“The night I got into Dartmouth, Mom asked me, ‘Have you done the dishes?’ Getting in was exciting and I knew she was proud, but it was just a regular day,” Chris says.“They haven’t ‘arrived,’ as people like to say, just because they are into Ivy League schools,” Mr. de Paul Silatchom says. “It’s a good start and a platform of opportunity.”When speaking, the sisters transition seamlessly between New York-accented English and French, their first language. The irony that they landed at a school called Democracy Prep after immigrating from one of the world’s least democratic countries is not lost on them.It’s something they’ve spent a lot of time thinking about as President Trump has rolled out various cruel immigration policies, from his proposed travel ban to, in September, rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA — an Obama-era program that protected the country’s approximately 800,000 undocumented youth raised in the country from being deported.“It’s scary to see because this is not the country we know,” says Chris, who along with her sisters, became an American citizen in 2016. “America at its core is principled on immigrants. We came to this country to improve our futures and I feel as American as anyone born here.”“These girls are more American than Cameroonian,” their mother says. “Can you imagine being undocumented? We were very lucky,” Xaviera adds.Watching videos of immigration agents separating families in recent months has been particularly difficult for Ms. Kengmeni and Mr. de Paul Silatchom. “I can’t imagine what it’s been like for these children who go to school in the morning knowing they might come home at the end of the day to no parents,” Ms. Kengmeni says.

Three Czech service members with NATO's Resolute Support mission were killed Sunday in eastern Afghanistan by a suicide bomber, the U.S. military and Czech authorities said.In addition, one American service member and two Afghan soldiers were injured.They were on foot patrol with Afghan forces, according to NATO. The Czech Republic's Interior Minister Jan Hamáček confirmed the deaths on Twitter, saying, the "Czech Republic has suffered a terrible loss. Our three soldiers were killed in a suicide attack while on a foot patrol with Afghan forces in Parwan province. My thoughts remain with the families and friends of our fallen [soldiers]."The Czech Republic "had recently approved a plan to deploy 390 soldiers in Afghanistan through 2020, up from the current 230," as part of NATO's Resolute Support mission, according to The Associated Press."My thoughts and prayers, along with those of all of the 41 Resolute Support nations, are with the families and friends of our fallen and wounded service members, and our injured Afghan brothers and their families," U.S. Army Gen. John Nicholson, the commander of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, said in a statement.The Taliban claimed responsibility, Reuters reported, and claimed to have killed "eight U.S. invaders in a tactic bombing," according to a spokesperson quoted by the wire service.The bombing happened in the area of Charakar, in the east of the country and north of Kabul, according to reports.Separately, The Associated Press reports the Taliban attacked a district headquarters in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province Saturday, killing four Afghan soldiers, while nine Taliban fighters died in a gunfight with Afghan soldiers. ISIS affiliates have also continued to carry out deadly attacks in Afghanistan. ISIS claimed responsibility this weekend for a Friday attack on a Shiite mosque in Afghanistan's Paktia province that killed at least 29 people and injured at least another 80 people, according to reports.NATO describes the Resolute Support mission as "a NATO-led, non-combat mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF)." The organization says the current mission includes about 16,000 personnel. NATO formally ended its main combat mission against the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2014.As of almost a year ago, the U.S. military reported having 13,329 uniformed American forces in Afghanistan, but has since stopped providing troop numbers.U.S. service member Cpl. Joseph Maciel of South Gate, Calif. was killed last month in southern Afghanistan in what the military called an "insider attack."

雷锋网 AI 科技评论消息，12 月 13 日，在今天开幕的谷歌开发者大会上，谷歌 Cloud 人工智能和机器学习首席科学家李飞飞宣布，Google AI 中国中心（Google AI China Center）于北京正式成立。该中心由李飞飞和 Google Cloud 研发负责人李佳博士共同领导。李飞飞将会负责中心的研究工作，也会统筹 Google Cloud AI, Google Brain 以及中国本土团队的工作。据李飞飞现场表示，谷歌 AI 中国中心也非常期待能在中国本土合作上有所建树，为更广大的学生及研究人员提供高质量 AI 及机器学习的教育支持。Google AI 中国中心的研究重点是基础 AI 研究，并与中国 AI 学术界建立长期合作的紧密联系。李飞飞表示，Google AI 中国中心致力于中国 AI 长期研发合作的第一步。此外，李飞飞期待谷歌能在本土合作上有所建树，为更广大的学生和研究人员提供高质量的机器学习教育支持。李飞飞在现场坦言，她非常珍惜谷歌和中国顶尖 AI 人才合作的机会，而这些人才势必也是全球顶尖的 AI 力量。“千里之行，始于足下，我们由衷希望，这将成为谷歌 AI 中国中心长期发展的第一步。”“AI 没有边界，AI 的福祉亦无边界（The science of AI has no borders. Neither do its benefits.），”在演讲的最后，李飞飞在大会上总结道，Google AI 中国中心希望能在中国共同创造 AI 研究更加美好的未来。"我和我的团队今天回到中国，希望开始一段长久的、真诚的合作，彼此倾听、彼此学习，共同创造未来。"据雷锋网在现场交流时了解到，李飞飞从 1 月份就参与到 Google AI 中国中心的规划和建设中来，并与 Google CEO Sundar Pichai 讨论，“作为公司级的战略，”最终决定将 AI 研究带入中国。李飞飞也肯定了中国的 AI 研究水平，并提及这一合作也离不开 Google 大中华区的支持。“作为一个华人，（Google AI 中国中心）由我来领导是最合适的。”如演讲中所提及的一样，李飞飞在交流时再次强调 Google AI 中国中心的小目标在于“做好第一步”，即研究基础工作。关于Google AI 中国中心及李飞飞演讲的更详细报道，敬请关注雷锋网(公众号：雷锋网) AI 科技评论。雷锋网原创文章，未经授权禁止转载。详情见转载须知。

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong braced for more mass protests over the weekend, even as China warned it could use its power to quell demonstrations and U.S. President Donald Trump urged his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to meet with the protesters to defuse weeks of tensions. Hundreds of China’s People’s Armed Police (PAP) on Thursday conducted exercises at a sports stadium in Shenzhen that borders Hong Kong a day after the U.S. State Department said it was “deeply concerned” about the movements, which have prompted worries that the troops could be used to break up protests. Trump told reporters on Thursday he did not want to see a resort to violence to quell the protests in Hong Kong and reiterated that he wanted to see China “humanely solve the problem.” “I am concerned. I wouldn’t want to see a violent crackdown,” Trump said, speaking in Morristown, New Jersey. “If he (Xi) sat down with the protesters - a group of representative protesters - I’d bet he’d work it out in 15 minutes. ... I know it’s not the kind of thing he does, but I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea.” Trump said he had a call with Xi scheduled “soon.” Ten weeks of confrontations between police and protesters have plunged Hong Kong into its worst crisis since it reverted from British to Chinese rule in 1997, and have presented the biggest popular challenge to Xi in his seven years in power. The Civil Human Rights Front, which organized million-strong marches in June, has scheduled another protest for Sunday. China’s ambassador to London warned that Beijing could use its power to quell the Hong Kong protests if the situation deteriorated further and repeating charges that some protesters had shown “signs of terrorism.” “The central government will not sit on its hands and watch,” the ambassador, Liu Xiaoming, told reporters. “We have enough solutions and enough power within the limits of (the) Basic Law to quell any unrest swiftly,” Liu said, referring to Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, which states that the Hong Kong government can ask the Chinese garrison in the city to help maintain order. Related CoverageTrump says does not want to see a violent crackdown by China in Hong KongBeijing has option of forceful intervention in Hong Kong: Global Times tabloid“The central government of China will never allow a few violent offenders to drag Hong Kong down a dangerous road, down a dangerous abyss,” Liu said. The Friday edition of China’s state-controlled Global Times tabloid also warned that China had the option to “forcefully intervene” and lashed out at what Beijing describes as U.S. interference in Hong Kong. “If Hong Kong cannot restore the rule of law on its own and the riots intensify, it’s imperative then for the central government to take direct actions based on the Basic Law,” it said, saying the Shenzhen PAP deployment was “a clear warning.” The paper said the situation in Hong Kong “won’t be a repeat of the June 4th political incident in 1989,” referring to the bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square 30 years ago. White House national security adviser John Bolton warned against a repeat of Tiananmen in an interview on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Trump tied a U.S. trade deal with China to a humane resolution of the protests. Trump has been seeking a major deal to correct trade imbalances with China ahead of his 2020 re-election bid and has faced criticism from Congress and elsewhere for not taking a stronger public line on Hong Kong and for his characterization of the protests earlier this month as “riots” that were a matter for China to deal with. Trump’s tougher stance on Hong Kong followed a debate within his administration over whether Washington was looking too compliant while China appeared to be preparing for a crackdown, a source familiar with the deliberations said. On Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing had noted Trump’s comment that Beijing needed to resolve the Hong Kong crisis on its own. Servicemen walk past military vehicles in the parking area of the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center in Shenzhen across the bay from Hong Kong, China August 16, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas PeterWestern governments have stepped up calls for restraint following chaotic scenes at Hong Kong’s airport this week that forced cancellation of nearly 1,000 flights and saw protesters set upon two men they suspected of being government sympathizers. France called on city officials to renew talks with activists, while