XOV News: May 2019

Friday, May 31, 2019

Stock markets slump as trade war tensions spike

Investors fled stocks for safe-haven assets Friday after being spooked by the latest salvos fired in the global trade war.

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Mueller’s ‘Insufficient Evidence’ Doesn’t Mean What Trump Says It Does

Befitting the former U.S. Marine, it’s thorough, exhaustive in detail, even exasperating in its attention to fine legal arguments and Justice Department policy guidelines. Speaking about it publicly for the first time on Wednesday, Mueller made a point to say that the pages contained his words, carefully chosen. It follows, then, that the report as reiterated by Mueller isn’t easily reduced to catch phrases.

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Trial begins for border activist who helped migrants

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A border activist being tried in a federal court was helping two migrants with water, food and lodging last year and only intended "to provide basic human kindness," his lawyer told jurors Wednesday.

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911 Calls Released in Elizabeth Shelley Case

The 911 calls made after the disappearance of 5-year-old Elizabeth Shelley were released Thursday.

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Alaska Native leaders seek U.S. attorney general's help to fight rural crime

U.S. Attorney General Robert Barr on Wednesday promised Alaska Native leaders he would work to strengthen law enforcement in the state's rural areas hit by alarmingly high rates of violent crime. Native Alaskan leaders say police protection is scarce in their communities. The meeting was held on the day U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller appeared before reporters in Washington at the Department of Justice, which Barr oversees, to discuss his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

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View 2020 Lexus RX Photos

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US and allies set to present ‘evidence’ of Iran attacks in Middle East, as Bolton denies policy rift with Trump

America and its allies in the Middle East are planning to present evidence of Iranian complicity in the attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf to the United Nations Security Council, according to US National Security Advisor John Bolton.Speaking in London before Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK next week, Mr Bolton warned that the “threat was not over” from Iran and that the country “will be held accountable.”“There will be strong response,” to any further acts of violence, he added. He accused Tehran of involvement either directly, or through proxy forces, in carrying out attacks on international shipping, oil pipelines and port facilities in neighbouring countries.Mr Bolton made his charge amid rising tension in the region after the US dispatched an aircraft carrier strike group and B52 bombers and ordered the deployment of additional ground troops.It also comes during continuing friction between the Trump administration and Western allies, including Britain, over the Iran nuclear deal.Mr Bolton claimed in Abu Dhabi, on his way to London, that it was “clear that Iran is behind” the attacks on the tankers and that “naval mines almost certainly from Iran” caused the damage to the ships.Tehran has described the charges as “ludicrous,” with the Foreign Ministry declaring that “Iran’s strategic patience, vigilance (and) defensive prowess will defuse mischievous plots made by Bolton and other warmongers”.Mr Bolton has called for regime change in Tehran on numerous occasions in the past, as the Iranian government of Hassan Rouhani has repeatedly pointed out. President Trump stated earlier this year that the US was not seeking regime change and repeated calls for talks with the leadership in Tehran.Asked by The Independent whether he was at odds with the president on this issue of regime change, Mr Bolton said “before I became national security advisor I said and wrote a lot of things on every subject. I believed what I wrote then and I still do. But I am National Security Advisor, not National Security decision maker.“The policy we are pursuing is not a policy of regime change, that’s a fact and everybody should understand that.”However Mr Bolton went on to accuse Iran of involvement in the tanker assaults, adding that “there is some prospect that evidence of this will be presented to the Security Council next week.”“There are a series of meetings under way on this in Saudi Arabia, the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation ... I don’t think there’s anybody who is familiar with the situation in the region and have examined the evidence can come to any other conclusion that these attacks were carried out by Iran and its surrogates.“We are looking at all the evidence and we are looking at it in a responsible and prudent fashion ... We say there is a lot of activity that goes on in that part of the world which is attributable to Iran because of their prior conduct, because of their statements and because of information that comes into our possession which I am not going to discuss further.”Mr Bolton accused Iran of direct and indirect culpability.“When the Houthis use drones or ballistic missiles, they don’t make them, they get them from somewhere.“I think it’s fair to hold Iran accountable even without more information because of the foreseeable consequences of giving such weapons to the Houthis. In terms of attacks on pipelines, it’s possible the Houthis did it, or it came from somewhere else too, more directly from Iran,” he said.The Houthis, a Yemeni rebel group, claimed responsibility for an attack on a Saudi oil pipeline in mid-May.Differences remained, Mr Bolton acknowledged, between the US and its allies over the Iran nuclear deal. President Trump pulled the US out of the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran.The other international signatories --- Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China— as well as the UN and EU insist that Tehran has adhered to its obligations and are attempting to save the agreement which they say has stopped Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.The European Union is putting together a financial programme which seeks to enable businesses to trade with Iran in the face of US sanctions.Mr Bolton held up the possibility that Britain’s position on supporting the programme may change after Brexit. “By definition as an independent country you can make up your own policy - it’s different once you are outside the European Union,” he said.

