| Trump shares bizarre cat meme about his altered hurricane map Posted: 08 Sep 2019 01:40 PM PDT  President Trump prolonged a weeklong controversy over Hurricane Dorian, sharing cat video late Saturday night that mocked coverage of his incorrect claims about the storm's path.
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| Bugatti Launches Limited Chiron Super Sport 300+, World's Fastest Production Car Posted: 08 Sep 2019 02:39 AM PDT  Same spec as record-breaking car that ran 304 mph at Ehra-Lessien test track.
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| Iran says British oil tanker could be released soon Posted: 08 Sep 2019 07:10 AM PDT  The British-flagged oil tanker seized by Iran could be released after the imminent completion of legal proceedings against the tanker, Iranian state television reported on Sunday. Iran seized the British tanker near the Strait of Hormuz for alleged marine violations two weeks after British forces detained an Iranian tanker near Gibraltar, accusing it of shipping oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions. "I hope the procedures will be completed soon and this tanker will be released," Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told the television station.
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| Female prisoner who asked for help says she was 'beaten so badly' she was paralyzed Posted: 08 Sep 2019 09:12 AM PDT  A female inmate in a Florida prison who said she was beaten by four guards has sued the state's corrections agency. Cheryl Weimar said the alleged beating left her paralyzed, ane with with "serious and life-threatening injuries, including a broken neck," in a complaint filed in district court on Tuesday.
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| View Photos of the 2020 Toyota Camry TRD Posted: 09 Sep 2019 04:00 AM PDT |
| Two men accuse Alaska Airlines employee of racial profiling after Newark Airport evacuation Posted: 08 Sep 2019 03:34 PM PDT ![Two men accuse Alaska Airlines employee of racial profiling after Newark Airport evacuation]( "Two men accuse Alaska Airlines employee of racial profiling after Newark Airport evacuation") An alarm set off at Newark Liberty Airport on Labor Day sparked panic, and the two men who were questioned say they were racially profiled.
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| Two dead, travel chaos, after powerful typhoon pummels Tokyo Posted: 09 Sep 2019 03:09 AM PDT  A powerful typhoon that battered Tokyo overnight with record winds killed two people, police said Monday, as cancelled trains caused commuter chaos and more than 100 flights were scrapped, leaving thousands stranded at the airport. Typhoon Faxai, packing winds of up to 207 kilometres (129 miles) per hour, made landfall in Chiba just east of the capital before dawn, after barrelling through Tokyo Bay. The transport disruptions unleashed by the storm came less than two weeks before the start of the Rugby World Cup, and delayed the arrival of the Australian team -- a reminder that Japan's typhoon season could present challenges for organisers.
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| 2020 Democrats Warm to Mandatory Buybacks of Assault Weapons Posted: 08 Sep 2019 01:09 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- As mass shootings pile up, several Democratic presidential candidates are embracing mandated "buybacks" of assault weapons, a proposal that sharpens the political divide on guns and raises the stakes for the 2020 election. In New Hampshire on Friday, Senator Kamala Harris of California told reporters that requiring owners of assault weapons to sell them to the government is "a good idea" because "we have to take those guns off the streets."New Jersey Senator Cory Booker said he supports the proposal. He noted that other countries have been able to take military-style semiautomatic weapons "off the streets" and that the U.S. can't let the National Rifle Association "tell us what's possible."At the New Hampshire Democratic convention on Saturday, former Representative Beto O'Rourke, who's made buybacks a signature issue in recent weeks, pressed the idea to a cheering crowd that reflected the growing enthusiasm in the party for controlling firearm ownership. He said measures like universal background checks and "red flag" laws, which his 2020 competitors unanimously support, aren't enough.'Politically Difficult'"We must go the necessary steps further, as politically difficult as they may be -- a gun registry in this country, licensing for every firearm, and every single one of those AR-15 and AK-47s will be bought back so they're not on our streets," O'Rourke said.The Democrats' embrace of a forced assault-weapons buyback program shows that segments of the party are throwing caution to the wind on gun control, backing aggressive measures that seemed unthinkable in mainstream circles even a year ago. It comes as the mounting bloodshed from firearms-induced massacres has nudged Americans to favor stricter laws, propelled by a shift among suburban and college-educated voters.El PasoDemocrats' shift toward gun control comes after its candidates have been largely wiped out in rural areas with a rich gun culture. The party retook the House majority in 2018 midterm elections, driven by gains in affluent and suburban districts. Its previous reliance on rural parts of the country is one reason Democrats didn't pursue firearm restrictions when they last controlled the White House and Congress in 2009 and 2010.O'Rourke took up the cause vigorously after a recent mass shooting that killed more than 20 people in his hometown of El Paso, Texas. Before him, U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell of California pushed the idea of mandatory assault weapon buybacks during his short-lived presidential campaign.Implementing such a program would be a challenge. Swalwell floated jail time for Americans who refuse to sell their weapons, but O'Rourke wouldn't