EU and Iran agree on new payment system to skirt US sanctions
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/09/eu-iran-agree-payment-system-skirt-sanctions-180925050920569.html
In a major snub to the United States, the European Union has decided to set up a new mechanism to enable legal trade with Iran without encountering US sanctions.
The EU will create new payment channels to preserve oil and other business deals with Iran, Federica Mogherini, the bloc's foreign policy chief said late on Monday, in a bid to evade US punitive measures.
Mogherini's announcement came after a meeting with foreign ministers from Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, and Iran on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
"In practical terms this will mean that EU member states will set up a legal entity to facilitate legitimate financial transactions with Iran and this will allow European companies to continue to trade with Iran in accordance with European Union law and could be open to other partners in the world," she told reporters after the closed-door meeting.
The EU, along with Russia and China, said in a joint statement that the so-called "Special Purpose Vehicle" will "assist and reassure economic operators pursuing legitimate business with Iran".
國際時事政治選舉新聞張貼及討論區（五）
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Brett Kavanaugh: third woman accuses supreme court nominee of sexual misconduct
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/26/brett-kavanaugh-latest-accusation-julie-swetnick-sexual-misconduct-michael-avenatti
A third woman has come forward to accuse Donald Trump’s supreme court pick, Brett Kavanaugh, of sexual misconduct, according to a statement published on Wednesday by her lawyer, Michael Avenatti.
Avenatti tweeted a declaration made in the name of Julie Swetnick, a resident of Washington DC, which said she had met Kavanaugh and his school friend Mark Judge in the early 1980s and attended the same parties.
The declaration said she had “observed Brett Kavanaugh drink excessively at these parties and engage in abusive and physically aggressive behaviour towards girls, including pressing girls against him without their consent, ‘grinding’ against girls and attempting to remove or shift girls’ clothing to expose private body parts”.
Swetnick, 55, said she was at parties where Kavanaugh and his friend Judge were involved in situations that resulted in women being gang-raped.
She wrote: “I witnessed efforts by Mark Judge, Brett Kavanaugh and others to cause girls to become inebriated and disoriented so they could then be ‘gang-raped’ in a side room or bedroom by a ‘train’ of numerous boys…”
“In approximately 1982, I became the victim of one of these ‘gang’ or ‘train’ rapes where Mark Judge and Brett Kavanaugh were present.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/26/brett-kavanaugh-latest-accusation-julie-swetnick-sexual-misconduct-michael-avenatti
A third woman has come forward to accuse Donald Trump’s supreme court pick, Brett Kavanaugh, of sexual misconduct, according to a statement published on Wednesday by her lawyer, Michael Avenatti.
Avenatti tweeted a declaration made in the name of Julie Swetnick, a resident of Washington DC, which said she had met Kavanaugh and his school friend Mark Judge in the early 1980s and attended the same parties.
The declaration said she had “observed Brett Kavanaugh drink excessively at these parties and engage in abusive and physically aggressive behaviour towards girls, including pressing girls against him without their consent, ‘grinding’ against girls and attempting to remove or shift girls’ clothing to expose private body parts”.
Swetnick, 55, said she was at parties where Kavanaugh and his friend Judge were involved in situations that resulted in women being gang-raped.
She wrote: “I witnessed efforts by Mark Judge, Brett Kavanaugh and others to cause girls to become inebriated and disoriented so they could then be ‘gang-raped’ in a side room or bedroom by a ‘train’ of numerous boys…”
“In approximately 1982, I became the victim of one of these ‘gang’ or ‘train’ rapes where Mark Judge and Brett Kavanaugh were present.”
Trump says he prefers to keep Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein in his job
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-rosenstein/trump-says-he-prefers-to-keep-deputy-attorney-general-rosenstein-in-his-job-idUSKCN1M631P
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would prefer to keep Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in his job, after the New York Times reported Rosenstein had suggested secretly recording Trump and recruiting Cabinet members to remove the president from office.
“I’m talking with him. We’ve had a good talk. He said he never said it. He said he doesn’t believe. He said he has a lot of respect for me. And he was very nice. And we’ll see,” he said at a news conference, when asked if he would fire Rosenstein.
“My preference would be to keep him and to let him finish up,” Trump said, without explaining what he would like Rosenstein to finish working on.
Rosenstein currently oversees Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s independent investigation into possible Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Russia denies interfering. Rosenstein is often the target of Trump’s anger.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-rosenstein/trump-says-he-prefers-to-keep-deputy-attorney-general-rosenstein-in-his-job-idUSKCN1M631P
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would prefer to keep Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in his job, after the New York Times reported Rosenstein had suggested secretly recording Trump and recruiting Cabinet members to remove the president from office.
“I’m talking with him. We’ve had a good talk. He said he never said it. He said he doesn’t believe. He said he has a lot of respect for me. And he was very nice. And we’ll see,” he said at a news conference, when asked if he would fire Rosenstein.
“My preference would be to keep him and to let him finish up,” Trump said, without explaining what he would like Rosenstein to finish working on.
Rosenstein currently oversees Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s independent investigation into possible Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Russia denies interfering. Rosenstein is often the target of Trump’s anger.
