| US takes step to require DNA samples from asylum-seekers Posted: 21 Oct 2019 12:55 PM PDT  The Trump administration is planning to collect DNA samples from asylum-seekers and other migrants detained by immigration officials and will add the information to a massive FBI database used by law enforcement hunting for criminals, a Justice Department official said. The Justice Department on Monday issued amended regulations that would mandate DNA collection for almost all migrants who cross between official entry points and are held even temporarily.
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| U.S. Wins Court Seizure of North Korean Cargo Vessel Posted: 21 Oct 2019 02:44 PM PDT ![U.S. Wins Court Seizure of North Korean Cargo Vessel]( "U.S. Wins Court Seizure of North Korean Cargo Vessel") (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. won a court battle to take control of a North Korean cargo ship that had been used to sell coal and import heavy machinery, skirting economic sanctions on the country.Federal prosecutors in New York said Monday that they secured a judgment from U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel awarding the ship, a Handysize bulk carrier known as the "Wise Honest," to the U.S., after the government filed a forfeiture action to seize it this year.The ship was interdicted by Indonesia in international waters last year. North Korea did not contest the legal action in court but protested the seizure to the United Nations, calling the U.S. a "gangster country."U.S. authorities have indicated they may auction the ship. Among those seeking compensation from the proceeds may be the family of Otto Warmbier, who secured an uncontested $500 million judgment against North Korea over the torture and death of their son stemming from his time in custody. The Warmbiers filed a claim against the ship when it was seized but then withdrew it to allow the case to move forward.To contact the reporter on this story: Christian Berthelsen in New York at cberthelsen1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: David Glovin at dglovin@bloomberg.netFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Spain will exhume dictator Francisco Franco's remains on Thursday Posted: 21 Oct 2019 02:24 AM PDT  Spain will on Thursday remove the 1.5-tonne slab which has covered the tomb of dictator Francisco Franco for the past 44 years and fly his remains by helicopter away from a state mausoleum, government sources told reporters on Monday. The ruling Socialists have long sought to exhume Franco's remains and turn the Valley of the Fallen complex near the capital Madrid into a memorial to the 500,000 people who were killed during the 1936-39 civil war he unleashed. A crane will lift the slab and, if the original zinc-lined wood coffin is too degraded, the dictator's remains will be transferred into a new coffin, the sources said.
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| Democrats are lining up to take Elijah Cummings' Oversight Committee chairmanship Posted: 21 Oct 2019 12:43 PM PDT ![Democrats are lining up to take Elijah Cummings' Oversight Committee chairmanship]( "Democrats are lining up to take Elijah Cummings' Oversight Committee chairmanship") There's a long line of Democrats ready to take up one helm of the impeachment probe.House Oversight Committee Chair Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) died last week after longstanding health problems, leaving open his spot at one of the committees investigating President Trump. Talks of his replacement have been quiet out of respect for Cummings, but a handful of Democrats have said they're looking to take the position, The Washington Post reports.Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) is the most senior Democrat on the oversight committee and is currently serving as its active chair. She briefly told the Post on Friday she's looking to become the full-time chair, but wouldn't expand on her goals due to how recently Cummings had died. She'll likely campaign for the role based on past legislative wins like the permanent 9/11 victims' compensation fund.Reps. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) and Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), both on the committee, are also reportedly looking to take up Cummings' gavel, two people familiar with their plans tell the Post. They declined to comment, but have both "been noticeably more involved in the impeachment probe than Maloney," the Post writes. Also in the running is Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-Mo.), the third-highest ranking Democrat on the panel who some members of the Congressional Black Caucus are attempting to get into the role, people familiar with background discussions tell the Post. Washington, D.C., Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), who is the second-highest ranking Democrat, will try for the role if Maloney opts out, people familiar with her plans say.Cummings will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, followed by a Friday funeral at his longtime Baltimore church.
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| Three people hospitalised by chemical leak on board American Airlines plane Posted: 21 Oct 2019 09:24 AM PDT  Three people have been hospitalised after a cleaning product leaked on an American Airlines flight forcing it to make an emergency landing in Dublin. The plane was less than an hour into its flight from London Heathrow to Philadelphia when two crew members fell unconscious due to the powerful smell. Several passengers complained of burning eyes and skin irritation and one traveller was also taken to hospital in Ireland. 287 passengers and 12 Philadelphia-based crew members were on board flight AA729, which had been cleared for take off despite concerns over the leaked liquid. Reports suggest the product was left behind in one of the bathrooms. In audio from the cockpit, the pilot explained that although the product is believed to be non-toxic, the crew required immediate assistance. He said: "We've actually covered the container of the substance. It was a cleaning product that was used at London Heathrow, if you wait a moment I actually have a picture of the container that I have in a plastic bag. "It was spilled and for some reason the container itself was left behind in the aircraft in one of the lavatories and continued to seep into the carpeting and produce what I'm told is not, it is not a toxic substance. "We require paramedics to come on board the airplane and render immediate assistance. We've had two of our flight crew staff made, excuse me, the cabin staff have actually lost consciousness, but I think they're back to a state of consciousness just now and there are general complaints about burning eyes and skin problems." The pilot added that the leaking product was an aircraft interior cleaner made by Callington, a leading specialty chemicals manufacturer. One passenger told The Telegraph the plane had been delayed at Heathrow whilst reports of an "unusual smell" were investigated. He said: "Before take off the captain came on the loudspeaker saying the flight attendants had reported an unusual smell, and the flight was delayed while they investigated. They must've judged it safe because we flew out after, only to be rerouted to Dublin a short time later." @AmericanAir There aren't even chairs, we're not allowed to leave this area where we're penned in like cattle, and we've not been fed by the likes of you since boarding four plus hours ago. You're the worst. pic.twitter.com/PqnelJ2P2u— Philip Ott (@Blasphevism) October 21, 2019 He added that the flight's 287 passengers were "penned in like cattle" at Dublin airport before been taken by bus to stay overnight in a hotel. They have not been told when they can expect onward travel. Another passenger expressed concern for others onboard, calling the incident a "sickness outbreak". Ok, so this hasn't quite gone to plan. Chemical spillage has led to sickness outbreak and an emergency landing in Dublin. firecrewparamedicspolice— Katie Phillips (@KatieHJP) October 21, 2019 A statement released by American Airlines said: "American Airlines flight 729 from London Heathrow to Philadelphia diverted to Dublin due to an odor caused by a spilled cleaning solution in the galley." "The flight landed safely in Dublin at 1:15 p.m. local time, and taxied to the gate." "Medical personnel have met the aircraft to evaluate any crew members or passengers who may need additional assistance." The Telegraph has contacted Callington for comment. Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings.
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| Bernie Sanders defends Tulsi Gabbard, says claim that she's a Russian asset is 'outrageous' Posted: 21 Oct 2019 04:17 PM PDT  Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are both among the many lawmakers who have come to Tulsi Gabbard's defense.
