| Mueller should have decided whether Trump committed a crime, Barr says Posted: 31 May 2019 06:26 AM PDT  Attorney general on Mueller: 'He could have reached a decision'Rejects Trump's claim FBI committed treason under Obama Barr with Donald Trump earlier in May. William Barr said of Robert Mueller: 'I personally felt he could've reached a decision.' Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images The attorney general, William Barr, has said Robert Mueller "could have reached a decision" on whether Donald Trump is guilty of obstruction of justice – an implicit criticism of Mueller's refusal to clear Trump of criminal activity. In an interview with CBS News, Barr also contradicted the president over whether Obama-era officials committed treason. Trump has made repeated, vague, assertions that the FBI committed treason under Obama. On Wednesday, in a move interpreted by some as an invitation for Congress to impeach Trump, Mueller said his team had deliberately not made a determination "as to whether the president did commit a crime". Mueller said his decision not to formally state his opinion over whether Trump broke the law was down to justice department policy. Speaking to CBS News, Barr said he disagreed with Mueller. "I personally felt he could've reached a decision," Barr told CBS. "The opinion says you cannot indict a president while he is in office, but he could've reached a decision as to whether it was criminal activity," Barr said. "But he had his reasons for not doing it, which he explained. And I am not going to, you know, argue about those reasons." Mueller's report identified 10 incidents where Trump attempted to obstruct justice. The special counsel said justice department policy meant that a "president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office". But, Mueller added: "If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that." Attorney General Barr highlights why he opened an investigation into the origins of the Russia investigation. Barr tells @JanCBS there's evidence that makes him believe senior government officials may have acted improperly to authorize surveillance of Pres. Trump's 2016 campaign. pic.twitter.com/CksxmmIu8i— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) May 31, 2019 Barr told CBS that the DoJ had "analysed the law and the facts" after receiving Mueller's report. He determined that "as a matter of law many of the instances would not amount to obstruction", he said. In the interview Barr disagreed with Trump over whether Obama-era officials committed treason. Trump has claimed, without evidence, that his campaign was spied on during the 2016 election and claimed the Obama administration committed treasonous conduct as they investigated Russian election interference. The president has suggested unnamed people should serve "long jail sentences". Asked directly if he thought officials had committed treason, Barr said: "Not as a legal matter, no. "Sometimes people can convince themselves that what they're doing is in the higher interest and better good," he said. "They don't realize that what they're doing is really antithetical to the democratic system that we have."
|
| New Mexico town gets death threats after halting crowd-funded border wall Posted: 30 May 2019 04:46 PM PDT  A New Mexico mayor on Thursday said he and his staff received multiple death threats after they briefly halted construction of a crowd-funded, private border wall by a group that then urged supporters to tell the city to "stop playing games," and alleged it was tied to drug cartels. The Florida-based group has raised $23 million via crowd-funding site GoFundMe.com to build private border walls to halt smuggling and a surge in undocumented migrants, after funding for President Donald Trump's promised wall was blocked. Perea described the tactics of We Build the Wall as a "cheap blow," and the American Civil Liberties Union accused it of pursuing a "white Nationalist" agenda.
|
| Tourists describe 'people screaming in the water' in Hungary boat disaster Posted: 30 May 2019 10:47 AM PDT  Distraught river cruise holidaymakers described watching in horror as tourists from a sightseeing boat were swept into the cold, churning waters of the Danube after a collision that caused the small vessel to sink in a matter of seconds. The Mermaid sightseeing boat with 35 people aboard capsized almost immediately after colliding with a huge cruise vessel after dark on Wednesday in heavy rain, leaving seven South Korean tourists dead and 21 others missing. No one was injured on the 135 metre (440 foot) long, four-storey-high Viking Sigyn cruise ship and passengers said they did not even feel the impact of the smash.
