- PoliticsYahoo News
Trump’s 'lynching' tweet draws outrage — and some Republican support
Leading Republicans rushed to defend President Trump's controversial tweet Tuesday in which he portrayed himself as the victim of a “lynching” by House Democrats pursuing his impeachment. “Lynching is a reprehensible stain on this nation's history, as is this President,” Harris tweeted. “Lynching is an act of terror used to uphold white supremacy,” Booker tweeted.
LifestyleAFPBamboozled: 'Panda dog' cafe sparks China animal rights debate
A pet cafe in China where dogs are dyed black and white to look like panda cubs has triggered a heated online debate over the treatment of animals. The Cute Pet Games cafe opened last month in Chengdu, capital of southwest Sichuan province which is home to China's famous giant pandas, and features six panda-like Chow Chow dogs, according to a video posted by Hongxing News on Tuesday. The cafe owner, only identified by his last name Huang, told Hongxing News that he had started offering pet dyeing services after the panda dogs became an instant hit with clients.
- NewsBusiness Insider
An Air France flight was forced to turn back in midair when staff found an unattended cellphone that wasn't claimed by any of the passengers
REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes An Air France flight made an emergency landing in Ireland after a mobile phone found on board was not claimed by any passengers. The flight, scheduled to fly from Paris to Chicago, was met by the police and fire engines when it landed at Shannon Airport, and the police said they scanned the phone. The phone was deemed safe, and the Irish newspaper The Journal reported that it could have been left by a passenger on a previous flight and gone unnoticed by the cleaning crew.
- WorldThe Telegraph
Iranian beauty queen pleads for asylum in the Philippines
An Iranian beauty queen is seeking asylum in the Philippines, fearing for her life after Tehran demanded her extradition for a crime she claims she did not commit. Bahareh Zare Bahari, who represented Iran at the 2018 Miss Intercontinental pageant in Manila, and who has studied dental medicine in the Philippines since 2014, has been held for six days at the country's Ninoy Aquino airport after Iran slapped an Interpol Red Notice on her for alleged assault. In a series of messages, the distraught Ms Bahari told the Telegraph that the case was a “big lie,” adding that she believed she was being targeted for her political activism and outspoken support of women's rights.
- NewsNational Review
Connecticut College Students Charged With Violating State Law Prohibiting ‘Ridicule’ after Using Racial Slur
University of Connecticut students Jarred Karal and Ryan Mucaj were arrested by campus police Monday night and charged with violating a Connecticut hate crime statute for using a racial slur in an incident captured on video. The two were charged under a Connecticut State law that criminalizes ridiculing “any person or class of people on account of creed, religion, color, denomination, nationality, or race.” The misdemeanor is punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a fine of $50, or both. “It is supportive of our core values to pursue accountability, through due process, for an egregious assault on our community that has caused considerable harm,” UConn President Thomas C. Katsouleas said in a statement late Monday.
- NewsAssociated Press
Lawsuit: ICE agent threatened immigrant, raped her for years
An immigration agent threatened a Honduran woman living in Connecticut with deportation if she didn't have sex with him, then raped her as often as four times a week for seven years, impregnating her three times, the woman says in a federal lawsuit. The woman, identified in the lawsuit only as Jane Doe, sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and former ICE agent Wilfredo Rodriguez on Saturday. An ICE spokesman said he couldn't comment on litigation but confirmed Rodriguez no longer works for the agency.
- WorldReuters
Under China's shadow, Taiwan, Hong Kong squabble over a murder suspect
Chinese-ruled Hong Kong and Taiwan engaged in a rare squabble on Wednesday over a Hong Kong man accused of murder in Taiwan whose case was used by Hong Kong to promote a now-withdrawn extradition bill. Self-ruled Taiwan, which China considers its own, wants an extradition, not a voluntary surrender, of the suspected murderer from a Chinese-ruled territory, reinforcing its status as self-ruled and separate to China. Chan Tong-kai was accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend in Taiwan last year before fleeing back to Hong Kong where he was sentenced to 29 months in jail on money-laundering charges.
BusinessYahoo News VideoNewt Gingrich and Whoopi Goldberg go at it on 'The View' over Trump's 'lynching' comments
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Whoopi Goldberg go toe to toe over Trump's “lynching” comments on Twitter.
