US-UK Skies

From the BBC:

"UK and US agree post-Brexit flights deal"

The UK and US have agreed an "open skies" deal for post-Brexit flights, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has said. The arrangement means airlines would continue to fly from the UK to the US after Brexit, the Department for Transport (DfT) said. Flights between the countries operate under the US-EU open skies treaty. The deal with the US is one of nine bilateral air services arrangements secured by the UK to replace it. The others are with Albania, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Montenegro, Morocco and Switzerland. Discussions with Canada are at an "advanced stage", according to the DfT. Mr Grayling said transatlantic flights have helped bring the UK and US "even closer together, strengthening our ties and boosting our economies". The Brexit campaigner went on: "This new arrangement and those concluded with eight other countries around the world are proof that the UK will continue to be a major player on the world stage after we leave the EU." Under the deal, EU majority-owned airlines that are operating between the UK and US will be able to continue to fly existing routes as long as they remain owned and controlled by EU/EEA nationals or UK nationals. But any airline that is not owned and controlled by UK nationals and wants to start offering transatlantic routes after Brexit would need to seek a waiver from the US government. That technicality aside, aviation consultant John Strickland said: "It's positive news for UK airlines operating to the US market that this agreement has been reached. "It appears that enough flexibility has been negotiated to allow for different scenarios of either UK or EU majority ownership, a point of importance for IAG, and for Virgin, which is in the process of becoming non-UK majority owned as Air France takes a stake." Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways owner IAG, described the aviation agreement with the US as "a significant positive development which we welcome" that "facilitates strong competition and is clearly pro-consumer".  IAG is registered in Spain and has shareholders from around the world. Sir Richard Branson is in the process of reducing his stake in Virgin Atlantic to 20% by selling almost a third of the business to Air France-KLM. Theresa May's Brexit agreement with Brussels says that the UK and EU have agreed to negotiate a "comprehensive air transport agreement" for UK-EU flights during the planned transition period but it would not apply if the UK left the EU without a deal. In September the government warned a no-deal Brexit could cause disruption to air travel between the UK and European Union countries.

^ Brexit continues to cause chaos and confusion for the UK, the EU, the US and the rest of the world. At least this new agreement is one less thing to have to worry about. Now on to the millions of other items that have to be addressed. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46380463

Men Barred

From the BBC:

"Ukraine bars Russian men aged 16-60 from entry"

Ukraine will not allow Russian men aged 16-60 into the country following the imposition of martial law, Kiev says.  An exception would be made for "humanitarian cases" such as those travelling to funerals. Russia says it is not planning retaliatory measures. Martial law has been imposed in 10 Ukrainian regions until 26 December. This came as Ukraine's president voiced fears of a Russian invasion after Russian forces fired on and seized three Ukrainian boats and 24 sailors. Ukraine said Sunday's incident in the Black Sea was a flagrant violation of international law, while Russia says the vessels violated its territorial waters. It is the most dangerous clash at sea off Crimea since Russia annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014. The restrictions were announced after President Petro Poroshenko met the country's top security officials, including border guard chiefs, in Kiev.  The president tweeted (in Ukrainian) that the ban was designed to prevent the formation of "private armies" in Ukraine.  He was referring to Russian-backed separatists who formed units in April 2014 to fight Ukrainian government forces in eastern Ukraine. Mr Poroshenko also said registration criteria would be tightened for Russian citizens in the regions under martial law. On Tuesday, he warned there was a threat of "full-scale war" with Russia. "The number of [Russian] tanks at bases located along our border has grown three times," the president said. Five of the 10 regions border Russia while two are adjacent to Moldova's breakaway Trans-Dniester region, where Russian troops are stationed. The other three regions border the Black Sea or Sea of Azov close to Crimea. The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Kiev says the ban could have a devastating impact on cross-border travel as the holiday period approaches. Many Russians have relatives living in Ukraine. Reacting to the Ukrainian ban, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow was not planning "mirror" measures as this "could result in full madness". Russia earlier said the 30-day martial law in Ukraine had been declared in order to potentially suspend presidential elections set for 31 March.  It said President Poroshenko - whose approval ratings have plummeted - would then be the main beneficiary. Mr Poroshenko denies the claim, saying the polls will be held as scheduled.

How will the Ukrainian ban be policed?

Stricter checks are now expected at border crossings. Although the ban applies to all points of entry into Ukraine, the main focus is likely to be on the nearly 2,000km (1243 miles) Ukrainian-Russian land border. Soon after the conflict began in 2014, Ukraine started building a "wall" - a system of fortifications along the border. However, the project is still unfinished due to lack of funds. To further complicate the matter, hundreds of kilometres of Ukraine's border are de facto controlled by Russia and pro-Russian separatists in the east. Meanwhile, checkpoints have been set up between Ukraine and Russian-annexed Crimea in the south and also on the line of separation between Ukraine and two self-proclaimed rebel republics in the east. And even before Friday's ban, Ukraine had already put restrictions on Russian nationals wanting to visit Ukraine. A number of them have been deported for failing to explain the purpose of their visit, Ukraine says.  Russian nationals - as well as other foreigners - are routinely denied entry into Ukraine if they have visited Crimea or the self-proclaimed republics not via Ukrainian-controlled points of entry. Kiev has also stopped direct flights between Ukraine and Russia.

What about the captured Ukrainian sailors?

At least three of the 24 Ukrainians were injured when the Russian coast guard and special forces attacked their vessels last Sunday. A court in Crimea later ordered the Ukrainians to be detained for 60 days, despite an international outcry. US President Donald Trump cancelled a planned meeting at the G20 summit in Argentina with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the issue. The sailors are accused of illegally crossing into Russia. They are not treated by Russia as prisoners of war. On Friday, Crimea's human rights ombudsman Lyudmila Lubina said the captured servicemen had been transferred from Crimea to Moscow, Russian media report.

