Corax
New York Times spreads discredited allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, then calls alleged degrading act at dorm party involving private parts "harmless fun"
World
Julian Assange to remain in prison when his jail term ends on 22 September, judge rules after hearing there is resaon to believe he would abscond, Assange will go from being a serving prisoner to a person facing extradition
China buys at least 10 boat loads of US soybeans in biggest purchases since June ahead of high-level talks next month aimed at ending bilateral trade war, indication that trade tensions between Washington and Beijing may be easing
20-year Afghan man that stabbed two american tourists outside Amsterdam Central Station in 2018 says he came to the Netherlands to kill people living in the country due to the Dutch state not stopping Geert Wilders from making disparaging remarks about Muhammad and Islam, refuses to mention Wilders by name, instead only referring to him as pig
Donald Trump says he is open to meeting Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to discuss new nuclear deal, following Rouhani's statement he would meet anyone if he felt it would benefit his country, Trump states Iran can be a great nation, but they have to be "good players" before he would agree to a meeting
Nasa investigates first known crime committed in space, an astronaut allegedly accessed bank account of her estranged spouse from the International Space Station, admits to accessing the account but says she was merely making sure family's finances were in order
Tens of thousands chanting protesters hold hands to form human chain across Hong Kong in peaceful demonstration dubbed the Hong Kong Way, inspired by the 1989 Baltic Way when an estimated two million people joined arms across three Baltic states in protest against then-Soviet rule
Russia sends world’s first floating nuclear power plant to Chukotka Region to provide Russia's remote areas with heat and energy, leaves from Murmansk and will reach its destination by end of September, capable of producing 70 megawatts of electricity and 58 MW of heat
Donald Trump postpones Denmark visit, citing Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments on President's wish to discuss a purchase of Greenland, praises the Prime Minister for being so direct saying it saves a great deal of expense and effort for both countries
ISIS recruit Jack Letts has his British citizenship revoked, Jihadi Jack joined the terrorists in Syria in 2014, calling himself an enemy of Britain, begged to be allowed back to UK after being captured by Kurdish authorities, despite previously saying he wanted to be a suicide bomber, sparks row with Canada where he has joint citizenship
Miscellaneous
BangBros online porn site makes bid on naming rights for home of Miami Heat currently known as American Airlines Arena, bids USD 10 million for 10-year deal, wishes to call venue the BangBros Center, or BBC, which isn't alluding to British Broadcast Corporation
Cametrione Moore-Brown gives birth to baby girl Christina weighing 9lb 11oz at 9:11pm on 9/11 – commemorations held across US to mark 18 years since the 11 September 2001 attack which left nearly 3,000 people killed
Barcelona-based vegan activist Mythical Mia steals 16 rabbits from Osono farm, resulting in 90 abandoned bunnies being euthanized, initial boasts on Instagram leads to account being disabled
Former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan wishes to see a women for the role of 007 and refers to the importance of #Meetoo, the current star Daniel Craig is also positive, producer Barbara Broccoli has previously defended Bond's manliness and opposed gender ideology
Government decide to follow Japanese tradition of family-name-first order when using Roman alphabet to write Japanese names, practice to write given name first in foreign language began in 19th to early 20th centuries, writing in Japanese family name is always written first
Cardinal Achille Silvestrini dies at 95, the long-time Vatican diplomat played an important role in negotiations between Italian authorities and the Holy See on the agreement revising the Lateran Treaty in 1984
Owner of amusement park in German town of Löffingen shuts down ride that from a distance looks like two swirling swastikas, apologizes to anyone offended by the ride and says it won't be opened again until manufacturer makes modifications
Media
PewDiePie cancels USD 50,000 donation to far-left Anti Defamation League, says he made the mistake of picking a charity he was advised to instead of picking one he is personally passionate about, saw it as an opportunity to put an end to alt-right claims thrown against him
Twitter CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey has own account taken over by hackers, group referring to itself as the Chuckling Squad claims responsibility, account tweeted out remarks using the n-word and anti-Semitic comments referencing the Holocaust
