Sweet Home, Alabama...

Hurricane Dorian: 'generational devastation' in Bahamas, says PM

Source: The Guardian

The official death toll from Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas has hit 20 and is likely to rise further, the country’s prime minister has said, as he warned of “generational devastation” in the archipelago’s northern region.

Aerial video of the Abaco Islands – a northern band of islands hardest hit by Dorian – showed widespread devastation, with the harbour, shops, workplaces, a hospital, and airport landing strips damaged or blown to pieces, all of which was frustrating rescue efforts.

Dorian pummelled the area as a slow moving category 5 hurricane over the weekend.

“So many families have been deeply impacted” by Dorian, which “has left generational devastation across Abaco and Grand Bahama”, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said at a press conference late on Wednesday. “We ask you to pray for the families and loved ones of the deceased,” added the PM, who had just returned from a flyover of the Abacos.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/04/hurricane-dorian-bahamas-death-toll-devastation

Lords agree to push through bill preventing no-deal Brexit by end of Friday

Source: The Guardian

The House of Lords has agreed to progress a backbench bill seeking to block a no-deal Brexit, as Boris Johnson prepared to make a speech calling again for Labour to allow a general election.

At about 1.30am on Thursday, following hours of debate, peers were told that the cross-party bill, tabled by Labour’s Hilary Benn, would be returned to the lower house by 5pm on Friday, ruling out the prospect of fresh attempts at a filibuster.

It could then be voted on again by MPs on Monday and presented for royal assent, the Lords heard. Peers are due to debate the Benn bill itself and amendments on Thursday.

The bill had already been passed by the Commons with the assistance of rebel Tories, after they helped to seize control of the parliamentary agenda to rush the measure through. Johnson responded to the backbench efforts on Wednesday by seeking a snap election under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act. However, opposition parties abstained or opposed the vote, denying the PM the necessary two-thirds majority – and meaning he has lost every Commons vote so far.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/05/brexit-lords-agree-to-push-through-bill-preventing-no-deal-by-end-of-friday

Brexit: Government fails in bid to call a general election for 15 October - live news

Source: The Guardian

As expected, Boris Johnson has suffered another big loss, with the Commons rejecting his motion calling for a general election.

The PM would have needed 434 votes to reach a two-thirds majority.

Ayes: 298

Noes: 56

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/sep/04/brexit-crisis-boris-johnson-mps-bill-blocking-no-deal-eu-no-deal-parliament-politics-live

BREAKING: Parliament fails to pass Boris Johnson's call for a new Election

Labour and SNP MP's abstained; 2/3 majority required

Jacob Wohl Wanted on Felony Arrest Warrant

Source: Daily Beast

Conservative operative Jacob Wohl is wanted on a felony arrest warrant in California, a development that could hamper his spree of bizarre, blundering political schemes.

Wohl and former business partner Matthew Johnson were both charged with the unlawful sale of securities in a Riverside Superior Court criminal complaint filed on Aug. 19.

...snip...

The allegation that Wohl and Johnson unlawfully sold securities centers on one of Wohl’s financial companies, Montgomery Assets. A warrant application filed by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office notes that the three-year statute of limitations on the case was set to expire at the end of August 2019, meaning prosecutors had to file by the end of last month if they wanted to pursue charges.

“In 2016 Jacob Wohl and Matthew Johnson represented themselves as members of a company called Montgomery Assets,” the warrant application reads. “On July 27, 2016 through August 27, 2016 Jacob Wohl and Matthew Johnson offered for sale unqualified securities in violation of California Corporations Code 25110 which has a three year statute of limitations and must be tolled by the issuance of an arrest warrant.”

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/jacob-wohl-wanted-on-felony-arrest-warrant?ref=author

De Blasio may quit presidential race if he doesn't make October debate

UK Parliament is now debating Boris Johnson's Bill for a new October election

not expected to pass.

British House of Commons passes bill seeking to avert a no-deal Brexit on Oct. 31

Source: Washington Post

The British Parliament has taken control of the Brexit debate and is challenging Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “do or die” plan to get Britain out of the European Union on Oct. 31. Here is what we know.

● The House of Commons has passed a bill seeking to avert a “no-deal Brexit” in October. The legislation — which won’t be final until the House of Lords votes later this week — would effectively delay Brexit another three months.

● Johnson hosted the first “Prime Minister Questions” of his career and called for an election on Oct. 15. He is not expected to get sufficient parliamentary support for that on Wednesday, which would be a third major defeat in two days.

● An election may be inevitable, though. Johnson is pursuing a risky strategy, after purging his party of rebels, including the grandson of his idol, Winston Churchill.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/uk-parliament-brexit-vote/2019/09/04/cc934b1c-cb6d-11e9-9615-8f1a32962e04_story.html

Trump White House adds a fake impact line to NHC's Hurricane Dorian track...

...to justify Trump's prior claim that Alabama was at risk.

https://twitter.com/bassett_taylor/status/1169307062725226497

(look at 0:23)

https://twitter.com/ColoradoDC/status/1169310275838906368