Prehistoric puppy found in permafrost still has teeth, fur and whiskers - New York Post

YAKUTSK, Russia — Russian scientists on Monday showed off a prehistoric puppy, believed to be 18,000 years old, found in permafrost in the country’s Far East.

Discovered last year in a lump of frozen mud near the city of Yakutsk, the puppy is unusually well-preserved, with its hair, teeth, whiskers and eyelashes still intact.

“This puppy has all its limbs, pelage – fur, even whiskers. The nose is visible. There are teeth. We can determine due to some data that it is a male,” Nikolai Androsov, director of the Northern World private museum where the remains are stored, said at the presentation at the Yakutsk’s Mammoth Museum which specializes in ancient specimens.

In recent years, Russia’s Far East has provided many riches for scientists studying the remains of ancient animals. As the permafrost melts, affected by climate change, more and more parts of woolly mammoths, canines and other prehistoric animals are being discovered. Often it is mammoth tusk hunters who discover them.

“Why has Yakutia come through a real spate of such unique findings over the last decade? First, it’s global warming. It really exists, we feel it, and local people feel it strongly. Winter comes later, spring comes earlier,” Sergei Fyodorov, scientist with the North Eastern Federal University, told The Associated Press.

“And the second very serious, deep reason, of why there are a lot of finds is the very high price of mammoth tusk in the Chinese market.”

When the puppy was discovered, scientists from the Stockholm-based Center for Palaeogenetics took a piece of bone to study its DNA.

An 18,000-year-old puppy found in permafrost in Russia’s Far East, on display at the Yakutsk’s Mammoth Museum, Russia.AP

“The first step was of course to send the sample to radiocarbon dating to see how old it was and when we got the results back it turned out that it was roughly 18,000 years old,” Love Dalén, professor of evolutionary genetics at the center, said in an online interview.

Further tests, however, left the scientists with more questions than answers — they couldn’t definitively tell whether it was a dog or a wolf.

“We have now generated a nearly complete genome sequence from it and normally when you have a two-fold coverage genome, which is what we have, you should be able to relatively easily say whether it’s a dog or a wolf, but we still can’t say and that makes it even more interesting,” Dalén said.

He added that the scientists are about to do a third round of genome sequencing, which might solve the mystery.

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2019-12-02 16:03:00Z
CAIiEOvx8AqMfaMO-Hcsyg-qIY8qGAgEKg8IACoHCAowhK-LAjD4ySwwq9a0BQ

London Bridge attacker Usman Khan's jihadi pal arrested amid copycat fears - New York Post

A jihadi associate of London Bridge killer Usman Khan has been arrested by British police amid fears of copycat attacks, according to reports.

Nazam Hussain, 34, was a member of a terror cell alongside Khan that saw them jailed in 2012 for plotting Mumbai-style attacks on London landmarks — and then released early thanks to controversial laws.

Hussain was busted Saturday — the day after Khan, 28, killed two in central London — as police raided his home in Stoke-on-Trent on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, according to The Times of London.

He was held in prison for a suspected violation of conditions of his release, the paper said. Six of the nine cell members jailed in 2012 had been released and were back on the streets, The Times said. There is no information linking Hussain to the London Bridge attack.

Hussain was a close friend of Khan, who stabbed to death two people before being tackled by hero bystanders and then shot by cops, police told The Times.

Khan had masqueraded as a reformed jihadist to get out of jail early and be able to launch his attack.

His deadly attack has re-focused the spotlight on other convicted terrorists now also freed as part of a legal loophole that Prime Minister Boris Johnson blamed on old laws from a “Leftie government.”

“We will keep violent offenders and terrorists in jail longer and end the automatic early release system,” Johnson, whose home had been one of the targets for Khan’s cell, vowed on Twitter.

At least 74 convicted terrorists are being vetted after the attack and sources have told The Telegraph “a number” are expected to be sent back to prison in the coming days.

Government sources also told The Times that there was “very likely to be increased scrutiny of these men.”

Robert Buckland, the justice secretary, announced that his department would be reviewing the cases of a wider group of a “few hundred people” who might not have committed terrorist offenses but hold extremist views, The Times said.

Khan is believed to have acted alone, wearing a hoax suicide bomb vest because he wanted to be shot, The Times said.

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2019-12-02 13:51:00Z
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China suspends US Navy visits to Hong Kong over support for protests - BBC News

China has suspended visits by US Navy ships and aircraft to Hong Kong after Washington passed legislation last week backing pro-democracy protesters.