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Disney chief: abortion law would make it difficult to keep filming in Georgia

Bob Iger says many Disney employees would not want to work there if law that bans abortion as early as six weeks takes effectDisney has filmed blockbuster movies such as Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame in Georgia. Photograph: Imagine China/REX/ShutterstockThe chief executive of the Walt Disney Company said Georgia’s new strict abortion law would make it “very difficult” for the media company to keep filming in the state.Walt Disney Co chief executive Bob Iger told Reuters on Wednesday that the law would cause many people to not want to work in the state if it were to go in effect.Georgia’s Republican governor Brian Kemp signed the legislation earlier this month. The law bans abortion once cardiac activity can be detected – which can be as early as six weeks, before many women even realize they are pregnant. The law is due to take effect on 1 January, if it survives court challenges.Disney has filmed blockbuster movies such as Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame in the state. It is one of many film and TV production companies lured to the state by tax credits.The industry is now responsible for more than 92,000 jobs in Georgia, according to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and some 455 productions were shot in Georgia in 2018, according to the state.Asked if Disney would keep filming in Georgia, Iger said it would be “very difficult to do so” if the abortion law is implemented.“I rather doubt we will,” Iger said in an interview ahead of the dedication for a new Star Wars section at Disneyland. “I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. Right now we are watching it very carefully.”If the law takes effect, “I don’t see how it’s practical for us to continue to shoot there,” he added.Georgia is one of eight states to pass anti-abortion legislation this year in an effort to induce the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade, the 1973 landmark case that established a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy.Although some actors and producers have already said they will no longer work in Georgia because of the abortion law, many of the large production companies have remained publicly silent on the abortion law.On Tuesday, streaming service Netflix said it would “rethink” its film and television production investment in Georgia if the law goes into effect.In the meantime, Netflix will continue production there for now and work with groups that are fighting the law in US courts.

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Bulgaria in first U.S. gas deals buys two LNG cargoes

Bulgaria has agreed to buy U.S. natural gas for the first time, signing a deal for a delivery in the second quarter and another in the third, the country's energy minister said on Friday. Dutch-registered trader Kolmar NL will deliver a 90 million cubic meter (mcm) cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a second of 50 mcm. "The ship carrying LNG from the United States has arrived at the Greek Revithoussa LNG terminal," Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova said.

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Riyadh rallies allies against Tehran at Mecca summits

Gulf and Arab allies rallied around Saudi Arabia Friday as it ratcheted up tensions with regional rival Iran after a series of attacks, drawing accusations from Tehran of "sowing division". Tehran, which has strongly denied involvement in any of the attacks, expressed disappointment that Riyadh plans to level the same "baseless accusations" at a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) early on Saturday.

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Man charged after Nassau County police find woman, 2 boys with autism, 1 teen in car with 'CALL 911' sign

A man was charged after police say a woman holding a "CALL 911" sign and her three children were found inside his car on Long Island.

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New Mexico town gets death threats after halting crowd-funded border wall

A New Mexico mayor on Thursday said he and his staff received multiple death threats after they briefly halted construction of a crowd-funded, private border wall by a group that then urged supporters to tell the city to "stop playing games," and alleged it was tied to drug cartels. The Florida-based group has raised $23 million via crowd-funding site GoFundMe.com to build private border walls to halt smuggling and a surge in undocumented migrants, after funding for President Donald Trump's promised wall was blocked. Perea described the tactics of We Build the Wall as a "cheap blow," and the American Civil Liberties Union accused it of pursuing a "white Nationalist" agenda.

