Celebrity chef, TV host Bourdain dies of suicide at 61The Saigon Times Daily Chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain arrives at the 65th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., September 15, 2013 - PHOTO: REUTERS (REUTERS) - U.S. celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, host of CNN’s food-and-travel-focused “Parts Unknown” television series, killed himself in a French hotel room, officials said on Friday, in the second high-profile suicide of a U.S. celebrity this week. He was 61. Bourdain, whose career catapulted him from washing dishes at New York restaurants to dining in Vietnam with President Barack Obama, hanged himself in a hotel room near Strasbourg, France, where he had been working on an upcoming episode of his program, CNN said. Investigators were treating the death in Kaysersberg, France, as a suicide, local prosecutor Christian de Rocquigny said in a telephone interview. His death comes three days after American … [Read more...] about Celebrity chef, TV host Bourdain dies of suicide at 61
Celebrities supporting trump
Vietnam did not attend gala to celebrate US embassy move to Jerusalem: foreign ministry
Vietnam has dismissed claims that it participated in a gala hosted by Israel to celebrate the opening of a new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. "Vietnam did not have any representative attending this reception as reported by some newspapers," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday. Israeli newspaper Haaretz earlier on Monday reported that Vietnam was among the 32 countries that participated in the gala on Sunday. However, over 50 countries, including most members of the European Union, boycotted the event. The controversial gala was held ahead of the opening of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem on Monday. The embassy move will fulfill a pledge by U.S. President Donald Trump who last December recognized the holy city as the Israeli capital. The move, however, has sparked outrage among Palestinians and has been condemned by many countries. Vietnam has also expressed concerns at the decision, which it claims will negatively affect peace and stability in the Middle East. As … [Read more...] about Vietnam did not attend gala to celebrate US embassy move to Jerusalem: foreign ministry
Vietnam did not attend Israeli gala to celebrate US embassy move to Jerusalem: foreign ministry
Vietnam has dismissed claims that it participated in a gala hosted by Israel to celebrate the opening of a new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. "Vietnam did not have any representative attending this reception as reported by some newspapers," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday. Israeli newspaper Haaretz earlier on Monday reported that Vietnam was among the 32 countries that participated in the gala on Sunday. However, over 50 countries, including most members of the European Union, boycotted the event. The controversial gala was held ahead of the opening of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem on Monday. The embassy move will fulfill a pledge by U.S. President Donald Trump who last December recognized the holy city as the Israeli capital. The move, however, has sparked outrage among Palestinians and has been condemned by many countries. Vietnam has also expressed concerns at the decision, which it claims will negatively affect peace and stability in the Middle East. As … [Read more...] about Vietnam did not attend Israeli gala to celebrate US embassy move to Jerusalem: foreign ministry
Vietnam did not attend Israeli gala to celebrate U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem: foreign ministry
Vietnam has dismissed claims that it participated in a gala hosted by Israel to celebrate the opening of a new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. "Vietnam did not have any representative attending this reception as reported by some newspapers," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday. Israeli newspaper Haaretz earlier on Monday reported that Vietnam was among the 32 countries that participated in the gala on Sunday. However, over 50 countries, including most members of the European Union, boycotted the event. The controversial gala was held ahead of the opening of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem on Monday. The embassy move will fulfill a pledge by U.S. President Donald Trump who last December recognized the holy city as the Israeli capital. The move, however, has sparked outrage among Palestinians and has been condemned by many countries. Vietnam has also expressed concerns at the decision, which it claims will negatively affect peace and stability in the Middle East. As … [Read more...] about Vietnam did not attend Israeli gala to celebrate U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem: foreign ministry
FBI raids offices of Trump’s personal lawyer
Michael Cohen, President Trump's personal lawyer. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images/AFP) US President Donald Trump angrily denounced the FBI raid, describing it as a "disgrace" and "whole new level of unfairness." Railing against what he described as a "witch hunt" and "an attack on our country," Trump pilloried his own attorney general and noting that "many people" were advising him to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller. "They found no collusion whatsoever with Russia," a visibly livid Trump said, hours after officials seized documents and other evidence from his attorney. Cohen's own attorney Stephen Ryan said agents were working in part on the request of Mueller, who is investigating links between Russia and the Trump campaign. But US media said documents seized in the raid related to the surreptitious payment Cohen made to porn actress Stormy Daniels just ahead of the 2016 presidential election that, according to Daniels, aimed to keep her quiet about her earlier relationship with … [Read more...] about FBI raids offices of Trump’s personal lawyer
