| Trump says it would be big mistake for Iran to try anything against U.S Posted: 13 May 2019 02:24 PM PDT  U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday Iran would "suffer greatly" if it targeted U.S. interests after Washington deployed an aircraft carrier and more jet fighters at a time of rising tensions with Tehran. "We'll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it will be a very bad mistake," Trump told reporters at the White House.
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| New study suggests the Moon may be shrinking Posted: 13 May 2019 04:37 PM PDT  Earth isn't the only place that "quakes." Rocky planets and moons regularly experience similar movements, and faults can form between massive chunks of crust on other worlds the same as they can here on Earth. The Moon is one place we know that experiences those kinds of shifts, and new research suggests that it might actually be making the Moon smaller over time.The study, which was published in Nature Geoscience, explains how the cliffs observed on the Moon's surface hint at a cooling spell that occurred after the Moon formed. As it cooled, it "shriveled like a raisin," and large cliffs formed on the surface when the Moon's crust was compressed. These regions, known as thrust faults, may still be growing today, and the overall size of the Moon may be shrinking as a result.The researchers combined observations from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter with new analysis of seismic readings gathered during the Apollo moon missions. This revisiting of the data revealed the approximate source of dozens of lunar quakes detected by the instruments."We found that a number of the quakes recorded in the Apollo data happened very close to the faults seen in the LRO imagery," Nicholas Schmerr of the University of Maryland, co-author of the study, said in a statement. "It's quite likely that the faults are still active today. You don't often get to see active tectonics anywhere but Earth, so it's very exciting to think these faults may still be producing moonquakes."As on Earth, pressure along fault lines builds up to a point where the force of friction can no longer prevent the large rocky plates from moving. When that movement occurs, a quake is felt, and in the case of the Moon the continued movement of the plates may indicate that it's not done shrinking.The researchers suggest that this is just another of many reasons why mankind should prioritize a revisit of the Moon. Learning more about how the Moon works and the mechanics at play on the surface could teach us a great deal about other planets as well, and help prepare organizations like NASA for trips deeper into space.
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| Legendary Porsche-Designed Type 64 Up For Auction Posted: 13 May 2019 02:52 AM PDT  The Type 64 was designed by Professor Ferdinand Porsche to compete in the 1939 Berlin-Rome race. Porsche can trace back its origin to the very first 356 ever built over seven decades ago, but some argue that the Porsche timeline actually stretches back further. Commissioned to design and build a car for the 932-mile Berlin-Rome race of September 1939, Professor Ferdinand Porsche created a car known only as the Type 64.
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| Correction: Houston-Missing Girl story Posted: 13 May 2019 08:33 AM PDT  HOUSTON (AP) — In a story May 6 about a reported abduction of a 4-year-old Houston girl, The Associated Press, relying on information provided by Houston police, misspelled the name of the man who told police the girl had been abducted. His name is Derion Vence, not Darion Vence. The AP also reported that police referred to Vence as the girl's stepfather. A spokesman for the girl's mother says she and Vence lived together and were engaged, but that she recently broke off the engagement.
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| World equities sink as US and China exchange trade war salvos Posted: 13 May 2019 02:39 PM PDT  China's move to retaliate against the latest US tariffs pummeled global stocks on Monday, with Wall Street suffering an especially bruising blow amid fears the year-long conflict could deteriorate further.
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| UPDATE 2-Boeing deliveries hammered by 737 MAX groundings Posted: 14 May 2019 08:28 AM PDT ![UPDATE 2-Boeing deliveries hammered by 737 MAX groundings]( "UPDATE 2-Boeing deliveries hammered by 737 MAX groundings") Boeing Co handed over 24 percent fewer jet airplanes in the first four months of 2019 compared with the same period a year earlier as the grounding of its top-selling 737 MAX aircraft halted deliveries for a second month. Deliveries of the aircraft were stopped in early March, a few days after an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed, killing all 157 people on board, in the second fatal accident involving the 737 MAX in just five months. Last month Boeing abandoned its 2019 financial outlook, halted share buybacks and said lowered production of the fastest-selling 737 MAX jets in the wake of the groundings had cost it at least $1 billion.
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| Sacramento homeless campers putting homeowners at risk by digging into levees Posted: 14 May 2019 07:35 AM PDT  Raw video: Homeless campers in Sacramento, California are putting homeowners at risk. General manager of the American River Flood Control District explains that digging into levees causes flooding issues when water levels rise during the winter.
