| Joe Biden: 'No one in my family will have an office in the White House' or be 'a cabinet member' if I'm president Posted: 13 Oct 2019 04:00 PM PDT  Joe Biden's visit to Iowa came the same day his son, Hunter, announced he would step down from the board of a Chinese company.
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| HK leader ditches meeting Ted Cruz, says the U.S. senator Posted: 12 Oct 2019 03:53 AM PDT ![HK leader ditches meeting Ted Cruz, says the U.S. senator]( "HK leader ditches meeting Ted Cruz, says the U.S. senator") Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam scrapped a scheduled meeting with U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, the highest profile U.S. politician to visit the city since anti-government protests broke out more than four months ago, the senator said on Saturday. Lam had requested that the afternoon meeting be completely confidential and Cruz refrain from speaking with the media about it, Cruz told journalists in Hong Kong. "She seems to misunderstand how free speech operates, and also how freedom of the press operates," said Cruz, a Republican senator from Texas.
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| Latest: Southern California wildfire is now 33% contained Posted: 12 Oct 2019 08:48 PM PDT  The Los Angeles County Fire Department says the wildfire in the San Fernando Valley is now 33% contained. The department says Saturday night that winds and temperatures have fallen to normal levels after the Santa Ana winds passed through the region. A man went into cardiac arrest and died at the scene of a wildfire that broke out late Thursday.
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| Trump defends Giuliani, said to be under investigation Posted: 12 Oct 2019 01:08 PM PDT  President Trump on Saturday defended his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, who is reportedly under federal investigation over his dealings with Ukraine on Trump's behalf.
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| Deadly protests set stage for Iran, US tug-of-war over Iraq Posted: 11 Oct 2019 09:06 PM PDT  Iraq's deadliest wave of protests since the 2003 ouster of dictator Saddam Hussein has made the country vulnerable to a battle for influence between its two main competing allies, the United States and Iran, analysts say. The anti-government protests that erupted on October 1 echoed the demands that young Iraqis have made over recent years. "Without this context, Iran would not have intervened," Iraqi political analyst Munqith Dagher said.
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| Portland antifa activist killed in hit and run, police say Posted: 13 Oct 2019 08:40 AM PDT  City's antifascist group says death of Sean D Kealiher, 23, was not 'related to fascist activity' and police did not specify a motiveThe Multnomah county medical examiner determined the cause of death to be homicide, caused by blunt force trauma. Photograph: Jonathan Bachman/ReutersA Portland antifascist activist was killed in the early hours of Saturday in an apparent hit-and-run near Cider Riot, a cidery and taproom popular with the city's anarchist left that has been the scene of conflict with rightwing groups. According to the Portland Police Bureau, the car involved was fired upon and crashed into a nearby building. Its occupants fled the scene. Police said in a statement that the 23-year-old victim, Sean D Kealiher, was taken to a local hospital by associates. The Multnomah county medical examiner determined the cause of death to be homicide, caused by blunt force trauma. Police said homicide squad detectives would investigate and called on witnesses to come forward. Kealiher was a prominent participant in antifascist and anti-Trump protests in Portland, speaking and marching in opposition to events held by rightwing groups. His activities occasionally attracted the attention of rightwing bloggers and social media personalities. Rose City Antifa, the city's longest-standing antifascist group, said in a tweet addressing Kealiher's death that it "was not related to fascist activity". Police did not specify a motive. Portland mayor Ted Wheeler and the Oregon Democratic party, outside whose building the incident happened, expressed condolences on Twitter. Memorial tributes were laid at the site. Six men, including Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson, are awaiting trial on charges arising from a violent incident at Cider Riot on 1 May. In an affidavit in support of Gibson's arrest warrant, police officer Brad Kalbaugh described the group approaching Cider Riot "in an effort clearly designed to provoke a physical confrontation". Multiple videos of that incident show punches, thrown drinks and pepper spray being exchanged. One of the men awaiting trial, Ian Kramer, is alleged to have struck a woman with a baton, fracturing her vertebra. More video appears to show members of the group planning violence ahead of the brawl. Gibson and the other men are charged with riot. Some face felony assault charges.Cider Riot's owner, Abram Goldman-Armstrong, has commenced a $1m lawsuit against Gibson and several others. Goldman-Armstrong's lawyer, Juan Chavez, says his client has been subject to "homophobic and antisemitic" harassment since the suit was filed.
