| A Bernie Sanders Win in Iowa Could Ripple Through Markets Posted: 03 Feb 2020 01:31 PM PST ![A Bernie Sanders Win in Iowa Could Ripple Through Markets]( "A Bernie Sanders Win in Iowa Could Ripple Through Markets") (Bloomberg) -- Unlike the cookies used to lure support at the Iowa caucuses, financial-market expectations for what could be a pivotal moment in the race to the White House are only half-baked.The state is the first to choose its preference for a nominee. So the vote could push the dollar down and stir volatility in bonds, strategists say, if the latest polls are right that votes will tip heavily in favor of Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist.Yet his prospects beyond that are far from certain, meaning there's a vigorous debate among analysts about whether or not the result of Monday's voting will ripple through asset prices.Lauren Goodwin at New York Life Investments says two assumptions are deeply embedded in markets: one, that Donald Trump's Democratic challenger is far from being decided; and two, that Trump will win a second term as U.S. president in November."It would be pretty hard to overstate how much the market expects a re-election scenario," said Goodwin, who's an economist and multi-asset strategist. Traders currently expect "the results in Iowa will be muddled enough that the Democratic candidate for the election is still a bit unclear."A poll released Sunday showed Sanders with a firm lead over his Democratic rivals -- including the moderate front-runner, former Vice President Joe Biden -- heading into tonight's Iowa caucus. Michael Bloomberg is also seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. He is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News.JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s currency strategists are focused on how this tug-of-war between the progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party plays out as their strongest election-related cue on the dollar. They're recommending a tactical short on the greenback versus the franc to brace for any election-related dips in the dollar over the coming months.In their rationale, they cite a Jan. 24 report from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget that identifies Sanders' fiscal proposals as adding the most to U.S. budget deficits over the next decade. The study didn't consider the potential impact from Trump's proposals. The Congressional Budget Office projects the federal gap will widen to $1 trillion in 2020 and average $1.3 trillion over the next decade.Moreover, traders have been adding to positions in euro-dollar options that would benefit from a weaker greenback. They now have the most negative stance on the dollar versus the euro in more than two years.Markets are underestimating how much volatility Iowa could create, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. strategists led by Praveen Korapathy reckon. They note that victory in this caucus boosts the winner's odds of sealing the nomination by around 30 percentage points.And the wider the gap in the economic policies of the two eventual candidates for the White House, "the greater degree of asset market volatility we would expect in response to swings in head-to-head polls," the strategists wrote."While there are some kinks visible on both equity and interest rates options markets for both Iowa and Super Tuesday, there isn't an elevated level of volatility priced in the intervening period or thereafter," they said.But Iowa is only the first post in this race. An online poll released Monday showed Sanders and fellow progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren in close competition with Biden in New Hampshire ahead of that Feb. 11 vote, with many still undecided.And any market reaction to Iowa's result is likely to be short term, in Goodwin's view, as investors will set it in the context of the "ebb and flow of the election cycle," and home in on the viability of the candidates' platforms. "For most investors, it's more productive to focus on policy changes for their portfolio positioning."\--With assistance from Susanne Barton.To contact the reporter on this story: Emily Barrett in New York at ebarrett25@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Benjamin Purvis at bpurvis@bloomberg.net, Nick Baker, Mark TannenbaumFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Thailand eyes limits on surgical mask exports as coronavirus cases rise Posted: 04 Feb 2020 04:45 AM PST ![Thailand eyes limits on surgical mask exports as coronavirus cases rise]( "Thailand eyes limits on surgical mask exports as coronavirus cases rise") Thailand's cabinet agreed measures on Tuesday that could lead to a reduction in the export of surgical masks to prevent shortages at home as health authorities try to contain the spread of the coronavirus. "There are more (surgical mask) orders from overseas and tourists are buying a lot, causing shortages in some stores," deputy government spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek told Reuters. On average, Thailand produces around 600 million masks each year and uses about 200 million with the rest are exported.
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| Probe of Lebanese-American who worked for Israel postponed Posted: 03 Feb 2020 04:44 AM PST ![Probe of Lebanese-American who worked for Israel postponed]( "Probe of Lebanese-American who worked for Israel postponed") A Lebanese judge postponed Monday the questioning of a Lebanese-American who confessed he'd worked for Israel during its occupation of Lebanon, state-run National News Agency reported. The agency said that because Amer Fakhoury is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer, the investigative judge's questioning session will be postponed until Feb. 17. Fakhoury was detained after returning to his native Lebanon from the U.S. in September.
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| An artist wheeled 99 smartphones around in a wagon to create fake traffic jams on Google Maps Posted: 03 Feb 2020 09:28 AM PST  Wherever the wagon full of phones went, Google Maps showed a traffic jam, displaying a red line and routing people around the area.
