| 'We're not some banana republic': National security adviser defends removal of Trump impeachment witness from White House job Posted: 11 Feb 2020 06:26 PM PST  National security adviser Robert O'Brien said Tuesday evening there had been "absolutely" no retaliation involved in Friday's departure of Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman from the National Security Council, even as President Trump seemed to indicate that the military would "look into" whether to take disciplinary action against the Army officer.
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| Trump is elevating judges who could gut the Voting Rights Act Posted: 12 Feb 2020 10:51 AM PST  Fresh from handing President Trump a victory in his impeachment trial, the U.S. Senate has moved to install federal judges who have expressed disdain for the Voting Rights Act.
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| The coronavirus has reportedly spread to North Korea. Experts say the country isn't equipped to fight it. Posted: 13 Feb 2020 08:39 AM PST  Reports say the novel coronavirus has spread to North Korea. But the isolated country's "crumbling" healthcare system may not be equipped to fight it.
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| US woman wanted for husband's 2002 death arrested in Rome Posted: 13 Feb 2020 06:20 AM PST  An American woman wanted in the 2002 death of her husband, whose remains were so badly burned they weren't identified for more than a decade, was arrested in Rome after a multinational search, police said Thursday. Rome police arrested Beverly McCallum, 59, overnight after she and her teenage son checked into a Rome hotel on the northwest outskirts of the Italian capital. Italian hotels are required to register guests in an online system linked to a police database.
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| YouTube Removes Clip of Rand Paul Speaking on Senate Floor, Citing Concern He Named Ukraine Whistleblower Posted: 13 Feb 2020 05:08 AM PST  YouTube removed a clip of Senator Rand Paul (R., Ky.) speaking on the Senate floor, in which he asked why Chief Justice John Roberts had blocked a question of his, which some have speculated contained the name of the Ukraine whistleblower.Paul told Politico Playbook that the tech platform's decision was "dangerous and politically biased," and denied knowing who the whistleblower was. "Nowhere in my speech did I accuse anyone of being a whistleblower," he stated."It is a chilling and disturbing day in America when giant web companies such as YouTube decide to [censor] speech. Now, even protected speech, such as that of a senator on the Senate floor, can be blocked from getting to the American people," Paul added.YouTube told Politico that the decision was part of a larger effort to purge the name from the platform, and said that the company had already deleted "hundreds of videos and over ten thousand comments that contained the name.""Videos, comments, and other forms of content that mention the leaked whistleblower's name violate YouTube's Community Guidelines and will be removed from YouTube," YouTube spokeswoman Ivy Choi said. She added that uploaders had "the option" to edit the name out of their footage and re-upload.After Roberts — who was tasked with reading aloud questions submitted by senators during the impeachment trial — refused to read Paul's question on January 29, Paul submitted a second question the next day, and left the trial to hold an impromptu press conference after Roberts blocked the question a second time."It's very important whether or not a group of Democratic activists part of the Obama, Biden administration were working together for years looking for an opportunity to impeach the president," Paul said, claiming his question had nothing to do with the whistleblower.> Sen. @RandPaul: "It's very important whether or not a group of Democratic activists part of the Obama, Biden administration were working together for years looking for an opportunity to impeach the president." https://t.co/e0kl6NUKFH pic.twitter.com/TAnetrmc40> > -- The Hill (@thehill) January 30, 2020"I'm the biggest defender of the whistleblower statutes," Paul added, but argued that Democrats "shouldn't be able to use statutes to somehow make a whole part of the discussion over this impeachment go away."