Sky News New Zealand fined equivalent of USD 2,500 by Broadcasting Standards Authority for broadcasting clips of Christchurch massacre, watchdog rules video had potential to cause significant distress to Muslim community as well as family and friends of victims
Facebook collects audio from voice chats on Messenger and pay contractors to listen to and transcribe them, tech giant says it only affect users who have given their consent, but doesn't disclose in its data-use policies it transcribes user audio, Bloomberg reports
India's government contacts international media such as Al Jazeera and BBC over alleged fabricated Kashmir videos, claims only 20 people were present at protest which report says 10,000 took part in, news organisations say videos are geniune and they can provide raw footage if required
Federal judge orders Daily Stormer founder Andrew Anglin to pay Jewish woman Tanya Gersh USD 14 million in damages, Gersh and her family were harassed for years after Anglin posted her name and contact information in article covering her dispute with Richard Spencer's mother
Facebook offers news outlets millions of dollars to license their content for its new News tab, to be launched later this year, no longer interested in driving traffic to traditional news sites
The movie The Hunt portrays liberal elites kidnapping and hunting "deplorables" who express pro-life positions or are deemed racist, hits theaters in September
Network provider Cloudflare terminates 8chan's service, says evidence shows suspected El Paso shooter as well as the Christchurch shooter posted to the website before the attacks, wishes to work with policy makers regarding "lawless platforms" such as 8chan and Daily Stormer
Ines Pohl, Deutsche Welle editor-in-chief: The Frankfurt tragedy where an Eritrean man threw an 8-year-old in front of a train will have serious consequences for an already-tense societal debate, balancing insecurity with maintaining Germany's identity as a prosperous country – important to report truthfully and impartially, and the perpetrator's origin is a part of the full truth
Politics
Six polls show Joe Biden with clear lead over Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren in Democratic Party's primary race, one poll show lead of as many as 18 percentage points
Donald Trump says US must in one voice condemn racism, bigotry and white supremacy, following recent mass shootings, outlines policy for more co-operation between agencies and social media companies and calls for death penalty for hate crimes and mass murders, adding that mental illness and hate pull the trigger, not the gun
Leftist congresswoman Ilhan Omar to divorce husband and father of her three children for second time, bust-up comes as critics demand answers as to whether she married her own brother in-between the two marriages in a successful bid to get him into the United States
New Leader of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg issues list of rules to staff, non-titled males to be referred to as Esquire, imperial measurements to be used and banned words include equal, speculate, invest, unacceptable, yourself, hopefully, disappointment and lot
Boris Johnson to become next UK prime minister after being elected new Conservative leader, wins twice as many votes as Jeremy Hunt, takes over from Theresa May on Wednesday, promises to deliver Brexit on 31 October, unite the country and defeat Jeremy Corbyn
Sweden extends smoking ban to public places including outdoor restaurants, train stations and playgrounds, extends 2005 law which banned smoking inside bars and restaurants, PM Stefan Löfven wants country to be smoke-free by 2025
Liberalism has outlived its purpose and come in conflict with interests of majority of people by promoting immigration, open borders and multiculturalism, says Vladimir Putin in interview with Financial Times
Boris Johnson and foreign minister Jeremy Hunt only two candidates left in race to become British prime minister after a fifth and final ballot of Conservative lawmakers, with Johnson earning 160 votes versus Hunt's 77
Opinion
Robert P. Murphy: Plastic bans provide no benefit as OECD countries contribute less than 5% of the plastic waste from land sources and the bans come with unintended consequences such as increased sales of environmentally worse paper and cotton bags, costs are however real with increased spread of diseases and less convenience
Graham Dockery: Greta Thunberg sail across the Atlantic reveals the disregard and contempt the elite have for the miserable masses, common folk can't hire Monegasque royalty for a USA trip on a EUR 4 million yacht, to demand people to give up car and air travel, eat insects and have fewer children is the ultimate in anti-humanitarianism