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| China Is Building 'The Mother of All Bombs': Report Posted: 21 Oct 2019 07:44 AM PDT  America already has one.
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| 'Lost' Road Built by Christ's Executioner Unearthed Posted: 21 Oct 2019 10:52 AM PDT  Pontius Pilate likely commissioned the street during or after 31 AD.
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| US targets Cuba tourism with tighter airline sanctions Posted: 21 Oct 2019 11:57 AM PDT  The US moved to further hurt Cuba's vital tourism industry by tightening the ability of the country's airlines to lease aircraft. The US Department of Commerce said it was revoking existing licenses for US companies leasing aircraft to Cuban carriers, and will deny future applications for aircraft leases. The move could make it harder for Cuba to service its rapidly growing tourism sector, a key source of foreign revenue for the poor country.
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| ‘I can’t think properly’: Assange fights back tears and struggles to say own name as he appears in court over US extradition Posted: 21 Oct 2019 04:29 AM PDT  Julian Assange appeared to fight back tears and said "I can't think properly" as he faced court to fight extradition to the US.The Wikileaks founder also mumbled, paused and stuttered as he confirmed his name and date of birth at the beginning of the start of a case management hearing in London on Monday.
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| Poll: Majority of Mexicans say organized crime stronger than government after El Chapo’s son released Posted: 21 Oct 2019 11:41 AM PDT  A majority of Mexicans see organized crime as more powerful than the Mexican government after government forces capitulated to drug-cartel strongmen and released the son of the former cartel leader Joaquín Guzmán, known as "El Chapo."
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| Rioting migrants torch cars, injure policeman at Maltese holding centre Posted: 21 Oct 2019 01:41 AM PDT ![Rioting migrants torch cars, injure policeman at Maltese holding centre]( "Rioting migrants torch cars, injure policeman at Maltese holding centre") Rioting migrants in Malta set at least five staff cars on fire and injured a policeman in their holding centre as they demanded their freedom. The violence broke out Sunday night at a former British army barrack in Hal Far, close to Malta's airport. The migrants took control of part of the compound, but a police spokesman said the situation was brought back under control in the early hours of Monday.
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| Judge asked to stop student suspension over note about rape Posted: 21 Oct 2019 11:47 AM PDT ![Judge asked to stop student suspension over note about rape]( "Judge asked to stop student suspension over note about rape") A high school activist's comment about rape posted on a bathroom mirror represents constitutionally protected free speech — and punishing her would discourage young victims from coming forward, an attorney said Monday. The sticky note that proclaimed "There's a rapist in our school and you know who it is" aimed to call attention to the unaddressed problem of sexual assaults, said Emma Bond from the American Civil Liberties of Maine. U.S. District Judge Lance Walker, who listened to the arguments on Monday, said he'll rule soon on Aela Mansmann's request to intervene to stop a three-day suspension imposed by school administrators.
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| Petrol bombs thrown in Hong Kong as anger flares over 'triad' attack on protest leader Posted: 20 Oct 2019 08:34 AM PDT  Police and protesters exchanged tear gas and petrol bombs in Hong Kong on Sunday amid anger over an attack on a leading activist by men allegedly linked to triad gangsters. Clashes broke out as tens of thousands took to the streets for an unsanctioned anti-government march, many also defying a face mask ban introduced in a bid to curb the protests. Tensions ran high after Jimmy Sham, the leader the Civil Human Rights Front which called the march, was attacked earlier in the week by a group of men wielding metal poles and hammers. Witnesses said that those responsible for the assault were associated with pro-Beijing triads that have been blamed for previous violence against protesters. On Saturday afternoon, a 19-year-old man was also hospitalised after being stabbed in the abdomen while handing out pro-democracy flyers in Tai Po, a district in northern Hong Kong. Politically motivated attacks and vandalism have been on the rise as the situation continues to escalate in what is now the twentieth consecutive week of protests. Protesters are now vandalising and destroying shops, banks, and businesses associated with mainland China. As moderate, peaceful marchers branched off from the more radical, black-clad frontline protesters near Tsim Sha Tsui police station, violence flared. Riot police fired tear gas and water cannon, drenching Hong Kong's biggest mosque with blue dye in what they said was an accident Credit: Kyle Lam/Bloomberg Protesters threw molotov cocktails and set fire to makeshift barricades, while riot police charged with batons and fired volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets. Throughout the afternoon a water cannon truck chased protesters down Nathan Road, one of the city's busiest shopping thoroughfares, leaving it streaked with blue dye from the vehicle's turrets. The dye, used to identify protesters, also contains a painful pepper solution. The entrance to the city's biggest mosque was painted blue when the truck fired at a handful of people outside. Police said hitting the building was an accident. Vivek Mahbubani, a Hong Kong-born comedian, stood with a group of friends on Nathan Road, handing out water and egg tarts to marchers. "People passing by today shared our smiles and instead of feeling worried when passing. They all agreed that we are all Hongkongers," he told The Telegraph. "When I heard about the attack on Jimmy Sham, I was horrified. To think that Hong Kong has become a place where something like this can happen was shocking."
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| Trump accidentally refers to Defense Secretary Esper as 'Mark Esperanto' in tweet defending Syria withdrawal Posted: 20 Oct 2019 01:45 PM PDT  President Trump quoted "Mark Esperanto, Secretary of Defense" on Sunday. But the man in charge of the Pentagon is named Mark Esper, not Esperanto.