- PoliticsThe Guardian
Hillary Clinton's attacks on Tulsi Gabbard are embarrassing
Hillary Clinton has kept a relatively low profile since her embarrassing 2016 election defeat, popping up only occasionally to make out-of-touch elitist comments that confirm why she lost. Clinton accused the Hawaii congresswoman of being groomed by outside forces, saying: “I think they've got their eye on somebody who is currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate … She's the favorite of the Russians.” There is some dispute about whether Clinton meant it was the Russians or Republicans who were pushing a third-party Gabbard candidacy, but a Clinton spokesman asked about the comments replied “if the nesting doll fits”, clearly implying it was dastardly Russians. Related: It was gutsy of Hillary Clinton to stand by Bill.
- NewsThe Daily Beast
Indicted Giuliani Henchman Lev Parnas Raises Executive Privilege in Federal Court
Lev Parnas, a Soviet-born business associate with ties to Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, raised the issue of executive privilege during a court proceeding Wednesday, arguing it could apply to some of the evidence gathered in his campaign-finance case in New York. The issue was raised during an arraignment for Parnas and Igor Furman, who pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges in a four-count indictment that accused them of funneling money through straw donors into U.S. elections in an effort to gain influence. Prosecutors also allege the pair petitioned U.S. politicians, including a congressman, to have the ambassador to Ukraine removed from her post.
- WorldBloomberg
Mexico Misleads on Failed Arrest of ‘Chapo’ Son: Ex-DEA Official
Mexico's government isn't being truthful about the botched attempt to capture the son of the world's most notorious drug trafficker, according to a former head of international operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador hasn't revealed that while trying to bring Ovidio Guzman Lopez into custody, security forces had caught another son of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, Mike Vigil, the former DEA official, said in an interview. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar had also been detained and let go when gunmen overpowered police, Vigil said, citing unverified intelligence he received from top Mexico police sources.
- WorldPopular Mechanics
Tasmanian Tigers Are Extinct, So Why Are Locals Reporting Sightings?
The Australian government recently released a list of documented thylacine—also known as the Tasmanian tiger or Tasmanian wolf—sightings. It remains to be seen whether or not any reported thylacine sightings will be made official—something made especially difficult with no photographic proof or other hard evidence. If the creatures are extinct, there may still be hope to see a living thylacine as scientists have replicated their DNA and may one day be able to use the genetic material to clone the animal.
- ScienceBusiness Insider
The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs acidified the ocean in a 'flash,' killing most marine life. The seas could see a similar problem a century from now.
A new study reveals that marine species weren't spared: Acid rain and fallout from the impact acidified the world's oceans in a "flash." That caused marine ecosystems to collapse. Within a minute of hitting the Earth, the Chicxulub asteroid had bored a hole nearly 100 miles wide into the sea floor, creating a bubbling pit of molten rock and super-hot gas. The contents of that fiery cauldron skyrocketed, creating a mountain-high plume that poured acid rain into the oceans.
- BusinessCar and Driver
View Photos of the Mazda MX-30
Mazda's first EV sports body cladding, suicide doors, and the evocative MX moniker. From Car and Driver
- NewsAssociated Press
California utility begins another blackout amid fire fears
Lights went out across large portions of Northern California on Wednesday, as the state's largest utility began its second massive blackout in two weeks, citing the return of dangerous fire weather. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said the rolling blackouts that initially stretched from the Sierra foothills to north of the San Francisco Bay Area would ultimately impact a half-million people — or nearly 180,000 customers — in 17 counties. The outages will last about 48 hours, the utility said ,but its seven-day forecast shows an elevated likelihood of a shut-off across a much larger portion of Northern California for the weekend, when heavy winds are expected to return.
- WorldReuters
UPDATE 1-Kremlin says U.S. betrayed Kurds in Syria, tells Kurds to withdraw or be mauled
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that the United States had betrayed and abandoned the Syrian Kurds and advised the Kurds to withdraw from the Syrian border as per a deal between Moscow and Ankara or be mauled by the Turkish army. The comments by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to Russian news agencies followed a deal agreed on Tuesday between Russia and Turkey that will see Syrian and Russian forces deploy to northeast Syria to remove Kurdish YPG fighters and their weapons from the border with Turkey.
- WorldThe National Interest
Can Israel Fend off an Iranian Missile or Drone Attack?
