| Trump claims he 'saved Pre-Existing Conditions in your Healthcare.' How? Posted: 13 Jan 2020 07:27 AM PST  Responding to a new ad from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the president misrepresented his administration's health care record.
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| St. Louis prosecutor: Racist interests try to force her out Posted: 13 Jan 2020 02:10 PM PST  St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner on Monday filed what she called an unprecedented federal civil rights lawsuit, accusing the city, the local police union and others of a coordinated and racist conspiracy aimed at forcing her out of office. Gardner, the city's elected prosecutor, also accused "entrenched interests" of intentionally impeding her efforts to reform racist practices that have led to a loss of trust in the criminal justice system. The lawsuit alleges civil rights violations as well as violations of the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871.
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| James Murdoch Slams Fox News and News Corp Over Climate-Change Denial Posted: 14 Jan 2020 01:40 AM PST  In a long-simmering rift between factions of the Murdoch family over climate change, Rupert's younger son, James, and his activist wife, Kathryn, are attacking the climate denialism promoted by News Corporation, the global media group, and also by the Fox News Channel overseen by James' older brother, Lachlan."Kathryn and James' views on climate are well established and their frustration with some of the News Corp and Fox coverage of the topic is also well known," a spokesperson for the couple exclusively told The Daily Beast as wildfires rage in Australia."They are particularly disappointed with the ongoing denial among the news outlets in Australia given obvious evidence to the contrary." The extraordinary public rebuke from Kathryn and James—who is the CEO of Lupa Systems, a private investment company he founded—comes as Australia has been ravaged by the worst fires seen in decades. The blazes have claimed 27 lives and destroyed thousands of properties across multiple states, with an estimated 1 billion animals feared dead. News Corp Australia dominates the country's media landscape, publishing more than 140 newspapers and employing 3,000 journalists in print, broadcast, and online.Blame Rupert Murdoch for Trump Calling Journalists 'Enemies of the People'What Rupert Wrought: The 10 Scariest Bits From the NYT's Murdoch OpusOne longtime News Corp executive, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, described the comments by James, who continues to sit on the board of News Corporation, and Kathryn as an intentional attack on Lachlan and Rupert. "They are pissing inside the tent and that's unusual. It's evidence of how high tensions are within the family over climate change. The majority of people who work here agree with James. We are hoping this may be the tipping point," the exec said.Critics say Murdoch's Australian newspapers and his television networks have continued to publish stories and opinion pieces that dismiss widely accepted science about climate change.On Nov. 24, as fires were already burning in Australia, News Corp columnist Chris Kenny wrote in The Australian newspaper, "Hysterical efforts to blame the fires on climate change continue, even though we have always faced this threat and always will."A day later, News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt wrote in The Herald Sun: "Let's assume you're silly enough to think global warming is causing worse bushfires around the world. (In fact a recent NASA study found that the area burned by fire has dropped 24 percent over 18 years.)… True, the world has warmed slightly as it rebounds from the little ice age that stretched from 1300 to around 1870, but can we cool it on this panic? In that time of warming, life expectancy has shot up, world grain crops have set new records, and the death rate from extreme weather has been slashed by 99 percent."On Jan. 6 on Fox News, contributor Raymond Arroyo—speaking on The Ingraham Angle about Golden Globes winners warning about climate following the Australian fires—said, "They just arrested 12 people in Australia for those fires and they were blaming it on climate change. Wrong again!"Two nights later, host Laura Ingraham referred to it as a "climate-change flameout" and said that "celebrities in the media have been pressing the narrative that the wildfires in Australia are caused by climate change" while again hosting Arroyo, who added: "This is incomplete reporting, Laura. Though Australia has had the highest temperatures on record—the driest season ever—it's not correct to say climate change caused these wildfires."Other Murdoch family members were less forthcoming to share their views of News Corp's coverage of climate change. When contacted by The Daily Beast, Elisabeth Murdoch hung up after being quizzed on the issue. In 2011, News Corp bought Elisabeth's TV production company, Shine Group, for $673 million.Wendi Deng, the mother of Murdoch's two youngest daughters, Chloe and Grace—and who divorced Rupert in 2013—told The Daily Beast, "I can't talk about this," when reached by phone. Prudence Murdoch, Rupert's first child, who resides in Australia, did not respond to repeated requests for comment. On Wednesday, The Daily Beast contacted a representative for Lachlan and Rupert requesting comment on James' statement and asked about both men's position on climate change but received no response. The Beast followed up with a query asking if Lachlan or Rupert planned on donating money to bushfire relief efforts.Late Thursday, it was announced Lachlan and his wife, Sarah, had pledged $1.4 million (A$2 million) to bushfire recovery efforts. Lachlan and Sarah recently splashed out $150 million on a mansion in Bel Air, California, the second most expensive residential property sale in the United States.On Monday, News Corp announced that it will donate $3.5 million (A$5 million) to bushfire relief. Rupert, whose net worth is estimated by Bloomberg News to be in excess of $7 billion, and his wife, Jerry Hall, pledged $1.4 million (A$2 million)."It is clear that confronting the bushfire disaster in Australia requires both an immediate response and an ongoing investment in rebuilding the lives and livelihoods of those most affected by the fires across the country," Rupert said in a statement. James and Kathryn have long been passionate about the environment and have both spoken publicly in the past about the dangers of climate change. In 2008, Kathryn joined the Clinton Climate Initiative and later served on the board of the Environmental Defense Fund. In 2014, the couple founded the Quadrivium Foundation, an organization that invests in a range of programs tackling issues that include electoral interference and climate change. "There hasn't been a Republican answer on climate change," Kathryn told The New York Times. "There's just been denial and walking away from the problem. There needs to be one."Rupert Murdoch Attacks Scientology Because It Once Courted His Son LachlanThe couple have also donated to the Anti-Defamation League, Unite America, and to Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign.After 21st Century Fox was sold to Disney for $71 billion last year, James used his $2 billion windfall from the sale to found Lupa Systems, a tech and media investment company that has thus far acquired stakes in Vice Media, the Tribeca Film Festival, and a comic-book publisher. Last year he told The New Yorker, "There are views I really disagree with on Fox." His