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| The U.S. Army Has Big Plans to Smash Enemy Drones in a War Posted: 21 Oct 2019 03:56 AM PDT  The U.S. Army is fast-tracking what could be called an entire sphere of counter-drone weapons
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| Michael Bloomberg ‘still looking at’ a presidential run ... but only if Biden is out Posted: 20 Oct 2019 11:00 PM PDT  The former New York mayor's attitude towards wealth is staunchly opposite to Elizabeth Warren's, with whom he's repeatedly clashedMichael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, is teasing a presidential run if former vice-president Joe Biden were to fall back. Photograph: Ritzau Scanpix/ReutersFormer New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is at it again – teasing a presidential run. At 77, he won't even be the oldest in the field, and the billionaire is certainly not short of funding to be able to throw his hat in the ring.Over the past several weeks, he's signaled renewed interest in the democratic nomination, telling friends and associates he's "still looking at" running for president. But he has cautioned he'd only join the race if former vice-president Joe Biden's faltering centrist campaign takes a decisive hit or pulls out early in primary season, according to a report by CNBC.Biden's collapse would likely leave Elizabeth Warren as frontrunner, a liberal candidate with whom he has repeatedly clashed over her anti-corporate policies and fears she will push the party too far to the left and eliminate the chance of a Democratic candidate unseating Donald Trump next year.Bloomberg's disagreements with Warren are stark. In January, when he was considering a run for president, he described Warren's wealth tax proposals in extreme terms ."We shouldn't be embarrassed about our system," he said. "You want to look at a system that's not capitalistic, just take a look at what was perhaps the wealthiest country in the world and now people are starving to death. It's called Venezuela."More recently, at an anti-gun event in Iowa hosted by the Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, a group Bloomberg founded and supports, he was again asked about Warren's wealth tax proposals."I just said to Senator Warren on the way out, 'Senator, congratulations, it's a nice talk. But let me just remind you if my company hadn't been successful, we wouldn't be here today, so enough with this stuff'," he said.Bloomberg's attitude to wealth is diametrically opposed to Warren, whose criticisms of the financial sector's excesses are legion. Before he ever ran for New York mayor, his company threw a party in London complete with entertainers – representing avarice – instructed to wave bundles of cash and shout: 'Money, ain't it gorgeous?'Forbes recently put his wealth at $51bn.Bloomberg has previously flirted with presidential ambitions, but he decided not to run in 2016 after concluding he might split the Democratic vote. It is not clear that dynamic has changed, nor whether Democratic primary voters really have the taste for a billionaire candidate. But others see a possible centrist path to the White House."The reality is both parties, Republican and Democrat, are in serious trouble, they are not functioning, and they've gone to extremes," says veteran strategist Hank Sheinkopf. "Could Mike Bloomberg unite the centre of the party and bring people to the center if he can prove he can win? The answer is yes.""Bloomberg has up-top professionals ready if he needs them, and he could assemble an operation in days and go to work. Whether the Democrats like him as centrist or not, they want to win the White House. He provides an extraordinary alternative to losing."People familiar with Bloomberg's thinking says his aims are clear – and they're grouped neatly as gun control, climate change, coal, education and health."He doesn't understand why people don't talk about his five points more. If he happens to mention something about the presidency at a cocktail party and they get talked about more, that's a good thing for him," one source said.Strengthening the rumor mill is Bloomberg's appointment of his former deputy Patti Harris to his company's management committee. Harris has been at the company since 1994. As Bloomberg's deputy during his three terms as New York mayor, Harris was regarded, in personal and political terms, as the keeper of the Bloomberg brand, his personal gate keeper and point person on all strategic and staffing decisions."She's the most important person in his life and director of all his political aspiration," says the source. "If you believe in this line of gossip, putting Harris in to run the company frees him up to run for president. You can argue that he's setting himself up to do something."When Bloomberg was last considering a run, almost exactly a year ago, a Quinnipiac University poll found he had an overall unfavorable rating of 32%, and 19% of Democrats viewed him negatively. Howard Wolfson, a top political advisor, hinted at how much Bloomberg would look to invest in a campaign for president."Mike spent more than $100m in his last mayor's race. Last time I looked, NYC is a fraction of the size of the country as a whole," Wolfson explained, pointing out that he spent at least more than $110m backing Democrats during the 2018 congressional midterm elections.Asked what Bloomberg would spend on his own campaign, Wolfson replied, "Whatever is required."With Biden appearing to be running low on funds, and a Warren or possibly Bernie Sanders candidacy looming, it's not surprising that Bloomberg's interest is again stirring. Last month, Fox Business reported that he still has a team of political advisors on the payroll."I think it's something he wants. He has not been shy about that," a Bloomberg ally told CNBC. "Bloomberg is in if Biden is out," a billionaire friend added.
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| See Photos of 2020 Toyota Yaris Hatchback Posted: 21 Oct 2019 12:34 PM PDT |
| Philippine police recommend drug charges against ex-chief Posted: 21 Oct 2019 06:30 AM PDT  Philippine police recommended graft and drug charges against its former chief on Monday over a new scandal that has put President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-narcotics crackdown under the spotlight. The police face allegations some officers are involved in the illegal drugs trade and that they had the protection of former chief Oscar Albayalde. It is the latest controversy to engulf the Philippine police force, which is waging a drug war launched by President Duterte in 2016.
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| Trump Cheated (Shocker!) on Property Tax; But Will Anyone Go to Jail? Posted: 21 Oct 2019 04:00 AM PDT  Chip SomodevillaProPublica published a piece Wednesday that put the spotlight once again on some questionable financial practices of the Trump Organization, which showed one set of books to banks (inflating value) and another to New York City tax authorities (deflating value).Is this just the usual Trump mendacity, or can prosecutors see this as part of a pattern? And if so, could it be prosecuted? Who would be tagged as the defendant(s)? If not, what more is needed to bring the guilty parties to justice?Before we explore these questions, let's look at the facts. Both versions of them.ProPublica obtained property tax docs for four Trump properties. These docs became public when Trump appealed the tax bills, and the loan records became public when Trump's lenders sold the debt on the properties. Significant discrepancies were unearthed between the tax records and loan records for two of the properties: Trump International Hotel & Tower, on Central Park West, and 40 Wall St.Tax and loan documents for 40 Wall St. showed significant discrepancies in how certain costs such as insurance were reported. Further, Trump representatives reported different occupancy rates to lenders and tax officials: 81 percent to lenders (rising later to 95 percent), and just 59 percent to tax authorities. Rising occupancy rates are valued by lenders because they are indicative of rising income level which is material to securing refinancing, while lower rates, of course, mean lower taxes.Meanwhile, documents for the Trump International Hotel & Tower showed that city tax officials were advised that this property made about $822,000 in 2017 from renting space in the building to other businesses, while loan officials were told that the building made about $1.67 million. ProPublica further notes that Trump appeared not to report income from leasing space for television antennas on tax documents but did report the income on loan docs.Each of the above-noted discrepancies is indicative of potential fraud. But do they represent instances of a prosecutable case?The short answer is: not yet. The discrepancies do reflect a situational ethics approach toward financial obligations and responsibilities. But more evidence