While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Sept 18

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Supporters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party react to exit polls at party headquarters in Tel Aviv.

PHOTO: REUTERS

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Exit polls show dramatic deadlock in Israel's repeat election

Exit polls show Israel's election producing a dramatic deadlock, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor former military chief Benny Gantz able to easily form a government.
Their parties are running neck and neck, the exit polls indicated.
Netanyahu's onetime ally-turned-nemesis, former Defence Minister Avigdor Liberman, appears to be positioned to be kingmaker if the real numbers mirror the exit polls.
While the exit surveys suggest Netanyahu stumbled in this election, having failed to muster a decisive victory after a hard-fought campaign, it is too early to say Gantz won.

Ex-campaign chief defends Trump at chaotic impeachment hearing

Corey Lewandowski, President Donald Trump's former campaign manager and close confidant, on Tuesday vigorously defended his former boss and lashed out at Democrats but repeatedly avoided answering their questions during a chaotic hearing before a US congressional panel considering whether to impeach Trump.
Lewandowski, who is considering running for a US Senate seat from New Hampshire, tangled with Democratic members of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee and told the panel he would refuse to answer any questions about his conversations with Trump. The president's fellow Republicans unsuccessfully sought to have the hearing adjourned shortly after it began.
Lewandowski was the first impeachment witness to appear before the committee since former Special Counsel Robert Mueller testified in July about his inquiry that detailed Russian 2016 election interference and Trump's actions to impede the investigation.

Hong Kong activists take cause to US Congress, urge pressure on Beijing

Leaders of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement on Tuesday appealed directly to US lawmakers to exert pressure on Beijing, warning that an erosion of the city's special status would embolden China's leaders around the world.
In an appearance likely to infuriate Beijing, young people at the forefront of Hong Kong's mass protests testified before a congressional commission in support of US legislation aimed at defending Hong Kongers' civil rights.
"This is not a plea for so-called 'foreign interference,' nor for Hong Kong independence," said Cantopop star Denise Ho, whose music has been banned in mainland China for her activism. "This is a plea for universal human rights. This is a plea for democracy. This is a plea for the freedom to choose."

Study finds air pollution reaches placenta during pregnancy

A new study suggests when a pregnant woman breathes in air pollution, it can travel beyond her lungs to the placenta that guards her foetus.
Pollution composed of tiny particles from car exhaust, factory smokestacks and other sources is dangerous to everyone's health, and during pregnancy it's been linked to premature births and low birth weight.
Scientists say a novel scanning technique spotted a type of particle pollution - sootlike black carbon - on placentas donated by 28 new mothers.

Liverpool's Champions League defence begins with 2-0 defeat to Napoli

Liverpool opened its Champions League title defence with a 2-0 loss at Napoli on Tuesday - the latest chapter in what is becoming an intense rivalry between the two attack-minded clubs after also meeting in last season's group phase.
Dries Mertens converted a penalty eight minutes from the end of an entertaining match after a foul by Andy Robertson on Jose Callejon.
Substitute Fernando Llorente then sealed it in stoppage time - a measure of revenge after playing on the Tottenham side that lost last season's final to Liverpool.