Beijing also unveiled sanctions against a number of US human rights groups.

It comes after President Donald Trump signed the Human Rights and Democracy Act into law.

The act orders an annual review to check if Hong Kong has enough autonomy to justify special trading status with the US.

President Trump is currently seeking a deal with China in order to end a trade war.

What did China say?

The foreign ministry said it would suspend the reviewing of applications to visit Hong Kong by US military ships and aircraft from Monday - and warned that further action could come.

"We urge the US to correct the mistakes and stop interfering in our internal affairs," ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing.

"China will take further steps if necessary to uphold Hong Kong's stability and prosperity and China's sovereignty."

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) targeted by sanctions include Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, the National Endowment for Democracy, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and the International Republican Institute.

"They shoulder some responsibility for the chaos in Hong Kong and they should be sanctioned and pay the price," Ms Hua said, without specifying what form the measures would take.

What effect will the ban have?

Several US Navy ships usually visit Hong Kong every year, although visits are sometimes suspended when ties between the two countries become strained.

The USS Blue Ridge, the amphibious command ship of the US Seventh Fleet, was the last American navy ship to visit Hong Kong, in April.

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Mass protests broke out in the semi-autonomous territory in June and Chinese officials accused foreign governments, including the US, of backing the pro-democracy movement.

In August China rejected requests for visits by the guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie and transport ship USS Green Bay, but did not give specific reasons.

In September last year, China refused a US warship entry to Hong Kong after the US imposed sanctions over the purchase of Russian fighter aircraft.

And in 2016, China blocked the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS John C Stennis, and its escort ships, amid a dispute over China's military presence in the South China Sea.

Michael Raska, a security expert at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, said that from a military point of view the US would not be affected by the latest ban "as they can use many naval bases in the region".

However, it sends a signal that US-China tensions will continue to deepen, he told AFP news agency.

What did the US do?

Protesters celebrated on the streets of Hong Kong after President Trump signed the act last week.

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However, China quickly warned the US it would take "firm counter-measures".

The new law requires Washington to monitor Beijing's actions in Hong Kong. The US could revoke the special trading status it has granted the territory if China undermines the city's rights and freedoms.

Among other things, Hong Kong's special status means it is not affected by US sanctions or tariffs placed on the mainland.

The bill also says the US should allow Hong Kong residents to obtain US visas if they have been arrested for being part of non-violent protests.

Analysts say the move could complicate negotiations between China and the US to end their trade war.

The bill was introduced in June in the early stages of the protests in Hong Kong, and was overwhelmingly approved by the House of Representatives in October.

Why are there protests in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong - a British colony until 1997 - is part of China under a model known as "one country, two systems".

Under this model, Hong Kong has a high degree of autonomy and people have freedoms not seen in mainland China.

However, months of protests have caused turmoil in the city.

Demonstrations began after the government planned to pass a bill that would allow suspects to be extradited to mainland China.

The bill was eventually withdrawn but unrest evolved into a broader protest against the police and the way Hong Kong is administered by Beijing.

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2019-12-02 12:35:49Z
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Villa Union Coahuila state shootout in Mexico leaves at least 21 dead in apparent cartel siege near Texas border - CBS News

A damaged pick up truck marked with the initials C.D.N., which in Spanish stand for Cartel of the Northeast, sits on a street after a gun battle between Mexican security forces and suspected cartel gunmen, in Villa Union, Mexico, December 1, 2019. Gerardo Sanchez/AP

Mexico City — Mexican security forces on Sunday killed seven more members of a presumed cartel assault force that rolled into a town near the Texas border and staged an hour-long attack, officials said, putting the overall death toll at 21. The Coahuila state government said in a statement that lawmen aided by helicopters were still chasing remnants of the force that arrived in a convoy of pickup trucks and attacked the city hall of Villa Union on Saturday.

Gov. Miguel Angel Riquelme said late Sunday afternoon in a statement posted online by the state government that authorities had determined the casualty count from the gun battles stood at 15 gunmen dead and four police officers killed. He said two civilians also were slain by gunmen after being abducted.

The governor said six more officers were wounded as were four young people who had been taken by the attackers.

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Francisco Contreras, an official in the state security agency, said later that the two slain civilians were a firefighter and an engineer who worked for the municipality. He said a second firefighter was missing.