^ This is a sad, but needed step for Ukraine. Russia tends to use back-handed tactics to get what they want and they clearly want more war with Ukraine (as well as more Ukrainian territory.)  It would be nice if Russia could start adhering to international laws as well as the agreements they passed with other countries - like Ukraine. If they did then Russia could be a modern 21st Century country and not force its citizens to live in the 20th Century and struggle for the basics.  ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46397644

Deal Signing

From the BBC:

"Trump signs trade deal with Mexico and Canada"

US President Donald Trump and leaders from Canada and Mexico have signed the successor to the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). The revised deal has been renamed as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. Renegotiating Nafta was a key pledge of Mr Trump's 2016 White House campaign. The US President claimed the update "changes the trade landscape forever". USMCA will govern more than $1tn worth of trade between the countries. Shortly after the signing, Mr Trump tweeted: "The terrible NAFTA will soon be gone. The USMCA will be fantastic for all!" The deal comes after more than a year of negotiations between the countries, with agreement on new car and dairy industry regulations proving particularly challenging. Throughout the start of his presidency, President Trump had repeatedly threatened to withdraw the US from Nafta, unless he could secure a better deal.  However, after a deal was agreed in principle on 30 September, Mexican President Pena Nieto hailed it as a "win-win-win." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was less enthusiastic about the new regional trade pact on Friday, but said the USMCA would resolve the threat of "serious economic uncertainty" that "would have gotten more damaging". In May this year, President Trump slapped increased tariffs on Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminium coming into the US. Mr Trudeau told Trump at the signing that the two leaders should work together to reduce those tariffs. Politicians from each country will still need to ratify the USMCA before it can take effect. The head of the World Trade Organization, Roberto Azevedo, has said the post-war multilateral trading system is facing its worst crisis. He sounded the alarm in a BBC interview, where he did not name names, but it's pretty clear that President Trump's combative approach to trade policy is at the centre of his concerns. The signing of the deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement - even though it still needs to be ratified by all three countries legislators - does perhaps tick off one item on the list that Mr Azevedo is worrying about. But there are plenty more. The big one must be the continuing tensions between the US and China. The two countries have already imposed new tariffs on one another's goods and the US plans to raise them further in the New Year. Perhaps President Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will defuse the situation when they meet at the G20 summit this weekend. But expectations are not very high.  While most analysts expect the deal to win easy approval in Canada and Mexico, it has received a lukewarm response in the US. Democrats say the new pact does not do enough to protect the environment or dissuade companies from locating jobs in lower-cost Mexico. Meanwhile, many business groups and some free-trade Republicans still want to see the White House lift the steel and aluminium tariffs. Despite the criticism, Mr Trump said he expected Congress to ultimately back the deal.

What are some key provisions?

- The deal requires 75% of auto content to be made in North America to qualify for tariff-free treatment. Roughly 40-45% of the content must be made by workers making at least $16 an hour.

- Canada agreed to lift some rules that hindered US exports of dairy products.

- There are new sections governing digital trade, including a ban on rules that would require firms to store data in specific countries.

- Pharmaceutical companies won longer patent protections for certain kinds of medicines.

- The three countries committed to review the deal every six years, deciding whether to extend its 16-year duration.

^ No matter what you believe Trump did get this done. He used Mexico to force Canada to agree - if Canada didn't then they would have been left out. While it isn't a sure-thing that Congress will back the trade deal I think they eventually will  - after a bunch of grumbling. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46402977

Crimea Warning

From the MT:

"Russia To Build New Missile Early Warning Radar Station In Crimea"

Russia plans to build a new missile early-warning radar station in Crimea next year, the Interfax news agency reported on Thursday, citing a Crimean security source. News that a new military facility will be built in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, follows Russia's seizure of three Ukrainian navy vessels off the coast of the peninsula on Sunday. The new radar station — which will be able to track ballistic and cruise missiles from a long distance — will be built near the port of Sevastopol where Russia's Black Sea fleet is based, the source told the news agency. Interfax reported earlier on Thursday that Russia was also working on a new technical system to allow it to better track shipping around the peninsula in order to protest its maritime borders. The Russian Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday it would deploy a new battalion of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems on the Crimean peninsula by the end of the year.   

^ You can't say Russia isn't preparing for war. ^

https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russia-to-build-new-missile-early-warning-radar-station-in-crimea-63648

NORAD Santa Tracker

From the Telegraph:

"NORAD Tracks Santa" 

The most wonderful time of year is nearly here, with fewer than 50 days remaining until Christmas Day. During the festive season millions of children count down the days of December and go to sleep on Christmas Eve, excitedly awaiting the delivery of their presents from the beloved Santa Claus. Before the arrival of December 25, children (and adults) can track Father Christmas' journey around the world using the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and Google's Santa trackers. From the history behind NORAD's festive role to finding out what time you can expect an appearance down your chimney, here is everything you need to know about Santa's journey on Christmas Eve. Once Santa has made his list, checked it twice and finds out who has been naughty and nice, he sets off on his sleigh with his trusty reindeer, travelling an estimated 510,000,000 km on Christmas Eve - approximately 1,800 miles per second. Christmas Eve is a busy time for Father Christmas as he needs to visit 390,000 homes per minute - or 6,424 per second.  From sherry, mulled wine and beer, to mince pies, gingerbread men and fruit cake, Santa won't be short of energy during his journey, consuming a total of 71,764,000,000 calories.  With plenty of driving involved throughout the night, let's hope children opt to leave him non-alcoholic beverages. Father Christmas' journey begins in the South Pacific, with his first stop to the Republic of Kiribati, a collection of 32 atolls in the Pacific Ocean. He will next travel west, delivering presents to those in New Zealand and Australia, followed by Japan. Santa will then visit Asia, Africa and Western Europe, concluding with Canada, the US, Mexico and South America. Throughout the year, the US and Canadian organisation NORAD, monitors aerospace in event of nuclear attack, but when Christmas Eve comes around they monitor the skies for Santa's sleigh.  Every year, the NORAD Tracks Santa website receives nearly nine million unique visitors from more than 200 countries and territories across the globe. On December 24, 1,500 volunteers respond to emails and receive more than 140,000 calls regarding Santa's exact whereabouts.  This year, keen followers of Santa Claus can track his journey of delivering presents on the NORAD website from 8am GMT on Christmas Eve. But before NORAD begins tracking Santa's journey the website will launch on December 1, with a holiday countdown, games and activities, all available in a range of languages Following the success of NORAD's festive role, Google launched Keyhole Santa Radar in 2004 as part of Keyhole Earth Viewer, now known as Google Earth. Google later developed the Santa Tracker website and each year on December 1 Santa's Village launches with an array of fun games for children and educational resources for teachers.  On Christmas Eve, Google's Santa Tracker goes live, allowing children to monitor his progress of delivering presents from 10am GMT on their desktop, mobile, tablet and Chromecast devices. 

