Hillary Clinton has expressed regret about not explicitly labelling Donald Trump a “creep” during one of the presidential debates. President Trump stoked controversy for closely following the former US presidential hopeful around the stage during their second presidential debate. The former Secretary of State, who is currently on a tour of the UK, has now reflected on the incident and the presidential race at large. She said she thought it was important to keep her composure during the fiercely divisive presidential race but in retrospect she should have perhaps played Mr Trump at his own game. During an appearance on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Ms Clinton was asked whether the election could have had a different outcome if she had directly branded President Trump a “creep” on stage. “I believed that keeping your calm and being composed is part of the job of being president. What turned out to be an entertainment contest - and he was … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton: Maybe I should have just called Trump out as a creep
Americas
New North Korean weapon ‘could kill 90% of Americans’
Experts have warned Congress that it is ignoring a newly-developed weapon from North Korea which could shut down the US power grid and kill the vast majority of Americans within a year. Two members of the disbanded congressional Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) commission said at a recent House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing that a nuclear EMP attack from Kim Jong Un was the “biggest threat” to the US yet it remains “unacknowledged” by the government. More attention has been focused on the regime’s continued testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles this year, but the dictatorship also recently claimed to have tested a hydrogen bomb underground in September. The regime said in a public statement that such a bomb could be detonated at high altitudes for “super-powerful EMP attack according to strategic goals”. William Graham, chairman of the former EMP commission and its former chief of staff, Peter Vincent Pry, warned the … [Read more...] about New North Korean weapon ‘could kill 90% of Americans’
Venezuela elections: opposition calls for protests after Socialist party claims win
Venezuela’s opposition has called for street protests after President Nicolas Maduro’s government won a majority of governorships in a surprise result from Sunday’s regional elections. The Democratic Unity’s election campaign chief, Gerardo Blyde, demanded a complete audit of the 23 governor races and called on its candidates to lead “street activities” on Monday in protest over the results the party said it would not recognise. The ruling Socialist party took 17 governorships, while the Democratic Unity coalition took five, with results irreversible in all but one of the 23 states, said Tibisay Lucena, the electoral board president. “Chavismo is alive, in the street, and triumphant,” a beaming Maduro said in a speech to the nation, referring to the ruling movement’s name for former president Hugo Chavez. Downward spiral: how Venezuela’s symbol of progress became political prisoners’ hell Read … [Read more...] about Venezuela elections: opposition calls for protests after Socialist party claims win
Trump fights court order to obtain sexual assault documents
A woman who says Donald Trump groped her is attempting to get all documents from the President’s 2016 campaign that mention sexual assault. Summer Zervos, who publicly accused Mr Trump of forcibly kissing and grabbing her while she was a contestant on The Apprentice, is suing the President and attempting to subpoena any documents mentioning the sexual assault allegations. Subpoenas are legal directives from courts that force compliance with requests. Ms Zervos came forward with her story about Mr Trump last year just weeks before the election, and following the publication of the infamous Access Hollywood tape. Mr Trump appears to brag about sexually assaulting women in the tape, while speaking about the perks of fame. The Trump campaign denied Ms Zervos’ claims, and pushed back saying the allegations were untrue. Ms Zervos then sued the President’s campaign for defamation, and her lawyers served the Trump campaign a subpoena, asking that they not delete any … [Read more...] about Trump fights court order to obtain sexual assault documents
Exocet missile: how the sinking of HMS Sheffield made it famous
The British public became fascinated by the Exocet missile after one sunk HMS Sheffield shortly after the outbreak of the Falklands war in 1982. Before long, the word Exocet was being used as a metaphor for anything that was suddenly and unstoppably destructive: a winning argument, for example, or a footballer’s shot on goal. Although Argentina possessed only five of the missiles, Margaret Thatcher’s war cabinet was also fascinated by them, because they knew a successful strike on a Royal Navy aircraft carrier could fatally compromise the Falklands campaign. Revealed: catalogue of failings that sank Falklands warship HMS Sheffield Read more Attempts were made to dissuade the French manufacturer from selling any of its missiles to Peru, for fear they would be passed to Argentina. Plans were also put in place to board any vessels thought to be carrying any missiles to Argentina, although these steps were never required. A plan was drawn up to land special … [Read more...] about Exocet missile: how the sinking of HMS Sheffield made it famous
