Worldwide / 1274

Sen. Portman: Student held by North Korea was 'amazing young man'

June 23, 2017

Thousands of friends and family members gathered in suburban Cincinnati on Thursday to say goodbye to an American student, Otto Warmbier . Just two days earlier , Trump had condemned the "brutality of the North Korean regime" after the death of Otto Warmbier , an American student who was detained in North Korea for almost a year and a half.

Trump Comes Clean About Comey 'Tapes'

June 23, 2017

But what appears to have started as an angry, or perhaps mischievous missive triggered a series of consequences each weightier than the last. That ultimately led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller for the federal investigation into possible ties between Trump's campaign and Russian Federation.

Four GOP senators will not support current Obamacare replacement, push for changes

June 23, 2017

Trump, who campaigned heavily on a pledge to dismantle his predecessor's landmark health care reforms, offered a brief reaction to the bill's release . "Republicans believe we have a responsibility to act - and we are", Mr McConnell said after presenting the Better Care Reconciliation Act Of 2017 to the upper chamber on Thursday.

Trump reacts to Comey testimony (on Twitter, of course)

June 23, 2017

Another matter that promises to stretch out this whole affair is the view by retired Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz that the president has a constitutional right to terminate the Federal Bureau of Investigation director any time he wishes.

Trump says he's 'very supportive' of new Senate health care bill

June 23, 2017

In the end it passed on a party line vote, but that wasn't for lack of trying or compromise by the Obama administration. Though he lauded its passage in a rose garden ceremony, Mr Trump last week privately called the House measure " mean " and called on senators to make their version more "generous".

Nabra Hassanen Memorial Catches Fire In Dupont Circle

June 23, 2017

He acknowledged that the slaying has people grieving and fearful, but he praised the many people who turned out "in a fever" to search for the teen before police discovered her body Sunday afternoon. Hassanen was killed early Sunday morning as she walked with a group of friends to the mosque to Ramadan prayers after a pre-dawn meal. Family members and friends took the stage to tell stories about Ms.

Theresa May to unveil plans to 'protect' EU citizens' rights post-Brexit

June 23, 2017

Mrs May will also brief her counterparts on the UK's commitment to a new £75 million plan created to stem the flow of illegal migrants from Africa to Europe. Not for dreams and uncertainty #Brexit #Future of Europe", Michel tweeted. "This is a real added value, because it allows us to conduct missions. we will see who joins this structure", she said, giving Africa as a place for more European Union operations.

Erdogan spokesman says Turkey and Russian Federation to deploy in Syria's Idlib

June 23, 2017

Mr Macron said the worldwide community had made a "collective error" in thinking the conflict could be solved "only with military force", adding: "My deep conviction is that we need a political and diplomatic roadmap". Around Damascus, it would be "mainly Russian Federation and Iran", he added, quoted by Turkish media at a briefing for local reporters in Ankara. "There is a working group on the Syria de-escalation zones".

'Laughing My #Ossoff': Twitter Reax To Tuesday's GOP Victories

June 23, 2017

This means Republicans should be concerned about President Trump's low approval rating . Former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel defeated her Democrat opponent, one-time national security aide Jon Ossoff . And then she continued : "At some point we have to be willing to say that yes, lots of conservative voters are hateful and willing to embrace bigots".

Iraq IS militants destroy 12th century mosque in Mosul

June 23, 2017

It was during Friday prayers here on July 4, 2014, that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the founding of a new caliphate and called on fellow Sunnis to carry out a holy war. The mosque's destruction has brought widespread condemnation. The great mosque's iconic "hunchback" minaret that has towered over Mosul for centuries and that gave Iraq's second city its Hadba nickname was no more.

Londoners urged to enjoy city week after attack

June 23, 2017

Ho said he couldn't attack them as one of them might detonate what he believed was a genuine suicide belt and kill them all. Haydon also theorized the attackers may have seen the belts as a protection from being shot by police. A week after the atrocity, people returned to the Borough Market area on Saturday night - but the market is expected to stay closed for a few more days as police continue their investigation.

Otto Warmbier, student detained in North Korea, is mourned at hometown funeral

June 23, 2017

Secretary of Defense James Mattis said , "I would point out to you that China's end state on the Korean Peninsula in terms of nuclear weapons is the same as ours and we continue to work toward that end state". At the bilateral talks tomorrow, officials say the USA is looking to use trade as a weapon with China to put more pressure on North Korea. China has tightened controls on trade in North Korean coal, but many doubt that Beijing will truly enforce any sanctions that might threaten the ...

