Videos of the Day: Trump Threatens Military Enforcement at Border as Caravan of Honduran Migrants Nears

Epoch Newsroom
10/18/2018
Updated:
10/19/2018
Scroll down for more videos

President Donald Trump warned that he will deploy the military to the southern border if Mexico doesn’t stop the flow of migrants from Central America, most of whom end up entering the United States illegally.

“I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught—and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!” he said in a Oct. 18 tweet.
He also warned Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, where most of the migrants originate, that the United States will cut off aid to those nations as their “leaders are doing little to stop this large flow of people, INCLUDING MANY CRIMINALS.”

In 2017, the United States sent about $530 million in aid to the three countries.

Read full story

US Border Officials Emphasize Pot Is Illegal as Canada Prepares to Legalize Marijuana

nited States border officials are emphasizing that pot is still illegal in the country as Canada fully legalized marijuana on Oct. 17.

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforces the laws of the United States, and the U.S. laws have not changed following Canada’s legalization of marijuana today,” Christopher Perry of the border agency told the Associated Press. “Penalties could involve seizure. They could involve financial penalties. But, again, that’s based on the totality of the circumstances that are presented to the officer.”

In a statement on Sept. 21, the agency said people in violation of the law could be denied admission to the United States or be apprehended in addition to having the drugs seized and be subject to fines.

Perry said that border officials are still asking the same questions to people trying to enter the United States and don’t generally ask about people’s marijuana use.

“Federal law supersedes state law in the United States. So, it would be illegal federally for anyone to enter the United States with marijuana,” he noted.

Read full story

More Accidents Happening in States That Have Legalized Pot

Car accidents are happening more frequently in states that have fully legalized marijuana, according to researchers.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced the finding in two new studies that were set to be released on Oct. 18.
“The last thing in the world that we want is to introduce another legal substance where we may be adding to that toll and to the carnage on our highways,” David Harkey, president of the Insurance Institute, told Bloomberg.

“With marijuana impairment, we’re just now starting to understand what we don’t know.”

The study said that the frequency of collision insurance claims in Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington state rose about six percent higher than in nearby states where marijuana is still illegal.

A separate study by the institute found a five percent increase in the rate of crashes per million vehicle registrations in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington versus nearby states.

Read full story

Pompeo to Trump: Saudis Need ‘A Few More Days’ for Khashoggi Investigation

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he spoke with President Donald Trump on Oct. 18 and told him that the United States should give Saudi Arabia more time to finalize their official investigation into the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Meanwhile, they pulled out of a major investment summit in Saudi’s capital.

Pompeo told reporters that he had just briefed the president on his visit to Ankara and Riyadh, where both the Saudi and Turkish governments reiterated their commitments to a full investigation.

“We made clear to them that we take this matter very seriously,” Pompeo said. “They assured me that they will conduct a complete and thorough investigation.”

An official deadline on when the Saudis would complete their investigation was not mentioned. Pompeo said both Saudi Arabia and Turkey will complete their reports, which are being done separately, in a “timely fashion.”

Read full story

Japan’s Cherry Blossoms Burst Forth Months Too Early

Every spring Japan’s famous “sakura”—cherry blossoms—color the landscape fuchsia pink and delicate white as they burst forth from their buds.

People come from across Japan and around the world to see the explosions of color that paint the landscape. Tourists snap countless pictures. Weddings are planned to coincide with blossoming season.

And this year, in a bit of a surprise, Japan’s cherry blossoms are popping out in time for Halloween.

More than 350 people reported to Weathernews that they saw cherry trees blooming in the middle of October.
If you enjoyed reading this article, please continue to read more stories here.
Sign up for our free newsletters here.