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Disney says it won't make any more films in Georgia if draconian abortion laws come into force in the US state

Disney's chief executive has warned Georgia that the company's film and TV productions are likely to abandon the state if its controversial abortion bill becomes law. Bob Iger said it would be "very difficult" for the entertainment giant to continue working in the state if the so-called "heartbeat bill", which outlaws terminations from as early as six weeks, comes into force. The Walt Disney Company has shot some of its biggest films in the US state, including Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame. Speaking to Reuters, Iger said: "If it becomes law, it'll be very difficult. "I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. "Right now we are watching it very carefully." Sen John Milkovich speaks outside the State Capitol in Louisiana where the House passed Milkovich's 'fetal heartbeat' bill Georgia has been dubbed the "Hollywood of the South" after it lured production companies with favourable tax laws. The state offers a tax credit that has lured many film and TV productions. The industry is responsible for more than 92,000 jobs in Georgia, according to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and some 455 productions were shot in Georgia in 2018, according to the state. However, its proposed abortion laws have caused fury across the industry, with leading stars lining up to condemn the bill. Netflix has also warned it could pull out of the state. Georgia's bill bans abortions in cases where a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks. It is due to come into effect on January 1 2020, although campaigners have already said they will fight it in the courts. It came as last night Louisiana on Wednesday also passed a bill banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, becoming the seventh state to do so. The bans are expected to be blocked in lower courts, but supporters plan to appeal such decisions until they reach the Supreme Court.

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Florida Gov. DeSantis meets with Netanyahu in Israel

JERUSALEM (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis met with Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, calling the embattled Israeli prime minister a "strong leader" on the governor's final day of a trade mission to Israel.

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Pork Producers, Corn Growers Urge Trump to Drop Mexico Tariffs

The president said Thursday that 5% duties could be placed on all imports from Mexico on June 10, rising in increments to 25% in October unless Mexico halts the flow of immigrants heading to the U.S. border. “We appeal to President Trump to reconsider plans to open a new trade dispute with Mexico,” David Herring, president of the National Pork Producers Council and a hog farmer from Lillington, North Carolina, said Friday in an emailed statement.

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How the 2016 Debates Are Still Haunting Democrats

Democrats are trying to avoid the missteps of the 2016 primary debates — a goal that has proven elusive as more candidates have announced.

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Amit Shah: Modi's enforcer emerges from behind India's throne

As the battle-hardened drill sergeant for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah has long been considered India's second most-powerful person, and his appointment Friday as home minister elevates his position to leader-in-waiting. While Modi is the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party's people person, firing up rallies and mastering Twitter, Shah has for years made sure that Modi's orders are carried out to the letter while turning the world's biggest political party into the undisputed force across the nation of 1.3 billion people. Shah's piercing stare and strongarm tactics have made him a feared and respected figure in the Hindu nationalist party -- opposition parties and critics call him "ruthless" -- a status only increased by his role masterminding the BJP's second straight landslide election victory this month as the party president.

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Jussie Smollett: Possible deal was in the works a month before charges dropped, documents show

