed her, aides and allies complained his tone was begrudging and didn't help bring his supporters on board.To contact the reporters on this story: Misyrlena Egkolfopoulou in Manchester at megkolfopoul@bloomberg.net;Jennifer Epstein in Manchester at jepstein32@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Matthew G. Miller at mmiller144@bloomberg.net, Steve GeimannFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Amid fears of higher Dorian death toll, islanders vie to leave Posted: 07 Sep 2019 02:31 PM PDT  Bahamians who lost everything in the devastating passage of Hurricane Dorian were scrambling Saturday to escape the worst-hit islands by sea and air, after the powerful storm left at least 43 people dead with officials fearing a "significantly" higher toll. A loosely coordinated armada of passenger planes, helicopters and both private and government boats and ships -- including redirected cruise liners -- was converging on the horribly battered Abaco Islands to help with evacuations, both to Nassau and to the US mainland. Thousands of miles (kilometers) north, Canadians were hunkering down along the country's Atlantic coast as Dorian, packing 100 mph (155 kph) winds, began knocking down trees and tossing debris across the region.
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| Crew members who survived the California boat fire say they desperately tried to save passengers sleeping on the ship's lower deck Posted: 06 Sep 2019 02:02 AM PDT  Investigators have interviewed the surviving crew members and are trying to piece together whether the right safety measures were taken.
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| 1987–1993 BMW 325i in Photos Posted: 07 Sep 2019 09:59 AM PDT |
| 1967 Chevy Chevelle Drives Itself And Crashes, Too Posted: 06 Sep 2019 04:24 PM PDT ![1967 Chevy Chevelle Drives Itself And Crashes, Too]( "1967 Chevy Chevelle Drives Itself And Crashes, Too") No, it wasn't on Autopilot. For a moment, some people on Interstate 5 in Everett, Washington might have thought a 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle was driving itself. The "ghost car" rolled off a trailer it was being hauled on, cut across several lanes of traffic, then caused an accident before it finally came to rest. The incident happened on August 18, with the person who was hauling the car picking up a citation for failure to secure a load, which includes a fine of up to $228. After cutting across three lanes of damage, the Chevelle struck a car in the HOV lane. That car was outfitted with a dash cam, capturing the whole crazy incident for everyone to see. It's actually one of those scenarios where without video footage it's too much to believe.After hitting the other vehicle and the concrete barrier, the Chevy rolled back into the middle of the road. Thankfully other drivers were by then aware of the danger, stopping before any more carnage was done to the muscle car.Washington State Patrol said nobody was injured in the collision, which is quite fortunate. The Chevelle, on the other hand, has visible damage to at least the front end, driver's front fender, hood, driver's rear fender, trunk lid, and both wheels on the driver's side. All that isn't exactly going to buff out. Compared to the cost of the citation, the repair bill will be plenty large.As you can see in the video, the matte black classic muscle car obviously wasn't secured properly on its trailer. The vehicle also wasn't left it gear or with the parking brake engaged, otherwise it wouldn't have gone far at all. Admittedly, the situation could have been far worse.With how much clean Chevrolet Chevelles sell for these days, one would think the owner hauling this classic American muscle car would have double-checked it was secure before hauling it on the trailer, especially on the interstate.Photo and video credit: Tooper H. Axtman on Twitter Read More * 1929 Ford Coupe Has A True Steel Body * Own A Piece Of Indy Car History With This Ford F-150 PPG Pace Truck
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| Korean Peninsula awaits typhoon; dozens of flights canceled Posted: 06 Sep 2019 04:24 AM PDT  Dozens of flights were canceled and parks were closed in South Korea on Friday as powerful Typhoon Lingling gained momentum on its path toward the Korean Peninsula. The Korea Meteorological Association said the typhoon is expected to pass off the west coast of South Korea on Saturday afternoon before making landfall in North Korea on Saturday evening. The agency warned of possible flooding, landslides and structure damage caused by strong rains combined with very strong winds expected nationwide until early Sunday.