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| Andrew Yang asks his gang to support Democrats everywhere in DNC email blast Posted: 13 Feb 2020 02:42 PM PST  Andrew Yang has a new mission.The Democrat and entrepreneur may have dropped out of the presidential race after primary votes closed in New Hampshire on Tuesday, but he's still all in for Democrats. He sent an email on behalf of the Democratic National Committee soliciting donations on Thursday — a slightly unexpected move for the man who was a bit of an outlier in the 2020 field.In his email, Yang acknowledged the "enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment" he'd seen from backers throughout his campaign, and said the support of his "Yang Gang" showed the issues he stood for "are real and urgent." But while "the numbers did not add up for me to win this race," Yang still says he is "going to fight to make sure Democrats win in every corner of our country this year." He closed his email by asking for donations to the DNC's "Unity Fund" that will "help elect Democrats from the bottom of the ticket to the top."> Andrew Yang emailing on behalf of the DNC pic.twitter.com/3RzMIt1hn7> > — David A. Graham (@GrahamDavidA) February 13, 2020Yang was known for bringing in a rare crowds of supporters to follow his campaign, including those who'd supported both Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and President Trump in 2016. So the DNC is probably hoping he'll work his Yang Gang magic on the rest of this fall's races as well.More stories from theweek.com The sidelining of Elizabeth Warren The Don seizes the Justice Department A Bernie Sanders presidency would be remarkably familiar
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| Latinos gave over $23M in 2019 to Democrats in presidential race Posted: 13 Feb 2020 05:32 AM PST  The lion's share, $8.3 million, went to Bernie Sanders, who leads in Latino contributions in almost every state and city.
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| China's Hubei province reports 116 new coronavirus deaths on Feb. 13, with 4,823 new cases Posted: 13 Feb 2020 04:00 PM PST  The number of new deaths in China's central Hubei province from a coronavirus outbreak rose by 116 as of Thursday, the province's health commission said on its website on Friday. A further 4,823 cases had been detected in Hubei, the epicentre of the outbreak, taking the total in the province to 51,986.
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| The Littoral Combat Ship Is Getting A Makeover Into The Navy's Secret Weapon Posted: 12 Feb 2020 12:30 AM PST  With over-the-horizon missile weapons.
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| Marie Yovanovitch: Ousted Ukraine ambassador slams Trump administration and gets standing ovation at award ceremony Posted: 13 Feb 2020 09:00 AM PST  Marie Yovanovitch received a standing ovation from a crowd of diplomats while accepting an award at Georgetown University, where the ousted ambassador delivered a speech warning the State Department was "in trouble" under Donald Trump.The former US ambassador to Ukraine was removed from her post in April 2019 following a covert effort by the president's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and others to have her taken out of the State Department.
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| Rocket hits Iraq base hosting US troops: military Posted: 13 Feb 2020 12:57 PM PST  A rocket slammed into an Iraqi base where American troops are stationed in the remote province of Kirkuk, Iraq's military and a US security source told AFP on Thursday night. It was the latest in a string of nearly 20 rocket attacks since late October on US troops stationed across the country as well as on the American embassy in Baghdad. According to three separate Iraqi security sources, the Katyusha rocket hit an open area on the K1 base at around 8:45pm local time (1745 GMT).
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| Blood evidence at forefront of Iowa cold case murder trial Posted: 13 Feb 2020 04:41 AM PST  A prosecutor told jurors on the opening day of a cold case murder trial that they were going on a journey back in time to learn about an Iowa high school girl who was slain more than 40 years ago. Testimony began Wednesday in the trial of Jerry Burns, 66, of Manchester, Iowa. In his opening statement, prosecutor Nick Maybanks revealed a few more details about the crime.
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| AMLO Sells $80 Million of Raffle Tickets to Mexico’s Super Rich Posted: 13 Feb 2020 08:38 AM PST |
| Mexico says number of migrants in 'Remain in Mexico' program drops sharply Posted: 12 Feb 2020 08:46 AM PST  Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Wednesday that the number of migrants awaiting the outcome of their U.S. immigration cases in Mexico has fallen from 50,000 to about 2,500.