Canada said China should handle the protests with tact. Two opposition lawmakers from Hong Kong visiting the United States on Thursday urged the outside world to stay focused on developments. “For the international community to speak up for Hong Kong is extremely important, and we see that across the American political establishment,” Dennis Kwok of the liberal-democratic Civic Party said at the Asia Society thinktank in New York. He and fellow party member Alvin Yeung were to meet with U.S. lawmakers. The airport, one of the world’s busiest, was returning to normal on Thursday but under tight security after thousands of protesters jammed its halls on Monday and Tuesday nights. Late on Wednesday night, police and protesters faced off again on the streets, with riot officers quickly firing tear gas. Seventeen people were arrested on Wednesday, bringing the total detained since June to 748, police told a news conference, adding that police stations have been surrounded and attacked 76 times during the crisis. Despite the Shenzhen deployments, several Western and Asian diplomats in Hong Kong said they believed China had little appetite for putting its forces onto Hong Kong’s streets, and a U.S. official said on Wednesday the PAP activities appeared aimed at intimidating the protesters. The U.S. State Department warned on Wednesday that continued erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy put at risk the preferential economic status it enjoys under U.S. law and leading members of the U.S. Congress have warned that a crackdown could be met by U.S. sanctions. Slideshow (12 Images)Research firm Capital Economics said the protests could push Hong Kong into a recession and risked “an even worse outcome if a further escalation triggers capital flight.” Hong Kong’s property market, one of the world’s most expensive, would be hit hard in that scenario, it added. Financial Secretary Paul Chan unveiled a series of measures worth HK$19.1 billion ($2.44 billion) on Thursday to tackle economic headwinds, but he said it was not related to political pressure from the protests. Some business and citizens’ groups have posted newspaper advertisements backing Hong Kong’s government. The head of Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment (0027.HK), Lui Che-woo, urged talks to restore harmony. The protests have affected the neighboring Chinese territory of Macau, with some visitors avoiding the world’s biggest gambling hub amid transport disruptions and safety concerns. Reporting by Farah Master and Tony Munroe in Hong Kong; Additional reporting by Donny Kwok, Noah Sin, Kevin Liu and Twinnie Siu in HONG KONG, Steve Holland in MORRISTOWN, N.J., David Brunnstrom, Makini Brice and Jonathan Landay in WASHINGTON, Rodrigo Campos in NEW YORK, Estelle Shirbon and Costas Pitas in LONDON, Mathieu Rosemain in PARIS and David Ljunggren in OTTAWA; Writing by David Brunnstrom and Farah Master; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Leslie AdlerOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Welcome to Hillicon Valley, The Hill's newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. If you don't already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter with this LINK.Welcome! Follow the cyber team, Olivia Beavers (@olivia_beavers) and Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and the tech team, Harper Neidig (@hneidig) and Emily Birnbaum (@birnbaum_e). TRUMP REVIVIES CLAIMS GOOGLE 'MANIPULATED' VOTES: President TrumpDonald John TrumpKey witness in impeachment investigation asks federal judge to rule on testifying Pompeo voices support for work of diplomat criticized by Trump Biden, Sanders defend themselves over questions of age MORE alleged Monday that Google manipulated millions of voters into supporting former Secretary of State Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonElijah Cummings, native son of Baltimore, gets emotional send-off from Democratic luminaries Cummings' staff honor him in op-ed: He brought 'moral clarity' #ImpeachBarr trending on Twitter amid criminal investigation into Russia probe MORE in the 2016 election, saying the company "should be sued" in his latest attack on the tech giant.The president in a tweet referenced the work of a controversial psychologist who has claimed to have found evidence that Google's search algorithms have been influencing voters."Wow, Report Just Out! Google manipulated from 2.6 million to 16 million votes for Hillary Clinton in 2016 Election!" Trump wrote. "This was put out by a Clinton supporter, not a Trump Supporter! Google should be sued. My victory was even bigger than thought!"What he's referencing: Trump appears to be referring to the work of Robert Epstein, a researcher with a group based in Vista, Calif., called the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology. Epstein testified in a Senate hearing in June about what he calls the "Search Engine Manipulation Effect" and claimed that his research shows Google's search results pushed at least 2.6 million people to vote for Clinton in 2016.About that study...: Google CEO Sundar Pichai was asked about Epstein's work last year when he testified before a House panel and said the company had investigated it and pointed to issues with the study's methodology.In a statement on Monday, a Google spokesperson called Epstein's claim "debunked," pointing out that it has been circulating for three years."This researcher's inaccurate claim has been debunked since it was made in 2016," the spokesperson said. "As we stated then, we have never re-ranked or altered search results to manipulate political sentiment.""Our goal is to always provide people with access to high quality, relevant information for their queries, without regard to political viewpoint," they added.Trump's latest attack comes as he is rehashing unfounded allegations of massive voter fraud in the 2016 election.Read more on Trump's fight with the tech industry here.HILLARY FIRES BACK: Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Monday fired back at Trump over his allegations that Google manipulated the 2016 elections in her favor.Clinton pointed out that the study referenced by Trump was "debunked" and its methodology discredited."The debunked study you're referring to was based on 21 undecided voters," Clinton tweeted. "For context that's about half the number of people associated with your campaign who have been indicted."Special counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) Swan MuellerFox News legal analyst says Trump call with Ukraine leader could be 'more serious' than what Mueller 'dragged up' Lewandowski says Mueller report was 'very clear' in proving 'there was no obstruction,' despite having 'never' read it Fox's Cavuto roasts Trump over criticism of network MORE indicted 34 people, including six Trump associates, as part of his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Several of the indicted individuals included Russian nationals associated with the Internet Research Association, a Russian troll farm unaffiliated with the Trump campaign.Read more here. HUAWEI GETS (ANOTHER) REPRIEVE: The Trump administration is again extending a deadline for U.S. businesses to cut ties with the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross confirmed on Monday."It is another 90 days for the U.S. telecom companies," Ross said on the Fox Business Network. "Some of the rural companies are dependent on Huawei. So we're giving them a little more time to wean themselves off. But there are no specific licenses being granted for anything."Ross added that Nov. 19 is the new deadline for the penalty."As we continue to urge consumers to transition away from Huawei's products, we recognize that more time is necessary to prevent any disruption," Ross added in a statement later Monday morning.President Trump directed the Commerce Department in May to place Huawei on its "Entity List," which is seen as a death sentence for included groups as U.S. companies are banned from doing business with them. A "temporary general license" allowing Huawei to continue doing business in the U.S. had already been granted for one 90-day period.The U.S. has long considered Huawei a national security threat because of its connections to the Chinese government.Read more here. MISINFORMED: Twitter and Facebook on Monday both announced the discovery of a disinformation campaign being conducted on their platforms by Chinese-backed groups trying to undermine the recent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.Twitter wrote in a post that it had identified 936 accounts originating in China that were "deliberately and specifically attempting to sow political discord in Hong Kong, including undermining the legitimacy and political positions of the protest movement on the ground."Twitter said it had "reliable evidence" to believe this was a state-backed coordinated operation.As a result, Twitter will no longer accept advertising from state-controlled media outlets, specifically those that are either financially or editorially controlled by a nation-state. "We want to protect healthy discourse and open conversation," Twitter wrote. "To that end, we believe that there is a difference between engaging in conversation with accounts you choose to follow and the content you see from advertisers in your Twitter experience which may be from accounts you're not currently following. We have policies for both but we have higher standards for our advertisers."Facebook wrote in a separate post that based on Twitter's findings, it conducted its own internal investigation into what the company described as "coordinated inauthentic behavior in the region." Facebook removed seven pages, three groups, and five accounts from the platform stemming from the investigation. More than 15,000 Facebook users were estimated to follow the Chinese-backed pages that were removed, while around 2,200 accounts were members of at least one of the groups.Read more on the disinformation campaigns