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| Trump defends China tariffs as trade war leaves allies and opponents in bind Posted: 13 May 2019 01:18 PM PDT  Trump's hardline stance against China puts Republicans in an awkward position, while Democrats are splitDonald Trump with China's President Xi Jinping in 2017. China said it will raise tariffs on $60bn worth of US goods from 1 June, in retaliation to the latest round of US tariff hikes. Photograph: Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty ImagesDonald Trump has again defended tariffs as his dogged, often self-contradictory pursuit of a trade war with China put allies and opponents alike in a difficult spot.Stocks tumbled after China said it would impose higher tariffs on US goods including frozen vegetables and liquefied natural gas, in retaliation for America raising tariffs on $200bn in Chinese imports. Trump has threatened to extend tariffs to the remaining $300bn or so in Chinese imports that have not been targeted yet, but told reporters on Monday: "I have not made that decision yet."As the clash of the world's two biggest economies raised fears of global shockwaves, Trump denied American consumers would pay the price."There is no reason for the US consumer to pay the tariffs, which take effect on China today," Trump tweeted, before offering a convoluted explanation.That put him at odds with his own national economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, who was asked on Fox News Sunday: "It's US businesses and US consumers who pay, correct?"Kudlow replied: "Yes, I don't disagree with that."He also acknowledged that "both sides will suffer".Not for the first time, Trump is scrambling political allegiances. It is especially awkward for Republicans. The president's protectionist "America first" agenda flies in the face of the party's free market principles and threatens to hurt voters in red states.Farmers are one example. At a news conference organised by the campaign group Tariffs Hurt the Heartland, in response to the raising of tariffs to 25%, Brent Bible, a soybean and corn farmer in Lafayette, Indiana, said: "Our competitive advantage has always been we are a reliable source of product. This has taken that away."It has made it … so uncompetitive that other countries are willing to now take the risk that some of the South American countries have in terms of logistics, safety and being reliable. China and others are now willing to take that risk since we are priced so far out of the market."Trump has promised to "make it up" to farmers hurt by Chinese tariffs against soybeans and other agricultural products. Previously set at $12bn, on Monday he suggested the compensation could go even higher.He said: "We're going to take the highest year, the biggest purchase that China has ever made with from our farmers, which is about $15bn, and do something reciprocal to our farmers so our farmers can do well."The bailout programme, which has been slow to take effect because of bureaucratic hurdles, threatens to wipe out whatever financial rewards Trump claims tariffs have reaped. "We're taking in billions of dollars of tariffs," he insisted at the White House, dangling the prospect of yet more.But Republicans have become accustomed to twisting themselves into unexpected positions to support Trump on all kids of issues. This is no different.Last week the White House issued a list of those who back Trump for taking a hard line after China allegedly reneged on commitments made during months of talks. It included Senator Marco Rubio of Florida: "Not surprised China is trying to go back on changes they had previously agreed to. For years they have had counterparts so desperate for a deal they allowed them to get away with this. [Trump] is the first to ever pose a credible threat to walk away from a bad deal."Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said: "I completely support President [Trump]'s approach in trade negotiations with China. This is the last, best chance for America and the world to get China to play by the rules."Intriguingly, the roll call also quoted Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader in the Senate: "Hang tough on China, President [Trump]. Don't back down. Strength is the only way to win with China."Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, another Democrat, said: "China's cheating has hurt American workers for far too long. Tariffs brought China to the negotiating table and now that we're there, the president must secure real changes to level the playing field."The remarks illustrate the dilemma facing Democrats. Former vice-president Joe Biden, the frontrunner for 2020, was recently condemned for remarks that played down Chinese competition. "China is going to eat our lunch?" he said. "Come on, man."Bernie Sanders has pledged to label China a currency manipulator, a stand Trump vowed he would make but was talked out of by advisers. Sanders and another progressive candidate, Elizabeth Warren, share Trump's distaste for Republican worship of the free market.But centrist Democrats are going on the offensive. Another 2020 contender, the Massachusetts congressman Seth Moulton, told Fox News Sunday:"Wielding tariffs like a cudgel because it makes the president look tough? That only hurts American families."Many feel Trump has hit upon an important theme – the threat posed by China and its long history of flouting rules.A few Republican voices have warned against a prolonged dispute. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky told ABC's This Week he advised the president to finalise a deal with China soon, "because the longer we're involved in a tariff battle or a trade war, the better chance there is that we could actually enter into a recession because of it".Trump said on Monday he plans a meeting with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, next month at the G20 summit in Japan. He insisted: "We're in a great position right now, no matter what we do. I think China wants to have it."The Associated Press contributed reporting
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| Official: Initial US assessment blames Iran for ship attacks Posted: 13 May 2019 03:45 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — An American military team's initial assessment is that Iranian or Iranian-backed proxies used explosives Sunday to blow large holes in four ships anchored off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, a U.S. official said Monday.
