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He has seen support growing in the polls despite little television advertising and being hospitalized for weeks after a stabbing. Bolsonaro was discharged from the hospital on Sept. 29.
The former Sao Paulo mayor surged into second place after being named last month to replace da Silva as the candidate of the left-leaning Worker’s Party. Haddad was a political science professor and education minister as well as mayor. He wasn’t prominent nationally until the election and was unpopular enough in Sao Pa...
He has depended heavily on da Silva’s endorsement and polls indicate he’s neck and neck with Bolsonaro in a likely runoff.
The left-leaning Gomes has roots in da Silva’s stronghold of the northeast and brings extensive experience, having served as governor, mayor, cabinet minister and federal congressman. Yet he also appeals to voters who are disgusted with dirty dealings so common in Brazilian politics, touting the fact that has remained ...
Still, Gomes has a reputation for being prickly and making controversial statements and he’s struggled to rally the left behind him and has in low double-digits in recent polls.
A three-time governor of Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest and richest state, Alckmin has a lot of executive experience. The right-leaning candidate supports market-friendly economic policies, like scaling back the country’s faltering social security system, making him the darling of investors.
But Alckmin lacks charisma, and he has struggled to peel off votes from Bolsonaro, despite devoting much of his extensive free television ad time to attacks on the congressman. Polls show him with single-digit support.
Silva, who once served as da Silva’s environment minister, has a dramatic personal story: She suffered numerous illnesses and often went hungry as a child. She didn’t learn to read and write until her teens. Silva nearly upended the last presidential race when her party’s candidate died during the campaign and she took...
Back she has struggled to define herself, beyond her focus on environmental issues, and her poll numbers have been sliding in recent weeks.
A top German court on Tuesday ruled that cities can impose diesel driving bans to combat air pollution, a landmark decision that plunges millions of car owners nationwide into uncertainty.
How will the ruling affect diesel drivers?
Owners of diesel cars face uncertainty, as it is up to local governments whether to ban older vehicles from certain parts of town.
Around 10 million of the 15 million diesel cars registered in Germany fall short of the latest Euro 6 EU emissions regulation, potentially making them eligible for a ban, as well as two million diesel trucks.
Commuters and car-dependent workers could be most affected, while some residents, emergency services and tradesmen will enjoy exceptions.
There are some restrictions to the ruling, according to judges at the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig on Tuesday. The bans would only apply to a fraction of the German roadway system.
Drivers of all but the latest diesel models that adhere to the Euro 6 standards "can no longer be certain of being allowed to drive at any time, 365 days a week," analysts at consulting firm EY said in response to the ruling.
The good news is that the judges also stated that the implementation of driving bans should be gradual, with only cars meeting the Euro 4 standard and lower likely to face immediate restrictions.
Will diesel drivers be financially compensated?
The ruling comes as a blow to the government and the nation's mighty auto industry who strongly oppose driving bans, fearing outrage from diesel owners whose lives stand to be disrupted and whose vehicles could lose their resale value.
Auto industry expert Jörg Hönemann of consulting firm EY predicted on Tuesday that diesel owners will suffer "a significant reduction in the value of their vehicle".
Christian Lindner, leader of the Free Democrats, said on Wednesday that diesel drivers had been left in the lurch by the ruling, pointing out that the government had encouraged the purchase of diesel engines in recent years.
"Driving bans are wrong. Politicians have almost pushed diesel vehicles onto citizens and businesses for years. If their use is now banned that is expropriation and a breech of promise in one," Lindner wrote on Twitter.
Presiding judge Andreas Korbmacher did little to reassure drivers of older diesel models, saying that "certain losses will have to be accepted" and that there was no obligation to compensate diesel drivers.
But the judges also claimed that bans won't necessarily lead to a collapse in the used car market.
People in Stuttgart and Düsseldorf - the two smog-clogged cities in Tuesday's case - could be among the first hit by the ban.
As a result of the ruling, which obligates Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) to consider driving bans, the capital cities of these states must now seek to control air pollution limits as quickly as possible, according to Handelsblatt. In Stuttgart, a phased introduction of the ban will be considered.