Patrick Minford: No deal Brexit followed by US-UK trade deal would result in US goods at best world prices, meaning some 20% lower UK prices without EU trade protection, EU-UK tariffs would be paid by EU traders both ways, as EU would need to match new prices on UK market, this leading to EU being more obliging in Brexit negotiations
Charles Day: Article in EU 31 October Brexit extension law in effect means Britain already left EU on June 1, as UK has not ratified Withdrawal Agreement, but EU makes bad law all the time which no one seems to read, UK does not need guiding beneficence of people who can not even do the simplest, yet important, tasks properly
Costas Lapavitsas: New EU appointments still more evidence it is impossible to reform the transnational juggernaut of Brussels, were supposed to reflect results in EU elections, Britain confronted by an EU that is not the confident giant some imagine it to be, as new deadline for Brexit approaches
Caitlin Johnstone: Julian Assange's lawyer says Assange's health situation makes it impossible to conduct a normal conversation with him, has been transferred to hospital wing of Belmarsh prison, met with silence by mainstream media
76 retired generals, admirals and ambassadors urge Trump to de-escalate conflict with Iran to avoid dragging US into a war at immense financial, human and geopolitical cost
Trent England: The Electoral College is a check on government power, a restraint on the majority and requires geographic balance, rural Americans would be serfs if we abolished it
Sky Views: Government is quietly creating digital passport without us noticing, porn block a testing ground, government's Robust age verification introduces inescapable ID checks built into the foundation of browsing, home office also explores age verification technology, public debate silenced by warnings of the "monsters" of the internet
Brendan O’Neill: Anyone who doubts the green movement is morphing into millenarian cult should take a look at Greta Thunberg, the monotone voice, look of apocalyptic dread in her eyes and talk of coming great fire that will punish us, echoes 1600s preachers warning parishioners of the coming hellfire if they fail to give up their witches, Extinction Rebellion a public manifestation of millenarian fear, bourgeois depression and contempt for ordinary people
Europe
Six polls show Joe Biden with clear lead over Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren in Democratic Party's primary race, one poll show lead of as many as 18 percentage points
Donald Trump says US must in one voice condemn racism, bigotry and white supremacy, following recent mass shootings, outlines policy for more co-operation between agencies and social media companies and calls for death penalty for hate crimes and mass murders, adding that mental illness and hate pull the trigger, not the gun
Leftist congresswoman Ilhan Omar to divorce husband and father of her three children for second time, bust-up comes as critics demand answers as to whether she married her own brother in-between the two marriages in a successful bid to get him into the United States
New Leader of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg issues list of rules to staff, non-titled males to be referred to as Esquire, imperial measurements to be used and banned words include equal, speculate, invest, unacceptable, yourself, hopefully, disappointment and lot
Boris Johnson to become next UK prime minister after being elected new Conservative leader, wins twice as many votes as Jeremy Hunt, takes over from Theresa May on Wednesday, promises to deliver Brexit on 31 October, unite the country and defeat Jeremy Corbyn
Sweden extends smoking ban to public places including outdoor restaurants, train stations and playgrounds, extends 2005 law which banned smoking inside bars and restaurants, PM Stefan Löfven wants country to be smoke-free by 2025
Liberalism has outlived its purpose and come in conflict with interests of majority of people by promoting immigration, open borders and multiculturalism, says Vladimir Putin in interview with Financial Times
Boris Johnson and foreign minister Jeremy Hunt only two candidates left in race to become British prime minister after a fifth and final ballot of Conservative lawmakers, with Johnson earning 160 votes versus Hunt's 77
North America
New York Times spreads discredited allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, then calls alleged degrading act at dorm party involving private parts "harmless fun"
US federal government spent record USD 4.2 trillion in first eleven months of fiscal 2019 (October through August), running a deficit of USD 1.1 trillion
Actress Felicity Huffman is sent to 14 days in prison and USD 30,000 fine for paying an admissions consultant USD 15,000 to have her daughter's answers on the SAT corrected, part of a college admissions cheating scheme across US