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| Schiff Says Secret Testimony Aimed at Keeping Trump in the Dark Posted: 13 Oct 2019 09:51 AM PDT ![Schiff Says Secret Testimony Aimed at Keeping Trump in the Dark]( "Schiff Says Secret Testimony Aimed at Keeping Trump in the Dark") (Bloomberg) -- House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff defended holding testimony behind closed doors in the impeachment inquiry he's heading up against President Donald Trump, likening this phase of the investigation to a "grand jury.""We want to make sure that we meet the needs of the investigation and not give the president or his legal minions the opportunity to tailor their testimony and in some cases fabricate testimony to suit their interests," the California Democrat said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation."Schiff said they may call some or all of the witnesses to return to testify in public later, though that might not include the whistle-blower who triggered the impeachment fight in the first place.While Trump and some of his Republican allies have hoped to unmask the official and question him or her, Schiff said his priority now is to protect the whistle-blower and said they don't need the person's testimony to find out what happened on the phone call between Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy."We're keeping our focus right now on the president's coercion of an ally, that is Ukraine, to create these sham investigations into his political opponent," Schiff said.Biden DirtSchiff said investigators have already seen strong evidence that Trump abused his office by conditioning a meeting Zelenskiy wanted with Trump on Ukraine "digging up dirt on the Bidens.""That is a terrible abuse of the president's power," Schiff said."Here we have a president of the United States abusing his power to the detriment of our national security and doing so to get yet another foreign country to intervene in our election. It's hard to imagine more of a corruption of his office than that."Schiff also said the committee continues to investigate whether the president decided to hold up military aid to Ukraine as leverage, saying there's already strong indications that is true "and we're going to get to the bottom of it."Representative Doug Collins of Georgia, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, ripped the closed sessions. "Democrats know they can't win on the facts, so they're having to move it behind closed doors," he said on Fox News. "I believe that sunshine is the best disinfectant."McConnell's MoveVermont Senator Bernie Sanders said on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that while he expects the Democratic-controlled House will vote to impeach Trump, he's "nervous" that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell "will put party in front of country" and not hold a full trial.McConnell has said the Senate will have to take up the impeachment, but it's not clear how long the proceedings would last.Schiff also tried to clear up his earlier statements that his committee hadn't heard from the whistle-blower."I was referring to the fact that when the whistle-blower filed the complaint, we had not heard from the whistleblower," Schiff said. "We wanted to bring the whistle-blower in at that time, but I should have been much more clear about that."Separately, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin defended the president.In an interview on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday, Mnuchin wouldn't comment on whether Trump's public request to China to investigate the Bidens earlier this month was serious or not, but said it had not come up in the context of trade talks with Beijing."And in the Oval Office, when the president was asked about this in front of the vice premier, the president made very clear, they can do what they want," Mnuchin said. "So, again, people who are trying to imply that the president is asking for things or quid pro quos, I think this is ridiculous."\--With assistance from Hailey Waller.To contact the reporter on this story: Steven T. Dennis in Washington at sdennis17@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Kevin Whitelaw at kwhitelaw@bloomberg.net, Ros Krasny, Linus ChuaFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Hong Kong protesters and police clash, metro and shops targeted Posted: 12 Oct 2019 07:56 PM PDT  Rallies in shopping malls on Hong Kong island and across the harbor in the Kowloon district began peacefully around midday with a few hundred people at each chanting "Free Hong Kong" and other slogans. Police said protesters threw bricks and petrol bombs at police, with one setting a police van alight in Kowloon's Sha Tin district. Police made several arrests and used tear gas to disperse protesters, saying they used "minimum force".
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| The Latest: Powerful typhoon reaches greater Tokyo area Posted: 12 Oct 2019 06:26 PM PDT  Helicopters are plucking people from their flooded homes as rescue efforts went into full force in wide areas of Japan, including Tokyo, after a powerful typhoon unleashed heavy rainfall, leaving at least four dead and 17 missing. Typhoon Hagibis made landfall south of Tokyo Saturday and moved northward. Several train service in the Tokyo area resumed early morning.
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| Russia's New Nuclear Weapon Is A Real Doomsday Device (And Aimed At America) Posted: 11 Oct 2019 11:00 PM PDT  If you can't beat them, destroy them.