go that far."I would expect Americans to comply with the law," O'Rourke told reporters on Saturday, saying he has met with owners of AR-15-style weapons who say they would "gladly comply" with a requirement that they give up those guns if it'll make Americans safer.O'Rourke said it's "a great sign" that some of his rivals are coming out for a mandatory buyback of certain guns.A Quinnipiac poll released Aug. 29 found that 46% of Americans favored a "mandatory buyback of assault weapons, which would mean that people who own assault weapons would be required to turn them in and be compensated with money," while 49% opposed the idea. In a sharp partisan divide, 71% of Democrats said they support the idea while just 18% of Republicans backed it. Conservative PushbackThe idea has sparked fierce pushback from conservatives who say it would amount to unconstitutional confiscation of firearms from Americans who obtained them lawfully. It stands no immediate chance of becoming law -- but nor do even modest restrictions, which face opposition from President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.Several Democratic front-runners have also resisted the idea, including former Vice President Joe Biden and Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who instead favor a voluntary buyback program. Former Housing Secretary Julian Castro said he "at least" supports a voluntary buyback program and is open to making it mandatory."I'm willing to hear the arguments on mandatory, but I at least support a voluntary buyback program," Castro told reporters on Saturday.'Big Enough Lift'Pete Buttigieg said his immediate focus is on assault weapons."I would focus on banning new sales. We've got a big enough lift there. Plus we've got to do background checks and red flag laws," the South Bend, Indiana, mayor told reporters. "Then we'll see what the next logical steps are for this country."Michael Bloomberg, owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News, founded and helps fund Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit group that advocates for gun control measures like universal background checks and red flag laws. The group hasn't called for mandatory buybacks.Booker, from Newark, New Jersey, spoke of gun control in searingly personal terms and said the U.S. needs a president who'll make it "a central purpose.""The majority of people being killed in this country are in communities like mine -- African American males are the majority of the homicide victims," he said. "I live in a community where we see shrines to children who have been murdered on our sidewalks."Booker said firearm restrictions previously decried as radical have grown in popularity because "most Americans believe in common sense gun safety." (Updates with Booker quote in final paragraph.)To contact the reporter on this story: Sahil Kapur in Washington at skapur39@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Wendy Benjaminson at wbenjaminson@bloomberg.net, Ros Krasny, Steve GeimannFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| The owners of the boat in the California fire that killed 34 blamed their insurers for a lawsuit aimed at limiting victims' payouts to $0 Posted: 09 Sep 2019 03:02 AM PDT  Truth Aquatics' lawsuit was filed three days after the Conception diving boat caught fire, when rescuers were still recovering the victims' bodies.
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| Pompeo: Taliban 'overreached' in attack that killed American Posted: 08 Sep 2019 06:16 AM PDT  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that Taliban "overreached" with their car bomb attack in a diplomatic area near the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, killing an American soldier — and that led President Donald Trump to pull back from planned Afghanistan peace talks at Camp David. Pompeo said it was now up to the Taliban to "change their behavior." America's top diplomat isn't saying whether or when peace talks would resume. In the end, Pompeo said, "this will be resolved through a series of conversations.
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| The hardest-hit communities in the Bahamas look apocalyptic after Hurricane Dorian, with wrecked homes and corpses left to rot in the hot sun Posted: 09 Sep 2019 08:06 AM PDT  A New York Times reporter was shown the bodies of six hurricane victims in a tour of Marsh Harbour's poorest neighborhoods this weekend.
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| Plane leaves Zimbabwe for Singapore to bring home Mugabe's body Posted: 09 Sep 2019 03:35 AM PDT  A plane has left Zimbabwe for Singapore carrying government officials and relatives to bring home the body of Robert Mugabe, but it was still not clear where the former leader would be buried, a family spokesman said on Monday. Mugabe's family is pushing back against the government's plan to bury him at the National Heroes Acre monument in Harare and wants him to be interred in his home village, relatives have told Reuters. Leo Mugabe, the late president's nephew and family spokesman, said a charter plane left Harare for Singapore just after 9 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Monday.
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| How Atlanta's mayor turned her famous father's arrest into a passion for criminal justice reform Posted: 07 Sep 2019 12:00 PM PDT  Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms opens up about the arrest of her father, R&B legend Major Lance.
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| 9 elementary school students sent to ER after inadvertently eating weed candy Posted: 09 Sep 2019 08:43 AM PDT ![9 elementary school students sent to ER after inadvertently eating weed candy]( "9 elementary school students sent to ER after inadvertently eating weed candy") The students, who attended Renaissance Charter School in Cooper City, Florida, suffered stomach pain. The injuries were not life-threatening.