The IDF's missile defense shield is composed of four layers: the iconic Iron Dome system for intercepting short-range rockets, David's Sling for medium-range rockets, Arrow-2 against intermediate-range ballistic missiles, and Arrow-3 against ICBM's and potentially satellites. Widely seen as a class-leading missile defense system when it was introduced in 2011, Iron Dome has since come under criticism by several revisionist defense commentators. MIT Professor Ted Postol authored a series of influential if not controversial articles arguing that Iron Dome's true interception rate -- that is, its ability to strike and destroy a rocket's warhead rather than its fuselage-- was under 50%.
WorldAFPTrudeau rules out coalition as he forms new Canadian government
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday ruled out forming a coalition government despite an election victory that left his Liberals short of a majority. Trudeau said he would consult with leaders of the Canada's other parties on their priorities, and how they might work together. "They will be varied conversations, but I can tell you it is not in our plans at all to form any sort of formal or informal coalition," he said.
- PoliticsUSA TODAY
Trump declares 'big success' in Syria, lifts sanctions on Turkey
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump lifted sanctions on Turkey Wednesday and declared a "big success" in Syria, saying Turkish officials had agreed to permanently end their military attack on Syrian Kurdish forces. Trump's move came even as his own envoy for Syria, James Jeffrey, condemned Turkey's short but brutal military assault as deeply disruptive and said Turkish forces may have committed war crimes in its attack on the Kurds. It also came as Russia gained a key foothold in Syria and members of Congress expressed growing concerns about Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. forces stationed at the Syria-Turkey border.
- NewsThe Daily Beast
Rudy Giuliani Admits He ‘Did Sort of Look at’ Ukrainian Oligarch Dmitry Firtash for Info
Victoria Toensing and Joe DiGenova, the pro-Trump lawyers representing a Ukrainian oligarch wanted by U.S. authorities on conspiracy charges, reportedly met personally with Attorney General William Barr in July—at the height of Rudy Giuliani's hunt for kompromat on Joe Biden in Ukraine. Citing three sources familiar with the meeting, The Washington Post reports that diGenova and Toensing argued against the charges facing Dmitry Firtash—who has been described by federal prosecutors as having connections to the “upper echelons” of Russian organized crime—in the meeting with Barr and other Justice Department officials. Barr is said to have refused to intercede.
WorldYahoo News VideoIraq: U.S. troops crossing border from Syria don't have approval to stay
U.S. forces that crossed into Iraq as part of a withdrawal from Syria do not have permission to stay and can only be there in transit, the Iraqi military said on Tuesday.
- NewsBloomberg
Rats and Mold in Kushner-Managed Apartments, Maryland Claims
Westminster Management lied about the quality of rental units and the level of maintenance the company would provide, routinely failing to address hazardous conditions in the properties, including infestations by rodents and other vermin, water leaks and mold growth, Attorney General Brian Frosh said in a statement. “We're charging that Westminster and the rental property owners in this case took advantage of consumers, primarily low- and middle-income families, collecting fees and other unlawful costs from them and often failing to make the repairs needed to maintain suitable environments for their tenants,” Frosh said. Westminster Management is a unit of Kushner Cos., a family-run, New York-based business that owns, manages and develops properties and was built on working-class apartment complexes in New Jersey and Maryland.
- HealthINSIDER
A vegan said he felt 'betrayed' and got sick after Domino's mistakenly served him pizza with real ham
Accidentally eating meat may be upsetting, but it's unlikely to cause serious harm unless you have a rare allergy. Patrick Hukins, who has been vegan for four years, said he felt sick to his stomach and betrayed after the supposed mix-up.
- BusinessAssociated Press
Democrat Buttigieg used marijuana 'a handful of times'
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that he's used marijuana "a handful of times a long time ago," and that it's time for the U.S. to legalize marijuana. Buttigieg, speaking to reporters after touring a legal pot dispensary in suburban Las Vegas, was asked about whether he'd ever used marijuana. A handful of times a long time ago," he said.
- WorldReuters
UPDATE 3-China plans to replace Hong Kong leader Lam with 'interim' chief executive -FT
China is drawing up a plan to replace Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam with an "interim" chief executive, the Financial Times reported, citing people briefed on the deliberations, which would bring to a close Lam's rule after months of often-violent pro-democracy protests. Lam has become a lightning rod for protests over fears that Beijing is tightening its grip, limiting the freedoms enjoyed under the "one country, two systems" principle enshrined when colonial ruler Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997. Sources told the FT that officials in China want the situation in Hong Kong to stabilise before making a final decision, as they do not want to be seen to be giving in to violence.
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