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| Norwegian Cruise Line passengers demand refunds after ship skips several scheduled stops Posted: 12 Oct 2019 11:31 AM PDT ![Norwegian Cruise Line passengers demand refunds after ship skips several scheduled stops]( "Norwegian Cruise Line passengers demand refunds after ship skips several scheduled stops") Norwegian Cruise Line passengers voiced their anger after disembarking from the ship Friday after several port stops were canceled due to weather.
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| Police Respond to Reports of Mall Shooting in Florida, Confirm One Person Injured Posted: 13 Oct 2019 02:06 PM PDT  Authorities have not yet identified the circumstances which led to the shooting
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| Rakhine rebels abduct dozens after storming Myanmar bus: army Posted: 13 Oct 2019 12:50 AM PDT  Suspected ethnic Rakhine rebels disguised as a sports team stormed a bus in rural Myanmar and took 31 hostages -- mostly off-duty firefighters and construction workers -- authorities said Sunday. The state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar said the bus -- travelling to the Rakhine state capital of Sittwe -- was flagged down by a man dressed in civilian attire before 18 rebels in sportswear emerged from the forest and ordered the passengers off at gunpoint. The Arakan Army, which is fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, could not immediately be reached for comment.
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| British orphans missing in northern Syria after mass escape of Islamic State families Posted: 13 Oct 2019 10:42 AM PDT  Three British Islamic State orphans have gone missing in northern Syria after the camp they were in was shelled by Turkish forces. Ten-year-old Amira, her sister Hiba, eight, and brother Hamza, around the same age as Hiba, were discovered in the Kurdish-run Ain Issa camp by a BBC reporting team last week. But they vanished on Sunday after hundreds of women linked the caliphate fled the camp in what Kurdish-led forces described as a mass escape facilitated by Turkish forces. They had been living with 21 other orphans at the camp since they were evacuated from the wreckage of Baghouz, Isil's last redoubt, in March. The three siblings, whose surname is unknown, emerged from Isil's last stand bearing physical and emotional scars but still able to speak some English. Their parents, older brother, and two other sisters were killed in the battle. Their parents, who have not been identified, brought the family to Isil's so-called Capilphate in Syria five years ago. In an interview with the BBC, Amira, who still has traces of a London accent and is able to write, painstakingly wrote out the place she once called home: "LaNDN uKeH" -- London, UK. Describing her pre-war life, she said: "I go to the park, I go to grand-mum's house, I go to the fun fair." The family entered Syria around five years ago, travelling to Aleppo, on to Raqqa and then down the Euphrates river valley, ending up in Baghouz. Human rights watchdogs have heaped pressure on the international community, particularly Western countries, to repatriate their citizens from Syria. Few have done so, and the UK has revoked the citizenship of high-profile militants and Isil supporters, including Shamima Begum. The case for orphans is more complex, and both France and the Netherlands have permitted the return of child nationals whose parents took them to Syria to join the terror group, but died there. In the hours after the Ain Issa camp was overrun, aid agency Save the Children made a plea with countries to repatriate their citizens, particularly children, before it was too late. By Sunday afternoon, Amira, Hiba and Hamza were gone.
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| Serial killer's victim portraits could help crack cold cases Posted: 13 Oct 2019 11:37 AM PDT  Most of the women in Samuel Little's hand-drawn portraits seem to be frowning. Little, whom the FBI identified this month as the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history, produced startlingly detailed likenesses of dozens of women he says he strangled over the course of more than three decades. Now the FBI is publicizing his portraits — hoping that someone, somewhere, will recognize the face of a long-lost loved one in an image drawn by the killer himself.
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| Adam Schiff says whistleblower may not testify in impeachment probe Posted: 13 Oct 2019 09:24 AM PDT ![Adam Schiff says whistleblower may not testify in impeachment probe]( "Adam Schiff says whistleblower may not testify in impeachment probe") House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff indicated Sunday that the whistleblower at the heart of Democrats' impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump might not testify over concerns about the person's safety. Schiff's remarks come after Trump dramatically escalated his attacks on the whistleblower and as he repeatedly calls for the official to be unmasked. Trump's unrelenting barrage has spurred worries from Democrats that congressional Republicans might try to reveal that person's identity — conceivably endangering his or her safety — at the behest of the president.