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| Texas Republican Predicts McCabe Will be Indicted for Lying to Investigators Posted: 09 Sep 2019 05:06 AM PDT  Representative John Ratcliffe (R., Texas) predicted Sunday that former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe will soon be indicted for lying to investigators about his role in the leaking of classified information.McCabe was fired from the FBI in March 2018, one month after the release of an inspector general report that detailed multiple instances in which he "lacked candor" when questioned by investigators about his role in the leaking of classified information related to the Clinton email probe.Ratcliffe told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo that the Department of Justice must indict McCabe or face accusations of partisanship and hypocrisy"Here, you have the inspector general stating that Andrew McCabe did that multiple times, and the magic words, did so intentionally and knowing," Ratcliffe said during an interview on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures." "I think the Department of Justice is going to have to indict Andy McCabe, simply because to do otherwise would be to admit that there are separate standards for people doing the same thing for the same conduct."The 21-year FBI veteran was made a CNN analyst last month despite the existence of an ongoing investigation into his conduct that may still result in criminal charges. He maintains that he did not intentionally mislead investigators and continues to suggest that he was acting within his authority as deputy director when he authorized the leaking of information about the Clinton email investigation to a Wall Street Journal reporter.In a lawsuit filed last month, McCabe alleges his firing at the hands of former attorney general Jeff Sessions was politically-motivated.McCabe's attorneys met with deputy attorney general Jeffrey Rosen last month, according to an August 26 New York Times report. The meeting has been widely-interpreted as evidence that McCabe will soon be indicted.
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| Powerful typhoon Faxai in direct hit on Tokyo Posted: 08 Sep 2019 03:28 PM PDT  A powerful typhoon with potentially record winds and rain battered the Tokyo region early Monday, sparking evacuation warnings to tens of thousands, widespread blackouts and transport disruption. Typhoon Faxai, packing winds of up to 216 kilometres (134 miles) per hour, made landfall in Chiba just east of the capital before dawn, after barrelling through Tokyo Bay. "Please be on full alert against gusts and high waves and be vigilant about landslides, floods and swollen rivers," the Japan Metereological Agency said in a statement.
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| India Criticizes Chinese Trade Policies Posted: 08 Sep 2019 10:23 PM PDT ![India Criticizes Chinese Trade Policies]( "India Criticizes Chinese Trade Policies") (Bloomberg) -- Terms of Trade is a daily newsletter that untangles a world embroiled in trade wars. Sign up here. Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Monday criticized China for what he described as one-sided trade policies, casting doubt over the progress of negotiations for a pan-Asian free trade agreement.Speaking during a panel discussion in Singapore, the minister said India remained skeptical over "unfair" market access and "Chinese protectionist policies" that have created a significant trade deficit between the two nations. India's trade deficit with China was $53.6 billion in the fiscal year ended March 2019."The big concerns of India are of course, one, its relationship with China because we have an enormous trade deficit with China," Jaishankar said in response to a question regarding the ongoing negotiations for Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP.Negotiators have expressed hope that RCEP -- which includes all 10 of Southeast Asia's Asean countries, as well as Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India and China -- would be delivered by the end of the year. While ministers from the 16 participating countries reaffirmed their commitment to reaching a deal this year following negotiations in Bangkok over the weekend, it is unclear whether such a goal will be met.Jaishankar said he was unsure what was discussed in the latest round of negotiations, but noted that India's involvement would hinge on a mutually equitable, depoliticized arrangement."RCEP at the end of the day is an economic negotiation. It has a strategic implication, but the merits of the RCEP outcome have to be economic," said Jaishankar. "It has to be sold for its strength and I think if that was more self-evident to Indians I think you would get clearly a much stronger resonance."Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who was also on the panel, urged India to reconsider its position on RCEP, saying that Beijing and New Delhi would have to come to terms on trade eventually."I am making the argument that it is worth making the effort, because this would be a game changer," Balakrishnan said.To contact the reporter on this story: Philip J. Heijmans in Singapore at pheijmans1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ruth Pollard at rpollard2@bloomberg.net, Karthikeyan SundaramFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Tehran says Iranian tanker unloaded cargo on Mediterranean coast Posted: 08 Sep 2019 07:39 AM PDT ![Tehran says Iranian tanker unloaded cargo on Mediterranean coast]( "Tehran says Iranian tanker unloaded cargo on Mediterranean coast") An Iranian tanker at the center of a dispute between Tehran and Western powers has delivered its cargo after docking somewhere on the Mediterranean coast, Iran's state news agency IRNA quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying. "The Adrian Darya oil tanker finally docked on the Mediterranean coast ... and unloaded its cargo," IRNA quoted the spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, as saying.
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| The US had to extract a top spy from Russia after Trump revealed classified information to the Russians in an Oval Office meeting Posted: 09 Sep 2019 08:02 AM PDT  Intelligence officials typically extract sources when they believe the person's life is in immediate danger.
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| Motor racing-Peroni crash convinces Gasly of Halo's worth Posted: 08 Sep 2019 02:01 AM PDT ![Motor racing-Peroni crash convinces Gasly of Halo's worth]( "Motor racing-Peroni crash convinces Gasly of Halo's worth") French Formula One driver Pierre Gasly has changed his opinion about the 'Halo' head protection device after seeing Australian Formula Three driver Alex Peroni's crash in the Italian Grand Prix support event. "I must say I've never been a fan of the Halo," Toro Rosso's Gasly told reporters at Monza. Peroni walked away from the accident but later said on social media that he had fractured a vertebra.
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| Man charged in 31-year-old cold case murder. Police suspect he may have killed others Posted: 08 Sep 2019 04:10 PM PDT  Lawrence Gene 'Larry' Timmons was charged Friday with the 1988 slaying of a 31-year-old Missouri woman. Other cold cases now being looked at.