will be needed to prosecute anyone should criminal prosecution be considered by the authorities.Who might be prosecuted here? It is unclear just who is responsible for submitting the doctored financial statements to the lending authorities and tax officials. Were the folks who submitted the documents the same folks who prepared them? If so, what were their marching orders? Who directed the Trump Organization officials to tailor the financial statements to minimize property taxes or maximize occupancy rates to obtain loans?Investigators need to home in on the work papers prepared to support the finagled financial statements in order to determine "willful intent," or "mens rea" that James Comey so infamously referenced. Such evidence may well be found at Mazars USA—the Trump Organization accounting firm that is the subject of intensive litigation with regard to subpoenas served by both the U.S. Congress and the Manhattan DA's office.Accountant work papers have been found to be beneficial when uncovering evidence of intent to defraud in case after case of white-collar fraud, specifically tax fraud. In fact, accountant work files and testimony provided critical evidence leading to the conviction of Paul Manafort in the Mueller investigations and prosecutions. It should be noted that tax fraud, bank fraud, and the falsification of business records may result in felony charges that could be contemplated by the Manhattan DA and provide for prison sentences that could lead the convicted defendants to land in Rikers Island for a stretch with the aforementioned Manafort. Evidence of corrupt intent to defraud either a financial institution or a public tax authority is critical to a successful criminal prosecution. The use of a double or triple set of books and records by company officials for fraudulent purposes is a terrific example of overt acts of corrupt intent. But further evidence will be needed here to link all those involved in each of the instances denoted above. Email, texts, voice mail, notes to the file and other evidence of directions to finagle the financial docs are needed. Further forensic analysis of the documents, for example fingerprint analysis, ink chemistry analysis and handwriting analysis are investigative tools available to the prosecutors to tighten the vise and provide the links in the chain of potential targets.Cohen was reportedly debriefed in detail recently by the Manhattan DA's office. His testimony will be needed to outline just who in the Trump Organization was responsible for the preparation of the questionable documents referenced above. Cohen's credibility will clearly be attacked in court by the defendant(s) and will become a question for the jury to grapple with. Cohen provided the Southern District of New York with a prosecutive path for those responsible for cooking the books at the Trump Organization with regard to the reimbursement of "hush money" payments to Cohen. That path is now available to the Manhattan DA. Add Cohen's now corroborated congressional testimony outlining the transactional financial ethics referenced above, used by the Trump team in their shady business dealings and the jury will likely be sitting on the edge of their seats. All the DA needs to do now is fill in some blanks in combination with demonstrating a pattern of fraud over time—the closing argument is shaping up to be very persuasive.The allegation that the Trump Organization appeared not to report income from leasing space for television antennas to tax authorities but did report the income on loan docs revives memories of the landmark New York Times tax fraud series on Fred Trump and Donald Trump's financial shenanigans in the '90s wherein the Times detailed multiple instances of unreported income streams tailored by Fred Trump for the Donald. While the statute of limitations has long expired with regard to the multi-million dollar gift tax evasion schemes entered into by Donald Trump, prosecutors can use evidence of historical frauds to depict a pattern of fraudulent conduct on the part of a defendant no matter how long ago the fraud occurred. It goes to willfulness or corrupt intent exhibited by Individual-1.The Manhattan DA's case against the Trump Organization may appear to be on its surface just a mundane business fraud type of case. But fraudulent documents don't change stories, particularly when there are witnesses available to tie the documents and the corrupt intent together. Add the historical pattern of fraud engaged in by Individual-1 and the Manhattan DA's case appears to be silently moving along like a stealth nuclear submarine under the radar and there are no available defenses available like an Office of Legal Counsel opinion to protect the prospective defendants from a potentially lethal prosecutorial attack.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Ex-model says Jean-Luc Brunel, model agent and Jeffrey Epstein's friend, spiked her drink and raped her Posted: 20 Oct 2019 08:33 AM PDT  The fashion industry veteran is currently facing allegations of sexual assault and harassment from several former models.
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| Nestor heads into Georgia after tornados damage Florida Posted: 21 Oct 2019 05:02 AM PDT  Nestor raced across Georgia as a post-tropical cyclone late Saturday, hours after the former tropical storm spawned a tornado that damaged homes and a school in central Florida while sparing areas of the Florida Panhandle devastated one year earlier by Hurricane Michael. The storm made landfall Saturday on St. Vincent Island, a nature preserve off Florida's northern Gulf Coast in a lightly populated area of the state, the National Hurricane Center said. Nestor was expected to bring 1 to 3 inches of rain to drought-stricken inland areas on its march across a swath of the U.S. Southeast.
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| Apology accepted, Hong Kong's Muslims lament water cannon staining mosque Posted: 21 Oct 2019 03:21 AM PDT ![Apology accepted, Hong Kong's Muslims lament water cannon staining mosque]( "Apology accepted, Hong Kong's Muslims lament water cannon staining mosque") Municipal workers scrubbed away noxious blue dye from the steps of Hong Kong's biggest mosque on Monday, while Muslim worshippers expressed frustration over police firing a water cannon outside the mosque during a large anti-government march. Senior police officers visited the Kowloon mosque to explain it was hit accidentally during Sunday's clashes with demonstrators, and Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam met with community leaders on Monday to apologise. "It was unnecessary to drag this place of worship into this conflict between the government and the people," Arabi Mohideen, 60, said after attending dawn prayers at the mosque in the bustling Tsim Sha Tsui district.
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| Dems delay key impeachment witnesses for Cummings memorials Posted: 21 Oct 2019 08:56 AM PDT  A slew of depositions scheduled for this week as part of the House's impeachment inquiry have been postponed as lawmakers mourn the late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), according to an official working on the inquiry. The scheduling change comes as House Democrats have gathered a fast-growing body of evidence as part of their impeachment investigation in recent weeks. Cummings, who passed away last week, will lie in state in the Capitol on Thursday morning.
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| There's a reasonable explanation why this mom saw a 'ghost baby' in her sleeping son's crib Posted: 21 Oct 2019 01:38 PM PDT  This mom's 'ghost baby' baby monitor mix-up has us all laughing.
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| Gun control advocate: Pushing mandatory buybacks will hand victory to the NRA, again Posted: 21 Oct 2019 02:00 AM PDT  We can pass significant gun safety laws but not if the 2020 campaign is about confiscating assault weapons. This is not timidity, it's reality.
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| Will Germany Choose America's F-15EX as Its New Fighter? Posted: 19 Oct 2019 10:30 PM PDT  Or the F-35?
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| Thousands protest against Bangladesh police after deadly shootings Posted: 21 Oct 2019 02:52 AM PDT  Thousands protested against police across Bangladesh on Monday, a day after at least four people died when officers fired on a crowd in one of the country's deadliest religious riots to date. Some 20,000 Muslims called for the execution of a young Hindu man on Bhola island Sunday for writing Facebook messages that allegedly defamed the Prophet Mohammed, with police saying they opened fire after rocks were thrown at officers. Mob attacks over online posts perceived to be blasphemous have emerged as a major headache for security forces in Bangladesh, where Muslims make up some 90 percent of the country's 168 million people.