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| UPDATE 1-Scientists endorse mass civil disobedience to force climate action Posted: 13 Oct 2019 04:53 AM PDT ![UPDATE 1-Scientists endorse mass civil disobedience to force climate action]( "UPDATE 1-Scientists endorse mass civil disobedience to force climate action") In a joint declaration, climate scientists, physicists, biologists, engineers and others from at least 20 countries broke with the caution traditionally associated with academia to side with peaceful protesters courting arrest from Amsterdam to Melbourne. Wearing white laboratory coats to symbolise their research credentials, a group of about 20 of the signatories gathered on Saturday to read out the text outside London's century-old Science Museum in the city's upmarket Kensington district. "We believe that the continued governmental inaction over the climate and ecological crisis now justifies peaceful and non-violent protest and direct action, even if this goes beyond the bounds of the current law," said Emily Grossman, a science broadcaster with a PhD in molecular biology.
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| Girl scales replica of Trump’s 'un-climbable' border wall Posted: 12 Oct 2019 11:35 AM PDT  An 18-foot replica of President Trump's border wall has been climbed in a matter of seconds by an 8-year-old girl and a man who returned for another attempt while juggling with one hand.
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| Why Poland Really Needs the Patriot Missile Defense System (Think Russia) Posted: 12 Oct 2019 07:00 PM PDT  A robust, modern, integrated Polish air defense will complicate Russian attack planning and help ensure the survivability of both Polish military units and installations, as well as NATO's forward-deployed forces.
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| EU Seeks to Halt U.S. Tariffs Over Airbus Aid in Last-Gasp Plea Posted: 13 Oct 2019 11:17 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Terms of Trade is a daily newsletter that untangles a world embroiled in trade wars. Sign up here. The European Union made a last-ditch appeal to the U.S. to refrain from triggering retaliatory tariffs over illegal subsidies to Airbus SE, warning of economic harm to both sides and repeating a call for a negotiated solution.European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom told her U.S. counterpart, Robert Lighthizer, that his plan to hit $7.5 billion of EU goods ranging from planes to whiskey with duties would compel the EU to apply countermeasures in a parallel lawsuit over market-distorting aid to Boeing Co. U.S. levies would make a negotiated settlement harder to reach, she said."I strongly believe that imposing additional tariffs in the two aircraft cases is not a solution," Malmstrom said in an Oct. 11 letter to Lighthizer seen by Bloomberg News. "It would only inflict damage on businesses and put at risk jobs on both sides of the Atlantic, harm global trade and the broader aviation industry at a sensitive time."The World Trade Organization is due to give final approval for U.S. retaliation in the Airbus case on Monday, allowing tariffs to kick in as planned on Friday.The trans-Atlantic dispute over aircraft aid risks fraying a trade truce struck between the U.S. and EU in July 2018. At the time, both sides pledged to try to scale back commercial barriers and avoid a repeat of tit-for-tat tariffs that began with President Donald Trump's duties on European steel and aluminum on U.S. national-security grounds.The WTO cases over subsidies to Airbus and Boeing are 15 years old. Because of the calendar, the U.S. is entitled to strike first and the EU would follow suit sometime in 2020.Malmstrom gave no sign in her letter to Lighthizer that an idea floated in some EU circles for quicker European retaliation is gaining ground. The idea weighed was to hit back by invoking an unrelated, older WTO case against a now-defunct U.S. tax break given to companies, including Boeing, via subsidiaries known as foreign sales corporations.Instead, Malmstrom said the EU's planned countermeasures of $12 billion would be applied "when the time comes on the parallel Boeing case."Aside from causing economic harm, hastier European retaliation could undermine the EU's claim to be working to uphold the WTO system that Trump's protectionism is shaking."We are ready to negotiate a settlement for both the Airbus and the Boeing case addressing remaining compliance obligations on both sides, putting these cases behind us," Malmstrom said.To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan Stearns in Brussels at jstearns2@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ben Sills at bsills@bloomberg.net, Tony Czuczka, Linus ChuaFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Multiple arrests in Hong Kong as "flashmob" protests hit pro-Bejing targets Posted: 13 Oct 2019 07:31 AM PDT  Riot police clashed with anti-government protesters across Hong Kong Sunday as masked activists vandalised businesses deemed sympathetic to Beijing in another weekend of chaos in the financial hub. Local television networks also broadcast footage of a man beaten bloody by protesters after they found a baton in his bag and suspected him of being an undercover officer. During cat-and-mouse encounters on Sunday officers made dozens of arrests, but there were fewer protesters than have taken to the streets more recently during the four-month long protest movement.