History:

On a Christmas Eve shift back in 1955, Colonel Harry Shoup answered a call made to the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) in Colorado Springs, USA. To his surprise, a young child had phoned the top secret line after finding a newspaper advert about 'Santa's Toyland' from department store Sears, with the number of CONAD, NORAD's predecessor, printed by mistake. Colonel Shoup, dubbed "Santa Colonel", later received multiple calls that night from other children, all looking for the whereabouts of Father Christmas.  He and his fellow call operators together informed the children calling throughout the night of Santa's exact location. The Santa tracking tradition, later continued by NORAD, was born. NORAD has carried out it's Christmas role for over 60 years and since 1997 children across the globe have been able to track Santa's journey of delivering presents online. More than 50 years after the night of calls from children, Colonel Shoup's granddaughter Carrie Farrell, who worked for Google, announced their partnership with NORAD to track Santa in 2007 - although the companies have since parted ways, carrying out their roles separately. 

While Britons often picture Father Christmas to be a jolly character with a white beard, wearing a red suit and big black boots, other countries around the world visualise the beloved festive figure differently. In Belgium and the Netherlands, Santa is known as Sinterklaas, who wears a bishop's alb and cape with a ruby ring and travels on a white horse. In Russia, Grandfather Frost arrives on New Year's Eve to deliver gifts whereas in Finland, Joulupukki knocks on children's doors on Christmas Eve to ask if they have been well-behaved. In France, Pere Noël rides a donkey called Gui, putting sweets inside children's shoes left near the chimney while in Italy, an old witch called La Befana delivers presents to good children. 

^ I have used NORAD's Santa Tracker ever since I was a little kid. It is a very cool and interesting way to bring the US and Canadian Militaries to the public (Americans, Canadians and those from around the world.) Here's the link to NORAD's site that will start on December 1st: http://www.noradsanta.org/  ^

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas/0/norad-santa-tracker-2018-follow-father-christmas-journey-christmas/

Understanding Pets

Ivanka's Emails

From the BBC:

"Ivanka Trump says her private emails not like Clinton's"

US President Donald Trump's daughter and adviser Ivanka has defended her use of a personal email account, saying it was nothing like Hillary Clinton's. "There's no equivalency," she said in an ABC interview aired on Wednesday. The first daughter came under fire this month when it emerged that she had used a private email to message officials on White House business last year. Mr Trump had lambasted his presidential opponent Mrs Clinton for her use of a private email server for official work. During his 2016 campaign, Mr Trump suggested the former secretary of state should be jailed after it emerged the FBI had found classified information in some emails from her private server. Chants of "lock her up" were a mainstay at Mr Trump's rallies - but his daughter told ABC that her case was different. "Everything has been preserved, everything has been archived," said Ms Trump, 37, who holds the official title of adviser to the president.  "My emails have not been deleted, nor was there anything of substance, nothing confidential, within them. There's no connection between the two things." "People who want to see it as the same see it as the same," Ms Trump added. "But the fact is that we all have private emails and personal emails to co-ordinate with our family." The senior White House adviser also noted that there is "no prohibition from using private email as long as it's archived" and contains no classified information. It is not illegal for White House officials to use a personal email, but they must forward any official messages to a government account within 20 days for preservation, and there are rules against sharing classified information on personal accounts.  Ms Trump said the emails sent to her private account were mainly regarding scheduling and logistics to balance her home and work life. Last week, officials confirmed that Ms Trump had used a private email account to send hundreds of messages discussing official White House business. The White House responded by saying Ms Trump had done so before being briefed on the rules and had not sent any classified information. In Mrs Clinton's case, she had set up a private email server at her home in New York that she used for all work and personal emails during her four years as secretary of state. An FBI investigation eventually concluded that Mrs Clinton should not face charges, but said she and her aides had been "extremely careless" in their handling of classified information.

^ Why can't all politicians and those dealing with politicians use their private e-mails and accounts for private matters and their professional e-mails and accounts for professional matters? It's seems pretty easy to remember. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46377563

Always Missing

^ They always miss. ^

Mobile Hotel

From USA Today:

"The future of travel? A self-driving mobile hotel room"

Imagine taking a road trip and never having to stop for a food or bathroom break. Steve Lee, a designer at Toronto-based Aprilli Design Studio, has come up with an idea that could make that happen: The Autonomous Travel Suite. Think of it as a hotel room on wheels. The driverless mobile suite would have a sleeping area with mattresses, washroom facilities with a toilet and sitting shower, a space for working or entertaining, and a small kitchen. It could fit up to five people. “It’s basically a hotel room so it has everything inside it,” he says. “Whether it’s six hours or 10 hours, you’ll feel comfortable inside it." The Autonomous Travel Suite won this year’s Radical Innovation Award, a design competition for the hospitality industry. Does the idea sound far-fetched? Driverless cars have already been tested on the streets of some U.S. cities and in London. Tesla CEO Elon Musk says he could have self-driving vehicles on the road by next year.  Lee predicts his Autonomous Travel Suite could be on the road by 2030. The battery-powered vehicle would pick up travelers at home and take them to their destinations. It could travel up to 10 hours. It would take the place of domestic flights or train travel, eliminating the need to commute to the airport or train station and go through the check-in and security process. Lee says the suite would operate as a rental car and a hotel room, providing more flexibility, privacy and comfort It would also cut costs, he says. The rental price of the suite would be far less than the cost of all the combined travel services And unlike traveling by car, passengers can work, sleep or play rather than concentrate on driving “It means basically we’re going to gain a lot of time on the road,” he says Clayton Reid, CEO of MMGY Global, a travel marketing organization, says tapping into U.S. travelers’ love of road trips makes sense. But he does not see how the Autonomous Travel Suite is much different from RVs and travel trailers “I don’t know that the concept of a large vehicle that moves people in comfort is anything new,” he says. “Airstreams and RV’s are mobile hotel rooms.”  Even the driverless feature may not be unique, he says. “Autonomous automobiles are coming in every way, shape and form,” he says. Kurt Stahura, dean of the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Niagara University, does believe the idea is creative but raises questions about its feasibility “That technology has not been perfected yet,” he says. “A lot has to be in place for this to work and it might be even out of their control in terms of what the technology on the roads allows for. Stahura points out that if train travel improves in the USA, there would be little need for people to travel via a self-driving hotel suite “Would this work in Europe? The answer is probably no because of the extensive train lines,” he says. “If we improve our infrastructure, that might be something that curbs enthusiasm for such a creative idea.” Lee envisions travelers ordering the Autonomous Travel Suite  through an online app, specifying the destinations and desired services. The Autonomous Interface would then analyze the best routes.  For longer trips, Lee envisions developing an Autonomous Hotel Chain, a network of hotel facilities that would offer stationary parent units and amenities such as fitness centers, spas, pools, and meeting rooms. He believes major hotel companies such as Marriott International and Hilton would be able to build the infrastructure at their properties to accommodate the suites. “The existing hotels can continue to update their facilities to fit the needs for autonomous vehicles,” he says. But, “eventually it would be great if there’s a dedicated brand for it where everything is designed around it.

