Diane is a perfectionist. She enjoys searching the internet for the hottest events from around the world and writing an article about it. The details matter to her, so she makes sure the information is easy to read and understand. She likes traveling and history, especially ancient history. Being a very sociable person she has a blast having barbeque with family and friends.
The White House has announced it will ask the Congress for emergency funding to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey.
President Donald Trump is expected to propose an initial $5.9 billion. Texas authorities say the state might need more than $125 billion.
At least 39 people have died in the storm and its aftermath. East of Houston, floodwaters are still rising.
Visiting Texas, VP Mike Pence promised federal help to “rebuild bigger and better than ever before”.
Mike Pence said 311,000 people had registered for disaster assistance. It is not yet clear how quickly funds might reach victims.
Visiting the battered town of Rockport, Mike Pence paid tribute to the people of Texas: “The resilience of the people of Texas has been inspiring.”
He added: “The American people are with you. We are here today, we will be here tomorrow and we will be here every day until this city and this state and this region rebuild bigger and better than ever before.”
The White House also said President Trump would donate $1 million of his own money to the relief effort.
Firefighters in Houston have been carrying out door-to-door searches for survivors and bodies in an operation that could take up to two weeks.
Rescue operations are still continuing further east, where floodwaters are still rising.
Hundreds of thousands of residents who were evacuated or chose to leave are being warned not to return home until they are told it is safe to do so.
Earlier, a senior White House aide said about 100,000 homes, not all of which were fully insured, had been affected by the storm and the flooding that accompanied it.
The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said its teams had rescued more than 3,800 people, and more than 90,000 had already been approved for disaster assistance.
FEMA also warned that residents were being targeted by scams. There are reports of criminals impersonating inspectors and immigration officials.
Others were receiving fraudulent calls about flood insurance claiming a premium must be paid or coverage would be lost.
Energy suppliers in southern Texas were forced to shut down refineries and close off pipelines, sending petrol prices higher across the US. Many have restarted operations, but it could take weeks before production is back to normal.
Residents returning to their homes are also facing challenges.
The Environmental Protection Agency is warning residents that floodwater can contain bacteria and other contaminants from overflowing sewers. It said the biggest threat to public health was access to safe drinking water.
One chemical plant in Crosby, near Houston, caught fire on August 31, and more fires are expected in the coming days.
Chemicals stored at the flooded Arkema plant are no longer being refrigerated, making them combustible.
Residents have been evacuated from the plant in a 1.5 mile radius, and smoke was seen rising from the site on August 31.
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are expected to return to Texas on September 2.
The president visited Texas earlier in the week but limited his visit to Corpus Christi, which avoided the worst of the flooding, over fears his presence could divert resources from rescue efforts.
Storm Harvey has been downgraded to a tropical depression and is expected to dissipate in Ohio on Saturday evening.
Several inches of rainfall are expected in Tennessee and Kentucky over the next two days, and flood warnings remain in effect in parts of Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, and Louisiana.
The US ordered Russia to close its San Francisco consulate and two trade missions in response to “unwarranted” Russian action, the State Department has announced.
The San Francisco consulate, and annexes in New York and Washington, must close by September 2.
The State Department’s move follows Moscow’s reduction of US diplomatic staff in Russia last month.
That in turn followed new US sanctions on Russia over Crimea and alleged election interference, which led to the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats.
In December 2016, former President Barack Obama had ordered those expulsions, along with the closure of two compounds.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin did not respond initially to that move, with President Trump set to assume office, he then announced on July 31 a reduction of 755 US diplomatic staff in Russia, in retaliation for the US sanctions.
The US diplomats expelled have until September 1 to leave Russia – a day before the US closures of the Russian consulate and two annexes, which are trade missions, must be completed.
Image source Wikimedia
A senior administration official said on August 31 that the consulate and the residence attached to it as well as the two trade missions would close but no Russian staff would be required to leave the US.
Russia will be allowed to maintain the properties, but not use them, the official added.
According to the State Department, the US actions were “in the spirit of parity”. It blamed Russia for what it called a downward spiral in bilateral ties, but suggested it wanted an end to the current spat.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement: “The United States hopes that, having moved toward the Russian Federation’s desire for parity, we can avoid further retaliatory actions by both sides and move forward to achieve the stated goal of both our presidents: improved relations between our two countries and increased co-operation on areas of mutual concern.”
The move leaves each country with three consulates in place, Heather Nauert added.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a phone call on August 31, expressing “regret at the escalation of tensions in bilateral relations”.
According to a statement from the Russian foreign ministry, Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would study the order and respond accordingly.
Sergei Lavrov and Rex Tillerson are due to meet in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The president, who wanted warmer ties with Russia, had opposed the bill, which included a provision that limits his ability to lift sanctions and forces him to consult Congress first.
President Trump has been dogged by claims that Russia tried to sway the election in his favor and several investigations are under way to determine whether anyone from his campaign colluded with Moscow.
However, Russia has repeatedly denied interfering and President Trump has insisted that there was no collusion, calling the investigations a “witch hunt”.
Venezuela’s controversial constituent assembly has unanimously voted to put opposition leaders on trial for treason.
It said it would pursue those it accuses of supporting US economic sanctions against Venezuela.
The US approved the measures last week in response to what it called the “dictatorship” of President Nicolás Maduro.
Nicolás Maduro has accused the US of trying to cripple Venezuela’s economy amid an ongoing economic crisis.
On August 25, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban trade in Venezuelan debt or the sale of bonds from its state oil company.