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| Key events in the Julian Assange legal saga Posted: 13 May 2019 03:23 AM PDT  LONDON (AP) — Swedish prosecutors say they are reopening a rape case against Julian Assange, the founder of anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London
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| Nadler: Mueller will not testify before Congress next week Posted: 13 May 2019 02:00 PM PDT  Nadler said he will subpoena Mueller if necessary.
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| UPDATE 5-WhatsApp security breach may have targeted human rights groups Posted: 14 May 2019 02:24 AM PDT ![UPDATE 5-WhatsApp security breach may have targeted human rights groups]( "UPDATE 5-WhatsApp security breach may have targeted human rights groups") WhatsApp said on Tuesday that a security breach on its messaging app had signs of coming from a government using surveillance technology developed by a private company, and it may have targeted human rights groups. WhatsApp, a unit of Facebook, said it had notified the U.S. Department of Justice to help with an investigation, and it encouraged all WhatsApp users to update to the latest version of the app, where the breach had been fixed.
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| Prince Harry shows off paternal side during visit to children's hospital Posted: 14 May 2019 08:00 AM PDT  The Duke of Sussex has said he cannot imagine life without son Archie - but confessed the baby kept him up last night. Harry chatted about his baby during the first of a series of visits in Oxford which began with him celebrating the work of the city's children's hospital. The duke, who became a father for the first time last week, was presented with a tiny teddy bear for Archie when he arrived at the hospital. He also received a balloon toy from another young patient. Daisy Wingrove, 13, a former patient of the hospital, presented the teddy bear to the duke just before he began his tour of the hospital, and Harry let out a big sigh and said "Ahhh" as a nearby crowd of well-wishers made the same sound in sympathy. Later the duke met parents whose children have been battling cancer on the hospital's Kamran Jabble ward, named after a former patient. He chatted to mum-of-two Amy Scullard, from Aylesbury, whose son Emmett, aged three, is in remission after being diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was two. She was holding her 10-week-old daughter Ida and immediately struck up a conversation about Harry's newborn son. Ms Scullard said: "Harry asked me if she was over the stormy period as babies are supposed to be grumpy for the first 10 weeks - and she is. "He said he's getting used to the baby and how Archie has fitted into family life. "He said he just feels part of the family and he can't imagine life without his son." The duke also told another patient how Archie had kept him up last night. Christine George, 52, whose son James, 17, is having chemotherapy, said: "He said he had all this organised, but had a sleepless night last night - not the ideal preparation for his first day at work." Harry and Meghan's son was born last Monday. Today was Harry's first full day of work in the UK, following a trip to Amsterdam last week.
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| Trump lauds Hungary's nationalist PM Orbán for 'tremendous job' Posted: 13 May 2019 12:41 PM PDT  Trump tells visiting PM: 'You're respected all over Europe'Critics attack Orbán for eroding democracy and human rights Trump and Orbán at the White House. Trump said: 'You're respected all over Europe. Probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but that's OK.' Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump showered praise on Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán for a "tremendous job" and shrugged off complaints that his White House visit represents a reward for the erosion of democracy in Hungary and Orbán's close ties to the Kremlin. Sitting alongside Orbán in the Oval Office, Trump declared it a "great honour" to host Orbán, who he claimed was "highly respected all over Europe", particularly for his anti-immigration policies. "You're respected all over Europe. Probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but that's OK," Trump said. "You've done a good job and you've kept your country safe." Orbán said his government and the Trump administration were aligned on some global issues. He said: "I would like to express that we are proud to stand together with United States on fighting against illegal migration, on terrorism, and to protect and help Christian communities all around the world." Trump quickly picked up on his visitor's last claim, saying: "You have been great with respect to Christian communities, you have really put a block up. And we appreciate that very much" – an apparent reference to the barrier the government has erected along Hungary's border with Serbia and Croatia. The White House said Orbán visit was aimed and deepening US "re-engagement" in central Europe, and negotiating trade in arms and energy. A White House readout after the meeting said: "The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Nato alliance and to their democratic systems of government, which safeguard the freedom and cultivate the prosperity that the United States and Hungary enjoy." But the administration's critics portrayed Orbán's access to the Oval Office as the latest display of Trump's preference for doing business with foreign strongmen, irrespective of their record on civil liberties. "Orbán represents so many things that are antithetical to core American values," a group of congressional Democrats, led by Eliot Engel, the head of the House foreign affairs committee, said in a letter to Trump that called for the visit to be canceled. "He has overseen a rollback of democracy in his country, used antisemitic and xenophobic tropes in his political messaging, and cozied up to Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin. He has overseen a rollback of democracy, used antisemitic