2019-06-24

Headlines:

From Al Jazeera, Associated Press, BBC News, Reuters, The Globe and Mail, New York Times, and Wired

Oman denies conveying U.S. message to Iran over downed drone – (Reuters)
Oman on Monday denied reports that it had conveyed a message from the United States to the Iranian government over the downing last week of an American unmanned drone.

Hidden oil spill: New study contradicts owner’s claims – (Associated Press)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A new federally led study of oil seeping from a platform toppled off Louisiana’s coast 14½ years ago found releases lower than other recent estimates, but contradicts the well…

Pompeo discusses Iran with Gulf allies amid escalating crisis – (Reuters)
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed Iran and maritime security with rich Gulf Arab allies during a trip to the region on Monday after President Donald Trump called off a military strike to retaliate for Tehran’s downing of a U.S. drone.

Nik Wallenda says he ‘freaked’ when pole slipped – (Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) — Nik Wallenda says he “freaked” out when his balancing pole slipped during a high-wire walk with his sister above New York’s Times Square.Nik and Lijana Wallenda spoke Monday…

Beyond the rainbow: Same-sex weddings are mainstream 50 years after Stonewall – (Reuters)
Kimberly Bailey, owner of The Butter End Cakery in Los Angeles, loves taking wedding cake orders from LGBTQ clients because their design requests are often more creative than straight couples.

U.S. Supreme Court takes up insurers’ $12 billion Obamacare dispute – (Reuters)
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether the federal government must pay insurers $12 billion under an Obamacare program aimed at encouraging them to cover previously uninsured people after the healthcare law was enacted in 2010.

Bristol-Myers plans to divest Celgene’s psoriasis drug – (Reuters)
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co on Monday offered to divest Celgene Corp’s psoriasis treatment Otezla to allay concerns raised by the U.S. competition regulator, and pushed back the closing of their $74 billion deal.

Wall St. opens higher on tech boost – (Reuters)
U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Monday, boosted by technology shares, while investors pinned their hopes on a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping later this week to de-escalate trade tensions.

Turkey’s opposition sees turning point in Istanbul mayoral win – (Al Jazeera English)
Ekram Imamoglu’s victory in the rerun of the mayor’s race is a ‘win’ for democracy supporters say and a blow to Erdogan.

Dikembe Mutombo records Ebola messages for US officials – (Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) — Unable to send disease fighters to help battle one of the deadliest Ebola outbreaks in history, U.S. health officials are turning to basketball hall of famer Dikembe Mutombo for…

Turkey’s opposition strikes blow to Erdogan with Istanbul mayoral win – (Reuters)
Turkey’s opposition has dealt President Tayyip Erdogan a stinging blow by winning control of Istanbul in a re-run mayoral election, breaking his aura of invincibility and delivering a message from voters unhappy over his ever tighter grip on power.

Stories of Stonewall: How the LGBTQ rebellion left a legacy – (Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Olenick was 19 and living a secret social life, letting loose with friends at a speakeasy-like bar with blacked-out windows and one of the few floors in town where men…

Kushner’s economic plan for Mideast peace faces broad Arab rejection – (Reuters)
Arab politicians and commentators greeted U.S. President Donald Trump’s $50 billion Middle East economic vision with a mixture of derision and exasperation, although some in the Gulf called for it to be given a chance.

Iranians say their ‘bones breaking’ under US sanctions – (Associated Press)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — As the U.S. piles sanction after sanction on Iran, it’s the average person who feels it the most.From a subway performer’s battered leather hat devoid of tips, to a…

Ethiopia ‘coup ringleader killed’ – (BBC News)
Police shoot dead the general following Saturday’s foiled coup in Amhara region, state media reports.

Trump says other countries should do more to protect oil tankers – (Reuters)
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that other countries, including China and Japan, should protect their own oil tankers in the Middle East.

Captured IS thousands ‘must be tried or freed’ – (BBC News)
The UN also urges countries to take responsibility for citizens being held in Iraq or Syria.