The reason for the military-style attack remained unclear. Cartels have been contending for control of smuggling routes in northern Mexico, but there was no immediate evidence that a rival cartel had been targeted in Villa Union.

The governor said the armed group — at least some in military style garb — stormed the town of 3,000 residents in a convoy of trucks, attacking local government offices and prompting state and federal forces to intervene. Bullet-riddled trucks left abandoned in the streets were marked C.D.N., the Spanish initials of the Cartel of the Northeast gang.

Burned out vehicles are seen next to the City Hall of Villa Union, Mexico, December 1, 2019, after it was attacked by gunmen. Gerardo Sanchez/AP

Several of the gunmen stole vehicles as they fled and kidnapped locals to help guide them on dirt tracks out of town, the governor said. At least one of the stolen vehicles was a hearse headed for a funeral, according to the newspaper Zocalo of Saltillo.

The town is about 35 miles south-southwest of Eagle Pass, Texas, and 12 miles from the town of Allende - site of a 2011 massacre involving the Zetas cartel in which officials say 70 died.

Rapid gunfire could be heard in videos posted to social media along with frantic people telling friends to stay indoors. Images of the aftermath of the shootout showed burned out vehicles, while the facade of Villa Union's city hall was riddled with bullets.

The governor said security forces would remain in the town for several days to restore a sense of calm.

Falko Ernst, senior Mexico analyst for the non-profit Crisis Group, which seeks to promote peace, said there are few incentives for armed groups in the country to refrain from violence.

"Solving this issue — which underpins impunity —- would have to be the centerpiece of an integrated security strategy. But such a thing is yet to be presented by (President) López Obrador and his team," said Ernst.

"The price of that absence is not least the flaring up of regional conflict scenarios."

Mexico's homicide rate has increased to historically high levels, inching up by 2% in the first 10 months of the presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Federal officials said recently that there have been 29,414 homicides so far in 2019, compared to 28,869 in the same period of 2018.

The November slaughter by Mexican drug cartel gunmen of three women who held U.S. citizenship and six of their children focused world attention on the rising violence.

Arrests made in connection with massacre of American Mormon family in Mexico

Saturday's attack also showed cartels again resorting to quasi-military operations in a brazen challenge to state authority.

In October, a massive operation by the Sinaloa cartel prompted the federal government to release the captured son of a drug lord and pull back the army, which found itself outmaneuvered on the streets of Culiacan.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a radio interview last week that he plans to designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, though he declined to say what actions might follow that designation.

Mexican officials have opposed such a designation, worried it could lead to unilateral U.S. interventions in its territory.

Coahuila state itself has been far from the worst-hit part of Mexico amid violence in recent years. The government census bureau's survey of public perceptions of security found that Coahuila ranked well this year, with only three other states having a higher public perception of safety.

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2019-12-02 13:35:00Z
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China bans US military visits to Hong Kong in response to Washington's support for protesters - CNN

"In response to the unreasonable behaviors of the US side, the Chinese government decides to suspend the review of requests by US military ships and aircraft to visit Hong Kong as of today," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a news conference in Beijing.

Hua also announced that Beijing would impose sanctions on several US non-governmental human rights organizations that have been monitoring and reporting on the protests in Hong Kong.

US President Donald Trump last week signed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act into law after it sailed through both Houses of the US Congress with almost unanimous bipartisan approval.

The new law would permit Washington to impose sanctions or even suspend Hong Kong's special trading status over rights violations.

Shortly after the bill was signed into law, China's Foreign Ministry accused the US of "bullying behavior," "disregarding the facts" and "publicly supporting violent criminals."

On Monday it took more concrete action, banning consideration of visits by US warships to one of their longtime ports of call in Asia and a favorite spot for those aboard to get rest and relaxation after long periods at sea.

Just over a year ago, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and ships in its strike group carried some 7,000 personnel into Hong Kong in what at the time was seen as an easing of tensions between Washington and Beijing over China's military buildup in the South China Sea. That visit came after China had denied a similar port call earlier in 2018.

Since the Reagan visit, the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge, the flagship of the US Seventh Fleet, and the US Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf have made notable stops in Hong Kong, both in April.

But in August, while protests were heating up in the city, China rejected scheduled visits by the amphibious transport dock USS Green Bay and the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie.

South China Sea tensions

Monday's Chinese Foreign Ministry announcement followed harsh words from Beijing last week after the US Navy sailed warships within 12 miles of Chinese-claimed islands in the South China Sea on Wednesday and Thursday in so-called "freedom on navigation" operations.

