News

A pipe bomb went off in New Jersey Town just a few hours earlier - http://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/17/us...ive-trash-can/

Both were in dumpsters. WTF?

They found a second bomb in Manhattan. One that didn't go off.

The news is saying that the New Jersey bomb was not related to the Manhattan bombs. They're also saying that nobody was hurt at the NJ bombing because the charity race started late. Had it started on time, there probably would have been many injuries, and possibly fatalities.

__________________
.
If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.

Obama lifts restrictions on Cuban rum, cigars

MIAMI — Attention U.S. travelers going abroad: You now can bring home all the Cuban rum and cigars you want.
The Obama administration announced Friday a new round of executive actions designed to increase trade and travel with the communist island. And this is the one many Americans have been waiting for — no more restrictions on the island's famed rum and cigars.

Under the new rules, travelers can purchase unlimited quantities of Cuban rum and cigars in any country where they are sold so long as they are for personal consumption. Sorry American couch potatoes: You can't order Cuban rum and cigars online and have them shipped to your home.

The regulations issued by the U.S. departments of Commerce and Treasury will make it easier for U.S. companies to import Cuban-made pharmaceuticals, U.S. agricultural companies to sell their products to the island and Cubans to purchase U.S.-made goods online.

The changes follow a series of steps taken since President Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced on Dec. 17, 2014, that the Cold War foes would normalize relations after more than a half century of enmity.

On Friday, Obama added to the regulatory changes with a presidential policy directive that outlines his Cuba strategy thus far and lays out the future course. It includes a call for Congress to rescind a 50-year-old economic embargo on the island, something lawmakers have been unwilling to do so long as the Castro regime suppresses political and other freedoms.

The goal of the new regulations and policy directive are to make Obama's Cuba policy "irreversible" by establishing so many relationships with Cuba that a future administration wanting to scale back those ties would face widespread opposition from U.S. businesses and citizens.

"Challenges remain — and very real differences between our governments persist on issues of democracy and human rights — but I believe that engagement is the best way to address those differences and make progress on behalf of our interests and values," Obama said. "The progress of the last two years, bolstered by today's action, should remind the world of what's possible when we look to the future together."

The most noticeable — and likely most welcome — change for most Americans is the removal of the five-decade ban on Cuban rum and cigars. The Obama administration partially lifted that ban in January 2015, allowing Americans traveling directly to Cuba to return home with up to $100 in rum and cigars in their carry-on luggage.

Now, that monetary restriction is removed and U.S. citizens can purchase as much Cuban tobacco and alcohol as they want from anywhere they find the products abroad. That means all those Cuban bottles and boxes at duty free shops in foreign airports are fair game. The only restriction, according to Treasury: "Normal limits on duty and tax exemptions will apply."

All the changes go into effect Monday.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/oba...ars/ar-AAiWYqK

haha. That used to always be a thing in movies and shows how a character would have illegal cuban cigars. Like Tony giving them to Cusimano in The Sopranos. "They're illegal aren't they?" "They are Cigars.."

WikiLeaks: Assange's internet link 'severed' by state actor

PARIS — WikiLeaks says that founder Julian Assange's internet access has been cut by an unidentified state actor. Few other details were immediately available.

Assange has been up holed up at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London for more than four years after skipping bail to avoid being extradited over sex crimes allegations.

The cramped quarters haven't prevented the Australian transparency activist from working and WikiLeaks continues to deliver scoops, including revelations that have rattled Hillary Clinton's campaign for president as the U.S. election enters its final stretch.

Calls, texts and emails left with WikiLeaks weren't immediately returned Monday. A woman who picked up the phone at the embassy said: "I cannot disclose any information." An email to Ecuador's ambassador wasn't immediately answered. London's Metropolitan Police declined comment.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/...Zmi?li=BBnb7Kz

LOL!


Anti-gay activists in Paris are protesting a giant inflatable Christmas tree – because it looks too much like a butt plug. The 80ft (24m) high inflatable sculpture was erected this week by LA-based artist Paul McCarthy, in Place Vendome, near Paris city centre.

However, the installation – known as ‘Tree’ – has faced protests from far-right group Printemps Francais, because of its resemblance to a sex toy. The anti-gay group claimed the privately commissioned work had “disfigured” Paris, adding: “This is where your money goes, taxpayers!”. Other Parisians have also voiced skepticism that the installation is actually meant to be a Christmas tree – with some joking: “Frankly it’s more appropriate to have a giant buttplug in the middle of Paris than to have a Christmas tree up in October”.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/10/17...ike-a-sex-toy/

I love news threads.

Saw this earlier in one of my preferred media outlets. This really strikes home for me because the muslim community here generally just gets on with the wider community. The ISIL nutbags, who I do not believe are even Muslim, are now doing this. Just shaking my head. MY Muslim friends are horrified by garbage like this.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/australian...13-gublgc.html

What.The.Hell.

OK I'm taking this with a grain of salt until I see a coroner's determination but still

http://www.smh.com.au/world/kim-jong...14-gud0oa.html

Ashton Kutcher just went up 10 points in my book. His plea re stopping the child slave trade. No footage but warning for the highly sensitive. I might have choked up a bit.

https://www.facebook.com/NowThisEnte...0060273722198/

Wow. Trappist-1 discovery by NASA.

https://www.facebook.com/NASA/videos/10154931813441772/

Mariana Trench Dive by Cameron now this. What next? Pretty exciting.

Woah. This is pretty creepy. Any more on this coming out in Ireland?

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland...te-444438.html

WTH? What are little girls going to hide in their leggings.

https://www.yahoo.com/style/united-a...174124946.html

@Dani8 don't know if you're able to listen to this but it's very interesting
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08k15lf

Thanks christina. I'll wait for my husband to go into the city and check that out.

Bloody hell. Passenger dragged off united airlines flight.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-1...c&sf69851625=1

What's the context? There must have been a reason that Police were called to the plane and that they dragged a passenger off.

According to comments on fb the plane was full but then they needed 4 paying customers to disembark for 4 freebie employees. There has to be more to this story than meets the eye, but the bashing seemed pretty severe if all the blood was any indicator. I have never seen anything like that on any plane I've been on, even with drunk nuisance passengers, but has to be something in it for the CEO of United to give three apologies.
I really have no idea either way.

Watching the news on television is like reporting a car accident to passengers who were both inside the car.