November 27, 2019

Hong Kong university siege winds down as hunt for protesters comes up empty

HONG KONG (Reuters) - As the final searches for any pro-democracy protesters still hiding in Hong Kong's Polytechnic University came up empty on Wednesday, academic authorities prepared for the clean up following a near two-week siege of the campus by riot police.

Police still guarded the perimeter as a security team prepared to scour the maze of buildings for a second day. Polytechnic University Executive Vice President Dr Miranda Lou said no-one had been found so far.

"We hope we can re-open the school soon to start our renovation work and reduce the impact on our students and our research projects," said Lou.

The red-brick university on Kowloon peninsula was turned into a battleground in mid-November when protesters barricaded themselves inside and clashed with riot police in a hail of petrol bombs, water cannon and tear gas. About 1,100 people were arrested last week, some while trying to escape.

Read more: https://www.metro.us/news/the-big-stories/hong-kong-university-siege-winds-down-hunt-protesters-comes-empty

November 27, 2019

New York American Water to be sold to Liberty Utilities for $608M

Sale follows surcharge criticism, calls for public takeover


American Water Works Co. announced in a release Wednesday that it would sell its New York operation to Liberty Utilities for $608 million cash. The deal follows years-long criticism from Nassau County ratepayers, lawmakers and watchdogs who have questioned the private company’s rate structure, water service and infrastructure management.

The sale is expected to close by late 2020 following approval by the state Public Service Commission, according to the release.

“After a careful and comprehensive analysis, we believe it is in the best interest of our customers in New York to sell to Liberty,” said NYAW President Lynda DiMenna in a letter to local ratepayers Wednesday. “We are committed to working together to ensure that the transition is unnoticeable . . . and that safe and reliable water service continues throughout the transition and beyond.”

NYAW services nearly 120,000 Nassau residents across three districts: Lynbrook, Merrick and Sea Cliff.

Read more: http://liherald.com/stories/breaking-new-york-american-water-to-be-sold-to-liberty-utilities-for-608m,120110
(Long Island Herald)

November 27, 2019

Albania Death Toll Reaches 25 in Quake Aftermath

Source: AP

DURRES, ALBANIA (AP) — The death toll from a powerful earthquake in Albania has risen to 25 overnight as local and international rescue crews continue to search collapsed buildings for survivors.

Authorities said four more people had been confirmed dead early Wednesday, while more than 600 people were injured in the magnitude 6.4 quake that struck the country’s coastal cities.

In Durres, Albania’s second largest city, on the Adriatic Sea, residents slept in tents and cars and at a soccer stadium as powerful aftershocks from the earthquake continued.

Flags are flying at half-staff on public buildings around the country as Albania observes a national day of mourning.

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2019-11-27/albania-death-toll-reaches-25-in-quake-aftermath

November 27, 2019

Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County vandalized

The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, on Crescent Road in Glen Cove, was vandalized over the weekend, center officials said, with graffiti found on the property and damage to many of signs and gardens.

In a news release, HMTC Chairman Steven Markowitz wrote that while "this ugliness may be able to be physically cleaned off ... the hurt and fear will remain."

The tolerance center has long fought against acts of bigotry and hate, often reaching out to the local community whenever a hate crime occurs, like when swastikas were found spray-painted in Oyster Bay over the summer. State Sen. Jim Gaughran said he was sickened to learn of yet another act of hate occurring on the North Shore.

"The center is a sacred place and a sanctuary to many," Gaughran said. "This incident is a hateful attack on all our communities and should not be tolerated. I am united with the Glen Cove community as we disavow such ugly acts of hate.”

Read more: http://liherald.com/stories/holocaust-memorial-and-tolerance-center-of-nassau-county-vandalized,120177
(Long Island Herald)

November 27, 2019

Jimmy Kimmel Live: Interview with Andrew Yang

November 27, 2019

Trump embraces Florida at 'homecoming rally,' airs impeachment grievances

President Donald Trump held a “homecoming rally” near Miami Tuesday, his first in Florida since ditching his hometown New York for residency in a state that may prove crucial for his 2020 reelection bid.

“Welcome home to Florida,” the state’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, told him.