China Focus: Controversial dog meat festival celebrated despite ban rumors

June 23, 2017

There was a heavy police presence outside the market and at all intersections but officers did not seem to be checking stalls. "I know it is a local custom, but I hope our protests can push the local government to increase efforts to discourage the eating of dog meat", said Xiao, who comes to the festival every year to protest.

MSCI adds China-listed stocks to index in long-awaited move

June 23, 2017

MSCI said the move has "broad support" from worldwide institutional investors and was the result of loosening of restrictions enacted by China on foreign ownership of "A" shares - yuan-denominated stock in mainland China-based companies. We believe the most immediate impact is that global investors need to start preparing to buy into the Mainland Chinese equity market. The revised proposal helped address these issues because the 169 stocks can be easily accessed by foreigners through the ...

Corners Naidu over his loan waiver statement

June 23, 2017

We never thought that BJP will mock this situation. This was not in theinterest of the federal set up, he said citing union financeminister Arun Jaitley saying that States can write off farm loansfrom their own resources and centre cannot help.

Trump says he did not record conversations with former FBI Director Comey

June 23, 2017

He didn't, and speculation has swirled around whether the tapes exist. Trump tweeted on May 17. To date, though, Trump has treated the possibility of a White House taping system like a game show, failing to give a definitive answer on whether he was bluffing in his tweet towards Comey.

Anna varsity releases engineering merit list

June 23, 2017

Of the 14 candidates who secured top ranks (general and reserved categories) in the TNEA rank list, 10 told TOI they had written NEET and were confident of qualifying for a medical seat. degree Courses to the University Departments and Constituent Colleges of Anna University, Government and Government Aided Engineering Colleges and for the seats surrendered by the Self - Financing Engineering Colleges.

British PM To EU Citizens' Rights In UK

June 23, 2017

Germany, France, Ireland are among the states that have said they will apply to host both bodies, though diplomats say no country will get both. Trump's repeated criticism of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies, 22 of whom are EU members, for being too reliant on the United States' military, has also unnerved European leaders , who say they must do more together and see defence as a unifying force after Brexit .

United States jet 'downs Iranian-made drone' in southern Syria

June 23, 2017

On Tuesday, Operation Inherent Resolve said in a statement that a US F-15 fighter jet had shot down an Iranian-made Shaheed-129 drone near the Syrian village of al-Tanf after "it was assessed that it posed a threat to the US-led coalition forces".

EU President Says Not 'Impossible' for UK to Stay in Bloc

June 23, 2017

May also promised to cut the burdensome bureaucracy such paperwork can involve, the official said . There are two other thorny issues that have to be resolved early on - the UK's divorce bill and the Northern Ireland border. European leaders have agreed Thursday to crack down on online extremism and deepen efforts against European fighters joining extremists overseas. "My understanding all along is that this (expatriates question) is a hugely important issue for Britain and for the 27 ...

Brown appoints Johnny Dladla as Eskom's acting CEO

June 23, 2017

He said that Dladla had demonstrated "sterling leadership" in executing turnaround strategies at the power utility. In her "State of Capture" report, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela detailed cellphone records showing that, between the period August 2, 2015, and March 22, 2016, Molefe, then CEO, called Ajay Gupta 44 times and Gupta called Molefe 14 times.

Thousands of mourners bid farewell to Warmbier

June 23, 2017

Warmbier, a 22-year-old University of Virginia undergraduate student who was sentenced in March 2016 to 15 years in prison with hard labor in North Korea, died this week, days after returning to the United States. "It was not just my life he made more colorful, but everyone else's", she said. Tillerson said the delegations also had a "frank exchange of views on the South China Sea", where the Chinese military is engaged in a controversial island-building project, which the United States ...

Two arrested at anti-Sharia Law protest

June 23, 2017

Participants chanted "No hate, no fear, Muslims are welcome here" on their way to City Hall, while a phalanx of bicycle police officers separated them from an anti-Shariah rally numbering in the dozens. Anti-Islamic law demonstrators marched past the building where the shootings occurred. More than 100 U.S. religious and civil liberties groups denounced the rallies as disingenuously fear-mongering, and condemned the protests in a letter to the mayors of host cities.

Trump calls Comey cowardly for leaks

June 23, 2017

He said people would know about it very soon. Sacked FBI chief Comey delivered his bombshell allegations at a Senate hearing Thursday, saying in his sworn testimony that he had asked a "friend" identified as a Columbia University law professor to release a memo of his conversations with the president to the press.

