| Israel police, Palestinians clash at flashpoint Jerusalem holy site Posted: 11 Aug 2019 05:25 PM PDT  Separately on the Gaza border, a Palestinian shot at Israeli soldiers, who returned fire and killed him in the third such incident in recent days, the army said. In Jerusalem, police fired sound grenades as Palestinian protests intensified at the highly sensitive Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, according to an AFP correspondent. The Red Crescent reported 61 Palestinians wounded, 15 of whom were taken to hospitals.
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| Jeffrey Epstein's death may cheat his victims out of millions in restitution Posted: 12 Aug 2019 08:56 AM PDT  The apparent suicide of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein at the weekend may have denied his victims millions of dollars in compensationEpstein, 66, was facing new sex trafficking and conspiracy charges that, if he was convicted, could have resulted in a 45-year prison sentence and the criminal forfeiture of his $77m (£63.7m) mansion in New York City, along with other possible assets.Those assets could have been used to provide his alleged victims with a special fund through the Justice Department; a standard consideration and procedure for cases involving victims, particularly when one reaches the prominence and magnitude of the Epstein scandal. There may still be hope for the dozen or so women who have come forward of securing some level of accountability from his estate, according to officials - although success is by no means certain. A federal judge can still order Epstein's properties and other assets confiscated within a civil forfeiture case. But prosecutors must successfully argue those assets were involved in his crimes."It's going to be complicated," Jeff Marcus, a former federal prosecutor, told the Miami Herald. Previous high-profile civil forfeiture cases have resulted in financial restitution for victims, including the 2007 case involving Enron Coporation CEO Kenneth Lay — who died of a heart attack during the case. But those cases come with their own challenges, former prosecutor Joe DeMaria told the publication. "It took seven years for that civil forfeiture case to be settled and the government recovered less than 25 percent of what it sought," he said.The Miami Herald reported prosecutors would be required to link Epstein's properties to criminal activity using a lower standard than that used in criminal cases. Epstein would not be found guilty if his assets were found to be implicated in a crime during the civil case, however. > Predator Jeffrey Epstein killed himself. On behalf of the victims I represent, we would have preferred he lived to face justice. > Our civil cases can still proceed against his estate. Victims deserve to be made whole for the lifelong damage he caused. We're just getting started.> > — Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) > > August 10, 2019Lisa Bloom, an attorney representing several of Epstein's alleged victims, wrote in a tweet on Saturday that "victims deserve to be made whole for the lifelong damage he caused"."On behalf of the victims I represent, we would have preferred he lived to face justice," she said, describing Epstein as a "predator". "We're just getting started," she added.The FBI and Justice Department have both launched investigations into Epstein's death in federal custody.The complete results of his autopsy were still pending as of Monday morning. The New York Medical Examiner's office did not respond to requests for comment.
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| A Minnesota father told police he dropped his 5-month-old boy on his head for being 'fussy.' The baby died Posted: 11 Aug 2019 02:54 PM PDT ![A Minnesota father told police he dropped his 5-month-old boy on his head for being 'fussy.' The baby died]( "A Minnesota father told police he dropped his 5-month-old boy on his head for being 'fussy.' The baby died") Matthew Hoisser, 35, complained that his son was "difficult" and "fussy," according to court documents. He dropped the baby on his head, killing him.
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| Accused Sex Trafficker Steered $100K Payday to Bannon Posted: 11 Aug 2019 02:30 AM PDT  Photo Illustration by Lyne Lucien/The Daily Beast/GettyAn accused pedophile helped Steve Bannon secure a $100,000 speaking gig from a prestigious Washington think tank, according to emails reviewed by The Daily Beast. The emails—between Republican fundraiser and investor Elliott Broidy and Lebanese-American political operative George Nader—shed light on the relationship between Trump's ex-adviser and a man now in jail awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges. The emails point to a closer relationship between Bannon and Nader than previously known. It's been widely reported that Nader met with Bannon in the White House during his time as a Trump adviser there. But these emails show they stayed in contact after Bannon left government, and that Nader helped the ex-Breitbart chief secure an appearance with a six-figure payday. A Bannon spokesperson, meanwhile, said Nader was "irrelevant" to Bannon's speech. Nader's work drew the attention of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who questioned him extensively as part of his probe into foreign meddling in the 2016 presidential race. But Mueller wasn't the only federal prosecutor interested in Nader. On June 3 of this year, he was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and charged with possessing child pornography. And just last month, the feds rolled out additional charges for child sex trafficking. Nader is in jail awaiting trial, and has pleaded not guilty. Broidy, meanwhile, also appears to have drawn attention from the feds: The Daily Beast confirmed in April that one of his former associates has spoken with FBI agents about his business dealings. The emails between Nader and Broidy, sent in September and October 2017, involve arrangements for a conference on Qatar hosted by the Hudson Institute. Broidy, then seeking business from the government of the United Arab Emirates, was running a quiet public relations campaign designed to undermine the Qatari government's influence in Washington and with American Jewish leaders. He was particularly incensed that Nick Muzin, a former staffer to Sen. Ted Cruz with deep ties to Jewish leaders, had signed on to lobby for the government of Qatar. They'd run in the same tight-knit circle of Jewish Republicans and Broidy saw Muzin as a traitor. The country's connections to Iran—with which it shares a huge gas field—have long angered many in the pro-Israel community. And its ownership of Al Jazeera also fuels opposition from many supporters of Israel. Steve Bannon Got Russian 