|
| Disney says it won't make any more films in Georgia if draconian abortion laws come into force in the US state Posted: 29 May 2019 11:57 PM PDT  Disney's chief executive has warned Georgia that the company's film and TV productions are likely to abandon the state if its controversial abortion bill becomes law. Bob Iger said it would be "very difficult" for the entertainment giant to continue working in the state if the so-called "heartbeat bill", which outlaws terminations from as early as six weeks, comes into force. The Walt Disney Company has shot some of its biggest films in the US state, including Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame. Speaking to Reuters, Iger said: "If it becomes law, it'll be very difficult. "I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. "Right now we are watching it very carefully." Sen John Milkovich speaks outside the State Capitol in Louisiana where the House passed Milkovich's 'fetal heartbeat' bill Georgia has been dubbed the "Hollywood of the South" after it lured production companies with favourable tax laws. The state offers a tax credit that has lured many film and TV productions. The industry is responsible for more than 92,000 jobs in Georgia, according to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and some 455 productions were shot in Georgia in 2018, according to the state. However, its proposed abortion laws have caused fury across the industry, with leading stars lining up to condemn the bill. Netflix has also warned it could pull out of the state. Georgia's bill bans abortions in cases where a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks. It is due to come into effect on January 1 2020, although campaigners have already said they will fight it in the courts. It came as last night Louisiana on Wednesday also passed a bill banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, becoming the seventh state to do so. The bans are expected to be blocked in lower courts, but supporters plan to appeal such decisions until they reach the Supreme Court.
|
| $200,000 Jeep Gladiator-based MAXIMUS is unveiled, with only 24 to be built Posted: 31 May 2019 12:29 PM PDT  Hennessey Performance is accepting orders for the MAXIMUS 1000, a Jeep Gladiator variant costing $200,000 with only 24 built.
|
| Honduras: US has no drug proof against Honduran president Posted: 31 May 2019 09:59 AM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — The Honduran government says that U.S. federal court documents show no incriminating evidence against President Juan Orlando Hernández, despite listing him as being a target of a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation.
|
| The 29 Best New York City Landmarks to Visit Posted: 31 May 2019 05:00 AM PDT |
| AOC and Ted Cruz find common ground on lobbying ban Posted: 30 May 2019 02:08 PM PDT  Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., occupy opposite ends of the political spectrum, but on Thursday, Cruz found himself — to his own surprise — agreeing with her on an issue most often associated with progressives: whether members of Congress should be allowed to become lobbyists when they leave office.
|
| Pork Producers, Corn Growers Urge Trump to Drop Mexico Tariffs Posted: 31 May 2019 12:22 PM PDT  The president said Thursday that 5% duties could be placed on all imports from Mexico on June 10, rising in increments to 25% in October unless Mexico halts the flow of immigrants heading to the U.S. border. "We appeal to President Trump to reconsider plans to open a new trade dispute with Mexico," David Herring, president of the National Pork Producers Council and a hog farmer from Lillington, North Carolina, said Friday in an emailed statement.
|
| MALEAH DAVIS: Remains found in bag amid search for girl in Arkansas Posted: 31 May 2019 01:09 PM PDT  After a revelation in the disappearance of the 4-year-old, Quanell X has told ABC13 a body was located during the search for the girl in Arkansas
|
| Saudi Arabia seeks Arab unity over Iran after attacks Posted: 30 May 2019 09:02 AM PDT  Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which have lobbied Washington to contain their foe, Shi'ite Muslim Iran, have said they want to avoid war after drone strikes on oil pumping stations in the kingdom and the sabotage of tankers off the UAE. Riyadh accused Tehran of ordering the drone strikes, which were claimed by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group. U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said on Thursday that evidence of Iran being behind the tanker attacks would be presented to the U.N. Security Council as early as next week.
|
| Syria regime strikes kill 7 in latest Idlib bloodshed Posted: 30 May 2019 12:50 PM PDT  Maaret al-Numan (Syria) (AFP) - Regime air strikes on a jihadist enclave in northwest Syria killed seven civilians on Thursday, a monitor said, the latest deaths in a bloody wave of government attacks. Damascus and its ally Russia have pummelled Idlib province and surroundings over the past month despite a truce deal aimed at staving off a humanitarian catastrophe. "The pace of air strikes decreased relatively on Thursday compared to previous days," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.
|
| Showdown over Missouri abortion clinic postponed as governor weighs in Posted: 30 May 2019 10:43 AM PDT  Gov. Mike Parson said court intervention in the fight over whether to renew the license of Missouri's lone abortion provider would be "reckless."