The president’s reasons included “serious abuses of human rights” as well as the creation of the “illegitimate” constituent assembly, which the US accuses of usurping the democratically elected parliament.
The constituent assembly, which was convened by President Nicolás Maduro and is made up of government supporters, has been condemned by international leaders as unconstitutional.
On August 29, members of the assembly unanimously approved a decree calling for the investigation of “traitors” who supported the economic sanctions.
During the three-hour session, they took turns denouncing those who have been critical of the government in ever more colorful language.
Among those they attacked for allegedly being “engaged in the promotion of these immoral actions against the interests of the Venezuelan people” were not only members of opposition parties but also former supporters of the socialist government.
The sacked chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega, who over the past months has become one of the most vocal critics of the government, came in for particular vitriol.
Constituent assembly member Iris Varela called Luisa Ortega “scum”. She also said that Luisa Ortega “crawled like a worm” and “sold her homeland for a few dollars she stole from this country”.
Luisa Ortega was fired by the constituent assembly in its first session earlier this month and replaced by a loyal government supporter, Tarek William Saab.
She has since traveled to a number of Latin American countries denouncing alleged government corruption in Venezuela.
The head of the opposition-controlled parliament, Julio Borges, was named as “one of the real enemies of Venezuela” for asking US bank Goldman Sachs to stop buying Venezuelan bonds.
Julio Borges reacted by saying that it was time the government stopped looking for others to blame for Venezuela’s economic and political crisis.
“The only one responsible is Maduro and it’s time he takes a look in the mirror and accepts he has ruined Venezuela,” Julio Borges told reporters.
The euro has reached an 18-month high against US dollar as the prospect of a US interest rate rise recedes.
The European currency hit $1.20 for the first time since January 2015.
Hurricane Harvey’s impact has led analysts to assume the Federal Reserve will not want to risk curbing economic growth and fears over North Korea’s activities have unnerved investors.
A rise in interest rates tends to draw investors to a currency, taking advantage of the higher returns.
Meanwhile, the euro has itself been gaining against a range of currencies.
Against the dollar, the euro has risen by almost 15% so far this year.
The euro has strengthened in recent months, as the eurozone’s economy improves and markets predict the European Central Bank could start to cut back the money-printing program it has been running to repair the ravages of the eurozone crisis and credit crunch of the late 2000s.
The dollar was also undermined by August 25 annual meeting of central bankers at the Jackson Hole resort in Wyoming at which Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen’s speech gave no hint that the central back was planning any policy change that would support the dollar.
At the same event, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi did nothing to talk down the euro.
Euro strength has left the pound at its weakest for almost a year. It buys 1.0759 euros in the wholesale currency markets, making a euro worth a much as 92.95p.
Sterling buys $1.2955 currently.
Tourist rates tend to be below those of the markets, sometimes by quite a bit.
President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio over his criminal contempt conviction was wrong, Paul Ryan has said.
The top-ranking Republican in Congress said that he did not agree with the decision.
Joe Arpaio, 85, was found guilty after he defied a court order to stop traffic patrols targeting suspected immigrants.
The former sheriff said his conviction was “a witch hunt by the Obama justice department”.
Republican House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan is the latest senior politician to condemn Joe Arpaio’s pardon.
His spokesman said in a statement: “Law enforcement officials have a special responsibility to respect the rights of everyone in the United States. We should not allow anyone to believe that responsibility is diminished by this pardon.”
Other prominent Republican critics include Arizona Senator John McCain and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Arizona’s other Republican Senator Jeff Flake also condemned the move as did Democrats and human rights campaigners.
Joe Arpaio’s lawyer Jack Wilenchik said that those critical of his pardon were wrong because he was unfairly prosecuted – there was no jury in his case.
The former sheriff was an eager supporter of Donald Trump’s campaign to become president and backed tougher policies to combat illegal immigration.
In a statement announcing the pardon, his first, President Trump said: “Arpaio’s life and career, which began at the age of 18 when he enlisted in the military after the outbreak of the Korean War, exemplify selfless public service.
“Throughout his time as sheriff, Arpaio continued his life’s work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration.
“Sheriff Joe Arpaio is now 85 years old, and after more than 50 years of admirable service to our nation, he is a worthy candidate for a presidential pardon.”
Joe Arpaio has said that he may consider running for political office again, despite his age.
He lost a bid for re-election in Arizona’s Maricopa County in November 2016, after 24 years in office.
Joe Arpaio could have faced six months in jail at his sentencing in October.
He served in the US military before he became a police officer – where he quickly acquired a reputation for his anti-immigration stance and tough enforcement tactics.
Former Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra fled to Dubai ahead of the verdict in her trial over a rice subsidy scheme, members of her party have said.
Puea Thai Party sources said Yingluck Shinawatra left Thailand last week.
It was revealed on August 25 that Yingluck Shinawatra, who is charged with negligence, had gone abroad but the destination was not known.
When the former prime minister failed to appear in court, an arrest warrant was issued and her bail was confiscated.
Dubai is where her brother, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, lives in self-imposed exile. He went there to avoid a 2008 jail sentence for corruption.
“We heard that she went to Cambodia and then Singapore, from where she flew to Dubai. She has arrived safely and is there now,” a senior member of the Shinawatras’ party told Reuters.
Deputy national police chief General Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul said police had no record of Yingluck Shinawatra leaving the country and were following the matter closely.
Thailand’s Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam said Yingluck Shinawatra’s location would “be clear soon”.
Judges have postponed the negligence verdict until September 27.