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma near agreement with 2,000 cities, counties and other plaintiffs suing the company and Sackler family over role in US opioid crisis, in deal valued at up to USD 12 billion, more than dozen other states opposed or uncommitted to deal, setting stage for legal battle in bankruptcy proceedings starting next week
Justin Trudeau calls a federal election for 21 October, opinion polls indicate tough race for the prime minister, who is seeking a second term in office, with both Liberals and Conservatives on just over 30% support
Gun sales surge 15% in US compared to 2018, driven in part by Americans seeking self-protection and deep concerns congressional Democrats are going to push through expanded gun control legislation
Donald Trump fires his National Security Advisor John Bolton, says he disagreed strongly with many of Bolton's suggestions and that a replacement will be appointed next week
Grocery chain Fred Meyer posts fliers seeking replacement workers in the event of a strike, promises a USD 15 hourly wage which is more than some of the union members make, does not sit well with the union who wish they would share those resources with people who have given their lives and careers to the company instead
Latin America
Cuba imposes price controls on basic foods such as beans and pork to tame inflation as it increases state wages and pensions, regional price controls on taxi fares and haircuts introduced in recent weeks – butcher says margins are gone, and produce seller has stopped selling price-controlled lemons
Brazil implements policy prohibiting entry for dictator Nicolás Maduro and high-ranking Venezuelan regime officials, list to be updated continuously
Venezuela issues US travel warning following the mass shootings, writes growing violence finds echo and sustenance in "speeches and actions impregnated with racial discrimination and hatred against migrant populations", cites population's indiscriminate possession of firearms reason to avoid certain areas
At least 52 people killed in prison riot in Altamira jail in Pará state in Brazil, two rival gangs battled for five hours, 16 dead decapitated and part of building set on fire suffocating many, prison has a capacity of 200 but was occupied by 311 prisoners
Brazil appoints Jair Bolsonaro's son Eduardo its ambassador to US, president criticised for nepotism but says decision aims to improve relationship with Trump government
Cuban shortage of over 40 key medications, blames shortages of raw materials, patients camp out at pharmacies hoping to secure a prime place in line in hope for a new shipment, meantime Cuba sends "slave doctors" abroad in exchange for lucrative contracts and to earn praise from leftist American celebrities
Venezuelan 16-year-old Rufo Chacón blinded after being shot in face with rubber bullets 52 times of which 16 hit his eyes during San Cristobál protests against cooking gas shortages, same time boy's younger brother received blow to his skull from police baton, two officers awaiting trial
Asia
People in Hong Kong have started singing new protest anthem called Glory to Hong Kong, some thinking it should replace Chinese national anthem
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte invites citizens to shoot, but not kill, any public officials they witness taking bribes, promising immunity from prosecution, is careful distinguishing tokens of gratitude from bribes
South Korea formally asks IOC to ban Japanese rising sun flag at next year's Tokyo Games, South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism calls it a symbol of Japan's historical injustices
Hong Kong police ruthlessly hit people with batons and use pepper spray on metro train, claim they were called to scene amid violence against citizens by radical protesters, unclear if all those injured and arrested were involved in demonstrations
Japan's defense budget of USD 50.3 billion an increase of 1.2%, spending risen by 13% since Shinzo Abe took office, plans to acquire 42 F-35B stealth fighter jets and 105 F-35As in coming years, critics say it's more than is needed for a country committed to self-defense, Japan also plans developing a successor for its aging F-2 fighter jets
Several prominent Hong Kong activists arrested in less than 24 hours amid police crackdown, Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow of political party Demosistō, independence campaigner Andy Chan and lawmaker Cheng Chung-tai of localist Civic Passion party detained
Hong Kong police fires warning shot for the first time in clashes with demonstrators, fires total of 215 rounds of tear gas and 74 rubber bullets over the weekend, while protesters throws bricks and petrol bombs at police, more demonstrations planned in days and weeks ahead
MIDDLE EAST
Two major Saudi Arabia oil facilities set alight by drone attacks, the fires at the state-owned oil processing plants in Abqaiq and Khurais are said to be under control
Benjamin Netanyahu promises to annex all settlements in the West Bank if reelected, says the Trump peace plan offers a historic opportunity