Trump accuses China of 2018 election meddling; Beijing rejects charge
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-un/trump-accuses-china-of-2018-election-meddling-beijing-rejects-charge-idUSKCN1M623Y
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday accused China of seeking to meddle in the Nov. 6 U.S. congressional elections, saying Beijing did not want his Republican Party to do well because of his pugnacious stance on trade.
“China has been attempting to interfere in our upcoming 2018 election, coming up in November. Against my administration,” Trump told a U.N. Security Council meeting whose ostensible subject was nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Chairing the Council for the first time, Trump made no reference to suspected Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and provided no evidence for his allegation about China, which Beijing immediately rejected during the same meeting.
“We did not and will not interfere in any country’s domestic affairs. We refuse to accept any unwarranted accusations against China,” the Chinese government’s top diplomat Wang Yi told the Council.
The United States and China are embroiled in a trade war, sparked by Trump’s accusations that China has long sought to steal U.S. intellectual property, limit access to its own market and unfairly subsidize state-owned companies.
Later on Wednesday, Trump referred to a Chinese government-run media company’s four-page supplement in the Sunday Des Moines Register promoting the mutual benefits of U.S.-China trade. The practice of foreign governments buying space in U.S. newspapers to promote trade is common and differs from a clandestine operation run by a national intelligence agency.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-un/trump-accuses-china-of-2018-election-meddling-beijing-rejects-charge-idUSKCN1M623Y
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday accused China of seeking to meddle in the Nov. 6 U.S. congressional elections, saying Beijing did not want his Republican Party to do well because of his pugnacious stance on trade.
“China has been attempting to interfere in our upcoming 2018 election, coming up in November. Against my administration,” Trump told a U.N. Security Council meeting whose ostensible subject was nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Chairing the Council for the first time, Trump made no reference to suspected Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and provided no evidence for his allegation about China, which Beijing immediately rejected during the same meeting.
“We did not and will not interfere in any country’s domestic affairs. We refuse to accept any unwarranted accusations against China,” the Chinese government’s top diplomat Wang Yi told the Council.
The United States and China are embroiled in a trade war, sparked by Trump’s accusations that China has long sought to steal U.S. intellectual property, limit access to its own market and unfairly subsidize state-owned companies.
Later on Wednesday, Trump referred to a Chinese government-run media company’s four-page supplement in the Sunday Des Moines Register promoting the mutual benefits of U.S.-China trade. The practice of foreign governments buying space in U.S. newspapers to promote trade is common and differs from a clandestine operation run by a national intelligence agency.
Trump says he wants two-state solution for Mideast conflict
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-israel/trump-says-he-wants-two-state-solution-for-mideast-conflict-idUSKCN1M61WP
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he wanted a two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the clearest expression yet of his administration’s support for such an outcome.
The Trump administration has in the past said it would support a two-state solution if both sides agreed to it.
Trump, in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly, also said he wanted to unveil a peace plan in the next two to three months.
“I like a two-state solution. That’s what I think works best ... That’s my feeling,” said Trump.
Netanyahu has said any future Palestinian state must be demilitarized and must recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people - conditions that Palestinians say show he is not sincere about peacemaking.
Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: “The two-state solution means to us that we have a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is the only way to achieve peace.”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-israel/trump-says-he-wants-two-state-solution-for-mideast-conflict-idUSKCN1M61WP
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he wanted a two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the clearest expression yet of his administration’s support for such an outcome.
The Trump administration has in the past said it would support a two-state solution if both sides agreed to it.
Trump, in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly, also said he wanted to unveil a peace plan in the next two to three months.
“I like a two-state solution. That’s what I think works best ... That’s my feeling,” said Trump.
Netanyahu has said any future Palestinian state must be demilitarized and must recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people - conditions that Palestinians say show he is not sincere about peacemaking.
Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: “The two-state solution means to us that we have a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is the only way to achieve peace.”
'They hate her': emails show ABC chairman told Michelle Guthrie to fire Emma Alberici
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/they-hate-her-emails-show-abc-chairman-told-michelle-guthrie-to-fire-emma-alberici-20180925-p505z4.html
ABC chairman Justin Milne told former managing director Michelle Guthrie to sack high-profile presenter Emma Alberici following a complaint from then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.
In an extraordinary intervention that underlines the political pressure on Ms Guthrie before she was axed on Monday, Mr Milne appeared to acquiesce to government complaints about “bias” by calling for the chief economics correspondent to be fired because she was damaging the public broadcaster's standing with Coalition MPs.
Mr Milne’s comments were contained in an email sent to Ms Guthrie on May 8 and were later circulated to board members in the week before the former Google executive was fired. The chairman was replying to an email from Ms Guthrie that outlined a complaint from Mr Turnbull about Alberici’s political coverage.
“They [the government] hate her,” Mr Milne said in the email, which was conveyed to Fairfax Media by a source close to the board.
“We are tarred with her brush. I think it’s simple. Get rid of her. We need to save the ABC - not Emma. There is no guarantee they [the Coalition] will lose the next election.”
ABC board to meet without chairman Justin Milne over Michelle Guthrie sacking fallout
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-27/abc-board-to-meet-over-chairman-justin-milne-fate/10310674
An urgent board meeting to determine ABC chairman Justin Milne's fate will be held today but this time he will not be present at the meeting, the ABC understands.
The timing of today's board meeting is not known.