New documents on the Jussie Smollett case show that prosecutors told Chicago police detectives that a possible deal with the actor was in the works a month before charges against him were dropped.Smollett was charged in March with 16 counts alleging he lied to police when reporting he'd been the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack in January. Police contend the black and openly gay actor allegedly staged the attack because he was unhappy with his salary and wanted publicity.Prosecutors dropped charges on 26 March without Smollett admitting guilt. Then Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and police Superintendent Eddie Johnson expressed outrage over the prosecutors' decision. Smollett has maintained his innocence. The approximately 460 pages of new documents show that detectives investigating Smollett's allegations were told by Cook County prosecutors a deal with the Empire actor could include a $10,000 fine and community service. The detectives did not pass the information to superiors. "They didn't pass it on because they didn't know it (the case) was going to be handled the way it was," said Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. In the documents released on Thursday, detectives note the Chicago Police Department was informed by the Cook County State's Attorney's office on 28 February that they could no longer investigate the crime. Smollett was indicted on 7 March. The lead investigators in the case met with Assistant State's Attorney Risa Lanier, who informed detectives "that she felt the case would be settled with Smollett paying the city of Chicago $10,000 in restitution and doing community service". The detectives closed the case at that point because an arrest was made and the alleged offender was being prosecuted, according to Guglielmi.It was the attorneys for Smollett who announced charges alleging he lied to police about attack had been dropped. At the time, Johnson said he learned of the deal prosecutors made with Smollett when the deal was announced by lawyers, adding he didn't think justice was being served. However, he didn't directly criticise prosecutors."My job as a police officer is to investigate an incident, gather evidence, gather the facts and present them to the state's attorney," Johnson said. "That's what we did. I stand behind the detectives' investigation." The Illinois Prosecutors Bar Association said the dismissal of the charges was "an affront to prosecutors across the state" as well as police, victims of hate crimes and the county as a whole.The city of Chicago is seeking $130,000 from Smollett to cover the costs of the investigation into his reported beating. The city claims about two dozen detectives and officers investigated the entertainer's report that he was attacked, resulting in a "substantial number of overtime hours."Additional reporting by agencies

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Stone Was Like ‘Uncle Roger,’ Miller Testifies to Grand Jury

Prosecutors focused their examination on Miller’s relationship with Stone and Stone’s connection to WikiLeaks founder Assange, Miller’s attorney Paul Kamenar told reporters after the proceeding. Stone was indicted by the grand jury in January on charges of lying to Congress about communications with Assange, obstruction and witness tampering.

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MALEAH DAVIS: Remains found in bag amid search for girl in Arkansas

After a revelation in the disappearance of the 4-year-old, Quanell X has told ABC13 a body was located during the search for the girl in Arkansas

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Barr: Counter-intelligence Probe of Trump Campaign Crossed ‘Serious Red Line’

Attorney General William Barr said Friday that the FBI's counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign "crossed" a "serious red line" and should be "carefully looked at.""The use of foreign intelligence capabilities and counterintelligence capabilities against an American political campaign to me is unprecedented and it's a serious red line that's been crossed," Barr said in an interview with CBS.The attorney general is currently investigating the origins of the probe to determine whether the U.S. intelligence community's surveillance of the Trump campaign was warranted. He has expressed skepticism about the explanations for some of the investigative actions taken.During testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee last month, Barr stated that "spying did occur" on the Trump campaign, angering Democratic lawmakers."I guess it's become a dirty word somehow," Barr told CBS. "I think there is nothing wrong with spying. The question is always whether it is authorized by law.""There were counterintelligence activities undertaken against the Trump campaign, And I'm not saying there was not a basis for it, that it was legitimate, but I want to see what that basis was and make sure it was legitimate," he added.The New York Times reported that the FBI sent an undercover agent posing as a research assistant to ask former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos whether the campaign was working with Russia. Papadopoulos was told by a Maltese professor in early 2016 that Russia had damaging information on Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, but said he told the undercover agent he had “nothing to do with Russia.”"Republics have fallen because of Praetorian Guard mentality where government officials get very arrogant, they identify the national interest with their own political preferences, and they feel that anyone who has a different opinion, you know, is somehow an enemy of the state," Barr remarked. "That can easily translate into essentially supervening the will of the majority and getting your own way as a government official."FBI director Chris Wray said earlier this month that he had seen no evidence that the FBI illegally spied on the Trump campaign.

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Showdown over Missouri abortion clinic postponed as governor weighs in

Gov. Mike Parson said court intervention in the fight over whether to renew the license of Missouri's lone abortion provider would be "reckless."

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Trump Tariffs on Mexico Irk Key Republican Allies in Congress

The president’s announcement Thursday surprised many Republicans who hoped to focus on passing a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada known as the USMCA. Trump said he will impose a 5% tariff on all imports from Mexico -- ramping up 5 percentage points every month until hitting 25% in October -- unless Mexico takes "decisive measures" to stem migrants entering the U.S.

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Fran Rivera: Bullfighter sparks revenge porn row in Spain

Spanish women hit back at Fran Rivera's comments after a revenge porn victim took her own life.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2HNnXb3

Nesamani: Who is he and why is the world praying for him?

