| US orders embassy staff from Iraq over 'imminent' Iran threat Posted: 15 May 2019 02:00 PM PDT  The US government ordered evacuation of non-emergency staff from its Baghdad embassy Wednesday due to an "imminent" threat from Iranian-linked Iraqi militias, but President Donald Trump predicted that Iran would "soon" want to start talks. The evacuation order, also covering the US consulate in Arbil, came 10 days after the Pentagon deployed an aircraft carrier task force and B-52 bombers to the Gulf to fend off an unspecified plot by Tehran to attack US forces or allies. Washington and Tehran have said they have no intention of going to war, but tensions have soared in recent weeks and Trump's critics say he is rushing into a conflict.
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| Man pleads guilty in mall attack against boy, faces 19 years Posted: 14 May 2019 09:08 AM PDT  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man who reportedly told investigators that he went to the Mall of America "looking for someone to kill" pleaded guilty Tuesday to throwing a 5-year-old boy from a third-floor balcony and faces 19 years in prison.
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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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| Pennyslvania sues maker of OxyContin, 'jet fuel' of America's opioid crisis Posted: 14 May 2019 04:39 PM PDT  Lawsuit is the first against Purdue Pharma to allege in detail a prolific and calculated scheme of pushing drugs on prescribers The Pennsylvania attorney general, Josh Shapiro, arrives at a news conference in Philadelphia, 14 May 2019. Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP Dr Jeffrey Bado received his first sales visit from a Purdue Pharma representative in September 2005. In the next five years, his prescriptions of OxyContin – the "jet fuel" of America's opioid crisis, according to Pennsylvania's attorney general – increased by 600%, as Purdue reps visited two to three times a week. Now, a lawsuit in the state seeks to hold the company accountable. The lawsuit, filed 2 May by the state attorney general, Josh Shapiro, and announced on Tuesday, accuses Purdue Pharma, the Connecticut-based maker of OxyContin, of deceptive marketing and criminal negligence in pushing doctors to prescribe the opioid. "We've lost lives, we've lost money and we've squandered opportunity," said Shapiro in a press conference Tuesday. Meanwhile, opioids have been a "goldmine" for Purdue, which has made more than $35bn in revenue since OxyContin was released in 1996, he said. "While Purdue and its executives were profiting and lining their own pockets, they were leaving a path of loss, heartache and bills for someone else in Pennsylvania to pay," he added. Pennsylvania's suit follows a wave of legal action against the pharmaceutical giant, and in some cases, certain members of the multibillionaire Sackler family, who own the company. More than three dozen states have sued Purdue for underplaying the risks of addiction, and a consolidation of 1,500-plus lawsuits filed by US cities and counties is currently playing out in a federal courthouse in Cleveland. Pennsylvania's lawsuit, however, is the first to allege in detail a prolific and calculated scheme of pushing drugs on prescribers – a ruthlessly profitable "marketing blitzkrieg" targeting doctors such as Bado, who was convicted of fraud and drug distribution felonies in 2016. According to the complaint, Pennsylvania, one of the hardest-hit states in the opioid crisis, received half a million sales visits by Purdue reps since 2007 – the highest of any state except California. The complaint outlines a multi-pronged promotion strategy from Purdue involving unrelenting sales calls; branded and unbranded promotion; paying select "key opinion leaders" to make seemingly unbiased endorsements of Purdue products; and targeting its marketing efforts to vulnerable patient groups, such as the elderly and veterans. The complaint also alleges that Purdue knew of OxyContin's high addiction risk but continued to misrepresent or minimize it. Shapiro singled out Purdue's propagation of the term "pseudoaddiction", a condition it says the company invented to encourage more opioid prescriptions despite evidence of full-blown addiction. "The conduct is absolutely outrageous and unlawful," said Shapiro. Purdue said in a statement that it "vigorously denies the allegations filed today in Pennsylvania" and called the allegations "misleading attacks" that are "part of a continuing effort to try these cases in the court of public opinion rather than the justice system. "Such allegations demand clear evidence linking the conduct alleged to the harm described, but we believe the state fails to show such causation and offers little evidence to support its sweeping legal claims," it said. Shapiro said his office's efforts were on behalf of those lost to addiction – 12 Pennsylvanians every day in 2018, according to the CDC – and the loved ones left behind. Asked in a subsequent press call if he intended to add the Sacklers in name to the suit, Shapiro declined to outline future plans. But he added: "We are not done here. This lawsuit is just the first step."
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| Global stocks bounce back as Trump downplays U.S.-China trade fight Posted: 14 May 2019 01:21 PM PDT  Fears that the United States and China were spiraling into a fiercer, more protracted trade dispute that could derail the global economy have shaken investors in the past week. The MSCI index gained 0.49% on Tuesday. Trump insisted trade talks with China had not collapsed, while China's Foreign Ministry spokesman said the two sides had agreed to continue pursuing relevant discussions.
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| A unique Porsche Type 64 going under the hammer in August Posted: 14 May 2019 01:32 AM PDT  The prestigious Sotheby's auction house is selling an exceptional Porsche Type 64 -- the forebearer of all the German brand's legendary sports cars -- in an auction in Monterey, California, August 15-17, 2019, held during Monterey Car Week, which culminates with the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Created in 1938, this model is considered by many to be the first car produced by what would become the Porsche company, or, in any case, the first model to bear the automaker's name. Post-World War Two, it went on to inspire all the automaker's legendary sports car series, from the 356 to the 911.
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| Ferrari 250 GTO sells for record $70 million (£52m) Posted: 15 May 2019 11:09 AM PDT  One of the best surviving GTOs has sold to American collector David MacNeil for the highest price ever paid for a classic car. A 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO has been sold to Ferrari collector and WeatherTech CEO David MacNeil for a rumoured $70 million – a new world record for a classic car. The Ferrari in question, serial number 4153 GT, is one of the most celebrated of the 39 250 GTOs produced, due to its competition history and its originality – unusually for a race car, it's never been crashed.