Trump pushes hardline immigration policies even as he urges unity
U.S. President Donald Trump urged lawmakers on Tuesday to work toward bipartisan compromises, but pushed a hard line on immigration, insisting on a border wall and other concessions from Democrats as part of any deal to protect the children of illegal immigrants. Trump, in his first State of the Union speech, gave no ground on the contentious issue of whether to shield young immigrants known as "Dreamers" from deportation. Aiming to keep conservative supporters happy as he looks to November congressional elections, Trump stood by a set of principles opposed by Democrats, including the border wall with Mexico and new restrictions on how many family members that legal immigrants can bring into the United States. "Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people we were elected to serve," Trump said in his address. Trump used the hour-and-20-minute speech, given annually by presidents to … [Read more...] about Trump pushes hardline immigration policies even as he urges unity
Trump decries ‘permissive’ US abortion laws at rally
President Donald Trump criticized U.S. abortion laws as among the most permissive in the world in a speech to anti-abortion activists at the annual March for Life on Friday, and pledged his administration would always defend "the right to life." The Republican president's speech, relayed via video link from the White House Rose Garden to thousands gathered on Washington's National Mall, highlighted his shift in recent years from a supporter of women's access to abortion to a powerful opponent. "As you all know, Roe v. Wade has resulted in some of the most permissive abortion laws anywhere in the world," he said, criticizing the 1973 Supreme Court decision that affirmed a woman's right to an abortion at most stages of a pregnancy. Trump said the United States "is one of only seven countries to allow elective late-term abortions," mentioning China and North Korea. "It is wrong. It has to change." The other countries that allow elective abortions after 20 weeks are Canada, the … [Read more...] about Trump decries ‘permissive’ US abortion laws at rally
US House passes NSA spying bill after Trump tweets cause confusion
The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill to renew the National Security Agency's warrantless internet surveillance program, overcoming objections from privacy advocates and confusion prompted by morning tweets from President Donald Trump that initially questioned the spying tool. The legislation, which passed 256-164 and split party lines, is the culmination of a years-long debate in Congress on the proper scope of U.S. intelligence collection - one fueled by the 2013 disclosures of classified surveillance secrets by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. Senior Democrats in the House had urged cancellation of the vote after Trump appeared to cast doubt on the merits of the program, but Republicans forged ahead. Trump initially wrote on Twitter that the surveillance program, first created in secret after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and later legally authorized by Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), had been used against him but later said … [Read more...] about US House passes NSA spying bill after Trump tweets cause confusion
Trump would welcome challenge from Oprah Winfrey for president
U.S. President Donald Trump would gladly face Oprah Winfrey as an opponent in the 2020 presidential race, a White House spokesman said on Monday after social media buzz from her speech at an awards show thrust her name into the political arena. "We welcome the challenge, whether it be Oprah Winfrey or anybody else," Hogan Gidley told reporters on Air Force One during a flight to Nashville on Monday. "We welcome all comers." Winfrey, 63, stole the show at the Golden Globe awards on Sunday night with her speech upon receiving the Cecil B. DeMille award for achievement and lit up Twitter with a surge of tweets carrying "#Oprahforpresident" and "#Oprah2020." She is actively thinking about a run, CNN reported on Monday, citing two of her close friends. CNN did not name the friends, who it said had spoken on condition of anonymity. At least one emphasized that Winfrey had made no firm decision. Winfrey has said in the past she is not interested in running for president, but the Los Angeles … [Read more...] about Trump would welcome challenge from Oprah Winfrey for president
For Palestinian Christians, Trump is Christmas killjoy
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence may have postponed his visit, but Palestinian Christians still say Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital is spoiling their Christmas. In Bethlehem, thousands plan to celebrate on December 24 and 25, including the midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity, built on the site considered the birthplace of Jesus. In good years the West Bank town is flooded with Palestinian and foreign visitors in the days before Christmas. But in the weeks before festivities this year, the city has at time appeared almost empty of tourists -- with nearby clashes between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army keeping many away. In the courtyard next to the church, a towering Christmas tree adorned with lights has had few visitors, apart from street vendors selling Santa hats and Palestinians taking selfies. Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the most senior Roman Catholic official in the … [Read more...] about For Palestinian Christians, Trump is Christmas killjoy