^ It does sound like a driver-less sleeping train and not a hotel room. I would not be the first or second or even third person to try these self-driving "hotel rooms" out just like I won't be the first to be in a self-driving car. ^ 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2018/11/27/self-driving-hotel-room/2123668002/

Train To Pay

From the DW:

"Dutch trains to compensate descendants of Jews deported to Nazi camps"

The Netherlands's state-owned railway company made millions during WWII by operating trains that sent hundreds of thousands of Jews, including Anne Frank, to their deaths in Nazi camps.  The Netherlands state-owned train company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), will compensate individuals whose Jewish relatives were deported on its trains to concentration and extermination camps when the country was under Nazi-German occupation during World War II. Announced Tuesday on the nightly public television news show, the decision marks the first time that the train company will pay damages to individual descendants of Holocaust victims. Previously the NS had donated money to various remembrance projects. "We have jointly decided … to found a committee," NS President Roger van Boxtel said. "This committee will find out how we can arrange financial aid to those affected." The number of individuals to receive compensation, as well as the total to be paid out, remains unknown.Following the occupation of the Netherland by Nazi troops in May 1940, the NS followed orders to deport Jews to the transit camp Westerbork. Around 107,000 Jews, including Anne Frank, were sent there before eventually being transported to other concentration and extermination camps, including Auschwitz and Sobibor.  The Nazis paid the state train company for transporting the Jews. "The NS adhered to a German command to make trains available. The Germans paid for this and the NS had to make sure that the trains ran on time," Dirk Mulder of the Centre for Memory at Westerbork told national broadcaster NOS. According to national broadcaster, the NS took in a rough profit of present-day €2.5 million ($2.8 million) under Nazi occupation for operating the trains. The NS officially apologized for its role in 2005 for its role in the WWII deportations of Jews. Ocompensatnly around 30,000 of the 140,000 Jews living in the Netherlands at the start of WWII survived the war. The Dutch railway firm's decision to compensate descendants of deportees was the result of a confrontation between the train company and Salo Muller, a former physical therapist for the Ajax Amsterdam soccer club. Both of Muller's parents were sent first to Westerbork and then to Auschwitz, where they were killed. He had argued that the NS profited from the transport of Jews and since 2017 has pushed for indiviudal compensation. "For me, this [decision] means that the NS realizes that the suffering of many Jews has not ended," Muller said. "That's why I am happy the NS recognizes that it will be paid out for moral reasons."

^ Every group, organization, company, government and person that collaborated with the Germans in murdering millions upon millions of innocent men, women and children should be held accountable. Not much was done throughout Europe after 1945 (due to the Soviet threat, the post-war chaos and the large amounts of collaborators) and that should not have been allowed to go unpunished for decades. 70+ years after World War 2 it is too little too late for the victims and the survivors. The only good thing about this compensation plan is that it starts to right a wrong that has plagued this Dutch train companies ever since they started profiting off the dead.  There are many more countries and companies that need to follow-suit tp atone for their role in the Holocaust. ^

https://www.dw.com/en/dutch-trains-to-compensate-descendants-of-jews-deported-to-nazi-camps/a-46480605

Female NATO

From the BBC:

"Nato state appoints first female head of armed forces"

Slovenia has become the only Nato country to appoint a woman as head of its army.  Maj Gen Alenka Ermenc will take up the post of chief of staff on Wednesday. The 55-year-old former army commander began her military career in 1991, when the country won its independence from the former Yugoslavia.  Maj Gen Ermenc is currently serving as the army's deputy-chief of staff. President Borut Pahor said he hoped she would improve the army's performance.  "The global trend of a deteriorating security situation continues and even though Slovenia is not directly threatened military-wise, it must improve its military safety relatively quickly," he said in a statement released by his office. Earlier this year, a Slovenian army brigade failed a Nato combat readiness test.  Maj Gen Ermenc graduated from the Royal College of Defence Studies in London and completed a Master's degree in International Studies at London's King's College University. She will replace Maj Gen Alan Geder, who has been in post since February.  Slovenia has approximately 7.500 soldiers, including active and reserve forces.  

^ Whether the head of the Slovenian Armed Forces is male or female makes little difference. What is important is that the new head modernize the Armed Forces so they don't fail another combat readiness test. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46366561

No Water

Because of the heavy snow we lost our regular power (we have been on generator for 21 hours now) and, for a time, lost our landline phone and Internet. We also have no hot water. Having no hot water reminds me of the times I was in Russia. Because of poor construction and materials (Russians claim it is because they are so old, but there are older water systems throughout Europe and the world that don't have the same problem) every Russian town and city has to shut off their hot water supply for around a week. In cities they do it by districts so on public transportation you will see people carrying their toiletries going from a district with no hot water to a friend or family member in another district with hot water (and that friend or family member will do the same when their hot water is shut off.) That's just a small example of how hard life is for ordinary Russians even in the 2nd decade of the 21st Century.

German Over English

From the DW:

"Berlin police recruits must 'learn German before English'"

The new head of the Berlin Police Academy has said that police trainees should close their English textbooks and open their German ones instead. The training program has been criticized for falling German levels.  The head of Berlin's Police Academy, Tanja Knapp, said Monday that police training schools should offer less instruction in English and instead focus more on German. Speaking to the Berlin Senate, Knapp said that the shift in focus was needed in order to improve the German language abilities of police recruits. Many police trainees have "fundamental difficulties when it comes to language … including correct spelling, punctuation and producing written texts," she said. "Of course, it makes sense to be able to speak English to the capital's many tourists," Knapp added. "But if the basic required level of German is too low, then the focus should be on German." The Berlin Police Academy trains around 2,500 trainees, who receive classes from some 230 instructors. Many of the police-in-training have foreign heritage, and the level of secondary education achieved among recruits varies widely.  Knapp took over as the academy head in July after a 2017 report highlighting teacher shortfalls and falling German language abilities among recruits led to the removal of the previous head. The role of English in Berlin was previously thrust into the political spotlight in August 2017. Current Health Minister Jens Spahn, a potential successor to Angela Merkel as leader of the Christian Democrats, said that the omnipresence of English in the German capital was relegating German to a secondary language. 