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| Mark Zuckerberg Has Quietly Recommended Campaign Hires to Pete Buttigieg Posted: 21 Oct 2019 11:29 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Facebook Inc. chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg has privately recommended several potential hires to Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign, a rare example of direct political involvement from one of tech's most powerful executives.Earlier this year, Zuckerberg sent multiple emails to Mike Schmuhl, Buttigieg's campaign manager, with names of individuals that he might consider hiring, campaign spokesman Chris Meagher confirmed. Priscilla Chan, Zuckerberg's wife, also sent multiple emails to Schmuhl with staff recommendations. Ultimately, two of the people recommended were hired.The emails between Zuckerberg and Buttigieg have come to light as Zuckerberg faces unrelenting attacks from politicians from both parties over such issues as misinformation, privacy, election meddling and bias. Zuckerberg is scheduled to testify Wednesday before the House Financial Services Committee on Facebook's impact on the financial services and housing sectors.Zuckerberg used to make political contributions more frequently, including to former and current House speakers Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi in 2014, but he hasn't made any political donations or endorsements to specific candidates in the 2020 election cycle. In June, he gave $5,000 to Facebook's PAC, which contributes to both Democratic and Republican candidates.'Top-Tier Organization'"Since the beginning of the campaign, we've built a top-tier operation with more than 430 staff in South Bend and around the country," Meagher said. "The staffers come from all types of background, and everyone is working hard every day to elect Pete to the White House."A spokesman for the Zuckerberg-Chan family told Bloomberg News that the employees asked the tech mogul and Chan to recommend them."Having seen Mark's visit to South Bend in 2017 and Facebook Live with Mayor Buttigieg, colleagues later asked Mark and Priscilla to connect them with the Buttigieg campaign as they were interested in joining," spokesman Ben LaBolt said in a statement. Zuckerberg visited South Bend, Indiana, in April 2017 as part of his philanthropic work and got a tour from Buttigieg, that Zuckerberg live-streamed.LaBolt didn't answer a follow-up question asking whether Zuckerberg has made similar connections for other candidates.Zuckerberg, asked about the emails on a call with reporters Monday, acknowledged that he and his wife passed along hiring recommendations but said that those actions should not be seen as an endorsement."I think this should probably not be misconstrued as if I'm like deeply involved in trying to support their campaign or something like that," he said.Making IntroductionsIn the emails, Zuckerberg and Chan recommended potential campaign hires, and two of them are now on staff: Eric Mayefsky, senior digital analytics adviser, and Nina Wornhoff, organizing data manager.Mayefsky previously worked as the director of data science at Quora, a 10-year-old question-and-answer startup founded by former Facebook employees. Mayefsky worked at Facebook for almost four years starting in 2010, according to his LinkedIn profile. Wornhoff previously worked as a machine learning engineer at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and in Democratic politics in Indiana, Buttigieg's home state.The communication was initiated by Zuckerberg and Chan, Meagher said. It was sent shortly after Buttigieg officially launched his campaign in mid-April."From the CNN Town hall in March to our launch a month later, we literally got 7,000 resumes," Meagher said. "I think that he (Zuckerberg) thought Eric would be a good staff hire with a lot of experience and same with Nina and Priscilla."Crimson ConnectionZuckerberg, 35, and Buttigieg, 37, overlapped at Harvard, and Buttigieg was friends with two of Zuckerberg's roommates. He was also one of Facebook's first 300 users. But they were only introduced years later by a mutual Harvard friend.The staff recommendations from Zuckerberg are the first evidence of the Facebook CEO actively assisting a presidential campaign. A number of other high-ranking Facebook executives, including David Marcus, the executive leading Facebook's cryptocurrency efforts, Naomi Gleit, one of Facebook's longest-tenured executives, and Chris Cox, former chief product officer who is close friends with Zuckerberg, have donated to Buttigieg.In recent weeks, Democrats have escalated their criticism of Facebook for its refusal to moderate political ads. Elizabeth Warren, in particular, has repeatedly attacked Zuckerberg and Facebook over its decision not to fact check posts or ads shared by politicians. Joe Biden wrote the company on Thursday demanding that an ad paid for by a pro-Donald Trump super-PAC be pulled down for what he said were lies about his Ukrainian-related work as vice president.Silicon ValleyHe's been more apprehensive about breaking up big tech companies than some of his Democratic counterparts, saying the issue of monopolies extends beyond tech. But he's also raised concerns about tech companies having too much power and has floated regulation, including fines and the blocking of new mergers, for Facebook and other big tech companies.Republicans have accused Zuckerberg and Facebook of bias against conservative viewpoints, claiming that Facebook and other social media platforms unfairly suppress their views. Zuckerberg reportedly started to hold private meetings last summer with conservative leaders to hear their concerns.In the past, Facebook embedded staffers with political campaigns to give them guidance on how to best use the social media platform. The 2016 Trump campaign said it greatly benefited from having Facebook staffers on hand. The company announced in 2018 that it would pull back from offering on-site support.Now Zuckerberg needs friends in Washington, where Facebook is under unprecedented attack. His company is being investigated for possible antitrust violations by two federal agencies and Congress. It's also trying to get skeptical regulators and lawmakers on board with its goal of launching a cryptocurrency.But this presidential cycle, Facebook has become one of Democrats' top punching bags. In recent weeks, Warren's campaign has bought ads on Facebook claiming Zuckerberg endorsed Trump, a deliberate falsehood that she used to draw attention to Facebook's policies exempting politicians from fact-checking ads, and corrected later in the advertisement.(Adds new 9th, 10th paragraphs with Zuckerberg comment.)\--With assistance from Bill Allison.To contact the reporters on this story: Tyler Pager in Washington at tpager1@bloomberg.net;Kurt Wagner in San Francisco at kwagner71@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Wendy Benjaminson at wbenjaminson@bloomberg.net, Ros KrasnyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| View Photos of the 2020 Ford Ranger Posted: 21 Oct 2019 12:32 PM PDT |
| China issues stinging rebuke of US at Beijing defense forum Posted: 21 Oct 2019 02:46 AM PDT  China's defense minister lashed out at U.S. foreign policy Monday, saying China wasn't fazed by sanctions, pressure or a "big stick" approach, while reiterating threats to force the self-governing island democracy of Taiwan to accept rule from Beijing. Gen. Wei Fenghe did not refer directly to the U.S. in his opening remarks at the Xiangshan Forum, an annual gathering in Beijing patterned on other multilateral gatherings such as Singapore's Shangri-la Dialogue.
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| The FBI says at least 3 American tourists died of natural causes in the Dominican Republic, not tainted alcohol Posted: 21 Oct 2019 10:18 AM PDT  This year saw a spate of tourist deaths that sparked fears over tainted alcohol or other mysterious conditions before the investigation was launched.
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| Trump 'like a squirrel caught in traffic' during Pentagon meeting: Aide Posted: 21 Oct 2019 10:41 AM PDT  In President Trump's first full briefing at the Defense Department, he requested a grand "Victory Day" parade with "vehicles and tanks on Main Street" and down Pennsylvania Avenue, like the "amazing" parade he'd just witnessed in France, Guy Snodgrass, a top aide to then-Defense Secretary James Mattis, recounts in his new book, "Holding the Line." "The Fourth of July is too hot," Trump added.