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| Kamala Harris rolls out broad plan for criminal justice reform Posted: 09 Sep 2019 03:00 AM PDT  Harris' proposal comes amid persistent questions about her mixed record in the area.
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| 13,000 stranded after French airline collapses: official Posted: 09 Sep 2019 03:36 AM PDT  Some 13,000 passengers, mainly booked on flights to and from Algeria, are still stranded after France's second-largest airline Aigle Azur went into receivership, a senior French official said Monday, adding that several potential buyers had been identified. The airline, which employs almost 1,200 staff, filed for bankruptcy and suspended flights last week after losses which prompted a shareholder coup that ousted the chief executive. "Out of 19,000 passengers who found themselves in difficulty at the peak of the crisis, there are still 13,000" who have yet to be repatriated, the secretary of state for transport, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, told the Le Parisien daily.
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| S.Africa issues arrest warrant for suspected killers of Rwandan ex-spy Posted: 09 Sep 2019 07:05 AM PDT  South African authorities have issued an arrest warrant for two of the four alleged murderers of an exiled Rwandan ex-spy and critic of President Paul Kagame who was killed in a Johannesburg hotel in 2014, the family lawyer said Monday. South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is also applying for the extradition of two other suspects of Rwandan descent, advocate Gerrie Nel said in a statement. If granted, the NPA will apply to Interpol to issue "Red Notices" for the suspects, Nel said in a statement.
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| The Latest: China blames US for Iran nuclear tensions Posted: 09 Sep 2019 04:43 AM PDT  China has blamed the United States for tensions over Iran's nuclear program and called for world powers to stick to their 2015 deal with Tehran. The deal started collapsing with the United States unilaterally withdrawing last year and imposing sanctions on Iran.
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| A disgruntled mechanic has been charged with sabotaging an American Airlines flight Posted: 08 Sep 2019 01:19 PM PDT  All of us have had a beef with the boss or disagreements and other assorted unpleasantness at work from time to time, which is the nature of being at the mercy of someone who's in charge of your productivity, never mind whether that intersects with your happiness.But it's probably fair to assume that most people don't act on those feelings and certainly don't take it out on innocent people. Which is, unfortunately, exactly what happened recently when a disgruntled American Airlines mechanic was arrested and charged after he tried to damage a plane and ruin a flight.According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, Abdul-Majeed Marouf Ahmed Alani has been charged with "willfully damaging, destroying, disabling, or wrecking an aircraft, and attempting to do so." He was allegedly trying to damage the air data module system on a commercial airliner preparing to take off back in July from Miami International Airport, which had 150 people on board and was headed for the Bahamas.That system deals with the aircraft's speed, pitch, and other important data.Why did he do it? According to court documents, as noted in this CNN report, he admitted to investigators he took his actions in retaliation for a union contract dispute with the airline. More specifically, he messed with one of the plane's systems so it wouldn't take off on time -- and so he could earn overtime pay by working on the plane.The plane had actually started moving, and after the pilots increased power to the engines, they noticed the air data module system error and stopped the takeoff. Alani admitted what he did to investigators, who noted in the court documents that "Alani stated that his intention was not to cause harm to the aircraft or its passengers." This all got traced back to him after mechanics worked on the plane, discovered the obvious tampering, and used surveillance footage to figure out who did it.Here's what American Airlines had to say about the episode:> At American we have an unwavering commitment to the safety and security of our customers and team members and we are taking this matter very seriously," reads a statement from the airline. "At the time of the incident, the aircraft was taken out of service, maintenance was performed and after an inspection to ensure it was safe the aircraft was returned to service. American immediately notified federal law enforcement who took over the investigation with our full cooperation.