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| CDC Coronavirus Boss Calls Spread ‘Unprecedented’ as Cases Surge in U.S. and Abroad Posted: 03 Feb 2020 09:40 AM PST  Federal officials confirmed the number of U.S. cases of 2019 novel coronavirus had reached 11 on Monday, describing the increasingly deadly global crisis as "explosive" and "unprecedented," and suggesting it amounted to a potential pandemic.Two people over the weekend in California became the second domestic case of person-to-person transmission of the virus, said Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She painted a picture of a dogged but realist federal and state approach to containment that now included measures in place at 11 airports across the U.S."We expect to see more cases of person-to-person spread among close contacts," she told reporters, later adding, "The goal here is to slow entry of this virus into the United States."According to Messonnier, 167 people under investigation for the virus in the U.S. had tested negative for infection, and officials had tests on 82 people pending as of Monday morning. She said the CDC had isolated the virus and planned to submit materials to the Food and Drug Administration to facilitate the dispersal of potentially life-saving medical products that might help facilities be better able to identify cases without transmitting samples to CDC headquarters in Atlanta, as they have been.China Arrested Doctors Who Warned About Coronavirus Outbreak. Now Death Toll's Rising, Stocks Are Plunging.California has now become a domestic epicenter of infections, with two infections confirmed in Santa Clara County, in the Bay Area; two more in San Benito County, near Monterey, where a man appeared to infect his wife; and, previously, one case each in Orange County and Los Angeles County, in Southern California. On Saturday, a UMass-Boston college student returning from Wuhan was also confirmed to be infected. Initial U.S. cases were identified in suburban Seattle, in Chicago (where a woman was believed to have infected her husband upon returning from abroad), and in an individual affiliated with Arizona State University in Tempe.Worldwide, the novel coronavirus has been linked to at least 361 deaths in China and least one in the Philippines. It had infected at least 17,000 people in China as of Sunday, according to The New York Times, which suggested both that its rate of infection was higher than the 2002-03 SARS epidemic and that its mortality rate appeared to be significantly lower.On the call with reporters, CDC officials also offered more details on a travel ban imposed by way of a presidential proclamation Friday. New airports covered by the federal response include Dulles in Virginia, Newark Liberty in New Jersey, Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas, and Detroit Metropolitan. Foreign nationals who have visited China in the last 14 days will be barred from entering the country, with some exemptions. Both citizens and "exempted persons" will see additional health assessments and, if symptomatic, transferred and potentially quarantined for 14 days. Just how easily the disease might spread from infected people within the United States remains to be seen. While some studies and reports have suggested asymptomatic people can spread the illness, the CDC at one point pushed back on that conclusion, before nodding to growing evidence of the possibility on Friday.Then again, some people might be higher risks of spreading infection than others."There has been a lot of discussion among clinicians and scientists about what is something called the R0, which is how many people on average does one person infect," Davidson Hamer, a professor of global health and medicine at Boston University, told The Daily Beast. "The estimates are somewhere between 1.5 and 3, but again those are just estimates.""In SARS, there were what we call 'super spreaders,' where one person could infect or appear to infect many, many people," he added. "We don't understand how that occurred. We don't know if there are super spreaders with this novel coronavirus yet."—Susan Zalkind contributed reporting to this story.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Senator Rand Paul outed the alleged Trump whistleblower on the floor of the Senate Posted: 04 Feb 2020 10:46 AM PST  After having his question denied by Chief Justice John Roberts, the junior senator from Kentucky read out a question that explicitly names the alleged whistleblower.
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| Don't Listen to Trump: the Travel Ban Isn't About National Security Posted: 04 Feb 2020 12:30 AM PST  It won't effect international terrorism.
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| Britain receives first ‘Poseidon’ aircraft in bid to restore submarine-hunting muscle Posted: 04 Feb 2020 09:22 AM PST  The new planes will escort the country's nuclear submarines when deploying and keep tabs on undersea threats in the North Atlantic.
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| Norwegian won't issue $32,000 refund to family that canceled Asian cruise over coronavirus Posted: 03 Feb 2020 01:17 PM PST  A Maui woman said that when her family tried to cancel their upcoming Asia cruise, Norwegian wouldn't refund any of the $32,000 they'd already paid.
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| 'People were breaking down crying': Iowa vote-counters tell of caucus debacle Posted: 04 Feb 2020 08:02 AM PST  Precinct captains say the night had run smoothly – but when they turned to the party-managed app things went badly wrongMatthew Marroquin, a 20-year-old caucus captain for a satellite precinct in Buena Vista county in north-western Iowa, was eager to tell state party officials on Monday night that his candidate of choice, Bernie Sanders, had swept one of the county's largest precincts.That fitted a growing narrative of Sanders' strength in the first-in-the nation caucuses. An average of a recent string of polls and results of a Des Moines Register/CNN Iowa poll that were pulled because of respondent concerns showed Sanders with a slight edge over Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg, with Joe Biden fading off.A rousing speech from Storm Lake city resident Linda Torres, a 24-year-old precinct captain, about how Sanders' healthcare plan would have saved her father's life helped seal the crowd's preference for Sanders. Torres' sister, Teresa, told the Guardian: "Bernie's fighting for us for all the right reasons."The end count was 93-0 for Sanders. Twelve other people at the precinct, most of them supporting Buttigieg, decided they'd leave rather than throw their support behind the progressive firebrand.Everything had been easy to run. Everything had worked.Until Marroquin turned to the party-administered app to report his results at around 8.50pm.That's when events in at the precinct site – echoing similar scenes at hundreds of other caucus sites across the state – began to go very wrong. The app for transmitting results was not working in many places. A telephone hotline back-up system quickly became jammed. The TV cable news shows, eagerly awaiting results, rapidly turned to covering the ever-lengthening delay."The website wasn't working, so we had to go to this hotline, where we had to wait, like, an hour to get anybody on the other line," Marroquin said over the phone at about midnight on Tuesday morning. "And when we did, we got people on the other side who were breaking down crying. The whole thing took forever."Marroquin said he finally uploaded the results at around midnight.Marroquin, Torres and the entirety of the local Sanders operation camped out until the wee hours of Tuesday morning in anticipation of the Democratic party releasing something. As of 10am local time, the state map was still blank, the party still maintaining results would be released at "some time" on Tuesday.By then all the major candidates in Iowa had already given farewell speeches and moved on to the next state in the race: New Hampshire. But still no results had been released as officials scrambled to recount results verify them, as national and international headlines focused on the unfolding chaos.A Guardian survey of caucus-goers and observers around Iowa showed experiences similar to that of Marroquin. Norbert Sarsfield, a Sanders precinct captain in Iowa City, said a mishandling of the first alignment delayed reporting in one of Iowa's largest precincts; the reporting issue only compounded the issue, he said."Rage drinking," he said of his experience at his Iowa City precinct.The informal survey showed Sanders, Buttigieg and Warren making strong showings, and Amy Klobuchar was exceeding expectations. JD Scholten, a Sioux City Democrat running for Iowa's fourth district, said results across western Iowa showed varied support for Klobuchar and Buttigieg. Sarsfield said Warren and Sanders led the way.Still, without actual results, no one really knows.The Iowa caucuses are never about the final delegate count; in total, its 41 delegates comprise around a single percentage point of the total delegate total. The caucuses are more of a stress test for the campaigns, explained Brad Best, a Buena Vista University political science professor and a longtime observer of the caucuses.A win for Sanders or a better-than-expected turnout for Buttigieg or Warren could have spun new narratives of strength heading into the New Hampshire primaries and Super Tuesday. That's why every four years Iowa is such a hard-fought battleground.That's all for naught now.Best said the caucuses and Iowa's first-in-the-nation status are probably in jeopardy after Monday night's fiasco."The Iowa caucuses generate narratives, both legitimate and not," Best said in a recent interview. "The campaigns seize on them to demonstrate new strength heading into subsequent primaries, and the fact they can't this time, is already posing headaches."