In the Baden-Württemberg capital there could already be initial restrictions for older diesel engines by the end of this year. But with judges stating that the ban should be gradual, the more numerous and more recent Euro 5 cars in Stuttgart are safe until at least September 2019.
The outcome of the case is a victory for the environmentalist group Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), which sued Stuttgart and Düsseldorf to force them to take action against the toxic nitrogen oxides and fine particles emitted by older diesel engines. High levels of nitrogen oxide have been linked to heart problems and resp...
Baden-Württemberg and NRW had appealed the rulings, saying such curbs should be decided at the federal level.
There are likely to be concrete consequences for diesel drivers and residents in Hamburg.
Almost immediately after the verdict, the port city became the first to announce plans for a limited diesel driving ban on two busy roads in the Altona district from late April - with exceptions for Altona residents, ambulances, city services and delivery vehicles.
Hamburg seems to have been expecting the ruling - the city has already made up the signs warning people they are entering the diesel restricted zone.
The driving ban in the city state is expected to immediately apply to all vehicles that do not comply with the Euro 6 standard.
The Berlin Senate also plans to review whether driving bans should be introduced in the nation’s capital from 2019.
Will any other German cities be affected?
The ruling is likely to be important for the entire country and have nationwide significance.
Even though judges have only ruled on the two cases in NRW and Baden-Württemberg, for each city in which limit values are exceeded, it is now generally possible for authorities to implement driving bans for older diesel engines in an effort to combat air pollution.
Munich, Stuttgart and Cologne were among the worst offenders of some 70 German cities which recorded average nitrogen dioxide levels above EU thresholds in 2017, according to the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).
Aside from Hamburg, however, in most cities it is still open as to where and whether driving bans should be imposed at all.
Further driving bans across Germany could be limited to certain streets and city zones, as is the case with Hamburg.
Can driving bans be countered with other measures?
The Leipzig court also offered a way out by stating that diesel bans in German cities could be avoided if air conditions improve; it is up to individual cities to test their own air quality.
Environmentalists worry that cities could improve air quality around pollution sensors ensuring Germany won't have an issue complying with EU emissions regulations, but not solving the general problem of poor air quality.
But the air pollution sensors are not randomly distributed and placed in areas and roads where they’re expected to produce representative results.
The bill’s memo notes that employers provide an average of four days of bereavement leave for the death of a spouse or child.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo has vetoed a bill that would have allowed workers to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave after the death of a family member.
The bill expanding the state’s paid family leave law was opposed by the Business Council and other business groups. The council said it would have been too burdensome for employers, especially small businesses.
The legislation was sponsored by Republican Sen. Rich Funke and former Democratic Assembly Majority Leader Joe Morelle, who’s now a congressman. Funke had a son who died in 2001 and Morelle lost a daughter to cancer in 2017.
Democrat Cuomo vetoed the bill Friday.
“This move helps us to broaden our horizons so that we create an improved offer for the two million customers who visit our pubs each week.
Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin, a strong supporter of Brexit, said: “This move helps us to broaden our horizons so that we create an improved offer for the two million customers who visit our pubs each week.
“It is the start of a review all products in the next six to 24 months, with the object of making our business more competitive.
“The EU’s customs union is a protectionist system which is widely misunderstood.
“It imposes tariffs on the 93% of the world that is not in the EU, keeping prices high for UK consumers.
“Tariffs are imposed on wine from Australia, New Zealand and the US, and also on coffee, oranges, rice and more than 12,000 other products.
“There will be an inevitable transfer of trade post-Brexit to countries outside the EU, which will reduce prices in shops and pubs.
“The products we are now introducing are at lower prices than the EU products they are replacing.
“We intend to honour existing contracts with EU suppliers, some of which have several years to run.
The pubs will also serve wheat beers from the UK – Blue Moon Belgian White, Thornbridge Versa Weisse Beer and SA Brains Atlantic White.
Wetherspoon’s will continue to serve Kopparberg cider from Sweden.
KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Mo., woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for a nearly $3 million fraud scheme that forced her employer into bankruptcy.