^ English is the sole International Language and so should be required in every major city around the world that wants to have international ties. With that said the police (or any government officials) should also have the language abilities of their native or adoptive  country. German should be a requirement throughout Germany on par with English. There are some countries (like Luxembourg where a native person is required to know several languages: Luxembourgish, French, German and English) so being bilingual in two languages (German and English) shouldn't be a big deal. ^

https://www.dw.com/en/berlin-police-recruits-must-learn-german-before-english/a-46461889

Wreaths Across America Day

From National Day Calendar:

"National Wreaths Across America Day"

Observed annually on the 3rd Saturday in December, National Wreaths Across America Day is a movement to cover all Veterans grave markers with a Christmas wreath. Remember. Honor. Teach.  This is the mission of Wreaths Across America.  By coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and other veterans cemeteries around the country Wreaths Across America strives to remember our fallen heroes, honor those who serve and teach our children about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families to preserve our freedoms.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Volunteer or donate by visiting https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/ Use #WreathsAcrossAmericaDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

In 1992 Morrill Worcester and his business Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, had a surplus of wreaths toward the end of the holiday season. Years before as a young boy, Worcester had visited Arlington National Cemetery in our nation’s capital. The experience had reminded him through his life of the sacrifice some had made in order for others, including himself, to succeed and flourish. Plans were made to lay the wreaths in honor of our Veterans at an older, less visited section of Arlington National Cemetery. Volunteers stepped forward to help deliver and place the wreaths. In 2007, the Wreaths Across America non-profit group was founded. The event has expanded to all 50 states to lay wreaths at veterans cemeteries to remember our fallen heroes, honor those who serve and teach our children about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families. Wreaths Across America traditionally lays wreaths on the second Saturday in December.  Beginning in 2016, wreaths will be laid on the third Saturday in December.

^ National Wreaths Across America Day is on December 15 2018 this year. I have sponsored several trees for different family members over the years. ^

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-wreaths-across-america-day-second-saturday-in-december/

InSight

From the BBC:
"Mars: Nasa lands InSight robot to study planet's interior"

US space agency Nasa has landed a new robot on Mars after a dramatic seven-minute plunge to the surface of the Red Planet. The InSight probe aims to study the deep interior of Mars, and make it the only planet - apart from Earth - that has been examined in this way. The touchdown confirmation came through shortly after 19:50 GMT. It ended an anxious few minutes in which the robot radioed home updates on its descent. Nasa's mission control in California erupted into cheers when it became clear InSight was safe on the ground.  The probe put down on a vast, flat plain known as Elysium Planitia, close to the Red Planet's equator. The agency had dubbed it the "biggest parking lot on Mars". The first picture from the probe came back very quickly. It showed a smudged, fisheye view of Elysium Planitia.  The image was acquired with the translucent lens cap still in place on the camera. The dust kicked up in the landing obscured much of the view. Better pictures will be taken in the coming days. Like all previous landing attempts at Mars, Insight's race to the surface - the first attempt since 2012 - was a tense affair. Stage by stage and metre by metre, the robot reported back its progress.  It had entered the atmosphere faster than a high-velocity bullet, using the combination of a heatshield, parachute and rockets to bring itself to a gentle stop. Key to InSight's continued survival now on the harsh surface of Mars is the deployment of its solar panels, which were stowed for the descent. The robot absolutely has to start generating power to operate its systems and to warm equipment in the sub-zero temperatures that persist on the Red Planet. Only when these immediate concerns are taken care of can Nasa begin to think about InSight's scientific mission.

What is different about this mission?

This will be the first probe to dedicate its investigations to understanding Mars' interior.  Scientists want to know how the world is constructed - from its core to its crust. InSight has three principal experiments to achieve this goal.  The first is a package of Franco-British seismometers that will be lifted on to the surface to listen for "Marsquakes". These vibrations will reveal where the rock layers are and what they are made of.  A German "mole" will burrow up to 5m into the ground to take the planet's temperature. This will give a sense of how active Mars still is.  And the third experiment will use radio transmissions to very precisely determine how the planet is wobbling on its axis. Deputy project scientist Suzanne Smrekar uses this analogy: "If you take a raw egg and a cooked egg and you spin them, they wobble differently because of the distribution of liquid in the interior. And today we really don't know if the core of Mars is liquid or solid, and how big that core is. InSight will give us this information." 

Why do we need to know this?

Scientists understand very well how Earth's interior is structured, and they have some good models to describe the initiation of this architecture at the Solar System's birth more than 4.5 billion years ago. But Earth is one data point and Mars will give researchers a different perspective on how a rocky planet can be assembled and evolve through time.  InSight chief scientist Bruce Banerdt said: "The small details in how planets evolve are what we think make the difference between a place like Earth where you can go on vacation and get a tan, and a place like Venus where you'll burn in seconds or a place like Mars where you'll freeze to death."

^ This could help lead to the colonization of Mars sooner than what is currently projected. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46351114

300 Word Attack

From the BBC:

"Russia-Ukraine sea clash in 300 words"

Russian border guards intercepted and seized three Ukrainian navy boats off Crimea, in a major escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

Why did this happen?

On Sunday two Ukrainian gunboats and a tug were sailing into the Kerch Strait, the only route for ships to enter the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea. Russia's FSB border guard force says the flotilla violated Russian territorial waters, after the FSB had temporarily closed an area of water to shipping.  Ukraine calls it a flagrant violation of international law, because the incidents happened in the Black Sea, which is free for shipping, and annexed Crimea belongs to Ukraine.  Kiev also cites a 2003 Russia-Ukraine treaty on unimpeded access to the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov.

How serious is this?

It is the most dangerous clash at sea off Crimea since Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014. Russia is now holding the three boats in Kerch. One was rammed on Sunday by an FSB vessel. The Russian forces opened fire before seizing the boats. Several Ukrainian sailors were injured. Russia also sent military aircraft to the scene. Ukraine's parliament is considering a decree from President Petro Poroshenko to impose martial law.  The UN Security Council is holding a special meeting, requested by Russia and Ukraine.