father was forced to address the climate issue at News Corp's annual general meeting in New York in November, following a question delivered via proxy from Australian shareholder activist Stephen Mayne. The questioner asked, "What do you believe is the global role of News Corp in the geopolitical climate? If you do believe in climate change, Mr. Mayne is interested to hear why News Corp gives climate deniers like Andrew Bolt and Terry McCrann so much airtime in Australia?""There are no climate-change deniers around, I can assure you," Murdoch Senior responded while also touting that the company had "reduced our global carbon footprint by 25 percent, six years ahead of schedule."In an interview with The Daily Beast, Mayne, a longtime Murdoch critic, said there were numerous examples of News Corp journalists and commentators who promote climate denialism in print and on air. "Within the Australian division, there are individuals who are obsessed with climate-change denialism such as Andrew Bolt and Terry McCrann, both of whom are 30-year veterans of the company and are close to Rupert and Lachlan. The failure here is a failure to intervene to withdraw the green light for unhinged denialism within the Australian division," he said."It entirely comes down to Rupert and Lachlan. They are equally conservative and fully on board with everything from Fox News to climate-change denialism."According to an account published by The New York Times, Lachlan was impressed by the way Bolt aggressively questioned Al Gore after he presented a slideshow on climate change at a News Corp retreat in California in 2006. "Clearly, James was the one who persuaded his father in 2005 to embrace climate-change action, but his father doesn't actually believe it and nor does Lachlan," Mayne added."There's been a long-term rivalry and disagreements between Lachlan and James, and Lachlan has won in a sense as he's stayed and he's a chip off the old block like his climate-denying dad," he said.Last week, a News Corp staffer based in Australia, Emily Townsend, sent a damning all-staff email addressed to News Corp Australia Executive Chairman Michael Miller. "I have been severely impacted by the coverage of News Corp publications in relation to the fires, in particular the misinformation campaign that has tried to divert attention away from the real issue which is climate change to rather focus on arson (including misrepresenting facts)," she wrote."I find it unconscionable to continue working for this company, knowing I am contributing to the spread of climate-change denial and lies. The reporting I have witnessed in The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, and Herald Sun is not only irresponsible, but dangerous and damaging to our communities and beautiful planet that needs us more than ever to acknowledge the destruction we have caused and start doing something about it." The email was quickly deleted from News Corp employees' inboxes.In response, Miller defended the companies' coverage. "News Corp stands by its coverage of the bushfires. The dedication and professionalism of our journalists and photographers have kept the community—particularly those Australians affected directly—informed and supported."We respect Ms. Townsend's right to hold her views, but we do not agree with them."Our coverage has recognized that Australia is having a serious conversation about climate change and how to respond to it. However, it has also reflected there are a variety of views and opinions about the current fire crisis."A rep for News Corp didn't respond to James and Kathryn's remarks. A rep for Fox News declined to comment. Mayne believes News Corp stands at a moment of reckoning, but it may be too late to correct course. "We haven't had this situation before of a massive disaster with the company being internationally slammed for climate denialism and a key family member calling out the appalling coverage in Australia," he said. "They are so all into a 'do nothing' position that they will look stupid if they pivot. It ultimately comes down to the family—it's an internal dispute within the family. Rupert hates giving in to the left."On Saturday, The Australian, the company's national masthead, printed an editorial defending the paper's coverage and lashing out at competitors who have questioned its editorial stance. "In our coverage, The Australian's journalists report facts about how to tackle bushfires and about how to deal with the impact of climate change. Second, we host debates reflecting the political division that exists in Australia about how to address climate change without destroying our economy," the editorial stated."However, our factual account of bushfires, climate change, and the remedies, as well as our editorial commentary on these issues, have been willfully and ineptly misrepresented by The New York Times and Guardian Australia as climate denial."—with additional reporting by Justin BaragonaRead 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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| Iran arrests suspects in 'unforgivable' plane disaster as protests persist Posted: 14 Jan 2020 01:09 AM PST  Iran said on Tuesday it had arrested people accused of a role in shooting down a Ukrainian airliner and had also detained 30 people involved in protests that have swept the nation for four days since the military belatedly admitted its error. Wednesday's shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines flight 752, which killed all 176 people aboard, has created a new crisis for the Islamic Republic's clerical rulers. President Hassan Rouhani promised a thorough investigation into the "unforgivable error" in an address on Tuesday.
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| How Seriously Should Trump Take North Korea's 13,000 Artillery Pieces? Posted: 13 Jan 2020 06:00 AM PST  Here's what we know.
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| Ex-Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line workers reveal what they wanted to tell passengers but couldn't Posted: 14 Jan 2020 08:51 AM PST  Business Insider asked current and former cruise-ship workers what they wish they could tell passengers but can't.
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| Stunning photos show a huge volcanic eruption in the Philippines spewing smoke and ash into the sky, as experts warn of a possible tsunami Posted: 13 Jan 2020 04:28 AM PST  Authorities in the Philippines have estimated 450,000 people are in the 14 km danger zone surrounding the Taal volcano.
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| China trade surplus with US dropped 8.5% to $296 bn in 2019 Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:19 PM PST  China's trade surplus with the United States narrowed last year as the world's two biggest economies exchanged punitive tariffs in a bruising trade war, data showed Tuesday, just as the two prepare to sign a deal dialling down tensions. The huge difference in trade traffic is a key bone of contention for Donald Trump in a long-running stand-off that has seen him impose tariffs on goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars, triggering retaliation from Beijing and jolting the global economy. China's surplus came in at around $295.8 billion in 2019, down 8.5 percent from the previous year's record $323.3 billion, according to customs data.
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| 'Clearly He's Not Actually Washing.' Grandma Puts Baby to Work Doing Dishes Because Being a Baby Is Not a Free Ride Posted: 14 Jan 2020 07:45 AM PST  Don't all infants wash spoons?