Revealed: catalogue of failings that sank Falklands warship HMS Sheffield
The catalogue of errors and failings that ended in the sinking of a Royal Navy destroyer during the Falklands war has been disclosed after being covered up for 35 years. Twenty people died and 26 were injured when HMS Sheffield was hit by an Argentinian Exocet missile during the early days of the 1982 conflict. It was the first Royal Navy warship to have been lost since the second world war. The report of the board of inquiry into the loss of the Sheffield, which has finally been declassified, reveals the full reasons why the ship was completely unprepared for the attack. Exocet missile: how the sinking of HMS Sheffield made it famous Read more The board found that two officers were guilty of negligence, but they escaped courts martial and did not face disciplinary action, apparently in order to avoid undermining the euphoria that gripped much of the UK at the end of the war. A heavily censored summary of the board’s findings was released by the Ministry of … [Read more...] about Revealed: catalogue of failings that sank Falklands warship HMS Sheffield
Almost half of US Republicans want war with North Korea, poll says
There was a pretty striking finding in Thursday's Quinnipiac University poll: Fully 46 percent of Republicans - a plurality - said they would support a preemptive strike against North Korea. That's nearly half of President Donald Trump's party that is ready for war - today - with Kim Jong Un, his nuclear weapons and all. (Forty-one percent said they opposed a pre-emptive strike.) It's no surprise that Republicans are more hawkish on this than Democrats are; that's generally the case on foreign policy. But basically nobody is talking about the prospect of a strike right now. Even when Trump talks about it, he's responding to North Korea threatening the United States or its allies. Yet it also seems possible that Trump's ramped-up rhetoric on this could be having an effect on his base. Trump in August promised "fire and fury" if North Korea ran afoul of him. Last month, he threatened in his speech at the United Nations to "totally destroy" the country - a threat that seemed to tie … [Read more...] about Almost half of US Republicans want war with North Korea, poll says
Venezuelans go to polls in vote seen as gauge of Maduro’s grip on power
Venezuelans are casting their votes in gubernatorial elections expected to be a gauge of support for a fractured opposition and of President Nicolás Maduro’s grip on power in a country crippled by severe economic and political crises. Polls suggest opposition candidates could win more than half of the 23 governor seats, but Maduro critics claim that government-friendly electoral officials have twisted voting procedures to favour official candidates. The opposition coalition, which led months of anti-government protests this year in which more than a 120 people have been killed, is hoping for a massive turnout, as polls show that most Venezuelans are deeply disenchanted with Maduro and the ruling socialist party. “If the vote were to be completely free and fair, the [opposition coalition] would likely win between 18 and 21 states,” said Risa Grais-Targow, an analyst with the consultancy firm Eurasia Group. According to polling by Datanalisis, the government … [Read more...] about Venezuelans go to polls in vote seen as gauge of Maduro’s grip on power
The most pro-Trump states are the ones with the most to lose from changing Obamacare
Donald Trump’s changes to the Affordable Care Act will deal the biggest blow to the supporters who helped him secure the presidency, according to new analysis. Nearly 70 per cent of people benefiting from cost-sharing reduction subsidies, which Mr Trump pledged to end by executive order last week, live in states that he won during the election last November. Late on Thursday the White House announced it would stop the subsidies which were established under Obamacare and are paid by the federal government to insurers to help reduce health care costs for lower-income Americans. It is estimated that the payments benefited 4 million people in the 30 states that Trump took in the election, according to analysis from the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. show … [Read more...] about The most pro-Trump states are the ones with the most to lose from changing Obamacare
Female teacher found not guilty of sex with teenage pupil as court hears he lied to get money
A 48-year-old teacher has been acquitted of having sex with her pupil after claiming he was lying to help his mother win a case against the school. Nichole Noel Thiel’s defence team argued that the teen had said having sex with a teacher was on his “bucket list” when questioned by police and said his mother had recently filed a claim against the school’s operating body. Prosecutors alleged that Ms Thiel had sex with the boy in late 2015 and 2016 when she was a 46-year-old culinary arts teacher at Lake Pend Orielle High School in Idaho and he was a 16-year-old student. show all … [Read more...] about Female teacher found not guilty of sex with teenage pupil as court hears he lied to get money
Death toll from ‘horror’ California fires rises again