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has declined to say whether Mr Milne should remain in the role.
"It's a matter for every high office holder to continually assess whether they retain the capacity to effectively discharge the duties of their office," he said.
Mr Milne is refusing to step aside from the helm of the ABC's Board, following revelations in Fairfax media on Wednesday he emailed then-managing director Michelle Guthrie to insist senior journalist Emma Alberici be fired.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/they-hate-her-emails-show-abc-chairman-told-michelle-guthrie-to-fire-emma-alberici-20180925-p505z4.html
ABC chairman Justin Milne told former managing director Michelle Guthrie to sack high-profile presenter Emma Alberici following a complaint from then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.
In an extraordinary intervention that underlines the political pressure on Ms Guthrie before she was axed on Monday, Mr Milne appeared to acquiesce to government complaints about “bias” by calling for the chief economics correspondent to be fired because she was damaging the public broadcaster's standing with Coalition MPs.
Mr Milne’s comments were contained in an email sent to Ms Guthrie on May 8 and were later circulated to board members in the week before the former Google executive was fired. The chairman was replying to an email from Ms Guthrie that outlined a complaint from Mr Turnbull about Alberici’s political coverage.
“They [the government] hate her,” Mr Milne said in the email, which was conveyed to Fairfax Media by a source close to the board.
“We are tarred with her brush. I think it’s simple. Get rid of her. We need to save the ABC - not Emma. There is no guarantee they [the Coalition] will lose the next election.”
ABC board to meet without chairman Justin Milne over Michelle Guthrie sacking fallout
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-27/abc-board-to-meet-over-chairman-justin-milne-fate/10310674
An urgent board meeting to determine ABC chairman Justin Milne's fate will be held today but this time he will not be present at the meeting, the ABC understands.
The timing of today's board meeting is not known.
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has declined to say whether Mr Milne should remain in the role.
"It's a matter for every high office holder to continually assess whether they retain the capacity to effectively discharge the duties of their office," he said.
Mr Milne is refusing to step aside from the helm of the ABC's Board, following revelations in Fairfax media on Wednesday he emailed then-managing director Michelle Guthrie to insist senior journalist Emma Alberici be fired.
India's top court decriminalizes adultery in landmark judgment
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-court-adultery/indias-top-court-decriminalizes-adultery-in-landmark-judgment-idUSKCN1M71FW
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India’s top court on Thursday decriminalized adultery in a landmark judgment aimed at upholding the right to equality and freedom, scrapping a law first brought in under British colonial rule in 1860.
In a unanimous judgment, the five-member bench of the top court struck down a law that meant a man who had sex with a married woman without getting her husband’s permission could be charged and face up to five years in jail if convicted.
“Adultery cannot and should not be a crime. It can be a ground for a civil offense, a ground for divorce,” Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said while reading out the judgment.
It is the second landmark judgment in the personal sphere in India this month. Three weeks ago, the Supreme Court scrapped a colonial-era ban on gay sex.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-court-adultery/indias-top-court-decriminalizes-adultery-in-landmark-judgment-idUSKCN1M71FW
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India’s top court on Thursday decriminalized adultery in a landmark judgment aimed at upholding the right to equality and freedom, scrapping a law first brought in under British colonial rule in 1860.
In a unanimous judgment, the five-member bench of the top court struck down a law that meant a man who had sex with a married woman without getting her husband’s permission could be charged and face up to five years in jail if convicted.
“Adultery cannot and should not be a crime. It can be a ground for a civil offense, a ground for divorce,” Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said while reading out the judgment.
It is the second landmark judgment in the personal sphere in India this month. Three weeks ago, the Supreme Court scrapped a colonial-era ban on gay sex.
Salisbury poisoning suspect named as a Russian colonel by UK media
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-russia-skripal/salisbury-poisoning-suspect-named-as-a-russian-colonel-by-uk-media-idUSKCN1M62IS
LONDON (Reuters) - The real identity of one of the men wanted by Britain for the Salisbury nerve agent attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter is Anatoliy Vladimirovich Chepiga, according to media reports on Wednesday which said he was a decorated Russian colonel.
Earlier this month, British prosecutors charged two Russians - Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov - with attempted murder for the Novichok poisoning of the Skripals in the southern English city in March but said they believed the suspects had been using aliases to enter Britain.
The Daily Telegraph and the BBC said Boshirov’s real name was Chepiga, citing investigative reporting by Bellingcat, a website which covers intelligence matters. Two European security sources familiar with the Skripal investigation said the details were accurate.
Russia denies any involvement in the poisoning, and the two men have said they were merely tourists who had flown to London for fun and visited Salisbury to see its cathedral.
The British government knows both their real identities, sources close to the investigation have said.
The Telegraph reported that Chepiga, 39, had served in wars in Chechnya and Ukraine, and was made a Hero of the Russian Federation by decree of President Vladimir Putin in 2014.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-russia-skripal/salisbury-poisoning-suspect-named-as-a-russian-colonel-by-uk-media-idUSKCN1M62IS
LONDON (Reuters) - The real identity of one of the men wanted by Britain for the Salisbury nerve agent attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter is Anatoliy Vladimirovich Chepiga, according to media reports on Wednesday which said he was a decorated Russian colonel.