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| Trump campaign is selling branded markers after Sharpie-gate Posted: 06 Sep 2019 03:57 PM PDT  The product rollout came as a tongue-in-cheek reference to this week's hurricane controversy
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| Walmart Moves on Guns. Politicians, Take Note. Posted: 06 Sep 2019 06:55 AM PDT  (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Walmart Inc., the biggest retailer in the U.S. and a leading seller of firearms and ammunition, announced this week that it would stop selling bullets for handguns and military-style rifles, stop selling handguns in Alaska (the last remaining state where it makes such sales), and "respectfully" ask its customers to stop openly carrying guns in its stores.The move is welcome in its own right — but it's especially encouraging as a sign that public opinion is swinging ever more strongly in support of effective gun-control policies. CVS, Kroger, Walgreens and other retailers have also adjusted their policies. If Walmart and others see the case for changing their minds, politicians ought to pay attention.QuicktakeGuns in AmericaWalmart took the opportunity to address politicians directly, saying: "We encourage our nation's leaders to move forward and strengthen background checks and to remove weapons from those who have been determined to pose an imminent danger."The company has acted on guns before. It took assault weapons off its shelves in 2015, for instance. But this latest action is still striking. The recent attack in one of its stores in El Paso, Texas — leaving 22 dead, and followed within hours by another atrocity in Dayton, Ohio — was seen to demand a response. "The status quo is unacceptable," said Doug McMillon, the company's CEO. He's right.The announcement will help to strengthen the cultural change that seems to be happening. But to lessen the proliferation of firearms or the danger of guns getting into dangerous hands, political action is needed as well. The two go hand in hand, which is why Walmart's initiative matters."They have their finger on the pulse of what Americans want, and the Senate should take note," said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. (Michael Bloomberg, owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News, founded and helps fund Everytown, a nonprofit that advocates for universal background checks and other gun-violence prevention measures.)Momentum seems to be building toward meaningful gun-control regulation. Walmart's chief executive and the company's courageous board deserve credit for recognizing this, and for adding their weight to the cause.\--Editors: Clive Crook, Mark Whitehouse.To contact the senior editor responsible for Bloomberg Opinion's editorials: David Shipley at davidshipley@bloomberg.net, .Editorials are written by the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Maryland county officials blame Trump, media after allegations they aren't cooperating with immigration authorities Posted: 07 Sep 2019 04:50 AM PDT  Montgomery County officials address allegations on lack of cooperation; National Border Patrol Council president Brandon Judd weighs in.
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| Fitch downgrades Hong Kong citing protests and China fears Posted: 06 Sep 2019 03:29 AM PDT  Hong Kong's reputation as a dependable financial hub took a hit on Friday after Fitch downgraded the city's sovereign rating, citing ongoing protests and uncertainty caused by closer integration with the Chinese mainland. Millions of pro-democracy supporters have taken to Hong Kong's streets for the past three months in the biggest challenge to China's rule since the city's handover from Britain in 1997. The sometimes violent protests have heaped pressure on Hong Kong's economy, which had already been under pressure from the US-China trade war.
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| A cruise ship sailed 1,500 Hurricane Dorian evacuees from the Bahamas to Florida Posted: 07 Sep 2019 10:18 AM PDT  At least 40 people have died since the hurricane struck the Bahamas last weekend, and 70,000 were left homeless.
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| Gusty winds to fuel wildfire concerns in California into early next week Posted: 07 Sep 2019 02:54 AM PDT  As the number of wildfires burning across California continues to grow, bouts of strong winds will further increase the fire danger into early next week.Sundowner winds, or gusty, northerly winds that develop when an area of high pressure sits just offshore of California, will batter parts of Southern California, the San Joaquin Valley and the Grapevine through Monday night.Sustained winds of 20-30 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, will be common in these areas, especially during the evening and overnight hours.Sunshine and very dry conditions will accompany the Sundowner wind events, further drying out vegetation and enhancing the risk for wildfire growth, spread and development. There are currently one dozen wildfires burning across California, according to Inciweb.The Red Bank Fire, which was started by lightning on Thursday, has exploded to 7,754 acres in size as of Saturday morning and is only 9 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.The fire, which is located about 30 miles southeast of Redding, has prompted mandatory evacuations for the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and areas between Tedoc Road and Vestal Road.The Tenaja Fire, located just west of Temecula in the Elsinore Mountains, has charred 2,000 acres and was only 35 percent contained as of Saturday morning.Although the fire prompted evacuation orders on Thursday, residents were allowed to return to their homes on Friday as firefighters made significant strides in containment efforts, according to the Los Angeles Times.The cause of the Tenaja Fire is still under investigation as of Saturday.Unfortunately, the weather will not cooperate for firefighters hoping to gain more ground on the ongoing blazes as low humidity accompanies gusty winds statewide.Campers and hikers should remain cognizant of evacuation orders and coverage of wildfires this weekend to avoid getting into a life-threatening situation.In addition, campfires and cigarette butts should be thoroughly extinguished as even the slightest spark could erupt into a large blaze in a matter of hours.The howling winds will also threaten to bring down trees and power lines and trigger power outages across southern parts of the state. Motorists should keep both hands on the wheel and pull off the road if winds become too strong for safe travel. Wind gusts of this magnitude can make it difficult to remain in your lane and keep control of a vehicle.By the middle of next week, winds should decrease significantly as the area of high pressure moves directly overhead, making conditions more favorable for firefighting efforts.However, Mother Nature will provide no natural assistance to fire personnel as building heat and continued lack of any rainfall are in store for the second half of next week.