How does it affect the conflict?

The risk is that the conflict in eastern Ukraine could intensify. The pro-Russian separatists there have Russian heavy weapons, while Ukraine has received help from the West. They have been fighting since April 2014. Russia opened a bridge over the Kerch Strait this year, tightening its grip on Crimea. Russia now regularly inspects Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov, imposing extra costs on Ukraine. The area is vital to the Ukrainian economy - steel, grain and other goods pass through it.  The clash underlines the risks in the disputed waters off Crimea, which is recognised internationally as Ukrainian.

^   - On November 22, 2018 an article appeared in Russian and English language media stating that 61% of all Russians "hold President Vladimir Putin fully responsible for the problems the country is facing under his rule according to a new poll published by the independent Levada Center pollster." 

- On November 25, 2018: Russia fired on three Ukrainian Navy ships. Russia captured the 3 ships along with 23 Ukrainian sailors.

 * These two events happening within days of each other are not coincidence. Putin’s popularity within Russia is at historic lows and for the first time since he came into power in 2000 he doesn’t have the support of the majority of the Russian people behind him (due to: the Russian war with Georgia and the occupation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia; the Russian invasion, occupation and annexation of Crimea, the Russian war in Ukraine’s Donbas region, the Russian hacking of world governments, Russia’s support for Syria’s  Assad dictatorship and helping him gas his own people, the Olympic Doping scandal and ban, Russia poisoning people in foreign countries, Russia’s pension reforms and the 4 years of internationally-imposed economic and political sanctions.) This current attack on Ukraine’s Navy is clearly just a smoke-screen that Putin wants to use to deflect attention from him and show he is still powerful (watch for another picture of him shirtless and riding a horse in the woods soon.) Hopefully, the Kool-Aid has completely worn-off the ordinary Russians for good. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46345697

Ballymurphy Inquest

From the BBC:

"Ballymurphy inquest: Army 'threw victims into a vehicle like animals'"

People shot dead in Ballymurphy in west Belfast almost 50 years ago were thrown into the back of an Army vehicle "like animals", an inquest has heard. The Ballymurphy inquest has been hearing preliminary evidence about the deaths of some of the victims. Ten people were shot over three days in August 1971. The shootings occurred amid disturbances sparked by the introduction of internment without trial in Northern Ireland. Among those killed were a priest trying to aid one of the wounded and a mother-of-eight.  At the time, the Army said those killed were either IRA gunmen, or were caught in the crossfire between soldiers and gunmen. The families of those who died say they believe the inquest will show their relatives were innocent, and were targeted deliberately. A new inquest opened earlier in November following a campaign by relatives. On Monday, a statement from an eyewitness, the late Desmond Crone, was read out at the inquest. Mr Crone had told a previous inquest in 1972 of his experiences when several people were shot close to him opposite an army base on the Springfield Road. He had gone there with his wife's cousin, Joseph Murphy, to look for his son. He described how soldiers in the Henry Taggart Memorial Hall had suddenly opened fire on them, and how he had heard both Joseph Murphy and Joan Connolly calling out that they had been hit.

Who were the victims?

The families of those killed in Ballymurphy in 1971 have been giving moving accounts of their relatives since the inquest began in November. 

The victims were

- Father Hugh Mullan, 38, and Francis Quinn, 19, were shot in an area of open ground behind Springfield Park

- Daniel Teggart, 44, Joan Connolly, 44, Noel Phillips, 19 and Joseph Murphy, 41, were shot near the Henry Taggart Army base near Springfield Park

- John Laverty, 20, and Joseph Corr, 43, were shot at separate points at the top of Whiterock Road

- Edward Doherty, 31, was shot at the corner of Brittons Parade and Whiterock Road

- John McKerr, 49, was shot outside the old Corpus Christi Parish

After they had taken cover from persistent gunfire whilst lying on the ground for an hour, Mr Crone said an Army Saracen - an armoured personnel carrier - entered the field and soldiers had got out. He said he heard soldiers saying: "We have got five," and: "Kill the bastards." He said they then lifted five of the dead or injured over to the Saracen, and "threw them into the back like animals". Joseph Murphy and Joan Connolly both died from their injuries, as did Noel Phillips and Daniel Teggart, shot in the same incident. Mr Crone's statement said that whilst there had been shooting and stone-throwing in the general area that evening, none had been coming from the field in which he and several other people had been standing. The court also heard that the hands of those shot had been swabbed for traces of lead, but none had been found. Army statements at the time said those killed in Ballymurphy were gunmen or gunwomen, or caught in crossfire. Many of the statements read out in court included denials by family members that their loved-one had been carrying a weapon or had been members of the IRA. There were also statements about Joseph Corr and John Laverty shot on the Whiterock Road by soldiers of the Parachute Regiment, two days later. Statements from Eileen Corr, the widow of Joseph, described her exhaustive search for her husband until he was found in the military wing at Musgrave Park Hospital with gunshot wounds to his stomach. After being moved to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, he died some days later. Joseph Corr had been a machinist at Shorts, and Mrs Corr described receiving hate mail postmarked Newtownards on the morning of his funeral.

^ Another massacre by the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment of the British Army that needs to be atoned for and those responsible brought to justice. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-46348110

NATO Warning

From UNIAN:

"NATO chief: No justification for use of military force against Ukrainian ships"

Russia's ongoing militarization of Crimea, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, poses further threats to Ukraine's independence. Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg says that there is no justification for the use of military force by Russia against Ukrainian boats near the Kerch Strait in the Black Sea on November 25."There is no justification for the use of military force against Ukrainian ships and naval personnel. So we call on Russia to release immediately the Ukrainian sailors and ships it seized yesterday," he said at a press conference in Brussels after an extraordinary meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission on November 26 in a comment on the attack and seizure of three Ukrainian vessels by the Russian special forces. In his words, the incident is a reminder that there is a war going on in Ukraine. Read more on UNIAN:  "Russia's ongoing militarization of Crimea, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, poses further threats to Ukraine's independence. And undermines the stability of the broader region," he said." So we call on Russia to ensure unhindered access to Ukrainian ports and allow freedom of navigation for Ukraine in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait," he added. According to him, NATO Allies and Ukraine discussed the serious situation in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait on Monday. Ukraine provided Allies with detailed information on the November 25 incident. What is more, on Monday morning, Stoltenberg had a phone call with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko who requested the NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting. "Because under the NATO-Ukraine Charter, Ukraine can request such a meeting if it perceives a direct threat to its territorial integrity, political independence, or security," Stoltenberg said. "We will remain in contact with the Ukrainian government to underline our support," he added.  