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| How did it happen? NTSB begins probe of midair collision of Alaska floatplanes that killed 6 people Posted: 15 May 2019 05:13 AM PDT  On the same day the death toll from a floatplane collision in Alaska rose to 6, the NTSB launched what's expected to be a week-long investigation.
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| Trump Jr. agrees to testify in Senate in Russia probe: US media Posted: 14 May 2019 03:20 PM PDT  President Donald Trump's son Donald Jr has agreed to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee investigating Russian election meddling, US media reported Tuesday. The agreement resolved a looming fight between the Congress and the White House after Donald Jr. was subpoenaed by the Republican-led committee last week.
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| Tucker: Homelessness getting worse in California Posted: 14 May 2019 06:09 PM PDT  'Tucker Carlson Tonight' investigates the nation's homeless crisis and the decay of American cities.
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| Maleah Davis case: Missing 4-year-old's biological father shares heart-wrenching photos Posted: 15 May 2019 09:38 AM PDT  The father of a missing Houston girl took to social media to share heart-wrenching photos of his daughter amid a nearly two-week-long search for her
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| Ocasio-Cortez: No 'middle ground' on fighting climate change Posted: 13 May 2019 08:10 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders rallied support for the Green New Deal on Monday night, with the New York congresswoman saying there should be "no middle ground" when it comes to climate change and the Vermont senator calling for a political revolution.
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| Photos of the 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Posted: 15 May 2019 05:00 AM PDT |
| A machete attack on the Appalachian Trail left one hiker dead Posted: 15 May 2019 08:14 AM PDT  James Jordan, a suspect in a machete attack against two hikers on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia this weekend has been arrested, police said.
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| Iran's So-Called 'Stealth' Fighter Is a Paper Tiger Posted: 15 May 2019 03:19 AM PDT  One should also bear in mind that back in 2003, Iran unveiled an earlier, more convincing fake subsonic stealth fighter called the Shafaq—revealed in 2014 to be a mock-up made of wood.There can be such a thing as posturing too hard.(This first appeared last year.)Iran's aviation industry has accomplishments to boast about despite operating under heavy sanctions for nearly forty years. It has managed to keep once state-of-the-art U.S.-built F-4 Phantom and F-14 Tomcat fighters in operational condition for decades, including nine years of high-intensity aerial warfare with Iraq, despite being cut off from spare parts from the United States. It has refurbished the rusting hulks of old F-5 Freedom Fighters into twin-vertical stabilizer Saeqeh fighters, reverse-engineered their J85 turbojet engines, and created a variety of viable capable drones.
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| Trump's bid to block disclosure of financial records leaves judge astonished Posted: 15 May 2019 04:24 AM PDT  A federal judge in Washington expressed astonishment Tuesday at arguments raised by President Donald Trump's lawyers seeking to block his accounting firm from turning over years of financial records to the Democratic-controlled House Oversight and Reform Committee and seemed to signal a swift ruling in favour of lawmakers.US District Judge Amit Mehta fired pointed questions at the president's lawyers, who argued in a 22 April lawsuit that the committee's sweeping subpoena to Mazars USA for the financial records of Mr Trump and various associated entities since 2011 was not "a valid exercise of legislative power."Lead Mr Trump attorney William Consovoy accused Democrats of "assuming the powers of the Department of Justice" on a partisan crusade, arguing that "this is about the House being dissatisfied with the president, and wanting to prove by any means possible that he has done things wrong."Douglas Letter, general counsel of the House of Representatives, replied that Mr Trump's claim of freedom from congressional oversight marked "a total, basic and fundamental misunderstanding" of the Constitution, saying he would pronounce Congress "a nuisance . . . getting in his way while he's trying to run the country."The hearing Tuesday was the first courtroom confrontation in a wave of legal battles waged by the president to shield his personal finances from investigators, including congressional Democrats, state lawmakers and regulators. Several fights are asking judges to weigh in on the constitutional separation of power between coequal executive and legislative branches.Mr Mehta, a 2014 appointee of President Barack Obama, challenged some of Mr Trump's assertions in questions to his legal team."Is it your position that whether the president has properly reported his finances (under federal disclosure laws), that's not subject to investigation by Congress?" Mr Mehta asked."Say a president was involved in some corrupt enterprise, you mean to tell me because he is the president of the United States, Congress would not have power to investigate?" Mr Mehta asked, continuing, what if "we're talking about a presidential violation of a constitutional prohibition that only Congress has authority to approve?" such as the acceptance for emoluments or gifts from a foreign government.Mr Consovoy answered yes, saying determining whether a president properly disclosed his finances was a "pure law enforcement function," not a matter for Congress, whose fundamental duty he said is in writing bills.And if Congress did seek to enact legislation, whether to tighten ethics requirements, fight public corruption or enforce a constitutional prohibition on acceptance of foreign emoluments, Mr Consovoy said, "I don't think there is any permutation of any of these proposals that could pass constitutional muster," because they would interfere with the president's execution of his duties, or add qualifications for his office."There's not a single Supreme Court or appellate case since 1880 that has found Congress overstepped its legislative authority by issuing a subpoena," Mr Mehta observed at another point.The lawsuit in Washington was brought by Mr Trump and several of his businesses against House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings and Mr Trump's accounting firm Mazars USA.Congressional Democrats accuse Mr Trump of trying to stonewall lawmakers' oversight until after the 2020 election, while the president's team counters that it will not tolerate a campaign of "congressional presidential harassment."Mr Mehta gave both sides until Saturday to file any additional submissions and promised