Ethiopia security forces kill alleged coup leader – (Al Jazeera English)
The failed putsch on Saturday led to the killing of four senior officials, including the chief of army staff.

Pompeo in Saudi Arabia, Iran threatens more US drone attacks – (Associated Press)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks Monday with the Saudi king and crown prince after days of mounting tensions following the downing of a U.S drone…

Thailand cave rescue anniversary – (BBC News)
The 12 boys, their coach and rescuers attended ceremonies to mark one year since they went missing in Chang Rai.

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From various sources

EXCLUSIVE: Leeds United Make Bid For In-Demand Fulham Youngster – (The Sport Bible)
The 17-year old has a list of potential suitors but Leeds are leading the race…

Chinese investment motives are ‘not pure,’ senior US official warns – (The Jerusalem Post)
“I would urge Israel to be cautious about some of these types of [foreign] investments,” US Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette told The Jerusalem Post.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declines Auschwitz visit with Holocaust survivor – (The Jerusalem Post)
Edward Mosberg told the congresswoman, “now is an opportunity that won’t repeat itself”

Iran attempted attack in Paris, half a ton of explosives found – report – (The Jerusalem Post)
The British newspaper “Independent in Arabic” quoted an intelligence source as saying that in 2018 Iran had delivered half a ton of TATP explosives in diplomatic packages to a civilian plane.

Strength in numbers: Pompeo, Bolton and Hook straddle MidEast – (The Jerusalem Post)
On Sunday Bolton was in Jerusalem meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Palestinians launch three-day protests against Bahrain workshop – (The Jerusalem Post)
Palestinians gathered in the center of Ramallah, chanting slogans against the US and Israel.

Palestinians rally against Kushner’s economic peace plan – (The Jerusalem Post)
Kushner told Reuters on Saturday the plan would create a million jobs, halve Palestinian poverty and double the Palestinians’ GDP.

Netanyahu ‘flocking to the Arab parties’ claims Liberman – (The Jerusalem Post)
Zohar said however that Netanyahu had ultimately rejected the proposal saying he was not willing to establish a government which relied on the Arab parties.

16-Inch MacBook Pro Said to Launch in September With LCD and 3072×1920 Resolution – (Hacker News)
[img] Apple plans to release a 16-inch MacBook Pro in September, according to Jeff Lin, an analyst at research firm IHS Markit. [img] MacRumors…

‘Fox & Friends’ takes on chaotic Buttigieg town hall: He looked ‘weak, detached from the community’ – (Fox News)
The hosts of “Fox & Friends” criticized South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg for his handling of a town hall event that turned chaotic Sunday over his administration’s handling of police-involved shooting.

Ashes can wait as England, Australia gear up for mega World Cup clash – (ESPN Cric Info)

Jacob Rees-Mogg slams neighbours who called police on Boris – (Daily Mail)
The Tory MP branded the neighbours who called the police on Boris and lover Carrie Symonds as ‘absolutely dreadful’ and hit out at anarchists who have set up camp outside their South London home.

Supreme Court strikes down provision on ‘immoral’ trademarks | TheHill – (The Hill)
The Supreme Court on Monday struck down a trademark provision blocking “immoral or scandalous” tr…

Gorsuch sides with liberal justices in finding gun law to be ‘vague’ | TheHill – (The Hill)
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled 5-4 that a federal law allowing for gun convictions relati…

Grandfather sacked by Asda for sharing religious Billy Connolly sketch – (Daily Mail)
Brian Leach, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, was sacked on Wednesday after five years in the job. The post referred to a Billy Connolly sketch that poked fun at suicide bombing.

Bernie Sanders: Student debt plan would erase $1.6 trillion in loans by taxing Wall Street – (CBS News)
Vermont senator and presidential candidate also wants to provide free college tuition at state universities

Crafting site bans users’ Trump love-in – (News.com.au)
What a tangled web politics can weave – even when it comes to crafting.