Australia sends frigate and spy plane to Strait of Hormuz in the name of national security and economic interests, previously only UK and Israel have volunteered to join US-led flotilla
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas fires all advisers amid financial crisis in the West Bank where most of its employees has had salaries cut by half to keep the government afloat, move comes following Israel's decision in February to withhold USD 10 million a month in tax transfers corresponding to what Palestinian Authorities pay prisoners in Israeli jails or their families
Palestinian Authority bans LGBTQ group Al-Qaws from operating in the West Bank, police spokesman calls such activities "harmful to the higher values and ideals of Palestinian society" and unrelated to Palestinian traditions and customs
American and British military posturing in Persian Gulf undermines regional security, Iranian Revolutionary Guard's navy says, suggests Iran form coalition with neighboring states to guarantee security in the Gulf
Suicide bomber kills 63 people and injures 180 at wedding hall in Kabul, in area mostly populated by Shia Muslims, ISIS terrorists claim responsibility for the bombing
Africa
Catholic priest David Tanko killed in Nigeria when his car was set ablaze, was traveling to a peace meeting of local clergymen to discuss a conflict between Tiv and Jukun ethic groups, Taraba State Council said Tiv militia carried out the attack
Tchad declares three months state of emergency in eastern provinces Sila and Ouaddaï where 50 people have been killed in ethnic violence between cattle herders and settled farmers since August 9, President Idriss Déby says military forces will be deployed and civilians disarmed
Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa says economic hardship will pass despite being compounded by natural disasters as the Transitional Stabilisation Programme lays foundation for economic turnaround – urges Church to feed the vulnerable and support government's food distribution exercise, blames greed by unscrupulous businesspeople as reason behind escalating prices of basic commodities
Politician breaking wind shuts down session of parliament in Kenya, speaker orders air fresheners brought to the chamber to tackle problem while members blames each other for offending smell
Nigerian state of Borno bans street begging, police spokesman says the command "will not fold its arms and watch unscrupulous elements jeopardise the hard-earned peace and security of the state"
More than 5 million Zimbabweans, about a third of the population, need food aid according to UN, 2.5 million people on cusp of starvation, severe drought and Cyclone Isai named as causes of crisis, UN's World Food Programme was already appealing for USD 294 million but says now an additional USD 331 million is needed
95-year-old former Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe hospitalised in Singapore since April, regularly travels to the country for medical check-ups but this time had to be kept under observation, President Emmerson Mnangagwa says Mugabe is making good progress and could be discharged soon
Half of Ebola cases remain undetected in Democratic Republic of the Congo and the epidemic could last up to three years, according to country's new Ebola response coordinator Jean-Jacques Muyembe
Namibia's land reform minister Utoni Nujoma says drought-affected farmers have themselves to blame for not fencing off and not avoiding overgrazing their land the way white farmers do, and that extending resettlement farm program risks turning the whole country into desert, lashes out at communities for "bedevilling mentality of entitlement"
One dead and 14 injured in clash between park rangers and Pygmies near Kahuzi Biega national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – increased tensions lately as Pygmies dislike being denied access to the 6,000-square-kilometre gorilla haven, and rangers accuse the group of illegal entering and deforesting
Economy
Jyske Bank in Denmark offering customers 10-year mortgages at -0.5% interest rate, Nordea already offers 20-year mortgage with 0% interest, reflects the uncertainty in world economy and investors' fear of a crash in the near future which is why they rather take a small loss in the long run
US Department of the Treasury designates China as currency manipulator, Secretary Steven Mnuchin to engage with the International Monetary Fund to eliminate the unfair competitive advantage created by China’s latest actions
US Federal Reserve lowers interest rates by 0.25% to 2.00% and signals readiness for further cuts, first rate cut since 2008
Iran's government approves plan to remove four zeroes from currency and rename it "toman" to simplify transactions, current rial trades at around 42,000 to the USD officially and 120,000 on the street, parliament to give final approval