|
| Police: Ex-Jaguars LB pointed gun, threatened to kill woman Posted: 30 May 2019 03:46 PM PDT ![Police: Ex-Jaguars LB pointed gun, threatened to kill woman]( "Police: Ex-Jaguars LB pointed gun, threatened to kill woman") JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Blair Brown pointed a gun at a woman and threatened to kill her, according to the Jacksonville's Sheriff's Office.
|
| Is There a 5G Cellular Network Near You? Posted: 31 May 2019 11:57 AM PDT  The age of 5G network service is finally here. Two of the country's four biggest wireless carriers have officially turned on their (admittedly very small) 5G networks. Sprint, on Thursday, flipp...
|
| Teacher writes 'WTF is this?' on child's homework Posted: 30 May 2019 03:13 AM PDT  A teacher is being investigated after writing "WTF" on a student's homework.The science tutor penned the missive – text-slang for "what the f***?" – after apparently finding the pupil's science assignment somewhat underwhelming."WTF is this?" she wrote. "Absolutely no credit."But after the pupil's mother complained, the unnamed teacher – at Rutherford High School in Florida's Bay County – has been told the incident will be investigated."It wasn't anything about not getting the credit, it was more so the language…that was very inappropriate and not acceptable for a teacher whatsoever," said Melinda Smith, whose son received the unflattering feedback. "I think for sure she needs to be reprimanded. I believe that something should be placed in her file."Neither her son's name or age have been revealed.Rutherford High's principal, Coy Pilson, said the school was taking action."Once we were notified, I notified district officials and our HR has been involved and they're currently investigating the situation," he told regional TV station WJHG. He would not be drawn on what action may be taken but suggested the incident was out of character for the member of staff involved."She was apologetic and it was a mistake on her part," he said. "All of the teachers at Rutherford High School are caring, loving teachers and we're also human and so, we make mistakes."But we understand that we are called to a high professional standard and when we make mistakes, we try to correct those mistakes and move forward."
|
| The Next Best Thing to an F-35?: Check Out Russia's 'New' MiG-35 Posted: 30 May 2019 01:35 AM PDT  With Russia's MiG-29 nearing the end of its shelf life as Russia's staple multirole fighter, the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) are taking an increasing interest in its successor: the MiG-35.For years, its manufacturer has marketed the MiG-35 as a "4++" fighter: "I would say that this is a new plane that surpasses our foreign competitors. In other words, this is a 4++ level plane," stated Mikoyan General Director Ilya Tarasenko in a recent interview.Russian President Vladimir Putin echoed this sentiment at a Kremlin conference: "I note that the new multipurpose MiG-35 fighter has enhanced flight and technical characteristics and is equipped with the very latest weapons systems. You know this better than I. It can follow from 10 to 30 targets at once, and can operate over land or sea. This is a genuinely unique and promising aircraft, 4++, you could say, very close to being fifth generation."But what exactly does "4++" mean, and is the MiG-35 really a hair's breadth away from being considered a fifth-generation fighter?A recent documentary from T24, a Russian state-funded television channel, sheds light on the MiG-35's capabilities while offering plenty of high-fidelity footage of the plane in action.
|
| Trump says attempt to hide USS John S. McCain was 'well meaning' Posted: 30 May 2019 08:12 AM PDT  President Trump said Thursday that the attempt by White House staffers to hide the USS John S. McCain during his trip to Japan was "well meaning" given his personal enmity for the late Arizona senator and former Republican presidential nominee.
|
| Mueller’s ‘Insufficient Evidence’ Doesn’t Mean What Trump Says It Does Posted: 30 May 2019 06:22 AM PDT  Befitting the former U.S. Marine, it's thorough, exhaustive in detail, even exasperating in its attention to fine legal arguments and Justice Department policy guidelines. Speaking about it publicly for the first time on Wednesday, Mueller made a point to say that the pages contained his words, carefully chosen. It follows, then, that the report as reiterated by Mueller isn't easily reduced to catch phrases.