'Evidence' From Rob Goldstone During Transition"I want to Puke," he wrote in an email to his wife on Sept. 6. "What a moron.""Is this guy a self-hating Jew or an idiot?" she replied. "What can you do?"Just a few months earlier, the governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates started a blockade of Qatar. It was a bid to isolate the peninsular nation, which those governments blamed for funding terrorism. The Qataris kicked off a well-funded lobbying effort to tell their side of the story in Washington and stay in the Trump administration's good graces. Muzin's outreach to Jewish leaders—which Broidy sought to countervail—was part of the Qataris' effort to shore up support. As part of Broidy's project, he helped arrange a conference to be held at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank known for its foreign policy work. The conference, set for October of 2017, would make the case against Qatar. In September, Broidy communicated with Nader—whom he had known since Trump's inauguration—about those plans. And on Sept. 22, Nader emailed Broidy about getting Bannon involved [all punctuation sic]. "Hope all is going well with you and the Conference," Nader wrote. "Send me please an update[.] Steve is interested in participating." Nader then shared Bannon's email with Broidy. "Send him pls a letter to brief him…on the conference, what you like him to do and when," Nader continued. "You should get him key time and all by himself with proper guy to introduce him. Let me know what you have in mind!"Two days later, Broidy sent Nader a curious email. It opened with the words "Dear Steve," and then described the plans for the conference. "I would love to have you as one of the keynote speakers," Broidy wrote in the email sent to Nader but addressed to Bannon. The email included a draft of the conference's agenda. It appears Broidy wanted Nader to proof-read the invitation before it went to Bannon, who had left the White House in August 2017.On Sept. 29, event organizers circulated a draft of a Save-the-Date invitation for the conference. Bannon's name wasn't on it. "You need to add please Steve Bannon," Nader wrote in an email to Broidy. "He is as important if not more to that invitation and kindly send me too a draft of the full program as is for now[.]" Two weeks later, Bannon was in. "Still working on many details," Broidy wrote to Nader on Oct. 17. "Will get schedule to you when ready. Steve is on board, FYI $100k honorarium." Five days later, Broidy was still keeping Nader looped in on Bannon's participation. He forwarded Nader an email he sent directly to Bannon that day. "I am very excited about your appearance at the conference tomorrow," he wrote in the email to Bannon that he forwarded to Nader. "George asked me to resend some talking points. See you then." A person close to Bannon said that the two men got to know each other better after Bannon left the White House, and that Nader was one of many people who approached Bannon on behalf of event organizers about making speeches. But a Bannon spokesperson discounted Nader's role in Bannon's speech."This is just one of many speaking requests Mr. Bannon receives," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Hudson Institute is a highly respected think tank, and because of that, he accepted an invitation with others such as Sen. Cotton and Gen. Petraeus. George Nader was irrelevant; neither he nor anyone has influenced Mr. Bannon's longtime position on the condemnation of Qatar as an urgent threat to Israel: a state sponsor of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and other Islamic terror organizations."The conference went forward, largely as planned, and a source familiar with it confirmed that Bannon received the $100,000 payment. It featured a host of luminaries, including Gen. David Petraeus; Zalmay Khalilzad, who later became the State Department's Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation; Democratic and Republican members of the House of Representatives; and Republican Sen. Tom Cotton. Bannon, in his speech, was characteristically bombastic and praised the blockade. "I think the single most important thing that's happening in the world is the situation in Qatar," he said. "What's happening in Qatar is every bit as important as what's happening in North Korea."A lawyer for Nader declined to comment for this story. Spokespersons for Broidy and Bannon declined to comment as well. The Hudson Institute stands by its work."Hudson has held countless panels and produced reports on the Middle East, including Qatar and the pernicious impact of the Muslim Brotherhood specifically," said a statement the Institute shared with The Daily Beast. "We believe our criticisms and analysis of Qatar, Iran, and the Muslim Brotherhood are still valid." George Nader's Phones Had Child Porn—and Communications With a Crown Prince, Feds SayA source close to Hudson said Bannon's honorarium was on par with what other main speakers received. In an ironic twist, Bannon has since gotten to know Muzin—Broidy's old nemesis—and discussed going into business with him. The Daily Beast reported earlier this year that Muzin pitched an executive at Juul, the e-cigarette company, on his lobbying services and said Bannon would be able to help out with his influence efforts. Juul didn't take them up on the offer. For Broidy and Nader, the weeks before the Hudson conference were a comparatively simple time. Two months after the event, hackers stole troves of emails Broidy had sent and received. The emails were fodder for a host of news stories about his business dealings and relationships with foreign government officials, including officials looking to influence Trumpworld. Many of Nader's communications with Broidy have also become public since the hack. And numerous reports have revealed Nader's work as a gatekeeper between Gulf dignitaries and denizens of Trumpworld. The emails The Daily Beast obtained indicate that, on at least one occasion, he also helped connect a Republican financier to Bannon. Broidy has alleged in court that the Qatari government sponsored the hacks. The Qataris say the allegations are baseless, and the litigation is underway. 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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| Trump rips Scaramucci's remarks over El Paso visit Posted: 11 Aug 2019 03:59 PM PDT  Scaramucci fires back at Trump, says president 'eventually turns on everyone'.
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| 'Words matter': Bloomberg says Trump rhetoric can encourage violence Posted: 11 Aug 2019 05:28 AM PDT  Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he hopes President Trump understands that a leader's careless word choice risks encouraging racism and even violence.