Those actions "upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea," Cmdr. Reann Mommsen, a spokeswoman for the Navy's 7th Fleet, told CNN in a statement.

But China called them "a highly dangerous provocation," according to Ren Guoqiang, spokesman for Beijing's Defense Ministry.

"The trespassing hurts regional peace and stability, harms China's sovereignty and security, and endangers the lives of frontline officers and soldiers of both sides," Ren said, according to a story posted on the military's English-language website.

Human rights groups face sanctions

In addition to the rebuke to the US military on Monday, China said it was sanctioning several US NGOs for so-called bad behavior during the Hong Kong protests.

"China decides to sanction on the organizations that behave badly during the Hong Kong extradition-bill unrest, including National Endowment for Democracy, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, International Republican Institute, Human Rights Watch and Freedom House," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua said.

The Chinese government accused the NGOs of supporting "anti-China people" and said they were instigating protesters "engaging in extreme crimes" in pursuit of Hong Kong's separation from China.

It is unclear what sanctions will be imposed on the NGOs or how the organizations might be affected.

CNN's Yong Xiong, Josh Berlinger, Jamie Crawford, Barbara Starr and Ryan Browne contributed to this report.

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2019-12-02 10:19:00Z
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Impeachment Inquiry: House Intelligence Committee Expected To Release Report - NPR

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House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has said he could decide to amend the panel's report on its impeachment investigation if new evidence is discovered. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP hide caption

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House Democrats are moving closer to impeaching President Trump with two big developments this week — the release of the House Intelligence Committee's report summarizing their investigation and the Judiciary committee holding its first hearing.

Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said public hearings are over for his panel. He and his staff worked over the Thanksgiving recess to pull together the committee's findings and recommendations. In a letter to lawmakers before the holiday, Schiff noted that the open hearings included testimony from 12 witnesses, and those were supplemented with 17 closed-door interviews conducted with two other panels — the Oversight and Foreign Affairs committees.

"As the evidence conclusively shows, President Trump conditioned official acts—a White House meeting desperately desired by the new Ukrainian president and critical U.S. military assistance — on Ukraine announcing sham, politically-motivated investigations that would help President Trump's 2020 reelection campaign," Schiff wrote in a letter to House lawmakers.

The release of the report and the Judiciary hearing, timed with the return of lawmakers this week, indicate that top leaders are still aiming to wrap up House action on impeachment before the Christmas holiday break.

Efforts to get testimony and documents from top administration officials like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, acting White House Chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, former National Security Adviser John Bolton, have been blocked.

Schiff had indicated that he won't wait for ongoing litigation about current or former administration officials appearing before Congress, noting in his letter, "we will not allow the President or others to drag this out for months on end in the courts."

On Sunday evening, the White House said it would not appear at Wednesday's Judiciary hearing but declined to comment on future participation.

Here's what the next steps in the impeachment process look like:

Will the public see the report?

Yes, The House resolution setting up the impeachment inquiry requires public release of the Intelligence committee's report.

What are the requirements for the Intelligence Committee report?

The House resolution directs the House Intelligence committee to prepare a report with recommendations and send it to the House Judiciary Committee.

The report is also required to be released publicly, but it could have some redactions to protect classified materials. Schiff is also supposed to consult with the chairs of the Oversight and Foreign Affairs committees on the report.

Republicans on the Intelligence committee are expected to produce their own report on the investigation, which is likely to reiterate the complaints that GOP lawmakers have made since the inquiry began — that the process was unfair and did not provide the president or his legal team to respond to allegations. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has argued that if the president wanted to correct the record or weigh in with new evidence that he should do so "under oath."

What is the House Judiciary Committee's role and what is it planning?

The committee is holding a hearing on Wednesday, December 4, with some legal experts on the nature of impeachment and the standard set out in the Constitution for "high crimes and misdemeanors."

Under the House impeachment resolution the Judiciary committee is directed to review the report from the Intelligence committee. It is also supposed to take recommendations from the other committees who have investigated the Trump administration about any other possible impeachable offenses.

It will then determine which, if any, articles of impeachment should be drafted. So far Pelosi has signaled that she wants to keep the focus narrowly on the issues around the Ukraine investigation. But some in her caucus have raised the possibility of other articles related to questions about the president's financial dealings and issues stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report looking in to Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Judiciary would hold a markup on any articles, and if the committee approves any, they would be referred to the full House of Representatives for a vote.