Earlier this month, British prosecutors charged two Russians - Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov - with attempted murder for the Novichok poisoning of the Skripals in the southern English city in March but said they believed the suspects had been using aliases to enter Britain.
The Daily Telegraph and the BBC said Boshirov’s real name was Chepiga, citing investigative reporting by Bellingcat, a website which covers intelligence matters. Two European security sources familiar with the Skripal investigation said the details were accurate.
Russia denies any involvement in the poisoning, and the two men have said they were merely tourists who had flown to London for fun and visited Salisbury to see its cathedral.
The British government knows both their real identities, sources close to the investigation have said.
The Telegraph reported that Chepiga, 39, had served in wars in Chechnya and Ukraine, and was made a Hero of the Russian Federation by decree of President Vladimir Putin in 2014.
Christine Blasey Ford testifies about Brett Kavanaugh allegations – live updates
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2018/sep/27/brett-kavanaugh-christine-blasey-ford-testimony-latest-live-news-updates-hearing-sexual-assault-claims?
https://youtu.be/5-N08HKKbno
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2018/sep/27/brett-kavanaugh-christine-blasey-ford-testimony-latest-live-news-updates-hearing-sexual-assault-claims?
https://youtu.be/5-N08HKKbno
With anger and tears, Kavanaugh denies sex assault allegation
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh/with-anger-and-tears-kavanaugh-denies-sex-assault-allegation-idUSKCN1M70CY
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fighting to salvage his U.S. Supreme Court nomination, Brett Kavanaugh angrily denied on Thursday a university professor’s accusation that he sexually assaulted her 36 years ago in a day of dramatic testimony that gripped the country.
Christine Blasey Ford, her voice sometimes cracking with emotion, appeared in public for the first time to detail her allegation against Kavanaugh, a conservative federal appeals court judge chosen by President Donald Trump for a lifetime job on the top U.S. court.
Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee she feared Kavanaugh would rape and accidentally kill her during the alleged assault in 1982, when both were high school students in Maryland.
She said she was “100 percent certain” it was Kavanaugh who assaulted her.
Kavanaugh testified after Ford finished her appearance, claiming he was the victim of “grotesque and obvious character assassination” orchestrated by Senate Democrats. He said he “unequivocally and categorically” denied Ford’s allegation and vowed he would not back down.
“I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process,” Kavanaugh added.
Although they were at no point in the hearing room together, the clash pitted his word against hers.
The almost nine hours of intensely emotional testimony came against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault and had millions of Americans riveted to their TV screens and smart phones.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh/with-anger-and-tears-kavanaugh-denies-sex-assault-allegation-idUSKCN1M70CY
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fighting to salvage his U.S. Supreme Court nomination, Brett Kavanaugh angrily denied on Thursday a university professor’s accusation that he sexually assaulted her 36 years ago in a day of dramatic testimony that gripped the country.
Christine Blasey Ford, her voice sometimes cracking with emotion, appeared in public for the first time to detail her allegation against Kavanaugh, a conservative federal appeals court judge chosen by President Donald Trump for a lifetime job on the top U.S. court.
Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee she feared Kavanaugh would rape and accidentally kill her during the alleged assault in 1982, when both were high school students in Maryland.
She said she was “100 percent certain” it was Kavanaugh who assaulted her.
Kavanaugh testified after Ford finished her appearance, claiming he was the victim of “grotesque and obvious character assassination” orchestrated by Senate Democrats. He said he “unequivocally and categorically” denied Ford’s allegation and vowed he would not back down.
“I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process,” Kavanaugh added.
Although they were at no point in the hearing room together, the clash pitted his word against hers.
The almost nine hours of intensely emotional testimony came against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault and had millions of Americans riveted to their TV screens and smart phones.
Senate panel heads to vote on Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh/senate-panel-heads-to-vote-on-supreme-court-nominee-kavanaugh-idUSKCN1M8174
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to a lifetime seat on the U.S. Supreme Court hung in the balance on Friday after a jarring and raucous hearing into sexual misconduct allegations against him.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, with 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats, is set to meet at 9:30 a.m. (1330 GMT), giving its members little time to review Thursday’s remarkable testimony from Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused him of sexually assaulting her when they were high school students.
President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee could be the deciding vote on several contentious cases if he is confirmed, with disputes involving abortion, immigration, gay rights, voting rights and transgender troops possibly heading toward the justices soon.
Confirmation of Kavanaugh, a federal appeals court judge, would cement conservative control of the nation’s highest court.
The committee could vote in several ways, recommending either that the full Senate approve the nomination, that the Senate reject it, or making no recommendation at all.
After a procedural vote that could come over the weekend, the full 100-member Senate was expected to take action next week.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh/senate-panel-heads-to-vote-on-supreme-court-nominee-kavanaugh-idUSKCN1M8174
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to a lifetime seat on the U.S. Supreme Court hung in the balance on Friday after a jarring and raucous hearing into sexual misconduct allegations against him.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, with 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats, is set to meet at 9:30 a.m. (1330 GMT), giving its members little time to review Thursday’s remarkable testimony from Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused him of sexually assaulting her when they were high school students.
President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee could be the deciding vote on several contentious cases if he is confirmed, with disputes involving abortion, immigration, gay rights, voting rights and transgender troops possibly heading toward the justices soon.