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| German police investigate bitcoin transfer to synagogue killer Posted: 13 Oct 2019 07:12 AM PDT  German police are investigating a bitcoin transfer made to the far-Right extremist behind Wednesday's terror attack in Halle to determine if the man possessed a broader support network. German media outlet Spiegel reports that a transfer of 0.1 bitcoin – approximately €750 (£660) – was made to alleged attacker Stephan Balliet in the lead up to the attack. Police said the transfer came from an unknown source. Balliet told police interrogators that he had received the money from someone whom he had communicated with on the internet, but that he did not know who they were. Questions were raised as to how Balliet, who had been unemployed for a significant period of time in the lead up to the attack, was able to fund the attack, including buying the materials for his home-made weapons. As reported by Spiegel, the man told investigators that the weapons were cheap to manufacture, primarily as he constructed them from basic raw materials. He told police he bought steel worth €50, cartridge cases for €25 and a telescope for €20 to manufacture the weapons, which he based on designs released online by British pro-gun activist Philip Luty "The further investigations will deal in particular with the question of whether other persons were involved in the act or its preparation alongside Stephan Balliet", said a spokesman for the Federal Criminal Police Office. The 27-year-old Balliet was active in far-Right chatrooms, with police suspecting he was radicalised online. Balliet uploaded a manifesto outlining his motives, details of his weapons and indications as to the nature of his plans in the lead up to the attack.
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| The Latest: Man charged in New Hampshire church shooting Posted: 12 Oct 2019 04:44 PM PDT  The New Hampshire attorney general's office says a man has been charged in a shooting that took place during a wedding ceremony. Thirty-seven-year-old Dale Holloway has been charged on Saturday with purposely and knowingly causing bodily injury by means of a deadly weapon for shooting 75-year-old Stanley Choate in the chest. A third person, Mark Castiglione, 60, was struck in the head by an object.
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| The US is preparing to pull its remaining 1,000 troops out of northern Syria as the Turkish offensive against the Kurds moves forward Posted: 13 Oct 2019 07:25 AM PDT  Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the US plans to pull its remaining 1,000 troops out of northern Syria, as Turkey continues to attack Kurdish forces.
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| Nepal pushes to end dependency on India with China rail, tunnel deals Posted: 13 Oct 2019 04:26 AM PDT ![Nepal pushes to end dependency on India with China rail, tunnel deals]( "Nepal pushes to end dependency on India with China rail, tunnel deals") Chinese President Xi Jinping wound up two days of meetings in Nepal on Sunday with separate deals for a rail link to Tibet and a tunnel, an official said, as the Himalayan nation seeks to end an Indian dominance over its trade routes by increasing connectivity with Beijing. The 70-km (42-mile) rail link will connect Gyiron in Tibet with Nepal's capital city of Kathmandu, making it one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the country. A Chinese team has already conducted a preliminary study for the project, which will be part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, Xi's signature diplomatic and trade push that is attempting to recreate the old Silk Road joining China with Asia and Europe.
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| Canadian Snowbird plane crashes during Atlanta air show Posted: 13 Oct 2019 12:54 PM PDT  The remaining festivities associated with the annual air show were cancelled following the crash
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| A Real Threat: Why Russia's Air Force Should Be Taken Seriously Posted: 13 Oct 2019 05:00 AM PDT  And why countries love to buy them.
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| Iowa teacher who posted 'sniper rifle' comment about Greta Thunberg visit resigns Posted: 11 Oct 2019 07:46 PM PDT  Science teacher Matt Baish had been placed on administrative leave after posting "Dont have my sniper rifle" on an article about Greta Thunberg.
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| Democratic debate: Time for 2020 presidential candidates to get real on health care Posted: 13 Oct 2019 10:47 AM PDT  Promises win elections, but how does this field plan to keep those promises once they reach the Oval Office?