^ Hopefully with NATO and world pressure (from the US, the EU and the UN) Russia will release the captured Ukrainians. ^

https://www.unian.info/politics/10353390-nato-chief-no-justification-for-use-of-military-force-against-ukrainian-ships.html

Computers Over Malls

From Reuters:

"On Black Friday, more U.S. shoppers chose the computer over the mall"

The Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday kickoff of the U.S. holiday shopping season showed the increasing preference for online purchases, as more Americans opted to stay home and use their smartphones while sales and traffic at brick-and-mortar stores declined.  The ongoing shift to online shopping has forced retailers across the country to invest heavily in boosting their e-commerce businesses, and also highlights the impact of early holiday promotions and year-round deals on consumer spending.  The weekend also redefined the importance of Black Friday. For the past few years, Black Friday was believed to be waning in importance, but it is now turning into a day when shoppers do not necessarily flock to stores but spend heavily online. Bill Park, a partner at Deloitte & Touche LP, said online sales are starting to complement in-store shopping over the weekend, and for shoppers and retailers the two platforms are starting to converge.  This is happening more and more as retailers like Walmart Inc and Amazon.com Inc sell both online and through stores, making winning the transaction more important than where it occurs, retail consultants and analysts said. Online sales rose more than 23 percent, crossing $6 billion on Black Friday, according to data from Adobe Analytics, which tracks transactions at 80 of the top 100 U.S. retailers. On Thanksgiving, it estimated sales grew 28 percent to $3.7 billion. Preliminary data from analytics firm RetailNext showed net sales at brick-and-mortar stores fell 4 to 7 percent over the two days, while traffic fell 5 to 9 percent, continuing the trend of recent years. No data was yet available for actual spending in stores. In 2017, brick-and-mortar sales were down 8.9 percent for the weekend year-over-year, and shopper traffic fell 4.4 percent. In 2016, store sales were down 4.2 percent and traffic was down 4.4 percent, according to RetailNext. The decrease in store foot traffic is a little greater than it has been in years past, though still within expectations, RetailNext spokesperson Ray Hartjen said. Data from retail research firm ShopperTrak also showed that visits to stores fell a combined 1 percent during Thanksgiving and Black Friday compared with the same days in 2017. Brian Field, senior director of advisory services at ShopperTrak, said online sales have eroded traffic from retailers over the years, “but what we have noticed is that the decline is starting to flatten out ... Overall its been consistent with where it’s been over the last few years.” In 2017, visits to physical stores on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday were down 1.6 percent, according to the firm. “This decline feels pretty good to me. I think retail is in for a good season,” Field said. Retail consultants have said spending patterns over the weekend are not as indicative of the entire season as they were a few years ago the tendency now is to spread shopping over November and December. The National Retail Federation forecast U.S. holiday retail sales in November and December will increase between 4.3 and 4.8 percent over 2017, for a total of $717.45 billion to $720.89 billion. That compares with an average annual increase of 3.9 percent over the past five years,

^ This doesn't surprise me. I have done the majority of my shopping (holiday and otherwise) over the computer for years now. ^

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-holidayshopping/on-black-friday-more-u-s-shoppers-chose-the-computer-over-the-mall-idUSKCN1NT0WK

Mexico To Deport

From the BBC:

"Migrant caravan: Mexico to deport group which stormed US border"

Mexico will deport almost 500 migrants who attempted to storm the US border, according to its interior ministry. The group were rounded up after trying to cross the border "violently" and "illegally" on Sunday, the ministry said in a statement. Video footage shows dozens of people - including women and children - running towards the fence that separates the two countries near the city of Tijuana. They were repelled by tear gas used by US border officers. Mexico's interior ministry said all those who were identified as having tried to cross would be deported immediately. It added that, "far from helping their objectives", the migrants' actions had violated the legal migration framework and could have led to a "serious incident". Tensions have been high in Tijuana since the arrival of thousands of migrants earlier this month. The migrants are in Tijuana after travelling more than 4,000km (2,500 miles) from Central America. They say they are fleeing persecution, poverty and violence in their home countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. However, they now face a long wait to see if their asylum applications will be accepted by the US, with President Donald Trump vowing to keep each migrant on the Mexican side of the border until courts have decided their case. This could take months.

^ I guess they aren't all "peaceful" people who simply are fleeing violence. 500 illegals rushing a border violently  - I'm surprised none of them were killed. I'm glad that Mexico will deport these criminals and their hopes of asylum in the US are gone forever. Anyone who uses violence to achieve their goals is a criminal and should be treated as such. I am the kind of person who says "I told you so" to all of those "lemon-drops and moon beams" people who see no issue with these political pawns (not refugees) entering the US without any vetting. 500 of them have just proven they are violent and have proven the rest need to be vetted before allowed into the country (or sent elsewhere.) ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46339085

EU Approves

From the BBC:

"EU leaders agree UK's Brexit deal at Brussels summit"

EU leaders have approved an agreement on the UK's withdrawal and future relations - insisting it is the "best and only deal possible".  After 20 months of negotiations, the 27 leaders gave the deal their blessing after less than an hour's discussion. They said the deal - which needs to be approved by the UK Parliament - paved the way for an "orderly withdrawal". Theresa May said the deal "delivered for the British people" and set the UK "on course for a prosperous future". Speaking in Brussels, she urged both Leave and Remain voters to unite behind the agreement, insisting the British public "do not want to spend any more time arguing about Brexit".  The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on 29 March 2019.  The EU officially endorsed the terms of the UK's withdrawal during a short meeting, bringing to an end negotiations which began in March 2017.  European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said anyone in Britain who thought the bloc might offer improved terms if MPs rejected the deal would be "disappointed".   But European Council President Donald Tusk, who broke the news of the agreement on Twitter, said he would not speculate on what would happen in such a situation, saying: "I am not a fortune teller."  The UK Parliament is expected to vote on the deal on 12 December, but its approval is far from guaranteed.  Labour, the Lib Dems, the SNP, the DUP and many Conservatives MPs are set to vote against. Mrs May has appealed to the public to get behind the agreement - saying that although it involved compromises, it was a "good deal that unlocks a bright future for the UK". 

