New White House painting portrays Donald Trump with previous Republican presidents. “The painting, showing former Republican presidents (which some have likened to Dogs Playing Poker) was painted in oil by Andy Thomas, who is more often found painting cowboys.” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/15/president-trump-new-painting-white-house-republican
Elizabeth Warren DNA test reveals Native American ancestry. “(Prof.) Bustamante calculated that Warren’s pure Native American ancestor appears in her family tree ‘in the range of 6-10 generations ago’.” https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2018/10/15/warren-addresses-native-american-issue/YEUaGzsefB0gPBe2AbmSVO/story.html President Trump denies ever offering Warren $1 million to take a DNA test to prove she is a descendant of Native Americans. “I will give you a million dollars, paid for by Trump, to your favorite charity if you take the test and it shows you’re an Indian … we’ll see what she does.” https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/15/politics/donald-trump-elizabeth-warren-dna-1-million/index.html
President Trump highlights Saudi king’s denial of involvement in assassination of journalist. “It wasn’t like there was a question in his mind. The denial was very strong.” https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/15/politics/trump-saudi-king-tweet/index.html As judges and prosecutors know, if someone denies committing a crime it’s usually a strong indicator of innocence!
Coming home while black. “The first video shows the woman demanding proof that (D’Arreion) Toles lives in the apartment building. She can be seen standing in front of the entrance, refusing to let him in.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/darreion-toles-st-louis-woman-fired-blocking-black-man-entering-apartment/
Idaho Fish and Game commissioner facing calls for his resignation after sharing photos from his African hunting trip. “First day (my wife) wanted to watch me, and ‘get a feel’ of Africa. So I shot a whole family of baboons.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/blake-fischer-idaho-fish-and-game-official-emailed-photos-of-animals-killed-on-african-hunting-trip/
Trump shares ‘alternative facts’ on climate change during ’60 Minutes’ interview. “Something’s changing and it will change back again.” https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/climate/trump-climate-change-fact-check.html
State Department trainee accidentally sends out invitation to a ‘cat pajama’ party at U.S. Embassy in Australia. “It’s unknown how widely the email, sent by the US Department of State, was distributed.” https://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/107858968/us-embassy-apology-after-cat-pyjama-invite Many stories mention a section of the invitation in Latin, but no one is reproducing it or translating it, which is a truly amazing coincidence.
Savanna, Georgia police will use surveillance camera footage to hunt statue ‘vandal’. “The (googly) eyes were quickly removed and did not appear to do any damage to the statue.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/vandalism-revolutionary-war-statue-googly-eyes-prompts-police-probe-n920211
Women much more likely to be disciplined in prison. “Across the country, women in prison are disciplined at higher rates than men — often two to three times more often, and sometimes more — for smaller infractions of prison rules.” https://www.npr.org/2018/10/15/647874342/in-prison-discipline-comes-down-hardest-on-women
Dept. of Veterans Affairs reportedly spending millions to guard Confederate cemeteries and monuments. “Records obtained by The Associated Press through the Freedom of Information Act show that the VA has spent nearly $3 million on the cemetery security since August 2017.” https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/government-spends-millions-guard-confederate-cemeteries-58507574
Dallas officials refusing to release audio recording of 911 call and autopsy results in Botham Jean killing. “Other records that police and prosecutors refuse to release include: (Officer) Guyger’s personnel file, records related to her shooting of a man she said took her Taser during a struggle in 2017, Guyger’s clock-in and clock-out times the day of the shooting, Guyger’s annual salary, previous administrative leave with the department, other 911 calls about the shooting, Guyger’s work schedule, body camera and dash camera videos, and any off-duty jobs she was approved to work.” https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas-police/2018/10/02/everything-city-dallas-wont-tell-death-botham-jean
Chinese internet celebrity reportedly spends five days in jail after singing the country’s national anthem on-line in a manner considered to be disrespectful. “The current law in China states those who sing the anthem in a ‘distorted or disrespectful way’ can be jailed for up to 15 days.” https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/yang-kaili-china-insult-national-anthem-social-media-huya-a8584456.html
9/11 suspect deported to Morocco after serving 15 years in prison in Germany. “(Mounir) el Motassadeq was convicted of membership in a terrorist organization and accessory to the murder of the 246 passengers and crew on the four jetliners used in the 9/11 attacks in 2001.” https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/germany-preparing-deport-convicted-sept-11-suspect-58500859 However, the Moroccan government has been accused of torturing prisoners in the past. “In Morocco (Binyam Mohammed) claims he underwent the strappado torture of being hung for hours from his wrists, and (suffered) scalpel cuts to his chest and penis, and that a CIA officer was a regular interrogator.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/dec/11/politics.alqaida
Nicaragua arrests protest leaders ahead of planned demonstration. “The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights said on Twitter that it was deeply worried by the arrests, and called on the government to guarantee the security of the protesters.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nicaragua-protests/nicaraguan-police-arrest-protesters-quash-anti-government-march-idUSKCN1MO0S8
Hungarian law bans homeless from sleeping on the street. “Rough sleeping will be banned in Hungary from Monday when the government’s law on homelessness comes into force, giving police the power to remove homeless people from the streets and destroy any shelters they may have built.” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/rough-sleeping-outlawed-hungary-law-force-181015045613103.html
Trump administration to end ‘Temporary Protect Status’ for refugees from six countries. “The result could be the removal – sometimes willingly, sometimes forced – of 98 percent of the 317,000 foreigners in the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program. It remains unclear what will happen to the 230,000 children they’ve had while in the U.S., all citizens by birth.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/10/15/trump-team-uses-new-rationale-expel-300-k-legal-immigrants/1272247002/
Military communications and surveillance companies to merge. “Harris Corporation handles complex military communications networks for battlefield management and in military aircraft. It is also known for a brand of Stingray cellphone trackers used by U.S. law enforcement…. New York-based L3 Technologies’ most visible products are the 360-degree scanners that travelers encounter when they go through airport security…. It also makes night-vision equipment and sensor systems used in military aircraft.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/10/14/l-harris-agree-merge-creating-billion-military-technology-giant/ A great business plan since the same equipment is now being used both at home and abroad!