a ruling "promptly, consistent with the gravity of the issues" involving the balancing of powers between Congress and a president.Mr Mehta did not say when he would rule, but he noted that a different House panel, the Financial Services Committee, is set to appear in federal court in Manhattan on May 22 to defend other subpoenas for Mr Trump's bank records issued to Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial. Mr Trump and his three eldest children and companies have sued to quash the subpoenas.Mr Mehta said at the end of Tuesday's 80-minute hearing that he would also make clear in his opinion whether he would stay a subpoena, if he upholds it, to give the president time to appeal.Mr Mehta also questioned aspects of the House's legal arguments, asking whether Congress was claiming blanket authority to investigate matters by claiming a duty to "inform the public.""It really does open the door to the accusation, perhaps valid or not, that this really is an effort - if not to harass the president - then to get into his private affairs for political purposes, if there is no clear line as to what this investigation is about," Mr Mehta said. "How do I draw lines to test, even if it's a soft test, the validity of what you're doing? "Letter said Congress' function to "inform the public" about the president is a valid basis for the subpoena, citing past investigations into the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, the origins of the Iraq War and former President Bill Clinton's Whitewater land dealings.But he said the House also had obvious legislative purposes to oversee the function of laws governing the financial disclosure of public officials and avoidance of conflicts of interests, the handling of presidential records and the prevention of foreign governments holding hidden financial influence over American elected officials."We need to know that," Letter argued. "We need to know, is the president of the United States beholden to foreign interests, because they can hold things over his head?"Pressed by Mr Mehta to come up with some hypothetical demand by Congress that would go too far, Letter speculated. "I want to see the president's diary when he was 7 years old, or when she was 12 years old. That would probably stretch my argument to the breaking point."Cummings' panel last month subpoenaed Mazars, seeking documents to corroborate testimony by the president's former lawyer Michael Cohen, who said at a congressional hearing that Mr Trump intentionally misreported the value of his assets for personal gain.Other House panels have requested Mr Trump's banking records and tax returns, while his company also faces enquiries from New York state regulators and is defending itself in two lawsuits alleging that the company violates the Constitution by doing business with foreign governments.Mazars attorney Henry Schuelke has said the firm took no position on the case.The Washington Post
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| Lost US passport in Austria? Go to McDonald's for help Posted: 15 May 2019 09:28 AM PDT  McDonald's. Under a new partnership, outlets of the US fast food chain throughout Austria will help American citizens from Wednesday to get in touch with their embassy, it said on Facebook. "Staff (at any McDonald's in Austria) will assist them in making contact with the US Embassy for consular services," the embassy wrote.
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| UPDATE 1-Ford recalling 273,000 vehicles in North America that could roll away Posted: 15 May 2019 09:59 AM PDT ![UPDATE 1-Ford recalling 273,000 vehicles in North America that could roll away]( "UPDATE 1-Ford recalling 273,000 vehicles in North America that could roll away") Ford Motor Co is recalling nearly 273,000 Ford Fusion and Ranger pickup trucks in North America that could roll away if the gear is not in "park" mode, the second largest U.S. automaker said on Wednesday. The recall covers 270,000 Fusion cars from model years 2013 through 2016 which have a shifter cable that may detach from the transmission, allowing a driver to remove the ignition key when the vehicle is not in "park." Nearly 2,800 2019 model year Ford Ranger trucks in North America have a similar problem. Ford said it is aware of three reports of property damage and one injury report potentially related to the issue in the Fusions.
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| Palestinians mark anniversary of mass displacement Posted: 15 May 2019 08:28 AM PDT  GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians on Wednesday marked the 71st anniversary of their mass displacement during the 1948 war around Israel's creation with protests across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
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| Georgetown to expel two students over U.S. college admissions bribery scandal Posted: 15 May 2019 12:32 PM PDT  The expulsions were announced several hours after one of the students, Adam Semprevivo, sued Georgetown over his treatment, including its refusal to let him transfer to another school and keep his academic credits. Georgetown did not identify the expelled students or accuse them of wrongdoing. A lawyer for Semprevivo confirmed in an interview that the 21-year-old psychology major, who just completed his junior year, was one of them.
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| China Exporters Reel as U.S. Tariffs Imperil World’s Supply Hub Posted: 13 May 2019 06:20 PM PDT  Furniture makers like Yang's Sunrise Furniture Co., based in the industrial heartland of Dongguan in southern China, already had wafer-thin profit margins after years battling rising labor and other costs. A Bloomberg Economics analysis of almost 1,000 companies in major export sectors found "not many" can survive tariffs of 25%.
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| Every New Compact Crossover and SUV Ranked from Worst to Best Posted: 15 May 2019 06:17 AM PDT |
| Disabled man rebukes Southwest Airlines for failing to accommodate his medical device Posted: 15 May 2019 04:40 PM PDT ![Disabled man rebukes Southwest Airlines for failing to accommodate his medical device]( "Disabled man rebukes Southwest Airlines for failing to accommodate his medical device") A severely disabled man said that U.S. airlines do not provide appropriate lifts, so he brings his own, but Southwest still wouldn't let him fly.
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| Kremlin says concerned over escalating Iran tensions despite Pompeo claims Posted: 15 May 2019 04:54 AM PDT  The Kremlin Wednesday expressed concern that tensions over Iran keep escalating despite assurances from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a visit to Russia that Washington was not seeking war. "So far we notice the continued escalation of tensions around this subject," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, a day after Pompeo met with President Vladimir Putin.