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| Why a NY businessman (and his mom) are still attacking Delaware — and Joe Biden Posted: 07 Sep 2019 09:30 AM PDT  With a half-million dollar political ad buy, TransPerfect's ferocious public battle with the Delaware courts has bled into presidential politics.
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| Arizona woman falls to death while climbing in Yosemite National Park Posted: 07 Sep 2019 07:17 AM PDT  A young woman has fallen to her death while climbing the Half Dome in Yosemite National Park – tumbling more than 500 feet down a rocky surface.Danielle Burnett, a 29-year-old from Lake Havasu City in Arizona, was climbing the steepest part of the trail on Thursday when she fell.
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| Maduro rejects talks with opposition over envoy's remarks Posted: 07 Sep 2019 07:57 AM PDT  President Nicolás Maduro says that he won't resume talks with the opposition until it rejects calls by a top supporter in Britain to "drop the topic" of Venezuela's longstanding claims to an oil-rich part of neighboring Guyana. Maduro's comments late Friday came after his chief prosecutor opened an investigation against Vanessa Neumann, the top envoy in London for opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who is recognized as Venezuela's rightful president by the U.S., United Kingdom and four dozen other nations. "Until they rectify their position, they won't see our faces," Maduro said in a televised meeting with aides.
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| House panel poised to spell out Trump impeachment probe: source Posted: 07 Sep 2019 10:01 AM PDT  The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, criticized for an unorthodox impeachment probe of President Donald Trump, is poised to vote next week on a resolution to formalize the investigation, a person familiar with the matter said on Saturday. The panel has rebranded what was originally an oversight probe of Trump's presidency as an "impeachment" investigation, with the aim of deciding by the end of the year on whether to recommend articles of impeachment to the full House.
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| Sanders Criticized for Opposing Home-Rebuilding Aid to Areas Repeatedly Hit by Hurricanes Posted: 06 Sep 2019 09:34 AM PDT  Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is being excoriated for opposing federal assistance meant to rebuild homes repeatedly destroyed by storms."If people want to rebuild in an area which will be devastated by the next storm, they're certainly not going to get federal assistance from my administration to do that," Sanders said Wednesday at CNN's town hall on climate change.> "If people want to rebuild in an area which will be devastated by the next storm, they're certainly not going to get federal assistance from my administration." -Sen. Sanders on changing FEMA rules to spur a retreat from properties suffering repeated losses. ClimateTownHall pic.twitter.com/BC47QBZupm> > -- CNN (@CNN) September 5, 2019"We have the absurd situation where FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] will only pay to repair a facility or a piece of infrastructure where it was before it was destroyed. That's pretty stupid," the Vermont senator said. "I mean if it was destroyed once and you rebuild it, it's destroyed twice, it doesn't make a lot of sense to put it there again.""So would people in coastal communities, [who] have a house right on the beach, would they have to move?" CNN host Anderson Cooper asked."Well, I don't think it makes a lot of sense to rebuild that house so that it is, you know, knocked down again in the next storm," Sanders responded.Sanders noted scientific predictions that parts of Miami, Fla. and Charleston, S.C. could fall underwater at some point in the future, adding that as president he would do his best "through carrots and sticks at the federal level" to encourage people to move away from areas frequently threatened by hurricanes.Critics expressed outrage at what they said was a dismissive attitude toward storm-battered communities, with some pointing out that residents would like to move but cannot afford to do so."Many people in repetitive-loss properties would be thrilled to move, but are trapped where they are because no one will buy their property, so their only option is to keep taking money from the NFIP [National Flood Insurance Program] to rebuild," Raw Story reporter Matthew Chapman wrote in a tweet.> Hey Bernie, are you prepared to buy them out instead?> > Many people in repetitive-loss properties would be thrilled to move, but are trapped where they are because no one will buy their property, so their only option is to keep taking money from the NFIP to rebuild. https://t.co/v42Jg9tYWH> > -- Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) September 6, 2019Other critics pointed to Puerto Rico as an example of a community repeatedly hit by storms, and some criticized CNN, saying the network's tweet took Sanders's quote out of context.> I completely understand what he's saying, but for some people they don't have much choice in the matter. Having said that, while I'm not a Bernie fan, this is a poor quote to take out of context. I presume he's talking about people who CAN move inland but choose not to. https://t.co/w07ltYL4z7> > -- Charles Gaba (@charles_gaba) September 6, 2019> Puerto Rico… https://t.co/gIqWTSk4V3> > -- Jake Snider (@jakehsnider) September 6, 2019
