Big Time News Blog: 12/16/19

Monday, December 16, 2019

Trump on track to become third U.S. president to be impeached

Republican Donald Trump is this week likely to become the third U.S. president to be impeached when the Democratic-led House of Representatives votes on charges stemming from his effort to pressure Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden. Trump faces one charge of abusing his power by asking Ukraine to investigate Biden, a leading Democratic contender to oppose him in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, and one of obstructing Congress' investigation into the matter. The president has denied wrongdoing and accused Democrats of a baseless and politically-motivated bid to oust him from power.

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Former Japanese official sentenced for killing reclusive son

A Tokyo court sentenced a former senior government official to six years in prison on Monday for fatally stabbing his socially reclusive son with a kitchen knife. The Tokyo District Court found Hideaki Kumazawa, 76, a former vice minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, guilty of repeatedly stabbing his son Eiichiro, then 44, in the neck and chest at his home in Tokyo in June. Kumazawa, who immediately called police and admitted to the killing, pleaded guilty to the crime during the trial.

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Starbucks Apologizes after Police Deputies Denied Service in California Store

Starbucks has apologized for an incident at one of its California locations in which two police officers were allegedly refused service following allegations that the coffee chain maintained an "anti-police" culture.The two Riverside County sheriff's deputies allegedly waited an unreasonable amount of time to be served and were "laughed at" by employees before leaving and going elsewhere for coffee, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said."They tried to get served, they asked if anyone was going to help them, they were laughed at, they were completely ignored — obviously ignored to where other patrons knew they were being ignored," Bianco said in a Facebook video."There is simply no excuse for how two Riverside deputies were ignored for nearly 5 minutes at our store on Thursday evening," Starbucks said in a statement. "We are deeply sorry and reached out to apologize directly to them. We take full responsibility for any intentional or unintentional disrespect shown to law enforcement on whom we depend every day to keep our stores and communities safe.""No customer, in or out of uniform, should ever have that experience at a Starbucks," the coffee franchise added.The sheriff expressed skepticism about the sincerity of the company's apology, saying Starbucks is "doing corporate damage control" and "want to downplay what happened."The incident is not the first time Starbucks has come under fire for an apparent anti-police attitude among its employees. Last month, a Starbucks server in Glenpool, Oklahoma wrote "PIG" on an officer's cup, an incident the company called "absolutely unacceptable." The employee was fired.In another incident over the summer, employees at a Starbucks in Tempe, Arizona asked a group of police officers to leave because another customer said they "did not feel safe" near them."The anti police culture repeatedly displayed by Starbucks employees must end," Bianco added on Twitter.

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Apple will take a rare shareholder grilling about free speech after it removed a map app used by Hong Kong protesters

The tech giant faced intense criticism in October for its removal of an app that let Hong Kongers track police movements.

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Whoopi Goldberg Tears Into Meghan McCain: ‘Girl, Please Stop Talking!’

Whoopi Goldberg on Monday morning seemingly had enough of Meghan McCain’s antics on The View.During yet another heated exchange about impeachment on the popular ABC talk show, liberal co-host Joy Behar battled with McCain and fellow conservative panelist Abby Huntsman over the difference between Trump officials refusing to testify in the impeachment proceedings and former Vice President Joe Biden saying he would not go under oath either.This prompted co-host Sunny Hostin to bring up Bill Clinton’s impeachment and bash the Republicans who voted to convict Clinton on perjury but will now turn around and acquit President Donald Trump for abusing power.“That is the height of hypocrisy for this Republican-led Senate!” Hostin shouted as the audience cheered.McCain, meanwhile, insisted that her job on the show was not to “litigate the ethics” of impeachment but to analyze the politics of the situation as “an ABC political analyst.” Hostin, for her part, said she wasn’t talking about McCain but instead about the GOP senators.“Let me talk,” McCain demanded. “I let you talk, let me finish.”Whoopi Goldberg Scolds ‘The View’ Audience for Cheering ImpeachmentAs Goldberg attempted to interject to toss the show to a commercial break, McCain continued to grouse, complaining that it didn’t appear they “wanted a conservative perspective on this show ever.”“Girl, please stop talking!” Goldberg snapped as McCain’s jaw dropped. “Please stop talking now!”“No problem,” McCain huffed. “I won’t talk the rest of the show.”“I’m OK with that,” Goldberg responded as the audience gasped. “I’m OK with that. If you are going to behave like this.”McCain, meanwhile, insisted she was not behaving poorly and was merely trying to “show conservative perspective” but that Hostin wouldn’t let her talk. Goldberg, however, shot back that McCain had been talking over people. Whoopi eventually gave up and tossed the show to a commercial break.Meghan McCain: Greta Thunberg Didn’t ‘Earn’ Person of the YearRead 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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Finland aims to repatriate Islamic State children from Syria 'as soon as possible'

Finland will try to repatriate children of Finnish mothers who traveled to Syria to join Islamic State "as soon as possible", Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Monday. Finland is one of a number of European Union member states facing a decision over whether to bring home citizens with IS links who are trapped at the al-Hol camp displacement camp controlled by Kurds in northeastern Syria. More than 30 children born to 11 Finnish women are at al-Hol, according to Finnish media, and the fate of the mothers has caused divisions in Finland's five-party coalition government that took office last week.