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| Anti-Semitic Attacks Shine Spotlight on Long-Simmering Tri-State Tensions Posted: 13 Jan 2020 03:30 AM PST  In the wake of the recent anti-Semitic shooting in Jersey City, N.J. and the machete attack at the home of a rabbi in Monsey, N.Y., news of anti-Semitism in the tri-state area has begun to pierce the mainstream-media bubble. But tensions have existed for decades in the Jewish enclaves that surround New York City.Grafton Thomas, who attacked visitors at the home of rabbi Chaim Rottenberg, has been charged by the Rockland County district attorney with six counts of attempted murder and three counts of assault. One of the victims, Rabbi Josef Neumann, was left in a coma, and his family says he will have permanent brain damage.On Thursday, Thomas was indicted on federal hate-crime charges."I'm begging you . . . please stand up and stop this hatred," Neumann's daughter Nicky Kohen said at a press conference at the beginning of January. "It cannot keep going on. We want our kids to go to school and feel safe, we want to go our synagogues and feel safe."While Thomas's lawyer and his mother insist his attack was the product of mental illness rather than anti-Semitism, Ramapo chief of police Brad Weidel said the attack was clearly motivated by anti-Jewish animus, citing the rather compelling evidence that Thomas had searched for "why did Hitler hate the Jews" and "Zionist temples near me" on his cell phone in the days before the attack.The attack in Monsey came on the heels of the anti-Semitic shooting at a Jersey City kosher supermarket, during which the perpetrators, David Anderson and Francine Graham, killed three people. Anderson was alleged to have followed Black Hebrew Israelite theology, which claims that African Americans are the true descendants of the ancient Israelites and that Jews are essentially pretenders to the faith.Anti-Semitism has flared up periodically throughout New York City history, especially in areas such as Crown Heights with a large ultra-Orthodox population. During the Crown Heights Riots in 1991, marchers chanted "Heil Hitler!" and "Death to the Jews!" and vandalized Jewish storefronts and homes. The ultra-Orthodox, who dress in distinctive styles for both men and women, seem to be the primary targets of anti-Semitic attacks, many of them by African-American or Hispanic perpetrators. Thomas's mother said he was born and raised in Crown Heights, and even acted as a "Shabbos goy" for Jewish residents. He was eight years old at the time of the riots, although it is not clear if he and his mother were present during the period of violence.In any case, Anderson and Graham targeted a budding community of ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jersey City, who had moved to the area from Brooklyn for lower housing prices and less-crowded living conditions. Rockland County, where Monsey is located, is another area in which a large ultra-Orthodox population has settled after leaving the city. Orthodox Jews now constitute over 31 percent of the population there, the largest Jewish population by percentage of any county in the U.S. Grafton Thomas and his mother moved to Rockland County from Crown Heights.There is no indication that Anderson, Graham, and Thomas attacked Jewish targets for reasons related to outmigration from New York City to the surrounding region. Yet the attacks have rattled ultra-Orthodox in those areas nonetheless, owing in part to preexisting disputes between some ultra-Orthodox communities and the neighboring non-Jewish population in those areas.The various ultra-Orthodox denominations that have settled in towns in upstate New York and northern New Jersey have specific religious practices that affect their living habits. They generally live in close proximity to one another due to restrictions on driving during Shabbat and the necessity of the participation of ten adult males in certain prayers. Following the commandment in Genesis to "be fruitful and multiply," ultra-Orthodox families can regularly reach eight or more children, leading to swift increases in population.The subsequent population explosion has increased demand for housing development in the area, worrying non-Jewish residents who say they want to keep their rural way of life intact. At the same time, the ultra-Orthodox community typically constructs developments of townhouses, ensuring that community members live within walking distance of one another and that there are enough Jews in the area to form a prayer congregation.One of the most crucial features of these communities is that ultra-Orthodox Jews vote en masse as a bloc in elections for candidates agreed upon by community leaders. This can transform the local political landscape in their favor. Rural and suburban towns have fought against what they see as development for one specific religious group out of fear that the ultra-Orthodox voting bloc will render longtime residents politically powerless. This can be seen particularly in the realm of public education: Non-Jewish residents question why ultra-Orthodox representatives may sit on a public-school board when ultra-Orthodox children generally use private yeshivas, and only use public-school funds for busing and special-education purposes. (New York state law requires the public-education budget to provide busing services for private schools.)The ultra-Orthodox population is also a heavy user of government resources such as Medicaid and food stamps. This is due to the fact that many of the men either don't work or make low salaries, choosing instead to devote their time to studying religious texts."Many in the community look at the Hasidim as locusts, who go from community to community . . . just stripping all the resources out of it," said a Jewish, but not ultra-Orthodox, resident of upstate New York. The resident, who vociferously objects to ultra-Orthodox development and asked not to be named for fear of retribution by the ultra-Orthodox community, added that "nobody here doesn't like them because they're Jews. People don't like them because of what they do. Rural, hardworking people also want to live our lives too."Because opposition to new residents is directed toward ultra-Orthodox Jews, small towns that resist development risk running afoul of anti-discrimination laws. In only the latest instance, the town of Chester in Orange County has been waging a years-long battle to prevent a development of townhouses that residents charge will be populated only by ultra-Orthodox Jews. In December, New York attorney general Letitia James filed a motion alleging that the town was engaged in discriminatory housing practices, calling the town's actions "blatantly anti-Semitic.""If town officials brainstorm in public about how to 'keep the Hasidic out' and then go ahead and fabricate the text of documents to create unprecedented restrictions on a fully approved project, you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out what's going on," Livy Schwartz, one of the developers of the project in Chester, told National Review.The Rockland County GOP created controversy in August after airing an ad titled "A Storm is Brewing in Rockland County." Using ominous music and footage of storm clouds, the video accused ultra-Orthodox politician Aron Wieder and his supporters of "plotting a takeover" with a bloc vote and driving overdevelopment in the county."This video is absolutely despicable," the Republican Jewish Coalition, a nation-wide advocacy group, wrote on Twitter. "It is pure anti-Semitism, and should be immediately taken down."Other instances of conflict between ultra-Orthodox and non-Jewish residents have cropped up in the past, along with accusations of anti-Semitism.Shulem Deen, a former ultra-Orthodox Jew who lived in Rockland County for a time, criticized the county GOP ad as having "a flavor of classic anti-Semitism." Deen also pointed out that he had experienced anti-Semitic incidents in his former town of New Square, when teenagers would sometimes drive through the town shouting slurs at ultra-Orthodox residents. However, he said that the issue of ultra-Orthodox development can lead to legitimate concerns."Whether people have a right to say, 'you cannot change my environment:' that's an interesting question," he said. "Do others have a right to settle in a certain vicinity, in a region, and make that place their own?"State assemblyman Colin Schmitt, a Republican whose district in Orange County includes Chester, argues that the allegations of anti-Semitism are unfounded and are meant to conceal the attorney general's more cynical motive for interceding in the Chester lawsuit, namely that she wants to protect politically potent special-interest groups."The attorney general, by her action here, is not representing the residents of Chester," Schmitt told National Review. "All of a sudden there's an interest shown by her to benefit one private developer. Now that is what this is about." Schmitt emphasized that the town of Chester is a rural, "long-time agricultural" community that would be altered by the proposed development."There have been longstanding tensions within the community, in Chester and in the larger region . . . many dealing with housing issues," Schmitt went on. "We have . . . a welcoming, loving community here that has for years worked on preservation efforts — land preservation, natural-resource preservation, preserving the character of the community."The attacks in Jersey City and Monsey may fade from the national conversation over time. But one thing seems certain: These simmering local conflicts, which have existed now for several decades, are not going away.