|
| Bolton wants Britain to leave EU: Telegraph Posted: 31 May 2019 11:39 AM PDT  The United States wants Britain to leave the European Union as it would strengthen the NATO military alliance and show respect for the result of 2016's referendum, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said in an interview published on Friday. "The U.S. preference is for Britain to follow the course of what the people asked for and leave the EU. It is a lesson for everyone in the triumph of democracy," Bolton was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.
|
| New India government suffers double economy hit Posted: 31 May 2019 07:34 AM PDT  Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new government suffered a double economic blow of slowing growth and rising unemployment as it took office Friday. Modi named Nirmala Sitharaman as his new finance minister in a drastically revamped Hindu nationalist administration after winning a second straight landslide in the April-May election. It means India has lost its place as the world's fastest growing major economy to China, which had 6.4 percent growth in the first quarter.
|
| No happy ending: Missing Hawaiian hiker Noah 'Kekai' Mina found dead Posted: 30 May 2019 07:42 AM PDT ![No happy ending: Missing Hawaiian hiker Noah 'Kekai' Mina found dead]( "No happy ending: Missing Hawaiian hiker Noah 'Kekai' Mina found dead") Less than a week after the rescue of a hiker lost in a Hawaiian forest for 17 days, the search for another missing Hawaiian hiker ended in tragedy.
|
| PHOTO GALLERY: Looking back at hurricane damage Posted: 31 May 2019 11:37 AM PDT  Crews with bulldozers and dump trucks have removed tons of debris from the Florida Panhandle since Hurricane Michael slammed ashore in October, wrecking miles of homes and businesses, yet signs of the storm's fury remain everywhere as hurricane season approaches. In south Florida, where Hurricane Andrew caused devastation in 1992, few physical signs of damage remain. The scene isn't much different in Panama City, which thousands of residents left after Michael and still haven't returned.
|
| US national spelling bee crowns eight co-champions after running out of challenging words Posted: 31 May 2019 01:27 AM PDT  A superhuman group of adolescents broke the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, with eight contestants crowned co-champions after the competition said it was running out of challenging words.It was a stunning result, coming just after midnight, for the 92nd annual event, which has had six two-way ties but had never experienced such a logjam at the top.After the 17th round, Jacques Bailly, the event's pronouncer, announced that any of the eight remaining contestants who made it through three more words would share in the prize."We do have plenty of words remaining in our list, but we'll soon run out of words that will challenge you," Mr Bailly told the contestants at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Centre in National Harbour, Maryland.He added: "We're throwing the dictionary at you. And so far, you are showing this dictionary who is boss."None of the contestants faltered. They each got their own moment of triumph as they correctly spelled their words in the 20th round, then patiently sat back in their seats as the following contestants had their moments. They supported each other with high-fives and hugs, and each placed a hand on a single trophy.The champions were, along with the final words they spelled:Rishik Gandhasri, 13, of San Jose, California: auslaut.Erin Howard, 14, of Huntsville, Alabama: erysipelas.Saketh Sundar, 13, of Clarksville, Maryland: bougainvillea.Shruthika Padhy, 13, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey: aiguillette.Sohum Sukhatankar, 13, of Dallas: pendeloque.Abhijay Kodali, 12, of Flower Mound, Texas: palama.Christopher Serrao, 13, of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey: cernuous.Rohan Raja, 13, of Irving, Texas: odylic.The competition normally offers a $50,000 (£39,610) prize to the champion. Instead of splitting it eight ways, all eight contestants will receive $50,000 and their own trophies.There have been marathon spelling bees before — the 2017 event went 36 rounds, with two spellers battling it out after the 17th round — but the competition has never hosted such a large group of spellers who could not be defeated.The field is typically winnowed down to fewer than four by the 16th round.This year, the ninth-place finisher, 13-year-old Simone Kaplan of Davie, Florida, was thwarted in the 15th round.From that point on, the contestants correctly spelled 47 straight words.Already nervous, they started showing signs of fatigue as the competition stretched on past its expected window.At the beginning of the 17th round, Rishik had a question for Mr Bailly."Out of curiosity, would you happen to know what time it is?" he asked. It was 11:18 pm.It was one of several moments of levity from a group of students who appeared largely unfazed by the pressure, with their parents in the audience often looking more unsettled.Rohan prompted laughter in the 17th round as he recoiled at his errant pronunciation of "Gaeltacht.""Oh God," he said, "I sound like I vomited."The New York Times