Firefighters are still battling more than a dozen fierce blazes that are raging across northern California as the death toll soared to more than 40 and is expected to rise further amid the crisis. Powerful shifting winds have left emergency service workers struggling to control the wildfires, while low humidity has dried up vegetation and turned vast areas into a tinderbox, officials said. The number who lost their lives climbed over the weekend as massive flames engulfed built-up areas, forcing thousands to flee in one of the worst outbreaks seen in the state. More than 10,000 firefighters and police have been deployed in a massive emergency operation where more than 100,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, with hundreds unaccounted for. The numbers rushed out of their properties included 3,000 in the city of Santa Rosa, which lies just about 50 miles north of San Francisco. California governor Jerry Brown, speaking in Santa Rosa in a crisis meeting with … [Read more...] about Death toll from ‘horror’ California fires rises again
First Nations seek to raise Canada’s rent after 150 years of $4 payments
When the fur-trader-turned-politician William Benjamin Robinson pulled up to the shores of the river that links Lake Superior and Lake Huron in 1850, his mission was clear: he was to gain access to as much of the vast territory around him as possible. Acting on behalf of Queen Victoria, Robinson soon launched into formal negotiations with the indigenous people who lived in what would later become north-eastern Ontario in Canada. Robinson treated with nearly two dozen communities whose connection to the land stretched back millennia. Few of them could read, write or speak English fluently, but the two sides eventually struck a deal: in exchange for access to more than 35,700 square miles of land, Robinson offered hunting and fishing rights – and an annual payment equivalent to C$2 (£1.20/$1.60) per person each year. In 1874, the payment was increased to C$4 a year. Since then, it has remained stagnant. Now, 167 years after the Robinson Huron Treaty was signed, the … [Read more...] about First Nations seek to raise Canada’s rent after 150 years of $4 payments
Former CIA deputy director slams Trump’s Iran decision
A former deputy director of the CIA has criticised Donald Trump’s decision not to re-certify the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. John McLaughlin said it was one of the President's "worst decisions" and would "shred" America's credibility. “Iran speech - one of Trump's worst decisions: feeds Iran hardliners, splits allies, shreds US credibility, roils congress, gift to Russia,” he wrote on Twitter. “Trump could combat Iran's testing of missiles etc without touching nuclear deal,” he continued. John McLaughlin at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, in 2004 (Getty) “But needs POTUS [President of the United States] discipline, hard work so far lacking.” The Obama-era deal lifted crippling international sanctions on Iran in exchange for Iran’s agreement to restrict its nuclear programme for at least 10 years. In a speech on Friday, Mr Trump said removing sanctions had given the … [Read more...] about Former CIA deputy director slams Trump’s Iran decision
Trump ‘could bring the danger of war close to Europe’, Germany warns
Donald Trump’s decision to not certify the nuclear pact signed with Iran could bring the danger of war close to Europe, Germany’s foreign minister has warned. Mr Trump has given the US Congress days to decide whether to reimpose sanctions on Iran that were lifted in 2016 as part of the deal, and warned that he may seek to terminate the deal completely. However, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said that if the US follows through on either of those options, then it could result in Iran developing nuclear weapons and raise the threat of conflict. Speaking to Deutschlandfunk radio, Mr Gabriel said that Mr Trump had sent a “difficult and dangerous signal” when the US administration was also dealing with a crisis over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. A decision to walk away from the deal, which Mr Trump has said he would consider if things do not change, would be a boon to Iran’s hardliners who seek more protection from America, Mr Gabriel … [Read more...] about Trump ‘could bring the danger of war close to Europe’, Germany warns
Listen to the ‘sonic weapon attack’ allegedly used against US diplomats in Cuba
A recording that reveals the sound of a sonic weapon said to have been used against US embassy staff in Cuba has been released. The high-pitched frequencies are believed to have injured at least 22 diplomatic staff, who suffered problems with hearing, cognitive function, vision, balance and sleep. The allegations have caused relations between the two countries to deteriorate significantly, just over a year after former President Barack Obama made a historic trip to the Caribbean island. Earlier this month, 15 Cuban diplomats were expelled from the communist government’s embassy in Washington, DC. Any sound played at normal levels is not thought to be harmful to humans but the affected staff said they heard it played at high levels – through what device is unknown. The recordings from Havana have been sent for analysis to the US Navy, which has advanced capabilities for analysing acoustic signals, and to the intelligence services, … [Read more...] about Listen to the ‘sonic weapon attack’ allegedly used against US diplomats in Cuba