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| Freshly Restored 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS Pro Touring Posted: 12 Aug 2019 09:59 AM PDT  Low miles with modern performance and luxury upgrades. Flemings Ultimate Garage is pleased to announce this 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS Pro Touring model up for sale. For the 1968 model year, Chevrolet could leave well enough alone with the Camaro; it was an instant hit and racking up strong sales numbers and track figures against the Mustang. After all, the saying does go "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." The changes from 1967 to 1968 were subtle, but thoughtful nonetheless. The vent windows that framed the A-pillars were eliminated, so GM installed air vents below the dash called "Astro-Ventilation" to get proper airflow to the driver. The model you see here is an excellent example from '68 and will make a stunning addition to your garage. The Camaro is timeless, and this recently restored coupe is nothing short of a masterpiece.This '68 Camaro RS/SS is dressed in Cortez Silver paint with a mirror finish and black Super Sport nose stripes. The car is in show-quality, having been waxed and detailed to perfection. The interior features custom fourth-generation Camaro Houndstooth black 10-way power seats. Other cabin goodies include a custom aluminum trim floor console, optional Cool-it floor and door sound deadening, a new Vintage Air a/c system, CPP fast-ratio power steering, and upgraded Pioneer digital sound system with AM/FM/USB/AUX with Pioneer 6x9 speakers. The dash also features new vintage 3-in-1 full custom gauges, including a 140 speedometer and an 8K rpm tachometer.Powering this bad boy is a brand-new GM Performance Parts hi-performance fuel-injected aluminum LS3 V8 engine making over 500 horsepower! It's mated to a rebuilt Tremec T-56 six-speed manual transmission with a modern hydraulic clutch and an LS7 pressure plate. This Camaro has its original 12-bolt rear differential with an Eaton Posi rebuild with Moser axles and 3.73 gears.The car rides on 18x8 and 18x9 Bonspeed Puresport two-piece forged alloy wheels wrapped in Nitto hi-speed radials. It's lowered on Hotchkis springs with brand-new Bilstein shocks, and optional Hotchkis sway bars and tubular control arms. All of the power is stopped via Wilwood four-wheel power disc brakes with 14-inch six-piston calipers up front and 13-inch four-piston calipers at the rear. It sounds incredible too, thanks to the polished stainless dual exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers, X-pipe, and long-tube headers.This Camaro was freshly restored not too long ago and looks the part. Since the resto, it's only clocked 2,290 miles! This baby is now ready for a new owner to continue its story. The current asking price as of this writing is $89,900, and you can make an offer right here. Read More: * Built To Thrill: 800-Horsepower 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS * Gorgeous Hugger Orange 1972 Chevrolet Camaro Restomod For Sale
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| 'They're being used': Hong Kong protests divide neighbourhoods Posted: 11 Aug 2019 11:33 PM PDT  Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters boast of a broad support base but their movement has divided some neighbourhoods, including Wong Tai Sin, where many police officers live. Poppy Chan, the wife of a police officer, was preparing dinner for her family when she heard the crash of a brick shattering the window of her third-floor apartment. Chan's family had cowered inside the apartment during three days of running protests in the neighbourhood.
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| Chief: Killing of young LA officer 'leaves a lasting scar' Posted: 12 Aug 2019 11:21 AM PDT ![Chief: Killing of young LA officer 'leaves a lasting scar']( "Chief: Killing of young LA officer 'leaves a lasting scar'") A young Los Angeles police officer gunned down while off duty at a taco stand was memorialized by his chief for his big smile, bright mind and devotion to public service. Hundreds of his fellow officers packed the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Monday to honor Officer Juan Jose Diaz. "Juan's death leaves a lasting wound, his murder a lasting scar," police Chief Michel Moore told mourners.
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| Strip club seeks stay-at-home moms to dance for 'extra cash.' City leader: 'Distasteful' Posted: 12 Aug 2019 10:30 AM PDT  A gentleman's club is posting provocative signs to pressure Omaha into giving it a liquor license. One advertised for stay-at-home moms as dancers.
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| Goldman Sachs economists say fears rise that U.S.-China trade war leading to recession Posted: 11 Aug 2019 07:53 PM PDT  "We expect tariffs targeting the remaining $300bn of U.S. imports from China to go into effect," the bank said in a note sent to clients. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Aug. 1 that he would impose a 10% tariff on a final $300 billion worth of Chinese imports on Sept. 1, prompting China to halt purchases of U.S. agricultural products. China denies that it has manipulated the yuan for competitive gain.
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| Mocking suspect's hairstyle could get you prosecuted, police warn Posted: 12 Aug 2019 06:05 AM PDT  Police have warned social media users they could face arrest if they "troll" a wanted drug dealer by mocking his distinctive hairstyle. An online appeal to catch the criminal has resulted in tens of thousands of people posting joke comments. Jermaine Taylor, 21, is wanted for breaching his licence conditions after being released from prison in December 2018. Gwent Police launched the social media appeal to find the convicted drug dealer, but it backfired when people began making jokes about his hairstyle, with one saying it had been "pushed back more times than Brexit". The picture shows Taylor with a large, bald forehead and two tufts of hair sticking up. Twitter users joked: "His forehead is bigger than his future," and "that hairline goes further back than Woolworths". Another quipped: "Looks like his hairline is on the run too." The large number of comments prompted Gwent Police to warn users that posting abusive material could be against the law. Many users seemed undeterred, however, with one adding: "He was last seen in town - police are combing the area," and another joking: "He's vanished into thin hair." In a statement, Gwent Police warned users against online bullying. "Please remember that harassing, threatening and abusing people on social media can be against the law," the force said. "Our advice is to be as careful on social media as you would in any other form of communication. If you say something about someone which is grossly offensive or is of an indecent, obscene or menacing character, then you could be investigated by the police." Taylor was jailed for three years at Cardiff Crown Court in September 2017 over the supply of cocaine.