17 Things I Learned About David Dobrik After Watching A Tour Of His House – (Buzzfeed)
I, too, love Le Labo candles.

17 Addictive Vegetarian Snacks That Are Healthier Than A Bag Of Chips – (Buzzfeed)
Grab a funnel!

Iran threatens ‘crushing response’ to US drones as Pompeo arrives in region – (USA Today)
Pompeo spoke as he left Washington for Saudi Arabia.

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All about Trump

Crafting site bans users’ Trump love-in – (News.com.au)
What a tangled web politics can weave – even when it comes to crafting.

Pompeo discusses Iran with Gulf allies amid escalating crisis – (Reuters)
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed Iran and maritime security with rich Gulf Arab allies during a trip to the region on Monday after President Donald Trump called off a military strike to retaliate for Tehran’s downing of a U.S. drone.

Kellyanne Conway: Democrats want to put a big role of masking tape over my mouth because I helped elect Trump – (Fox News)
Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway discusses President Trump’s decision to postpone ICE raids, imposing new sanctions on Iran and accusations that she violated the Hatch Act.

Wall St. opens higher on tech boost – (Reuters)
U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Monday, boosted by technology shares, while investors pinned their hopes on a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping later this week to de-escalate trade tensions.

Trump says Fed ‘doesn’t know what it is doing’ – (Financial Times)
Attack comes despite expectations for US central bank to cut rates as soon as this summer

Trump says ‘stubborn child’ Fed ‘blew it’ by not cutting rates | TheHill – (The Hill)
President Trump on Monday said the Federal Reserve “blew it” but …

Trump urges Asian nations to protect Strait of Hormuz oil tanker traffic – (Axios)
He said the U.S. has been doing it “for zero compensation.”

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on Trump delaying ICE raids – (Fox News)
Acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ken Cuccinelli says the border crisis will continue as long as current U.S. policy stays in place.

Biden says he wants Congress to grant citizenship to Dreamers in immigration op-ed – (Axios)
He said Trump’s policies “assault the dignity of the Latin community.”

Trump calls on foreign countries to protect their own oil tankers | TheHill – (The Hill)
President Trump on Monday appeared to argue that the U.S. does not need to protect commerce in fo…

Kushner’s economic plan for Mideast peace faces broad Arab rejection – (Reuters)
Arab politicians and commentators greeted U.S. President Donald Trump’s $50 billion Middle East economic vision with a mixture of derision and exasperation, although some in the Gulf called for it to be given a chance.

Trump says other countries should do more to protect oil tankers – (Reuters)
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that other countries, including China and Japan, should protect their own oil tankers in the Middle East.

Posthaste June 24: Sidewalk master plan to be unveiled today, oil ignites on Iran crisis and can Trump and Jinping fall in love? – (Financial Post)
Stuff you need to know today

Trump is threatening Iran with more sanctions — but what’s left to target? – (Financial Post)
Current sanctions have already sent the country spiralling into a deep recession

U.S. set to announce ‘significant’ sanctions on Iran as tensions simmer – (NBC News)
The U.S. is set to announce what it has called “significant” sanctions, while making clear Trump’s decision to call off airstrikes on Iran could be reversed.

Oil climbs to a three-week high as Trump announces new sanctions against Iran – (Financial Post)
Oil has rallied after falling to the lowest level in almost five months in mid-June as escalating tensions between U.S. and Iran threaten to disrupt crude flows

Analysis | Power Up: Trump stepped back from the brink with Iran. Now here come the sanctions and covert ops. – (The Washington Post)
The president is trying to avoid all-out conflict.

US companies hunt for loopholes to beat China tariffs – (Financial Times)
Lawyers warn customs workarounds carry risks as business counts costs of Trump penalties

Trump Suffers a Triple Fail on Iran, Mexico and Immigration – (Bloomberg)
The president’s solo initiatives on Iran, Mexico and immigrants were all abandoned before taking effect. Twitter bravado is a terrible way to govern.

Leaked Documents Show Trump Dismissed ‘Red Flags,’ Hired Conflicted People Anyway: Axios – (The Huffington Post)
“Axios on HBO” said it obtained an enormous cache of internal vetting documents used by Trump’s transition team to assess potential officials.

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