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| Last U.S. Base in Syria ‘Is Everything Wrong With Trump’s War’ Posted: 21 Oct 2019 04:17 PM PDT  Delil Souleiman/GettyIn the southeastern Syrian desert, near the Jordan and Iraq borders, far from the ruins of the Caliphate or the carnage of the Turkish invasion, lies the terminal phase of a U.S. war. A dusty garrison outpost called al-Tanf, or sometimes at-Tanf, is now the last redoubt for the American forces in Syria that have occupied it since 2016. It has little to do with the war against the so-called Islamic State, the ostensible purpose of the U.S. in Syria, and far more to do with a confrontation against an entirely different adversary: Iran. The Oct. 6 phone call between presidents Donald Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a prelude to the betrayal of the U.S.' Syrian Kurdish partners, prompted a highly confusing U.S. withdrawal from the Syrian northeast, one that's been misunderstood as a full withdrawal from Syria. Instead, according to a knowledgeable U.S. official not cleared to speak with reporters, hundreds of U.S. special operators and general-purpose troops have pulled back to al-Tanf. For however long they remain in Syria – now that the Turks have invaded and the Kurds have turned to the Syrian government and its Russian patrons for protection, the U.S. presence may be untenable—al-Tanf and the 55-kilometer "exclusion zone" surrounding it will be where they operate. In a coda for the war, the missions U.S. forces can execute from al-Tanf are unclear. Along with a proxy force the U.S. has trained for years at al-Tanf, the Syrian Arab Magahwir al-Thawra, the U.S. occasionally intercepts ISIS fighters. But officials familiar with the area note that the base is far from where the bulk of ISIS is. Whatever military utility al-Tanf has in 2019 has more to do with a conflict with Iran. The base is positioned along a crucial highway stretching east into Iraq, and onward to Iran, and west toward Damascus. Thwarting Iran and its proxies from accessing the Mediterranean coast, bringing weapons and money along the way, has been an undeclared priority of hawkish U.S. officials in both the Obama and Trump administrations, as well as regional allies like Israel. "Al-Tanf grew as a sop to Jordan, grew because Donald Trump delegated authorities to ground commanders, and was repurposed as an anti-Iran thing, despite the very real fact that Iranian aircraft fly over it on a routine basis," said Aaron Stein, director of the Middle East program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. "Al-Tanf has no obvious military purpose," added Sam Heller of the International Crisis Group. "The real justification is, to my knowledge, denying the Syrian government and its Iranian ally access to the neighboring al-Tanf/al-Walid border crossing with Iraq. That blocks a key trade route that would better integrate Syria with its regional surroundings and help government-held Syria get on a more stable economic footing, which some in DC believe would diminish U.S. leverage to force a political resolution to the war." Several former Trump administration officials, including ex-national security adviser John Bolton and cashiered Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, have wanted to use the U.S. presence in Syria to confront Iran. That has discomfited Pentagon officials who wanted to focus on combatting ISIS, but some of them have conceded the utility al-Tanf has for frustrating Iran. "Our presence, our development of partners and relationships down here does have an indirect effect on some malign activities that Iran and their various proxies and surrogates would like to pursue down here," the former Central Command commander, now-retired Army Gen. Joseph Votel, said in Oct. 2018, the first time al-Tanf was opened to reporters. Similarly, Trump does not share his former aides' expansive goals in Syria. But he's ordered a 14,000-troop escalation in the Mideast over the past six months, aimed at threatening the Iranians. Accordingly, it's conspicuous that al-Tanf is what remains of the U.S. in Syria. "It is everything wrong with Trump's war in Syria," said Stein. "The fact that it will be the last American enclave in Syria is more evidence of how Iran myopia has poisoned U.S. objectives in the region. It's also been a scene of conflict. As Syrian government forces advanced on southeastern Syria, the U.S. and Russia negotiated the "exclusion zone" near al-Tanf to keep everyone's armies separate. That didn't stop U.S. warplanes from fired on an Iranian convoy near the base last September, killing six Syrians and an Iranian. These days, however, sources familiar with the area say the Iranian-controlled forces typically just route around the exclusion zone, rendering the base dubiously effective at its ancillary, undeclared mission.Al-Tanf is just a few miles away from the squalor of a refugee camp called Rukban, where at least 10,000 people live without access to running water and children die from exposure. The U.S. is not interested in their fate. At the Aspen Security Forum in the summer, Amb. Jim Jeffrey, one of the Trump administration's seniormost Syria policymakers, declaimed responsibility for Rukban. Administering humanitarian aid from al-Tanf, he argued, would risk making the U.S. presence look like it would last "forever." But neither mission creep, strategic incoherence, inhumanity nor disutility has ever been sufficient to stop a drifting U.S. war. Al-Tanf is a survivor. It's endured earlier rumors of closure and Russian threats to assault it. "Despite the dubious rationale for remaining in al-Tanf, and the resource drain of securing the base," said Heller, "it's possible the U.S. presence could persist indefinitely."U.S. officials insist there will still be surveillance flights over Syria, so as to monitor whatever remains of the ISIS prisons the Kurds maintained before Turkey's incursion. For the time being, those flights are focused on protecting U.S. troops from surprise attack. Whatever overflight the U.S. stages from al-Tanf has to operate in the collapsing window of Syrian airspace uncontrolled by Syrian, Russian, and Turkish forces. It's unclear how much there will be. Administration officials and senior military officers are piecing together a post-drawdown Syria policy that can keep pace with—and be undone by—presidential tweets. On a trip to the Middle East that began this weekend, Defense Secretary Mark Esper was unsure whether the U.S. will stage anti-ISIS raids or strikes in Syria from Iraq, where most of the drawdown forces are headed, pending discussion with regional allies. On Monday, after Trump tweeted that U.S. forces have "secured the oil" in northeastern Syria, Esper revealed that now the Pentagon is considering additional plans to do just that – though securing oil and not human beings may not go over well with incensed Kurds who are pelting U.S. convoys with stones and fruit, to say nothing of the U.S. adversaries filling the void left behind by the U.S. departure.For now, what remains for the U.S. is al-Tanf, however much it calls into question the logic of this residual American presence. "Far from being a feather in the cap of American power, it is a dumb waste of resources," Stein said, "in need of constant protection from hostile action, and it exists only because the Trump administration has convinced itself that [its policy] is something other than a set of talking points designed to mask the aim of collapsing the Islamic Republic." 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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| Ozone hole shrinks to smallest size on record, and it's not related to global warming Posted: 21 Oct 2019 10:25 AM PDT ![Ozone hole shrinks to smallest size on record, and it's not related to global warming]( "Ozone hole shrinks to smallest size on record, and it's not related to global warming") Thanks to unusually warm temperatures high above Antarctica this month, the ozone hole shrank to its smallest size on record, scientists reported.
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| Why Russia's Navy Is Becoming a Smaller, Regional Force Posted: 21 Oct 2019 05:44 AM PDT  (But is still deadly.)