tropes in his political messaging, and cozied up to Putin Eliot Engel "It troubles us to see the president of our country, which has historically supported the protection and promotion of democracy and human rights worldwide, meeting with a man who so regularly disregards these values." Heather Conley, director of the Europe programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said Orbán's government has repeatedly thwarted US interests in the region: by cultivating a close relationship with Vladimir Putin; allowing the Russian International Investment Bank (widely viewed as an instrument of Russian intelligence) to set up headquarters in Budapest; refusing to extradite two suspected Russian arms dealers; and blocking Ukrainian talks with Nato because of Kiev's language laws. "Yet we reward this obstruction with the honor of an Oval Office meeting?" Conley wrote. "It is difficult to see how one can make US foreign policy great again when the United States incurs policy failure after policy failure; if anything, this is humiliating for the United States." The Trump administration has largely defended Orbán's nationalism and his anti-immigrant policies. "The appeal that he makes within his own domestic politics are not ones that resonate more broadly in the rest of Europe. He very much focuses on Hungary for Hungarians, and very specifically on Magyars. I think that's pretty well known and pretty well documented," a senior administration official said. "If you're talking about border management and questions about how you handle legal migration, a lot of these discussions have been perfectly sensible, frankly, with our Hungarian counterparts." Orbán has been frozen out from high-level contacts with the US for many years. His last visit to the White House was in 1998 to see Bill Clinton, while Mike Pompeo's visit to Budapest in February was the first visit by a serving secretary of state to Hungary since 2011. Zsolt Németh, chair of the foreign affairs committee in the Hungarian parliament and a long-standing political ally of Orbán, said in an interview in Budapest on Monday that under the Obama administration, senior officials "thought the job of the American state department was to educate Europe". He said: "This educative approach characteristic to the Obama administration is over." Németh noted the role of ambassador David Cornstein, a jewellery magnate and longstanding friend of Trump appointed to the post last year, in the restarting of friendly relations. Cornstein has dismayed many critics of Orbán with public declarations of support for the Hungarian government. "It's very unfortunate that we've lost America," said one western diplomat based in Budapest, about the new line taken under Cornstein. Elements of the state department hierarchy have also been deeply unhappy with the new role pandering to Orbán. "He's struggling with his own diplomats," said Németh, of Cornstein's attempts to build a friendly personal relationship with Orbán and restart bilateral relations. "We are trying to accommodate Hungarian foreign policy to the intentions of the president, not the state department," he said.
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| Immigration Offenses Topped List of Federal Crimes in FY 2018 Posted: 13 May 2019 09:34 AM PDT  Immigration offenses became the biggest category of federal crime in fiscal year 2018, surpassing the number of drug offenses.Crimes relating to immigration comprised 34.4 percent of all federal sentencing cases, an increase from last year's 30 percent, according to the United States Sentencing Commission's annual report. While the vast majority of crimes in the U.S., including most violent crimes, are dealt with at the state level, immigration offenses stand out as as category under the purview of federal authorities.96.3 percent of the 23,883 immigration cases recorded in the report involved Hispanics, 92.7 percent of them male. Approximately 94.7 percent of the cases led to prison sentences, and 13,500 led to supervised release. Only 866 cases involved a defendant under 21 years old."In fiscal year 2018, 54.3 percent of all offenders were Hispanic, 21.2 percent were white, 20.6 percent were black, and 3.8 percent were of another race. Non-U.S. citizens accounted for 42.7 percent of all federal offenders," the report stated.Drug offenses were the second most common type of federal crime in fiscal year 2018, at 28.1 percent of all cases. Firearms offenses placed third at 10.8 percent and fraud-related crimes came fourth at 9.5 percent.The new numbers coincide with an increasing flood of migrants at the southern border, including a record number of families in March, a crisis the Trump administration has attempted to address with its "no tolerance" policy for those who cross the border between ports of entry.Earlier this month, the White House asked Congress for $4.5 billion in emergency funds to deal with the crisis, including $3.3 billion for humanitarian assistance and $1.1 billion for law-enforcement operations. Democrats have objected to the request, but the White House Budget Office has warned that the Office of Refugee Resettlement and other programs are at risk of running out of funding by the beginning of the summer.
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| Dead whale washes ashore in Pacifica Posted: 14 May 2019 11:46 AM PDT  The 10th whale in the past few months has washed ashore in the Bay Area. The unusually large death toll is reportedly happening because there is too little food to support the giant mammals.
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| Dive team probes icy Alaska waters for missing passengers Posted: 14 May 2019 12:55 PM PDT ![Dive team probes icy Alaska waters for missing passengers]( "Dive team probes icy Alaska waters for missing passengers") ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Dive teams plunged into the icy cold waters of a southeast Alaska inlet Tuesday, searching an area the size of 24 football fields for two cruise ship passengers missing after two sightseeing planes collided.