Confirmation of Kavanaugh, a federal appeals court judge, would cement conservative control of the nation’s highest court.
The committee could vote in several ways, recommending either that the full Senate approve the nomination, that the Senate reject it, or making no recommendation at all.
After a procedural vote that could come over the weekend, the full 100-member Senate was expected to take action next week.
Brett Kavanaugh: Jeff Flake backing sets up confirmation vote – live updates
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2018/sep/28/kavanaugh-senate-committee-vote-live
Brett Kavanaugh: US Senate Judiiciary Committee Live
https://www.reuters.tv/l/PvUX/2018/09/28/senate-committee-expected-to-vote-on-kavanaugh-nomination
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2018/sep/28/kavanaugh-senate-committee-vote-live
Brett Kavanaugh: US Senate Judiiciary Committee Live
https://www.reuters.tv/l/PvUX/2018/09/28/senate-committee-expected-to-vote-on-kavanaugh-nomination
Under pressure, Trump orders FBI Kavanaugh probe, causing week delay
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh/under-pressure-trump-orders-fbi-kavanaugh-probe-causing-week-delay-idUSKCN1M8174
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump, under intense pressure from moderates in his own party over his Supreme Court nominee, on Friday ordered an FBI investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh at the request of Senate Republicans, a move that will delay the contentious confirmation process by a week.
The key player in a day of dramatic and unexpected developments was Senator Jeff Flake, a moderate Republican retiring from the Senate in January who provided the decisive vote to approve Kavanaugh’s nomination in the Judiciary Committee and send the matter to the full Senate.
But Flake, after urgent consultations with colleagues including Democratic Senator Chris Coons, cast the vote only after asking the Republican-led panel to request that the Trump administration pursue an FBI probe lasting up to seven days of the explosive allegations against Kavanaugh.
Trump, who had previously rebuffed Democratic demands for an FBI probe, granted the request, ordering the “supplemental investigation” to be “limited in scope and completed in less than one week.”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh/under-pressure-trump-orders-fbi-kavanaugh-probe-causing-week-delay-idUSKCN1M8174
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump, under intense pressure from moderates in his own party over his Supreme Court nominee, on Friday ordered an FBI investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh at the request of Senate Republicans, a move that will delay the contentious confirmation process by a week.
The key player in a day of dramatic and unexpected developments was Senator Jeff Flake, a moderate Republican retiring from the Senate in January who provided the decisive vote to approve Kavanaugh’s nomination in the Judiciary Committee and send the matter to the full Senate.
But Flake, after urgent consultations with colleagues including Democratic Senator Chris Coons, cast the vote only after asking the Republican-led panel to request that the Trump administration pursue an FBI probe lasting up to seven days of the explosive allegations against Kavanaugh.
Trump, who had previously rebuffed Democratic demands for an FBI probe, granted the request, ordering the “supplemental investigation” to be “limited in scope and completed in less than one week.”
Indonesia earthquake: Dozens dead in Palu
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45683630
Almost 50 people have been confirmed dead after a strong tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit a coastal Indonesian city on Friday.
Waves of up to 2m (6.6ft) high swept through Palu on Sulawesi island.
Video on social media shows people screaming and fleeing in panic and a mosque amongst the buildings damaged.
Last month, a series of deadly earthquakes struck the Indonesian island of Lombok, with the biggest, on 5 August, killing more than 460.
Indonesia's disaster agency said at least 48 people have been killed from the latest quake but that the figure could rise.
"We have not received comprehensive reports yet because communications are cut. Many bodies were found along the shoreline because of the tsunami, but the numbers are still unknown," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the agency, told Reuters.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45683630
Almost 50 people have been confirmed dead after a strong tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit a coastal Indonesian city on Friday.
Waves of up to 2m (6.6ft) high swept through Palu on Sulawesi island.
Video on social media shows people screaming and fleeing in panic and a mosque amongst the buildings damaged.
Last month, a series of deadly earthquakes struck the Indonesian island of Lombok, with the biggest, on 5 August, killing more than 460.
Indonesia's disaster agency said at least 48 people have been killed from the latest quake but that the figure could rise.
"We have not received comprehensive reports yet because communications are cut. Many bodies were found along the shoreline because of the tsunami, but the numbers are still unknown," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the agency, told Reuters.
Four ministers from Thailand's military government launch new party ahead of polls
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-politics/four-ministers-from-thailands-military-government-launch-new-party-ahead-of-polls-idUSKCN1M90EJ
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Four ministers from Thailand’s military government launched a new political party on Saturday, amid speculation they will back Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to remain in power beyond a general election promised by May.
May next year is the most recent deadline Prayuth’s junta has set for a vote its critics hope will return Thailand to civilian rule after more than four years of military government, although it has repeatedly extended the timeline.
The Palang Pracharat party, whose name is an echo of the military government’s economic and social development policy, will be led by Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana, who vowed to help Thailand overcome its political divide.
“We have wasted enough time and opportunity to develop our country,” Uttama told reporters and party members at the launch, referring to decade-long political conflicts between supporters of ousted premiers Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra and the pro-military royalist establishment.