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| Trump Buddies Like Viktor Orbán Are Sucking the Life Blood Out of European Democracy Posted: 14 May 2019 10:20 AM PDT  Akos Stiller/Bloomberg/GettySIBIU, Romania—European leaders met last Thursday in this picturesque town that, as it happens, was once the capital of Transylvania. They were looking for ways to fight increasingly authoritarian leaders and parties in the European Union that are sucking the life blood out of democracy.In contrast, U.S. President Donald J. Trump embraced one of those leaders at the White House on Monday, praising Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, even as he has been censured by fellow European politicians."You've done a good job and you've kept your country safe," Trump said during a photo op with Orbán at the White House. "You have been great with respect to Christian communities. You have really put a block up, and we appreciate that very much."To Europeans, that sounds like praise for Orbán's xenophobic, anti-Muslim-immigrant policies—the very ones for which they've censured him.Romanians, and other Europeans who came to this city for an "informal summit" of E.U. leaders told me they keep hoping the media reports on Trump are exaggerated, that his anti-E.U. tweets and threats of sanctions, and his continued embrace of authoritarian leaders is just part of his negotiating style. They continue to hope that the Trump administration will be there for them to fend off Russian aggression and protect the E.U.'s way of doing business: respecting the rule of law; human rights; religious and press freedom.Trump's praise of Orbán flies in the face of all of that.Orbán has railed against immigrants, gutted his country's laws by creating an alternate judicial system, and strangled press freedom, to the extent that one of the most powerful political groupings in the European Parliament suspended his party, Fidesz, from its ranks. His administration provoked the E.U. by publishing billboards attacking European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker for urging E.U. members to take in refugees. The cartoon portrayed him as a puppet controlled by philanthropist George Soros, which also played on anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. Billionaire Soros, originally from Hungary, is Jewish.The E.U. gathering in Sibiu was meant in part to send a message to Orbán and his ilk that the E.U. would find ways to bring them back in line, or would sanction them for moves to gut their own laws to give leaders more control over their people. French President Emmanuel Macron, a fierce E.U. proponent, told the leaders that Europeans in the coming parliamentary election would be choosing "to build Europe further or... to destroy, deconstruct Europe and return to nationalism.""Climate, protection of borders and a model of growth, a social model... is what I really want for the coming years," he said at the one-day summit.France and eight other E.U. countries proposed getting to "net-zero greenhouse gas emissions" by 2050, Reuters reported. German Chancellor Angela Merkel demurred because of her country's heavy industrialism, but France and Germany are in agreement when it comes to E.U. members who are dismantling democracy from within.The E.U. took the first step to recommend sanctions against Poland in 2017, then Hungary in 2018 for trying to tighten control on their populations, and Romania could be next, said Iulian Kifu, president of the Bucharest-based Center for Conflict Prevention and Early Warning, which held a side forum at the Sibiu summit.Orbán has been pushing the limits of what the E.U. will tolerate, but has so far toed the line when the E.U. takes him to court and the court rules against his anti-democratic moves, Kifu said. The Hungarian has even dropped his pledge to bring "illiberal democracy" to Hungary after a stern talking to by German Chancellor Merkel.The problem is that it takes a unanimous EU vote to pass some of the strictest measures, lamented Leonard Orbán, European affairs adviser to the Romanian president and no relation to the Hungarian leader."Some leaders find a way to stay in power," he said, referring obliquely to authoritarian excesses by Hungary and his own prime minister. "Unfortunately the Union has no real instruments to deal with these kinds of cases," he said speaking at the Europe's Future conference sponsored by the Romanian president, in cooperation with Kifu's think tank.Still, Trump's invitation to Orbán is seen as rewarding him for bad behavior and elevating his stature a scant two weeks ahead of European parliamentary elections that are seen as a test in the contest between traditional democratic values and populist demagoguery. The White House visit was payback for Orbán's support of Trump during the 2016 campaign—a reward apparently delayed by Orbán's attacks on Soros and allegations of anti-Semitism. Trump's decision to welcome Romania's pro-E.U. President Klaus Iohannis back in 2017 was taken as a slap in Orbán's face. (The Romanian president is not to be confused with the Romanian prime minister whose administration faces E.U. censure.)Other Romanian politicos claim Trump's invitation is really a shrewd move to draw Orbán away from Moscow's orbit, but that's a tall order given Hungary's energy dependence on Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin's careful cultivation of autocrats."If you leave Mr. Orbán in Russia's hands, that's bad. You have to meet him," said Cristian Adomnitei, a member of the center-right National Liberal Party. "Tell him again, c'mon, did you forget who your friends are?"Adomnitei says he hoped Trump would spend his private moments with Orbán talking about the importance of the rule of law and press freedom. That's a high hope for an American man who regularly uses his bully pulpit to rail at the media via tweets, speeches and interviews and is now locked in battle with Congress, precisely, over the rule of law.But politician-turned-entrepreneur Adomnitei still remembers the Republican Party that helped his country rebuild civil society after communism. He considers himself a sort of "Romanian Republican," with MAGA-level loyalty to the Trump administration. He laments the fact that the International Republican Institute closed its offices in Bucharest, and says that events like Kifu's in Sibiu are supported by what he considers more Democratic or left-leaning organizations."They need to come back," he said of Trump's party.For others here, though, the Republican Party won't rate for Europeans until it gets rid of Trump, and they insist his meeting with Orbán will produce little political advantage for the Hungarian."Trump does not give you prestige," Kifu said. "He is unpredictable, and bullies everybody, so they dislike him. That's Europe." After Trump's embrace of Orbán, he suggests, most of those leaders will like Trump even less.The International Republican Institute said it's continuing to work with pro-democratic parties in Eastern Europe, but from a distance. "Once both Bulgaria and Romania got into the union, it was a relatively easy for the U.S. government to say, mission accomplished….and democracy assistance kind of dried up for Eastern Europe," said IRI's senior director for transatlantic strategy Jan Surotchak Monday. But he said IRI is still reaching out to Romanian via offices in Bratislava and Vienna, including working with the Romanian president specifically on "fighting corruption and increasing transparency and governance."But will any of this stop the autocratic trend? Right-wing populists, from Nigel Farage's Brexit Party in Britain to Matteo Salvini's Lega, Marine Le Pen in France and other nationalists, are organizing to try to take over the European Parliament with the express intent of disrupting and diminishing the E.U. Was there too much optimism here in Sibiu?Perhaps it's worth noting that in Transylvania, there is sometimes a tendency to relativize even the history of its most famous historical figure, Vlad Tepes, known as Vlad the Impaler, the 15th century prince at the heart of the Dracula legend.Yes, Vlad skewered people and left them hanging from stakes, but everybody in these parts used to do that, said Sibiu Deputy Mayor Razvan Pop as we took an impromptu tour of the medieval walled city. But Vlad didn't drink blood, said Pop. That was just a vicious rumor spread by people who didn't like his taxes and tariffs. The fact is, Vlad may not have drunk any blood, but for his victims that was a distinction without a difference.Editor's note: This story was updated with comment from the International Republican Institute.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. 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| NY Mom Fails Drug Test After Eating Poppyseed Bagel Before Giving Birth Posted: 15 May 2019 08:09 AM PDT  Less than a week after baby Carter Dominguez was brought into the world, baby and mom are enjoying time at their home, but the arrival wasn't easy.