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| Julian Assange Could Face Extradition Requests From 2 Countries. What Happens Next? Posted: 14 May 2019 08:58 AM PDT  The U.S. wants to try him on hacking charges, Sweden re-opened a rape case
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| Two Saudi tankers damaged in 'sabotage attack' off UAE Posted: 12 May 2019 09:51 PM PDT  Two Saudi oil tankers were damaged in a "sabotage attack" off the United Arab Emirates coast, the official Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday, quoting the Saudi energy minister. "Two Saudi oil tankers were subjected to a sabotage attack in the exclusive economic zone of the United Arab Emirates, off the coast of the Emirate of Fujairah, while on their way to cross into the Arabian Gulf," SPA cited Khalid al-Falih as saying.
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| Five U.S. abuse victims sue Vatican to release names of predator priests Posted: 14 May 2019 12:57 PM PDT ![Five U.S. abuse victims sue Vatican to release names of predator priests]( "Five U.S. abuse victims sue Vatican to release names of predator priests") Three brothers and two other men claimed in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in St. Paul that the Church has kept secret the identities and records of more than 3,400 clergy accused of sexual abuse, including some top church officials. The men are asking the court to require the Vatican to make the information public and report all alleged crimes to law enforcement worldwide.
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| Who gets hurt by China's new tariffs on American goods? Farmers and chemical makers Posted: 14 May 2019 10:23 AM PDT  China's announcement that it's raising a tariffs on US imports to up to 25% poses a further threat to farmers, manufacturers and other businesses
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| 'Octomom' Nadya Suleman celebrates Mother's Day with 10 of her children: Photo Posted: 13 May 2019 11:48 AM PDT  A full house!Nadya "Octomom" Suleman was surrounded by love on Mother's Day this year, andthe mother of 14 took to Instagram to share a sweet photo of her growingchildren on the joyous holiday
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| The Best Pickup Trucks 2019-2020 Posted: 13 May 2019 08:37 PM PDT |
| Rosenstein: Russia probe justified, closing it wasn't option Posted: 13 May 2019 04:49 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — Fresh out of his job as deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein said Monday that the Justice Department's investigation into Russian election interference was "justified," that he would have never allowed anyone to interfere with it and that closing it had not been an option.
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| Factbox: Who's with whom - Indian parties seek partners as election nears end Posted: 13 May 2019 01:28 AM PDT  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling coalition is confident of a second term in office but opposition parties are talking to each other to seal an alliance, hoping to topple him after general election results are announced on May 23. Below is how India's biggest parties are aligned. - NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE (NDA) BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY (BJP): Modi's Hindu nationalist BJP leads the NDA and won 282 seats in the last election five years ago.
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| Spain pulls its frigate from US military build-up in Gulf Posted: 14 May 2019 07:14 AM PDT  Spain has recalled a frigate accompanying a US aircraft carrier to the Middle East because of rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, the defence ministry said Tuesday. "For the moment the frigate Mendez Nunez has left the combat group of the USS Abraham Lincoln," a ministry spokesman told AFP, confirming a report in the Spanish daily El Pais.
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| 'Heartbeat bills' reveal extremist anti-abortion view that values unborn over women Posted: 14 May 2019 01:28 PM PDT  The anti-abortion movement pays lip service to caring for women, but there is only one thing they care about: the unborn. I care about all lives.
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| May Aims to Reopen EU Brexit Talks to Win Corbyn's Support Posted: 13 May 2019 12:40 AM PDT  Theresa May is promising to reopen Brexit talks with the European Union to try to breathe life back into negotiations with the opposition Labour Party and take the U.K. out of the bloc by the summer. The prime minister's office said Sunday the government will explore with the EU this week how to rewrite the outline political agreement on future customs ties, even as a senior Labour official warned that the party's members of Parliament wouldn't back a deal without a second referendum. The EU has said it's willing to make changes to the political declaration, the non-binding part of the Brexit deal that focuses on future ties.
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| JetBlue operations delayed as 'global' computer outage briefly cripples airline, again Posted: 14 May 2019 05:59 AM PDT ![JetBlue operations delayed as 'global' computer outage briefly cripples airline, again]( "JetBlue operations delayed as 'global' computer outage briefly cripples airline, again") JetBlue reported Tuesday morning that operations had been slowed by what it called a "global Sabre outage impacting multiple airlines."