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| Iran Upholds Death Sentence for Man Convicted of Spying for U.S. Posted: 04 Feb 2020 02:33 AM PST ![Iran Upholds Death Sentence for Man Convicted of Spying for U.S.]( "Iran Upholds Death Sentence for Man Convicted of Spying for U.S.") (Bloomberg) -- Iran upheld the death sentence given to an Iranian national found guilty of working for U.S. intelligence.Amir Rahimpour "was a CIA spy who was paid handsomely and tried to pass part of Iran's nuclear information to the American service," judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Esmaeili said on state television on Tuesday.The Supreme Court maintained the conviction and sentencing of Rahimpour, who will be executed in the near future, he said.Iran said in July it had sentenced to death several citizens accused of spying on Iran's military and nuclear program as part of a CIA-trained network. U.S. officials dismissed the claims.Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have since spiraled further, culminating in President Donald Trump's order to kill a top Iranian general, and Tehran's retaliatory missile strikes on bases in Iraq housing U.S. troops.To contact the reporter on this story: Arsalan Shahla in Tehran at ashahla@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Lin Noueihed at lnoueihed@bloomberg.net, Mark Williams, Paul AbelskyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| EU to overhaul process for admitting new members in bid to lift French veto Posted: 04 Feb 2020 02:51 AM PST  The European Commission will propose changes to the system for letting new countries into the EU to give existing members more say, in a bid to mollify France which has vetoed expansion of the bloc to six countries in the Balkans. In October, President Emmanuel Macron halted the process of admitting Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and North Macedonia. The Commission hopes to persuade France to lift its objections before a Zagreb summit with the Balkan states in May.
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| Ex-Fox News journalist Gretchen Carlson calls on Michael Bloomberg to release women from NDAs they signed as his employees Posted: 04 Feb 2020 01:56 PM PST  Michael Bloomberg has been repeatedly accused of making sexist remarks and sued for propagating a "culture of discrimination."
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| North Korea making 'all-out efforts' to guard against virus Posted: 03 Feb 2020 10:34 PM PST  North Korea said Tuesday it was mobilizing 30,000 health workers everyday in its "all-out efforts" to guard against the spread of a virus from neighboring China. North Korea hasn't reported any case of the new coronavirus, but some experts say an epidemic in North Korea could be dire because of its chronic lack of medical supplies and poor health care infrastructure. It said the 30,000 workers are examining and monitoring residents and trying to inform North Korean people about how dangerous the virus is, how it spreads and what precautionary steps they should take.
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| Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer says he expects to leave Iowa 'with momentum' Posted: 04 Feb 2020 07:52 AM PST  Democratic presidential contender Tom Steyer on Monday said he expected to leave Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses "with momentum" that carries him later this month to Nevada and South Carolina, where he has shown more strength in opinion polls.
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| Trump is reportedly hoping to lock up John Bolton Posted: 03 Feb 2020 08:10 PM PST  President Trump's list of foes is getting longer by the day, with Crooked Hillary, Sleepy Joe, Crazy Bernie, and Nervous Nancy needing to make room for World War 6 John.Vanity Fair's Gabriel Sherman reports that he has spoken to several Republicans who say Trump is keeping track of people he believes "crossed him during the impeachment," and has an "enemies list that is growing by the day." It's nonpartisan, with Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and former National Security Adviser John Bolton all making the cut.Multiple Republicans told Sherman that Bolton is at the top of the list. When Bolton left the White House in September, his relationship with Trump was fractured, and Trump is furious over Bolton's forthcoming book about his time as national security adviser. Bolton reportedly writes that Trump did say there was a quid pro quo with Ukraine, which Trump has denied.One person told Sherman Trump wants Bolton to be criminally investigated, and has been "calling people and telling them to go after Bolton." Another Republican said Trump believes Bolton could have mishandled classified information, and a third said the White House wants to leak emails that allegedly show Bolton was "doing pay-to-play" while on the National Security Council. A person close to Bolton scoffed at this, telling Sherman he "plays things straight."More stories from theweek.com Trump just won the Iowa Democratic caucuses Should financial markets be freaked out by coronavirus? America is doing so much better than you think
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| Where Is the Scorpion? The Creepy Unsolved Mystery of America's Lost Nuclear Attack Submarine Posted: 04 Feb 2020 03:57 AM PST  We still don't have a good answer.