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| Scientists discover 'baby giant' exoplanet already 10 times the mass of Jupiter Posted: 12 Feb 2020 11:39 AM PST  Scientists just discovered a "baby giant" planet closer to Earth than any other — a mere 330 light years away.The exoplanet — a planet beyond our solar system — was discovered by scientists at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the findings were published in Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society.Named 2MASS 1155-7919 b, the planet has an uncommonly wide orbit around its "parent" star — 600 times farther than the distance between Earth and the sun. The origin of systems so far from their parent star are the "subject of vigorous debate," according to the findings. Scientists are hoping to further study 2Mass 1155-7919 b to understand how giant planets can have such wide orbits, per a press release from RIT.The planet's parent star is just 5 million years old, making it 1,000 times younger than the sun, per the release.2Mass 1155-7919 b is an infant, so it's likely still in the process of forming, said Annie Dickson-Vandervelde, lead author of the paper. But it's already roughly 10 times the mass of Jupiter, one of the gas giants in our solar system. The new planet was discovered using data from the Gaia space observatory, which was launched in 2013 by the European Space Agency.More stories from theweek.com Andrew Yang asks his gang to support Democrats everywhere in DNC email blast The sidelining of Elizabeth Warren The Don seizes the Justice Department
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| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez congratulated Andrew Yang on running a 'great race' after he ended his presidential campaign Posted: 11 Feb 2020 06:58 PM PST  Both Ocasio-Cortez and Yang became political superstars by running grassroots campaigns centered around issues facing working-class people.
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| U.S. reports 15th coronavirus case; White House bashes China's response Posted: 13 Feb 2020 07:18 AM PST  A patient who was among the Americans evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan - the epicenter of the outbreak - and placed under quarantine at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, became the latest U.S. case, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. The person was the third evacuee and first at Lackland to test positive for the virus, the CDC said.
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| The Navy Hopes This New Weapon Will Solve China's Anti-Ship Missile Threat Posted: 11 Feb 2020 10:30 PM PST  U.S. Navy weapons developers are working closely with NATO allies to ensure the weapon is properly operational across the alliance of countries planning to deploy the weapon.
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| Trump says he would vote for a gay president Posted: 13 Feb 2020 02:42 PM PST  The 45th president counts himself among the 76 percent of Americans who say they would vote for a gay candidate, like Pete Buttigieg.
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| US offers to help virus efforts in N.Korea Posted: 13 Feb 2020 05:25 PM PST  The United States on Thursday promised to support aid work in North Korea to combat the new coronavirus, voicing alarm at the ill-equipped state's susceptibility. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the United States was "deeply concerned" about the vulnerability of the North Korean people to COVID-19, which originated in neighboring China where it has killed more than 1,300 people. Ortagus said the United States supported efforts of aid groups to contain the spread of the virus in North Korea.
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| $600,000 awarded to man involved in racial discrimination case Posted: 13 Feb 2020 04:15 AM PST  Michael Fesser was awarded $600,000 this week for his wrongful arrest years ago.
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| Prosecutors seek nearly 5 years for former Baltimore mayor Posted: 13 Feb 2020 12:54 PM PST  Federal prosecutors want the disgraced former mayor of Baltimore to be sentenced to nearly five years in prison for the scheme involving sales of her self-published "Healthy Holly" children's books. In a sentencing memorandum filed Thursday, prosecutors told a judge that a sentence of 57 months in prison would be an "adequate and just" punishment for Catherine Pugh's "longstanding pattern of criminal conduct" and would deter other politicians from breaking the public's trust. Pugh pleaded guilty in November to federal conspiracy and tax evasion charges in a deal with prosecutors.
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| Paediatrician reveals he faked vaccination records for anti-vaxxer parents in suicide note Posted: 13 Feb 2020 08:49 AM PST  An Illinois paediatrician who committed suicide left behind a note saying he faked records and lied about vaccinating children, according to reports.The note was written by Dr Van Koinis, 58, and detailed his regret for falsifying vaccination reports for his young patients, the Chicago Tribune reports. He led a practice in Evergreen Park near Chicago.
