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Conservative Lawyers Say Trump Has Undermined the Rule of Law

Source: NYT

WASHINGTON — The annual convention of the Federalist Society, the conservative legal group, has long been a glittering and bustling affair. In the Trump era, though, the group has become more powerful than ever, supplying intellectual energy and judicial candidates to an assertive administration eager to reshape the legal landscape.

But as the group prepares to gather on Thursday for the start of this year’s convention, more than a dozen prominent conservative lawyers have joined together to sound a note of caution. They are urging their fellow conservatives to speak up about what they say are the Trump administration’s betrayals of bedrock legal norms.

“Conservative lawyers are not doing enough to protect constitutional principles that are being undermined by the statements and actions of this president,” said John B. Bellinger III, a top State Department and White House lawyer under President George W. Bush.

The group, called Checks and Balances, was organized by George T. Conway III, a conservative lawyer and the husband of President Trump’s counselor, Kellyanne Conway. In recent opinion articles, Mr. Conway has criticized Mr. Trump’s statements on birthright citizenship and argued that his appointment of Matthew G. Whitaker to serve as acting attorney general violated the Constitution.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/us/politics/conservative-lawyers-trump.html

France says Trump should have shown 'decency' on Paris attacks anniversary

Source: Reuters

PARIS (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump should have shown some “common decency” and respect France’s day of mourning on the third anniversary of the Nov 13 attacks in Paris, the French government’s spokesman said on Wednesday.

Asked about Trump’s tweets, in which the U.S. leader criticized France’s record in World War One and Two, French government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said:

“Yesterday was Nov 13, we were commemorating the murder of 130 of our people,” he said. “So I’ll reply in English: ‘common decency’ would have been appropriate.”

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-usa-idUSKCN1NJ1SP?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=5bec237f04d301272aa991a0&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

Trump defends skipping cemetery visit in France: Secret Service said I couldn't drive there

Source: The Hill

President Trump on Tuesday defended his decision to cancel his trip to a cemetery in France last weekend due to bad weather, tweeting that he was urged to back out of the visit by Secret Service.

The president said he suggested driving to make the visit in bad weather, but the "Secret Service said NO."

“By the way, when the helicopter couldn’t fly to the first cemetery in France because of almost zero visibility, I suggested driving,” Trump tweeted Tuesday morning.

“Secret Service said NO, too far from airport & big Paris shutdown,” he continued. “Speech next day at American Cemetary [sic] in pouring rain! Little reported-Fake News!”

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/416376-trump-defends-not-going-to-military-cemetery-secret-service-said-i

Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Post 'Squad' Pics Of Diverse New Members Of Congress

A first snowfall for Eritrean children new to Canada.

Some responses from Rebecca in the comments:

Thanks for this. But not a hero. x

That's my backyard. The family of five is living temporarily with me until we can get them on their feet. All costs related to their sponsorship are from voluntary, private donations. x

Their mother is, and two other siblings. Mum fled the war and has been in a refugee camp in Sudan until... just last Thursday. Now their making their home in Toronto. x

Their (single) mother is a superhero. She has four kids under 7, fled a war, survived a refugee camp, and made it to Canada. She's resourceful and resilient. x

VIDEO: 'Married' to a hologram. Akihiko Kondo's mother refused to go to her only son's wedding...

All-Male Boards at Top U.K. Firms Come Closer to Extinction

Source: Bloomberg

All-male boards at the U.K.’s biggest companies are nearing extinction, a sign that government efforts to increase gender parity are paying off.

Just five companies in the FTSE 350 Index have no women at the top table, down from eight in 2017, according to data from the annual Hampton-Alexander Review that will be released in full Tuesday. The number has fallen dramatically since 2011 when 152 boards were men-only.

Those bucking the trend include hospitality group Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Plc, property business Daejan Holdings Plc and two investment trusts. Daejan cited its orthodox Jewish owners as the reason for the lack of senior women.

“Unless somebody forces us to do anything different, the chances of us appointing a woman are pretty slim,” said Mark Jenner, Daejan’s secretary.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-12/all-male-boards-at-top-u-k-firms-come-closer-to-extinction?utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&utm_content=business&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

'Purple Tuesday' to highlight needs of disabled shoppers

Source: The Guardian

Some of the UK’s biggest retailers are taking a break from the frantic buildup to Christmas this week for “Purple Tuesday”, the first national day dedicated to the needs of disabled shoppers.

Asda, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s are among more than 700 businesses – after an initial target of only 50 – who had joined the initiative by Monday morning. Companies are required to make at least one long-term commitment to improve the experience of disabled customers in order to take part.

The event was founded by Mike Adams, the chief executive of Purple, a not-for-profit organisation that campaigns for businesses to be more inclusive and to do more to allow people to spend the so-called “purple pound”.

Purple estimates British people with disabilities spend £249bn a year on retail and leisure, but many disabled people feel ill-served on the high street, a particularly acute issue as the move to online shopping leaves bricks-and-mortar retailers struggling.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/nov/12/purple-tuesday-disabled-shoppers-asda-marks-spencer-sainsburys?CMP=twt_gu

I spoke with the only student who is visibly not comfortable with the "salute", he provided this...

I spoke with the only student who is visibly not comfortable with the “salute”, he provided this statement.