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| 'I wished I was on that plane': Iranian general apologizes; missiles pound Iraq base. What we know now Posted: 13 Jan 2020 08:28 AM PST  Fallout from Iran-U.S. tensions intensified Sunday as missiles pounded an Iraqi air base hosting U.S. troops.
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| Hezbollah says payback for U.S. strike has just begun Posted: 12 Jan 2020 11:49 AM PST  The leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said on Sunday that Iran's missile attacks on two bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces was only the start of the retaliation for the U.S.'s killing of a top Iranian commander in a drone strike.
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| U.S. commander: Iranian missile attack designed to 'inflict as many casualties as possible' Posted: 13 Jan 2020 04:05 PM PST  U.S. commanders at the Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq do not think that last week's attacks by Iran were only meant to scare people."These were designed and organized to inflict as many casualties as possible," Lt. Col Tim Garland, Commander of Task Force Jazeera, told The Washington Post. Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles, targeting al-Asad and a second base in northern Iraq. The bases house U.S. troops, and were already on high alert after Iran promised to exact revenge for President Trump authorizing an airstrike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani.The base was told late Tuesday that it should expect an attack from Iran, and went into lockdown. Troops moved into underground bunkers and shelters, while some remained outside to man the perimeter, due to fears there could be also be a ground assault. The strikes came in waves, the Post reports, with up to 15 minutes between each one, and troops felt the shock waves in the air. Two soldiers in a tower were thrown through a window, commanders said, and ultimately several dozen troops were treated for concussion.The barrage lasted more than 90 minutes, and when day broke, officials were able to fully assess the damage. Prefabricated buildings were mangled and living quarters and a helicopter launch site were damaged. There were no deaths, and Lt. Col. Staci Coleman told the Post it was "miraculous" that no one was seriously injured. Read more at The Washington Post.More stories from theweek.com Of course Warren and Sanders are fighting Trump reportedly plans to divert another $7 billion in Pentagon funds for border wall construction What to expect at the 7th Democratic debate
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| Deputy prime minister calls Japan a nation with single race Posted: 14 Jan 2020 01:45 AM PST  Japan's deputy prime minister described the country as the only one in the world with a single race, language and 2,000-year-old monarchy, sparking criticism that he was ignoring an indigenous ethnic group and Japanese racial diversity. Taro Aso, who is also finance minister and one of most influential lawmakers in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government, has made a series of remarks in the past deemed insensitive and discriminatory. "No other country but this one has lasted for as long as 2,000 years with one language, one ethnic group and one dynasty," Aso said in a speech Monday.
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| A Japanese woman was asked to take a pregnancy test before flying to a US island that has become popular for birth tourism Posted: 12 Jan 2020 03:51 PM PST  More tourists gave birth in Saipan than residents in 2018, as the island has become popular for pregnant women wishing to give birth to US citizens.
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| Six tourists arrested after feces found in sacred Machu Picchu area Posted: 13 Jan 2020 05:04 PM PST  Six tourists, including a French woman, have been arrested over accusations that they damaged Peru's cultural heritage by defecating in a sacred temple at the iconic Machu Picchu sanctuary. "The six tourists are being detained and investigated by the public ministry for the alleged crime against cultural heritage," Cusco regional police chief Wilbert Leyva said on Monday, quoted by the local Andina news agency. The tourists were arrested on Sunday after park rangers and police found them in a restricted area of the Temple of the Sun, an important site at the Inca citadel.
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| The Reason Why China Refuses to Use Nuclear Weapons First in a War Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:00 AM PST  Is No First Use a good idea?
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| Man caught a 350-pound fish believed to be at least 50 years old Posted: 13 Jan 2020 11:43 AM PST  The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently posted a photo on Facebook of a 350-pound Warsaw grouper that a man caught off the coast at the end of December.
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| Get the Vibrant Look of This Southern California Residence Posted: 14 Jan 2020 05:00 AM PST |
| Florida's 'Python Challenge' brings hundreds together for one goal: Catching huge snakes Posted: 14 Jan 2020 07:18 AM PST  By Monday morning, 662 people registered for the Florida Python Challenge to hunt invasive snakes in the Everglades.
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| Trump unleashes tweetstorm on Democrats over Iran strike Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:12 AM PST  In a series of tweets and retweets riddled with typos and offensive images, President Trump lashed out Monday morning against criticism over the way he and his administration have handled the killing of a top Iranian general.
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| Guatemala's new president takes office under U.S. pressure on asylum Posted: 13 Jan 2020 10:04 PM PST  Guatemala's new president takes office on Tuesday under pressure from the Trump administration on immigration and security and must decide his government's stance quickly on a U.S. asylum agreement he previously opposed. A conservative former surgeon and ex-prison chief, Alejandro Giammattei, 63, ran for top office three times before his victory in an August runoff on a tough-on-crime platform that included returning the death penalty. Acting U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, part of the U.S. delegation headed by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross for the inauguration, is expected to push Giammattei to expand the agreement to include Mexicans.
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| Secret Service agent fatally shoots 'aggressive' dog in NYC Posted: 14 Jan 2020 07:58 AM PST |
| 29 bodies unearthed from Mexican mass grave Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:42 PM PST  The bodies of at least 29 people have been unearthed from a mass grave on a property outside Mexico's western city of Guadalajara, local authorities said Monday. The grim site was discovered in Jalisco -- a state hard-hit by violence linked to organized crime, and the same area where authorities have found a total of 80 bodies since November. The local prosecutor's office said that four of the dead had been partially identified and corresponded with open missing persons investigations.