Yingluck Shinawatra, 50, has denied any wrongdoing in the rice subsidy scheme, which cost Thailand billions of dollars.
If found guilty at the end of the two-year trial, the former prime minister could be jailed for up to 10 years and permanently banned from politics.
Yingluck Shinawatra’s lawyer had requested a delay in the ruling, telling the Supreme Court that she had vertigo and a severe headache and was unable to attend.
However, the court said in a statement that it did not believe she was sick as there was no medical certificate, and that the alleged sickness was not severe enough to prevent her travelling to court.
The statement said: “Such behavior convincingly shows that she is a flight risk. As a result, the court has issued an arrest warrant and confiscated the posted bail money.”
Yingluck Shinawatra posted $900,000 bail at the beginning of her trial.
Thailand’s first female prime minister was impeached in 2015 over the rice scheme by a military-backed legislature, which then brought the legal case.
The scheme, part of Yingluck Shinawatra’s election campaign platform, was launched shortly after she took office.
It was aimed at boosting farmers’ incomes and alleviating rural poverty, and saw the government paying farmers nearly twice the market rate for their crop.
However, it hit Thailand’s rice exports hard, leading to a loss of at least $8 billion and huge stockpiles of rice which the government could not sell.
Though it was popular with Yingluck Shinawatra’s rural voter base, opponents said the scheme was too expensive and open to corruption.
President Donald Trump has signed a memo restoring a military ban on transgender people, which was lifted under President Barack Obama.
The memo also ceases the use of government funds for gender-reassignment surgery for active personnel.
However, President Trump left Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to decide whether to retain existing transgender recruits.
The reinstated ban, justified on grounds of cost and disruption, faces a legal challenge by transgender rights activists.
Jennifer Levi, an official at Glad (GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders), said in a statement: “This policy is a shameful slap in the face to people who put their lives on the line everyday to defend our country…
“We are moving quickly with our plaintiffs to see that a court puts a stop to this latest demonstration of President Trump playing politics with people’s lives.”
Between 4,000 and 10,000 US active-duty and reserve service members are believed to be transgender.
After the Obama administration announced in 2016 that transgender people would be allowed to serve openly in the military, many active duty members came out.
The memo was widely anticipated following the president’s tweets about the issue last month.
President Trump directed the military to “return to the longstanding policy and practice on military service by transgender individuals prior to June 2016”.
Donald Trump suggested that President Obama had not thought through whether the policy would “hinder military effectiveness and lethality, [or] disrupt unit cohesion”.
The president said he had done the Pentagon a “great favor” by banning transgender troops, saying the issue had been “complicated” and “confusing” for the military.
The Obama-era policy had included a provision for the military to provide medical help for service members wanting to change gender.
In his memo, President Trump directed the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security to stop using government funds for gender-reassignment procedures unless it was necessary .
Border controls have been tightened in Thailand after former PM Yingluck Shinawatra failed to show up for the verdict in her trial over a rice subsidy scheme.
Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan said it was possible the former prime minister had already fled the country.
Lawyers for Yingluck Shinawatra, who is charged with negligence, said she was unable to attend court because she was ill.
However, the Supreme Court issued an arrest warrant for her, confiscated her bail of $900,000 and delayed the verdict to September 27.
Yingluck Shinawatra has denied any wrongdoing in the scheme which cost Thailand billions of dollars. If found guilty, she could be jailed for up to 10 years and permanently banned from politics.
On August 25, PM Prayuth Chan-ocha said all routes out of Thailand were being closely monitored.
“I just learned that she did not show up [at court],” he told reporters.
“I have ordered border checkpoints to be stepped up.”
Prawit Wongsuwan initially said he had no information on Yingluck Shinawatra’s whereabouts but as he left a meeting in Bangkok he said: “It is possible that she has fled already.”
Earlier, Yingluck Shinawatra’s lawyer requested a delay in the ruling, telling the court that she had vertigo and a severe headache and was unable to attend.
However, an official Supreme Court statement said it did not believe she was sick as there was no medical certificate and that the claimed sickness was not severe enough that she could not travel to court.
“Such behavior convincingly shows that she is a flight risk. As a result, the court has issued an arrest warrant and confiscated the posted bail money,” the statement said.
Yingluck Shinawatra’s brother, controversial former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, lives in exile after fleeing the country in 2008 to evade a jail term for corruption.
Today’s turn of events took many by surprise, including the hundreds of people who turned up outside the Supreme Court in Bangkok to support Yingluck Shinawatra.
Some supporters outside the court expressed understanding.
Yingluck Shinawatra, who became Thailand’s first female prime minister in 2011, was impeached in 2015 over the rice scheme by a military-backed legislature, which then brought the legal case.
The scheme, part of her election campaign platform, launched shortly after she took office.
It was aimed at boosting farmers’ incomes and alleviating rural poverty, and saw the government paying farmers nearly twice the market rate for their crop.
However, the measure hit Thailand’s rice exports hard, leading to a loss of at least $8 billion and huge stockpiles of rice which the government could not sell.
Though popular with her rural voter base, opponents said the scheme was too expensive and open to corruption.
During her trial, Yingluck Shinawatra had argued she was not responsible for the day-to-day running of the scheme. She has insisted she is a victim of political persecution.
Samsung’s heir-apparent Lee Jae-yong has been sentenced to five years in prison for corruption.
He was accused of bribery in a scandal that also saw the impeachment of South Korea’s former president, Park Geun-hye.
The case has gripped the public amid growing anger against South Korea’s biggest companies, known as chaebols.
Lee Jae-yong, who denied all charges, had faced a jail sentence of up to 12 years.