Student detained in N Korea is mourned at hometown funeral

June 23, 2017

Hundreds of mourners are celebrating the life of an American college student who was detained in North Korea for over a year and died shortly after being returned home to OH in a coma. "He was a goofy kid". A bagpiper played as the coffin was carried to a hearse. "I had to come out to support the family, and also just to show, in my opinion, the North Korean government that we are a dignified country, unlike them", said Koss a 70-year-old Wyoming resident.

Final farewell for US student detained by North Korea

June 23, 2017

The Hamilton County Coroner's Office was still conferring on Tuesday with doctors at a Cincinnati hospital who were treating Otto Warmbier, 22, before reaching any conclusions about his death a day earlier, investigator Daryl Zornes said .

Senate Republicans unveil closely-guarded health care bill

June 23, 2017

Because it forced people to obtain health insurance or pay a penalty, Obamacare provided tax subsidies to help people - up to a certain income level - pay for it. "And I can not support a bill that is going to make such deep cuts to Medicaid that's going to shift billions of dollars in costs to our state government, to those who have insurance, and to health-care providers such as rural hospitals which would be faced with a great deal of uncompensated care", Collins said.

Australia says to resume air strikes in Syria after Russian Federation threat

June 23, 2017

Operations were suspended earlier this week, after a U.S. fighter jet shot down a Syrian warplane. Murphy's remarks came two days after a U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down a Syrian warplane for the first time, prompting Russian Federation to issue a threat against American airborne assets over Syrian airspace.

Rep. Biggs says Senate bill fails repeal vow

June 23, 2017

But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., indicated he was open to discussion and seemed determined to muscle the measure through his chamber next week. Pearson said those subsidies will be smaller than under current law. "It does not keep our promises to the American people". The Senate bill essentially ends Obama's expansion of Medicaid, costing up to 400,000 Arizonans coverage within about six years.

Trump admits he has no tapes of Comey meetings

June 23, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he did not make and does not possess any tapes of his conversations with James Comey , after suggesting last month he might have recordings that could damage the former Federal Bureau of Investigation director.

Trump says he didn't tape of conversations with Comey

June 23, 2017

There had been speculation that Trump did have tapes of some of his meetings with Comey because he tweeted in May that Comey "better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" Comey's reaction to Trump's tweet regarding the possible existence of tapes was a sigh of relief, according to the testimony.

London Grenfell Tower fire death toll hits 79

June 23, 2017

The cause of Wednesday's blaze is still under investigation, but anger has mounted in the community amid reports that exterior paneling used in an extensive renovation completed past year may have spread the flames. The Prime Minister said there had been "huge frustrations" on the ground as people struggled to find information. Cundy explained that one of the reasons identification has been so hard is because dental records are needed from victims who hailed from different countries around ...

Four Republican senators announce opposition to current health care bill

June 23, 2017

No wonder McConnell kept the bill secret for so long. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky says he and three other Republican senators are preparing to announced their opposition to the Senate health care bill as it's written. There's also been unconfirmed reports of blood on the floor in the hallway. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has yet to score the bill.

No tapes: Trump says he didn't record meetings with Comey

June 23, 2017

Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" Huckabee Sanders couldn't say why Trump waited 41 days, despite being frequently asked by the press, to give a definitive answer. He told reporters they would have to wait "a fairly short period of time" to find out. Trump: Okay. Do you have a question here? Trump for weeks fed speculation about the tapes, repeatedly fending off questions about them with quips that he will answer the ...

Obamacare replacement bill runs into Republican trouble

June 23, 2017

The senators agreed on this decision, McConnell said, "so Americans are no longer forced to buy insurance they don't need or can't afford". Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is pushing for a vote by the end of next week - which won't give Senate Democrats who were snubbed during the drafting process much time to review the 142-page bill.

USA soldiers killed, 1 wounded in Taliban attack in Afghanistan

June 23, 2017

Hundreds of US Marines recently arrived in Helmand to take over an advising mission as part of the NATO-led coalition training and assisting Afghan forces. But suffice it to say, when heroes fall, Americans grieve. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of American heroes". USA officials estimate that ISIS has 600 to 800 fighters in the country, mostly former members of other regional terror groups, including the Pakistani Taliban and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

Donald Trump: I have no recordings of chats with fired Federal Bureau of Investigation director

June 23, 2017

It was in that context that Mr Trump sent his tweet , hinting that there were tapes of the conversation. One person who was willing to go on the record, however, was Trump pal and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich , who tried to downplay the whole thing by telling the AP that, "I think he was in his way instinctively trying to rattle Comey".