Billionaire Jeff Bezos implies the Earth is disposable. “Earth is destined to run out of resources, he explains patiently to anyone questioning his priorities. Humans need a plan B…” https://www.wired.com/story/jeff-bezos-blue-origin/ Or we could just wisely manage our extremely rare, jewel of a planet. Being forced to live on the moon or Mars because we trashed our planet would represent the ultimate failure of our species.
Canadians turned away at U.S. border for admitting they have smoked marijuana. “If you’re a Canadian tourist in Seattle and you’re over the age of 21, you can buy marijuana. But if on your next trip to the U.S., you’re questioned by border agents and you admit to using pot in the past, you can be banned,” he said. “It’s totally backwards and doesn’t make sense.” http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-canada-marijuana-immigration-20181015-story.html
Cleaning crew arrives at Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate ahead of Turkish investigators. “…video cameras captured a team of cleaners hauling several buckets of mops, two large cases of trash bags, Dixi cleaning solution, another carton of what appears to be bleach, and two cases of Pinar milk through the front door of Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/15/you-couldnt-make-bunch-mops-cleaners-and-trash-bags-delivered-saudi-consulate-ahead
Colin Kaepernick receives award from Harvard. “Last week Colin Kaepernick became one of eight new recipients of the W E B Du Bois Medal, presented by Harvard University to those it considers to have made significant contributions to African‑American history and culture.” https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/oct/15/colin-kaepernick-alert-evil-raised-fists-black-power-salute-50-years
Some dare to call it fascism. “Fascist politics – which evoke a mythic past, which rely on a sense of unreality and victimhood, and which use the cloak of ‘law and order’ to hide corruption and attack scapegoats – can be used to flexible ends, writes Stanley, a professor of philosophy at Yale whose previous book was an analysis of propaganda.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/15/how-fascism-works-jason-stanley-review-trump
Journalists find unsecured electronic voting machines. “WhoWhatWhy’s team on the ground discovered that several voting machines were left completely unguarded in an unlocked room at a polling place in Fulton County on the day before early voting started…. This stunning lack of security measures would have made it easy for any hacker to slip into the room undetected for the few minutes it takes to hack one of these machines.” https://whowhatwhy.org/2018/10/15/exclusive-whowhatwhy-finds-voting-machines-unguarded/
Patriot Prayer group allegedly stationed snipers on roof of parking garage, but police just gave them a warning. “In an afternoon press conference regarding the latest’s Patriot Prayer rally, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Assistant Chief Ryan Lee explained that before the August protest kicked off, officers found a number of people standing on the roof of a parking garage above with loaded guns. The garage was directly above where the afternoon protest was expected to take place.” https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2018/10/15/23710274/members-of-patriot-prayer-brought-loaded-firearms-to-roof-before-august-protest And if this had been a Trump rally?
Lakeland, Florida city commissioner fatally shoots fleeing shoplifter. “Video from inside the Vets Army Navy Surplus store shows Dunn holding a gun in his right hand as Lopez tries to advance toward the door. Dunn pushes Lopez with his left arm, and Lopez goes for the door again.” https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/Surveillance-video-shows-Lakeland-city-commissioner-shooting-alleged-shoplifter_172671529
Black St. Louis hospital patient reportedly mauled by white security guard after sitting down in a wheelchair. “While the initial interaction takes place just outside the camera’s field of vision, Allen has said the guard struck her over her left eye with his fist, sending her falling into the sidewalk.” https://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2018/10/15/video-shows-ssm-hospital-security-guard-taking-down-patient
Palestinian woman allegedly stoned to death by Israeli settlers. “Aisha Al-Rawbi, 47, and a mother of eight, was pronounced dead at hospital late on Friday from a head injury sustained in the stone-throwing incident, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa.” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/thousands-attend-funeral-palestinian-aisha-al-rawbi-181013120816302.html
Progressive News Service 