|
| White House plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace in chaos after Netanyahu calls new elections Posted: 30 May 2019 09:52 AM PDT  The White House's hopes of rolling out its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan this year were in chaos yesterday after Benjamin Netanyahu plunged Israel into unexpected new elections. During a meeting with Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law and top aide on Middle East peace, Mr Netanyahu attempted to downplay the political turmoil in his country as "a little event". But officials and analysts said the Israeli elections in September were likely to delay the peace plan and could cause it to be shelved altogether. One US official suggested it may now have to have wait until Mr Trump's second term. The Palestinians, who are refusing to engage with the US on the peace plan, delighted in the prospect of its delay. Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian official, said the plan sometimes described as "the Deal of the Century" should now be called "the Deal of Next Century". The While House deliberately waited until after the Israeli election in April to make any moves on its peace initiative, hoping that a delay would spare Mr Netanyahu any political discomfort during his campaign. Letters from Jerusalem RHS When Mr Netanyahu appeared to easily win a fifth term in office, Mr Kushner and his aides began making moves to roll out the plan in stages later this year. The economic half of the plan was due to be laid out in a summit in Bahrain in June while the more controversial political half would be made public later. However, Mr Netanyahu unexpectedly failed to form a coalition government and instead spent the early hours of Thursday morning forcing through a bill in parliament to hold fresh elections in September. Later in the day, Mr Netanyahu tried to put a brave face on the situation as he met with Mr Kushner at his office in Jerusalem. "Even though we had a little event last night that's not going to stop us," Mr Netanyahu said. "We're going to continue working together." Special Representative for International Negotiations @jdgreenblatt45, Senior Advisor to U.S. President Jared Kushner and Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook met this afternoon with Prime Minister @Netanyahu at his Jerusalem Residence. pic.twitter.com/BmBMwSLszv— USEmbassyJerusalem (@usembassyjlm) May 30, 2019 Mr Kushner said nothing publicly about what impact the Israeli political chaos would have on his peace plan. Speaking in Washington, Mr Trump said Mr Netanyahu's failed effort to build a coalition was "too bad". "They don't need this, I mean they've got enough turmoil over there," the president said. The US State Department indicated that the Bahrain summit would go ahead as planned on June 25 to try to encourage wealthy Arab states and businessmen to invest in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. But it is not clear when, if ever, the world will see the political half of the plan, which deals with more combustible issues like the future of Jerusalem, Israel's borders, and the fate of millions of Palestinian refugees. "If chances for the success of the Deal of the Century were severely handicapped before last night, the chaos which will be Israel's lot over the next few months will make it virtually impossible to move forward," said Shalom Lipner, a former Israeli official now at the Atlantic Council think tank. "If the White House 'misfires' and tries to advance prematurely, it risks squandering any opportunity to table a proposal when conditions might be more conducive to progress." Mr Netanyahu failed to form a coalition before Wednesday's deadline Credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun The timeline of the new elections means that even if Mr Netanyahu wins again he is unlikely to have a government formed until at least November. By then the US presidential election in 2020 will be in full swing and the White House's attention will likely be more focused on the American Midwest than the Middle East. While Mr Netanyahu was all smiles in front of his American visitors, he did little to mask his fury in the Israeli political realm. His rage was directed at Avigdor Lieberman, his former defence minister who refused to join his government and ultimately caused the coalition talks to fail. "Avigdor Lieberman is now part of the Left," Mr Netanyahu said. Mr Lieberman shot back that the prime minister's Likud party was wracked by "hallucinations and schizophrenic reactions" and suggested the party's leaders needed psychiatric treatment.