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Trump slams Fox News for interviewing Comey and Schiff, stating 'only pro Trump Fox shows do well' on the channel

Trump said Fox News is trying to be "politically correct" by interviewing Comey and Schiff as he suggested only pro-Trump shows do well.

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Hong Kong’s freshman councilors get a crash course: City Gov 101

Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp won big in district elections. Now, incoming councilors have to translate their dreams into day-to-day decisions.

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Supreme Court Lets Ruling Stand Forbidding Prosecution of Homeless for Sleeping in Public Spaces

The Supreme Court on Monday chose not to hear the city of Boise's defense of its policy of prosecuting homeless people who sleep in a public space, letting a lower court ruling stand that terms the city's policy "cruel and unusual punishment."Boise, the capital of Idaho, fined or jailed homeless people for sleeping in public, contending the policy was needed to prevent unsanitary and unsafe conditions from developing in the city. Six current and former homeless residents of the city, who were fined between $25 to $75 and served one to two days in jail, sued the city government in federal court in 2009.The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in San Francisco, California, ruled in 2018 that Boise's policy violated the 8th amendment, which forbids cruel and unusual punishment. The ruling prevents cities from punishing homeless people for sleeping in public if there are not enough beds available at local shelters to house them."As long as there is no option of sleeping indoors, the government cannot criminalize indigent, homeless people for sleeping outdoors, on public property, on the false premise they had a choice in the matter," the court said in its ruling. The city of Boise maintained that it did not issue citations to people when shelters were full, and added that two of the city's shelters had a policy to never turn away a person in need of a bed.The state of California is currently in the midst of its own homelessness crisis, with 60,000 homeless in Los Angeles County and 28,000 in San Francisco.

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Vox Media to Cut 200 Freelancers, Citing California Gig-Worker Law

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American Student Freed by Iran Calls for Nations to Release Political Hostages

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Joe Biden gets boost in polls ahead of next Democratic primary debate

Joe Biden remains a clear frontrunner in the Democratic presidential primaries, after the former vice president received a welcome boost ahead of the party's sixth primary debate.But Mr Biden appeared to be losing ground to Elizabeth Warren in New Hampshire when the Massachusetts senator surged past him in a September poll.

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U.S. Supreme Court leaves in place ruling barring prosecution of homeless

The justices left in place a 2018 ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that fining or jailing homeless people for staying outside or in unauthorized places if a bed at an emergency shelter is not available is unconstitutional. U.S. cities have struggled over the years with how to address the issue of homelessness, putting in place various local laws. The case centered on two Boise ordinances that prohibited camping or "disorderly conduct" by lodging or sleeping in public.

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India endures fifth day of violent protests as Modi doubles down on religious citizenship law

Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, appealed for calm today as violent nationwide student-led protests against "anti-Muslim" citizenship legislation continued for a fifth day. Students from Jamia Militant Islamia University in Delhi took to the streets again despite police firing tear gas and baton charging protesters yesterday, accusing the government of introducing the legislation to suppress Muslims. Approximately 100 people were hospitalised and a group of 50 students was arrested overnight, and have since been released. The chancellor of the university has said she will press charges against the police after videos circulated on social media of officers brutally attacking peaceful protesters. In one video circulated on social media, a group of female students stopped a male student from being beaten up by forming a human shield. How to rescue a victim during a lynching incident. Real life demo by women students of Jamia pic.twitter.com/cHavlAtxmH— Natasha Badhwar (@natashabadhwar) December 15, 2019 Large protests also erupted in other major cities across India, including Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. Students at Nadwa University in Lucknow reported being locked in by police, and claim stones were thrown at them. The Citizenship Amendment Act sets out rules that allow followers of six religions – including Christians, Sikhs and Hindus – who come from neighbouring Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to become Indian citizens. Citizenship is offered on the condition applicants had to leave their country because of being persecuted for their religion, and they must have been living in India for six years. However, Mr Modi has not extended the offer of citizenship to Muslims. Critics, including the United Nations, say the act marginalises the minority of 193 million. It is the latest in a string of actions the government, led by the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, has taken against India's Muslim population. In August, Mr Modi revoked the autonomous status enjoyed by the Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir and announced 1.9 million people in Assam – largely Muslims – would be detained and deported as part of a new National Register of Citizens. Assam has been the site of the most violent protests, with six dead since Thursday, but the state has now been placed under curfew. Reminiscent of the ongoing crackdown in Kashmir, over 1,400 people have also been taken into preventive custody and internet services have been blocked. The north-eastern state of Assam witnessed the most violent protests with six people dying. It has now been placed under curfew Credit: Biju Boro/AP Protesters in Assam are concerned the bill could lead to unprecedented migration into the state, diluting its heavily inter-tribal culture and exacerbating ethnic tensions. Opposition leaders have said they will not recognise the law, including Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal. Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the opposition Congress party, accused Mr Modi of having "only a narrow agenda, to make people fight." Despite criticism Mr Modi doubled down on the passing of the act telling a rally on Sunday his decision was “1,000 per cent correct”. “This is the time to maintain peace, unity and brotherhood,” he implored. The largest demonstrations took place at Islamic academic institutions, including Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh and Maulana Azad Urdu University in Hyderabad. Several Indian human rights groups and a Muslim political party have filed petitions to challenge the citizenship law in the Supreme Court. They argue it violates Article 14 of the Indian Constitution which guarantees the right to equality regardless of religion. The British Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to the north-east of India while the curfew continues.