Who is Nesamani and why is seemingly everyone in the world praying for him on Twitter?

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2XeOH9J

Champions League final: Everything you need to know

As Liverpool and Tottenham prepare to face each other in the Champions League final in Madrid, football broadcaster Lynsey Hooper shares an easy guide to the game.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2W1Z3IG

Erosion forcing Nigerian families to abandon their homes and farms

A community in southern Nigeria face losing their homes and food shortages due to erosion.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2JK9OO9

Philippines sends rotting exported waste back to Canada

Exported waste, intended for recycling, is being sent back to Canada by the Philippines.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Z0MKy5

Adel al-Jubeir: 'Saudi Arabia does not want a war with Iran'

The kingdom is hosting two summits of Gulf and Arab leaders to discuss growing tensions in the region.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2HLAaNl

Weighing little more than an apple at birth, Saybie is the smallest baby to ever survive

Saybie is believed to be the world's smallest infant to survive after weighing just 8.6 ounces or 245 grams at birth.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Z46ukz

Viola Davis’s message to white women: ‘Get to know me’

But Davis does see a path forward: empathy and becoming educated on one another’s experiences.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2EBinXm

Doctors Were Alarmed: ‘Would I Have My Children Have Surgery Here?’

By ELLEN GABLER from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2VZzdox

Trump Accuses Mueller of a Personal Vendetta as Calls for Impeachment Grow

By PETER BAKER and EILEEN SULLIVAN from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/30VXzDt

Trump Says U.S. Will Hit Mexico With 5% Tariffs on All Goods

By ANNIE KARNI, ANA SWANSON and MICHAEL D. SHEAR from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2wsaDlJ

Man Who Set Himself on Fire Near the White House Dies From Injuries

By ZACH MONTAGUE from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2XfcZQN

Deceased G.O.P. Strategist’s Hard Drives Reveal New Details on the Census Citizenship Question

By MICHAEL WINES from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2WerUhU

As Everest Melts, Bodies Are Emerging From the Ice

By BHADRA SHARMA and KAI SCHULTZ from NYT Sports https://nyti.ms/2W0dUDj

How the Raptors Won Game 1 Over the Warriors

By BENJAMIN HOFFMAN and MARC STEIN from NYT Sports https://nyti.ms/2Z3LTNb

I’m a Veteran Without PTSD. I Used to Think Something Was Wrong With Me.

By MELISSA THOMAS from NYT Magazine https://nyti.ms/2IcRzgL

The Bond Market Is Trying to Tell Us Something (Worry)

By MATT PHILLIPS and STEPHEN GROCER from NYT Business https://nyti.ms/2XfF6zo

French Rock Star’s Instagram Defeats His Widow in Inheritance Battle

By PALKO KARASZ from NYT World https://nyti.ms/2KcFHy7

Navy Destroyer John McCain Hidden During Trump’s Japan Visit

By MAGGIE HABERMAN and HELENE COOPER from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2I5Rc7T

The Bond Market Is Giving Ominous Warnings About the Global Economy

By NEIL IRWIN from NYT The Upshot https://nyti.ms/30VhHVY

Robert De Niro: Robert Mueller, We Need to Hear More

By ROBERT DE NIRO from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/2Wa6aDH

Worry About Facebook. Rip Your Hair Out in Screaming Terror About Fox News.

By FARHAD MANJOO from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/2JHjSXW

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Karl Rove: We should not get overconfident about 2020

Fox News contributor Karl Rove weighs in on the correlation between the booming U.S. economy and Trump's chances at winning the 2020 presidential election.

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Planned Parenthood: Missouri's last abortion clinic may shut

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri's only abortion clinic could be closed by the end of the week because the state is threatening to not renew its license, Planned Parenthood officials said Tuesday.

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No-deal Brexit is 'political suicide': Hunt

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Tuesday that Britain's governing Conservative Party would be committing "political suicide" if it tried to force through a no-deal Brexit. Hunt, who is among the 10 declared candidates vying to replace the outgoing Theresa May as Britain's prime minister, said trying to take the UK out of the EU without a deal would trigger a general election in which the Conservatives risked "extinction". The newly-formed Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage topped last week's European Parliament elections in Britain.

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