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| On Ferguson, Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris Told a Terrible Lie Posted: 12 Aug 2019 03:34 AM PDT  On Friday afternoon, two of the leading contenders in the Democratic presidential primary lied. There's no other fair way to put it. They flat-out spread fiction, libeled an innocent man, and stoked American divisions — all for political gain.Five years ago, a Ferguson, Mo., police officer named Darren Wilson shot a young black man named Michael Brown to death after an altercation in the street. False rumors about Brown's death — namely that he was shot in cold blood while trying to surrender with his hands in the air — ignited violent protests in Missouri and revulsion across the United States."Hands up, don't shoot" became a national rallying cry — until the Obama Department of Justice comprehensively and thoroughly debunked it in a lengthy report published on March 4, 2015. Writing in December of the same year, the Washington Post's Glenn Kessler called the slogan one of "the biggest Pinocchios of the year."But Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren ignored the Obama DOJ. They blew straight through the facts of the case and published these accusations:> Michael Brown's murder forever changed Ferguson and America. His tragic death sparked a desperately needed conversation and a nationwide movement. We must fight for stronger accountability and racial equity in our justice system.> > -- Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 9, 2019> 5 years ago Michael Brown was murdered by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Michael was unarmed yet he was shot 6 times. I stand with activists and organizers who continue the fight for justice for Michael. We must confront systemic racism and police violence head on.> > -- Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) August 9, 2019To demonstrate just how preposterous it is to accuse Wilson of murder, it's worth revisiting the actual facts of the case, according to the best evidence available to the investigators. On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown and a friend were walking in the middle of the street shortly after Brown had stolen cigarillos from a local market and shoved away the store clerk when he tried to intervene.When Wilson first spotted Brown and his friend, he told them to walk on the sidewalk. He then realized that they matched the description of the theft suspects and blocked their path with his vehicle.Wilson tried to open his door, but it either bounced off Brown or Brown slammed it shut. Brown then reached into the vehicle and started punching Wilson. As Wilson fended off the blows, he reached for his gun. Brown allegedly tried to take the gun from Wilson, and Wilson managed to get a shot off, injuring Brown in the hand. Eyewitnesses corroborated Wilson's claims that Brown was reaching in the car, and these claims were further corroborated by "bruising on Wilson's jaw and scratches on his neck, the presence of Brown's DNA on Wilson's collar, shirt, and pants, and Wilson's DNA on Brown's palm."Brown then started to run away. After a brief pause Wilson pursued, ordering Brown to stop. Brown then turned back to Wilson and started running toward him. According to the report, "several witnesses stated that Brown appeared to pose a physical threat to Wilson as he moved toward Wilson." Wilson fired again, striking Brown several times, yet Brown kept moving toward Wilson until the final shot hit him in the head, killing him.The report's conclusion was crystal clear:> Given that Wilson's account is corroborated by physical evidence and that his perception of a threat posed by Brown is corroborated by other eyewitnesses, to include aspects of the testimony of [Brown's friend], there is no credible evidence that Wilson willfully shot Brown as he was attempting to surrender or was otherwise not posing a threat. [Emphasis added.]The report flatly declared that Wilson "did not act with the requisite criminal intent.""No credible evidence" is a powerful statement, but if you read the report, it's a powerful statement based not just on extensive forensic evidence but also on the courageous testimony of witnesses who feared reprisal for speaking the truth. One witness, a 58-year-old black male, told prosecutors that there were signs in the neighborhood that said "Snitches get stitches." Yet he spoke the truth anyway. Other witnesses overcame their fears and spoke the truth.How do we have confidence that they spoke the truth? Because, as the report notes, their statements "have been materially consistent, are consistent with the physical evidence, and . . . are mutually corroborative."To be sure, there were other witnesses. Some neither incriminated him nor fully corroborated him. And there was an entire category of witnesses whose accounts were "inconsistent with the physical and forensic evidence," the report noted, adding:> Some of those accounts are materially inconsistent with that witness's own prior statements with no explanation, credible [or] otherwise, as to why those accounts changed over time. Certain other witnesses who originally stated Brown had his hands up in surrender recanted their original accounts, admitting that they did not witness the shooting or parts of it, despite what they initially reported either to federal or local law enforcement or to the media.There are few more fraught issues in American public life than the question of police shootings — especially police shootings of black men. I've written about the issue time and time again and have come to believe not only that too many American police officers resort to deadly force too quickly but also that there is an unacceptable pro-police bias in our criminal-justice system. There is also evidence that race plays a more malignant role in policing than many of us hoped.Indeed, while we must of course remember the DOJ's report exonerating Darren Wilson, we should also remember that there was a second DOJ report in 2015 that found systematic misconduct at the Ferguson Police Department, misconduct that disproportionately affected Ferguson's black citizens. I urge you to read both reports, and if you read the second report with an open mind, you'll almost certainly come to believe that Ferguson's black residents possessed legitimate grievances against their police department.That's the complicated nation we inhabit, but the complexity does not mean there aren't simple obligations that attach to every politician, activist, and member of the media. And the simplest of those obligations is a commitment to the truth. We know that lies and falsehoods can cause riots. They can cause city blocks to burn. They can destroy a man's life. At the very least, they can further embitter an already toxic public discourse. When issues are most fraught, the obligation of courageous, honest leadership is most imperative.But Warren and Harris's failure is more than a failure of leadership. The publication of a false accusation of a crime like murder is libelous under American law. In other words, their lies may well have been illegal. Democrats — especially Democrats who seek to address the very real challenges surrounding police violence in the United States — should demand better. Harris and Warren should do better. They should correct and retract their false statements. There is no excuse for their inflammatory lies.
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| '#ClintonBodyCount': Trump's sharing of Epstein conspiracy theory draws outrage Posted: 11 Aug 2019 10:58 AM PDT  President Trump drew widespread backlash after sharing a baseless conspiracy theory tying the death of Jeffrey Epstein, a well-connected convicted sex offender, to Bill and Hillary Clinton.
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| Black man's family wants review of Colorado police shooting Posted: 12 Aug 2019 09:46 AM PDT ![Black man's family wants review of Colorado police shooting]( "Black man's family wants review of Colorado police shooting") Attorneys for the family of a young black man who was fatally shot by Colorado police called Monday for an independent special prosecutor to investigate his death. Surveillance video obtained last week by The Gazette showed 19-year-old De'Von Bailey running from two officers before falling to the ground. Colorado Springs police have said an officer shot Bailey on Aug. 3 after he reached for a gun but they have not elaborated, citing a pending sheriff's office investigation and subsequent review by the district attorney.
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| Ask the Captain: How dangerous is a cracked cockpit windshield? How do pilots handle one? Posted: 11 Aug 2019 08:36 AM PDT  Should you worry if your plane experiences a cracked windshield or cabin window? Captain John Cox explains how they're built and how pilots respond.