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| Russia Might Take the Biggest Submarine Ever and Add 200 Cruise Missiles Posted: 15 May 2019 01:54 AM PDT  Thus, while the idea of Russia reviving its cold war leviathans sounds compellingly scary, there's evidence it makes little practical or financial sense given more cost-efficient and survivable means to achieve the same ends. It could also be the project is being trumpeted for the propagandistic symbolism behind deploying super-submarines that are larger and carry more missiles than their American counterparts.On April 20, 2019, Russia's TASS Agency reported that Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev announced Russia's intention to take two of its decommissioned Typhoon-class ballistic submarines and pack them full of hundreds of cruise missiles.(This first appeared last month.)"The dimensions of these submarines allow arming each of them with at least 200 cruise missiles [each]," he said.The Typhoon ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), famously featured in the film Hunt for Red October, are by far the biggest and most expensive submarines ever built. Cruise-missile-armed Typhoons would give Russia direct analogs of the United States' four Ohio-class cruise missile submarines (SSGNs), which had their launch tubes for nuclear-armed ballistic missiles replaced with vertical launch systems for 154 conventionally-armed Tomahawk cruise missiles.Burtsev made the missile-envy issue explicit:
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| Louisiana 'heartbeat' abortion ban nearing final passage Posted: 15 May 2019 03:46 PM PDT  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A proposal to ban abortions in Louisiana as early as the sixth week of pregnancy continued to speed through the state legislature Wednesday, the same day Alabama's governor signed the nation's most restrictive law against the procedure.
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| Texas police raid Catholic offices in sexual abuse probe Posted: 15 May 2019 05:20 PM PDT  Texas police investigating child sexual abuse on Wednesday raided offices of the Catholic diocese in Dallas, after alleging that church officials had not been fully cooperative. Police served search warrants at the headquarters of the diocese, a storage location and offices of a local church. The raids were connected to the investigation of a fugitive priest named Edmundo Paredes and at least five new allegations of abuse against other suspects, police said.
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| Bayer nears 7-year low after $2 billion award in Roundup trial Posted: 14 May 2019 09:03 AM PDT  The stock closed at its lowest level in almost seven years, even though the punitive damages award is likely to be reduced due to U.S. Supreme Court rulings that limit the ratio of punitive to compensatory damages to 9:1. The jury set the total punitive damages at $2 billion and added $55 million in compensatory pay, concluding that Roundup - based on herbicide glyphosate - had been defectively designed, and that the company failed to warn of the herbicide's alleged cancer risk. It was the third consecutive U.S. jury verdict against the company in litigation over the chemical, which Bayer acquired as part of its $63 billion purchase of Monsanto last year.
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| 1988 Chevrolet Corvette C4 Callaway Twin-Turbo Four-Speed Is a High-Performance Love Letter from the '80s Posted: 15 May 2019 07:30 AM PDT  Revisit the high-livin' forced-induction era by bidding on this Callaway Vette, offered at no reserve on Bring a Trailer.
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| Two floatplanes collide in midair near Ketchikan, Alaska; at least 4 dead Posted: 14 May 2019 07:57 AM PDT Five people died and 10 were injured after two floatplanes crashed in the water near the southeast Alaska town of Ketchikan.
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| Amid trade war, China's Xi preaches openness, says no civilisation superior Posted: 15 May 2019 03:40 AM PDT ![Amid trade war, China's Xi preaches openness, says no civilisation superior]( "Amid trade war, China's Xi preaches openness, says no civilisation superior") China will only be more open to the world, President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday, as he denounced as "stupid" those who believe in cultural superiority, in his first public address since trade tension with the United States spiked last week. China and the United States are locked in an escalating trade war, with both levying tariffs on each other's imports. China on Monday announced higher tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods, effective on June 1, in retaliation for a U.S. decision on Friday to raise levies on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports.
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| Donald Trump says he is 'absolutely' ready to send troops to confront Iran Posted: 14 May 2019 12:11 PM PDT  Donald Trump yesterday suggested he is ready to send "a hell of a lot" of troops to confront Iran in the Middle East amid warnings that the two countries are stumbling towards a war. The comments come amid mounting diplomatic and military tensions in the Persian Gulf after Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels attacked an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia and an unidentified attacker attempted to sabotage tankers. Mr Trump said reports that the Pentagon has already drawn up plans to deploy 120,000 soldiers to the region in preparation for conflict were "fake news." But he added: "Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that," he said. "Hopefully we're not going to have to plan for that. And if we did that, we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that," he said. A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron refuels during a mission over the middle east Credit: HANDOUT/Reuters Tensions between Washington and Iran have spiralled since last week, when the US accused Iran of preparing to attack US interests in the Middle East and said it was sending an aircraft carrier and a task force of B-52 bombers to the region in response. Iran then said it would resume enriching high-grade uranium needed for a nuclear weapon unless the world finds a way to ease the impact of US sanctions that have devastated its economy. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Pentagon officials had drawn up a plan to send up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East to counter military attacks. Iran's president earlier said he would not bow to US pressure and warned that Iran is "too great to be intimidated by anyone." The Norwegian-flagged MV Andrea Victory was attacked on 12 May 2019 outside Fujairah port, United Arab Emirates Credit: ALI HAIDER/EPA-EFE/REX "God willing we will pass this difficult period with glory and our heads held high, and defeat the enemy," Hassan Rouhani said at a meeting with Sunni clerics. On Monday four ships were damaged by "sabotage attacks" near the mouth of the Persian Gulf. The United States and its allies have refrained from publicly blaming Iran for the incident, but officials in Washington have briefed reporters that national security agencies believe Iran or Iranian proxies were responsible. Iran has denied all such claims. On Tuesday Khalid al-Falih, the Saudi energy minister, said state owned oil firm Aramco had "temporarily shut down" the East-West pipeline after two pumping stations were targeted. Oil production and exports were not interrupted. Mohammed Abdusalam, a spokesman for the Houthi rebels, wrote on Twitter that the attacks were "a response to the aggressors continuing to commit genocide" against the Yemeni people. The US has pursued a policy of "maximum pressure" including trying to prevent third countries buying Iranian oil since Mr Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from a 2015 deal designed to curtail Iran's nuclear program in May 2018. Iran has said it cannot remain bound by a one-sided agreement and has given the other signatories - the UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union - sixty days to find a way to allow it to continue to sell oil and receive the revenues from such sales. The Trump administration's policy has caused a rift between the United States and European signatories to the agreement, including Britain. Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, has warned that the US and Iran could stumble into armed conflict. Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, on Tuesday said US officials "fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran" but said there was an increased risk of attack from Iranian allies across the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) Credit: ALEXANDER NEMENOV/POOL/EPA-EFE/REX Speaking at a press conference with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, he said: "we've made clear to the Iranian that if US interests are attacked we will respond in an appropriate fashion." But a senior British general on Tuesday claimed there was little reason to believe Iran posed a greater threat in key areas of the Middle East. "No, there's been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria," Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika told reporters at the Pentagon in a video conference from coalition headquarters in Baghdad. "We're aware of their presence, clearly, and we monitor them, along with a whole range of others because that's the environment we're in." Mr Pompeo was speaking after a meeting with Mr Lavrov and Vladimir Putin. He admitted there were major differences between Russia and the United States over Iran, Venezuela, and Ukraine. Mr Lavrov said Russia supported a "diplomatic solution" to the confrontation and that he believed the US was ready to seek one. Hamid Baeidinejad, Iran's ambassador to the United Kingdom, described the threat to renew uranium enrichment and heavy water production as an attempt to "save" the 2015 nuclear deal by signalling that immediate action is needed to preserve it. He said Iran did not want a war but warned an armed conflict would be "devastating" for both the United States and the region. "If people in the White House or the region want to drag the US into a conflict they should take this very seriously," he said. "We are fully prepared for any eventuality."
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| Google’s new travel portal will improve the way you plan your trips online Posted: 15 May 2019 04:06 PM PDT  Slowly but surely, Google has become a one-stop shop for everything travel related. Few sites (if any) offer a cleaner and easier approach to booking travel arrangements than Google, and now, a new travel portal for the web has made the process even easier. All you have to do to check it out is head to google.com/travel.While most of the functionality of this travel hub was previously available through Google's website, this unifies all of the various features and options into a single webpage where you can book flights and hotels, see all your upcoming trips, and scroll through all of the previous vacations and getaways from years past.This simplified hub made its way on to mobile devices more than a year ago, but if you prefer to book your trips on a bigger screen, you can now get the same experience while making travel plans on a desktop.> As you plan a trip, your research and reservations will be organized for you in Trips. As we continue to evolve Google Trips, we're making this information more accessible at google.com/travel, and in Google Search and Google Maps. We're also adding a few new features to make planning and organizing your trips easier.Building on some of the features introduced last year, Google now makes it possible to edit your trip timeline directly from the travel hub, and the ability to manually add reservations is coming in a few weeks as well. Google will also now show you the weather for all the days you are scheduled to be at a destination.Also worth noting: Hotel and restaurant reservations will be accessible in Google Maps in the coming months.
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| Best Tech Deals in May 2019 Posted: 15 May 2019 09:39 AM PDT  Amazon Deals | Walmart Deals | Apple Deals | TV Deals | Gaming Deals | Laptop DealsMemorial Day is around the corner which means retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart are discounting everything from smart home devices to game consoles. And with the imminent arrival of Amazon Prime Day 2019, soon we'll be gathering the best Amazon Prime Day deals. In the meantime, here are some of the best tech deals we're seeing right now. Looking for a new smartwatch to help you get in shape for the Summer? For a limited time, you can get the Garmin Forerunner 935 for $409 from Amazon. Traditionally, this smartwatch is priced at $500, so that's $91 off its regular price. It's the best price we could find for this smartwatch. By comparison, it's $16 cheaper than Best Buy's current sale price. The Garmin Forerunner 935 is a premium GPS running watch features a heart rate, barometer, and altimeter tracking sensors. Ideal for running, swimming, cycling and more, it's Android, iOS, and Windows compatible. It's the perfect wearable for anyone who wants to get instant phone notifications and comprehensive multisport app support on their wrist. Good news for Android fans hunting for the best Samsung Galaxy S10 deals. Amazon currently has the factory unlocked Samsung