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| White nationalist has long worked at conservative outlets under real name Posted: 03 Feb 2020 06:00 AM PST  Guardian findings support watchdog's report that 'Paul Kersey', a prominent author and activist, is actually Michael J ThompsonA new report has revealed that a prominent white nationalist author, activist and podcaster known as "Paul Kersey" has in fact worked for more than a decade at mainstream conservative institutions and media outlets under his real name.According to an investigation by the not-for-profit media outlet Right Wing Watch (RWW), the man who has worked under the Kersey pseudonym is in fact Michael J Thompson.The Guardian has uncovered additional material that supports reporting by RWW, and further indicates Thompson's role in moulding rightwing activists from a position near the heart of America's most influential conservative institutions.The RWW investigation, published on Monday, reveals the work of "Paul Kersey", whom it calls a "barely underground member of the white nationalist movement" and a fixture on the roster of racist media outlets and campaign groups.But it also shows that Thompson worked under his own name at institutions like the Leadership Institute, its media arm Campus Reform, and WND, formerly World Net Daily, a once-popular conspiracy-minded conservative outlet, as late as November 2018.It also shows how his WND position allowed him to move in professional circles that included white nationalists, writers from Breitbart and the Daily Caller and prominent Donald Trump supporters including Steve Bannon and Jack Posobiec.RWW determined Thompson's identity partly through a forensic voice test on audio recordings and partly through emails and testimony provided by Katie McHugh, a former far-right insider and Breitbart writer.Evidence from McHugh underpinned reporting by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) that showed how Trump's close aide Stephen Miller attempted to insert white nationalist themes into Breitbart's coverage of the 2016 presidential election.Using the "Paul Kersey" pseudonym in online columns for outlets like VDare and American Renaissance, Thompson has for years whipped up racist fears about black crime; promoted racial paranoia about a demographic "Great Replacement" of white Americans; and spread falsehoods about the genetic inferiority of non-whites.According to RWW, he has run an influential far-right blog, Stuff Black People Don't Like, since 2009. The blog is focused on promoting false white nationalist ideas about race and crime.He has also regularly appeared as a guest on white nationalist podcasts including Red Ice, The Political Cesspool and Richard Spencer's AltRight Radio and is currently the co-host of a podcast produced by a prominent SPLC-designated hate group, American Renaissance.But in 2010, RWW reports, he was named in a press release from the Leadership Institute as working in their campus services program. The Guardian was able to confirm this by accessing an archived staff page for Campus Reform, the Leadership Institute's online vehicle for the prosecution of on-campus culture wars.The Leadership Institute is one of the longest-standing institutions in the US conservative movement, focused on training young activists. It claims to have trained 200,000 such young conservatives over 40 years, in skills including public speaking, campaigning and fundraising.In a series of archived snapshots from the Campus Reform staff page from September 2009 to July 2010, Thompson was listed as campus services coordinator for the western region. This suggests he began his pseudonymous white nationalist blog while employed by the Leadership Institute and its media arm.Campus Reform's website was established at the beginning of 2009, according to Domain Name System records. It has typically targeted so-called political correctness and professors it deems to be leftists.Using internet archiving services, the Guardian was able to access the full text of previously unreported Campus Reform articles by Thompson. In the bylines for those articles, written in 2009 and 2010, he is described as a "Campus Reform reporter".In the articles that were archived and accessible, Thompson does not openly use the vocabulary of white nationalism but does explore themes such as race and immigration.One May 2010 article criticizes Colorado State students for staging a walkout in protest against a hardline immigration law passed in Arizona in 2010 and highlights the involvement of some students with an immigrant rights group, La Raza.Another bemoans the decision of a Washington state public college, Evergreen State, to fund a visit by the academic and civil rights activist Angela Davis, calling her a "Marxist agitator".Many more articles offer instructions, guidance and assistance to conservative student activists.Thompson leads with complaints about political correctness; news of anti-abortion, pro-gun and media activism by conservative students; and exhortations to run for student government.In each case, he appeals to students to reach out to Campus Reform for information, training and organizing assistance.The Guardian has discovered evidence that Thompson was able to make connections between students and members of the conservative movement.A February 2011 guest post on the Campus Reform website by a senior at Utah State University describes that student's experiences as a sponsored attendee at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which remains the principal annual gathering of the conservative movement.The author writes: "Michael Thompson, my regional field coordinator … worked diligently to put me in contact with individuals and organizations willing to help me with future activism efforts on my campus."RWW reports that Thompson worked at WND from at least January 2012 to November 2018.Thompson, American Renaissance leader Jared Taylor and Joseph Farah of WND did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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| Iranian spy to be executed for CIA work: Report Posted: 04 Feb 2020 03:56 AM PST  Iran said Tuesday that its top court confirmed a death sentence for an Iranian man convicted of spying for the CIA, with state media alleging that he had shared details of the Islamic Republic's nuclear program with the American spy agency.
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| MSNBC Flips Out After Bernie Adviser Nina Turner Calls Bloomberg an ‘Oligarch’ Posted: 03 Feb 2020 05:52 PM PST  Moments before the Iowa Democratic caucuses kicked off Monday night, Bernie Sanders' national campaign co-chair Nina Turner sparked fireworks on the MSNBC set when she repeatedly described billionaire Democratic presidential hopeful Mike Bloomberg as an "oligarch."Criticizing the Democratic National Committee for overhauling its debate requirements in a clear move to allow Bloomberg to qualify moving forward, Turner told MSNBC host Chris Matthews that American voters are concerned about "the oligarchs" being able to buy their way into elections."Do you think Mike Bloomberg is an oligarch?" Matthews, taken aback, exclaimed."He is," Turner shot back. "He skipped Iowa. Iowans should be insulted. Buying his way into this race, period. The DNC changed the rules. They didn't change it for Senator Harris. They didn't change it for Senator Booker. They didn't change it for Secretary Castro."Matthews then asked if Turner believed Bloomberg bought his way into the debates, prompting the former Ohio lawmaker to declare that he "absolutely did" and it was a "stain on democracy."After Matthews finished interviewing Turner, anchor Brian Williams turned to MSNBC contributor Jason Johnson, who apparently also had a strong reaction to Turner's assessment of Bloomberg."Calling Mike Bloomberg an oligarch has implications in this country that I think are unfair and unreasonable," he huffed. "I disagree with a lot of things Mike Bloomberg has done as a mayor. Oligarchy in our particular terminology makes you think of a rich person who got their money off of oil in Russia, who is taking advantage of a broken and dysfunctional system.""Mike Bloomberg is just a rich guy," Johnson continued. "Just because you're rich doesn't mean that you're an oligarch that abuses power. The power that Mike Bloomberg got access to was given to him by the voters of New York... It ain't the kind of language you should be using. I think it's dismissive, unfair and it's the kind of thing that blows up in your face if you become the nominee and you have to work with Mike Bloomberg three or four months from now. That's the issue Sanders people never seem to want to remember."Following a commercial break, MSNBC had Turner and Johnson debate her use of the term. The Sanders adviser, for her part, was unapologetic, saying it was "ironic" that "somebody would defend the wealthiest people in this country over the working people in this country." "That is the same message Bernie Sanders has to the everyday people of this nation, that I welcome the hatred of the elites because I am standing up for you," she added. "So cry me a river for the wealthiest."Johnson, meanwhile, contended that his issue was what the word "oligarch" implied while also claiming that Turner herself worked for someone who's part of the one percent, wondering if she would call Sanders an oligarch.Things continued to get more and more heated between the two, with Turner accusing Johnson of name-calling and "defending somebody who is buying his way through democracy" while Johnson complained that this was "just how you guys operate."Eventually, at the end of the very tense exchange, Matthews asked if she wanted to change her word for Bloomberg."No, he doesn't tell me what to say or how to change my words," she emphatically replied. "My word stands!"Fox News Host Grills Pete Buttigieg: How Can You Call Trump Racist After Super Bowl Ad?Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| An Air Canada Boeing 767 circled Madrid for over 6 hours before making an emergency landing after it suffered engine damage during take off Posted: 04 Feb 2020 04:04 AM PST  The Air Canada plane was carrying 128 passengers and eight crew members, all of whom landed safely in Madrid.