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| Viral clip of Russian policeman punching female protester stirs anger Posted: 12 Aug 2019 06:28 AM PDT ![Viral clip of Russian policeman punching female protester stirs anger]( "Viral clip of Russian policeman punching female protester stirs anger") Video footage of a Russian police officer punching a young woman in the stomach has stirred anger among many Russians who believe the authorities have used excessive force to disperse weeks of political demonstrations in Moscow. The clip, filmed on Saturday and later circulated online by Russian celebrities with millions of followers, shows the moment two helmeted riot policemen drag the woman, Daria Sosnovskaya, to a waiting police bus. Sosnovskaya, 26, is seen struggling to break free and trying to trip up one of the police officers who responds by punching her in the stomach, prompting one of the reporters filming the incident to sarcastically call the policeman "a hero".
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| Gabon court sets date for Bongo health case Posted: 12 Aug 2019 10:31 AM PDT  A Gabon court will shortly hear a petition for President Ali Bongo Ondimba to undergo medical tests to prove his fitness to govern after suffering a stroke last year, lawyers said Monday. The case will be heard by the Court of Appeal in Libreville starting August 26, attorneys for both sides said. Speculation about Bongo's ability to rule the small oil-rich country has surged since he fell ill while in Saudi Arabia last October.
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| Mohammed bin Salman backs Yemeni government as Saudi-led coalition descends into infighting Posted: 12 Aug 2019 04:05 AM PDT  Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, has thrown his weight behind the Yemeni government as it battles against a separatist group backed by Saudi Arabia's allies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The prince's military coalition in Yemen fractured dramatically over the weekend as the Yemeni government and the southern separatists turned their guns on each other after years of fight side-by-side under Saudi leadership. The intense fighting in the port city of Aden left 40 people dead as separatist forces, who seek an independent state in south Yemen, seized control of government buildings and fought against presidential guards. Saudi jets carried out an airstrike in Aden in support of government troops and Prince Mohammed met with the Yemeni president, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, on Sunday night in a show of support. Mr Hadi's office said the two men discussed the separatist "coup" against the government and "various other crimes against the sons of Aden". By Monday morning a tense calm appeared to have settled over Aden with no reports of fresh fighting between the two sides. Humanitarian groups warned that thousands of civilians were trapped in the firing line. Mohammed bin Salman is supporting the Yemeni government. Credit: REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo But it was unclear how the standoff would be resolved and whether separatist forces, known as the Southern Transitional Council (STC), would withdraw from seized government buildings. Aidarus al-Zubaidi, the head of the STC, said he was committed to a ceasefire and was prepared to travel to Saudi Arabia to negotiate a long-term truce. He said his forces had moved against the Yemeni government because he had intelligence that government troops were preparing to launch an attack of their own. Even if the immediate crisis in Aden can be resolved, the violence highlights the deep fractures in Prince Mohammed's coalition, which has been struggling for more than four years against Houthi rebels aligned with Iran. Saudi Arabia led an Arab military coalition into an air campaign against Houthi forces in 2015 in an effort to restore Mr Hadi's control over Yemen. The fighting has plunged the country into famine and the UN now considers Yemen the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Thousands of civilians have been killed by the Saudi-led coalition's airstrikes. The separatists are armed by the UAE Credit: REUTERS/Fawaz Salman The UAE, which has one of the region's most effective militaries, played a major role in helping government forces push the Houthis back towards their stronghold in the country's northwest. It also provided weapons and support to the STC, arguing that the separatists were key partners in fighting both the Houthis and jihadists groups in Yemen. However, the UAE withdrew most of its forces from Yemen in recent months, hampering the coalition's ability to continue fighting the Houthis. With their patrons withdrawing from Yemen, the STC decided to move against the Yemeni government. In an statement over the weekend, the Yemeni embassy in Washington said it held "the United Arab Emirates fully responsible for the coup perpetrated against the state in Aden".
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| How Robert O’Rourke Became ‘Beto’ Posted: 12 Aug 2019 03:30 AM PDT  A great deal of controversy has continued the past few days over Robert Francis O'Rourke's longtime use of a nickname given to him at birth (albeit temporarily jettisoned while in prep school) — especially in the wake of his recent sensational and unfounded charges that Donald Trump is directly responsible for the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and that white supremacy defines America, past and present, and explains Trump's culpability.The point of the amused contention is not that O'Rourke was given such a nickname at or near birth. Rather, the controversy is over his continued use of the sobriquet for cynical political advantage in a somewhat related manner to Senator Elizabeth Warren's longtime false cultural appropriation of a Native American identity for careerist purposes. After all, we live in a progressive era in which "cultural appropriation" is a mortal sin and non-minority university students are routinely chastised for wearing clothing or hairstyles associated with minority groups or appearing in dramas playing the roles of characters of a different ethnic background.According to the Dallas Morning News, a quite prescient senior O'Rourke once explained why he had given the shortened form of the Spanish "Roberto" to his son as a nickname. And he seemed to imply that such naming was for political reasons in addition to avoiding confusing young Robert with his maternal grandfather of the same first name:> In the backdrop of the city's multicultural community, his father, Pat O'Rourke, a consummate politician, once explained why he nicknamed his son Beto: Nicknames are common in Mexico and along the border, and if he ever ran for office in El Paso, the odds of being elected in this mostly Mexican-American city were far greater with a name like Beto than Robert Francis O'Rourke.While congressman and would-be Senator Beto apparently found the Hispanic nickname advantageous in some ways in local and statewide Texas races (ironically, sometimes in contests opposed to those of authentic Latino ancestries), his continued use of Beto suggests that he thinks it also resonates, at the least, an empathy for assumed marginalized peoples, and at the most offers some confusion to less well-informed voters over whether he is in fact Latino himself.Add in the fact that Beto is also a child of both inherited and maritally acquired wealth and what he would call "white privilege" that likely kept him as a sometimes reckless youth out of jail on one occasion for a serious crime. Thus, in a