As Trump boasts about Puerto Rico, civilians are being given drinking water from a hazardous waste site
Puerto Ricans are being given water to drink from a potentially contaminated site three weeks after Hurricane Maria tore across the island. Journalists and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers said they had seen people filling up bottles with water pumped from the Dorado groundwater contamination site. The area was designated part of the US' federal Superfund programme for cleanup of dangerous waste last autumn. It comes just a day after President Donald Trump tweeted: "The wonderful people of Puerto Rico, with their unmatched spirit, know how bad things were before the H's. I will always be with them!" About 85 per cent of the island's residents - who are American citizens - remain without power, while about 36 per cent lack drinking water. The EPA said: "The EPA is gathering more information about the quality of water from the wells associated with our Dorado groundwater contamination site, as well as other Superfund sites in Puerto Rico. "While some of these wells are … [Read more...] about As Trump boasts about Puerto Rico, civilians are being given drinking water from a hazardous waste site
US ally abandons fight against Boko Haram after Trump’s new ‘Muslim ban’
An African country included in Trump’s revised "Muslim ban" has pulled out of the US-backed fight against Boko Haram militants. Less than a month after Trump placed travel restrictions on citizens from Chad entering the US, the country has pulled hundreds of troops from neighbouring Niger where they were helping local forces fight jihadists. Chad’s government has not given any reason for the withdrawal of troops but it comes weeks after they warned the US travel restriction could affect their security commitments, including their involvement in the fight against the Islamist militant group. show all … [Read more...] about US ally abandons fight against Boko Haram after Trump’s new ‘Muslim ban’
Fact-checking Trump’s speech on the Iran deal
In his speech on the Iran nuclear agreement, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), President Trump made a number of factual assertions. The deal was negotiated by Iran, the five permanent members of the United Nations (United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France and China), Germany and the European Union. Here’s a guide to some of his rhetoric, in the order in which he made these statements. “The regime harbored high-level terrorists in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, including Osama bin Laden’s son.” The president recounted a long list of aggressive acts by the Iranian government toward the United States since the shah was overthrown in 1979, many of which would be familiar to Americans. This claim — that Iran harbored al-Qaeda terror suspects — might be less well-known, but it was recently documented in a 2017 book, “The Exile,” by investigative reporters Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy. The book noted … [Read more...] about Fact-checking Trump’s speech on the Iran deal
The Trump administration is quietly cutting funding for halfway houses
The administration of President Donald Trump has been quietly cutting support for halfway houses for federal prisoners, severing contracts with as many as 16 facilities in recent months, prompting concern that some inmates are being forced to stay behind bars longer than necessary. The Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesman Justin Long confirmed the cuts in response to an email inquiry from Reuters, and said they only affect areas with small populations or underutilized centres. “The Bureau remains firmly committed to these practices, but has had to make some modifications to our programs due to our fiscal environment,” Long said. Halfway houses have been a part of the justice system since the 1960s, with thousands of people moving through them each year. For-profit prison companies such as Geo Group Inc (GEO.N) have moved into the halfway house market, though many houses are run directly by government agencies or non-profit organisations. A Geo spokeswoman declined to … [Read more...] about The Trump administration is quietly cutting funding for halfway houses
Republicans think Donald Trump is leading them to a ‘bloodbath’ at the next election
Wealthy conservative donors and influential Republican lawmakers say they increasingly fear a historic backlash at the ballot box next year if the GOP effort to pass a sweeping rewrite of the nation's tax laws falls short in the coming months. At a two-day midtown Manhattan summit of the billionaire industrialist Koch brothers' powerful donor network, GOP patrons, senators and strategists spoke in cataclysmic terms about the price they expect to pay in the midterm elections if their tax reform effort does not win passage. They voiced concerns a demoralized Republican base would stay home, financiers would stop writing campaign donation checks to incumbents and the congressional majorities the party has built in the House and Senate could evaporate overnight. To head that off, the same Republicans said they are waging an intense, multi-front effort in and outside of Congress and the White House to shepherd the endeavor to the finish line. Koch network officials said they have … [Read more...] about Republicans think Donald Trump is leading them to a ‘bloodbath’ at the next election
