U.S. House passes $700 billion defense appropriations bill. “The defense bill for the 2018 fiscal year allots some $634 billion for core Pentagon operations and nearly $66 billion for wartime missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere.” http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/11/14/house-passes-700b-defense-bill-amid-north-korea-threat.html Imperialism is expensive. This is why Americans can’t have nice things like national health insurance, public preschools and bridges that don’t collapse.
Swiss bank says the 1% now own more than half the world’s wealth. “The top 1% now own 50.1% of the world’s wealth, up from 45.5% in 2001.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/11/14/richest-1-now-owns-half-worlds-wealth/862916001/
Possibly intoxicated Dallas prosecutor allegedly threatened Uber driver who ordered her out of his vehicle and then called the police when she refused to leave. “I want the cops to come so that they can [expletive] you up, that’s what I want.” https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas/2017/11/11/listen-dallas-prosecutor-accuses-lost-uber-driver-kidnapping-rant-night-bar
Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau raised issue of extrajudicial anti-drug murders with Philippine leader Duterte, who Trump had praised. “I impressed on him the need for respect for the rule of law, and as always offered Canada’s support and help as a friend to move forward on what is a real challenge.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/trudeau-says-he-discussed-human-rights-with-filipino-leader/2017/11/14/7d98f916-c922-11e7-b506-8a10ed11ecf5_story.html
Australians vote “yes” in government gay marriage poll. “Thousands of people gathered in a central Sydney park, some wearing wedding dresses and sequined suits, broke into a loud cheer, hugged and cried as Australia’s chief statistician revealed live over a big screen that 61.6 percent of voters favored marriage equality, with 38.4 percent against.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-gaymarriage/australians-support-same-sex-marriage-in-survey-paving-way-for-legislation-idUSKBN1DE34L
Press freedom groups ask for charges to be dropped against journalists arrested while covering anti-Trump protest. “Threatening journalists with arrest both impedes their ability to (cover events of national importance) and sends a chilling message to others attempting to cover political dissent.” https://rightsanddissent.org/news/defending-rights-dissent-press-freedom-groups-send-letter-demanding-charges-dropped-journalists-arrested-covering-inauguration-protest/
U.S. consumer debt continues to rise. “Total debt held by American families jumped by $116 billion or nearly one percent to just under $13 trillion in the third quarter, beating the April-June quarter which was the highest since the start of the global financial crisis in 2008.” http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/us-household-debt-continues-steady-rise-ny-federal-reserve-bank
Stock market may be overheating say fund managers. “A full 48% of investors in BAML’s fund manager survey say stocks are overvalued – a record that even tops the level seen prior to the bursting of the dot.com bubble.” https://seekingalpha.com/news/3311851-irrational-exuberance-back
Retail employment falling, non-performing loans rising. “Manufacturing… shed 5 million jobs between 2000 and 2015, but many of those individuals found work in other sectors, including retail.” http://www.businessinsider.com/ubs-the-retail-apocalypse-is-killing-jobs-2017-11
Book profiles Americans over 50 who are living in RVs while doing temp work. “Few have chosen this life. Few think they can find a way out of it. They’re downwardly mobile older Americans in mobile homes.” https://www.marketwatch.com/story/many-older-americans-are-living-a-desperate-nomadic-life-2017-11-06
Human rights group says some governments are manipulating online content to their political advantage. “Venezuela, the Philippines, and Turkey were among 30 countries where governments were found to employ armies of “opinion shapers” to spread government views, drive particular agendas, and counter government critics on social media.” https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/freedom-net-2017
Baton Rouge police fatally shoot unarmed suspect in the chest while trying to subdue him. “The Louisiana State Police said 24-year-old Calvin Toney “attempted to flee on foot” when a state child welfare case worker and the city officer showed up Monday evening at an apartment complex and had a “lengthy struggle” with the officer, who used a stun gun on Toney multiple times.” http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-dead-police-shooting-louisiana-51128925
Mesquite, Texas police drop “evading arrest” charge against man they suspected of burglarizing his own truck. “Within 10 seconds of their arrival, he had been shot (in) the stomach,” said Lee Merritt, another of (Lyndo) Jones’ attorneys. “While on the street suffering from his wound, officers attempted to perform a cavity search and he reacted to that, and he was shot a second time in (his) back.” http://www.wfaa.com/news/crime/conflicting-stories-in-mesquite-officer-involved-shooting/491717808
Providence, Rhode Island councilwoman seeking answers about violent police chase. “LaFortune, a Democrat who represents Ward 3 on the city’s East Side, said there are still “unanswered questions” about a car chase that led nine Providence police officers and Rhode Island state troopers to fire more than 40 shots into a pickup truck on the I-95 North on-ramp by the Providence Place mall Nov. 9, killing 32-year-old Joseph Santos and injuring 37-year-old Christine Demers.” http://wpri.com/2017/11/14/councilwoman-lafortune-many-unanswered-questions-after-police-shooting/
Man claims he was beaten by Raleigh, North Carolina police officer after closing the trunk of his car. “All I did was close my trunk. He immediately started to punch, kick, elbow,” (Kyle) Garcia said. “He slams me on the ground and he stomped my head repeatedly.” http://abc11.com/raleigh-man-accuses-officer-of-excessive-force/2643138/
Bridgeport, Connecticut police to get dash cameras after violent arrest video shot by bystander emerges. “Police Chief Armando Perez said Tuesday that during a meeting with the state’s legislative delegation about last Friday’s confrontation between Officer Christina Arroyo and 18-year-old Aaron Kearney, he was told the state has the money to purchase the dash cameras for the city.” http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Violent-video-prompts-Bridgeport-police-dash-cams-12357450.php Video can be seen here: https://twitter.com/Justice4JaysonN/status/929422665282211841/video/1
Jury awards $5.5 million to family of man who died after he was reportedly tasered six times in three minutes by Los Angeles police officers. “One officer testified that he used a Taser on Mears six times, at one point holding the trigger continuously for 32 seconds.” http://abc7.com/jury-awards-$55m-to-man-who-died-after-lapd-encounter/2648902/
80% of suspects shot by Fresno, California police were black or Latino claims ACLU. “Though whites make up 29 percent of Fresno’s population, they accounted for only 8 percent of victims of officer-involved shootings (between 2001 and 2016).” http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article184647463.html
ACLU accuses Bakersfield police and Kern County Sheriff’s department of “patterns and practices that violate civil rights”. “In addition to an examination of incidents where unarmed individuals were shot or beaten, the report also alleges the agencies have a practice of filing intimidating or retaliatory criminal charges against victims of alleged excessive force.” http://kvpr.org/post/aclu-report-claims-bpd-kern-county-sheriffs-office-have-patterns-excessive-use-force
Attorney General Sessions doesn’t remember Trump advisor offering to set up meeting with Putin, but does remember saying it was a bad idea. “I do now recall the March 2016 meeting at Trump Hotel that Mr. Papadopoulos attended, but I have no clear recollection of the details of what he said during that meeting. After reading his account, and to the best of my recollection, I believe that I wanted to make clear to him that he was not authorized to represent the campaign with the Russian government.” http://thehill.com/homenews/house/360410-sessions-denies-lying-to-congress-about-russia-contacts
Progressive News Service 