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| The unintended consequences of Taiwan standing up to China Posted: 13 Jan 2020 11:43 AM PST  A popular parable attributed to Taoism by Alan Watts goes something like this:A farmer's horse runs away. His neighbor commiserates at his loss, but the farmer demurs: "who knows if it is good or bad?" The neighbor leaves, puzzled how there could be any question.The next day, the horse returns with a new wild horse as its mate. The neighbor congratulates the farmer on his good fortune that a second horse had come into his possession. But the farmer demurs again: "who knows if it is good or bad?"Sure enough, the next day, the farmer's son is thrown from the saddle while breaking the wild horse, and breaks his leg. The neighbor commiserates again on his son's injury, but as expected, the farmer demurs: "who knows if it is good or bad?"And of course, the next day the army marches through to draft all the able-bodied men to go off to war, and the farmer's son is only spared because of his injury.You can take the story for as many turns as you want: any apparently bad news can lead to good fortune, and any apparently good news can lead to bad consequences.I've been thinking about that story apropos of the Taiwanese election.President Tsai Ing-wen's landslide re-election seems like unequivocally good news. Voting took place in the shadow of increasingly overt attempts at intimidation by Beijing, and the months of protesting in Hong Kong that demonstrated as clearly as possible that "one country, two systems" was a hollow promise — particularly when Chinese President Xi Jinping explicitly suggested Hong Kong as the model for Taiwan's future. Xi deserved a strong rebuke to his bullying, and he got one.But that doesn't mean the message will be received as intended. It's all but certain that Beijing will never willingly change their view that Taiwan is a renegade province that must be incorporated into China proper. What is harder to tell is whether Xi's increasingly personalized dictatorship is capable of softening its approach and biding its time, which is the only plausible path to peaceful unification.What are the other possibilities? First, China could redouble its efforts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically and pressure it economically. Taiwan has become quite integrated with the Chinese market over the past two decades, and one of Tsai's main priorities has been to seek alternatives to China for their supply chain. But Beijing could get more aggressive about trying to stymie those efforts, while also forcing Taiwanese firms that continue to do business with the mainland to side with China in America's ongoing trade war.How would Taiwan react to a further tightening of the screws? It's possible that they would reverse course and try to accommodate Beijing — but it's far more likely that they would redouble their own efforts to break out of that isolation. In the context of the great unwinding of America's relationship with China, Taiwan may find opportunities with the United States (and Japan). It's not hard to imagine, though, how China would view such moves, even if they were not accompanied by anything as provocative as a declaration of independence.Finally, there is the threat of war. At present, any military threats Beijing might make are largely idle; it is not clear that they have the capacity to subdue the island militarily. But as China's modernization proceeds, their confidence that they could achieve their military objectives will increase. In the context of deteriorating relations and an ever-stronger independent national identity on the island, it might eventually make sense for Taiwan to risk war while they still have a chance of winning.Ten years ago, it was possible to look at the Taiwanese situation and predict that China would eventually prevail through patience and the sheer preponderance of power. That is harder to believe today, as China has become increasingly threatening, and as its economic miracle has grown increasingly brittle. Ten years ago, it was also possible to look at Sino-American competition as part of a classic power transition, with the challenge being how America would manage China becoming the dominant power of the western Pacific without war. That is also much harder to believe today. As explicit great power competition has re-emerged, Taiwan has become a fault-line state, a place China cannot afford to relinquish lest its own regime lose legitimacy, but that America cannot afford to abandon lest its own position in Asia collapse.Today, we should celebrate Tsai's election as a triumph for democracy in a time when democracy could use some triumphs. But tomorrow, we should remember the many ways in which happy news can turn sour, and far more quickly than we might imagine.Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for The Week's "Today's best articles" newsletter here.More stories from theweek.com Of course Warren and Sanders are fighting Trump reportedly plans to divert another $7 billion in Pentagon funds for border wall construction What to expect at the 7th Democratic debate
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| Destroying China's South China Sea Island Bases In a War Might Not Be So Easy Posted: 13 Jan 2020 05:55 AM PST  Expert: "Effectively neutralizing China's bases would require hundreds of missiles, emptying the magazines of valuable U.S. platforms that don't have ordnance to spare."
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| The Trump administration is warning allies to stay away from Huawei — but not everyone's listening Posted: 13 Jan 2020 05:38 AM PST  The US has been lobbying allies like the UK and Germany to reject Huawei's 5G technology with mixed success.
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| Australia's bushfires are producing so much smoke that NASA expects it to travel all the way around the world and return to Australia Posted: 14 Jan 2020 02:46 AM PST  NASA said the smoke from the fires devastating Australia had already traveled "halfway around Earth" last week, reaching South America.