|
| Louisiana’s Democratic Governor Signs Heartbeat Abortion Bill Into Law Posted: 30 May 2019 03:03 PM PDT  Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards on Thursday signed legislation prohibiting abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which usually occurs around six weeks into pregnancy.The heartbeat bill, which does not include an exception for rape or incest, will be implemented only if similar legislation recently passed in Mississippi is upheld in federal court. It passed the state House of Representatives on Wednesday on a bipartisan 79-23 vote.The bill's sponsor, Democratic state senator John Milkovich, argued that the effective six-week abortion ban reflected the values of his constituents in a statement celebrating the bill's passage."God values human life, and so do the people of Louisiana," the state senator, John Milkovich, said this month. "We believe this is an important step in dismantling the attack of the abortion cartel on our next generation."In a statement announcing his support for the legislation Wednesday night, Edwards, who is the first Democratic governor to sign a heartbeat bill, touted his liberal bonafides, including his expansion of public healthcare options and his defense of LGBTQ rights, and acknowledged that many of his fellow Democrats disagreed with his views on abortion."I know there are many who feel just as strongly as I do on abortion and disagree with me — and I respect their opinions," the governor said.> My statement on the passage of SB 184 following final passage by the Louisiana Legislature. lalege lagov pic.twitter.com/SxadrmuUTC> > -- John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) May 29, 2019Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, and Missouri also passed fetal heartbeat bills earlier this year. Alabama went even further in restricting abortion, passing legislation earlier this month that effectively bans abortion at any stage of pregnancy, even in cases of rape of incest, in an effort to prompt a Supreme Court challenge to Roe v. Wade.
|
| China willing to meet reasonable rare earth demand from other countries Posted: 30 May 2019 01:08 AM PDT  China is willing to meet reasonable demand for rare earths from other countries, but it would be unacceptable that countries using Chinese rare earths to manufacture products would turn around and suppress China, its commerce ministry said. President Xi Jinping's visit to a rare earths plant last week had sparked speculation that China would use its dominant position as an exporter of rare earths to the United States as leverage in the trade war.
|
| India Gets First Woman Finance Minister in Years to Spur Economy Posted: 31 May 2019 01:44 AM PDT  In a surprise move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi picked Sitharaman to succeed Arun Jaitley, who chose not to take an active role in the new government because of health reasons. A former defense and trade minister, Sitharaman becomes the first woman to hold the position after Indira Gandhi, who had the post concurrently when she was prime minister. The new finance minister inherits an economy facing a number of risks: Growth is slowing on the back of weak domestic consumption, while global demand is waning because of an escalating U.S.-China trade war.
|
| GM's Cadillac unveils two new performance cars: the 2020 CT4-V and 2020 CT5-V Posted: 31 May 2019 04:40 AM PDT  The 2020 Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V performance sedans made their debut as GM aims to rejuvenate luxury sedan sales.
|
| The 2019 Mercedes-AMG CLS53 in Photos Posted: 31 May 2019 06:19 AM PDT |
| Police confirm missing Utah girl's body has been found Posted: 30 May 2019 04:25 PM PDT  SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A body found after a five-day search is that of a 5-year-old girl taken from her home and killed by her uncle, Utah police confirmed on Thursday.
|
| Galaxy S11 rumored to deliver Samsung’s next big camera innovations Posted: 31 May 2019 12:24 PM PDT  When the Galaxy Note 10 launches about two months from now, it'll deliver a novel design, maybe the kind of radical update that removes all physical buttons and the headphone jack. Yup, the audio port seems to be history, at least on the Note line. The phone is also expected to sport an S Pen stylus with improved functionality, as well as faster battery charging technology. But what the Galaxy Note 10 won't deliver, in spite of getting a brand new camera system, is a better camera experience than the Galaxy S10 phones. That's because a rumor says Samsung's next major camera evolution is planned for next year's Galaxy S11 instead.That's not to say the Galaxy Note 10 camera will be disappointing. It'll definitely be an upgrade over last year's Note 9, which is already quite impressive. Samsung's triple-lens-or-better module is coming to the upcoming Note 10 series, according to a leak from earlier this week. It's going to have a different placement on the back of the phone compared with the previous Note, but it'll probably get most or even all of the Galaxy S10's camera features.The news comes from Samsung insider Ice Universe, who said on Twitter that the Galaxy Note 10 will be Samsung's last "last 1/2.55-inch 1.4um CMOS flagship phone," which Samsung has been using for four years. The leaker also said the Galaxy S11 will get a new "large-size large-pixel CMOS."https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1133554761393795073According to the same leaker, the Galaxy Note 10 won't pack optical zoom capabilities similar to what you might find from the competition -- namely the Huawei P30 Pro. Samsung has tested 10x optical zoom on phones, but the components apparently require too much space inside the phone.https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1133553896499007488Samsung has created its own 5x optical zoom camera that will compete against the Huawei P30 Pro, but it'll launch it on new Galaxy A series mid-range phones at first, not the Note 10.https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1133551214417698816Samsung will unveil the Note 10 phones in August, so there's plenty of time left to learn everything about their rear and front-facing cameras.