here. SACRE BLEU: U.S. tech giants and an array of trade groups slammed France over its new digital taxes law during a public hearing on Monday, arguing the legislation unfairly targets U.S. technology companies and could hobble their operations.Representatives from Google, Facebook and Amazon testified before a group of government officials investigating the digital services tax, laying out their arguments to a largely sympathetic panel that referred to the French law as unprecedented.The United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched a probe into France's digital taxes last month, using the same aggressive process that previously resulted in the Trump administration's implementation of significant tariffs on China.The Trump administration has largely presented a united front with the tech companies over France's digital services tax, which imposes a 3 percent tax on the annual revenues of mostly American companies.The French tax targets firms with annual global revenue of more than $832 million, or 750 million euros, annually, thus sweeping up top American tech companies, which are some of the largest and most valuable in the world."Our members are highly concerned with the discriminatory nature of the French government's DST specifically against successful American companies," said Stephanie Holland, vice president of federal and global policy with CompTIA, a trade group representing the tech industry. "Tax requirements will disproportionately harm some of the most successful global enterprises based in the U.S.," she added. Read more here. FCC BROADBAND PROPOSAL: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering a proposal to curb what it sees as widespread abuse of a subsidy program to help low-income households connect to broadband and phone services.FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, a Republican, circulated the proposal among fellow commissioners Monday to make it harder for people to fraudulently claim the benefit for deceased or duplicate subscribers.The FCC's Lifeline program offers $9.25 a month to low-income consumers to help them subscribe to broadband services. Conservatives have pushed to rein in the program after government watchdogs found that thousands of ineligible subscribers had been enrolled, including nearly 50,000 deceased individuals, according to an FCC inspector general report last year.The proposal introduced on Monday would require carriers participating in the Lifeline program to verify that subscribers are alive before enrolling them or issuing reimbursements. It also would prohibit Lifeline carriers from using commissions to incentivize their employees to enroll more beneficiaries.Read more here. KEEP CALM AND DON'T CARRY ON: The United Kingdom will step up its efforts to tackle misinformation about vaccines after losing its "measles-free" status, the government announced."After a period of progress where we were once able to declare Britain measles free, we've now seen hundreds of cases of measles in the UK this year. One case of this horrible disease is too many, and I am determined to step up our efforts to tackle its spread," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement on Sunday.Johnson added that that he would summon social media companies "to discuss how they can play their part in promoting accurate information about vaccination."Measles, a highly infectious disease which is almost entirely preventable with two doses of vaccine, was declared eliminated in the country three years ago. But it seems to be making a comeback.Read more here. SHUT DOWN: Google shut down a service for wireless carriers over concerns that sharing data might invite scrutiny from users and regulators, Reuters reported on Monday.While the data was anonymous and sharing it was common, Google's parent company, Alphabet, reportedly decided to ax the program in April because of privacy fears, four people with direct knowledge of the matter told the news service.The move has disappointed wireless providers that depended on that data to decide when to extend or upgrade their coverage.Google's Mobile Network Insights service, launched in March 2017, showed carriers signal strengths and connection speeds for devices running the Android operating system. The service was free for carriers and vendors that helped them manage operations.The system used information from users who opted to share location history and usage and diagnostics with Google.Read more here.LIGHTER CLICK: This is a Popeye's newsletter now. AN OP-ED TO CHEW ON: Returning to paper ballots is the only way to prevent hacking NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB:eBay and Shopify pull listings on Jeffrey Epstein-inspired merch. (The Verge) Why is Joe Rogan so popular? (The Atlantic)The quantum revolution is coming, and Chinese scientists are at the forefront. (The Washington Post)The age of media corporation mega-mergers is robbing us of bolder, fresher storytelling. (Gizmodo)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump sought to backtrack on comments last year in which he tied his decision to fire FBI Director James Comey to a probe into Russian election meddling, accusing NBC News on Thursday of “fudging” their interview, but offering no supporting evidence. Trump made his accusation as the man who took over the federal Russia investigation from Comey, Special Counsel Robert Mueller, digs deeper into a probe that has already led to a series of indictments of former Trump aides. Trump fired Comey on May 9, 2017, a move that Comey said later was aimed at undercutting the probe. The Trump administration said at the time of Comey’s dismissal that the president had acted on the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and No. 2 Justice Department official Rod Rosenstein. In an interview with NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt that aired two days after the firing, Trump accused Comey of being incompetent and noted the recommendation, but also raised the issue of the Russia investigation, saying he was thinking of “this Russia thing” when he fired him. In a Twitter post on Thursday, Trump accused the news outlet and Holt, of “fudging my tape on Russia,” but gave no evidence to back up his claim. In addition to looking into Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election, which Moscow denies, Mueller is investigating any collusion with Russia by Trump’s campaign and any attempt by the president to impede the probe. The Comey firing could be central to a potential obstruction of justice case. Legal experts have said Mueller’s team must weigh whether the president acted with an improper, or “corrupt,” intent when he took actions such as firing Comey. Trump has denied any collusion with Russia, or any obstruction of justice. He has said since the interview with Holt that he did not fire Comey over the federal probe. Trump said in the Holt interview, “regardless of recommendation, I was going to fire Comey knowing there was no good time to do it And in fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself — I said, you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story. It’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should’ve won.” Representatives for NBC News, part of Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O), declined to comment on Trump’s tweets on Thursday. Representatives for the White House did not respond to a question about Trump’s accusation. In the most dramatic day yet in the Russia investigation, federal prosecutors last week secured the conviction of Trump’s former campaign manager for financial crimes and a plea agreement from the president’s longtime attorney that included pleading guilty to campaign finance violations. Trump, in a string of tweets last week, said he had nothing to hide from Mueller’s probe. Trump’s tweets on Thursday were his latest attack on the news media. He has repeatedly called critical reports about him “fake news” and on Thursday he also called for the firing of CNN’s president, Jeff Zucker. Representatives for CNN, owned by AT&T (T.N), declined to comment. U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions from the news media during an event at which he announced a grant for a drug-free communities support program in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., August 29, 2018. REUTERS/Leah MillisU.S. news organizations have pushed back against the stream of criticism from Trump. Federal authorities on Thursday charged a California man with threatening to kill Boston Globe employees for the newspaper’s role leading a defense this month of press freedoms by hundreds of news organizations. Shares of AT&T and Comcast did not move on the president’s tweets. Reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington and Ken Li in New York; Editing by Susan Thomas and Frances KerryOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