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| India tightens security clampdown ahead of divisive temple ruling Posted: 13 Oct 2019 12:25 PM PDT  Authorities have tightened security restrictions in the northern Indian flashpoint city of Ayodhya ahead of a crucial Supreme Court ruling over the disputed site fiercely contested between Hindus and Muslims. Hindus and Muslims have for decades been bitterly divided over the 16th-century Babri mosque in Ayodhya, a city in Uttar Pradash state. The Supreme Court is expected to conclude on October 17 hearings into appeals against a key 2010 court ruling that both groups should split the site, with Hindus granted the lion's share.
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| Rose McGowan attacks Hillary Clinton over ties to ‘monster’ Harvey Weinstein Posted: 13 Oct 2019 04:33 AM PDT  Rose McGowan has lashed out at Hillary Clinton over a report that Ronan Farrow's investigation into Harvey Weinstein was a "concern" for the Clinton camp.The actor was one of the first to come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against the disgraced producer, and a lead campaigner for the MeToo movement. Weinstein has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.
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| Union boosts strike pay for GM workers as talks continue Posted: 12 Oct 2019 02:52 PM PDT ![Union boosts strike pay for GM workers as talks continue]( "Union boosts strike pay for GM workers as talks continue") United Auto Workers said Saturday it's increasing strike pay for workers picketing at General Motors as the walkout by more than 49,000 employees nears the four-week mark. The union also voted to allow members to take part-time jobs and continue to receive strike pay, as long as they perform their picket duty. The moves came as UAW and General Motors continued contract talks on Saturday, a day after the union made a counterproposal to management.
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| Kurdish general to U.S.: Either protect us, or 'move aside so we can let in the Russians' Posted: 12 Oct 2019 10:54 AM PDT ![Kurdish general to U.S.: Either protect us, or 'move aside so we can let in the Russians']( "Kurdish general to U.S.: Either protect us, or 'move aside so we can let in the Russians'") Gen. Mazloum Kobani Abdi, the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, did not mince words when meeting with William Roebuck, the Deputy Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS on Thursday, CNN reports. "You have given up on us," Mazloum said, referring to President Trump's decision to pull U.S. troops out of northern Syria, giving Turkey an opening to invade, which they have. "You are leaving are leaving us to be slaughtered."An internal U.S. government readout obtained by CNN also revealed that Mazloum told Roebuck he has considered gaining the support of another foreign power in place of the U.S. "I've been holding myself for two days from going to the press and saying that America abandoned us and that I would like you to get out of our areas now so that I can invite Russia and regime planes to take over this airspace," Mazloum said. "Either you stop this bombing on our people now or move aside so we can let in the Russians."Roebuck reportedly then suggested Mazloum not make any "immediate decisions," but instead give him time to relay the message to the State Department. Read more at CNN.
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| Canada's Trudeau vows to forge ahead with campaign after security threat Posted: 13 Oct 2019 08:06 AM PDT  Canada's Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Sunday that he will not change the way he is campaigning ahead of the Oct. 21 federal election after a security threat forced him to wear a bulletproof vest at a campaign rally on Saturday. Trudeau arrived 90 minutes late to a rally outside of Toronto wearing the bulky protection under his shirt after he had received a security threat. No details have been provided by the Liberal Party or police.