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| Is Delta Air Lines going to shake up those onerous airline change fees? Posted: 14 Jan 2020 06:51 AM PST |
| Iran plane crash: British ambassador summoned by Tehran claiming he attended 'illegal rally' Posted: 12 Jan 2020 07:47 PM PST  Iran summoned the British ambassador on Sunday after it accused him of "illegal and inappropriate" presence at anti-government demonstrations, deepening a diplomatic rift between the countries. Ambassador Rob Macaire denounced his detention on Saturday, which he said was "of course illegal", saying he had attended a vigil for victims of the Ukrainian Airlines crash, but left as protests broke out. It came as Iran faced a second day of protests over the downing of the flight by the Iranian military, killing all 176 passengers, and initial denials by the regime. Iranian officials defended the detention of Mr Macaire, which foreign secretary Dominic Raab said risked the country gaining "pariah status". Hamid Baeidinejad, Iran's ambassador to the UK, suggested Mr Macaire should have heeded his own embassy's warnings to "not be present in the proximity of political demonstrations in Tehran." Iran's deputy foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, said Mr Macaire had been arrested as an "unknown foreigner in an illegal gathering" and "15 min later he was free." Demonstrators light candles while gathering during a vigil for the victims of the Ukraine International Airlines flight Credit: Ali Mohammadi/Bloomberg The arrest was condemned by both Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel as a "violation of international law. Meanwhile scores of protestors gathered in Tehran to protest against the regime, despite the widespread presence of riot police just months after hundreds of protesters were killed in a crackdown on demonstrations. Videos showed protesters shouting anti-government slogans, including: "They are lying that our enemy is America, our enemy is right here." One video circulated on social media appeared to show crowds of students at a Tehran university deliberately walking around American and Israeli flags painted on the floor in order to avoid stepping on them. Residents of the capital told Reuters that police were out in force on Sunday. Some protesters in Azadi Square first called on officers there to join them, then turned their anger on the authorities, chanting anti-government slogans including "Down with the dictator" - a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to social media posts and Iranian media reports. The semi-official ILNA news agency said police moved to disperse the protesters, who it said numbered as many as 3,000. Videos posted online showed demonstrators running from police who used batons and teargas. The protests began on Saturday after Iran's admission that it had accidentally shot down the Ukrainian jet caused widespread public anger. Most of the passengers were Iranian citizens. Tehran had previously denied responsibility for the tragedy, which it said came as the military was on high alert for US strikes in the wake of the assasination of General Qassim Soleimani. Rob Macaire A report from London-based Iran International TV suggested Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had deliberately allowed civilian air traffic around the airport as a deterrence against any US attack. Crowds had gathered outside a university in central Tehran on Saturday to denounce the IRGC, the elite military force under the direct authority of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Kahmenei. The students shouted, "Death to the dictator," and "End your rule over the country." Riot police fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse the protests. Donald Trump voiced his support for pro-democracy demonstrators in Iran by tweeting in Farsi over the weekend. In one tweet, which swiftly earned more than 300,000 likes he said: "To the brave and suffering Iranian people: I have stood with you since the beginning of my presidency and my government will continue to stand with you. We are following your protests closely. Your courage is inspiring." On Sunday, he warned Iranian leaders not to kill protesters, saying "the world is watching". In an interview with CBS's "Face the Nation" just before the tweet, US Defenc Secretary Mark Esper said Mr Trump was still willing to hold talks with Iran's leaders. "We're willing to sit down and discuss without precondition a new way forward, a series of steps by which Iran becomes a more normal country," Defence Secretary Mark Esper said on CBS's "Face the Nation". And if something happened to the protesters? Mr Esper replied: "The president has drawn no preconditions other than to say we're willing to meet with the Iranian government." Iran crisis | Read more On another Sunday talk show, national security advisor Robert O'Brien said the Iranian regime was "reeling from maximum pressure." "They are reeling from their incompetence in this situation. And the people of Iran are just fed up with it," he said on ABC's "This Week". "Iran is being choked off, and Iran is going to have no other choice but to come to the table." Trump late Sunday slapped O'Brien down, saying, "Actually, I couldn't care less if they negotiate. Will be totally up to them." But back in the US, an ABC News/Ipsos poll showed that 56 per cent of voters disapproved of the president's handling of Iran, with 52 per cent saying that the airstrike which killed Soleimani had made the US less safe. Last night, a volley of rockets hit an Iraqi airbase north of Baghdad where US forces have been based, wounding four local troops. Military bases hosting US troops have been subject to volleys of rocket and mortar attacks in recent months that have mostly wounded Iraqi forces, but also killed one American contractor last month, setting off the dramatic developments of recent weeks. Iran on Sunday signalled it was interested in "de-escalation" following talks with Qatar, as the US defence secretary said Mr Trump was ready to "sit down and discuss without precondition a new way forward".
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| Pompeo says Soleimani killing part of new strategy to deter U.S. foes Posted: 13 Jan 2020 03:22 PM PST  U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday said Qassem Soleimani was killed as part of a broader strategy of deterring challenges by U.S. foes that also applies to China and Russia, further diluting the assertion that the top Iranian general was struck because he was plotting imminent attacks on U.S. targets. In his speech at Stanford University's Hoover Institute, Pompeo made no mention of the threat of imminent attacks planned by Soleimani. It only was in response to a question that he repeated his earlier assertion that pre-empting such plots was the reason for the Jan. 3 American drone strike on Iran's second most powerful official.
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| Police Conduct ‘Death Investigation’ at Home of Missing Florida Family Posted: 13 Jan 2020 03:14 PM PST  The story of a missing Florida family took a grim turn Monday when police turned up at their doorstep to conduct a death investigation.Relatives first reported the Todt family missing last Wednesday, asking for information on the whereabouts of Anthony, Megan, and their three young children in a Facebook group that quickly swelled to nearly 2,500 members. The family had recently moved from Colchester, Connecticut, to Celebration, Florida—a gated community on the outskirts of Disney World, designed and built by the Walt Disney Company. Relatives said they last heard from the family on Jan. 6. Neighbors reported last seeing them in mid-December.Celebration, Florida: How Disney's 'Community of Tomorrow' Became a Total Nightmare"Worried sick!!!" one family friend wrote. "I keep sending them messages on messenger and they are being sent but not delivered. I'm guessing their phones are off. Praying for their safe return."But with news of the death investigation Monday, the posts turned less hopeful. "Please respect our family," one relative wrote. "We don't know anymore."Police responded to an address registered to the Todts at 11:30 Monday morning, according to local media. Neighbors had reportedly called the police after not seeing the children in several days. One neighbor told The Daily Beast that police had also cordoned off an area of the local park frequented by the mother and kids. Neighbors reported seeing the father of the family that lived in the home being ordered out by armed deputies and taken away in handcuffs. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office did not confirm that the investigation was related to the Todt family and did not respond to multiple requests for comment."This is an isolated incident, and all parties involved with this death investigation are accounted for," Sheriff Russ Gibson said in a brief press conference, adding that they were in "the very beginning stages of the investigation."Court records show an eviction order was entered against the family late last month, but no response had been filed as of Monday. Both Anthony and Megan appear to have worked at a family-owned physical therapy office in Connecticut. State records show Anthony's license expired in September and had not been renewed; Megan's was set to expire at the end of this month.Family members said on Facebook that they were in touch with authorities in both Connecticut and Florida but declined to comment further when reached by The Daily Beast. 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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| Fed up Venezuelans find solace on the beach Posted: 13 Jan 2020 06:28 PM PST  When Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido called for street protests at the weekend in a bid to rekindle popular outrage against President Nicolas Maduro, only a few hundred people turned up. It's a far cry from the tens of thousands he mobilized a year ago after declaring himself interim president and winning recognition from more than 50 countries. Many, like Jhoan Navarro, would rather turn their attention to the beach these days, glad of a distraction from the seemingly unending political standoff which they say has brought little change to their lives.