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| Here’s the US Army’s top 10 canceled and reduced programs in FY21 Posted: 13 Feb 2020 10:29 AM PST  The service has revealed where it is drawing $1.13 billion out of lower priority programs to inject into modernization priorities, but has not accounted for more than $1.2 billion in program changes and cuts it intends to make in FY21.
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| Bernie Sanders Endorses Kim Foxx despite Smollett Baggage Posted: 13 Feb 2020 01:34 PM PST  Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) released a slew of endorsements for state attorneys on Thursday, including one for Kim Foxx, the Cook County state's attorney who was investigated for her decision to drop charges against former Empire actor Jussie Smollett."I am honored today to have the endorsement of Senator Sanders," Foxx told Politico. "When I first ran four years ago on a platform that included a holistic approach to criminal justice reform, it was different than what previous prosecutors had ever attempted. Since in office, we've implemented bond and cannabis reform, we're leading the country in vacating wrongful convictions and funneling more resources toward violent crimes to keep communities safe."Foxx admitted in announcing her reelection campaign in November that she "didn't handle" the Smollett case well. "I'm making changes in my office to make sure we do better," she said. "That's what reform is about."Foxx was slammed for her decision last March to drop all charges against Smollett, after he was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly staging a hate crime against himself by hiring two associates to attack him last January."This case was handled markedly different from any other case at 26th Street. No one knows why, and more importantly, no one can explain why our boss, the head prosecutor of all of Cook County, has decided to so demean and debase both our hard work, and our already tenuous relationship with the Chicago Police Department," an anonymous prosecutor in Foxx's office wrote after the announcement.Smollett was re-charged this week with a six-count indictment following an investigation by special prosecutor Dan Webb that began in August.
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| China boasted that it built 2 new coronavirus hospitals in 12 days. But they're treating less than half the people they're supposed to. Posted: 12 Feb 2020 10:59 PM PST  China grabbed the world's attention by planning, building, and opening two hospitals in under two weeks. But the reality is more complicated.
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| 'There will be dad and mum': Putin rules out Russia legalizing gay marriage Posted: 13 Feb 2020 09:07 AM PST  President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday Russia would not legalize gay marriage as long as he was in the Kremlin. During his two decades in power, Putin has closely aligned himself with the Orthodox Church and sought to distance Russia from liberal Western values, including attitudes toward homosexuality and gender fluidity.
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| Reports: Trump donor accused of spying on Yovanovitch hands 'everything' to Congress Posted: 12 Feb 2020 02:18 PM PST  A donor to President Trump who was accused of "stalking" the former ambassador to Ukraine at the behest of Rudy Giuliani's associates has provided documents to Congress as it opens its investigation into the ousting of Marie Yovanovitch, a crucial witness in the president's impeachment.
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| 'We can't change the rules midstream': DNC Chair Tom Perez defends commitment to diversity despite lack of it in Iowa debate Posted: 13 Feb 2020 09:04 AM PST  "I take a back seat to no one in my commitment to diversity and inclusion," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez.
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| No One Is Prepared For China's H-20 Stealth Bomber Posted: 13 Feb 2020 12:30 AM PST  It could be a game-changer.
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| Court rules Apple must pay California workers during bag checks Posted: 13 Feb 2020 05:07 PM PST  The California Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Apple must pay employees for time spent waiting for their bags and personal electronic devices to be searched when they leave work. The decision means that the tech giant will have to pay millions of dollars to more than 12,000 hourly workers at California retail stores who fall under the mandatory bag-search policy. According to court documents, Apple employees are required to clock out before submitting to an exit search which can take from five to 20 minutes.
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| Don't look back, Bernie — Bloomberg is gaining on you Posted: 12 Feb 2020 01:54 PM PST  The problem with the argument that Bloomberg isn't running a real campaign with real supporters, however, is that it isn't true. And progressives — particularly those who want Sanders to win the Democratic nomination — ignore that at their peril.