|
| Border Patrol says it found largest-ever migrant group Posted: 31 May 2019 01:40 AM PDT  A group of 1,036 migrants that crossed the border illegally into El Paso, Texas, is the largest the Border Patrol has ever encountered, the agency said Thursday. (May 31)
|
| Trump planning 'dramatic' policy statement on border Posted: 30 May 2019 06:48 AM PDT  President Donald Trump said he is planning to make a major statement on US immigration policy on Thursday or Friday, amid continuing frustration over thousands of migrants pouring over the border with Mexico. "I'm going to be making a statement, probably tomorrow but maybe today," Trump told reporters. Trump accused Democrats in Congress of not supporting legislation to end what he called "ridiculous" US policy on asylum seekers.
|
| Louisiana abortion law: Fury as Democratic governor says he will sign bill banning terminations into law Posted: 29 May 2019 11:50 PM PDT  Louisiana lawmakers have passed a strict new abortion ban which will stop some women from having the procedure before they even know they are pregnant.In a 79-23 vote on Wednesday, the Louisiana House gave final passage to a bill barring abortion once there is a detectable fetal heartbeat, as early as the sixth week of pregnancy.The state joins Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio, which have all passed similar "heartbeat" bills this year.Missouri politicians also approved an eight-week ban on abortion and Alabama has gone even further, outlawing virtually all abortions, even in cases of rape or incest. None of the bans have taken effect, and all are expected to face legal challenges.Louisiana Democratic governor John Bel Edwards supports the ban and intends to sign it into law despite opposition from national party leaders who say such laws are attacks on women.He said in a statement after the ban's passage: "I know there are many who feel just as strongly as I do on abortion and disagree with me – and I respect their opinions."As I prepare to sign this bill, I call on the overwhelming bipartisan majority of legislators who voted for it to join me in continuing to build a better Louisiana that cares for the least among us and provides more opportunity for everyone."Abortion opponents are pushing new restrictions on the procedure in the hope a case will make its way to the high court, and two new conservative justices appointed by US president Donald Trump could help overturn the US Supreme Court's 1973 Roe V Wade decision that legalised abortion nationally.Louisiana's prohibition would only take hold if neighbouring Mississippi's law is upheld by a federal appeals court. A federal judge temporarily blocked that Mississippi law on Friday.Abortion rights activists said Louisiana's bill would effectively eliminate abortion as an option before many women realise they are pregnant, calling the proposal unconstitutional.The legislation includes an exception from the abortion ban to prevent a pregnant woman's death or "a serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function" – or if the pregnancy is deemed "medically futile".However it does not include an exception for a pregnancy caused by rape or incest.A doctor who violates the prohibition under the bill could face a prison sentence of up to two years, as well as having their medical licence revoked.Although similar abortion bans have drawn sharp criticism from Democrats nationwide, Louisiana's proposal won wide bipartisan support and was sponsored by a Democrat from the north-west corner of the state, Senator John Milkovich.Support from Mr Edwards, who is running for re-election this autumn against two Republicans, is expected to help shore up his position with some voters in his conservative home state, even if it puts him at odds with national Democratic Party leaders and donors.The ban is one of several bills that Louisiana politicians are advancing to add new restrictions on abortion.Another bill nearing the governor's desk would limit where medication-induced abortions can be performed to the state's three licensed abortion clinics.Reacting to the news Mr Edwards was poised to sign the bill, Allison Galbraith, second vice chair of Maryland Democratic Party, said: "We keep a big tent, but I've no room for being so incompetent or spineless that you don't get or don't care what these bills do."Adam Best, an activist and co-host of The Left podcast, tweeted: "Democrats are the party of civil rights and social justice. Being pro-choice is non-negotiable. "You can't have DINOs like John Bel Edwards making draconian abortion laws. Should be zero tolerance for Dems like that."Krishan Patel, who described himself