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| Recording shows Iran knew immediately it had shot down plane: Zelenskiy Posted: 03 Feb 2020 06:43 AM PST  KIEV/DUBAI (Reuters) - A leaked audio recording of an Iranian pilot talking to the control tower in Tehran shows that Iran knew immediately it had shot down a Ukrainian airliner last month, despite denying it for days, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. On the recording, played on a Ukrainian television station late on Sunday, the pilot of another plane can be heard saying he saw "the light of a missile" in the sky before Ukrainian International Airways flight 752 crashed in an explosion. Tehran blamed the Ukrainian authorities for leaking what it described as confidential evidence, and said it would no longer share material with Ukraine from the investigation into the crash.
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| South Vietnam Went Out With a Fight...Against China Posted: 04 Feb 2020 01:23 AM PST  And the issues are still there.
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| Caroline Kennedy backs Biden, calls him Democrats' best bet Posted: 04 Feb 2020 05:55 AM PST  The Kennedy family has been a major force in Massachusetts politics for generations, and Caroline Kennedy's sought-after endorsement came the day that the 2020 Democratic contest landed in neighboring New Hampshire, which holds its presidential primary next week. Kennedy, a former ambassador to Japan, announced her decision to endorse Biden in an opinion article in The Boston Globe. "We need a nominee who can compete in every state, who can bring wandering Democrats and independents back to the fold, and even attract some Republicans," Kennedy wrote.
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| Pompeo tells Kazakh reporter that barring NPR reporter sent 'a perfect message about press freedoms' Posted: 03 Feb 2020 12:20 AM PST  After the State Department revoked the press credentials of NPR's Michele Keleman for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's trip to Europe and Central Asia, in apparent retaliation for questions Pompeo didn't like from NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly, there were concerns about what kind of message Pompeo sent to the world about America's commitment to press freedoms. On Sunday, when Pompeo was in Kazakhstan — which has a dismal zero press-freedoms rating from Reporters Without Borders — Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reporter Aigerim Toleukhan asked Pompeo. He said the episode sends "a perfect message about press freedoms."Pompeo can be heard telling Kelly in their interview that he only wanted to discuss Iran, not Ukraine and whether he stood up for America's former ambassador to Kyiv when President Trump and his allies smeared her. Kelly said after the interview, Pompeo took her into a separate room and berated her at length, using profanities.Pompeo told Toleukhan he didn't have a "confrontational interview" with Kelly and insisted that reporters "get to ask me any questions, all questions." As for barring Keleman from his trip, Pompeo said he always brings "a big press contingent, but we ask for certain sets of behaviors, and that's simply telling the truth and being honest. And when they'll do that, they get to participate, and if they don't, it's just not appropriate" or even "fair to the rest of the journalists who are participating alongside them." That's when Toleukhan asked about what message that sends to the world, and Pompeo said "a perfect message."After Kelly told NPR listeners about Pompeo berating her, Pompeo accused her of lying twice, once while "setting up our interview" and again by not honoring her agreement keep their "post-interview conversation" private. Kelly said she never agreed to go off-the-record — it's unclear why she would — and she released emails showing she told Pompeo's staff she intended to ask him about both Iran and Ukraine.More stories from theweek.com Mitch McConnell's rare blunder John Bolton just vindicated Nancy Pelosi All the president's turncoats
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| RBA On Hold as Nightmare Scenario of China Slowdown Emerges Posted: 02 Feb 2020 08:03 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- For a fresh perspective on the stories that matter for Australian business and politics, sign up for our new weekly newsletter.Australia is set to keep interest rates unchanged Tuesday as policy makers keep searching for signs that prior stimulus is encouraging households to spend. Hovering over the meeting is the specter of a viral-induced slowdown in China.Governor Philip Lowe will keep the cash rate at 0.75% at the Reserve Bank's first meeting of the year, according to 22 of 25 economists, with markets pricing similarly. The turnaround -- the majority began the year forecasting a February easing -- was driven by a fall in unemployment in the final two months of 2019."The economic data has generally come in on the stronger side over recent months," said Kristina Clifton, a senior economist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. "But the virus has the potential to impact on economic growth as consumers spend less, business and consumer confidence drops and tourists and people traveling for business delay their plans."Most economists trying to discern the impact of novel coronavirus have harked back to the SARS epidemic 17 years ago. Yet, that was a different world. Australia's links to China's economy have increased exponentially since. The numbers tell the story:China's share of Australian exports was 33% in 2018-19 vs 7% in 2002-03Tourists from China jumped to 15% of total arrivals from 4% over the same period; and now account for more than a quarter of total visitor spendingAlmost a quarter of new foreign students are from ChinaChina bought 82% of Australian iron ore shipments last year, compared with 32% in 2003China's benchmark iron ore contract fell by its daily limit of 8% and Singapore's contract has collapsed 11%, driven by a combination of concerns that the virus could strike near-term demand in China and expectations that global seaborne supplies are poised to expand.A complete shutdown of Chinese tourism and student travel for a year would cut Australian GDP by almost 1 percentage point, "with significant additional multiplier effects," according to Westpac Banking Corp.The Australian tourism industry is already dealing with a demand shock following the wild fires that drove cancellations from abroad amid images of major cities choking on smoke, Australians fleeing their homes and fallen native animals.Lowe cut interest rates three times between June and October to shore up consumer spending amid weak wages growth and elevated debt. The economic data in the past month has exceeded expectations.What Bloomberg's Economists Say"Economic data in the rear view mirror supported the RBA's view that the economy had reached a gentle turning point. But that now needs to be reassessed. The twin shocks of ongoing bushfires and the unfolding coronavirus outbreak are still playing out. There's little hard data for the RBA to draw on to form a view on how badly the turning in the economy has been derailed, and how much additional stimulus may be required."James McIntyre, economistMoney markets have also begun to shift, with a March easing coming into view, whereas last week the broad expectation was that there was little prospect of the RBA easing before April. Cash-rate futures on Monday were pricing in a 60% chance of a cut next month, up from less than 40% last Wednesday following stronger-than-expected inflation data.Lowe will be questioned on the disasters when he addresses the National Press Club Wednesday in a speech titled "The Year Ahead."On Friday he, Deputy Governor Guy Debelle and other senior officials will appear in Canberra for the RBA's semi-annual parliamentary testimony. Concurrently, the RBA releases its Statement on Monetary Policy that includes updated forecasts for economic growth, inflation and unemployment. It's expected that near-term GDP growth projections will be lowered.One area where the RBA's easing has impacted quickly is housing: Sydney and Melbourne are leading the rebound, with data Monday showing prices climbed 1.1% and 1.2% respectively in January.The labor market has also stood strong, with unemployment falling to 5.1% in December from 5.3% in October. Data Monday showed job advertisements jumped 3.8% in January.(Updates with comment from Bloomberg economist in 10th paragraph, money markets pricing in chance of March easing in 11th.)\--With assistance from Tomoko Sato.To contact the reporter on this story: Michael Heath in Sydney at mheath1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Paul Jackson at pjackson53@bloomberg.net, Alexandra Veroude, Nasreen SeriaFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Warm water found at "vital point" under "doomsday glacier" Posted: 02 Feb 2020 10:05 PM PST  A news release on the findings called it an alarming discovery.