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| Another storm to keep chilly air in place across northern Plains through midweek Posted: 12 Oct 2019 07:49 AM PDT  Following the potent snowstorm and blizzard conditions just a few days ago, another storm will keep the November-like chill in the region into Wednesday.The last storm brought more than two feet of snow across parts of the Dakotas, and caused chaos for travelers by air and along interstates 90 and 15.This same storm will stall north of the Great Lakes, helping to funnel in chilly Canadian air into much of the region through Sunday. Snow showers will linger in Minnesota and the northern half of Wisconsin.The cool conditions will hold for the Chicago Marathon on Sunday as well, with wet weather staying to the north and east. The storm will gradually weaken and move northward into Canada through Monday, allowing for a brief rise in temperatures for some in the Plains.By being further removed from the storm and on the southern side of the jet stream, cities like Rapid City, South Dakota; Omaha, Nebraska; and Des Moines, Iowa, will all warm up noticeably on Monday.After being stuck in the 40s, afternoon highs on Monday in these cities will reach into the middle and upper 50s, which is still 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit below normal for the middle of October.The next storm looks to take shape in western Canada on Sunday, which will trek through the northern Plains and Upper Midwest on Monday night and Tuesday.Unlike the last storm, significant snow accumulation is not expected, although there could be a little light snow for some. "A cold rain, gusty winds and even some wet snowflakes will be in store for portions of the Upper Midwest on Tuesday, lingering into early on Wednesday," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.Snowflakes will be most likely to mix in across northern Minnesota during the day on Tuesday, but there could be some snowflakes mixing in across northern Michigan and Wisconsin Tuesday night."In what has been a difficult year already for farmers across the Midwest, early season snow and well below-average temperatures aren't providing much help during the harvest," said Buckingham.The cold air filtering in along with the storm could cause any wet areas to rapidly freeze up, leading to areas of black ice. Motorists and those on foot should be on the look out for these slippery spots, even if it only rained in their area.Farther east, temperatures are likely to peak on Tuesday before the chilly air moves in Wednesday."Temperatures will rebound briefly to around 60 Tuesday for places like Chicago and Detroit, but the warmer temperatures will be accompanied by showery weather," Buckingham added.By Wednesday, the wet weather will shift to the Northeast, but leave behind November-like temperatures for the Great Lakes region.The late-autumn weather is likely to hold through the middle of the week, before a high pressure pushes a different air mass into the area late this week."This should bring more seasonable conditions by late in the week," said Buckingham. Download the free AccuWeather app to see the exact forecast for your area. 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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| With Hypersonic Missiles, Israel's F-35s Are Upping The Ante In Syria Posted: 13 Oct 2019 03:20 PM PDT  Iran has taken notice.
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| Body found in San Jose neighborhood where Utah-based CEO went missing Posted: 13 Oct 2019 02:00 PM PDT  The car was found on Bose Lane at Camden Avenue just before 4 p.m. on Saturday.
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| Police: Woman killed by 6-foot log pushed off cliff in Ohio state park; 2 teens charged Posted: 12 Oct 2019 02:46 PM PDT  Ohio investigators say the six-foot log was pushed or thrown off the cliff in the Hocking Hills State Park. Two teens have been charged.
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| Property investors turn to SE Asia amid Hong Kong unrest Posted: 12 Oct 2019 07:30 PM PDT  From luxury Singapore apartments to Malaysian seafront condos, Hong Kong investors are shifting cash into Southeast Asian property, demoralised by increasingly violent protests as well as the China-US trade war. Hong Kong businessman Peter Ng bought a condominium on the Malaysian island of Penang -- which has a substantial ethnic Chinese population and is popular among Hong Kongers -- after the protests erupted. "The instability was a catalyst for me," the 48-year-old stock market and property investor told AFP, adding he was worried about long-term damage to the Hong Kong economy if the unrest persists.
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| UPDATE 1-Russia says exploring settlement in euros, roubles for energy exports Posted: 12 Oct 2019 11:02 PM PDT |
| Suit says feds using immigration marriage interviews as trap Posted: 11 Oct 2019 09:43 PM PDT  Alyse and Elmer Sanchez were thrilled when they survived their "green card" interview, a crucial step in obtaining lawful status in the United States. Moments later, Elmer was in shackles, detained pending deportation to his native Honduras, leaving her alone with their two little boys. "We feel it was a trap, a trick, to get us there," Alyse said.
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| Lindsey Graham: Trump’s vow to sanction Turkey 'a game changer’ Posted: 13 Oct 2019 04:08 PM PDT  "I applaud his decision to work with Congress to stop Turkeys [sic] aggression in Syria through crippling economic sanctions," he tweeted, saying he had spoken to the president. Graham, usually an ardent Trump ally, has been openly critical of the White House decision to remove U.S. troops from northern Syria, allowing Turkey to invade the region.