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| Haiti's dicey prison conditions made worse by crisis Posted: 20 Oct 2019 07:15 PM PDT  Port-au-Prince (AFP) - With protests rocking the streets, some prison authorities in Haiti have confined inmates to cells that lack showers or toilets, in a country where most detainees are stuck awaiting trial for months or even years. The move is meant to stop protests from breaking out in Haiti's badly overcrowded prisons, but violates the law and risks the health of prisoners, human rights advocates say. "To prevent any kind of riot from the general tension in the country, prison officials decided to keep detainees in their cells without being allowed at least an hour of outdoor time," Marie Rosy Auguste Ducena of the National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) told AFP.
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| Trump cites ‘phony Emoluments Clause’ for G-7 controversy Posted: 21 Oct 2019 12:19 PM PDT  At a Cabinet meeting, President Trump blamed the "phony Emoluments Clause" in the U.S. Constitution for the controversy over his decision to have the G-7 summit at his resort in Doral, Fla.
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| Democrats Seek Insider Trading Probe After ‘Trump Chaos’ Article Posted: 21 Oct 2019 02:09 PM PDT ![Democrats Seek Insider Trading Probe After 'Trump Chaos' Article]( "Democrats Seek Insider Trading Probe After 'Trump Chaos' Article") (Bloomberg) -- Democratic lawmakers are increasingly demanding that U.S. authorities investigate allegations raised in a recent magazine article that traders might be using non-public government information to reap huge illegal profits, even as the exchange where the transactions purportedly took place called the story "patently false."In a Monday letter, 14 Democratic senators urged the heads of the Justice Department, FBI, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission to probe "disturbing reports of suspicious trading in our futures and equities markets" described in a Vanity Fair piece. The magazine referred to the transactions as "Trump Chaos Trades."Since the story's publication, the suggestion that White House leaks could be a factor in futures traders making billions of dollars from well-timed bets ahead of major geopolitical announcements has fueled endless chatter from Washington to Wall Street. Still, the article has been met with widespread skepticism from the financial industry.CME Group Inc., the world's biggest futures exchange, has dismissed the claims, arguing that the trades highlighted in the story couldn't have been based on inside information because too many market participants were involved. The article describes five big transactions in S&P 500 e-mini futures from June 28 to Sept. 13, ranging from 55,000 to 420,000 contracts."As it relates to the Vanity Fair article published on October 17, 2019, regarding activities in the E-mini S&P futures contract, the allegations about the trading activity are patently false," CME said in an Oct. 18 statement.In Monday's letter, Democrats said they wanted federal authorities "to investigate immediately whether any rules, laws or regulations were violated." The lawmakers added that "if any wrongdoing is uncovered, we demand that you swiftly hold violators accountable to the fullest extent possible."Spokesmen for the SEC and Justice Department declined to comment, while spokesmen for the FBI and CFTC didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.The wagers cited by Vanity Fair were made shortly before market-moving news -- three times involving the U.S.-China trade war, once involving the bombing of Saudi oil fields and once involving Hong Kong politics. Thanks to market reactions, the magazine said, people involved in the transactions could've booked gains of between $82.5 million on the smallest to $1.8 billion on the biggest.The story's author, William D. Cohan, has said that finance professionals with decades of experience alerted him to the trades. Cohan, a former Bloomberg Opinion columnist, has said that factors other than illegal buying-and-selling could explain the transactions and that he doesn't know whether any nefarious activity actually occurred.Earlier Monday, Angus King, an independent Maine senator who caucuses with the Democrats, also called on the SEC to investigate. Last week, Democratic Representatives Ted Lieu and Kathleen Rice requested a federal investigation into the timing around sales of e-mini futures contracts before significant geopolitical events or statements from Trump.\--With assistance from Nick Baker.To contact the reporters on this story: Ben Bain in Washington at bbain2@bloomberg.net;Matt Robinson in New York at mrobinson55@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Jesse Westbrook at jwestbrook1@bloomberg.net, Gregory MottFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| U.S. Supreme Court tosses challenge to Republican-drawn Michigan electoral maps Posted: 21 Oct 2019 06:54 AM PDT ![U.S. Supreme Court tosses challenge to Republican-drawn Michigan electoral maps]( "U.S. Supreme Court tosses challenge to Republican-drawn Michigan electoral maps") The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday threw out a challenge to Republican-drawn electoral districts in Michigan that Democrats said were illegally configured to dilute their voting power, an action taken in the aftermath of major rulings by the justices in June prohibiting federal courts from hearing such claims. The Supreme Court's action voided an order in April by a three-judge panel to rework 34 districts in the state legislature and U.S. House of Representatives whose boundaries were crafted purely to advantage Republicans, a practice known as partisan gerrymandering. In a blow to election reformers, the justices found that federal courts have no role to play in reining in electoral map manipulation by politicians aimed at entrenching one party in power.
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| Artist sues over Missouri's 'Indian-made' law Posted: 21 Oct 2019 07:57 AM PDT ![Artist sues over Missouri's 'Indian-made' law]( "Artist sues over Missouri's 'Indian-made' law") Peggy Fontenot alleges that the law is a violation of her First Amendment right to free speech. The lawsuit over the Missouri law, which was passed last year, was filed in August in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. Fontenot previously sued over a similar law in Oklahoma and won.