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| Michael Bloomberg is the only candidate to give money to the DNC. They just changed their rules to let him onto the debate stage. Posted: 03 Feb 2020 09:18 AM PST  Bloomberg gave $300,000 to the Democratic National Committee last year, ahead of a rules change that allows him to participate in debates.
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| Japan quarantined a cruise ship with 3,700 people onboard after one passenger contracted the Wuhan coronavirus. Here's what it's like onboard. Posted: 04 Feb 2020 05:20 AM PST  The Diamond Princess is currently floating in Yokohama Bay, eastern Japan, and passengers are undergoing tests.
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| SoulCycle sales ‘down’ as at-home bike boom compounds Trump fundraiser boycott Posted: 04 Feb 2020 10:48 AM PST  New data suggests that competition from at-home stationary bike company, Peloton, may have had a greater impact on SoulCycle bookings than last summer's boycott.Recode reports that data from Earnest Research, which analyses web searches and credit and debit transactions, shows stationary bike company SoulCycle suffering its biggest ever year-on-year sales declines in the last week of December and the first weeks of January. This coincides with a surge in interest in rival Peloton over the holiday period.
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| F-35s For Everyone: How China Spied and Stole Its Way To Military Dominance Posted: 04 Feb 2020 03:00 AM PST  Or at least parity.
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| International court gathering evidence in Rohingya case Posted: 04 Feb 2020 04:48 AM PST ![International court gathering evidence in Rohingya case]( "International court gathering evidence in Rohingya case") Investigators from the International Criminal Court have begun collecting evidence for a case involving alleged crimes against humanity by Myanmar against Rohingya Muslims causing them to flee to neighboring Bangladesh, a court official said Tuesday. Phakiso Mochochoko, director of the Jurisdiction, Complementary and Cooperation Division of the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, said a team of investigators is visiting Rohingya refugee camps to collect evidence.
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| Sanders reportedly finished 1st, Biden 4th in unreleased Iowa poll Posted: 03 Feb 2020 04:37 PM PST  Remember that final poll of Iowa Democrats from CNN and The Des Moines Register that wasn't released because of an interviewing error? Well, FiveThirtyEight reportedly confirmed the final results.It would've been good news for Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who led the pack with 22 percent and 18 percent, respectively. That falls in line with an earlier report that media outlets increased their coverage of Warren after glimpsing the numbers.It was a particularly rough poll for former Vice President Joe Biden, who fell all the way to fourth, despite hovering near the top of the leaderboard for months. Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg came in third. > We can confirm the final results of the unreleased Iowa Poll: > > Sanders 22%> > Warren 18%> > Buttigieg 16%> > Biden 13%> > https://t.co/deTryUiHgt> > -- Clare Malone (@ClareMalone) February 4, 2020More stories from theweek.com Trump just won the Iowa Democratic caucuses Should financial markets be freaked out by coronavirus? America is doing so much better than you think
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| Merkel Plan for Huawei Gets Pushback From Within Her Own Ranks Posted: 03 Feb 2020 12:33 AM PST ![Merkel Plan for Huawei Gets Pushback From Within Her Own Ranks]( "Merkel Plan for Huawei Gets Pushback From Within Her Own Ranks") (Bloomberg) -- Chancellor Angela Merkel's efforts to rule out a ban on Huawei Technologies Co. have hit a wall of resistance in parliament.While the U.K. and the European Union introduced policies that allow Huawei's partial participation in next-generation wireless networks, Merkel has failed to forge a compromise with hard-line lawmakers in her Christian Democratic-led bloc who want to ban China's biggest maker of telecommunications gear, according to three officials familiar with the process. Attempts to reach an agreement last week failed and will be resumed later in February.The stalemate reflects Merkel's difficulty in asserting control in a standoff that pits trade interests with China against security concerns raised by Washington and her own intelligence agencies.Open dissent such as that over the 5G policy is uncommon in Merkel's otherwise disciplined CDU. Since the 65-year-old former physicist announced over a year ago that she wouldn't run for a fifth term, she has withdrawn from domestic politics and her agenda has at times been overshadowed by a power struggle to succeed her.Read More:BMW China 2019 Vehicle Sales Rise 13% to Record 723,680 UnitsMerkel's Partner Wants to Forget Talk of Ditching CoalitionGermany Lifts Economic Outlook, But Says Better Is Needed (1)The security concerns over Beijing's potential influence over Huawei are shared by many in her allied Social Democratic party and in the Foreign Ministry. Yet the balancing act is proving difficult for Merkel and her government, which are torn between an allegiance for a traditional ally and the risk of antagonizing and isolating Germany's largest trading partner by shutting out Chinese technology."I call on us not to slip into a new form of bi-polarity," Merkel said in a speech last month in Berlin. "Rather we must try, with the results and experiences we have around multilateralism, to include a country like China and at least treat it on the same terms."Inside Merkel's chancellery, senior officials consider that a ban on Huawei would be futile, since the Chinese could potentially infiltrate another supplier if they were determined to hack into 5G communications. They are also keenly aware of the warnings from Beijing over likely retaliations if Berlin were to limit the Chinese company's access to the German market.Skeptics accuse Merkel of adhering to an outdated geopolitical view that Chinese economic development would spur political reform and a convergence of the world's most populous nation with international standards and norms."Merkel is stuck with an idea of China that is 10 years old," Nils Schmid, a senior SPD lawmaker on the Bundestag foreign affairs committee, said in an interview last week.A group of Bundestag lawmakers is standing by a bill drafted in December that would exclude "untrustworthy" equipment vendors from the whole network, a clear reference to Huawei and a break from last week's decisions in London and Brussels that defied U.S. demands to exclude Huawei. The