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| Cubans' resilience sorely tested as US oil sanctions bite Posted: 13 Oct 2019 01:00 AM PDT  As Washington punishes Cuba for supporting Venezuela, Cubans are replacing tractors with oxen and oil with firewoodZoraide Hernández sits at her doorstep for fresh air in Havana this week. Photograph: Alexandre Meneghini/ReutersOn a muggy morning in eastern Havana, a bus crammed with more than 100 sweaty commuters pulls in to a bus stop. The doors open and more passengers press in before – inch by inch – the hydraulic doors groan shut, slowly shunting the new arrivals inside."All the buses are coming like this", said Roberto López, 66, on his way – fingers crossed – to buy biscuits in the city centre.Bus services throughout Cuba have been slashed in recent weeks as the island grapples with acute petrol shortages caused by US sanctions which target companies and oil tankers transporting Venezuelan petroleum to the island.Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel has said the island is currently operating with 62% of the petrol it needs, and announced emergency measures to "disrupt the plans of imperialism". Across the island, production has been cut and stopgaps found, so that fuel can be prioritized for hospitals, schools and food distribution.Oxen have replaced tractors in sugarcane fields; some bakeries are using firewood to power their ovens. Transport inspectors have been deployed to ensure that anyone driving a vehicle which belongs to a ministry or state enterprise gives fellow citizens a lift.At the Alamar textile factory – and in offices and factories throughout the island – all machines and lights are switched off between 11am and 1pm. Taking her extended lunch break, Aimee Machu, 52, said the US wants to stem the flow of oil to "extinguish the flame of communism". "It they cut the power in my house it'll be torture," she laughed, adding with mettle: "But if we have to go through power cuts again, we'll do it.""We're Cuban," her colleague Rita Castro, 60, chuckled. "We're used to this!"Despite its myriad problems, the Cuban economy has proved resilient when times get tough, according to Pavel Vidal, a former economist at the Cuban Central Bank who now teaches at the Javeriana Cali University in Colombia."In normal conditions, Cuba's centrally planned economy impedes economic growth, progress and innovation," he said. "But in times of crisis, having a plan to assign resources where they are needed is an advantage."The collapse of Venezuela's oil industry – the result of years of mismanagement, incompetence and, more recently, US sanctions – has seen its oil shipments to Cuba slump, from more than 90,000 barrels a day four years ago to about 40,000 today.Alberto Font and Iris Ortiz watch a local TV news recording of a speech by Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel in Havana on Thursday. Photograph: Alexandre Meneghini/ReutersThe current US plan to starve the Cuban economy of oil – which the state department says is necessary to pressure Cuba to stop supporting Nicolás Maduro's regime – is part of an onslaught on the communist-ruled island unleashed by the Trump administration this year. The US has progressively ratcheted up sanctions against Venezuelan oil and those buying or transporting it since January, culminating in Cuba's oil import-export company also being placed under sanctions in July.The three biggest sectors of the island's economy have all been targeted. The state department is working to delegitimise the island's main export: the leasing of doctors to other developing countries. In June, the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, said Cuba's medical cooperation programmes – to which doctors sign up voluntarily – amount to "human trafficking".In June US cruise ships were banned from docking at the island – a major blow to tourism – while in September the cap on remittances people in the US can send to the island was sharply cut back.The Cuban government insists the situation is "temporary" and has said there will be no return to anything resembling the "Special Period", the official term for the deep economic crisis Cuba went through after the fall of the Soviet Union, when the average adult lost more than 5kg and getting through the day without electricity was so common that Cubans talked not so much of "power cuts" (apagones) but of "power ons" (alumbrones).After seeing her country's economy improve rapidly after the normalisation of US-Cuban relations announced in 2014, Maite Rizo, 26, has watched the deterioration of relations between the two countries with alarm."I feel confused, even scared," she said. "We've gone from a period of bonanza to a situation where everything's gone backwards very quickly. From here on, we don't know what will happen."Throughout the capital, meanwhile, commuters get by as best they can."It's a battle to get to work," said Nuerca Sánchez, 45, a rumba teacher, while a dozen commuters jostled for spare seats in a car on its way to a state cigar factory. She sees the emergency transport measures as common sense, and is touched when the odd private car stops voluntarily to give people lifts."Helping each other isn't about politics," she said. "It's about having heart."Under the blazing sun, others take the long view.Pedro Leocadeo, 64, who is retired, concedes that he might wait hours for a place on a bus. Shimmering in beads of sweat, he sees the sanctions on tankers in the broad sweep of New World history."We've been in this ever since Hatuey," he said, invoking the Taíno warrior who in 1511 fled from the island of Hispaniola to Cuba to warn the natives of unscrupulous aggressors from foreign lands."We're like this today; tomorrow things might get better – the following day things might get worse again," he said. "Today, it all depends on the Yankees."
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