Galaxy S10e on sale for $649.99. Normally priced at $749.99, that's $100 off and the lowest price we've seen for the Galaxy S10e. It features a 5.8-inch AMOLED Infinity display, a Snapdragon 855 octa-core processor, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. If you want a larger screen, Amazon also has the 6.1-inch Galaxy S10 on sale for $799.99 ($100 off). Other noteworthy deals include: Amazon Hardware DealsAmazon is currently offering many of its proprietary devices at discounted pricing. * Echo Connect for $24.49 ($11 off) [NEW] * Fire HD 10 Kids Edition Tablet for $149.99 ($50 off) * Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet for $89.99 ($40 off) * Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet for $59.99 ($40 off) * Fire TV Stick for $24.99 ($15 off, Prime Members Only) * Fire TV Stick 4K for $34.99 ($15 off, Prime Members Only) * Echo Input for $19.99 ($15 off) * Echo Dot (3rd Gen) Smart Speaker for $29.99 ($20 off) * Echo Show (2nd Gen) w/ Free Smart Bulb for $229.99 ($14 off) * Echo Dot Kids Edition + Fire HD 8 Kids Edition for $149.98 ($50 off) * Echo Dot Kids Edition + Fire 7 Kids Edition for $129.98 ($40 off) * Ring Video Doorbell 2 w/ Echo Dot (3rd Gen) for $199 ($49 off) * Ring Spotlight Wireless Cam w/ Echo Dot (3rd Gen) for $199 ($50 off) * Ring Spotlight Wired Cam Wired w/ Echo Dot (3rd Gen) for $199 ($50 off) * Ring Stick-Up Wireless Cam w/ Echo Dot (3rd Gen) for $179.99 ($50 off) * Ring Stick-Up Wired Cam w/ Echo Dot (3rd Gen) for $179.99 ($50 off) * Ring Floodlight Cam w/ Echo Dot (3rd Gen) for $249 ($50 off) * Ring Smart Lighting Spotlights (2-pack) for $100 ($30 off) Top Tech Deals Right Now * Amazon Echo Show 2nd Gen) w/ free Echo Dot (3rd Gen) for $229.99 ($65 off) [NEW] * Microsoft Surface Pro 6 for $699 ($200 off) [NEW] * Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 Laptop for $579.99 ($70 off) [NEW] * Apple AirPods 2nd Gen (Back-order) for $139.99 ($19 off) * Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones for $279.95 ($70 off) * Apple iPad 9.7-inch 128GB for $329 ($100 off) * Apple iPad Air 2019 (Wi-Fi, 64GB) for $479 ($20 off) * Apple 9.7-inch iPad for $249 ($81 off) * Microsoft Surface Go for $399 ($100 off) * Acer Aspire 3 Laptop for $400 ($99 off) TV Deals * Vizio 65-inch M-Series 4K HDR Smart TV for $649.99 ($350 off) * Sharp 65-inch 4K Smart TV for $449.99 ($250 off) * Sony 70-Inch 4K UHD Smart TV for $1,098 ($500 off) * JVC 65-inch 4K Ultra HD HDR Smart TV for $479.99 ($420 off) * TCL 55-inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart TV for $329.99 ($270 off) * Hisense 60-inch 4K UHD HDR Roku Smart TV for $399.99 ($100 off) * Samsung 43-inch Q60 Series 4K QLED Smart TV (2019) for $697.99 ($102 off) * Samsung 49-inch Q60 Series 4K QLED Smart TV (2019) for $797.99 ($202 off) * Samsung 55-inch Q60 Series 4K QLED Smart TV (2019) for $1,097 ($100 off) Tech Under $50 * Echo Connect for $24.49 ($11 off) [NEW] * Spotify Premium Membership for $0.99 ($27 off, ends 6/30) [NEW] * Echo Input for $19.99 ($15 off) * Echo Dot (3rd Gen) Smart Speaker for $29.99 ($20 off) * Logitech M705 Marathon Wireless Mouse for $24.99 ($25 off) * Redragon K552 LED Gaming Keyboard for $34.99 ($25 off) * Anker 7-in-1 USB C Hub for $40 ($30 off) * Anker 5-in-1 USB C Hub for $22 ($7 off) Smartwatch Deals * Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro w/ $125 GC for $199.99 ($125 off) [NEW] * Garmin Forerunner 935 for $409 ($91 off) * Garmin Fenix 5S Plus for $599.99 ($200 off) also at Best Buy * Garmin Fenix 5X Plus for $649.99 ($150 off) also at Best Buy * Garmin Fenix 5 for $349.99 ($150 off) also at Best Buy * Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS, 38mm) for $199 ($80 off) * Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS, 42mm) for $229 ($80 off) also at Amazon Phones * Google Pixel 3 64GB (Clearly White) for $679.99 ($119 off) * Google Pixel 3 XL 64GB for $699 ($200 off) * Google Pixel 3 XL 64GB Unlocked (Just Black) for $720 ($179 off) * Google Pixel 3 XL 128GB Unlocked for $779 ($221 off) * Apple iPhone SE Unlocked for $249 ($100 off) * Samsung Galaxy S9 Unlocked 64GB for $478.99 ($121 off) * Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Unlocked 128GB for $689 ($311 off) Cameras * Arlo Smart Wi-fi Baby Monitor Camera for $138 ($62 off) * Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Camera for $498 ($150 off) * Canon EOS M50 Mirrorless Camera w /15-45mm Lens for $599 ($300 off) * Nikon D3500 DSLR Camera w/ 18-55mm VR Lens for $396.95 ($103 off) * Canon PowerShot SX530 Digital Camera for $229 ($150 off) * Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Instant Film Camera for $99.99 ($80 off) Games and Consoles * MS Xbox One S 1TB Minecraft Creators Bundle for $215 ($85 off) * Mortal Kombat 11 for Xbox One or (Switch) for $50 ($10 off) * Marvel's Spider-Man for PS4 for $35 ($25 off) also at Amazon * Call of Duty: Black Ops for PS4 for $29.99 ($25 off) * WWE 2K19 Deluxe Edition for $39.99 ($50 off) * Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch for $50 ($10 off) * Kingdom Hearts 3 for PS4 for $29.99 ($30 off) * Kingdom Heart 3 for Xbox One for $29.99 ($30 off) * Red Dead Redemption 2 for PS4 for $34.99 ($25 off) * Up to $40 off Xbox One Games at Microsoft
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| Ex-Congressman Weiner leaves halfway house Posted: 14 May 2019 01:03 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — Former Rep. Anthony Weiner left a New York City halfway house on Tuesday after completing his prison sentence for illicit online contact with a 15-year-old girl.
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| Plan to arrest migrant families tabled due to a lack of resources Posted: 14 May 2019 02:28 PM PDT  White House officials considered a secret plan to arrest thousands of undocumented migrant parents and children in coordinated raids across the U.S., but the idea was tabled due to a lack of resources, reports the Washington Post and the Associated Press.
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| Hungary will have to buy Russian natural gas if Exxon waits on offshore project -minister Posted: 15 May 2019 03:57 PM PDT ![Hungary will have to buy Russian natural gas if Exxon waits on offshore project -minister]( "Hungary will have to buy Russian natural gas if Exxon waits on offshore project -minister") Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday his country would again turn to Russia for natural gas supplies if Exxon Mobil Corp has not decided by September whether to invest in a massive Black Sea offshore project. Romania's Black Sea reserves pose a potential challenge to Russian Gazprom's dominant role supplying Central and Eastern Europe, according to consultancy Deloitte. "Exxon Mobil can be the game changer in the energy supply of Europe.