U.K. said that Huawei would be allowed access to the periphery of 5G networks, but not the core -- a principle that Merkel's chancellery had agreed to late last year in a concession to hawks.Smoking GunThe hard-liners got a boost last week, when Handelsblatt reported on a classified document from the Foreign Ministry containing U.S. intelligence linking Huawei to Chinese security services, or a "smoking gun." The ministry declined to comment on the report.U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger led a delegation to Berlin in December and another to London last month as part of a Trump administration effort to warn the Europeans about Chinese technology and to alert them that intelligence-sharing across the North Atlantic is at risk.Such warnings haven't convinced the French government. France's cybersecurity chief said his agency hasn't uncovered any evidence of Huawei snooping via Europe's communications networks."There is no Huawei smoking gun as of today in Europe," Guillaume Poupard, the head of the national cybersecurity agency ANSSI, said in an interview last week. "There is no situation with Huawei being caught massively spying in Europe. Elsewhere maybe it's different, but not in Europe."Merkel will now have to seek a compromise with lawmakers in the Bundestag, which reconvenes Feb. 10.(Adds senior officials, Beijing threat in sixth paragraph)\--With assistance from Ania Nussbaum and Helene Fouquet.To contact the reporter on this story: Patrick Donahue in Berlin at pdonahue1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ben Sills at bsills@bloomberg.net, Raymond Colitt, Flavia Krause-JacksonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Jill Biden: Family friendship with Sen. Graham in question after ‘hurtful’ Ukraine comments Posted: 03 Feb 2020 10:53 AM PST  Jill Biden said Monday that her family "used to be great friends" with Senator Lindsey Graham, R.-S.C., but that things had "changed" after Graham's comments about the Biden family's dealings in Ukraine amid President Trump's impeachment.
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| Bloomberg Super Bowl Ad Inflates Child Deaths to Push for Gun Control Posted: 03 Feb 2020 05:15 AM PST  Former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg ran a 60-second Super Bowl ad which made the claim that "2,900 children die from gun violence every year," despite data showing that over half that number are actually adults.Bloomberg's ad, which highlights his gun-control advocacy, makes the claim without citation, but the stat appears to be drawn from a gun-control non-profit, Everytown for Gun Safety, which Bloomberg started in 2013.A report from Everytown states that "nearly 2,900 children and teens (ages 0 to 19) are shot and killed" annually, a number it pulled from the Center for Disease Control's online database over the years 2013 to 2017. Bloomberg's Super Bowl ad omitted the "teen" qualifier from its statement.> Everytown used a five year average of gun deaths between 0-19 years of age in the CDC's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) to come up with 2,887 gun deaths per year among that age group. pic.twitter.com/dr3uuQTCaw> > -- Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) February 1, 2020The same data, when reviewed for the same time-frame while omitting legal adults — 18 and 19 year olds — shows an average of 1,499 annual gun deaths for children, or about 51 percent of the number claimed in Bloomberg's ad.Bloomberg spent approximately $10 million for the ad, part of a massive self-funded effort to campaign nationally, with data showing that the former mayor has spent over a quarter of a billion dollars in advertisement efforts so far, despite only joining the race in November.Gun control features prominently on Bloomberg's platform, which includes universal background checks and "red flag screening" measures.Bloomberg was criticized last month by the armed parishioner who took down a shooter at a Texas church in December, after suggesting at a campaign event that "You just do not want the average citizen carrying a gun in a crowded place."
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| Turkey and Syria are fighting in a shoe box in northern Syria, and officials fear it could ignite a bigger conflict with Russia Posted: 04 Feb 2020 06:47 AM PST  "The tight spaces linked by a handful of roads means the entire area is filled with armed guys bumping into each other," a NATO official told BI.
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| Kenya's former President Daniel Arap Moi dies Posted: 03 Feb 2020 08:25 PM PST  Kenya's longest-serving president Daniel Arap Moi, whose rule was marred by corruption and torture of opponents, died on Tuesday, the office of the president said. There was no immediate explanation for Moi's death, but he had been in and out of hospital with breathing problems in recent months. "Our nation and our continent were immensely blessed by the dedication and service of the late ... Moi, who spent almost his entire adult life serving Kenya and Africa," President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a statement.
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| A doomsday couple is entangled in a web of suspicious deaths and missing children. Here's a timeline of the mysterious events connected to Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow. Posted: 04 Feb 2020 09:52 AM PST  The search for two missing children uncovered the tangled web of doomsday couple Chad Dadybell and Lori Vallow. Here's what you need to know.
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| China accuses U.S. of scaremongerng over coronavirus Posted: 02 Feb 2020 11:44 PM PST  Beijing on Monday accused the United States of spreading fear over a coronavirus outbreak by pulling nationals out and restricting travel instead of offering significant aid. The United States was the first nation to begin evacuations, issued a travel warning against going to China, and from Sunday barred entry to foreigners recently in China. Washington has "unceasingly manufactured and spread panic", Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters, noting that the World Health Organization (WHO) had advised against trade and travel curbs.
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| Abu Dhabi's long-troubled Etihad sells 38 planes for $1B Posted: 04 Feb 2020 10:04 AM PST  Abu Dhabi's long-troubled Etihad Airways said Tuesday it would sell 38 aircraft to an investment firm and a leasing company in a deal valued at $1 billion, the latest cost-cutting measure by the United Arab Emirates' national carrier. Etihad said it would sell 38 aircraft — 22 Airbus A330s and 16 Boeing 777-300ERs — in the deal with investment firm KKR and leasing firm Altavair AirFinance.