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| The Difference Between Never-Trump and Post-Trump Republicans Posted: 09 Sep 2019 05:00 AM PDT ![The Difference Between Never-Trump and Post-Trump Republicans]( "The Difference Between Never-Trump and Post-Trump Republicans") (Bloomberg Opinion) -- South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford officially announced on Sunday that he is running for president, but Republican officials in his home state are hardly enthusiastic. On Saturday they voted to cancel next year's primary. Their objective is clearly to help President Donald Trump in 2020. Yet their gambit could have the effect of preventing another Donald Trump in 2024. If the cancellation is evidence of a reassertion of party control over the nominating process, then it is a positive development — for both the Republican Party and America.Granted, that's a big if. Republicans in South Carolina aren't alone; cancellations are also either planned or under consideration in Nevada, Kansas and Arizona. Meanwhile, the Trump presidential campaign has taken the unprecedented step of integrating itself with the Republican National Committee. The two share office space – in Trump Tower, of course – and have been jointly making personnel decisions.Some might see this as simply another manifestation of Trump's creeping authoritarianism and the shameless capitulation of the GOP establishment. A better way to view it is as a sign of weakness, not of strength. For previous presidents, the party establishment was a source of both power and support. For Trump, it is not.Consider that Trump has faced bitter establishment opposition since before he became president. Right up until the convention, never-Trumpers were hatching parliamentary schemes to deny him the nomination. At the convention itself, his leading primary opponent told Republicans to "vote your conscience." The distress continued even after Trump took office, with several members of his Cabinet and staff leaving out of frustration.All this happened for a reason. Trump's approach to politics and policy are not only out of step with party orthodoxy, but they have also alienated key Republican constituencies and enmeshed the U.S. in a trade war that may very well drive the economy into recession.Whether the president leaves office in 2021 or 2025, what exactly a post-Trump GOP is going to look like is a question Republicans need to start addressing. And one of the best places to debate it is in the presidential nominating process. Unfortunately, the voter-driven primary is antithetical to small-r republicanism in principle and small-d democracy in practice.Republican institutions are supposed to empower civil society and prevent concentrations of political power that threaten it. Voter-driven primaries turn over control of the electoral process to small groups of highly ideological partisans who are, almost by definition, unrepresentative of the typical citizen — and even of the typical party member.Consider the case of the most popular governor in America, Republican Charlie Baker of Massachusetts. His current approval rating is close to 70%, and he won re-election overwhelmingly in 2018 on what was otherwise an awful night for the party. In fact, Baker won a higher percentage of the vote in the general election than he did in the primary — despite the fact that his primary opponent was the co-author of a book arguing that Nazism was a militant homosexual movement.It's hard to argue that the primary process helped Massachusetts Republicans in 2018; it just gave a fringe candidate free publicity. And even when fringe candidates don't win, they can infect mainstream politics; from 2010 to 2014, Republican members of Congress feared potential primary challengers nearly as much as a default on the U.S. debt. This kind of recklessness has poisoned American politics.Special interests benefit from polarization that allows them to appeal to a narrow band of the electorate. The only entity that has a vested interest in broadening the coalition and appealing directly to the median voter is the party itself, and the only way for the parties to control their own fate is to wrest more control over the nomination process. That may be hard for never-Trumpers to swallow in 2020, but they may come to appreciate it in the years ahead.To contact the author of this story: Karl W. Smith at ksmith602@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Newman at mnewman43@bloomberg.netThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Karl W. Smith is a former assistant professor of economics at the University of North Carolina's school of government and founder of the blog Modeled Behavior.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Hurricane Dorian: Jet skiers rescue 100 people trapped in flooded homes in the Bahamas Posted: 08 Sep 2019 03:00 AM PDT  Jet skiers in the Bahamas braved the devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Dorian to rescue around 100 people trapped in their homes.The official death toll from the most powerful hurricane on record to hit the Bahamas has climbed to 43 and is likely to keep rising amid worries a "staggering" number of lives have been claimed.
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| Poland's foreign ministry condemns attack on Israeli students Posted: 08 Sep 2019 12:38 PM PDT ![Poland's foreign ministry condemns attack on Israeli students]( "Poland's foreign ministry condemns attack on Israeli students") Poland's foreign ministry on Sunday condemned violence against a group of Israeli students beaten at a Warsaw nightclub early on Saturday, following criticism that Polish leaders are not doing enough to denounce antisemitism. Earlier this year, the World Jewish Congress condemned the burning of an effigy of Judas in the Polish town of Pruchnik and hundreds of far-right supporters marching in Warsaw against a U.S. law on restitution of Jewish property seized during or after World War Two. Poland was home to one of the world's biggest Jewish communities before it was almost wiped out by Nazi German occupiers who set up death camps such as Auschwitz on Polish soil.
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| California's wildfire season is off to a quiet start. That could change this week Posted: 08 Sep 2019 06:44 PM PDT  Forecasts of strong winds this week bring concerns that California's wildfire season, off to a slow start, could become dangerous.
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| Adam Schiff lashes Michael Flynn for refusing to cooperate Posted: 09 Sep 2019 08:46 AM PDT ![Adam Schiff lashes Michael Flynn for refusing to cooperate]( "Adam Schiff lashes Michael Flynn for refusing to cooperate") The House Intelligence Committee chairman wants Flynn to testify later this month.
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| South African attacks on foreign shops continue; 12 dead Posted: 09 Sep 2019 06:24 AM PDT  Two people have been killed in Johannesburg, police confirmed Monday, bringing to 12 the number of deaths since violence against foreign-owned shops erupted last month. Bands of South Africans launched violent attacks against foreign-owned shops and stalls, looting and burning the small businesses and attacking some of the shopkeepers. The attacks appear to be spreading throughout Gauteng, the country's most populous province encompassing the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria.