Trump spent much of the campaign rally in Sunrise, Fla., lashing out at Democrats, who he accused of “trying to rip our nation apart” with investigations.

“First it was the Russia hoax,” Trump said, “and now the same maniacs are pushing the deranged ... impeachment” narrative. He insisted he had done nothing wrong in his dealings with Ukraine and argued anew that Democrats are only trying to take him down because “they know that they cannot win the next election.”

Read more: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-trump-rally-florida-20191127-iv4332u6jvgcxj4d7lrtvrx36q-story.html

November 27, 2019

NYC school bus company drops 10-year-old with autism at wrong school, neglects to inform parents

NYC school bus company drops 10-year-old with autism at wrong school, neglects to inform parents, says mom


A city school bus dropped off a frightened 10-year-old autistic boy at the wrong Bronx school Monday – and never let his parents know about blunder, his angry mom told the Daily News.

Aaron Rosario was so afraid when chaperones on his new school bus ushered him off at P.S. 291—more than a half-mile from his actual school — that he couldn’t speak, said his mother, Yarleen Anavitate.

“He was very intimidated,” she told The News. “He was afraid that he wasn’t ever going to come home.”

A P.S. 291 teacher, however, immediately noticed the unfamiliar face and managed to flag the bus before it left to get Aaron back aboard.

Read more: https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-school-bus-autism-nyc-20191127-svpvtum3y5dvndnbpiwm7ljba4-story.html

November 27, 2019

Actress, model file lawsuit saying they were beaten in anti-white attack at Midtown nightclub

An actress says she and her friends were beaten bloody by a gang of anti-white bigots at a Midtown nightclub, and they’re now suing the business to force release of video showing the alleged attack.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, Jennifer Agostini, 43, model Prendinellys Garcia, 46, and two others said they were attacked in a early Saturday brawl at the Sky Room club on W. 40th St. near Eighth Ave., after a dust-up with a bouncer.

Agostini and Garcia state they got the worst of the beating from 10 to 15 people who allegedly screamed slurs like “white m-----f------," “dirty white b------” and “f--- those white b------ and their money," according to the suit.

Agostini said her face was scarred and cut in the attack, while Garcia suffered cuts to her scalp. A male friend, Chris Selletti, said he suffered a “puncture to his lung and rib area.”

Read more: https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-actress-sues-midtown-lounge-assault-20191127-zmn2xxxdyvemxcifhbvusq4caq-story.html

November 27, 2019

Eye doctor billed patients, Medicare for over $8M for surgeries he never performed: Feds

For seven years, a Rye eye doctor billed patients and insurance companies for millions of dollars for surgeries that he never performed, federal prosecutors said.

Dr. Ameet Goyal, who has ophthalmology practices in Rye, Mount Kisco, Wappingers Falls and Greenwich, Connecticut, was arrested today and faces federal charges of health care fraud, wire fraud and making false statements relating to health care matters.

Federal prosecutors will also sue Goyal and his practice, The Eye Associates Group, in civil court under the False Claims Act.

His lawyer, Marc Mukasey, said Goyal will plead not guilty and is confident his client will be exonerated.

Read more: https://www.lohud.com/story/news/crime/2019/11/22/dr-ameet-goyal-rye-eye-doctor-faces-federal-fraud-charges/4273935002/
(Lower Hudson Journal News)

November 27, 2019

Sold! Masons' $32M bid for College of New Rochelle campus approved in bankruptcy court

The Masons have been the subject of world-takeover conspiracies, but for now they’ll only be taking over the former College of New Rochelle campus.

The group, also called Freemasons, will buy the 15.6-acre campus for $32 million after its winning bid in an auction was approved in bankruptcy court today, according to the firms that marketed the property.

The Trustees of the Masonic Hall and Asylum Fund won an auction for the property last week, bidding $11 million more than the opening offer, as first reported by The Journal News/lohud.

“The sale of this storied college’s campus at auction is the final chapter in its long history of providing profitable educational opportunities to over 87,000 men and women for 115 years,” Mark Podgainy, interim chief restructuring office of the college, said in a statement.

Read more: https://www.lohud.com/story/marketplace/real-estate/2019/11/25/college-of-new-rochelle-bankruptcy-auction-sale/4299972002/
(Lower Hudson Journal News)