Warner says Trump 'never ceases to amaze me'

June 23, 2017

Mr Trump tweeted the next day that Mr Comey "better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" Some legal experts have said that Trump's threat could be used in an obstruction of justice case against him, since it could be interpreted as putting pressure on Comey not to discuss their conversations about the FBI's Russian Federation investigation.

Trump says he didn't record his conversations with Comey

June 23, 2017

Weeks after threatening former FBI Director James Comey with supposed taped conversations, President Donald Trump has tweeted those tapes do not exist. "He's not a professional politician". But the "Watergate" analogy the media have been trying to draw for months would have fed on the prospect of a battle over executive privilege, which is what eventually brought Richard Nixon down.

Australia resumes anti-IS air raids in Syria

June 23, 2017

They are attempting to become an indispensable player in uprooting the extremists from Syria entirely. There are concerns that further confrontations could lead to a breakout of hostilities that would hinder the battle against the Islamic State.

EU Council President Tusk Says 'Dreams' About UK Staying in EU

June 23, 2017

The agenda of the first round of negotiations is set to be focused on citizens' rights, the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, as well as financial settlements and other separation issues. To show the "goodwill" her aides often refer to, May will have a separate conversation with European Council President Donald Tusk and hopes to have other one-on-one meetings.

Trump says Comey's 'leaks' are more prevalent

June 23, 2017

On Friday, leaders of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said that they had asked Comey for the memos of his discussions with Trump and told the White House to produce any recordings or memos of conversations between Trump and Comey.

The AP Takes a Sober Look at the Democrats

June 23, 2017

After one of the most contentious and the most expensive Congressional races in us history, Handel easily defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff 53 percent to 47 percent Tuesday night. "Wealthy California Liberals Fail To Buy An Election In Georgia ", Donald Trump went on to tweet , while attaching to an article from the Daily Caller that highlighted the Democratic loss despite a wide financial advantage.

Australian Air Force to resume Syria strikes

June 23, 2017

A Syrian military official in Damascus said the truce was not extended. All of the strikes, the Pentagon has said, were in self-defense and legal under the Authorization for Use of Military Force passed after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Senate Republicans Reveal Health Care Bill

June 23, 2017

The measure encountered immediate trouble as four GOP senators said they opposed it but were open to negotiations. It would also let states get waivers to ignore some coverage standards that "Obamacare" requires of insurers. More than half a dozen GOP senators have expressed problems with the measure, and a defeat would be a humiliating setback for Trump and McConnell on one of their party's top priorities.

Bahrain says it too will jail Qatar sympathisers

June 23, 2017

Trump had previously appeared to side with the Saudis and other nations against Qatar in a series of tweets on Tuesday. Qatar has backed Islamist movements but strongly denies supporting terrorism. "Any expression of sympathy with the government of Qatar or opposition to the measures taken by the government of Bahrain, whether through social media, Twitter or any other form of communication, is a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine", a Bahraini interior ...

President Trump says he didn't tape conversations with Comey

June 23, 2017

Comey testified the president asked that he "let go" of the investigation into Michael Flynn , Trump's former national security adviser. "James Comey better hope there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" Nixon's tapes eventually led to the 1974 Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act, which requires any recordings preserved as presidential records and eventually released to the public.

Trumps says he did not tape conversations with Comey

June 23, 2017

They declined to provide answers each time . Press Secretary Sean Spicer would not comment, and Trump said cryptically in a press conference two weeks ago that "maybe sometime in the very near future" he would elaborate on his tweet . Was Trump concerned that he was under surveillance by others while in the Oval Office? He added, "The president surely knows whether he taped me, and if he did, my feelings aren't hurt".

'I did not make, and do not have' Comey tapes

June 23, 2017

It was a surreal new twist to a presidency that has often already stretched the limits of credulity, and has challenged conventions on the decorum and gravity expected in the behavior of the person who holds the office itself. But he largely appeared to close the saga that began in May, just days after he fired Comey, then the head of an investigation into Trump associates' ties to Russian officials.

Read The Full Text Of The Senate Health Care Bill

June 23, 2017

Calling the GOP leadership's bill "a massive transfer of wealth from middle-class and poor families to the richest people in America", he called on Americans to push back against congressional Republicans. Pregnant women are excluded from any remaining Medicaid expansion benefits, according to the draft. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said about the last-minute discussions.

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