bizarre way, the misleading nickname offers some concrete authenticity to his chronic resentment of the very privilege he has for so long enjoyed.Certainly, a number of Hispanic politicians and opinion writers have chided Beto for cynically giving incomplete impressions to voters — that he might be ethnically as well as linguistically Latino. Again, one could cite cruder efforts at gaining some sort of political or careerist traction in the minority misrepresentations of Senator Warren, Ward Churchill, or Rachel Dolezal. Warren, after all, who makes the same sort of serial allegations of dominant and endemic white supremacy that Beto does, did not choose to assume a false Finnish or Irish identity to propel her legal and academic career, although, given her appearance, it would have been an easier distortion.But why his nickname is again in the news and additionally matters is because Beto himself is on record recently of damning Trump as a white nationalist and a racist who is responsible for the El Paso shootings. According to Beto, Trump apparently seeks to resonate with kindred white supremacists. Beto additionally goes further in damning the United States as essentially governed by ideas of white supremacy both now and in its past. But again, Beto is no longer running a local congressional or even a Texas-wide race. He has far transcended the clairvoyant predictions of his father that the nickname would come in handy in the anticipated borderland politics of southern Texas.Rather, Beto seems to think that the current and continued Hispanicizing of his nomenclature (remember, at times Beto has dropped his nickname) will pay dividends in a national race. Yet according to his own logic, it should not, given his prior denunciations that America is incurably racist.Given that all politicians entertain a degree of cynicism and opportunism, if we truly lived in a culture of white supremacy, we would more likely see candidates fabricating European dog-whistle names and identities than the sad efforts of a Churchill, Dolezal, O'Rourke, or Warren. And in fact, in a far different America of the past, many minority celebrities and politicians did assume Anglicized names on their unfortunately all-too-accurate assumption that too many white racists would ostracize them for their minority status.Yet the opposite linguistic dynamic has been in play for some time. A young and politically ambitious Obama brilliantly understood that political reality when, in a twist to authenticity, he ceased going by his teenage nickname Barry and reverted to his actual birth name, Barack.In terms of linguistic contortions or just simply adaptations, the force of compound names, accent marks, and ethnic sobriquets is to suggest perceived difference from, not homogeneity with, the majority population — to the extent that, in a racially intermarried and assimilated population, anyone's ethnic heritage is clear.In other words, O'Rourke's use of Beto seems ipso facto to suggest that he privately believes in general that Americans of all backgrounds (including a supposed 70 percent white electorate) either do not care whether a candidate is so-called white or, more likely, are intrigued by or admire those who are not — again, sort of refuting Beto's entire premise of an intolerant and all-powerful white-supremacist society.
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| 9-year-old Georgia girl hospitalized after trying to save dad who drowned in pool Posted: 12 Aug 2019 09:15 AM PDT  A 9-year-old girl who tried to save her father from drowning in a pool overthe weekend was hospitalized in critical condition, according to the AtlantaJournal-Constitution
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| Brazil Central Bank Is Caught Between Trade War and Weak Growth Posted: 12 Aug 2019 08:28 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Terms of Trade is a daily newsletter that untangles a world embroiled in trade wars. Sign up here. Brazil's central bank will have to weigh potential price pressures from the U.S.-China trade war against prospects of a disappointing recovery when determining how long its easing cycle will last.On one hand, worsening trade tensions - coupled with Argentina's shock primary election result - may push Brazil's real lower and consequently dissuade policy makers from more aggressive benchmark interest rate cuts. On the other, fresh signs of weak domestic activity may pave the way for an even steeper decline in the Selic.Brazil surprised financial markets with a larger-than-expected rate reduction at its last policy meeting, joining peers from Chile to India that are also injecting stimulus. Prospects for borrowing cost cuts in Brazil were boosted by the advance of a crucial pension reform. For Bank of America Merrill Lynch chief economist David Beker, an additional 125 basis points in cuts are in store this year for Latin America's largest economy provided its currency doesn't steady at a weaker level."The risk to this outlook is a continued currency depreciation," Beker said. "The question is how far the exchange rate goes beyond 4 reais per dollar."Read more: Brazil Central Bank Warns of Slow Pick-Up in Economic GrowthRecent financial market turbulence laid bare how sensitive rate cut forecasts are to swings in the currency. A 2.25% plunge in the real against the dollar last Monday prompted traders to scale back bets of a second straight half-point cut at the central bank's next rate-setting meeting in September.That drop in the real coincided with a plunge in the Chinese currency to the lowest level in over a decade, a move that provoked the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump. Relative calm just three days later led traders to reverse course and boost wagers Brazil's central bank will lower the Selic to 5.50% next month. Still, local markets were rocked again in the aftermath of Argentine President Mauricio Macri's landslide loss in Sunday's primary vote which prompted fears of a spillover effect.In speeches since the July 31 rate decision, Brazil central bank President Roberto Campos Neto said the country is prepared to withstand global volatility. He cited factors including a stock of international currency reserves and a low current account deficit.Meanwhile, policy makers got a fresh reminder of the dire state of Brazil's economy on Monday, when a key gauge of activity contracted in the second quarter. For Solange Srour, chief economist at ARX Investimentos, only an exchange rate between 4 and 4.15 reais to the dollar may cut the easing cycle short.Read more: Brazil Economic Activity Gauge Flashes Recession in New Blow"The debate surrounding monetary policy will be more tilted toward activity than the exchange rate," she said.\--With assistance from Marisa Castellani.To contact the reporter on this story: Josue Leonel in Sao Paulo at jleonel@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Walter Brandimarte at wbrandimarte@bloomberg.net, ;Daniela Milanese at dmilanese@bloomberg.net, Matthew MalinowskiFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| From D-Day beaches to the Champs-Elysees Posted: 11 Aug 2019 07:58 PM PDT  Paris (AFP) - It took less than three months of fighting from the Allied troop landings on France's Normandy beaches for Paris to be liberated from the Nazis, whose surrender in 1945 ended World War II in Europe.
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| VIDEO: Homeless man throws rock into windshield of car in Pomona Posted: 11 Aug 2019 08:59 PM PDT  Video shows an apparently homeless man heaving a heavy rock directly into the windshield of a car in Pomona.