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| CNN’s Tapper to Mike Pompeo: Wouldn’t You Be Mad if a Democrat Invited the Taliban to Camp David? Posted: 08 Sep 2019 08:08 AM PDT  On Sunday, State of the Union anchor Jake Tapper repeatedly confronted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on President Donald Trump's recent announcement that he abruptly called off secretive peace talks with the Taliban, asking the nation's top diplomat why the president would invite the Taliban to Camp David days ahead of the 9/11 terror attack anniversary.Pompeo, who was booked to appear on all five Sunday shows, defended the president's decision to initially welcome leaders of the Taliban to Washington without having a finalized agreement in place, telling Tapper that Trump "believed we could further America's national interest by having conversations with the people who have the capacity to actually deliver."Tapper, meanwhile, noted that the Trump administration has faced widespread criticism for inviting the militant group to Camp David, noting that even members of the president's own party—such as Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL)—have openly derided the move.Peace Talks With the Taliban Are Off, Trump Announces Via Tweet"I think there are a lot of Americans out there who had been surprised the Taliban had been invited to Camp David, especially the week of the 9/11 commemoration," the CNN host pointed out.After Pompeo waved off the criticisms while saying Trump was making "real progress" in achieving peace in Afghanistan, Tapper pressed him again."I don't think anyone begrudges the president or ambassador trying to bring an end to this war that's been going on so long with so many innocent people and so many service members killed, but I guess the question is why invite the Taliban to Camp David?" Tapper wondered.Noting that the president's effort was to work with those who can eventually end the violence, the secretary of state added that Trump is not going to reduce the pressure on the Taliban if they don't deliver on their commitments, referencing the recent attack in Kabul that resulted in the death of a U.S. soldier.Tapper, however, continued to challenge Pompeo on the notion of even bringing the Taliban to American soil to negotiate terms, highlighting that the organization recently reiterated its support for the 9/11 attacks."Here's an organization that still supports 9/11—still believes that the United States was to blame," the CNN anchor stated. "We brought that on ourselves. Why bring people like that to Camp David? I understand why you want to negotiate for peace but why bring people like that to Camp David?"Pompeo, again, punted on the specific question, saying that the administration has an "obligation to do everything we can" and that they "understand who the Taliban are."This prompted Tapper to then confront Pompeo on how he would view this if the shoe were on the other foot."I can't help but think that if a Democratic president had talked about having the Taliban come to Camp David to negotiate a peace process that was not already a done deal," Tapper noted. "That you as a congressman, as a soldier, as a veteran, as a West Point graduate, that you would be rather upset."The secretary of state insisted that the State of the Union host was "just wrong about that" before taking a shot at Obama, claiming the former president was "prepared to leave without ensuring to protect America.""We will never do that," Pompeo added.Elsewhere on the other Sunday shows, the secretary of state was grilled on the scuttled peace talks, with much of the focus on the optics of inviting the Taliban to Camp David—especially since the presidential retreat is where American leaders gathered following the 9/11 attacks to plan a response.On Fox News Sunday, host Chris Wallace aggressively pressed Pompeo on the bipartisan uproar over the canceled meeting, asking Pompeo point-blank: "Who thought it was a good idea for the President of the United States to meet with Taliban leaders who have the blood of thousands of Americans on their hands just three days before 9/11?"During his appearance on ABC's This Week, the secretary of state defended the Camp David setting, stating that he's aware of the history surrounding the location and "President Trump reflected on that.""We all considered as we were debating how to try and get to the right, ultimate outcome," he continued. "While there have often been discussions about war at Camp David, There have been discussions about peace there as well. There have been some pretty bad actors travel through that place. It's an important place."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get 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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| A new 2020 Democratic primary poll shows Warren surging alongside fellow frontrunners Biden and Sanders Posted: 08 Sep 2019 04:20 PM PDT  The new poll from ABC News and The Washington Post found Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders slumping, Elizabeth Warren gaining, and Kamala Harris falling.
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| UPDATE 1-U.S. charges Chinese professor in latest shot at Huawei Posted: 09 Sep 2019 06:50 AM PDT ![UPDATE 1-U.S. charges Chinese professor in latest shot at Huawei]( "UPDATE 1-U.S. charges Chinese professor in latest shot at Huawei") U.S. prosecutors have charged a Chinese professor with fraud for allegedly taking technology from a California company to benefit Huawei, in another shot at the embattled Chinese telecommunications equipment maker. Bo Mao was arrested in Texas on Aug. 14 and released six days later on $100,000 bond after he consented to proceed with the case in New York, according to court documents. According to the criminal complaint, Mao entered into an agreement with the unnamed California tech company to obtain its circuit board, claiming it was for academic research.