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| Tom Steyer had a rough endorsement interview with The New York Times Posted: 13 Jan 2020 10:05 AM PST  There are many ways to describe Tom Steyer's interview with The New York Times — the same interview every presidential candidate is going through in hopes of receiving the paper's 2020 endorsement. And with the billionaire ending his interview admittedly "upset," well, "rough" might just be an understatement.Steyer, the oft-donor to Democratic politicians, starts the interview on a less-than-perfect note. He's asked about "policy breakdowns that have led to there still being Americans who are hungry today," and meets it with an "um." It's an admittedly tough question, and Steyer says he'll start by discussing "where people are living" before stumbling to "young people." He eventually recovers to discuss the charitable program he built with his wife.Things get a little snippy when Steyer is asked if "running for president is the best use of your wealth?," given that the money he's planning to spend on his campaign could fund an estimated five Senate campaigns. "As I'm sure you know since you work for The New York Times and have done your research," Steyer testily begins before describing his voter registration effort NextGen America.By the end of the interview, Steyer is admittedly "upset" after being asked what he'll likely "fail at as president." He says he's trying to "make sure I keep my temper" and "keep my self-discipline because otherwise I'm going to get very mad," but then calls the Times a "fancy newspaper" that talks to "fancy people," suggesting it's out of touch with what's happening "around this country." Steyer then declares "I'm not sitting here just running my mouth," and the interview ends before the Times can even ask about his tie.More stories from theweek.com Of course Warren and Sanders are fighting Trump reportedly plans to divert another $7 billion in Pentagon funds for border wall construction What to expect at the 7th Democratic debate
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| Why The Pentagon Is Testing New Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles Posted: 14 Jan 2020 12:22 AM PST  A message to Russia and China.
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| AOC’s Reelection Campaign Keeps Half of All Donations to ‘Working-Class Champions’ PAC Posted: 13 Jan 2020 07:48 AM PST  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's creation of a new progressive PAC to "elect working-class champions who have lived the hardships we seek to eliminate" funnels half of every donation to her own campaign.After accusing the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee of "blacklisting" progressive candidates and refusing to pay $250,000 in dues to the organization, Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) framed the "Courage to Change" PAC as a progressive alternative to the DCCC."We are pushing the envelope in DC by rewarding those who reject lobbyist money, fight for working families,& welcome newcomers," she wrote on Twitter, making no mention of the fact that half of all donations go to her own campaign.> The rumors are true. Today we're announcing the Courage to Change PAC - and we need your help.> > We are pushing the envelope in DC by rewarding those who reject lobbyist money, fight for working families,& welcome newcomers.> > Change takes courage. Let's go: https://t.co/F01JmYaR7w> > -- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 11, 2020Her campaign echoed the message. "We're paving a different path," it wrote in its first fundraising email. "The DCCC has been an entrenched tool in a system that blocks working-class candidates from running for office, and protects out of touch incumbents."The PAC's website says its goal is to "elect working-class champions who have lived the hardships we seek to eliminate — people who have experienced racial, economic, environmental, or social injustice firsthand."In fine print, it notes that donations will be split evenly between Ocasio-Cortez and the PAC's war chest, while an additional option allows for one to change the allocation, but not eliminate it.The Washington Post reported that as of Sunday afternoon, the PAC raised more than $107,000 from over 7,300 contributions since its launch on Saturday, potentially bringing in over $50,000 to Ocasio-Cortez's own campaign."There is a robust infrastructure set up to maintain and defend the Democratic majority, and to support moderate Democrats, and often that infrastructure is running against progressives in blue districts," said campaign spokesman Corbin Trent. "So what we're looking to do is to make sure that progressive candidates and incumbents have the support that they need to back policies that are going to improve the lives of everyday Americans."Ocasio-Cortez's campaign raised nearly $150,000 over the weekend, according to data it provided to the Post.In the third quarter, Ocasio-Cortez raked in over $1.4 million, the most of any Democrat in the House.
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| Kenyan President Reshuffles Cabinet as Chasm With Deputy Widens Posted: 14 Jan 2020 03:53 AM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Sign up to our Next Africa newsletter and follow Bloomberg Africa on TwitterKenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta made changes to his cabinet that include the dismissal of a key member considered an ally of his estranged deputy, while placating his voter base by announcing a raft of economic policy changes.Kenyatta dropped Agriculture Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri, who is said to side with Deputy President William Ruto. He confirmed Ukur Yatani as Treasury Secretary, effectively sacking former finance chief Henry Rotich, who is facing graft charges in court.Ruto's relationship with the East African nation's leader has deteriorated amid succession battles for 2022, when Kenyatta is bound to leave office."This is meant to pass a message to Ruto," said Herman Manyora, a political analyst at the University of Nairobi. "We expect to see more of these realignments. It is now more about politics than performance."A delicate alliance between Kenyatta and Ruto, who joined forces to contest 2013 elections, has degenerated since the president's rapprochement with arch-rival Raila Odinga in March 2018. Odinga, who has failed on four attempts to win the presidency, is seen as the biggest threat to Ruto's stab at the top seat.Left OutKenyatta's and Odinga's so-called handshake deal undermines an arrangement in which the president was supposed to rally his support base to back Ruto's bid at the next vote. The deputy has also raided the president's backyard and enjoys the support of many lawmakers who would traditionally back Kenyatta."I find it unfortunate that in the process of unifying Kenyans, people feel like they are being left out," Kenyatta said in a televised speech while announcing the changes, referring to the deal with Odinga. "I am not against anybody. I am for 47 million Kenyans."Kenyatta also made a raft of policy change announcements for tea, coffee and milk production and marketing that are meant to appease his key support base, according to Manyora.He imposed a 16% tax on milk imported from outside the regional East African Community bloc and ordered a probe into governance challenges, buying methods and an opaque dividend policy that have "bedeviled" the tea industry, he said. Kenyatta also announced a 3 billion shilling ($30 million) fund to protect coffee farmers from delayed payments.To contact the reporter on this story: David Herbling in Nairobi at dherbling@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: David Malingha at dmalingha@bloomberg.net, Helen Nyambura, Pauline BaxFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Iran announces arrests over its downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane that killed 176 Posted: 14 Jan 2020 08:55 AM PST  Iranian media said the arrests came after wide investigations. President Hassan Rouhani called shooting down the plane "painful and unforgivable."