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| Jeffrey Epstein's cause of death is 'pending further information': What we know about his apparent suicide Posted: 12 Aug 2019 08:01 AM PDT  The FBI and U.S. Inspector General's office will investigate the circumstances of Jeffrey Epsteiin's apparent suicide while in federal custody, officials said
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| Recent developments surrounding the South China Sea Posted: 11 Aug 2019 09:53 PM PDT  A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons. EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a weekly look at developments in the South China Sea, the location of several territorial conflicts in the region. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has asked Beijing to explain the activities of Chinese research vessels and warships in what the Philippines claims as its waters.
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| Venezuela's Guaido says government plans to dissolve opposition-run legislature Posted: 11 Aug 2019 07:42 PM PDT ![Venezuela's Guaido says government plans to dissolve opposition-run legislature]( "Venezuela's Guaido says government plans to dissolve opposition-run legislature") Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said on Sunday President Nicolas Maduro's government is preparing to dissolve the opposition-run legislature and call new legislative elections, potentially escalating Venezuela's political crisis. Guaido, who is also head of congress, said the decision would be made on Monday by the all-powerful Constituent Assembly - a parallel legislature controlled by the ruling Socialist Party - and could involve more arrests of legislators.
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| Typhoon Lekima death toll in eastern China rises to 32 Posted: 11 Aug 2019 02:15 AM PDT  The death toll from Typhoon Lekima rose to 32 in eastern China, local authorities said Sunday, as rescue teams worked to find more than a dozen people still missing after the storm triggered a landslide and forced the evacuation of more than a million residents. The monster storm hit Wenling city early Saturday, packing winds of nearly 190 kilometres per hour (120 miles per hour) and generating waves several metres high along the coast. At least 18 people were killed in a landslide triggered by torrential downpours in the municipality of Wenzhou, around 400 kilometres (250 miles) south of Shanghai, national broadcaster CCTV said Saturday.
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| Two years after Charlottesville, I'm fighting the conspiracy theory industrial complex Posted: 11 Aug 2019 03:00 AM PDT  I filmed the viral video of a neo-Nazi ramming his car into Heather Heyer. Immediately, trolls and conspiracy theorists attempted to destroy my life.
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| Trump’s Top Energy Regulator Invites Execs to Coal Country Posted: 12 Aug 2019 03:00 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump's chief energy regulator has invited a group of environmentalists, energy executives and other industry leaders to the heart of Coal Country for a summit on "the future of American energy."Neil Chatterjee, the Republican chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and a longstanding champion of the coal industry, recently sent invitations for the Oct. 21 summit. The event comes as the independent agency faces mounting criticism that it's become more political under his charge, and as high ranking officials in the Trump administration continue to push for action to aid the coal industry.Held in partnership with the University of Kentucky, the location was chosen because "it's a pivotal time in the Bluegrass state and a historic moment as we continue to experience changes in our generation mix," according to the invitation seen by Bloomberg.Chatterjee's office confirmed details of the invitation, saying in a statement that "the Chairman liked the idea of getting outside of the 'DC bubble' to provide a different landscape and format for these important conversations." Confirmed guests include Tyson Slocum, energy director for advocacy group Public Citizen; Abby Hopper, chief executive of the Solar Energy Industries Association; and Joe Blount, chief executive of Colonial Pipeline, according to a statement.Chatterjee, a Kentucky native who formerly advised Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on energy policy, has been criticized for promoting policies that favor coal, including an ill-fated proposal to curb coal plant retirements by paying generators for having fuel on-site. Members of the commission are supposed to be fuel-neutral. In 2017, the agency shot down a Trump administration bid to bail out money-losing coal plants.The invitation characterizes the event as a "bipartisan, wide-ranging energy dialogue" in which participants can share their perspectives on the evolving energy landscape, leadership and innovation. Chatterjee's also organized an entire weekend of activities in addition to the actual program, including a reception at the university president's home on the Sunday before and an event at the Keeneland Race Track.To contact the reporters on this story: Stephen Cunningham in Washington at scunningha10@bloomberg.net;Lynn Doan in San Francisco at ldoan6@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: David Marino at dmarino4@bloomberg.net, Catherine Traywick, Carlos CaminadaFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Judge orders neo-Nazi website to pay black university graduate nearly £600,000 for racist ‘troll storm’ Posted: 11 Aug 2019 06:29 AM PDT  A federal judge on Friday awarded more than $700,000 (£580,000) to a former American University student government president who accused the founder of a well-known neo-Nazi website of directing his followers to threaten her with racist online messages.Taylor Dumpson, the first black woman to serve as student government president at AU, in 2017 sued Andrew Anglin, the founder and editor of the Daily Stormer, alleging he initiated a racist "troll storm" against her that made her fear for her life and disrupted her ability to pursue her education.Friday's decision, in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, may mark the first time a court has ruled that racist online trolling activity can interfere with one's equal access to a public accommodation, according to Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which represented Ms Dumpson."We think that this essentially opens up a new avenue to attack the dangerous activities of white supremacists in our country," Clarke said in an interview. "I would expect that other litigators will be able to use the ruling in this case to seek justice on behalf of other victims of hate crimes."According to Ms Dumpson's lawsuit, the barrage of hateful messages began in May 2017, amid news reports that a masked man had hung nooses with bananas inscribed with racist messages near the AU student government offices.The bananas, which were found a day after Ms Dumpson's inauguration as student government president, included references to her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, whose membership is predominantly African American.Anglin posted an article on the Daily Stormer, writing: "No one feels safe around bananas." He then published Ms Dumpson's name and photo and direct links to her Facebook account and the AU student government Twitter account and called on his followers to "troll storm" her, according to the court opinion.Threatening messages began appearing on Ms Dumpson's