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| A top-rated wireless charging pad is only $7.99 right now on Amazon, and it might be a mistake Posted: 13 May 2019 04:54 AM PDT ![A top-rated wireless charging pad is only $7.99 right now on Amazon, and it might be a mistake]( "A top-rated wireless charging pad is only $7.99 right now on Amazon, and it might be a mistake") UPDATE: You guys must have loved this deal because it sold out in just a few hours! Here's a good alternative, and it's only $10.EARLIER: If you have a phone that supports wireless charging, your day is about to get a whole lot brighter. Amazon is running a sale right now on a top-rated wireless charger that slashes the price all the way down to just $7.99. Is it a mistake? It could be. In fact, it probably is, considering the main photo on the product page for the Tiamat Wireless Charging Pad shows a pair of mini speakers. The rest of the images show the correct product though, and Amazon always honors pricing snafus like this one. So if you want a wireless charging pad for an insanely low price, hurry up and snag one before they sell out... and before Amazon realizes the price might be wrong!Here are the key details from the product page: * 【Fast Wireless Charge】Output up to 10W Qi-enabled and support Quick Charge devices like the Samsung Galaxy S9+ / S9 / S8 / S8+ / S7 / S7 edge / S6 edge+ / Note8; Or charges Qi-enabled, non-Quick Charge devices (Compatible with iPhone X / 8 / 8 Plus and etc.) at a standard 5W. * 【Premium Design】0.3in Ultra Slim body with skin fabric coat giving the wireless charging station a modern, premium appearance. The unique coating can also prevent your phone from slipping and keeps dirt away. * 【Safe Charging】Specially designed vents on the bottom cool down the charging pad while charging; Integrated smart chip inside the wireless charging pad helps protect it from overheating, overvoltage short circuit and other similar problems. ❤30-day money back and 12-month free warranty❤ comes with this product. * 【Informative LED Indicator】Low-key, yet fully visible LED light informs you about charging status. * 【Extra Anti-slip Pad】A free silicon anti-slip pad in the box improves the safety of your phone. Enjoy the fun when you DIY your own wireless charger!
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| Monsanto ordered to pay $2 bn in latest Roundup blow Posted: 14 May 2019 01:51 AM PDT  In a third major legal blow to Bayer-owned Monsanto and its weedkiller Roundup, a jury in California has ordered the chemicals giant to pay more than $2 billion in damages to a couple that sued on grounds the product caused their cancer, lawyers said. The ruling on Monday was the latest in a series of court defeats for Monsanto over the glyphosate-based product, but the company insists the weedkiller is not linked to cancer. The couple's legal team described the damages award as "historic," saying it totalled $2.055 billion (1.8 billion euros) after adding in slightly more than $55 million in compensatory damages.
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| William Barr Delivers Chilling Message to FBI for Trump Posted: 14 May 2019 02:39 PM PDT  Photo Illustration by Lyne Lucien/The Daily Beast/Photos from Getty/APIf you come at the king, you best not miss. That's the message Attorney General William Barr is sending to FBI agents, whether intentionally or not. Barr has authorized yet another investigation into the FBI's conduct probing links between Russian election interference and the Trump campaign. Even though two other entities are already investigating the same matter, reports indicate that Barr has appointed Connecticut U.S. Attorney John Durham to investigate the origins of the Russia probe. In doing so, Barr is playing into the hands of President Donald Trump, who has already characterized Durham's assignment as an investigation into "how that whole hoax got started." The most charitable interpretation of Barr's behavior in defense of Trump is that he believes strongly in a "unitary executive," where the president can order any investigation he wants. But in his quest to protect the presidency, Barr is damaging our national security. His complicity in Trump's efforts to disparage the FBI will make it more difficult for agents to do their jobs and could discourage investigations of those in power. Certainly, the FBI, like any other government agency, should be subject to scrutiny. If you were to ask most FBI agents about internal investigations, they would tell you that they welcome such probes when done in good faith because they ensure not only accountability but also public trust. Following the FBI's aggressive surveillance of civil rights activists and war protesters in the 1960s and '70s, safeguards and approval requirements were created to prevent such abuses. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court was created to provide independent oversight of wiretaps conducted in the name of national security. The Domestic Investigations Operations Guide was created to provide detailed operational and approval requirements for each investigative step. FBI personnel are subject to DOJ's Office of Professional Responsibility, which investigates allegations of misconduct. The FBI also has its own inspection division to conduct routine audits of compliance with polices and practices. But the current outcry about the use of FISA surveillance and informants to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election is not sufficient predication for a criminal investigation. Those techniques are routinely and appropriately used in counterintelligence investigations against foreign adversaries. Former FBI general counsel James Baker has been speaking out about the FBI's work on the Russia investigation, stating that the investigation not a "coup" against President