SAN FRANCISCO - A U.S. judge on Monday temporarily blocked an order by President Donald Trump that barred asylum for immigrants who enter the country illegally from Mexico, the latest courtroom defeat for Trump on immigration policy. U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco issued a temporary restraining order against the asylum rules. Tigar’s order takes effect immediately, applies nationwide, and lasts until at least Dec. 19 when the judge scheduled a hearing to consider a more long-lasting injunction. Representatives for the U.S. Department of Justice could not immediately be reached for comment. Trump cited an overwhelmed immigration system for his recent proclamation that officials will only process asylum claims for migrants who present themselves at an official entry point. Civil rights groups sued, arguing that Trump’s Nov. 9 order violated administrative and immigration law. In his ruling, Tigar said Congress clearly mandated that immigrants can apply for asylum regardless of how they entered the country. The judge called the latest rules an “extreme departure” from prior practice. “Whatever the scope of the President’s authority, he may not rewrite the immigration laws to impose a condition that Congress has expressly forbidden,” Tigar wrote. Tigar was nominated to the court by President Barack Obama. Previous Trump immigration policies, including measures targeting sanctuary cities, have also been blocked by the courts. FILE PHOTO: Members of a migrant caravan from Central America and their supporters sit on the top of the U.S.-Mexico border wall at Border Field State Park before making an asylum request, in San Diego, California, U.S. April 29, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File PhotoThe asylum ruling came as thousands of Central Americans, including a large number of children, are traveling in caravans toward the U.S. border to escape violence and poverty at home. Some have already arrived at Tijuana, a Mexican city on the border with California. Rights groups have said immigrants are being forced to wait days or weeks at the border before they can present themselves for asylum, and the administration has been sued for deliberately slowing processing times at official ports. At a hearing earlier on Monday, American Civil Liberties Union attorney Lee Gelernt said the order clearly conflicted with the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows any person present in the United States to seek asylum, regardless of how they entered the country. Gelernt said the ACLU had recently learned Mexican authorities have begun barring unaccompanied minors from applying at U.S. ports of entry. Mexico’s migration institute said in a statement to Reuters that there was “no basis” for the ACLU’s claims, noting that there had been no such reports from the United Nations or human rights groups that are monitoring the situation at the border. Uriel Gonzalez, the head of a YMCA shelter for young migrants in Tijuana, said he had not heard of any new measures directed at unaccompanied minors. He noted there were already long lines to get a turn with U.S. authorities. “This can take a while because the number of migrants has overwhelmed capacity. It is too much,” he said. Slideshow (2 Images)The judge on Monday wrote that Trump’s refugee rule would force people with legitimate asylum claims “to choose between violence at the border, violence at home, or giving up a pathway to refugee status.” Caravan participants began to arrive last week in Tijuana on the Mexican side of the U.S. border, which has put a strain on shelters where many will wait to seek asylum. Their presence has also strained Tijuana’s reputation as a welcoming city, with some residents screaming at the migrants, “Get out!” Trump sent more than 5,000 soldiers to the 2,000-mile (3,100 km) frontier with Mexico to harden the border, although critics dismissed the move as a political stunt ahead of congressional elections on Nov. 6. Reporting by Dan Levine in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware and Lizbeth Diaz in Tijuana; Editing by Leslie Adler, Tom Brown and Andrew HeavensOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Speaking rapid-fire with no spot for others to jump into the conversation, Mr. Trump makes everyone a co-conspirator to his preferred set of facts, or delusions. I have felt it — this president building with his words a web of alternative reality and busily wrapping it around all of us in the room. I must have agreed that he had the largest inauguration crowd in history because I didn’t challenge that. Everyone must agree that he has been treated very unfairly. The web building never stops.From the private circle of assent, it moves to public displays of personal fealty at places like cabinet meetings. While the entire world is watching, you do what everyone else around the table does — you talk about how amazing the leader is and what an honor it is to be associated with him. Sure, you notice that Mr. Mattis never actually praises the president, always speaking instead of the honor of representing the men and women of our military. But he’s a special case, right? Former Marine general and all. No way the rest of us could get away with that. So you praise, while the world watches, and the web gets tighter.Next comes Mr. Trump attacking institutions and values you hold dear — things you have always said must be protected and which you criticized past leaders for not supporting strongly enough. Yet you are silent. Because, after all, what are you supposed to say? He’s the president of the United States.You feel this happening. It bothers you, at least to some extent. But his outrageous conduct convinces you that you simply must stay, to preserve and protect the people and institutions and values you hold dear. Along with Republican members of Congress, you tell yourself you are too important for this nation to lose, especially now. You can’t say this out loud — maybe not even to your family — but in a time of emergency, with the nation led by a deeply unethical person, this will be your contribution, your personal sacrifice for America. You are smarter than Donald Trump, and you are playing a long game for your country, so you can pull it off where lesser leaders have failed and gotten fired by tweet.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Thousands of Hong Kong residents held a sometimes scrappy anti-government protest on Wednesday at a suburban subway station that was attacked by a mob last month, angry that nobody has yet been prosecuted for the violence. Some masked protesters clashed with police, spraying fire extinguishers from the inside of Yuen Long station as others smeared the floor with cooking oil, beer and detergent to stop the police advancing. Some blocked station exits with bins, booths and other station furniture as others sealed roads outside the station, aiming green laser beams at the lines of shield-bearing officers. Others threw empty fire extinguishers at police lines. Many inside the station sat quietly. It was the latest in a series of demonstrations since June against a perceived erosion of freedoms in the former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997. It also marked a return to aggression after a brief lull in tensions following a huge peaceful march on Sunday. Related CoverageChina detains employee of Britain's Hong Kong mission, UK urged to actSpooked by protests, Hong Kong citizens buy Malaysian homesBut the standoff stopped short of full pitched battles with police refraining from using tear gas or attempting to storm protester lines. Only one rock was seen hitting a police shield and most protesters were headed home before midnight. The protest marked the night of July 21, when more than 100 white-shirted men stormed the Yuen Long station hours after protesters had marched through central Hong Kong and defaced China’s Liaison Office - the main symbol of Beijing’s authority. Using pipes and clubs, the men attacked black-clad protesters returning from Hong Kong island as well as passers-by and journalists, wounding 45 people. Democratic Party legislator Lam Cheuk-ting, wounded in the attack by suspected triad gangsters, said he believed the protesters wanted a peaceful night on Wednesday but he could not rule out further violence - from gangsters or the police. “It is impossible to predict... It is deeply disappointing that all these weeks later we still don’t have an independent inquiry into those events,” he told Reuters. Protesters fire nitrogen extinguishers during a stand off at Yuen Long MTR station, the scene of an attack by suspected triad gang members a month ago, in Yuen Long, New Territories, Hong Kong, China August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas PeterSquads of police were stationed on the station perimeter and some protesters jeered and shone lasers at them. A small crowd of masked young men gathered on a station balcony, swearing and cursing at police vans down a side street. Anger erupted in June over a now-suspended bill that would allow criminal suspects in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China for trial. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said again on Tuesday the legislation was dead. The unrest has been fueled by broader worries about the erosion of freedoms guaranteed under the “one country, two systems” formula adopted after Hong Kong’s return to China, including an independent judiciary and the right to protest. Demonstrations have included the storming of the legislature and havoc at the airport. Beijing has reacted sharply to the protests and has accused foreign countries, including the United States, of fomenting unrest. China has also sent clear warning that forceful intervention is possible, with paramilitary forces holding drills in neighboring Shenzhen. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated Washington’s calls for China to honor its commitment to “one country, two systems”. Speaking to CBS program “This Morning” on Tuesday, Pompeo highlighted remarks by President Donald Trump at the weekend warning against a crackdown like Beijing’s suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Trump said this would make reaching a deal he has been seeking to end a trade war with China “very hard”. Slideshow (45 Images)In an editorial on Tuesday, China’s influential state-run tabloid, the Global Times, called Monday’s comments by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence linking the trade talks to the Hong Kong protests “outrageous”. Likely worsening already strained ties between Beijing and London, a Chinese national working at Britain’s Hong Kong consulate has been detained in China’s border city of Shenzhen for violating the law. Some Hong Kong companies have been dragged into controversy amid the protests. Pilots and cabin crew at Cathay Pacific Airways described a “white terror” of political denunciations, sackings and phone searches by Chinese aviation officials. Additional reporting by Felix Tam; Writing by Nick Macfie; Editing by Frances KerryOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong braced for more mass protests over the weekend, even as China warned it could use its power to quell demonstrations and U.S. President Donald Trump urged his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to meet with the protesters to defuse weeks of tensions. Hundreds of China’s People’s Armed Police (PAP) on Thursday conducted exercises at a sports stadium in Shenzhen that borders Hong Kong a day after the U.S. State Department said it was “deeply concerned” about the movements, which have prompted worries that the troops could be used to break up protests. Trump told reporters on Thursday he did not want to see a resort to violence to quell the protests in Hong Kong and reiterated that he wanted to see China “humanely solve the problem.” “I am concerned. I wouldn’t want to see a violent crackdown,” Trump said, speaking in Morristown, New Jersey. “If he (Xi) sat down with the protesters - a group of representative protesters - I’d bet he’d work it out in 15 minutes. ... I know it’s not the kind of thing he does, but I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea.” Trump said he had a call with Xi scheduled “soon.” Ten weeks of confrontations between police and protesters have plunged Hong Kong into its worst crisis since it reverted from British to Chinese rule in 1997, and have presented the biggest popular challenge to Xi in his seven years in power. The Civil Human Rights Front, which organized million-strong marches in June, has scheduled another protest for Sunday. China’s ambassador to London warned that Beijing could use its power to quell the Hong Kong protests if the situation deteriorated further and repeating charges that some protesters had shown “signs of terrorism.” “The central government will not sit on its hands and watch,” the ambassador, Liu Xiaoming, told reporters. “We have enough solutions and enough power within the limits of (the) Basic Law to quell any unrest swiftly,” Liu said, referring to Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, which states that the Hong Kong government can ask the Chinese garrison in the city to help maintain order. Related CoverageTrump says does not want to see a violent crackdown by China in Hong KongBeijing has option of forceful intervention in Hong Kong: Global Times tabloid“The central government of China will never allow a few violent offenders to drag Hong Kong down a dangerous road, down a dangerous abyss,” Liu said. The Friday edition of China’s state-controlled Global Times tabloid also warned that China had the option to “forcefully intervene” and lashed out at what Beijing describes as U.S. interference in Hong Kong. “If Hong Kong cannot restore the rule of law on its own and the riots intensify, it’s imperative then for the central government to take direct actions based on the Basic Law,” it said, saying the Shenzhen PAP deployment was “a clear warning.” The paper said the situation in Hong Kong “won’t be a repeat of the June 4th political incident in 1989,” referring to the bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square 30 years ago. White House national security adviser John Bolton warned against a repeat of Tiananmen in an interview on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Trump tied a U.S. trade deal with China to a humane resolution of the protests. Trump has been seeking a major deal to correct trade imbalances with China ahead of his 2020 re-election bid and has faced criticism from Congress and elsewhere for not taking a stronger public line on Hong Kong and for his characterization of the protests earlier this month as “riots” that were a matter for China to deal with. Trump’s tougher stance on Hong Kong followed a debate within his administration over whether Washington was looking too compliant while China appeared to be preparing for a crackdown, a source familiar with the deliberations said. On Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing had noted Trump’s comment that Beijing needed to resolve the Hong Kong crisis on its own. Servicemen walk past military vehicles in the parking area of the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center in Shenzhen across the bay from Hong Kong, China August 16, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas PeterWestern governments have stepped up calls for restraint following chaotic scenes at Hong Kong’s airport this week that forced cancellation of nearly 1,000 flights and saw protesters set upon two men they suspected of being government sympathizers. France called on city officials to renew talks with activists, while Canada said China should handle the protests with tact. Two opposition lawmakers from Hong Kong visiting the United States on Thursday urged the outside world to stay focused on developments. “For the international community to speak up for Hong Kong is extremely important, and we see that across the American political establishment,” Dennis Kwok of the liberal-democratic Civic Party said at the Asia Society thinktank in New York. He and fellow party member Alvin Yeung were to meet with U.S. lawmakers. The airport, one of the world’s busiest, was returning to normal on Thursday but under tight security after thousands of protesters jammed its halls on Monday and Tuesday nights. Late on Wednesday night, police and protesters faced off again on the streets, with riot officers quickly firing tear gas. Seventeen people were arrested on Wednesday, bringing the total detained since June to 748, police told a news conference, adding that police stations have been surrounded and attacked 76 times during the crisis. Despite the Shenzhen deployments, several Western and Asian diplomats in Hong Kong said they believed China had little appetite for putting its forces onto Hong Kong’s streets, and a U.S. official said on Wednesday the PAP activities appeared aimed at intimidating the protesters. The U.S. State Department warned on Wednesday that continued erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy put at risk the preferential economic status it enjoys under U.S. law and leading members of the U.S. Congress have warned that a crackdown could be met by U.S. sanctions. Slideshow (12 Images)Research firm Capital Economics said the protests could push Hong Kong into a recession and risked “an even worse outcome if a further escalation triggers capital flight.” Hong Kong’s property market, one of the world’s most expensive, would be hit hard in that scenario, it added. Financial Secretary Paul Chan unveiled a series of measures worth HK$19.1 billion ($2.44 billion) on Thursday to tackle economic headwinds, but he said it was not related to political pressure from the protests. Some business and citizens’ groups have posted newspaper advertisements backing Hong Kong’s government. The head of Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment (0027.HK), Lui Che-woo, urged talks to restore harmony. The protests have affected the neighboring Chinese territory of Macau, with some visitors avoiding the world’s biggest gambling hub amid transport disruptions and safety concerns. Reporting by Farah Master and Tony Munroe in Hong Kong; Additional reporting by Donny Kwok, Noah Sin, Kevin Liu and Twinnie Siu in HONG KONG, Steve Holland in MORRISTOWN, N.J., David Brunnstrom, Makini Brice and Jonathan Landay in WASHINGTON, Rodrigo Campos in NEW YORK, Estelle Shirbon and Costas Pitas in LONDON, Mathieu Rosemain in PARIS and David Ljunggren in OTTAWA; Writing by David Brunnstrom and Farah Master; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Leslie AdlerOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Good morning.(Want to get California Today by email? Here’s the sign-up.)It’s a news alert that California has seen too many times this year: a fire starts and grows to thousands of acres within hours.On Thursday it was the Delta Fire, which raged in forests thick with conifers along the steep slopes of the Sacramento River valley north of Redding. Moving north through thinly inhabited areas, no homes were burned as of late Thursday and there were no reported injuries or deaths, according to Chris Losi, a public information officer for the Shasta Trinity National Forest.But the fire closed down Interstate 5, the crucial artery connecting California to the Pacific Northwest. And it was moving very fast: The fire ignited Wednesday and by Thursday evening 22,000 acres had burned.“The fire is behaving aggressively,” Mr. Losi said. “In some places 300-foot flames have been observed.”The Delta Fire is one of 17 major wildfires currently burning in California, according to Cal Fire. On Thursday, officials offered two measures of how much these fires are costing the state and its residents.Ken Pimlott, the director of Cal Fire, told legislators that his agency had nearly run out of money.Mr. Pimlott reported that Cal Fire had already spent $432 million of its budget this year and had only about $10 million left. He requested an additional $234 million.“Climate change-driven extreme weather conditions continue to drive intense and large fires,” he told legislators in a letter.Separately, Dave Jones, California’s insurance commissioner, announced that insured residential and commercial losses from two destructive fires over the summer had reached $845 million, a significant sum although much less than the $12.8 billion in losses last year.But Mr. Jones warned that fire season was far from over, pointing out that 17 of the 20 most damaging fires in the state’s history — fires in which the largest number of buildings burned — occurred after Sept. 1.“Fire officials and experts warn that potentially the worst is yet to come,” the commissioner’s office said in a statement.California Online(Please note: We regularly highlight articles on news sites that have limited access for nonsubscribers.)