The 49-year-old, also known as Jay Y. Lee, the de facto head of Samsung, the world’s largest smartphone maker, had been detained since February on a string of corruption charges.
These included including bribery, embezzlement and hiding assets overseas.
Lee Jae-yong was accused of giving donations worth 41 billion won ($36 million) to non-profit foundations operated by Choi Soon-sil, a friend of South Korea’s former President Park Geun-hye, in return for political favors.
Prosecutors said the donations were made to Park Geun-hye’s confidante to win government support for a big restructuring of Samsung that would strengthen Lee Jae-yong’s control over Samsung Electronics.
A lawyer for Lee Jae-yonghas said already said they will appeal against the decision.
“We are confident the ruling will be overturned,” lawyer Song Wu-cheol told reporters after the ruling, according to Reuters.
Nevertheless this ruling represents a huge blow to South Korea’s biggest and most well-known business empire. Since the verdict, Samsung shares fell by 1%.
Lee Jae-yong’s conviction raises questions about his leadership of the conglomerate. He has been standing in as chairman since his father, Lee Kun-hee, suffered a heart attack in 2014.
The Samsung scandal contributed to President Park Geun-hye’s eventual impeachment. Park Geun-hye’s friend, Choi Soon-sil, has already been jailed for three years for corruption.
President Donald Trump says he is willing to close down the US government if necessary to build his wall along the Mexico border.
He told supporters at a “Make America Great Again” rally in Phoenix, Arizona, that the opposition Democrats were being “obstructionist”.
During the 80-minute speech, President Trump also took aim at the media, blaming them for giving far right groups “a platform”.
However, Donald Trump selectively quoted his initial response to violence at a far-right rally that left one woman dead.
The president omitted the much-criticized claim that “many sides” had to shoulder the blame for violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.
He wants Congress to finance his controversial plan to build a “big, beautiful” wall along the United States’ border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants.
However, Republicans will need the support of Democrats to secure funding for the wall in a government spending bill, which they are unlikely to get.
In his speech, President Trump said the Democrats were “putting all of America’s safety at risk” by opposing the wall. He said immigration officers who worked in the area said it was “vital” to stem the flow of illegal immigrants.
He said that, if it came to it, he would risk a government shutdown – which is what happens when legislation funding the federal government cannot be passed by Congress and non-essential services stop.
“Now the obstructionist Democrats would like us not to do it, but believe me if we have to close down our government, we are building that wall,” President Trump said, adding that “the American people voted for immigration control”.
If he wants a government shutdown all he has to do is refuse to sign a funding bill sent to him by Congress.
Capitol Hill is set to debate a new budget measure this autumn, and unless it is passed federal operations will be in limbo by October 1.
Donald Trump attacked the media in the campaign-style speech, saying reporters had misrepresented his “perfect” words in the wake of the violence in Charlottesville, where Heather Heyer was killed after a car ploughed into a crowd of people protesting against far-right demonstrators including neo-Nazis.
The president accused “truly dishonest people in the media and the fake media” of “trying to take away our history and heritage” because, he said, they “don’t like our country”.
Donald Trump quoted his first public response to the violence on August 12, which was criticized by both Republicans and Democrats for not clearly condemning the far-right.
He said: “This is what I said on Saturday: <<We’re closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia,>> – this is me speaking. <<We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence.>> That’s me speaking on Saturday, right after the event.”
However, the president’s full quote was: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides.”
Separately, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has criticized the US for what it said was a “failure at the highest political level” to reject “racist violent events”.
Referring to Charlottesville, the committee it was issuing a rare “early warning”, which has been used in recent years in countries including Burundi, Iraq, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast.
President Donald Trump says he is willing close down the US government if necessary to build his wall along the Mexico border.
He told supporters at a “Make America Great Again” rally in Phoenix, Arizona, that the opposition Democrats were being “obstructionist”.
During the 80-minute speech, President Trump also took aim at the media, blaming them for giving far right groups “a platform”.
However, Donald Trump selectively quoted his initial response to violence at a far-right rally that left one woman dead.
The president omitted the much-criticized claim that “many sides” had to shoulder the blame for violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.
He wants Congress to finance his controversial plan to build a “big, beautiful” wall along the United States’ border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants.
However, Republicans will need the support of Democrats to secure funding for the wall in a government spending bill, which they are unlikely to get.
In his speech, President Trump said the Democrats were “putting all of America’s safety at risk” by opposing the wall. He said immigration officers who worked in the area said it was “vital” to stem the flow of illegal immigrants.
He said that, if it came to it, he would risk a government shutdown – which is what happens when legislation funding the federal government cannot be passed by Congress and non-essential services stop.
“Now the obstructionist Democrats would like us not to do it, but believe me if we have to close down our government, we are building that wall,” President Trump said, adding that “the American people voted for immigration control”.
If he wants a government shutdown all he has to do is refuse to sign a funding bill sent to him by Congress.
Capitol Hill is set to debate a new budget measure this autumn, and unless it is passed federal operations will be in limbo by October 1.
Donald Trump attacked the media in the campaign-style speech, saying reporters had misrepresented his “perfect” words in the wake of the violence in Charlottesville, where Heather Heyer was killed after a car ploughed into a crowd of people protesting against far-right demonstrators including neo-Nazis.
The president accused “truly dishonest people in the media and the fake media” of “trying to take away our history and heritage” because, he said, they “don’t like our country”.
Donald Trump quoted his first public response to the violence on August 12, which was criticized by both Republicans and Democrats for not clearly condemning the far-right.