Irene Marie Brooner, 52, of Kansas City, was charged in an 11-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City on Friday, June 27, 2014. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Brooner’s arrest and initial court appearance.
Brooner, a certified public accountant, worked at Galvmet, Inc., a sheet metal fabrication facility and steel service center located in Kansas City, from 2001 until her termination in February 2014. At its peak in 2008, the company had 26 employees and $14 million in annual sales. Galvmet filed for bankruptcy and cease...
Brooner’s duties as controller included managing payroll, accounts receivable and payable, and maintaining the ledger at Galvmet.
According to the federal indictment, for approximately 10 years (January 2004 until February 2014) Brooner created unauthorized Automated Clearing House (ACH) transactions from Galvmet’s bank account. An ACH is a batch-oriented funds transfer system that includes direct deposits of payroll from companies. Brooner alleg...
As a result of Brooner’s fraud scheme, the indictment says, Galvmet lost at least $1,863,914. As a result, Galvmet declared bankruptcy, and was forced to cease operations. To keep the scheme going, Brooner allegedly falsified documents to support Galvmet’s operating loan with Missouri Bank & Trust, causing a loss to th...
Brooner allegedly spent the embezzled funds on personal items. According to the indictment, Brooner spent some of the proceeds to remodel, stock, furnish and decorate the basement bar of her new home. The bar, which she called “the Dirty Duck,” includes seating for approximately 15, a granite bar top, four or five tap ...
According to the indictment, Brooner’s spending included paying off her mortgage for $289,290, buying $81,686 in jewelry, and spending at least $400,392 on clothing and other retail, $97,180 on restaurants, $78,439 on vehicles, $169,389 on furniture and home decor, $62,003 on travel, $38,317 on electronics, $21,346 in ...
Brooner purchased a 2004 Lexus R33 sport utility vehicle, the indictment says, on which she made 64 payments totaling $51,813. Brooner also bought 69 pieces of jewelry and accessories from Meierotto’s Midwest Jewelers totaling approximately $29,701 and 82 pieces of jewelry and accessories from Tivol Jewelers totaling a...
The federal indictment charges Brooner with three counts of bank fraud, five counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering.
Brooner allegedly sent approximately 148 unauthorized ACH transactions from Galvmet’s bank account to her personal checking account, resulting in $1,144,113 in loss to Galvmet. In addition, Brooner allegedly set up a second payroll payment that was sent via ACH to her personal savings account. Brooner allegedly sent ab...
Brooner prepared borrowing base certificates on behalf of Galvmet for the purpose of obtaining and maintaining a corporate line of credit for business operations from Missouri Bank & Trust. A corporate line of credit, issued to a business entity by a financial institution, allows the business to draw on the credit when...
Brooner allegedly falsified borrowing base certificates. According to the indictment, the statements contained false entries concerning the accounts receivable and inventory numbers. The statements allegedly included customers shown as outstanding who, in fact, had already sent payments to Galvmet. By failing to post t...
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Brooner to forfeit to the government any property derived from proceeds of the alleged offenses, including her personal residence, a 2004 Lexus, numerous assorted jewelry and a money judgment of at least $2,963,914.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel M. Nelson. It was investigated by the FBI.
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at http://www.justice.gov/usao/mow/index.html.
Truth is, Dems are not leveling with the public about the billions we’re already forced to spend on shelters, food, diapers, medical care, and child care for migrants sneaking across the border and claiming asylum.
Not to mention the costs of public schooling and healthcare provided free to migrants once they are released into communities. The wall will pay for itself in less than two years. It’s a bargain.
Look what it costs us when a Central American teen crosses the border illegally without an adult. Uncle Sam spends a staggering $775 per day for each teen housed at a shelter at Florida’s Homestead Air Reserve Base. There they get medical care, schooling, and recreation. They stay, on average, 67 days before being rele...
There are bigger costs ahead. The number of illegal border crossers just hit an eleven-year high. More than 76,000 people in February alone. U.S. and Mexican officials predict hundreds of thousands more in the coming months.