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| Robert Shiller, who predicted dot-com crash, sees less than 50% chance of recession in '20 Posted: 09 Sep 2019 09:49 AM PDT ![Robert Shiller, who predicted dot-com crash, sees less than 50% chance of recession in '20]( "Robert Shiller, who predicted dot-com crash, sees less than 50% chance of recession in '20") Economist Robert Shiller told the Financial News he believes there's less than 50% chance of recession in 2020. Many economists predict a downturn
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| Thousands of lightning strikes hit Washington state, triggering delays and power outages Posted: 08 Sep 2019 09:09 AM PDT  The state of Washington was rattled by an estimated 2,200 lightning strikes during a thunderstorm that triggered widespread power outages Saturday night, the National Weather Service reported.Most of the strikes were recorded in the western area of the state; 200 of those were recorded in the Seattle metro area from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. PDT. According to AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff, the thunderstorms erupted in western Washington as a strong push of cool air from the Pacific Ocean moved ashore."The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport picked up 0.59 of an inch of rain during the thunderstorms, which is the most rain at the airport in a single day since April 12 when 0.65 of an inch fell," Duff said.> If you're a really, really heavy sleeper or possess some world class noise cancelling headphones, here's a recap of the past few hours in Western Washington. wawx pic.twitter.com/1WPIrtQl8m> > -- NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) September 8, 2019"Taking a look back at last night between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., Western Washington estimated number of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes [is] 2,200. That works out to an estimated 440 an hour and 7 to 8 a minute," the National Weather Service in Seattle said in a twitter post.The severe storm caused an "Extreme Weather" delay at Husky Stadium as the University of Washington Huskies played against the California Bears, and caused the Washington State Fair to cancel events and close early."Per NCAA guidelines, the game cannot resume until 30 minutes after the final lightning strike within an 8-mile radius of Husky Stadium," the University of Washington said in a twitter post during the delay. Lightning lights up clouds above Husky Stadium during a weather delay in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game between Washington and California, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Seattle. Fans were directed to seek shelter in nearby buildings due to severe weather in the area. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) During the storms peak, the storm caused power outages to over 4,500 customers, according to Seattle City Light's power outage map."As we hit the tail-end of this storm, our crews can safely get to these outages that are scattered throughout our service territory," Seattle City Light said in a tweet.There were no reports of deadly lightning strikes with the storm. According to the National Geographic, the odds of becoming a lightning victim in the U.S. in any one year is 1 in 700,000. The odds of being struck in your lifetime is 1 in 3,000."Still, people should keep in mind that any storm can produce potentially deadly lightning strikes, so getting inside at the first clap of thunder is vital," Duff said."The Northwest will remain unsettled with numerous showers and thunderstorms through early week, but these storms are not expected to be as intense as they were late Saturday," Duff said.
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| Beekeepers are suing Trump administration over decision to allow wider use of insecticides Posted: 08 Sep 2019 11:35 AM PDT  Beekeepers are suing the Trump administration over its decision to allow the wider use of an insecticide linked to the deaths of entire honeybee colonies.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) removed restrictions on sulfoxaflor in July and approved a host of new uses for the chemical.
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| British Airways tells passengers not to turn up at airports, as airline's biggest ever strike begins Posted: 09 Sep 2019 12:14 AM PDT  British Airways has told its passengers not to turn up at airports as the biggest strike action in the airline's 100 year history begins today. More than 1,500 flights have been cancelled as the company was accused of bullying its own staff by union bosses, who warned they could continue the action until the end of the year. Some 280,000 people will be affected by the strike which is set to continue on Tuesday, costing BA £80m in lost revenue. BA and The British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) are clashing after the union rejected a proposed 11.5 per cent pay rise for its pilots, taking their pay package to around £200,000 a year. BALPA says that BA "has resorted to breaking agreements and threatening pilots who will strike, which is bound to make matters worse" after they emailed their 4,300 pilots on Friday warning that strike action would be a 'serious breach' of their contract. BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton said: "British Airways must now put the needs of its staff and passengers first and accept that its pilots will not be bullied or fobbed off." Credit: BALPA The airline further threatened to withdraw a travel perk, where staff can book tickets for ten per cent of the full fare plus taxes, for three years if they chose to strike. BALPA branded the airline's behaviour "illogical and irresponsible" and "will further deepen the fall out with their pilots." Flights to New York, Delhi, Hong Kong and Johannesburg have all been affected, with the airline telling passengers: "If your flight is cancelled, please do not go to the airport." One passenger, Kenneth Farrington, told the BBC that he thought his holiday "was in ruins." Travellers have been offered full refunds, flights on different carriers, or the option to fly on a different date, but should not turn up at the airport without a confirmed flight. On Sunday, 50 flights were cancelled over fears of a lack of space to park planes at Heathrow and Gatwick, and the knock on effect will last well into the week. Q&A; | Why have BA pilots gone on strike? Long haul captains at the airline earn an average base salary of £167,000 a year, while co-pilots take home £70,000. British Airways say they made a "fair" offer of an 11.5 per cent pay rise over three years, plus a one per cent bonus. The deal was already accepted by members of the Unite and GMB unions, which represent 90 per cent of British Airways' staff. BALPA says that now the company is in better financial health, its members should see a greater share of the profits and have a mandate for strike action until January, raising fears of Christmas travel chaos. More than 1,500 flights have been cancelled as the company was accused of bullying its own staff by union bosses Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay British Airways said on Sunday: "We're extremely sorry for the problems caused by the strike action called by the pilots' union, BALPA on 9, 10 and 27 September. "We continue to be available for constructive talks with BALPA, on the basis that there are no pre-conditions to those talks. "If you have a flight booked with us on those dates, it is likely that you will not be able to travel as planned due to BALPA's strike action. We are offering all affected customers full refunds or the option to re-book to another date of travel or alternative airline." Compensation due for a cancelled flight On Sunday, BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton said: "British Airways needs to wake up and realise its pilots are determined to be heard. "They've previously taken big pay cuts to help the company through hard times. Now BA is making billions of pounds of profit, its pilots have made a fair, reasonable and affordable claim for pay and benefits. "BALPA has consistently offered up chances for the company to negotiate a way forward. British Airways must now put the needs of its staff and passengers first and accept that its pilots will not be bullied or fobbed off. "But the company's leaders, who themselves are paid huge salaries and have generous benefits packages, won't listen, are refusing to negotiate and are putting profits before the needs of passengers and staff. "This strike will have cost the company considerably more than the investment needed to settle this dispute. "It is time to get back to the negotiating table and put together a serious offer that will end this dispute." This is the second time in a month that BALPA have been involved in pay disputes with airlines, after Ryanair pilots were reportedly demanding pay rises of up to 121%, according to the airline. Ryanair accused BALPA of "excessive and unexplained demands for pay increases" and a secret memo seen by the Telegraph, which was drawn up by the airline, showed pay package demands of up to £350,000 a year. Strike action has already taken place twice this summer, with more disruption planned for later this month.