The announcement came days after Prayuth said he was “interested in politics.” The four ministers are the first of Prayuth’s cabinet members to form a political party, possibly to support his role in the next election. Like Prayuth, the ministers said they would not resign from their current posts.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-politics/four-ministers-from-thailands-military-government-launch-new-party-ahead-of-polls-idUSKCN1M90EJ
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Four ministers from Thailand’s military government launched a new political party on Saturday, amid speculation they will back Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to remain in power beyond a general election promised by May.
May next year is the most recent deadline Prayuth’s junta has set for a vote its critics hope will return Thailand to civilian rule after more than four years of military government, although it has repeatedly extended the timeline.
The Palang Pracharat party, whose name is an echo of the military government’s economic and social development policy, will be led by Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana, who vowed to help Thailand overcome its political divide.
“We have wasted enough time and opportunity to develop our country,” Uttama told reporters and party members at the launch, referring to decade-long political conflicts between supporters of ousted premiers Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra and the pro-military royalist establishment.
The announcement came days after Prayuth said he was “interested in politics.” The four ministers are the first of Prayuth’s cabinet members to form a political party, possibly to support his role in the next election. Like Prayuth, the ministers said they would not resign from their current posts.
German, Turkish presidents exchange barbs during state dinner
https://www.dw.com/en/german-turkish-presidents-exchange-barbs-during-state-dinner/a-45684398
A state dinner for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Berlin became awkward late Friday. In his speech, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier lamented the deterioration of the rule of law and human rights in Turkey, and Erdogan accused Germany of hosting "hundreds, thousands" of terrorists.
Steinmeier opened his address at the presidential palace by praising a long history of relations between the two countries, including Turkey's role in accepting persecuted Jews and Germans during Nazi rule.
He later alluded to recent times, when thousands of Turkish citizens have sought refuge abroad from an increasingly authoritarian Turkey under Erdogan.
"Eighty years ago, Germans found refuge in Turkey — today, a worryingly large number of people from Turkey are seeking refuge here in Germany from the growing pressure on civil society," Steinmeier said before Erdogan, his wife, Emine, and distinguished guests.
"As we discussed this morning in detail, I am, as president of this country, concerned about German citizens who are imprisoned in Turkey for political reasons, and I am also concerned about Turkish journalists, trade unionists, lawyers, intellectuals and politicians who remain behind bars," Steinmeier went on to say.
In his speech, Erdogan among other things told Steinmeier that he seemed to have "received false information" regarding the arrests that have taken place in Turkey.
He also slammed Germany for hosting thousands of "terrorists" from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and the Gulen movement, which Ankara blames for the 2016 coup attempt.
https://www.dw.com/en/german-turkish-presidents-exchange-barbs-during-state-dinner/a-45684398
A state dinner for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Berlin became awkward late Friday. In his speech, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier lamented the deterioration of the rule of law and human rights in Turkey, and Erdogan accused Germany of hosting "hundreds, thousands" of terrorists.
Steinmeier opened his address at the presidential palace by praising a long history of relations between the two countries, including Turkey's role in accepting persecuted Jews and Germans during Nazi rule.
He later alluded to recent times, when thousands of Turkish citizens have sought refuge abroad from an increasingly authoritarian Turkey under Erdogan.
"Eighty years ago, Germans found refuge in Turkey — today, a worryingly large number of people from Turkey are seeking refuge here in Germany from the growing pressure on civil society," Steinmeier said before Erdogan, his wife, Emine, and distinguished guests.
"As we discussed this morning in detail, I am, as president of this country, concerned about German citizens who are imprisoned in Turkey for political reasons, and I am also concerned about Turkish journalists, trade unionists, lawyers, intellectuals and politicians who remain behind bars," Steinmeier went on to say.
In his speech, Erdogan among other things told Steinmeier that he seemed to have "received false information" regarding the arrests that have taken place in Turkey.
He also slammed Germany for hosting thousands of "terrorists" from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and the Gulen movement, which Ankara blames for the 2016 coup attempt.
Maldives election commission confirms Solih's victory despite threats
https://www.dw.com/en/maldives-election-commission-confirms-solihs-victory-despite-threats/a-45686861
The Maldives' election commission on Saturday officially endorsed thevictory of the opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in last week's presidential polls amid concerns that Maldives outgoing President Abdulla Yameen is trying to hold on to power.
Salah Rasheed, the election commission's secretary general, said Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party won the polls with 58.4 percent of the ballot. Although election monitors had warned of rigging by the incumbent, Yameen could secure only 41.6 percent.
Solih was backed by four opposition parties, three of which supported Yameen in a controversial 2013 runoff that the country's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, lost narrowly.
Solih is expected to be sworn in on November 17 when Yameen's term comes to a close.
https://www.dw.com/en/maldives-election-commission-confirms-solihs-victory-despite-threats/a-45686861
The Maldives' election commission on Saturday officially endorsed thevictory of the opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in last week's presidential polls amid concerns that Maldives outgoing President Abdulla Yameen is trying to hold on to power.
Salah Rasheed, the election commission's secretary general, said Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party won the polls with 58.4 percent of the ballot. Although election monitors had warned of rigging by the incumbent, Yameen could secure only 41.6 percent.
Solih was backed by four opposition parties, three of which supported Yameen in a controversial 2013 runoff that the country's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, lost narrowly.
Solih is expected to be sworn in on November 17 when Yameen's term comes to a close.