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| Canine brucellosis: What you need to know about the dog disease that can spread to humans Posted: 14 May 2019 02:06 AM PDT  After state officials confirmed cases of the disease at a breeding facility in Marion County, here's what you should know about Brucella canis.
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| Sri Lanka province under curfew after first riot death Posted: 13 May 2019 09:57 PM PDT  A Sri Lankan province north of the capital was under indefinite curfew Tuesday after the first death in anti-Muslim riots in the wake of the Easter terror attacks, police said. A nationwide night curfew was relaxed in all areas except the North-Western Province (NWP) where a Muslim man was killed by a mob on Monday, police said, in a violent backlash against last month's bombings. The 45-year-old died of injuries sustained when a crowd stormed his carpentry workshop in the Puttalam district in the NWP and slashed him, official sources said.
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| Trump declares national emergency 'over Huawei' amid accusations he is risking 'devastating' conflict with Iran Posted: 15 May 2019 03:22 PM PDT  Donald Trump has been accused of "playing a very dangerous game" with Iran and risking dragging the US into a new war in the Middle East that could have "devastating" consequences.The warning came from Hamid Baeidinejad, Iran's ambassador to the UK, with the acting US defence secretary Patrick Shanahan tabling plans to send 120,000 troops to the region if needed as tensions soar between the two nations over economic sanctions and an increased American military presence in the Persian Gulf.A commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Maj Gen Hossein Salami, later warned the nation is "on the cusp of a full-scale confrontation with the enemy".Meanwhile, President Trump has signed an executive order declaring a national emergency that will ban American companies from using telecommunications equipment made by foreign firms posing a national security risk to the US.The move – thought to be aimed at China's Huawei – comes as tensions flare between the two countries, with Beijing and Washington failing to find consensus on trade and tariffs after months of negotiations.In a statement, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that the emergency declaration by the president is"part of his commitment to protecting the information and communications technology and services of our Nation."In the latest US immigration news, the Trump administration is planning to redirect Transportation Security Administration staff to the Mexico border, the TSA said Wednesday."TSA, like all DHS components, is supporting the DHS effort to address the humanitarian and security crisis at the southwest border.TSA is in the process of soliciting volunteers to support this effort while minimising operational impact," TSA spokesman James Gregory said in a statement.The announcement came as Donald Trump spoke at the annual Peace Officers' Memorial Service in Washington DC, where he denounced illegal immigration across the US-Mexico border.Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load
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| The 10 Best Buys in Motorcycles for 2019 Posted: 15 May 2019 08:00 AM PDT |
| The official OnePlus 7 Pro launch video just leaked hours ahead of today’s event Posted: 14 May 2019 05:17 AM PDT  The day many OnePlus fans must have been waiting for is finally here. The OnePlus 7 series will soon be unveiled, and we'll know everything there is to know about the three handsets the Chinese smartphone maker is about to announce. Well, we've known pretty much everything about these devices for a few weeks now, thanks to a combination of leaks and official announcements from OnePlus. While you wait, we've got a few more leaks to go through before the event starts, including a full launch video of the OnePlus 7 Pro that's expected to be shown during Tuesday's press conference. It doesn't get any better than this, OnePlus fans. Here's the OnePlus 7 Pro in all its splendor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=5oK0rYZG4fE Posted on Reddit initially, the clip confirms all the leaks we've seen so far, giving us an even better look at the next OnePlus flagship. We get to see the new all-screen display and its curved edges, the pop-up selfie camera, and the triple-lens camera on the back. This is the best OnePlus 7 version you'll find in stores this year, according to previous leaks. And a 5G version of the Pro will also hit certain markets, including the UK where it'll work on EE's network. But wait, there's more! T-Mobile's presentation video has also leaked, revealing the phone's most important specs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzsDgp_mbD0 But we're not done with the last-minute OnePlus 7 leaks yet, as trusted insider Ishan Agarwal is back with pricing details for the OnePlus 7 series, this time for the UK. While he doesn't seem to have the price for the 5G version, the leaker did share the purported prices of the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro models, as well as the prices for the brand new Bullets Wireless 2 headphones: https://twitter.com/ishanagarwal24/status/1128219206791548928 Yes, the OnePlus 7 Pro will be more expensive than the regular model, but that's not really a secret. The good news is that the OnePlus 7 will cost just as much as the OnePlus 6T did when it launched back in November if this leak is accurate. The OnePlus 6T had an entry price of £499 in the UK or $549 in the US. OnePlus will soon confirm these leaks and more — the company's press conference is set to kick off at 11:00 AM ET.
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| Polish lawmaker panned for excusing priest who abused girls Posted: 15 May 2019 09:28 AM PDT  WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's opposition lawmakers demanded Wednesday that a member of the ruling party be excluded from parliament's work on new laws to curb sex abuse of minors, alleging he had tried to justify the actions of a priest convicted of pedophilia.
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| Apple supplier Japan Display cannot promise return to profit, bailout worries stay Posted: 15 May 2019 03:56 AM PDT ![Apple supplier Japan Display cannot promise return to profit, bailout worries stay]( "Apple supplier Japan Display cannot promise return to profit, bailout worries stay") The supplier for Apple Inc also said it would slash about 1,000 jobs, or a tenth of its workforce, as it continues to bear the brunt of its late shift to organic light-emitting diode screens and disappointing sales of the iPhone XR, the only model with a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen. Japan Display's < net loss for the three months ended March was 98.6 billion yen, versus a 147 billion yen loss a year earlier, its ninth consecutive quarterly loss. Japan Display's results will be closely watched by its Chinese-Taiwanese suitors, who delayed an up to 80 billion yen investment this week to reassess the company's prospects.
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