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| Suit: District wrong to punish students over racist posts Posted: 12 Feb 2020 09:07 AM PST  Four students in a southeastern Michigan town sued their school district over discipline they received in the wake of racist social media posts directed at black students. The white students, who were not identified, were among those added to a private group on Snapchat, according to the lawsuit.
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| Striking photo shows a wall of traders on an auction floor in China working with masks on amid spread of coronavirus Posted: 12 Feb 2020 03:04 PM PST  Close to 100 traders at a flower auction in China were seen working while wearing masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus.
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| Deepwater Horizon disaster had much worse impact than believed, study finds Posted: 13 Feb 2020 09:27 AM PST  * Effects of 2010 BP oil spill were 30% larger than calculated * Satellite images unable to detect full extent of pollution in GulfThe environmental impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico a decade ago was much worse than previously believed, according to a new study.The 2010 rig explosion, which killed 11 workers and sent oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico for 87 days, triggered one of the worst environmental disasters in US history. It released 206m gallons of oil from BP's Macondo well, according to US government estimates, affecting wildlife and water-quality along hundreds of miles of Gulf coastline.At its height, 88,522 sq miles of sea were closed to fishing because of the spill, according to a federal report.But a new study published on Thursday in the Science Advances journal says satellite surveillance at the time was unable to detect large areas of oil contamination.The study's authors found that the effects of the spill were 30% larger, reaching the Texas shore, the Florida Keys, the coast of Tampa and parts of the east coast of Florida. "The satellite footprint does not necessarily capture the entire oil spill extent," the study found.Using in-situ observations, oil spill transport modeling using three-dimensional computer simulations, as well as testing for oil concentration ranges in marine organisms, the paper claims that "that large areas of the GoM were exposed to invisible and toxic oil that extended beyond the boundaries of the satellite footprint and the fishery closures"."When the oil comes to the surface, it comes as a thick layer that you can easily see with a satellite," Claire Paris-Limouzy, one of the study's authors and a professor of ocean sciences at the University of Miami, told CNN.The discrepancy between their results and official estimates is because small concentrations of oil are often invisible to satellite imagery. "You can actually smell it but can't actually see it," Paris-Limouzy said.London-based BP, which leased the rig from Transocean, declined to comment on the study's findings.A Transocean report into the disaster largely blamed BP, claiming the company failed to properly assess, manage and communicate risk, and said cement contractor Halliburton and BP did not adequately test the cement slurry used to seal the well.BP's own internal report placed blame on a cascade of failures by multiple companies. A US government investigation also identified multiple sources for the accident.BP subsequently spent or committed tens of billions of dollars to clean up the mess and compensate victims, and ultimately sold off its US arm. Transocean reached a $211m settlement with businesses and individuals claiming damages, while Halliburton reached a $1bn settlement.A bipartisan investigatory commission appointed by the Obama administration pointed to crew and technical failures in the explosion, but cited overall safety shortcomings by regulators and the oil industry.But safeguards in place to prevent a similar accident in future have been progressively eased by the Trump administration's push to expand drilling off the country's coasts.The new assessment of the Macondo spill's extent is timely, the authors wrote, because "with a global increase in petroleum production–related activities, a careful assessment of oil spills' full extent is necessary to maximize environmental and public safety".