He said: “This is what I said on Saturday: <<We’re closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia,>> – this is me speaking. <<We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence.>> That’s me speaking on Saturday, right after the event.”
However, the president’s full quote was: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides.”
Separately, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has criticized the US for what it said was a “failure at the highest political level” to reject “racist violent events”.
Referring to Charlottesville, the committee it was issuing a rare “early warning”, which has been used in recent years in countries including Burundi, Iraq, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast.
Muhammadu Buhari, who took office in May 2015, handed over power to Vice President Osinbajo to allay concerns of a void at the helm of Africa’s biggest economy.
The president’s absence sparked numerous protests, including demands that he should resign, as well as calls for more transparency about his condition.
There has been speculation about Muhammadu Buhari’s health since June 2016, when he first went to London for treatment of what his aides said was a persistent ear infection.
Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesman said he will address Nigerians on August 21.
Up to 30,000 people attended the counter-protest, The Boston Herald reported. Demonstrators had gathered at a Boston sports centre and then marched en masse to the common.
The crowd chanted “No Nazis, no KKK, no fascists in the USA!” and carried banners with slogans such as “Stop pretending your racism is patriotism”.
Hundreds of police, many on cycles, were deployed but no violence was reported. Large vehicles were positioned along with concrete barriers to prevent access to the park.
The organizers of the rally said that “misinformation in the media” was “likening our organization to those that ran the Charlottesville rally”.
“While we maintain that every individual is entitled to their freedom of speech and defend that basic human right, we will not be offering our platform to racism or bigotry,” the group wrote on a Facebook page dedicated to the event.
“We denounce the politics of supremacy and violence.”
The list of speakers for the free speech event changed a number of times in previous days. At times it included speakers who have been associated with the far right.
Venezuela’s new constituent assembly has overwhelmingly voted in favor of assuming the powers of the opposition-led parliament.
However, parliament has rejected the move. President Nicolas Maduro says the new assembly will end political unrest, but many say it is a slide towards dictatorship.
Meanwhile Colombia says Venezuela’s chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz has arrived in the capital Bogota.
Luisa Ortega Diaz said she feared for her life after being dismissed by the controversial assembly.
Once a staunch supporter of Nicolas Maduro, Luisa Ortega had become a strong critic of the president’s socialist government in recent months.
The former chief prosecutor’s whereabouts had been unknown following her dismissal on August 5.
On August 18, Luisa Ortega told a regional conference via videolink that she had evidence that President Maduro was embroiled in a corruption scandal involving the Brazilian construction company, Odebrecht.
Odebrecht has admitted paying bribes to win contracts in 12 countries, though no Venezuelans have been named.
Venezuela’s parliament said citizens and the international community would not recognize the constituent assembly’s new powers.
The head of the Organization of American States (OAS) Luis Almagro called the move an “illegitimate dissolution” of the elected parliament.
Regional economic bloc Mercosur – which includes the region’s two biggest economies Brazil and Argentina – also condemned the move.
Earlier this month, Mercosur suspended Venezuela indefinitely, urging President Maduro to release prisoners and begin a political transition.
The heads of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled parliament and the new assembly have been trading insults on social media.
Parliament head Julio Borges accused the constituent assembly of a “coup” while new assembly head Delcy Rodriguez – a close ally of President Maduro – denounced his “lies”.
President Maduro’s wife and son are among the 545 members of the new assembly, which was set up following a controversial election earlier this month.
More than 120 people have been killed in Venezuela’s violent protests since April.
Nicolas Maduro’s opponents want to hold a vote to remove him, blaming his left-wing administration for food shortages and soaring inflation in the oil-rich country.
Constituent assemblies are set up for the specific purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution, and as such can fundamentally change how a country is run.
Venezuela has seen waves of violent protests, and President Maduro presented the assembly as a way of promoting “reconciliation and peace”.
An ally of Nicolas Maduro, former foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez, is president of the new body
The election for the constituent assembly was marred by violence and accusations of fraud.
Venezuela’s electoral authorities said more than eight million people, or 41.5% of the electorate, had voted, a figure the company that provided the voting system said was inflated.
The opposition boycotted the poll and also held an unofficial referendum in which they said more than seven million Venezuelans voted against the constituent assembly.
The US has imposed sanctions on Presidnet Maduro, with the Trump administration calling him a “dictator”.
The EU and major Latin American nations say they will not recognize the new body.
Nicolas Maduro retains a major ally in Russia, however, and has the support of several left-wing nations in the Americas.
President Donald Trump has denounced the removal of “beautiful” Confederate statues amid a heated national debate about US race relations.
He tweeted: “Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments.”
“You can’t change history, but you can learn from it,” the president continued.
President Trump drew outrage by defending organizers of a white supremacist rally that left one person dead and dozens hurt.
The rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, supported by neo-Nazis and white supremacists, was in protest of the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a general who had fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the Civil War.
The protest turned deadly when a driver ploughed into a crowd of counter protesters, inflicting fatal injuries on Heather Heyer.
In a series of tweets on August 17, President Trump said: “Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson – who’s next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!”
“The beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!”
The recent removal of controversial statues, including some to leaders of the pro-slavery rebellion defeated in the US Civil War, has been the latest flashpoint in racial tensions across the country.
Critics say monuments to the Confederacy are racially offensive, but supporters say they are important symbols preserving Southern heritage.
On August 17, Maine’s Governor Paul LePage, a Republican, said that taking down Confederate statues is “just like” removing a monument to the victims of the 9/11 attacks.