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Congress to Repeal Three Health Industry Taxes Intended to Fund Obamacare

Congress is preparing to repeal three major health industry taxes meant to fund the Affordable Care Act in the year-end spending bill, dealing a significant blow to Obamacare's funding mechanisms.While congressional leaders are still hammering out the details of the spending bill, lawmakers have reportedly agreed to scrap the 40 percent Cadillac tax on high end employer plans, the 2.3 percent medical device tax, and an additional health insurance tax.The repeal of the taxes, which were mandated by the Obama administration's Affordable Care Act, constitutes a win for the health insurance industry and a severe funding problem for Obamacare. The Cadillac tax repeal is expected to cost nearly $200 billion over 10 years, while the repeals of the other two taxes are projected to cost between $15 billion and $25 billion each over the same period.Congress prevented the Cadillac tax, which drew strong opposition from employers and unions with expensive health benefits plans, from taking effect until 2022, and the House voted over the summer to abandon it permanently. The medical device and health insurance taxes have been enforced on and off since the Affordable Care Act was passed.The text of the $1.4 trillion spending bill is expected to be released Monday, and the package is expected to pass both the House and Senate this week.Some Senate Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Pat Leahy have opposed the Cadillac tax since the Obama years, “This tax unfortunately would target far too many health plans and place far too great a burden on working families,” Leahy said in 2015. “We must find a way to contain the cost of health care without creating geographic disparities and limiting the benefits available in health plans.”

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New Zealand Volcano Victims Identified as Search Continues

(Bloomberg) -- Seven more victims of the White Island volcano eruption were identified by New Zealand police as the search for more bodies continues.The names of two teenage U.S. citizens who were permanent residents in Australia, a 24-year-old New Zealander, and four Australians, ages 15 to 53, were released on Sunday. Teams aboard three helicopters searching the volcano-island, also known by its Maori name Whakaari, in the North Island’s Bay of Plenty early Sunday failed to locate those still unaccounted for.“We have always anticipated recovering all bodies from the island, and we remain deeply committed to that goal, to allow families some closure,” Deputy Commissioner John Tims said in a statement. “We are now debriefing, reassessing and coming up with a new plan going forward.”The island erupted Monday afternoon in a forceful explosion of scorching steam, gas and ash, causing horrific burns to most of its 47 visitors, 24 of whom were Australian citizens.Sixteen people have been confirmed dead. Fourteen people remain hospitalized in New Zealand and 13 have been transferred to Australia, including one person who died. Three patients have been discharged. Two people remain unaccounted for on or in the vicinity of the island, the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management said Sunday.Police and disaster victim-identification specialists searched a water course on the island believed to be where a body may be located, Tims said in a later statement.“While it is most likely that the two remaining bodies are in the water, we need to be sure,” he said. “Police will now consider how best to proceed. Weather dependant, the Police National Dive Squad will be out again tomorrow.”(Updates number of victims identified in first and second paragraphs.)To contact the reporter on this story: Jason Gale in Melbourne at j.gale@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Shamim Adam at sadam2@bloomberg.net, Jason GaleFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

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Major states snub calls for climate action as U.N. summit wraps up

A handful of major states resisted pressure on Sunday to ramp up efforts to combat global warming as a U.N. climate summit ground to a close, angering smaller countries and a growing protest movement that is pushing for emergency action. The COP25 talks in Madrid were viewed as a test of governments' collective will to heed the advice of science to cut greenhouse gas emissions more rapidly, in order to prevent rising global temperatures from hitting irreversible tipping points. Many developing countries and campaigners had wanted to see much more explicit language spelling out the importance of countries submitting bolder pledges on emissions as the Paris process enters a crucial implementation phase next year.

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