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| Right-Wing Backlash Greets Modest GOP Foray Into Climate Change Posted: 13 Feb 2020 07:17 AM PST  (Bloomberg) -- House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy had barely finished presenting his party's modest plan to fight climate change when conservatives began piling on in opposition.The free market-group American Energy Alliance dismissed it as a "Republican-led Green New Deal lite" that amounted to a "climate messaging exercise." The libertarian Competitive Enterprise Institute called it "bad policy that will not bring any political relief." And the Club for Growth vowed to not endorse any candidate who backs what it called the "liberal" Republican climate plan."Besides hurting our economy, these measures will not make a single environmentalist vote for a Republican and only alienate conservatives across the country," said Club for Growth President David McIntosh.The blowback illustrates the challenges facing those trying to shed the Republican party's climate-denying reputation, which alienates many young voters and polls well for Democrats. The fierce criticism also illustrates the limits of pragmatism for a party long backed by groups that question climate change.GOP Edges Gingerly Toward Climate Plan After Sowing DoubtsMcCarthy unveiled the first of several planned climate initiatives on Wednesday with a package focused on carbon sequestration. It called for the expansion and permanent extension of a tax credit for oil companies and others that capture carbon dioxide and bury it in the ground; money for the development of carbon capture for natural-gas power plants; and support for a plan to plant 1 trillion trees around the world."Fighting for a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment" has been well-received during member meetings, including the party's full-member retreat in 2019 and a policy conference earlier this year, said Matt Sparks, a McCarthy spokesman. Among the members who participated in the unveiling of the climate plan on Wednesday was Representative David McKinley, a West Virginia Republican steeped in coal-country politics. "The participation of members across the ideological spectrum and representing every region of the country -- including coal country -- at today's event represent just how widespread the support is for House Republicans to reclaim the leadership position on the environment," Sparks said in an email.Republicans Plot Climate Strategy To Counter DemocratsDuring Wednesday's hour-long briefing, McCarthy and other Republican leaders, including Oregon Representative Greg Walden and Representative Garret Graves of Louisiana, made the case that their plan could protect the environment, as well the economy, without mandates embraced by Democrats.Future components are likely to focus on climate resilience, plastic pollution, and increasing energy from carbon-free sources such as nuclear and hydropower."House Republicans stand united against carbon taxes and burdensome regulations," said Graves, top Republican on a special select committee charged with coming up with solutions to climate change. "America leads the world because of free-market principles, innovation, and our abundant energy resources. We should double down on an America First strategy that enhances our global power and influence."While the Republican climate proposals were derided by some environmental organizations, they won praise from at least some right-leaning groups."Any debate on climate change must be rooted in political and technical realism, as well as economic competitiveness," said Rich Powell, executive director of ClearPath Action, which promotes energy innovation."It's a good strategy to focus on policies that facilitate breakthroughs relevant for the developing world, instead of divisive policies that would make traditional energy more expensive and only aid deployment of existing technologies," he said. (Updates with lawmaker comment in 10th paragraph)\--With assistance from Jennifer A. Dlouhy.To contact the reporter on this story: Ari Natter in Washington at anatter5@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net, Elizabeth Wasserman, Ros KrasnyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Philippines scraps security agreement with U.S., plans to develop its own defense capabilities Posted: 12 Feb 2020 06:37 AM PST  The Philippine military on Wednesday stood by President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to scrap a security agreement with the United States, saying the country could now develop its own defense capabilities and alliances, and would do fine without it.
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| Airline passenger films man punching her economy seat after she reclines Posted: 13 Feb 2020 05:52 AM PST  "Here's a great jackhole! He was angry that I reclined my seat and punched it about 9 times — HARD," the passenger wrote on Twitter.
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| China Won't Make The Same Mistake That Japan Did At Pearl Harbor Posted: 12 Feb 2020 02:00 AM PST  The Chinese military has done their homework.
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| Soviet spy hailed by Russia for 'saving Krakow' dies at 103 Posted: 12 Feb 2020 04:37 PM PST  Russia on Thursday announced the death at 103 of veteran Soviet spy Alexei Botyan, whom it hailed as a hero for "saving" the Polish city of Krakow from the Nazis, although Poland disputes Moscow's version of events. Russia's SVR military intelligence agency said Botyan, who lived in Moscow, had died after turning 103 on Monday.