Macedonians vote on whether to change country's name
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-macedonia-referendum/macedonians-vote-on-whether-to-change-countrys-name-idUSKCN1M90U1
SKOPJE (Reuters) - Macedonians go to polls on Sunday to vote on whether to change their country’s name to Republic of North Macedonia, urged by a pro-Western government to pave the way for NATO and EU membership by resolving a decades-old name dispute with Greece.
The referendum is one of the last hurdles for a deal reached between Macedonia and Greece in June to settle their quarrel, which has prevented Macedonia from joining major Western institutions since it broke away from then-Yugoslavia in 1991.
Greece, which has its own northern province called Macedonia, has always maintained that Macedonia’s name represented a claim on its territory. It vetoed Macedonia’s entrance into NATO and the EU, and forced it to enter the United Nations under a provisional name as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or FYROM.
Polls for some 1.8 million voters will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. The question on the referendum ballot is: “Are you for NATO and EU membership with acceptance of the agreement with Greece”.
The referendum is advisory and not legally binding, but enough members of parliament have said they will abide by its outcome to make it decisive. The name change requires a two-thirds majority in parliament.
For the referendum to be valid, at least 50 percent of voters must turn out to vote and a majority of them must back the change.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-macedonia-referendum/macedonians-vote-on-whether-to-change-countrys-name-idUSKCN1M90U1
SKOPJE (Reuters) - Macedonians go to polls on Sunday to vote on whether to change their country’s name to Republic of North Macedonia, urged by a pro-Western government to pave the way for NATO and EU membership by resolving a decades-old name dispute with Greece.
The referendum is one of the last hurdles for a deal reached between Macedonia and Greece in June to settle their quarrel, which has prevented Macedonia from joining major Western institutions since it broke away from then-Yugoslavia in 1991.
Greece, which has its own northern province called Macedonia, has always maintained that Macedonia’s name represented a claim on its territory. It vetoed Macedonia’s entrance into NATO and the EU, and forced it to enter the United Nations under a provisional name as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or FYROM.
Polls for some 1.8 million voters will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. The question on the referendum ballot is: “Are you for NATO and EU membership with acceptance of the agreement with Greece”.
The referendum is advisory and not legally binding, but enough members of parliament have said they will abide by its outcome to make it decisive. The name change requires a two-thirds majority in parliament.
For the referendum to be valid, at least 50 percent of voters must turn out to vote and a majority of them must back the change.
North Korea 'won't disarm if sanctions continue', minister says
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45695654
North Korea's foreign minister has warned that there is "no way" his country will disarm while the US continues to enforce sanctions.
Ri Yong-ho told the UN General Assembly the sanctions were deepening North Korean mistrust of the US.
Pyongyang has repeatedly appealed for UN and US sanctions to be lifted and has support from Russia and China.
But the Trump Administration has said that sanctions should stay in place until North Korea denuclearises.
He said the US was insisting on a "denuclearisation first" policy that "increased the level of sanctions".
"The recent deadlock is because the US relies on coercive measures which are lethal to trust-building," Mr Ri told the assembly.
"Without any trust in the US, there will be no confidence in our national security and under such circumstances, there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first."
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45695654
North Korea's foreign minister has warned that there is "no way" his country will disarm while the US continues to enforce sanctions.
Ri Yong-ho told the UN General Assembly the sanctions were deepening North Korean mistrust of the US.
Pyongyang has repeatedly appealed for UN and US sanctions to be lifted and has support from Russia and China.
But the Trump Administration has said that sanctions should stay in place until North Korea denuclearises.
He said the US was insisting on a "denuclearisation first" policy that "increased the level of sanctions".
"The recent deadlock is because the US relies on coercive measures which are lethal to trust-building," Mr Ri told the assembly.
"Without any trust in the US, there will be no confidence in our national security and under such circumstances, there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first."
'Let's come together,' PM May challenges Brexit critics
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu/lets-come-together-pm-may-challenges-brexit-critics-idUSKCN1MA0BD
BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May called on her party on Sunday to unite behind her plan to leave the European Union, making a direct appeal to critics by saying their desire for a free trade deal was at the heart of her Brexit proposals.
At the start of what is set to be one of the Conservative Party’s stormiest annual conferences, May’s plans were once again attacked by two former ministers, with former foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, calling them “deranged”.
May’s already fragile leadership was put under further pressure this month when the EU rejected parts of the so-called Chequers plan. But she put a positive spin on those talks, saying she was ready to consider the EU’s concerns.
“My message to my party is let’s come together and get the best deal for Britain,” May told the BBC in the central English city of Birmingham.
“At the heart of the Chequers plan is a free trade deal, a free trade area and frictionless trade ... Chequers at the moment is the only plan on the table that delivers on the Brexit vote ... and also delivers for the people of Northern Ireland.”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu/lets-come-together-pm-may-challenges-brexit-critics-idUSKCN1MA0BD
BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May called on her party on Sunday to unite behind her plan to leave the European Union, making a direct appeal to critics by saying their desire for a free trade deal was at the heart of her Brexit proposals.
At the start of what is set to be one of the Conservative Party’s stormiest annual conferences, May’s plans were once again attacked by two former ministers, with former foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, calling them “deranged”.
