George Soros writes op-ed in Wall Street Journal praising Trump’s China policy but urges hard line on Huawei
September 11, 2019
"The greatest — and perhaps only — foreign policy accomplishment of the Trump administration has been the development of a coherent and genuinely bipartisan policy toward [President] Xi Jinping’s China," Soros said in an op-ed published Tuesday in the Wall Street Journal, which also commended the administration for listing Huawei as a national-security threat.
He noted that the Trump administration has nevertheless allowed U.S. companies to continue to do business with some Chinese government-affiliated companies. "If he gives Huawei a similar break, removing it from the entity list as part of a trade deal, the company could consolidate its leading position in the 5G market," he warned. Soros urged lawmakers to back an amendment by Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin to prohibit removing Huawei from the entities list without the OK from Congress.
Trump-shaped 9th Circuit hands White House major win on asylum policy…
September 11, 2019
Obama-appointed U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar in California on Monday had reinstated a nationwide halt on the Trump administration's plan to prevent most migrants from seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border, if they first crossed through another country on the way.
But in an administrative order, the 9th Circuit rolled Tigar's ruling right back, saying it should only apply to the confines of the 9th Circuit for now -- which encompasses California, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Idaho, Guam, Oregon, and Washington.
China grants tariff exemptions to 16 types of US goods ahead of trade war talks…
September 11, 2019
Starting September 17, China will for one year suspend the tariffs, which it said were countermeasures against US tariffs following Washington's “Section 301” investigation, the State Council announced. Included on the list were some cancer drugs, lubricant oils and a handful of chemicals. No big ticket US exports such as pork or soybeans were included. The State Council's tax regulator will next look to further expand exemptions on US goods and release follow-up lists when they are ready, it said. In total, there are more than 6,000 US goods that could qualify for tariff exemptions.
NSFW: Ashura festival sees children left covered in blood as devout Muslims use knives to slice their heads open…
September 11, 2019
Every year, thousands of Shia worshippers take part in the ceremonies, performed to mourn the death of Husayn ibn Ali, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. The commemorations take place on Ashura, the tenth day of the first month of the Islamic calendar...
WARNING: Graphic images in the link.
Gig worker bill AB5 passes California State Senate…
September 11, 2019
Assembly Bill 5, the gig worker bill opposed by the likes of Uber, Lyft and DoorDash, has passed in the California State Senate. This comes shortly after California Governor Gavin Newsom officially put his support behind AB 5 in an op-ed. AB5 would ensure gig economy workers are entitled to minimum wage, workers’ compensation and other benefits. The state Senate passed the bill in a 29 to 11 vote... The state Assembly, which previously approved the legislation, will now vote on amendments to AB5. If the Assembly passes the legislation, which it is expected to, it will go to Gov. Newsom who has expressed support for the measure.
Trump Eyes Crackdown on Homelessness as Aides Visit California…
September 11, 2019
President Trump is pushing aides to find ways to curtail the growing number of homeless people living on the streets of Los Angeles, part of broader discussions his aides have held for weeks about urban problems in liberal locales, according to his personal lawyer and administration officials.
A team of administration officials is in California on what was described as a “fact-finding” mission as they weigh proposals to address the burgeoning crisis. But it is not clear what steps the administration could legally take on an issue that has traditionally been handled at the local level.
Ben Swain reviews the new 9/11 report out of Alaska…
September 11, 2019
Senator Cruz Meeting with Alyssa Milano…
September 11, 2019
SpaceX ‘getting ready’ to fly orbital Starship design with new FCC filing…
September 11, 2019
The company filed documents with the U.S. regulatory agency this week in advance of the flight, which lists a max altitude of 74,000 feet, which is a far cry from Earth orbit but still a much greater distance vs. the 500 or so feet achieved by the squat ‘Starhopper’ demonstration and test vehicle that SpaceX has been actively operating in preparation for Starship... Assembly and construction of the Starship prototype looks to be well underway, and Musk recently teased a Starship update event for September 28, which is likely when we’ll see this prototype assembled and ready to go ahead of its planned October first test flight window.
U.S. EPA to eliminate all mammal testing by 2035…
September 11, 2019
The move, which is already eliciting strong reactions from groups supporting or opposing experiments on animals, makes EPA the first federal agency to put a hard deadline on phasing out animal research.
US drug cartel bust brings out Bollywood, Dawood and Indian pharma links…
September 11, 2019
In one of the biggest drug rackets unearthed by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) of US, the Indian connection has led to a former aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and a pharmaceutical company allegedly operating from India, where drugs like mandrax and ephedrine were being manufactured. The overarching investigation also involves husbands of two former Bollywood actresses, charged with international drug trafficking originating from Kenya.
The investigation report filed by DEA in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York on July 25, 2019...
Church leaders charged with forced labor of homeless people…
September 11, 2019
A dozen leaders of California-based Imperial Valley Ministries, including a former pastor, are accused of using dozens of mostly homeless people as forced labor, making them surrender their government benefits and panhandle up to nine hours a day, six days a week, so the leaders could reap the financial benefit, federal prosecutors said Tuesday... Church leaders are accused of scamming victims into rehabilitation homes, forcing them to hand over their welfare benefits and later holding them against their will by confiscating identification cards, driver’s licenses, passports and immigration papers, the Justice Department said.
Secret Service arrested El Paso shooting ‘hero’ as he was about to be honored by Trump at White House..
September 11, 2019
Police say his tale of heroics does not match video evidence. Chris Grant, 50, was shot in the ribs and a kidney during the Aug. 3 rampage that claimed 22 lives. He was not present for a White House ceremony Monday, but his mother Minnie Grant, 82, accepted a signed certificate on his behalf. Grant said in a series of interviews that he sought to spare fellow shoppers by picking up bottles and throwing them at the gunman, with at least one hitting or nearly striking him. A Gofundme account raised $16,917 on his behalf.