The migrants use the word “asylum” as their get-in-free card. When they say it to a border agent, about 80% of the time they’ll get taken into custody, housed temporarily, and eventually released with an immigration court date. But instead of showing up, over half then disappear into the U.S.
They’re turning asylum into a scam. The system is meant to protect true victims of state-sponsored religious, ethnic, or political persecution. Such as Cubans fleeing Castro’s prisons. Now it’s overwhelmed by Central Americans escaping poverty for a lifestyle upgrade.
Legal immigrants also want to better their circumstances, but they play by the rules and wait years. What a slap in the face to see migrants jump the line using flimsy asylum claims.
Unfortunately, a federal appeals court just made the asylum hoax even easier. Last week the left-leaning Ninth Circuit ruled that migrants who fail to convince border authorities they face danger in their home country still have a “right” to a day in court in the U.S. That bizarre ruling won’t stand. Another circuit co...
In the meantime, though, taxpayers are getting fleeced by caravans of fake asylum seekers.
Even before the latest surge, Department of Homeland Security was spending over $3 billion a year sheltering and feeding illegals at the border, double the cost in 2011.
Add to that the hundreds of millions being spent caring for unaccompanied teenagers in 130 shelters overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services.
President Trump has tried several strategies to protect taxpayers from these rip-offs. First, he barred illegal migrants from asking for asylum, requiring that asylum seekers enter the country through official ports of entry. That would have reduced their numbers considerably. But in November, a federal district judge,...
Then Trump devised a “Remain in Mexico” arrangement to make Mexico the waiting room for asylum seekers. As long as they’re south of the border, the U.S. doesn’t have to house them, and they have no “right” to public schooling and emergency medical care on our tab. The program, if successful, will save U.S. taxpayers a ...
The government has allowed authorities to prosecute—if they choose to do so—Jan Böhmermann, a satirist who mocked the Turkish leader on TV.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel paved the way Friday for the possible prosecution of a German satirist who recited on television a poem that lampooned Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president.
At a news conference to announce the decision, Merkel said it “means neither a prejudgment of the person affected nor a decision about the limits of freedom of art, the press, and opinion.” In other words, it’s up to prosecutors to decide if they will bring charges against Jan Böhmermann, who two weeks ago on ZDF, the ...
At the root of the controversy is a satirical song on Erdogan from another German TV show, called extra3. The lyrics of that song were mild, but prompted Turkey to demand that it be removed from the Internet.
Still, offending the Turkish government is one thing; breaking German law is another. It is the latter that Böhmermann could face prosecution for (though it didn’t help his cause that Merkel is negotiating with Erdogan’s government the implementation of a crucial EU agreement to resettle some refugees in Turkey and red...
More recently, paragraph 103 has become known in Germany as the “Shah paragraph”, after the Iranian leader Mohammed Reza Pahlavi tried to get demonstrators prosecuted after a visit in 1967. The German interior minister at the time flew to Tehran and managed to persuade Pahlavi to drop the matter.
The last time it troubled German courts was six years ago, when a Bavarian judge ruled that a banner showing Pope Benedict with a red ribbon and condoms on his fingers had been unfairly removed from a Christopher Street Day parade in Munich.
Since then, however, German officials have moved to repeal the law—Merkel said her government would do so by 2018. Germany isn’t the only European country where offending a foreign head of state is a crime: Similar laws exist in Italy, Poland, and Switzerland. Other European countries still have lèse-majesté laws on th...
But in Turkey where Erdogan was elected president in 2014 (after serving as prime minister for the previous decade), things are a little different. Newsrooms deemed critical by the president have been attacked, journalists arrested and charged with espionage, an opposition newspaper seized, and foreign reporters deport...
Erdogan’s legal campaign against Böhmermann can be seen as an overseas manifestation of his actions against Turkish journalists, and not an unusual one. As I reported last month, Erdogan’s security detail assaulted reporters and protesters at an event at which the Turkish president was speaking in Washington, D.C.—just...
Ripple has signed up several new financial institutions to its blockchain network, bringing its clientele to more than 100.

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