May’s already fragile leadership was put under further pressure this month when the EU rejected parts of the so-called Chequers plan. But she put a positive spin on those talks, saying she was ready to consider the EU’s concerns.
“My message to my party is let’s come together and get the best deal for Britain,” May told the BBC in the central English city of Birmingham.
“At the heart of the Chequers plan is a free trade deal, a free trade area and frictionless trade ... Chequers at the moment is the only plan on the table that delivers on the Brexit vote ... and also delivers for the people of Northern Ireland.”
Iraqi Kurds hold election one year after failed independence bid
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-kurds/iraqi-kurds-hold-election-one-year-after-failed-independence-bid-idUSKCN1MA04P
ERBIL/SULAIMANIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - Kurds voted in a parliamentary election in their semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq on Sunday, with political dynasties expected to extend their power sharing rule despite growing discontent with perceived corruption and economic hardship.
The vote comes a year after the region of six million, which gained semi-autonomous status after the 1991 Gulf War, made a failed bid to break away from the rest of Iraq in a campaign headed by Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Barzani has retained a support base even though his independence drive prompted an intense backlash from the Baghdad government and resulted in the Kurds being stripped of some territory and economic autonomy.
And while criticism of the ruling Kurdish establishment - dominated for decades by the Barzani and the Talabani families - has grown more vocal, a weak opposition means voters may stick to the status quo.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-kurds/iraqi-kurds-hold-election-one-year-after-failed-independence-bid-idUSKCN1MA04P
ERBIL/SULAIMANIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - Kurds voted in a parliamentary election in their semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq on Sunday, with political dynasties expected to extend their power sharing rule despite growing discontent with perceived corruption and economic hardship.
The vote comes a year after the region of six million, which gained semi-autonomous status after the 1991 Gulf War, made a failed bid to break away from the rest of Iraq in a campaign headed by Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Barzani has retained a support base even though his independence drive prompted an intense backlash from the Baghdad government and resulted in the Kurds being stripped of some territory and economic autonomy.
And while criticism of the ruling Kurdish establishment - dominated for decades by the Barzani and the Talabani families - has grown more vocal, a weak opposition means voters may stick to the status quo.
今日魁北克省選舉
https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec-election-legault-spending-last-day-campaigning-in-pq-territory
During the last days before the vote, François Legault returned to the same message he shared in the opening remarks of his campaign: the Liberals have been in power for too long, and if Quebecers truly want change, his party is the only viable option to unseat them.
Whether campaigning at pizzerias and apple orchards in the Eastern Townships or speaking at the largest rally of the campaign — held Saturday evening in Terrebonne — that was the message Legault decided to stick with for the home stretch.
It could be argued it should have been what the Coalition Avenir Québec leader focused on throughout his entire, occasionally rocky, campaign.
The CAQ started the 39-day campaign ahead in the polls, but saw its numbers dip during one crucial mid-campaign week between two leaders’ debates, during which Legault’s confounding comments on his immigration policies dominated the conversation.
https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec-election-legault-spending-last-day-campaigning-in-pq-territory
During the last days before the vote, François Legault returned to the same message he shared in the opening remarks of his campaign: the Liberals have been in power for too long, and if Quebecers truly want change, his party is the only viable option to unseat them.
Whether campaigning at pizzerias and apple orchards in the Eastern Townships or speaking at the largest rally of the campaign — held Saturday evening in Terrebonne — that was the message Legault decided to stick with for the home stretch.
It could be argued it should have been what the Coalition Avenir Québec leader focused on throughout his entire, occasionally rocky, campaign.
The CAQ started the 39-day campaign ahead in the polls, but saw its numbers dip during one crucial mid-campaign week between two leaders’ debates, during which Legault’s confounding comments on his immigration policies dominated the conversation.
Liberal 
Macedonia referendum: Name change vote fails to reach threshold
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45699749
Macedonia's vote on changing its name to North Macedonia looks to have fallen far short of the turnout required.
Preliminary results show that just over a third of Macedonians voted in the referendum, with 50% needed.
But with 90% of those who took part in favour of the change, the country's prime minister has urged parliament to "confirm the will of the majority".
The vote aimed to end a long-running dispute with Greece, which has its own region called Macedonia.
Athens had agreed to end its objections to Macedonia's EU and Nato membership bids if the change was passed.
Over 85% of votes have been counted so far, but a campaign by some nationalists - including the country's president - to boycott Sunday's referendum seems to have had an impact, with just 36% of eligible voters taking part.
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev threatened to call early elections if parliament did not support the proposal, made non-binding by the poor turnout.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45699749
Macedonia's vote on changing its name to North Macedonia looks to have fallen far short of the turnout required.
Preliminary results show that just over a third of Macedonians voted in the referendum, with 50% needed.
But with 90% of those who took part in favour of the change, the country's prime minister has urged parliament to "confirm the will of the majority".
The vote aimed to end a long-running dispute with Greece, which has its own region called Macedonia.
Athens had agreed to end its objections to Macedonia's EU and Nato membership bids if the change was passed.
Over 85% of votes have been counted so far, but a campaign by some nationalists - including the country's president - to boycott Sunday's referendum seems to have had an impact, with just 36% of eligible voters taking part.
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev threatened to call early elections if parliament did not support the proposal, made non-binding by the poor turnout.