• Burt Reynolds, the wryly appealing Hollywood heartthrob whose performances were often more memorable than the films that contained them, has died. He was 82. [The New York Times]• The Trump administration is seeking to remove court-imposed time limits on the detention of migrant children. [The New York Times]• Federal prosecutors investigating the disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein have been looking into his dealings with Black Cube. The private Israeli intelligence firm was said to have been used to spy on some of the women who have accused him of sexual assault. [The New York Times]• Staff members at two senior care centers abandoned residents during an evacuation as wildfires swept through Northern California last October. [The Associated Press]• For potential 2020 presidential hopefuls like Senator Kamala Harris, Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings offer visibility that could come in handy. [The New York Times]• He’s a former Republican taking on Dana Rohrabacher. Can Harley Rouda win? [The New York Times]• If Gov. Jerry Brown signs the bill that is on his desk, California’s public middle and high school students won’t have to start class before 8:30 a.m. [The New York Times]• Twitter has permanently suspended the account of Alex Jones, the creator of the conspiracy theorist website Infowars. In so doing, it joined Apple, Facebook and YouTube, which have mostly banned him. [The New York Times]• A teenager who was visiting from Israel died in Yosemite National Park while reportedly trying to take a selfie. [The Fresno Bee]• California has sued the Trump administration, alleging that the federal government allowed millions of gallons of contamination to spill from Tijuana into San Diego. [The San Diego Union-Tribune]• Regulators have cited and fined Disneyland for failing to properly clean cooling equipment, which they say is linked to a major Legionnaires’ disease outbreak. [The Los Angeles Times]• A weed campus the size of eight football fields is coming to Cathedral City. [The Desert Sun]• The next Academy Awards will not add a category for achievement in “popular” films after all. [The New York Times]• 20th Century Fox pulled a scene from its forthcoming movie “The Predator” after learning that an actor with a minor role in the picture is a registered sex offender. [The New York Times]• Making it in the wine business usually requires a lot of money. A number of young winemakers are demonstrating that it can be done with sweat equity instead. [The New York Times]And Finally ...Sharks’ longstanding reputation just took a hit.Though they have often been glamorized as vicious carnivores, at least one species, scientists now say, consumes and digests “copious amounts” of seagrass.The findings, published in a study this week, come from three researchers — two of whom are part of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Irvine. They pertain to the bonnethead shark — the smallest of the 10 hammerhead shark species and one that is found on the coast, according to the Aquarium of the Pacific.“Sharks have gotten such a bad reputation as really ravenous meat-eaters,” the study’s lead author, Samantha C. Leigh, said in a news release obtained by The Orange County Register. “However, we’ve shown that there is at least one type that also consumes plant materials. There is so much more to discover about them.”California Today goes live at 6 a.m. Pacific time weekdays. Tell us what you want to see: [email protected] Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from U.C. Berkeley.

Hard-liner Jair Bolsonaro clinched 55% of the vote to become Brazil's next president. The WSJ explains how the firebrand ex-army captain plans to change Latin America's largest nation. Photo: EPA By Oct. 29, 2018 7:19 pm ET RIO DE JANEIRO—Brazil’s President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, the ex-army captain who stormed to power Sunday, is poised to give the military its biggest role in the country’s government since the fall of the dictatorship more than three decades ago. To the surprise of some voters, Mr. Bolsonaro spent much of his victory speech backtracking on his most extreme statements from decades past. He vowed to defend democracy after once saying in 1999 that only a civil war could solve Brazil’s problems, and promised to respect racial and... To Read the Full Story Subscribe Sign In

SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Just hours after Jair Bolsonaro won Brazil’s presidential election in a landslide victory for conservatives, Carolina Zannata and her girlfriend called the closest public notary and set a date for their wedding.Gay marriage has been legal in Brazil since 2013, and Ms. Zannata said she and Aline Foguel had not been in a hurry to wed. But the triumph of Mr. Bolsonaro — a far-right politician who once declared “I’m homophobic, with pride” — changed their calculations.“We got scared,” said Ms. Zannata. “We need to take advantage of our hard-won rights because we might not have them afterward.”On Jan. 1, Mr. Bolsonaro will be sworn into office, and high on his agenda is making good on his campaign pledge to defend “the true meaning of matrimony as a union between man and woman.”Once president, he will have the power to act on his promise. His party will also become the second-largest force in the lower house, thanks to an outpouring of support at the ballot box in October.Legal experts say that the Supreme Court would almost certainly strike down legislation that reversed the legalization of same-sex marriage, but it is not clear how long the process could take.“There could be attempts to make same-sex marriage illegal, but the Constitution will prevail,” said José Fernando Simão, a professor of civil rights and family law at the University of São Paulo. “It’s natural for there to be concern. This is a community that has been ultra-marginalized in the past.”And so, in early December, Ms. Zannata and Ms. Foguel gathered friends and family for a simple wedding ceremony at the notary’s office, followed by a festive lunch. They joined a wave of same-sex couples rushing to the altar out of love, but also fear or in defiance of what the incoming government might do.Four of the five ceremonies at the notary’s office that Saturday morning were same-sex marriages.According to the notary association Arpen, the number of same-sex marriages across Brazil surged 66 percent in November. In São Paulo, Brazil’s biggest city, there were 57 same-sex weddings in just the first 10 days of December, compared with 113 for whole month of December 2017.Mr. Bolsonaro, for years a minor figure in Congress best known for his outbursts against women, gay people and black people, managed to turn Brazil’s rampant political corruption and violent crime into an election opportunity, billing himself as the candidate who would restore law and order.He also won over many voters with his culturally conservative agenda. While campaigning, he accused previous left-leaning governments of distributing “gay kits” in schools, a reference to sexual education materials that he said “perverted” students.For many in the L.G.B.T. community, the biggest fear is that Mr. Bolsonaro’s fiery rhetoric has fueled a new era of intolerance and intimidation that could potentially lead to violence.“People now have this open homophobic discourse that they were too embarrassed to say before,” said Ms. Foguel. “I’m so afraid of reliving a past that I thought we had already conquered. I’ve had panic attacks.”The polarized elections set off a wave of politically motivated attacks, generated virulent messages on social media and even led to the creation of a computer game in which players can use an avatar of Mr. Bolsonaro and kill leftists, feminists and gay people.Ms. Zannata said she had ignored the darkening mood until a video surfaced showing throngs of soccer fans of Palmeiras, a team based in São Paulo, chanting about how Mr. Bolsonaro, then a candidate, would kill gay people.Ms. Zannata, a passionate Palmeiras fan, had always gone to their games, she said.“They’re machista, but I was accepted,” she said of the other fans. “Now I’m afraid to go to the stadium.”Sensing the possibility of a change in legal rights, Maria Berenice Dias, the Brazilian Bar Association’s head of sexual diversity, encouraged same-sex couples “who want to get married to hurry up and formalize their union before the end of the year.”As gay couples flocked to public notaries, support flooded in on social media and at hastily arranged weddings.“I feel a lot of solidarity,” said Rossanna Pinheiro, a supplier of karaoke party packages who decided to donate her equipment for ceremonies and to organize volunteers. “People are doing this out of fear, without enough money even for the marriage papers. I wanted to help.”Cake-makers, wedding planners, photographers and disc jockeys have come forward, offering their services for free, while gay rights activists have organized a series of group weddings.At a recent ceremony, organized by volunteers at a converted factory in São Paulo, four couples that had cobbled together their weddings in less than three weeks gathered at the altar.“We’re going to resist,” said Victor Silva Paredes, 23, before walking down the aisle with his father. “We fought for these rights and we’re not going back into the closet.”For Noah Beltramini, a transgender man, it was a moment of happiness but also just one pressing step among several. He is rushing not only to get married but also to officially change his name and gender identification, as a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year permitted.“It wasn’t something I was worried about before,” he said. “But with Bolsonaro I feel completely vulnerable.”In many ways, the group wedding was very traditional, with brides in white gowns, a volunteer band playing love ballads and a towering, multitiered cake to be devoured. But it was also clearly a political statement.“Love doesn’t have race, color, sex or gender,” the wedding officiant declared. “Today is the day everyone will respect your decision.”

Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro reacts as he speaks to media at the Army Headquarters in Brasilia, Brazil December 5, 2018. REUTERS/Adriano MachadoSAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil’s far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said on Saturday he plans to issue a decree allowing all Brazilians without criminal records to own firearms, welcome news to many core supporters who want him to loosen Brazil’s strict gun laws. Throughout his campaign, Bolsonaro had pledged to dismantle Brazil’s current gun legislation, which presents various bureaucratic and legal obstacles for people seeking to purchase firearms. That message appealed to many Brazilians who want to use guns for self-defense amid sky-high levels of violent crime. “By decree, we plan to guarantee the ownership of firearms by citizens without criminal records,” Bolsonaro, who takes office on Jan. 1, wrote on Twitter on Saturday. He did not provide additional details and it was not immediately clear what mechanisms Bolsonaro would have at his disposal to carry out such a decree, or what specific measures the decree would contain. Brazil’s Congress is already discussing measures to loosen gun control laws. Gun manufacturers are among those that stand to benefit from such moves. Shares in Brazilian gun maker Taurus Armas SA have climbed some 88 percent year-to-date amid expectations that Bolsonaro would win the election and follow through on promises to liberalize gun laws. Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Frances KerryOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, has ordered the vast border with Brazil to be closed, just days before opposition leaders plan to bring in foreign humanitarian aid he has refused to accept.Maduro said he’s also weighing up shutting the border with Colombia. He made the announcement on state TV on Thursday, surrounded by military commanders.Opposition leaders led by Juan Guaidó are vowing to bring in US supplies of emergency food and medicine to highlight the country’s hardships under Maduro, who has said the country doesn’t need such help.“What the US empire is doing with its puppets is an internal provocation,” Maduro said. “They wanted to generate a great national commotion, but they didn’t achieve it.”Under Maduro’s orders, Venezuela this week blocked air and sea travel between Venezuela and the nearby Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao, another point where aid was being stockpiled.A caravan of vehicles carrying Guaidó left the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, early on Thursday, heading toward the border with Colombia as part of the effort to bring in aid stored in the city of Cúcuta starting on Saturday.Maduro denies a humanitarian crisis, accusing the United States of leading a coup to remove him from power and using the “show” of supposed humanitarian aid as military intervention.The socialist president is under a mounting challenge by Guaidó, who has declared himself acting president on the grounds that Maduro’s re-election was invalid.Guaidó is recognised as Venezuela’s legitimate interim president by more than 50 governments – including the US, UK, Spain, France and Germany, while Maduro is supported by Russia, China, Cuba, Turkey and many other countries.Guaidó’s spokesman, Edward Rodriguez, confirmed that the opposition leader, who heads the congress, was among passengers in a caravan consisting of several vehicles and buses.Opposition leaders said they also plan to bring emergency supplies of food and medicine from Curaçao and across the jungle-covered border with Brazil. Topics Venezuela Nicolás Maduro Brazil Juan Guaidó Americas news

Brazil's top electoral court has ruled that jailed former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva cannot run as a candidate in the presidential election because of his corruption conviction. Judges voted against his running in October's ballot by a majority of six votes to one in the seven-member court. Lula, 72, was leading in polls ahead of the vote despite serving a 12-year jail term for accepting a bribe. His legal team has said they will appeal against the court's decision.Brazil's Workers' Party (PT) later responded to the court's decision in a statement, saying it would "fight by all means" for Lula's candidacy."We will present all appeals before the courts for the recognition of the rights of Lula provided by law and international treaties ratified by Brazil," the statement said, adding: "We will defend Lula in the streets, with the people." A quick guide to Brazil's scandals Lula: Only death will take me off streets Lula's conviction for money laundering and corruption was upheld in January. In Brazil, no one convicted of a crime upheld on appeal can run for office.However, exceptions have been made to the law before.In declaring Lula ineligible to stand on Friday, one judge said: "What is at stake here today is the equality of all citizens before the law and the Constitution."Lula was convicted of receiving a renovated beachfront apartment worth some 3.7m reais ($1.1m; £790,000) as a bribe by engineering firm OAS.He denied wrongdoing and said his conviction was part of a plot to prevent him returning to power.The former president is the most high-profile person convicted in the sweeping Operation Car Wash anti-corruption investigation. Despite his jail sentence, PT voted to nominate Lula as its candidate last month. Lula reportedly chose Fernando Haddad, former mayor of São Paulo, to run for the PT should he be prevented from doing so.Serving as president from 2003 to 2011, Lula presided over a surge in economic growth and major social programmes that left him with an 87% approval rating on leaving office.But the former leader surrendered to police in April after his corruption conviction.An appeal in January not only saw the court uphold his original conviction, but also increase the length of the sentence by two-and-a-half years.Before Friday's court judgement on whether he could run, Brazil's prosecutor general filed to bar his candidacy due to the law prohibiting those who have lost appeals against their conviction from standing.Despite this, recent polls reportedly showed that around one-third of Brazilians would back Lula if he were allowed to run, which would make him the front-runner in October's vote.