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| Mick Mulvaney Melts Down Under Brutal Grilling By Fox’s Chris Wallace Posted: 20 Oct 2019 09:58 AM PDT  Days after his disastrous White House press briefing in which he admitted President Donald Trump was seeking out a quid pro quo with Ukraine before saying never mind, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney struggled to walk back his comments under the intense and relentless grilling of Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace.Almost immediately during the Sunday morning broadcast, Wallace pressed Mulvaney on his remarks, asking why he said during the press conference that military aid to Ukraine depended on investigating the actions of Democrats during the 2016 election, prompting Mulvaney to assert that he never actually said that."Again, that's not what I said, that's what people said I said," he replied before saying there were "two reasons" why the United States would have held up aid: corruption and whether other European nations were helping with aid.Mick Mulvaney Has Conservatives Asking: WTF Are You Doing?Wallace, meanwhile, didn't let Mulvaney's spin go unchecked, telling the chief of staff that anyone listening to the briefing could "come to only one conclusion" before playing clips Mulvaney confirming that Trump withheld aid unless the Ukrainians investigated the Democrats.Mulvaney continued to insist that he had been misinterpreted and that aid was only contingent on corruption and additional European assistance, causing the Fox News anchor to fire back."I hate to go through this but you said what you said," Wallace stated. "And the fact is, after that exchange with [ABC News correspondent] Jonathan Karl, you were asked another time why the aid was held up. What was the condition for the aid? And you didn't mention two conditions, you mentioned three conditions."Wallace, once again, threw Mulvaney's own remarks back in his face, playing yet another clip from the press briefing of Mulvaney claiming military aid to Ukraine was contingent upon them cooperating with the Trump administration and investigating the Democrats.The Trump aide, however, attempted to brush off his previous remarks by saying he didn't actually use the words "quid pro quo," prompting Wallace to point out that when Karl pressed him on whether or not there was a quid pro quo, Mulvaney said that "happens all the time."Fox News Host Ed Henry: Not 'Media's Fault' Mick Mulvaney Admitted Quid Pro QuoThe two would go back and forth over this issue for a few more minutes, with Wallace repeatedly cornering Mulvaney over his previous comments and the chief of staff flailing away and struggling to present even a laughable defense.At one point, Wallace asked Mulvaney whether he had offered his resignation to Trump in the wake of the blowback and criticism he received over the press briefing. Mulvaney said the topic was "absolutely not" discussed with the president, adding that he is "very happy working there."CNN, meanwhile, reported Sunday that prior to the impeachment crisis that Trump finds himself currently embroiled in, there were internal efforts to push Mulvaney out as acting chief of staff. Those efforts subsided, however, when the push for impeachment heated up in the wake of the Ukraine scandal late last month.Besides the issues surrounding the Ukraine scandal and impeachment, Wallace also grilled Mulvaney on the president's sudden reversal on next year's G7 summit, which Mulvaney announced last week would be held at Trump's personal property. Asked by Wallace why the president "caved" to the bipartisan backlash, Mulvaney said Trump was "honestly surprised at the level of pushback," adding that the president "still considers himself to be in the hospitality business."Wallace seized on the "hospitality business" comment and pressed Mulvaney if the president understood why it "looked lousy." The acting chief of staff's retort: "I think he thinks people think it looks lousy."Sean Hannity Goes Off on Mick Mulvaney: 'I Just Think He's Dumb'Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Hillside brush fire in Los Angeles threatens affluent Pacific Palisades homes, forces evacuations Posted: 21 Oct 2019 05:02 PM PDT  California firefighters are wrestling with the Palisades Fire burning in a Los Angeles hillside and threatening multimillion-dollar homes.
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| We Asked An Expert to Think Up a Nightmare: A U.S.-China War in 2030 Posted: 20 Oct 2019 09:00 PM PDT  What would the War of 2030 between China and the United States look like?
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| Summit showcases Russia's growing Africa clout Posted: 21 Oct 2019 01:38 AM PDT  President Vladimir Putin opens Russia's first ever summit with dozens of African leaders on Wednesday as Moscow seeks to vie for influence on the continent with the West and China. The Russian leader called the two-day event "unprecedented" as the Black Sea resort of Sochi prepared to host over 3,000 business representatives and other delegates. Putin contrasted Russia's approach to cooperation with Africa to what he called the West's desire to "pressure, frighten and blackmail" African leaders in order to "reap superprofits".
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| Gojek’s 35-Year-Old Chief Is Joining Indonesia’s New Cabinet Posted: 20 Oct 2019 11:02 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo has offered the 35-year-old co-founder of the country's biggest startup, Gojek, a position in his new cabinet, affirming the importance of the internet sector in propelling Southeast Asia's largest economy.Nadiem Makarim on Monday told reporters he has accepted a cabinet post after resigning with immediate effect as chief executive officer of the ride-hailing giant he started nine years ago. That leaves the $10 billion startup, one of Southeast Asia's largest, without its most visible leader at a time it's pursuing funding to compete with arch-rival Grab Holdings Inc. Gojek said President Andre Soelistyo and co-founder Kevin Aluwi will take the helm as co-CEOs. The company will outline its next steps in the coming days, Gojek said in an emailed statement.Widodo, commonly known as Jokowi, will specify the role to be taken up by Makarim in a later announcement. Makarim's appointment -- in line with the Indonesian president's stated desire to include professionals and millennials in his second-term team -- shouldn't disrupt operations at Gojek given its deep bench of experienced managers."This means President Jokowi's new cabinet will be filled with young people with ability to execute," said Willson Cuaca, managing partner of East Ventures, one of the most active Indonesian-focused venture capital firms. "It shows that Indonesia appreciates what they've done for the country. For Gojek, it's reached a point that even if Nadiem resigns, it's business as usual."The Gojek co-founder hails from a prominent Indonesian family. His grandfather was part of the delegation that won the country's independence from the Netherlands in a 1949 conference at The Hague."Since the beginning, my mission in Gojek has been to display Indonesia on the world's stage," Makarim told reporters when he announced his resignation in Jakarta on Monday. "So, this is a continuation of that mission, but this is certainly for the state and within a bigger scale."Read more: Jokowi Eyes $7 Trillion Indonesia Economy With New CabinetGojek is the largest player in an Indonesian internet industry that's booming as smartphone adoption there explodes. The world's fourth most populous country with 264 million people has produced other unicorns including Tokopedia and Bukalapak, which are driving e-commerce and the digital economy more generally.Makarim started Gojek in 2010 as a call center arranging couriers in Jakarta. At that early stage, everything was done manually -- employees called motorbike drivers one by one until someone accepted an order -- and Makarim had to work at other startups in order to sustain Gojek.It was only in 2014 that the Gojek chief decided to introduce a mobile app, with backing from private equity investor Northstar Group. When that debuted in January 2015, the service was so popular that Gojek couldn't cope with demand, Makarim said in an interview in 2016.Gojek today has more than 2 million drivers and 400,000 merchants, while its apps have been downloaded more than 155 million times in Southeast Asia. The company counts Google, JD.com Inc. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. among its investors and is seen as an icon for aspiring Indonesian entrepreneurs.Makarim was selected as one of 50 people who defined global business in 2018 by Bloomberg Businessweek.Southeast Asia's Internet Economy to Top $100 Billion This YearTo contact the reporters on this story: Yoolim Lee in Singapore at yoolim@bloomberg.net;Viriya Singgih in Jakarta at vsinggih@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Edwin Chan at echan273@bloomberg.net, ;Thomas Kutty Abraham at tabraham4@bloomberg.net, Vlad SavovFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Nancy Pelosi led a bipartisan delegation to Jordan to talk Middle East peace amid the Syrian crisis Posted: 21 Oct 2019 01:30 PM PDT  Pelosi was joined by other House members in Jordan on Saturday for diplomacy meetings with top officials, including King Abdullah II and his son.
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| San Jose to propose turning PG&E into giant customer-owned utility - WSJ Posted: 21 Oct 2019 01:01 PM PDT  Mayor Sam Liccardo said in an interview to the WSJ the city served by PG&E hopes to persuade other cities and counties in coming weeks to line up behind the plan. The plan is to strip PG&E of its status as an investor-owned company and turn it into a nonprofit, electric-and-gas cooperative, the Monday's report https://on.wsj.com/2JaJWJg added. Liccardo told the WSJ the time has come for the people dependent on PG&E for essential services to propose a new direction.
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