However, relatives of Stonewall Jackson, a Confederate leader President Trump mentioned in his tweets, wrote an open letter to the mayor of Richmond, Virginia, urging him to remove the statue of their great-great-grandfather and all other Confederate statues in town.
Jack and Warren Christian, Stonewall Jackson’s great-great-sons, said removing the statues would “further difficult conversations about racial justice”.
“While we are not ashamed of our great-great-grandfather, we are ashamed to benefit from white supremacy while our black family and friends suffer,” the pair wrote.
“We are ashamed of the monument.”
Robert E. Lee V, the great-great-grandson of the famous Confederate general, also issued a statement condemning the violence in the wake of the statue removals.
Donald Trump’s comments came after a week of turmoil over his response to the violent clashes in Charlottesville.
The president was criticized for blaming both sides for the violence, but belatedly condemned the white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups on August 14.
During a heated news conference on August 15, President Trump backtracked and again blamed left-wing counter-protesters for the incident, too.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black Republican in the upper chamber, said in an interview with Vice News that President Trump’s “moral authority” had been “compromised”.
“I’m not going to defend the indefensible… [Donald Trump’s] comments on Monday were strong. His comments on Tuesday started erasing the comments that were strong,” Senator Scott said.
“What we want to see from our president is clarity and moral authority. And that moral authority is compromised.”
On August 16, the Strategy and Policy Forum announced it would disband as Presidnet Trump said he would end the council as well as a manufacturing one.
White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon has attacked white nationalists as “clowns” as the fallout from violent protests in Charlottesville continues.
Steve Bannon once headed the right-wing Breitbart News, seen as both a major channel for nationalism and key in helping Donald Trump win election.
However, the former film executive told The American Prospect: “Ethno-nationalism – it’s losers.”
Questions surround Steve Bannon’s future, with President Trump refusing to say whether he still had confidence in him.
President Trump has reportedly been urged to fire Steve Bannon, who in his role has enjoyed direct access to the president and whose influence has been seen in decisions like the US withdrawing from the Paris climate accord.
At a news conference this week, President Trump would only say “we’ll see” when it came to Steve Bannon’s future.
Donald Trump is under fire for his response to August 12 clashes between far-right and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, in which he blamed “both sides” for the violence.
The rally, attended by neo-Nazis and white supremacists, was in protest at the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a general who fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the US Civil War.
A memorial was held on August 16 for Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old woman killed when a suspected far-right sympathizer drove a car into a crowd of counter-protesters.
Meanwhile Apple CEO Tim Cook has become the latest business leader to criticize President Trump, saying he did not agree there was a “moral equivalence” between white supremacists and “those who oppose them”.
In his interview with The American Prospect, Steve Bannon was asked if there was a connection between the economic nationalism that he supports and the white nationalism seen in Charlottesville.
“Ethno-nationalism – it’s losers,” he said.
“It’s a fringe element. I think the media plays it up too much, and we gotta help crush it, you know, uh, help crush it more.”
“These guys are a collection of clowns,” he added.
Steve Bannon has distanced himself from “ethno-nationalism” before, telling the New York Times his interest in nationalism stems from wanting to curb the negative effects of globalization.
Tim Cook has become the latest chief executive to criticize President Donald Trump over his response to the white nationalist rallies in Virginia.
The Apple boss said he did not agree there was a “moral equivalence” between white supremacists and “those who oppose them”.
President Trump has disbanded two business councils after top bosses resigned.
Tim Cook said Apple will also make donations to human rights charities.
In an email to staff obtained by BuzzFeed News, Tim Cook said: “I disagree with the president and others who believe that there is a moral equivalence between white supremacists and Nazis, and those who oppose them by standing up for human rights.
“Equating the two runs counter to our ideals as Americans.”
Tim Cook added that “in the wake of the tragic and repulsive events in Charlottesville, we are stepping up to help organizations who work to rid our country of hate”.
Apple will donate $1 million to both the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. It will also match two-for-one any staff donations to these and several other human rights groups until September 30, the Apple boss said.
On August 16, Presidnet Trump said he was scrapping two business councils after more bosses quit over his handling of the violent clashes in Virginia.
Business leaders left the White House manufacturing council after the backlash against how he reacted to the far-right rally last weekend.
The clashes culminated in Heather Heyer’s death and 19 wounded when a car ploughed into a crowd of anti-fascist protesters.
President Trump’s reaction has sparked outrage and generated global headlines.
His announcement on Twitter came as the heads of 3M, Campbell Soup, Johnson & Johnson and United Technologies announced their resignations on August 16.
President Trump said: “Rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople of the Manufacturing Council & Strategy & Policy Forum, I am ending both.”
Before Donald Trump’s announcement, the Strategy and Policy Forum announced it was a joint decision to disband the council.
Businesses have been under pressure to distance themselves from President Trump over his handling of the clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia.
On August 14, President Trump belatedly condemned the white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups that rallied in a small Virginia town on August 13.
However, in a rancorous news conference on August 15, the president backtracked and again blamed left-wing counter-protesters for the violence too.
On August 16, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, a member of the Strategy and Policy Forum, released a separate statement saying he strongly disagreed with President Trump’s recent statements, adding that “fanning divisiveness is not the answer”.
“Constructive economic and regulatory policies are not enough and will not matter if we do not address the divisions in our country. It is a leader’s role, in business or government, to bring people together, not tear them apart,” he said.
Denise Morrison of Campbell Soup said she could not continue to participate in the advisory panel after President Trump’s comments. Activists had called on Campbell Soup, among other firms, to take action.