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| Hong Kong’s Striking Health Workers Pose New Threat to Beijing Posted: 03 Feb 2020 06:25 PM PST ![Hong Kong's Striking Health Workers Pose New Threat to Beijing]( "Hong Kong's Striking Health Workers Pose New Threat to Beijing") (Bloomberg) -- Sign up for Next China, a weekly email on where the nation stands now and where it's going next.Thousands of Hong Kong medical workers went on strike for a second day on Tuesday to demand that leader Carrie Lam immediately close the city's border with the mainland to prevent the spread of a deadly coronavirus.Yet the strike also revealed a longer term threat to her administration, as well as to her bosses in Beijing: It shows the growing strength of pro-democracy unions formed in recent months by protesters who want to curb China's influence on the financial hub. The strategy aims to allow pro-democracy groups to quickly organize mass actions and, ultimately, transform a political system designed to favor Beijing loyalists."Government opponents are going through strenuous efforts to form new trade unions, hoping this could increase their chances of winning more seats in the legislative council," said Lau Siu-kai, the former head of a Hong Kong government think tank and an emeritus professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. "These efforts will go hand-in-hand with the protests, bolstering the political movement in Hong Kong to seek more detachment from mainland China."The Hospital Authority Employees Alliance, which was formed in December, says it's already attracted more than 18,000 members -- nearly a quarter of the staff at the Hong Kong Hospital Authority, the city's second biggest employer. The group said about half of them planned to strike this week in a bid for stronger measures to stop a coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 420 people.The union is among dozens that were formed recently by participants in pro-democracy protests that have rocked the city since last June. In the second half of 2019, the city's labor department received 135 applications for new trade unions, spanning industries from finance to education and bartenders. That compares with only 10 during same period the previous year.The rise of pro-democracy unions threatens the monopoly of pro-government unions that have an outsized influence on labor policy, and in elections for the city's Legislative Council and chief executive. They could also potentially add to disruptions to the economy, which has slid into recession as protesters shut down transport networks, vandalized China-linked businesses and deterred tourists from visiting Hong Kong.'Hamstring Some Businesses'"Hong Kong traditionally has not been a unionized place -- if the unions were to get individuals together for collective demands it could hamstring some businesses," said Benjamin Quinlan, chief executive officer and managing partner of Quinlan & Associates, a strategy consultancy based in Hong Kong. Hospitality, food and beverage, and medical businesses could be the first to suffer the impact, he said.Hong Kong's labor rules are a big attraction for foreign companies: The World Economic Forum's competitiveness rankings last year put the city as the number one location for its hiring and firing practices among 141 economies. Yet in the category of "workers rights," it came in at 114 on the list.This week's strike among medical workers, which was opposed by the government and drew criticism in some local newspapers, will test the ability of protesters to turn their street numbers into organized collective action."People are genuinely worried and even more reluctant to go outside now that they know there's a risk of medical workers being on strike," Quinlan said.Not Closing BorderLam, the city's leader, said Monday it wasn't acceptable that medical workers went on strike and most of those infected in Hong Kong were local residents. Hong Kongers now accounted for 90% of people passing through the border, she said, adding that banning mainland visitors wasn't in line with the World Health Organization guidance."We must not encourage any discrimination so we have to exercise caution here," Lam said.The medical union is embarking on the second stage of its stike after talks with the government failed. It hopes to rally 9,000 members to take action and also protest in front of the city's Hospital Authority.Among 3,164 union members who took part in a vote on Saturday, nearly 99% of people favored going on strike unless the Hong Kong government barred all visitors entering from mainland and ensured an ample supply of masks. The city's infected patients have risen to 15 as of Tuesday, while in China the number of confirmed cases jumped to more than 20,470.Pet Stores, Accountants"Our members have spiked because of the pneumonia outbreak," Ivan Law, a registered nurse of more than three years and vice chairman of the Hospital Authority Employees Alliance, said in an interview. "On top of workspace issues, we hope the union can be a representative to speak out on political issues."The medical workers aren't alone. Pet store workers, tech staff and accountants are also weighing measures to deal with the pneumonia outbreak.The Hong Kong Alliance of Accounting Professionals is asking companies to halt business trips to China, according to an executive with the group who asked to be identified only by his last name Chan for fear of retribution by his employer. He appeared at a press briefing on Friday wearing a face mask and hat to avoid being recognized.The formation of unions is also another step for Hong Kong protesters to have more say in the city's carefully managed elections. They are seeking to erode the influence of pro-Beijing unions, including the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, which command five seats on the Legislative Council.Election ImpactHong Kong's legislature comprises 70 members, half of whom are elected through five geographical districts under a proportional representation system, and the other half indirectly through 29 functional constituencies such as accountancy and textile. That means a small clutch of companies and industry professionals that tend to vote in favor of the pro-Beijing camp have just as much say as all the city's 4.1 million registered voters.The newly formed unions can apply to receive one vote for each union after being registered for a year. If enough unions are formed, they can potentially win more lawmaker seats for the pro-democracy camp, shifting the power dynamics in the city's main lawmaking body."The government needs the functional constituencies because it would lose majority otherwise," said Ma Ngok, associate professor at the Department of Government and Public Administration at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. "It has a large impact on the LegCo's legitimacy and has prompted citizens to think that the council cannot effectively represent public opinion."(Updates with medical workers' strike on Tuesday)\--With assistance from Alfred Liu and Natalie Lung.To contact the reporters on this story: Josie Wong in Hong Kong at jwong836@bloomberg.net;Lulu Yilun Chen in Hong Kong at ychen447@bloomberg.net;Shawna Kwan in Hong Kong at wkwan35@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Ten Kate at dtenkate@bloomberg.net, Philip LagerkranserFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Michigan college gift shop removes doll display depicting black leaders hanging from tree Posted: 04 Feb 2020 11:09 AM PST  Michigan State University removed an ornament display of African-American leaders hanging from a tree at the Wharton Center gift shop.
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| Biden's poor showing in Iowa shakes establishment support Posted: 04 Feb 2020 04:11 PM PST  Joe Biden's third presidential bid enters a critical stretch after a disappointing finish in the Iowa caucuses sent the former vice president on to New Hampshire with a skittish donor base, low cash reserves and the looming threat of billionaire rival Michael Bloomberg and his unlimited personal wealth. In New Hampshire on Tuesday, Biden insisted he had a "good night" in Iowa even as he trailed the top moderate candidate, former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, and the leading progressive, Bernie Sanders, according to initial returns from 62% of precincts.
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