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| 27 named to EU commission; UK's spot unfilled due to Brexit Posted: 09 Sep 2019 06:35 AM PDT  European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen finalized a list Monday of the people she wants working with her when she takes the helm of the European Union's executive branch in November. Von der Leyen's proposed appointments will give the European Commission 27 members, including her - 14 men and 13 women. The commission proposes EU laws and ensures they are put into practice throughout the 28-country bloc.
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| Bangladesh university suspends student for being Rohingya Posted: 08 Sep 2019 08:07 AM PDT  Cox's Bazar (Bangladesh) (AFP) - A Bangladesh university has suspended a student for being Rohingya, officials said Sunday, as impatience with the refugees grows following a second failed attempt to repatriate them to Myanmar. Formal education in Bangladesh is forbidden for refugees. Cox's Bazar International University said it had suspended Rahima Akter Khushi, 20, and would investigate her case after local media said she hid her Rohingya identity to enrol.
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| 35 cats, 19 dogs rescued from Hurricane Dorian up for adoption on Long Island Posted: 08 Sep 2019 10:51 AM PDT  More than 50 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens have arrived on Long Island after being rescued from Hurricane Dorian's path.
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| Internal Kamala Harris document acknowledges 'Summer Slump' Posted: 09 Sep 2019 02:02 AM PDT  A briefing memo left behind at a New Hampshire restaurant and obtained by POLITICO reveals the issues her staff expected her to be grilled on.
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| UPDATE 1-U.S. eyeing sanctions over Turkey's S-400 buy -Mnuchin Posted: 09 Sep 2019 07:07 AM PDT ![UPDATE 1-U.S. eyeing sanctions over Turkey's S-400 buy -Mnuchin]( "UPDATE 1-U.S. eyeing sanctions over Turkey's S-400 buy -Mnuchin") U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Monday that the Trump administration was considering imposing sanctions on related to Turkey's purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defense missile system, but no decisions have been made. "We're looking at that, I'm not going to make any comments on any specific decisions, but we are looking at it," Mnuchin told reporters outside the White House when asked if the Treasury was considering such sanctions. Turkey's dollar-denominated sovereign bonds ,, fell after Mnuchin's comments.
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| Eisman Says Trump Would Have to Give in for China Trade Deal Posted: 09 Sep 2019 04:07 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Terms of Trade is a daily newsletter that untangles a world embroiled in trade wars. Sign up here. Steve Eisman, the Neuberger Berman Group money manager, said U.S. President Donald Trump would have to back down to get a trade deal with China."Will there be a deal between China and the U.S.? I have my doubts," Eisman said on Bloomberg TV on Monday. "My impression is that China is not backing down on anything," so to get a deal "Trump basically has to give in."Eisman, 57, said the prospects of a deal would collapse if China sent its military to manage the continuing protests in Hong Kong. Such a move could also cause a global market correction, said the money manager who famously foresaw the collapse of subprime mortgages before the 2008 financial crisis."If that were to happen, the probability of a trade deal between the United States and China would probably go to zero," he said.Global markets have been buffeted by the U.S.-China trade dispute since Trump first proposed tariffs on imports in early 2018. Volatility has soared and corporate earnings estimates slashed as hopes of a resolution have come and gone. The saga has added to the risks of a disruption in global supply chains, driving up some consumer prices and weighing on growth.Eisman's bets against the housing market before the financial crisis were chronicled in Michael Lewis's 2010 book "The Big Short," which showcased money managers who foresaw and profited from the market turmoil. The money manager joined Neuberger Berman after closing his hedge fund Emrys Partners in 2014, and currently runs managed accounts and money pools betting on rising and falling share prices.(Updates with Eisman comments in fourth paragraph.)\--With assistance from Tom Keene and Francine Lacqua.To contact the reporter on this story: Nishant Kumar in London at nkumar173@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Shelley Robinson at ssmith118@bloomberg.net, Patrick HenryFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Tropical trouble? Forecasters eye several systems in the Atlantic Posted: 09 Sep 2019 09:14 AM PDT ![Tropical trouble? Forecasters eye several systems in the Atlantic]( "Tropical trouble? Forecasters eye several systems in the Atlantic") Now that Hurricane Dorian has passed on, forecasters keep watch on a few other disturbances in the Atlantic.
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