President Donald Trump has again blamed both sides for the violent unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia, which left Heather Heyer dead and 19 others injured.
In a statement on August 14, the president had condemned white supremacists.
However, in New York on August 15, Donald Trump also blamed left-wing supporters for charging at the “alt-right”.
The president’s latest comments drew swift criticism, including from many in his Republican party.
Many echoed Senator John McCain’s view: “There is no moral equivalency between racists & Americans standing up to defy hate & bigotry.”
The right-wing march had been organized to protest against the proposed removal of a statue of General Robert E. Lee, who commanded the pro-slavery Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The event drew white supremacy groups.
Violence broke out after they were confronted by anti-racism groups. A car ploughed into one group of anti-racism protesters, killing Heather Heyer, 32, and injuring 19 others.
Speaking at the White House on August 14, President Trump had said that the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and white supremacists were “repugnant” to everything Americans held dear.
However, at a bad-tempered press conference at Trump Tower on August 15, Donald Trump reverted to blaming “many sides” for August 12 violence.
“You had a group on one side that was bad, and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent. And nobody wants to say that, but I’ll say it right now,” he said.
“What about the alt-left that came charging… at the, as you say, the alt-right? Do they have any semblance of guilt? (…) There are two sides to a story.”
President Trump called the driver of the car that ploughed into the anti-racism protesters a disgrace to himself and his country, but said that those who had marched in defense of the statue had included “many fine people”.
He also asked whether statues of former presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson should also be torn down, because they had been slave-owners.
President Trump’s remarks were welcomed by David Duke, a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, who tweeted: “Thank you President Trump for your honesty & courage to tell the truth about #Charlottesville & condemn the leftist terrorists in BLM/Antifa.”
President Donald Trump has spoken out against racist violence after the killing of a protester in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12.
He told reporters: “Racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs.”
President Trump said the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and white supremacists were “repugnant” to everything Americans held dear.
He was criticized for not specifically denouncing extremists in his initial comments on the violence.
Heather Heyer, 32, died and 19 others were injured when a car rammed into people protesting against a far-right march.
On August 14, James Alex Fields, 20, was formally charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of hit and run. He was also denied bail during his appearance in court via video from jail.
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has said that his only message for the white supremacists who brought chaos to the city of Charlottesville is “Go home”.
On August 12, a woman has been killed and 19 people were injured when a car rammed a crowd of people opposing a far-right rally there.
The FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the incident.
Earlier, street brawls erupted between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said “the violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice.
He said: “When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated.”
The alleged driver of the car – James Alex Fields, 20, from Ohio – is in detention on suspicion of second-degree murder.
In addition to those injured in the car incident, the Charlottesville Police Department said 15 were wounded in other violence related to the far-right march.
Late in the afternoon, a Virginia State Police helicopter crashed in woodland south-west of the city, killing two police officers. The helicopter had been part of the operation to monitor the clashes.
The “Unite the Right” march was called to protest against plans to remove a statue of General Robert E. Lee, who had fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the US Civil War.
Governor McAuliffe told a press conference: “I have a message for all the white supremacists, and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today. Our message is plain and simple: Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth. Shame on you. You pretend that you’re patriots, but you are anything but a patriot.
“You came here today to hurt people. And you did hurt people. But my message is clear: We are stronger than you.”
The Democrat governor said he had spoken to President Donald Trump, and twice urged him to begin a movement to bring people together.
Terry McAuliffe thanked the police and law enforcement officials, who he said had prevented “a much worse day”, and praised the emergency services who helped the wounded.
The violence in Charlottesville – a liberal college town – is a stark demonstration of the growing political divide in the United States, which has intensified since President Trump’s election last year.
Right-wing blogger Jason Kessler had called for a “pro-white” rally, and white nationalists promoted the gathering widely.
Oren Segal, director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism, said several “white power” groups were present – including neo-Nazis and factions of the Ku Klux Klan.
The New York Times reports that some were chanting “You will not replace us,” and “Jew will not replace us.”
Anti-racism organizations such as Black Lives Matter held protests at the scene.
On August 11, the white nationalists held lit torches and chanted “White lives matter” as they marched through the University of Virginia in the city.
President Trump condemned “in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides”.
Speaking in New Jersey, where he is on a working holiday, President Trump told reporters: “The hate and the division must stop right now.
“We have to come together as Americans with love for our nation.”
According to the European Commission, 15 EU countries as well as Hong Kong and Switzerland have received eggs contaminated with the insecticide fipronil.
The commission will hold a meeting with ministers and regulators on September 26.
Its food safety chief has called countries to stop “blaming and shaming” each other.
A row has erupted over how long Belgian and Dutch authorities have known about the contamination.
Eggs, coming mainly from the Netherlands, have been found to contain fipronil, a substance used to kill lice and ticks on animals that is banned by the EU for use in the food industry.
It is thought fipronil was used to combat lice in some chicken farms, affecting the eggs of laying hens.
The insecticide can damage people’s kidneys, liver and thyroid glands if eaten in large quantities. However, food standards agencies are playing down the risks for anyone who has already eaten the tainted eggs.
Farms were shut down in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France after authorities confirmed that fipronil had been used, European Commission spokesman Daniel Rosario said on August 11.
The EU countries that have received the eggs are the UK, Sweden, Austria, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia and Denmark. Non-EU Switzerland is also affected.
The revelation that tainted eggs had also been sent to Hong Kong marks the first time the widening scandal has spread outside Europe.