Facebook account and other social media associated with the AU student government. One man, Brian Andrew Ade, who was also listed as a defendant in the lawsuit, posted nine racist tweets, comparing Ms Dumpson to a gorilla and a chimp and calling her a "sheboon."According to the lawsuit, Ms Dumpson began fearing for her life. She felt unsafe walking around campus, taking public transportation or leaving her house at night. She started carrying pepper spray and taking Ubers to get around. Her classwork started to suffer, and she dropped a minor in sociology.Ms Dumpson said she started having flashbacks and nightmares. She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, an eating disorder, depression and anxiety. She lost more than 15% of her body weight "from the mental trauma stemming from the incident," according to court documents.Ms Dumpson alleged Anglin and Ade intentionally inflicted emotional distress on her and "interfered with her enjoyment of places of public accommodation" because she no longer felt safe on the AU campus. The judge agreed with Ms Dumpson's lawyers' argument that because the AU campus is accessible to the public, it should be considered a "public accommodation."Because Anglin and Ade failed to respond to the complaint, the court granted Ms Dumpson default judgment. Judge Rosemary M. Collyer of the US District Court for the District of Columbia ordered the defendants to pay more than $101,000 (£84,000) in compensatory damages, $500,000 (£415,000) in punitive damages and more than $124,000 (£103,000) in attorney's fees. She also entered a restraining order against them.Anglin and Ade could not be reached for comment, and it is unclear whether they will follow the judge's order. The lawsuit also listed Anglin's Moonbase Holdings limited liability company as a defendant.Ms Dumpson is now in law school and hopes to use her law degree to "fight for justice," Clarke said.Friday's ruling comes just weeks after a federal judge ordered Anglin to pay more than $14 million (£11.6 million) in damages to Tanya Gersh, a real estate agent in Whitefish, Montana, who was flooded with phone calls, text messages, emails and social media posts that contained death threats and anti-Semitic slurs.Like in Ms Dumpson's case, Anglin posted Ms Gersh's contact information online and encouraged his followers to harass her and her family after Ms Gersh was accused of extorting the mother of white nationalist Richard Spencer. "Tell them you are sickened by their Jew agenda," Anglin wrote.Ms Gersh said Spencer's mother, Sherry, had reached out to her for advice after residents of their town had discussed protesting outside a commercial building she owned. Ms Gersh said she suggested Sherry Spencer sell the building and disavow her son's views. Sherry Spencer accused Ms Gersh of threatening her into selling. The trolling began soon after."I was frightened to the point that we couldn't think straight," Ms Gersh told reporters. "We talked about waking our children in the middle of the night - to run from Nazis."The Washington Post
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| Father praises Canadian murder suspects for evading police: 'These boys are smart' Posted: 12 Aug 2019 07:57 AM PDT  The father of one of the Canadian teenage boys accused of murdering a coupleand a 64-year-old man recently commended the suspects for eluding authorities
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| Delaware's latest First State title: Only no-kill state for shelter animals Posted: 11 Aug 2019 03:39 PM PDT  Delaware's designation as the country's first no-kill state for shelter animals came from the Best Friends Animal Society.
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| 5 children killed in fire at Pennsylvania day care center Posted: 12 Aug 2019 06:34 AM PDT  A day care center where children could stay overnight as their parents worked was ravaged Sunday by a fire that killed five and sent the owner to the hospital, authorities said. The victims in the lakeside city of Erie, Pennslyvania, ranged in age from 8 months to 7 years, Chief Guy Santone of the Erie Fire Department said. At least four of the victims were staying overnight at the residential house that had been turned into a day care center, Erie Chief Fire Inspector John Widomski told the Erie Times-News.
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| UPDATE 1-U.S. transportation chief asks new FAA head to review agency in wake of 737 MAX crashes Posted: 12 Aug 2019 10:43 AM PDT ![UPDATE 1-U.S. transportation chief asks new FAA head to review agency in wake of 737 MAX crashes]( "UPDATE 1-U.S. transportation chief asks new FAA head to review agency in wake of 737 MAX crashes") U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said on Monday she has asked the new head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to assess the agency's performance in the wake of two fatal crashes of Boeing Co's 737 MAX planes since October. Dickson reiterated the position of his predecessor, Dan Elwell, who has been the acting FAA chief since January 2018, that the Boeing 737 MAX "will not fly in commercial service until I am completely satisfied that it is safe to do so.
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| Conservative Giammattei elected Guatemala president Posted: 12 Aug 2019 06:13 AM PDT  Conservative Alejandro Giammattei has been elected president in Guatemala, sweeping to victory on promises to stem mass migrations to the United States by combating poverty, corruption and violence in the Central American country. Giammattei defeated former first lady Sandra Torres in a run-off Sunday, garnering more than 58 percent of the vote. Torres, a social democrat, won 42 percent.
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| No deal announced as US, Taliban wrap up latest talks Posted: 12 Aug 2019 06:05 AM PDT  The latest round of talks between the Taliban and the United States ended early Monday without any sign a peace deal had been reached for Afghanistan, as both sides said they would consult with their leaderships on the next steps. A Taliban spokesman had said last week that this eighth round of talks would conclude with a deal to end the nearly 18-year war, America's longest. The two sides have been discussing an agreement under which U.S. forces would withdraw from Afghanistan and the Taliban would guarantee the country would not revert to being a launch pad for global terrorist attacks.
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| Brazil ex-billionaire Batista out of jail: officials Posted: 11 Aug 2019 08:30 AM PDT  Once one of the world's richest men, Brazilian entrepreneur Eike Batista was out of jail Sunday after having been detained for violating terms of his house arrest, prison officials said. Batista, 62, had been under house arrest pending an appeal of a 30-year jail sentence. Then on Thursday he was arrested in Rio de Janeiro on suspicion of insider trading and money laundering, the news portal G1 said.
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| Texas Republicans brace for 2020 drubbing Posted: 12 Aug 2019 02:03 AM PDT  "Republicans need to be very concerned," says a GOP member of the state's congressional delegation of next year's elections.
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| Teen dies in pit bull attack while trespassing in Texas backyard Posted: 12 Aug 2019 10:20 AM PDT  The incident took place early Saturday morning as Irving, Texas police arrived to the scene in Irving. The teen was trespassing, the owner claimed.
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