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| Former Self-Driving Car Operator Engineers Crash in Tempe, Cops Say Posted: 13 Feb 2020 02:32 PM PST  Police arrested an Arizona man Wednesday for allegedly causing an autonomous car to ram his own vehicle. But what might sound like just another day in the desert paradise of Tempe got weirder when the suspect turned out to have a history as a vehicle operator linked to the manufacturer of the high-tech car in question, Google's Waymo. According to Tempe police, Raymond Tang, 31, admitted to Tempe police that he was "brake checking" a Waymo car—or slamming the brakes at unexpected times, in hopes of being rear ended. He was allegedly successful, and a self-driving vehicle slammed into his Mazda sedan around 10:30 p.m. January 30, as a local ABC affiliate previously reported. The Waymo vehicle's autonomous driving was not engaged at the time of the crash, according to Tempe police, and the driver was the only one inside the vehicle. "His initial statement was that a pedestrian ran out into the road, but on reviewing the videos, it's clear that isn't the case," Greg Bacon, a spokesman for the Tempe police department, told The Daily Beast. "He admitted to brake checking the car in his interview with the detective, and we are treating it as an intentional act."Feds: Ex-Uber Bigwig Stole Google's Self-Driving SecretsFootage viewed by The Daily Beast showed a car swerving towards multiple Waymo vehicles and braking in front of them on open roads nowhere near traffic lights, including the hard brake that caused the eventual wreck. Tang was in the Tempe city jail awaiting a February 20 arraignment on charges of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, felony criminal damage, endangerment, and reckless driving, according to a Maricopa County sheriff's office database. It was not clear if Tang had an attorney, and he could not be reached for comment for this story.A former vehicle operator with Waymo contractor Genesis 10, according to LinkedIn profile appearing to belong to him, Tang saw his contract with the autonomous carmaker lapse a year prior to the crash after a failure to meet safety standards, Waymo said in a statement. The company said it was cooperating with the investigation, and its parent company Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to Waymo, Tang had engaged in similar activity that resulted in misdemeanor charges against him in November 2019. But Bacon said that this type of autonomous vehicle harassment "is the first time where anything like this has been reported in Tempe." The nearby Chandler police department was investigating other vehicular incidents that may involve Tang, Tempe police said.If the charges stick, Tang wouldn't be the first person to have a public beef with an ostensible car of the future. Tesla took out a restraining order against a well-known critic and short-seller after he allegedly stalked three of the company's employees and drove recklessly close to a Tesla Model 3 as it tested its autopilot feature on a Bay Area highway. As one of the few cities where self-driving cars can operate, Tempe has also been the site of controversy over the vehicles that has nothing to do with possibly disgruntled former contractors. In March 2018, an autonomous car run by Uber hit a woman at 40 mph and killed her while the next-generation vehicle's human "safety" driver was watching The Voice. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet 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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| Microsoft sees $17 billion of market value erased in just 5 minutes after a judge grants Amazon's request to block a key cloud contract Posted: 13 Feb 2020 12:50 PM PST  Microsoft won the contract over Amazon last year in a surprise upset, but Jeff Bezos and Co. are making life difficult.
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| Penned lions still on offer at US trophy hunting convention Posted: 12 Feb 2020 12:21 PM PST  An undercover video recorded by animal welfare activists shows vendors at a recent trophy-hunting convention promoting trips to shoot captive-bred lions in Africa, despite past public assurances by the event's organizers that so-called canned hunts wouldn't be sold. Investigators for the Humane Society of the United States captured the footage last week at the annual convention of Safari Club International in Reno, Nevada. SCI is among the nation's largest trophy-hunting groups and its yearly gatherings typically draw thousands of attendees and hundreds of vendors selling firearms, overseas safari trips and items made from the skins and bones of rare wildlife.
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| Syrian air defenses down several missiles from Israel: Syrian state TV Posted: 13 Feb 2020 02:29 PM PST |
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