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| Bodies Crushed By Debris, Looting and Limited Sanitation: Survivors Describe Dorian’s Aftermath on Great Abaco Island Posted: 06 Sep 2019 02:46 PM PDT  Many people do not have access to adequate food and water, or a means to evacuate
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| North-central US to endure cool, rainy pattern through early next week Posted: 07 Sep 2019 07:56 AM PDT  Frequent bouts of wet weather will keep the north-central United States unusually cool for early September into next week.Residents from the Dakotas to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan will need to keep jackets and umbrellas close at hand during the pattern.It will be wet and cool over the northern Plains and into the Upper Midwest as frequent storms from the Pacific cross the region through early next week, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Smerbeck.The rounds of storms will track along the northern and western periphery of record heat over the Southern states.Into Sunday, periods of rain will target a corridor from the Dakotas to Iowa and northern Missouri, with locally severe thunderstorms possible along the southern periphery of the rain. From Sunday night through Monday, a new storm system will spread soaking rainfall from southwest to northeast across the region.Commuters in Minneapolis could endure slower-than-normal travel times during the start of the traditional workweek.Additional storm systems will bring more bouts of wet weather to the North Central states into the middle of the week. Motorists with short- and long-term travel plans should anticipate times of reduced visibility when the rain pours down on sections of interstates 29, 35, 90 and 94. The rain will also create a heightened risk of hydroplaning while traveling at highway speeds.While the rainfall will largely be a nuisance to travelers and those with outdoor plans, there will be a small risk of localized flooding, mainly in low-lying and poor drainage areas that get hit with steady rainfall more than once.Farmers may struggle to find times to work in the fields during the rainy pattern. AccuWeather's 2019 crop production analysis released on Friday affirmed the belief that corn and soybean production will be down this year.Accompanying the clouds and rain will be temperatures more typical of levels experienced in late September and early October across the northern tier of the central United States."Temperatures will be held in the 60s and in some cases, the 50s F during the daytime," AccuWeather Long-Range Meteorologist Max Vido said. This includes in Bismarck and Fargo, North Dakota; Minneapolis; and Marquette, Michigan.Such highs are 5 to as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit below normal, according to Vido."Warmth may begin to nose farther north into the Midwest around the middle part of next week," Smerbeck said. During this time, temperatures will likely return to the upper 70s and lower 80s in Minneapolis, with highs in the 90s expected over the central Plains.However, the warmup will be short-lived as cooler conditions are forecast to move in late in the week. The cooldown will likely be accompanied by much drier weather.
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| Pakistan vows 'fullest possible response' to India over Kashmir Posted: 05 Sep 2019 10:19 PM PDT ![Pakistan vows 'fullest possible response' to India over Kashmir]( "Pakistan vows 'fullest possible response' to India over Kashmir") Pakistan will make the fullest possible response to India's actions in disputed Kashmir and the global community would be responsible for any "catastrophic" aftermath, Imran Khan, the prime minister of the Muslim-majority nation, said on Friday. The rhetoric on the annual Defence Day remembrance of Pakistan's fighters in a 1965 war with India underscores rising tension between the nuclear-armed foes after New Delhi last month revoked the autonomy of its part of disputed Kashmir. "I have informed the world that Pakistan does not want war, but at the same time, Pakistan cannot remain oblivious to the challenges posed to its security and integrity," Khan said in a statement on the website of state-run Radio Pakistan.