Trump, but instead was "about Russia. It was always about Russia. Full stop." Failing to investigate Russian interference would have been a breach of the FBI's duty. Even use of the so-called Steele dossier in the FISA application for surveillance of Trump campaign adviser Carter Page is not the scandal that some describe. The dossier, compiled by a former British intelligence agent to be used as opposition research by Hillary Clinton's campaign against Trump, was properly described as such in the FISA application, such that the FISA court had complete and accurate information when it authorized the surveillance. Judges, including those on the FISA court, are capable of discounting information based on potential biases as long as they are disclosed in the application, as they were here. In addition, material from the Steele dossier provided only a portion of the facts included in the 66-page application that was used to establish probable cause to obtain surveillance authorization from the FISA court. Renewals of the application were approved from Trump-appointed Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. There is no evidence in the public record that the FBI abused the FISA process in this investigation. Nonetheless, last year, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz to investigate potential abuses in the FISA process following complaints by Republican lawmakers. Sessions later asked Utah U.S. Attorney John Huber to pursue any criminal conduct relating to the same matter, along with other matters relating to Clinton. It is unclear why Barr does not simply await those results rather than appoint a new prosecutor to undertake another investigation. If Barr had wanted to expand the scope of the prior investigations, he could have done so without appointing a new investigator. If he were simply replacing Huber with Durham, who, by all accounts is a highly respected and experienced investigator, then he should say so. Forget Roy Cohn, Future Presidents Would Ask 'Where's My Bill Barr?'Instead, Barr has created the appearance that he is launching another investigation to appease Trump. But there is a significant downside to such a tactic. Barr's appointment of Durham advances the Trump narrative that the FBI is run by a "deep state" that is engaged in a witch hunt and a hoax. Barr has already contributed to the partisan conspiracy theory with the language he used at his press conference to announce the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report in April. Barr repeatedly used Trump's talking point of "no collusion," a term Mueller specifically said he was avoiding. Barr made things worse in his subsequent congressional testimony, when he used the word "spying" to describe the FBI's tactics in the Russia probe. Despite his protestations that the word is not a pejorative term, and that "spying" is a word used by the media, it is not a word that government officials use to describe court-authorized surveillance. Contrast Barr's performances with the recent congressional testimony of FBI Director Christopher Wray. Wray rejected Barr's use of the term "spying" as "not the term I would use." Wray also stated that he did not have any evidence of any illegal surveillance into the Trump campaign. Trump responded by tweeting: "The FBI has no leadership . . . The Director is protecting the same gang . . . that tried to . . . overthrow the President through an illegal coup."Even after seeing this treatment, Barr continues to appease Trump, who campaigns on the narrative that he is victim of the deep state. Trump has called the FBI "a disgrace" that is "in tatters." Harming the reputation of the FBI will make it more difficult for the FBI do the important work it does every day. When an agent knocks on a door for tips in a kidnaping case, will the resident help someone from an agency the president has warned him about? When an FBI agent testifies at the trial of a sex trafficker, will a juror trust that he is telling the truth? By disparaging the FBI, the president makes our country less safe. Barr is compounding the problem by contributing to this false narrative. In addition to harming the effectiveness of the FBI, Barr's complicity in Trump's tactics may also have a chilling effect. By advancing the "investigate the investigators" mantra, Barr may cause the FBI to flinch next time it perceives a threat from powerful people within the government. He is incentivizing the FBI to sit idly by in the face of national security threats. The risk is that under Barr's leadership, the FBI's new motto might become "he who does nothing does nothing wrong." Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Pompeo shares details on 'escalating' Iran threats in Brussels: U.S. State Department Posted: 13 May 2019 11:53 AM PDT  U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shared information on "escalating" threats from Iran with European allies and NATO officials during meetings in Brussels on Monday, the U.S. special representative for Iran said. "Iran is an escalating threat and this seemed like a timely visit on his way to Sochi," Brian Hook told reporters, referring to Pompeo's planned visit to Russia on Tuesday for meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
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| The Latest: Man pleads guilty in mall attack against child Posted: 14 May 2019 08:50 AM PDT  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Latest on a hearing for the man accused of throwing a 5-year-old boy from a balcony at the Mall of America (all times local):
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| How a sound bite from Mueller could rock Washington Posted: 13 May 2019 01:44 PM PDT How powerful are sound bites? Powerful enough that one from Mueller could shift the narrative that Barr gave to Congress.