Supermarkets in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany have also withdrawn millions of eggs from sale.
On August, France’s Agriculture Minister Stéphane Travert said about 250,000 affected eggs had been sold in the country since April, adding that all products containing eggs from contaminated farms would be taken off the shelves.
In Hong Kong, the government’s Center for Food Safety says it identified two samples of imported Dutch eggs containing excessive levels of fipronil last week and asked shops to remove the products.
It has since tested other European egg imports and has not found any more “unsatisfactory samples”, the South China Morning Post newspaper quoted a spokeswoman as saying.
European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis said on August 11: “Blaming and shaming will bring us nowhere and I want to stop this.
“But first things first. Our common job and our priority now is to manage the situation, gather information, focus on the analysis and lessons to be learned in a view to improve our system and prevent criminal activity.”
Jeffrey Lord has regularly sparred with Angelo Carusone, president of Media Matters for America.
Things came to a head on August 10 when Jeffrey Lord tweeted at Angelo Carusone, linking to a column he had written describing the group as “Media Matters Fascists, the anti-free speech bigots”.
Angelo Carusone, whose name had been misspelt as “Corusone” in the headline, responded: “Your headline has a mistake in it. Why do you expect anyone to take you seriously when you don’t take yourself seriously.”
Jeffrey Lord responded with: “Sieg Heil!”
The pundit later defended his actions, saying he was mocking Nazis and fascists, and criticized CNN’s decision to sever ties with him.
Jeffrey Lord said in a telephone interview: “I feel they are caving to bullies here.”
At least one of Canada’s diplomats stationed in Cuba was treated for hearing loss and headaches, the country’s foreign ministry says.
The announcement comes a day after the US said its diplomats in Havana were experiencing strange physical symptoms.
Reports suggest the diplomats could have been targeted by a covert sonic device that causes hearing loss.
Cuba denies the allegation, but the US has removed two Cuban diplomats from Washington DC in retaliation.
Cuba’s foreign ministry responded: “Cuba has never, nor would ever, allow the Cuban territory to be used for any kind of action against accredited diplomats or their families.”
Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign ministry, says the government is working with US and Cuban officials to find out what happened.
The Associated Press reported that a US investigation determined that the US diplomats’ hearing loss could have been linked to sonic devices which emit inaudible sound waves that can cause deafness.
US officials, speaking to the agency anonymously, said investigations had determined devices had been deployed either inside or outside diplomats’ homes.
Investigators are also considering the possibility that a third country, such as Russia, was behind the incidents, officials familiar with the inquiry told AP.
According to US officials, about five diplomats, including some spouses, had been affected, but no children were involved.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauer said staff began complaining of the strange symptoms late last year.
While they were not life-threatening, she revealed that a number of people had been brought home to the US as a result.
The US and Cuba only re-established ties in 2015, following 50 years of hostilities between the two countries.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio said the alleged incidents were just the latest examples of harassment toward US diplomats in Cuba.
“Personal harm to US officials shows the extent the Castro regime will go and clearly violates international norms,” the senator said.
If true, the use of sonic devices to cause harm to diplomats would be unprecedented.
At least 20 tonnes of insecticide-tainted eggs have been sold in Denmark, the country’s food safety authority says.
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said in a statement, the boiled and peeled eggs were mainly sold to cafeterias, cafes and catering companies.
Denmark is the latest European country to discover eggs contaminated fipronil in its food chain.
According to specialists, the insecticide can damage people’s kidneys, liver and thyroid glands if eaten in large quantities.
However, the Danish food administration urged calm, saying the eggs bought by Danæg Products posed no risk to human consumption.
“Samples analyzed in the Netherlands show traces of fipronil in the eggs, but not as a health hazard,” the agency said.
“Because the content is illegal, Danæg Products must withdraw the eggs from their customers.”
Denmark is believed to be the tenth country to be affected, with Romania and Luxembourg among the latest to report finding contaminated products.
On August 10, Romanian authorities said that one tonne of liquid egg yolk contaminated with fipronil had been found in a warehouse in the west of the country.
The product was imported from Germany but had not been sold to consumers, food safety officials said.
Two company managers have been arrested during joint raids by the authorities in Belgium and the Netherlands, as the scandal involving insecticide-tainted eggs widens.
The company- named as Chickfriend by local media – allegedly used fipronil at poultry farms, prosecutors said.
Fipronil is banned from use in the food industry under EU rules.
Two Cuban diplomats have been expelled by Washington after US embassy staff in Havana suffered mysterious physical symptoms, the US state department announced.
It was not immediately clear what had happened, but spokeswoman Heather Nauert said there were no “definitive answers about the source or cause”.
One government official quoted by Reuters said that some staff had suffered hearing loss.
Cuba’s foreign ministry announced it was investigating the allegations.
Cuba called the expulsion of its staff unjustified but said it was willing to co-operate with Washington to clarify what had happened.
The ministry said: “Cuba has never, nor would ever, allow the Cuban territory to be used for any kind of action against accredited diplomats or their families.”
It was suggested the hearing loss could have been caused by some kind of sonic device placed outside the diplomats’ homes, emitting inaudible sound waves that can cause deafness.
Heather Nauert said staff began complaining of the strange symptoms late last year.
While they were not life-threatening, she revealed that a number of people had been brought home to the US as a result.
Heather Nauert said the government was taking it “very seriously, and there is an investigation currently under way”.
It is understood that the two expelled Cuban diplomats left Washington DC in May..
The US and Cuba only re-established ties in 2015, following 50 years of hostilities between the two countries.
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