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| Every Day Is a Car Show When You Appreciate Old Cars Gallery Posted: 07 Sep 2019 11:00 AM PDT |
| Trump says Hurricane Dorian death toll in Bahamas would be higher without his help, as bodies still being counted Posted: 07 Sep 2019 05:46 AM PDT  Donald Trump says Hurricane Dorian's death toll in the Bahamas would have been significantly higher without his help, but leaders on the island still have no idea what the final death toll will be.In a tweet on Saturday morning the US president thanked Bahamian prime minister Hubert Minnis for his "very gracious and kind words" that "without the help of the United States and me, their would have been many more casualties".
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| Kabul welcomes US assurances on Taliban deal Posted: 07 Sep 2019 07:07 AM PDT  The Afghan government Saturday welcomed a pledge by the Pentagon that the US would only accept a "good deal" from the Taliban after a wave of insurgent attacks sparked concerns of a hasty US withdrawal. During a wide ranging press conference in Paris earlier Saturday US Defense Secretary Mark Esper sought to allay fears that Washington was looking for a quick exit from Afghanistan as it inches closer to a potential deal with the Taliban. "My view, the US view is that the best way forward is a political agreement and that's what we're working diligently on right now," Esper told reporters.
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| Arrests of Straight Pride Parade counter protesters in Boston turns into courtroom battle Posted: 05 Sep 2019 06:07 PM PDT  The Boston DA's decision to drop charges against left-wing protesters arrested at a Straight Pride Parade has turned into a courtroom fight.
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| 6 Products on Deep Discount in September Posted: 06 Sep 2019 02:23 PM PDT  Fall is approaching, and the kids are headed back to school, which means you have more time to upgrade the kitchen and prep your property for cooler weather. September is a good time to buy lawn...
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| What the Xenophobic Violence Gripping South Africa Means for Future of Country Posted: 06 Sep 2019 02:00 PM PDT  Violence against foreigners in South Africa threatens to turn into big crisis for the country as it tries to revive economy.
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| Iceland's WOW Air to resume flights with new owners Posted: 06 Sep 2019 01:18 PM PDT  An American aviation firm said on Friday it had taken over Iceland's bankrupt airline WOW Air together with local investors and said flights would resume in October. USAerospace Associates CEO Michele Ballarin told a news conference that the company would relaunch carrying the same name, and that its first flight would be between Dulles airport in Washington DC and Keflavik in Iceland next month. The bankruptcy of the low-cost carrier March caused a big stir in Iceland where it was expected to have a negative impact on tourism numbers, as well as on the wider economy which is headed for recession.
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| Mexican national shot by ICE in Tennessee recovering Posted: 06 Sep 2019 01:00 PM PDT ![Mexican national shot by ICE in Tennessee recovering]( "Mexican national shot by ICE in Tennessee recovering") A Mexican man shot while fleeing from immigration agents in Tennessee was recovering Friday, an attorney for his family said. Andrew Free said in an interview the man was shot in the stomach and elbow Thursday morning by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. Free and another attorney later negotiated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the man surrendered Thursday afternoon.
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| Russia to U.S: Cancel extradition request for executive held in Italy Posted: 06 Sep 2019 07:10 AM PDT ![Russia to U.S: Cancel extradition request for executive held in Italy]( "Russia to U.S: Cancel extradition request for executive held in Italy") Russia has demanded that the United States cancel a request to extradite a Russian state executive from Italy where he was arrested last month at Washington's request on suspicion of industrial espionage, calling it illegal. Alexander Korshunov, director for business development at Russia's United Engine Corporation (UEC), was detained at an airport in Naples on Aug. 30 after Washington issued a warrant for his arrest.