By May 31, 2018 4:56 pm ET SÃO PAULO—Just as Brazil began to recover this week from a crippling 10-day strike by truckers protesting rising fuel prices, some workers at state-run oil giant Petroleos Brasileiros briefly walked off the job, signaling growing opposition to President Michel Temer’s attempts to get Brazil’s finances in order. The strikes and widespread public support for the truckers have weakened the already unpopular, scandal-plagued administration and could be a preview of months of unrest and uncertainty in Latin America’s largest economy,... To Read the Full Story Subscribe Sign In

BRASILIA/GENEVA (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido was due to arrive in Brazil on Wednesday night to meet with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as part of a tour of several nations to ratchet up international pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to step down. FILE PHOTO: Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who many nations have recognized as the country's rightful interim ruler speaks to the media in the area of a warehouse where humanitarian aid for Venezuela has been collected in Cucuta, Colombia, February 23, 2019. REUTERS/Marco BelloGuaido last month invoked constitutional provisions to assume an interim presidency, arguing Maduro’s re-election was fraudulent. He has since been recognized by most Western nations - including Brazil - as Venezuela’s rightful leader. The congress chief has organized nationwide protests over the past month while the United States has imposed crippling sanctions on Venezuela’s key oil industry and government officials. Yet Maduro retains control of state institutions, leaving the two sides locked in a stalemate. Guaido will travel to Brasilia for a two-day visit from Bogota, where he attended a meeting with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and the regional Lima group about how to resolve the political and economic crisis in Venezuela. “The interim president of Venezuela will meet on Thursday afternoon with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at the Planalto Palace,” said Maria Teresa Belandria, appointed by Guaido as his ambassador to Brazil and recognized as such by the far-right Bolsonaro government. After the meeting on 2 p.m. (1700 GMT) on Thursday, Guaido will hold a news conference, the envoy said. Guaido over the weekend called for the international community to make clear all options were on the table to oust Maduro, after security forces loyal to him violently drove back the opposition’s attempts to bring humanitarian aid into the country. Brazil, whose northern state of Roraima depends on Venezuela for electrical power, this week played down the possibility of military intervention. While in the Brazilian capital, Guaido will also meet with diplomats of other countries that have recognized him as Venezuela’s interim leader, pending new presidential elections, Belandria said. Brazil is hosting one of the Venezuelan opposition’s collection points for aid and together with the United States has funded the 200 tonnes of food and medicine being stockpiled in the northern city of Boa Vista. The opposition failed to get that aid across the border as planned last weekend after Maduro closed it, and 25 Venezuelans who were wounded by gunfire in protests across the frontier were treated in a Brazilian hospital. Roraima state said on Wednesday a Venezuelan man who had suffered a gunshot wound died of multiple organ failure. That raised the death toll from protests on Friday and Saturday to five, Venezuelan rights group Penal Forum said. Maduro denies there is a crisis in Venezuela despite overseeing a hyperinflationary meltdown that has resulted in sharp increases in malnutrition and the spread of preventable disease, as well as an exodus of 3.4 million Venezuelans since 2015. The socialist leader and his allies, like Russia and Cuba, have accused the opposition of using aid as an excuse for foreign intervention, and the United States of preparing for a military incursion. The U.S. special envoy for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, denied those accusations on Tuesday but said Washington would impose more sanctions on “high-ranking members of the regime and their financial affairs” this week and next. In the latest sign of Maduro’s desperation to raise hard currency amid tightening sanctions, at least 8 tons of gold were removed from the Venezuelan central bank’s vaults last week, an opposition legislator and three government sources told Reuters. Venezuela’s foreign minister on Wednesday suggested talks between Maduro and U.S. President Donald Trump over the crisis - an idea the Trump administration immediately rejected. Jorge Arreaza, addressing the U.N. Human Rights Council, suggested that Maduro and Trump meet to “try to find common ground and explain their differences.” He also said his country had lost $30 billion in assets “confiscated” since November 2017 under sanctions. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence ruled out the idea of talks. “The only thing to discuss with Maduro at this point is the time and date for his departure,” he said on Twitter. “For democracy to return and for Venezuela to rebuild - Maduro must go,” Pence said. Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva and Anthony Boadle in Brasilia; additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; Writing by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Dan Grebler and Sonya HepinstallOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil’s right-wing government threw its support behind Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido’s push to oust President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday, and called on other nations to do the same. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro speaks with journalists after visiting Yasmin Alves at the Estrutural slum, in Brasilia, Brazil April 27, 2019. REUTERS/Adriano MachadoBrazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, a former army officer, wrote on his official Twitter account that the people of Venezuela are “enslaved by a dictator” and that he supports “freedom for our sister nation to finally become a true democracy.” His security adviser, retired general Augusto Heleno, said he was shocked by an image of an armored car of Venezuela’s National Guard apparently running over protesters. But he said the situation was not clear, Guaido’s support among the military appeared to be “weak” and it was uncertain whether military officers were abandoning Maduro. Guaido called on Tuesday for the military to help him oust Maduro and asked Venezuelans to take to the streets on a day he vowed would be the last for Maduro’s stay in power. However, by the evening Maduro was still in charge, and there was little sign of the military leadership abandoning him. Guaido is recognized as interim head of state by Brazil, the United States and dozens of other Western nations, but his backers say they want to see a peaceful transition. Presidential spokesman General Otavio Rego Barros told reporters Brazil had completely ruled out intervening militarily in Venezuela and was not planning to allow any other country to use its territory for any potential intervention in its neighbor. Barros read out a statement expressing support for the “Venezuelan people fighting for democracy” and called on other nations to support Guaido’s effort to end the “Maduro dictatorship.” Earlier, Brazil’s foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo said it was “positive” to see movement of some Venezuelan military toward recognizing Guaido as the legitimate president of their country. “Brazil supports the democratic transition process and hopes the Venezuelan military will be part of that,” Araujo said. Reporting by Anthony Boadle and Lisandra Paraguassu in Brasilia, Eduardo Simoes and Tatiana Bautzer in Sao Paulo; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Jeffrey Epstein, the American financier who was charged with federal sex trafficking crimes on Monday, transferred $350,000 to two close associates in late 2018 in what federal prosecutors say was an attempt to “influence witnesses”.The payments were revealed in a letter to Judge Richard Berman on Friday afternoon in opposition to Epstein’s request to be released on bail while he awaits trial on charges of sexually exploiting, abusing and trafficking girls as young as 14 years old.The US attorney Geoffrey Berman wrote that Epstein “has a history of obstruction and manipulation of witnesses” including incidents when he was under investigation in the state of Florida in 2006, but most recently following the Miami Herald’s publication of series of articles examining how that Florida investigation resulted in a controversially lenient 2008 plea agreement on state charges and a federal non-prosecution agreement.On 30 November 2018, just two days after the publication of the first Miami Herald article, Epstein wired $100,000 to an individual identified as a “potential co-conspirator” in the non-prosecution agreement, according to financial records obtained by the prosecution. Three days later, on 3 December, Epstein wired an additional $250,000 to one of his employees, who was also named as a possible co-conspirator.“This course of action, and in particular its timing, suggests the defendant was attempting to further influence co-conspirators who might provide information against him in light of the recently re-emerging allegations,” Berman wrote.The financial records obtained by prosecutors from an unnamed institution also provided one of the first hints to Epstein’s true wealth. Long described as a billionaire, the New York Times reported on Wednesday that much of his reputation as a brilliant financier was probably illusionary, and that there was “little evidence” of him actually having a net worth in the billions.Prosecutors said that Epstein was “extravagantly wealthy”, however, noting that documents obtained recently from the same financial institution reveal that he is worth at least $500m and earns more than $10m each year.Epstein’s wealth and alleged potential for witness tampering were just two of the government’s arguments against the bail package proposed by Epstein’s attorneys on Thursday. The defense argued that Epstein had been a “law-abiding citizen” for the last 14 years, and that he posed no threat to the public or risk of fleeing. They proposed using Epstein’s $77m mansion and private jet as collateral, and pledged to pay for security personnel to enforce his house arrest.Prosecutors rejected the proposal, writing, “Any doubt that the defendant is unrepentant and unreformed was eliminated when law enforcement agents discovered hundreds or thousands of nude and seminude photographs of young females in his Manhattan mansion on the night of his arrest, more than a decade after he was first convicted of a sex crime involving a juvenile.”Describing Epstein’s proposal of house arrest as a “gilded cage”, the prosecutors noted that several victims have informed the government that “they would be fearful for their safety” if Epstein were released. The letter also said that since the indictment was unsealed on Monday, “several” more women have come forward alleging that they were victims of Epstein when they were minors.A hearing on Epstein’s detention is scheduled for Monday. Topics Jeffrey Epstein US crime New York Florida news