At a news conference in Brussels, she said the agreement would:

- end freedom of movement "in full and once and for all"

- protect the constitutional integrity of the UK, and 

- ensure a return to "laws being made in our country by democratically elected politicians interpreted and enforced by British courts". 

The agreement, she added, would not remove Gibraltar from the "UK family" - a reference to a last-minute wrangle with Spain over the territory. 

The EU leaders have approved the two key Brexit documents:

- The EU withdrawal agreement: a 599-page, legally binding document setting out the terms of the UK's exit from the EU. It covers the UK's £39bn "divorce bill", citizens' rights and the Northern Ireland "backstop" - a way to keep the Irish border open, if trade talks stall

- The political declaration, which sets out what the UK and EU's relationship may be like after Brexit - outlining how things like UK-EU trade and security will work There was no formal vote on Sunday, with the EU proceeding by consensus. Mr Juncker said it was a "sad day" and no-one should be "raising champagne glasses" at the prospect of the UK leaving. While it was not his place to tell MPs how to vote, he said they should bear in mind that "this is the best deal possible...this is the only deal possible". His message was echoed by Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar who said "any other deal really only exists in people's imagination". But Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite suggested there were a number of possible outcomes if the UK Parliament rejected the deal, including an extension of the negotiations, or another referendum. 

^ The Brexit drama continues. Now to see if the UK will accept the deal. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-46334649

Chanukah's Coming

Russia Attacks

From the DW:

"Russia fires on, seizes Ukrainian naval vessels near Crimea"

Russia said it opened fire after the Ukrainian ships illegally entered its territorial waters. The European Union and NATO called for restraint on both sides to de-escalate the situation.  Russia on Sunday seized three Ukrainian ships off the coast of Crimea after opening fire on them and wounding three sailors. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), which oversees the country's border guard service, said it was forced to open fire after the ships illegally entered Russian territorial waters. "There is irrefutable evidence that Kiev prepared and orchestrated provocations," it said. "These materials will soon be made public." The three wounded Ukrainian sailors, it added, were in a stable condition and receiving medical care.  Earlier in the day, Russia blocked access to the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea, accusing the same three Ukrainian vessels of entering its territorial waters without permission. The two Ukrainian navy artillery boats and a tugboat were transiting from Odessa on the Black Sea to Mariupol in the Sea of Azov via the Kerch Strait, a narrow passage between Crimea and the Russian mainland. The Ukrainian navy said a Russian coast guard vessel responded to their presence by ramming the tugboat, resulting in damage to the ship's engines and hull.   Ukraine said Russia's actions broke international law and vowed a "diplomatic legal response." The FSB, it insisted, had received advance notice about the ships' movements. President Petro Poroshenko said on Monday he would propose parliament declare martial law following the Russian action. This would restrict civil liberties and give state institutions greater power. The European Union and NATO separately called for restraint on both sides and for Russia to restore freedom of passage via the Kerch strait. Although a 2003 treaty designates the tow areas as shared territorial waters, Russia has been asserting greater control over the passage since 2015. The latest dispute has raised concerns about a possible escalation of a wider conflict between the two neighbors. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 to widespread international condemnation. Since then, Ukraine has fought a civil war against pro-Russian separatists in the country's eastern regions.

^ It seems Russia is getting back on the war-path. I guess they weren't content with invading, occupying and annexing Crimea or fighting in eastern Ukraine. Maybe this current attack is due to a recent poll in Russia where ordinary Russians blame Putin for their country's woes. It would shift focus away from Putin and towards a "new" enemy. Although, I don't think this would stop ordinary Russians from seeing the truth behind their economic problems. ^

https://www.dw.com/en/russia-fires-on-seizes-ukrainian-naval-vessels-near-crimea/a-46444700

Illegal Breaks

From Reuters:

"U.S.-Mexico border crossing closed after migrant protest halted in Tijuana"

The United States closed its busiest border crossing with Mexico on Sunday after Mexican police broke up a protest of Central American migrants massed in Tijuana, scattering some demonstrators toward the border where U.S. officers hurled gas canisters from the American side.  Traffic in both directions was suspended at the San Ysidro port of entry between San Diego and Tijuana, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency said on Twitter.  U.S. President Donald Trump has raised alarms about a caravan of Central American migrants as it approached the United States, with its members planning to apply for asylum on reaching the United States. Traffic in both directions was suspended at the San Ysidro port of entry between San Diego and Tijuana, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency said on Twitter. U.S. President Donald Trump has raised alarms about a caravan of Central American migrants as it approached the United States, with its members planning to apply for asylum on reaching the United States.  A small group broke off and headed a few hundred feet (meters) away to a part of a canal between Tijuana and San Diego that led to the border fence.     At that point, before the group had reached the border, U.S. Customs and Border Protest officers who had gathered on the other side of the fence launched canisters of what a Reuters reporter said felt and smelled like pepper.      Protesters were caught between the Mexican and U.S. authorities. A young woman fell to the ground unconscious, and two babies cried, tears streaming from the gas. After running to relative safety a few hundred feet away, hundreds of the caravan members held a sit-in.  Later, immigrants again approached the border in groups and were met by a further volley of canisters emitting large clouds of gas. Trump has deployed military forces to the border to support the Border Patrol and threatened on Saturday to close the entire southern border. But Sunday’s action affected only the San Ysidro crossing, the busiest port of entry between the United States and Mexico. Trump also tweeted on Saturday that migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border would stay in Mexico until their asylum claims were individually approved in U.S. courts, but Mexico’s incoming government denied any deal had been struck.

^ I'm not sure why this should surprise anyone (the Americans, the Mexicans, those in the Caravans, etc.) The US has said it would not let any of the illegals to enter the country from the moment they left their countries and headed into to Mexico and up towards the US border. I respect those in the Caravan that are peacefully waiting at the border for their claims to be processed, but have no respect for those that try to break-through the border fence. By doing that they become illegal criminals in the eyes of the US (before that they are illegals in Mexico) and so whatever happens to them is their own fault. ^

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration/u-s-mexico-border-crossing-closed-after-migrant-protest-halted-in-tijuana-idUSKCN1NU0YS

1 Month To Go