Boeing takes USD 4.9 billion hit to compensate its customers for 737 Max aircraft schedule disruptions and aircraft delivery delays, says it hopes aircraft will return to service in fourth quarter of 2019, FAA says it follows a process, rather than a prescribed timeline, still Boeing's share price rose 4%
Donald Trump orders investigation into France's planned tax targeting companies based abroad offering digital services in the country, US say the 3% tax based on revenue generated in the country is clearly protectionist and unfairly targets American companies, effects companies with revenue over EUR 750 million of which EUR 25 million generated in France
Democracies on track to lose global economic dominance, within five years autocratic countries will account for more than half of global income after learning to combine autocratic rule with market-friendly institutions, according to political scientists Roberto Stefan Foa and Yascha Mounk
Technology
Toyota aims for future Prius to be self-sufficient via solar panels, prototype covered with panels adds 56 km to car's range
Security researcher decides on "NULL" for personalized number plate, hoping to be invisible to DMV ticketing system, instead every ticket without a real plate is sent to him once NULL was associated with his address, earning him a total of USD 12,049 worth of tickets
Huawei unveils HarmonyOS, microkernel-based distributed operating system, claims system more powerful and secure than Android and with IPC performance five times that of Google’s Fuchsia, continues using Android with HarmonyOS as official backup plan
Tesla launches Megapack, a modular system for large-scale energy storage, units with storage capacity of 3 MWh each can be built together for energy storage facilities up to 1 GWh and 250 MW output on 3 acres of land and be delivered ready for operation in three months
Elon Musk's Neuralink develops robot-assisted method for implanting flexible electrode threads with a total of 3072 electrodes into rat brains and register data from all of them, the company sees potential to implant several units into human brains
Peter Thiel says FBI and CIA should investigate if Google has been infiltrated by Chinese intelligence, as Alphabet chooses to work with Chinese and not US military, comparing Google's AI program to the Manhattan Project
Instagram uses AI to curb bullying, asks users to think again before posting unkind comments, first introduced to English-speaking Instagram users, company also tests feature allowing users to control who sees their comments without them knowing
30% of world's VPN services secretly owned by six Chinese companies, according to study by cyber security group VPNpro
Science
Chinese scientist might be closer to a HIV cure after trials using gene-editing technique CRISPR to edit the CCR5 gene show promise
International collaboration claims to have created hybridized human-monkey embryos in China, aims to create organ factories for transplants, project leader Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte previously failed to grow pig embryos using human stem cells
Russian space mission carrying the Spektr-RG telescope launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, joint venture with Germany aims to map X-rays across entire sky, trace the large-scale structure of Universe, provide insights on accelerating behaviour of cosmic expansion and identify a large number of new X-ray sources, including large black holes
New research on hominin skull fossil Apidima 1 suggests Homo Sapiens were in Europe more than 200,000 years ago, 150,000 years earlier than modern humans were believed to have spread to the continent, fossil was found in Greece in the 1970s
Researchers find correlation between amount of money in a lost wallet and return rate, the more money the bigger likelihood to report a lost wallet, contrary to predictions made by top-performing academic economists
Ionizing radiation not as dangerous to astronauts as previously believed, study of 418 spacefaring individuals finds no increased risk of death from cancer or heart disease
Planting trees most effective method of countering climate change, say researchers at ETH Zürich, planet has room for 500 billion more trees which would bind 200 billion tonnes of carbon and reduce atmospheric carbon by 25%
13-year-old Canadian Nora Keegan publishes research paper examining loudness of automated hand dryers on children's heights, assessing 44 different models, some operating at 110 decibels, also developed a synthetic air filter reduces noise by 11 decibels
Swedish and British scientists show individual’s genetic make-up has great influence on whether they choose to acquire a dog, concordance rates of dog ownership much larger in identical twins than in non-identical ones, next step to identify which genetic variants affect this choice using data from Swedish Twin Registry
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