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| Trump’s Dorian Brawl Leads to Dispute Within Weather Agency Posted: 07 Sep 2019 01:49 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- As President Donald Trump dragged the brawl over his forecast for Hurricane Dorian into a sixth day, a U.S. agency released a statement bolstering his account -- prompting a scathing response from the leader of an agency union.Trump has repeatedly and defiantly continued to defend his assertion that Alabama was in Dorian's path. On Wednesday, he showed White House reporters a map that he had personally altered -- by drawing a black line with a marker -- to bolster his argument. On Thursday, he tweeted photos of Aug. 29 and Aug. 30 forecasts that showed Alabama within the probability zone of tropical storm-force winds. And on Friday, he released a video on Twitter."From Wednesday, Aug. 28, through Monday, Sept. 2, the information provided by NOAA and the National Hurricane Center to President Trump and the wider public demonstrated that tropical-storm-force winds from Hurricane Dorian could impact Alabama," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its statement on Friday."The Birmingham National Weather Service's Sunday morning tweet spoke in absolute terms that were inconsistent with probabilities from the best forecast products available at the time," NOAA added in the statement, which was not attributed to any official.The weather service's office in Birmingham, Alabama, had said in a tweet on Sunday that "no impacts from Hurricane Dorian will be felt across Alabama," contradicting the president, who has persisted in arguing that his warning had been accurate.On Friday night, Dan Sobien, the president of the National Weather Service Employees Organization, tweeted: "Let me assure you the hard working employees of the NWS had nothing to do with the utterly disgusting and disingenuous tweet sent out by NOAA management tonight." In a telephone interview, Sobien said that the statement was "like nothing I've ever seen, ever," and could prompt people to ignore future warnings. "I can't think of another word for it other than managerial malpractice," he said."NOAA needs to withdraw the statement," he added, "they need to apologize to their employees and they need to go out and do a serious public relations campaign to try to renew the confidence of the American public in the National Weather Service."He said that members of his union at the National Hurricane Center had "issued phenomenal forecasts" that saved lives, and "my goal is to make sure that the next storm that comes along, the next tornado, the next hurricane, the next flood, people heed the warnings of the National Weather Service."Retired Rear Adm. David Titley, NOAA's chief operating officer during the Obama administration, called the release of NOAA's statement "perhaps the darkest day ever for" the agency's leaders and "moral cowardice" in Twitter messages on Friday. Trump repeatedly claimed on Sunday that Alabama was in Dorian's path -- he tweeted it, repeated it at the White House, and said it again during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. By then, however, the storm's track had turned decidedly north and east.During the Wednesday briefing on the storm in the Oval Office, the president held up an Aug. 29 map from the National Weather Service showing initial projections of Dorian's track into Florida. But the map had been changed -- by the president -- with a black line that extended the storm's path beyond Florida and into southern Alabama, according to people familiar with the matter.Trump said later on Wednesday that he didn't know the six-day-old map had been altered.His campaign seized on the controversy as a fund-raising tool. Trump's website offered "Official Donald J. Trump Fine Point Markers" along with items such as plastic straws -- a dig at environmentalists who prefer paper straws -- and "Make America Great Again" red caps. (Updates with fund-raising efforts in final paragraph.)\--With assistance from Jennifer Jacobs and Maria Jose Valero.To contact the reporters on this story: John Harney in Washington at jharney2@bloomberg.net;Josh Wingrove in Washington at jwingrove4@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Kevin Whitelaw at kwhitelaw@bloomberg.net, John HarneyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Istanbul opposition leader sentenced to nearly 10 years Posted: 06 Sep 2019 07:35 AM PDT  The head of Turkey's main opposition party in Istanbul was sentenced to nearly 10 years on Friday on a range of charges including "terrorist propaganda" and insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The charges related mostly to tweets that Canan Kaftancioglu, of the secular Republican People's Party (CHP), posted between 2012 and 2017. Kaftancioglu, a doctor by profession, played a key role in the shock victory of the CHP's new Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu earlier this year -- the first time Erdogan's party had lost power in Turkey's biggest city for 25 years.
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| Southern California fire grows to 2,000 acres; evacuations expanded Posted: 06 Sep 2019 07:38 AM PDT  Tenaja Fire prompts mandatory evacuations for homes along The Trails Circle in La Cresta and the Copper Canyon neighborhood in Murrieta, officials said.
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| Hong Kong thwarts airport protest, but battles continue Posted: 07 Sep 2019 09:08 AM PDT  Hong Kong police thwarted another disruption at the airport by pro-democracy activists but had to battle protesters at subway stations on Saturday, as the months-long unrest showed no signs of abating even after the government offered a concession days earlier. Police mounted road checks and inspected passengers on trains and buses heading to the airport to weed out protesters. An Associated Press journalist at an area near the airport witnessed at least two bus passengers being handcuffed and taken away after police found face masks in their bags.