Will the president's team get an opportunity to present their own evidence or respond to the report?

Yes. After the House adopted the resolution establishing the ground rules for the impeachment inquiry, the Judiciary committee released its own set of procedures for its part of the process. Those rules provide the president and his counsel the ability to attend any sessions and question witnesses, respond to any evidence presented by Democrats and give a closing argument.

In announcing the December 4 hearing, Nadler sent a letter to the president notifying him about the hearing and giving his legal team a deadline to respond if they plan to participate.

"At base, the President has a choice to make: he can take this opportunity to be represented in the impeachment hearings, or he can stop complaining about the process. I hope that he chooses to participate in the inquiry, directly or through counsel, as other Presidents have done before him," Nadler said.

Democrats maintain that these Judiciary committee procedures mirror the ones used for both the impeachment proceedings for Presidents Nixon and Clinton. But Republicans on the panel have already complained about the rules and submitted letters to Nadler pushing for "procedural fairness."

On Sunday, the White House said Trump would not participate in the Wednesday hearing but did not comment more broadly on whether the president and his counsel would attend any future sessions.

What articles of impeachment are Democrats considering?

Schiff proclaimed after key testimony in his committee's open hearings that there was evidence of bribery. He has also cited the multiple refusals by Trump administration officials to comply with subpoenas or requests to testify as grounds for an article of impeachment on obstruction of Congress.

Pelosi is expected to consult with House Democrats after the report is released to decide what action the caucus backs. Only two House Democrats opposed the initial resolution formalizing the impeachment inquiry — Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota and Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey. But as the process moves closer to taking a vote on the House floor, it's possible some Democrats, especially those from competitive districts, may back away.

When could the House vote on any articles of impeachment?

The full House vote on any articles of impeachment is likely to happen this month.

"Speaker Pelosi remains absolutely committed, so I just think she is hell bent on getting this wrapped up by the end of the year," Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., a member of the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters last week.

Pelosi has been careful not to guarantee whether the House will consider articles of impeachment or put a hard deadline on the process, but she has said the evidence related to the Ukraine matter is "uncontested."

The House is scheduled to be in session through December 20 — which is also the deadline for Congress to approve a funding bill to avoid a possible shutdown. It's also possible that the session is extended if lawmakers are still debating the issue.

If the House impeaches Trump will he be removed from office?

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said that it's "inconceivable" that there are the votes in the Senate to convict and remove the president — a two-thirds majority would be needed (67 votes). McConnell said the Senate will quickly proceed to hold a trial, but it's unclear how long that process would take.

When would a Senate trial take place and how long would it take?

McConnell said he wants to work with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on a resolution establishing the rules for a trial. Those negotiations could happen in early January if the House transmits any articles of impeachment by the end of the year. McConnell has said he didn't know how long a trial would take, noting that the Senate spent two months dealing with the Clinton impeachment once the House transmitted articles of impeachment.

He also recently noted that a trial would tie up those Senate Democrats running for president. "I'm sure they are going to be excited to be here in their chairs — not being able to say anything during the pendency of this trial. So hopefully we'll work our way through it and finish it in not too lengthy of a process."

Republican Senators have already been meeting with White House officials to map out a trial and have discussed the possibility of one lasting just two weeks.

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2019-12-02 10:00:00Z
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China to suspend US Navy visits to Hong Kong over bill - Fox News

China announced Monday that it will suspend U.S. Navy visits to Hong Kong in retaliation over President Trump's decision to sign legislation that supported the city's pro-democracy protesters who have taken to the streets since June.

CHINA EXPERT SAYS BEIJING'S THREATS ARE LAUGHABLE

Beijing took its first step to make good on its promise to employ "countermeasures" against the U.S. in light of the bills that it blasted as "hegemonic" in nature and ignorant of the facts on the ground.

The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which was sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., requires that the U.S. conducts yearly reviews into Hong Kong’s autonomy from Beijing. If ever found unsatisfactory, the city's special status for U.S. trading could be tossed.

"I signed these bills out of respect for President Xi, China, and the people of Hong Kong," Trump said in a statement. "They are being enacted in the hope that Leaders and Representatives of China and Hong Kong will be able to amicably settle their differences leading to long term peace and prosperity for all."

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China also announced on Monday that it sanctioned Human Rights Watch for its support of the violence in the city, ,Hua Chunying, a ministry spokesman, told Reuters.

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2019-12-02 08:25:33Z
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