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| Sri Lanka blocks social media and imposes curfew after anti-Muslim attacks Posted: 13 May 2019 10:52 AM PDT  Sri Lanka temporarily blocked social media networks and messaging apps and imposed a nationwide curfew on Monday after the worst outbreak of anti-Muslim violence since the Easter Sunday attacks. The murder of over 250 people by suicide bombers at three churches and three luxury hotels was claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The riots, apparently sparked by a row on Facebook, began on Sunday as mobs attacked three mosques and many Muslim-owned businesses in Chilaw, some 40km north of capital Colombo, before the military stepped in. Nalaka Kaluwewa, the chief of the Information Department said the ban on social media was intended "to prevent misinformation from being circulated and also to prevent spreading of information that would harm communal harmony." Police said a curfew would be enforced until further notice in the country's North Western region, and until Tuesday morning in the rest of the nation. The violence in Chilaw spread to the adjoining Buddhist-majority Kurunegala district, where mobs were heard shouting "we will kill you," while attacking Muslim businesses and homes. Shops were vandalised in the violence Credit: REX Kurunegala, the electorate of former president Mahinda Rajapaksha, has been the flashpoint of serious anti-Muslim clashes led by Buddhist extremists in the past. On Sunday night, a petrol bomb was thrown into a mosque while worshipers were leaving after their Ramadan night prayers in Koslanda, also in the Kurunegala district. "We now lock the gates after the congregation comes due to security reasons. Just as the congregation was leaving, two men came on a motorbike and threw a petrol bomb that came crashing through the glass," said a 35-year-old mosque volunteer who did not want to be named. "It was terrifying because there were still people inside the mosque. Fortunately, it did not detonate because the fuse went off." The aftermath of the attacks have stirred sectarian tensions in the Buddhist-majority country. Local residents accused Buddhist extremists of being behind some of the violence. Military and special forces were deployed on Monday evening to guard mosques in the Kurunegala district, while police held special meetings with Muslim civil communities and mosque authorities to discuss security strategies. Mosques around the country have been under heavy guard by the military since the Easter bombing attacks. Children under 13 and older people have been asked not to attend prayers, funeral or wedding services in case of emergency evacuations or bombings.
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| Angry taxi drivers block airport as Cannes festival opens Posted: 14 May 2019 10:41 AM PDT  French taxi drivers blocked Nice airport Tuesday over a dispute with online ride-hailing services, snarling traffic for hours as film-makers and movie moguls tried to reach the nearby Cannes film festival. Traffic in and out of the airport's two terminals was disrupted and a woman taxi driver was knocked down, with the driver's union threatening to stage another blockade on Friday. A police source told AFP tensions between the rival drivers traditionally escalate ahead of the world's biggest film festival, which runs from May 14 to 26.
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| Deported Honduran migrant gives up on American dream Posted: 13 May 2019 06:45 PM PDT  Honduran Ruth Elizabeth Gomez gave up on her American dream after US immigration authorities locked her in a cold cell and then deported her back home. After reaching Mexico by foot, the 25-year-old had paid a "coyote" to smuggle her across the US border by boat, only to be arrested after arriving in Texas. After leaving her five and eight-year-old children with her mother, Gomez and her brother Jose Tulio joined the first Central American caravan that set off from San Pedro Sula in Honduras on October 13.
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| Despite falling numbers, immigration remains divisive EU issue Posted: 14 May 2019 05:47 AM PDT  On the face of it, Europe's migrant crisis appears over, but the shockwaves still resound around the continent ahead of this month's European Parliament election, and nationalist politicians are looking to capitalize on the continued tumult. "The most important thing is that leaders are elected who oppose immigration so that Europe will be in a position to defend itself," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on the sidelines of an EU summit in Romania last week. Opponents accuse far-right and populist parties of grossly exaggerating the problem, but the issue still resonates, with a YouGov poll published on Monday showing that immigration was currently the voters' top concern, followed by climate change.
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| U.S. Energy Department says oil markets well supplied after attack on ships off UAE Posted: 13 May 2019 12:18 PM PDT ![U.S. Energy Department says oil markets well supplied after attack on ships off UAE]( "U.S. Energy Department says oil markets well supplied after attack on ships off UAE") The U.S. Energy Department said on Monday that global oil markets are well supplied despite the attack on Sunday that damaged four vessels off the UAE coast, two of them oil tankers from Saudi Arabia. "The Department of Energy is aware of efforts to disrupt oil shipping as reported by the governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates," said Shaylyn Hynes, DOE press secretary, about the attack near Fujairah emirate, one of the world's largest bunkering hubs lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE did not describe the nature of the attack or say who was behind it.
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| Consumer Insolvencies in Canada Climb to Highest in 8 Years Posted: 13 May 2019 07:34 AM PDT  The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcies reported consumer insolvencies rose 5.7% to 11,963 in March, compared with 11,315 in the same month a year earlier. After declining for years, insolvencies are beginning to tick up again, stoking concern the country's record level household debt -- C$2.17 trillion at the end of the first quarter -- is unsustainable. In volume terms, however, insolvencies are still well below the peak of more than 15,000 reached in September 2009, in the aftermath of the financial crisis.
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