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| Arkansas governor defends decision to accept new refugees Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:23 AM PST  Arkansas' Republican governor on Monday defended his decision to continue accepting new refugees, challenging skeptical GOP lawmakers to avoid creating "fear" about welcoming people from other countries. Gov. Asa Hutchinson told a legislative committee that fewer than 50 refugees will likely be resettled in Washington County in northwestern Arkansas under his decision. Arkansas is among 42 states that have said they will continue to accept refugees since the Trump administration issued an order in September that gave state and local governments the authority to refuse to accept them for the first time in history.
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| 12 People Shot, 5 Killed in Single Day of Shootings in Baltimore Posted: 13 Jan 2020 03:19 PM PST  The shootings happened throughout the day, and in locations across the city.
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| Harry, Meghan under fire after royal crisis summit Posted: 14 Jan 2020 07:18 AM PST  Prince Harry and his wife Meghan faced fresh criticism on Tuesday in the wake an emergency royal summit to discuss their shock withdrawal from frontline royal duties. British newspapers raked over Monday's meeting at which Queen Elizabeth II agreed to allow them to split their time between Canada and the UK. "It means only one thing -- Harry and Meghan have won!" royal commentator Philip Dampier wrote in the Daily Express.
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| North Korea's Military Is Huge, And It Would Be A Nightmare For America To Fight Posted: 13 Jan 2020 07:28 AM PST  So let's try talking.
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| Another Boeing supplier is laying off workers over the 737 Max production halt, days after ousted CEO Dennis Muilenburg got a $62 million payout Posted: 14 Jan 2020 03:19 AM PST  GE Aviation said Monday that it plans to cut 70 temporary jobs at its plant in Bromont, Canada, which helps build 737 Max engines.
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| ‘Moderate’ Michael Bloomberg Is an Authoritarian Nightmare Posted: 13 Jan 2020 01:33 PM PST  While discussing the Texas church shooting last week, Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg said that we "just do not want the average citizen carrying a gun in a crowded place.""It may be true — I wasn't there; I don't know the facts — that somebody in the congregation had their own gun and killed the person who murdered two other people, but it's the job of law enforcement to have guns and to decide when to shoot," Bloomberg said in Montgomery, Ala., on December 30, as reported by Conservative Review. "You just do not want the average citizen carrying a gun in a crowded place."Bloomberg is, of course, correct. Although the shooting at the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement tragically took two lives, it could have been much worse had an armed, trained volunteer security guard not been there to shoot the gunman dead before he could do even greater damage.This incident was about as clear an example as you could get for how maintaining our Second Amendment rights can save lives — and, therefore, it might seem like a pretty odd thing to reference when you're arguing against gun rights. The Second Amendment, after all, worked in this case; people are alive because of it, and Bloomberg is going to say that he wished the situation had been different?It's truly shocking in terms of stupidity — but it's also par for the Michael Bloomberg course. It's hardly surprising for Bloomberg to have expressed such an unyielding stance on gun rights; he's been doing so for years.What's more, the right to self-defense is far from the only individual right that Bloomberg has a history of disrespecting. In fact, despite the fact that he's somehow managed to brand himself as a moderate choice, Michael Bloomberg's record is actually that of an authoritarian nightmare.Throughout his career, Bloomberg has repeatedly shown blatant disrespect for individual rights and civil liberties. The first thing that comes to mind is probably the way he tried to micromanage New Yorkers' food choices during his time as mayor. His most famous effort in this area, of course, was his failed attempt to protect us from drinking too much soda — but it wasn't the only one. During his time as mayor, he also launched a campaign called the "National Salt Reduction Initiative," reportedly even going so far as to compare the common ingredient to "asbestos."Bloomberg also has a pretty dismal record when it comes to allowing Americans the freedom to make their own decisions about marijuana use. In fact, according to CNN's DJ Judd, Bloomberg referred just last year to marijuana legalization as "perhaps the stupidest thing we've ever done." Now, to be fair, Bloomberg has (only) recently "evolved" on this issue: Last month, a campaign spokesman said that Bloomberg now "believes in decriminalization and doesn't believe the federal government should interfere with states that have already legalized" and that "no one should have their life ruined by getting arrested for possession." But this is, quite simply, too little too late. The conversation, after all, has progressed — with one of Bloomberg's primary opponents, Pete Buttigieg, openly professing a truly pro-freedom, pro-individual rights stance: Decriminalize them all.What's more, I actually find it astounding that Bloomberg's campaign spokesman would even have the balls to complain about people having their lives "ruined by getting arrested for possession." Bloomberg was, after all, a long-standing supporter of "stop and frisk" — which directly led to thousands of people being arrested for marijuana possession — and he remained one even as the truly totalitarian impacts of the policy were being reported. In fact, at the beginning of last year, he was still defending it. Of course, much like his stance on marijuana, his position on this issue has also conveniently "evolved" with his pursuit of the presidency; he apologized for the practice a couple of months ago.This is also, frankly, too little too late. For one thing, you'd have to be pretty stupid not to notice how his stances on these issues have conveniently just happened to "change" just in time for his presidential run. What's more, his "apology" does nothing to change the damage that stop-and-frisk has already done: People who got roughed up by police for no reason still live with that trauma, and people who were arrested for victimless crimes still had to live with those consequences.Worse, Bloomberg's support of stop-and-frisk isn't the only example of him demonstrating a complete disregard for the Fourth Amendment. No — he's also supported the secret surveillance of U.S. citizens. Under his mayorship, the NYPD was secretly spying on Muslim Americans, and Bloomberg defended it as being necessary to "keep this country safe." The truth? The NYPD has since admitted that the program did not lead to discovering even a single terrorism plot. For this one, Bloomberg has yet to apologize.With several members of the Democratic party (including multiple Democratic candidates) openly promoting socialist policies, a businessman like Bloomberg might seem like a nice choice. But as bad as a socialist president would be for the country (and it would be bad), I can't say that I see an established authoritarian as a great choice, either — our individual rights and civil liberties are too important.
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| U.S. Navy: We're Gonna Need a Bigger Budget (and More Boats) Posted: 14 Jan 2020 07:16 AM PST  The Navy wants to grow the fleet by 62 ships in 10 years. It probably won't happen.
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