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| AccuWeather's latest analysis predicts a poor 2019 yield for corn and soybeans Posted: 06 Sep 2019 11:40 AM PDT  AccuWeather is predicting it will be the lowest corn yield since 2012. (John Roach/AccuWeather) The latest AccuWeather 2019 crop production analysis affirms the belief that 2019 will be a down year for corn and soybean production both in terms of quantity and quality. AccuWeather analysts predict the 2019 corn yield will be 13.36 billion bushels compared to 14.42 billion in 2018, while the soybean yield will be 3.658 billion bushels compared to 4.543 billion bushels in 2018.It would be the lowest corn yield since 2012, a year of significant drought that saw corn production numbers fall to 10.76 billion bushels. Also, it would be the smallest soybean yield since 2013 (3.357 billion bushels)."Corn and soybeans are still about a week or two behind where they should be, which makes them vulnerable to a frost, even if it's on time," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls. "And we think it's a little-higher-than-usual probability that we'll get that first frost on time."If we get that on-time freeze, there could be a little damage," Nicholls said. "We think there will be scattered frost and not anything that would be a widespread problem, but it's probably going to be a close call."The wet weather at the start of the growing season led to late planting and tough conditions for both crops."Corn and soybeans are both susceptible to frost," David Dyson wrote to AccuWeather. He's the agronomist for The Andersons, Inc., an agriculture-related company involved in commodity training, among other operations. "When soybeans encounter an early frost, they just stop growing and their seed will start to dry down. This results in significantly smaller soybean seeds ... which can lead to a 20-bushel-per acre reduction in yield."AccuWeather is predicting a 7.9% drop in soybean bushels per acre from 2018 and a 5.3% drop in corn bushels per acre."I'm really surprised how many farmers decided to plant corn so late in the season," said Nicholls. "It's surprising the farmers did that, knowing they probably weren't going to get that much and also the fact that they planted more acres means there's more corn available, which drives the prices down. It's baffling why they did it."The USDA will release its monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) on Thursday, Sept. 12. In August, the WASDE report showed an estimated yield of 13.90 billion bushels for corn and 3.68 billion bushels for soybeans."This is going to be a poor soybean crop, not anywhere near the 51.6 bushels per acre last year," Nicholls said. "The question is how bad will it be? There was too much wet weather earlier, and that's what's going to cut into the bushels per acre for the country as a whole.""We're in uncharted territory with so much of the corn and nearly all of the soybeans planted in late May or sometime in June," Emerson Nafziger, professor emeritus of crop sciences at the University of Illinois, wrote to AccuWeather."The problem is getting the crop to the finish line," AccuWeather's Nicholls said. "It's been a little warmer recently and that's been helpful. But it's been cooler farther north; it's that area where they're going to struggle to get to the finish line before the first frost. The states that are farthest behind in corn maturity are Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota and for soybeans it's Missouri, Michigan and Indiana."Download the free AccuWeather app to see the forecast for your location. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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| Leaked Apple documents reveal that Siri was designed to deflect questions about feminism and #MeToo, report says (AAPL) Posted: 06 Sep 2019 07:00 AM PDT  Apple's Siri digital assistant is designed to deflect questions about feminism and MeToo, according to leaked documents viewed by The Guardian.
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| The 10 Most Iconic Clock Towers in the World Posted: 06 Sep 2019 07:33 AM PDT |
| Democrats face internal rancor over deep fakes, disinformation Posted: 07 Sep 2019 03:35 AM PDT  Pressure is mounting on the national party to adopt an official stand on the use of deceptive tactics.
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| Nichols: Jemele Hill is suggesting we give historically black schools an opportunity to compete Posted: 06 Sep 2019 05:44 PM PDT  University of Maryland professor Jason Nichols reacts to Jemele Hill's op-ed on black athletes leaving white colleges.
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| Top UK minister quits in new Brexit blow to PM Johnson Posted: 07 Sep 2019 03:07 PM PDT  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson received a fresh blow Saturday when senior minister Amber Rudd quit her work and pensions post in protest at his handling of the Brexit crisis. Rudd was a moderate member of former prime minister Theresa May's government whose endorsement Johnson coveted during his successful UK leadership challenge in July. "I have resigned from Cabinet and surrendered the Conservative Whip," Rudd tweeted.
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