as a progressive Democrat from Irvine on his Twitter profile, said: "If John Bel Edwards wants to make the government force a girl violently raped by her own father to carry that pregnancy out to term and give birth, then he does not deserve any Democratic support."Leana Wen, president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, added that the law would "devastate the health and well-being of women and families".While Jacob Taber tweeted: "The Democratic Party has no room for misogynists who want to police women's bodies."The chief executive of Walt Disney said it would be "very difficult" for the media company to keep filming in Georgia if a new abortion law takes effect.Bob Iger said the law would mean many people would not want to work in the US state.Georgia's Republican governor Brian Kemp signed the legislation earlier this month. The law bans abortion once cardiac activity can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks.If it survives court challenges, the law is due to take effect on 1 January.Disney has shot blockbuster films such as Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame in the state.Netflix has also warned it would "rethink" its film and television production investment in Georgia if the law goes into effect.Agencies contributed to this report.
|
| Bulgaria in first U.S. gas deals buys two LNG cargoes Posted: 31 May 2019 02:49 AM PDT ![Bulgaria in first U.S. gas deals buys two LNG cargoes]( "Bulgaria in first U.S. gas deals buys two LNG cargoes") Bulgaria has agreed to buy U.S. natural gas for the first time, signing a deal for a delivery in the second quarter and another in the third, the country's energy minister said on Friday. Dutch-registered trader Kolmar NL will deliver a 90 million cubic meter (mcm) cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a second of 50 mcm. "The ship carrying LNG from the United States has arrived at the Greek Revithoussa LNG terminal," Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova said.
|
| China Thinks Russia's New Stealth Fighter 'Trashes' the F-35 Posted: 30 May 2019 03:00 PM PDT  The Su-57 completely 'trashes' the latest American fighters like the F-35—at least, according to Chinese media.Earlier this month, Chinese defense news outlet Mil.news.sina published an analytical piece on the state of Russia's arsenal. The article looked to the Su-57, Russia's upcoming fifth generation stealth fighter, as a case study in the failures and successes of Russia's ambitious, decades-long campaign to modernize its armed forces.Whereas other fifth-generation fighters—most prominently, the US F-35—are strategic weapons, the author argues that the Su-57 was designed for an entirely different purpose that makes sense within the broader context of Russian military doctrine: "The Russians have a very simple idea. Nuclear weapons will defend Russia against the aggression of great powers. Jet fighters, military vessels, and other tactical weapons will guarantee Russia's victory in small, local conflicts."This first appeared earlier in 2019.
|
| Ford Hikes the 2020 Mustang Bullitt's Price by $1215 Posted: 30 May 2019 12:08 PM PDT  Other Mustangs see only a $250 increase in base price.
|
| Jussie Smollett: Possible deal was in the works a month before charges dropped, documents show Posted: 31 May 2019 07:59 AM PDT  New documents on the Jussie Smollett case show that prosecutors told Chicago police detectives that a possible deal with the actor was in the works a month before charges against him were dropped.Smollett was charged in March with 16 counts alleging he lied to police when reporting he'd been the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack in January. Police contend the black and openly gay actor allegedly staged the attack because he was unhappy with his salary and wanted publicity.Prosecutors dropped charges on 26 March without Smollett admitting guilt. Then Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and police Superintendent Eddie Johnson expressed outrage over the prosecutors' decision. Smollett has maintained his innocence. The approximately 460 pages of new documents show that detectives investigating Smollett's allegations were told by Cook County prosecutors a deal with the Empire actor could include a $10,000 fine and community service. The detectives did not pass the information to superiors. "They didn't pass it on because they didn't know it (the case) was going to be handled the way it was," said Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. In the documents released on Thursday, detectives note the Chicago Police Department was informed by the Cook County State's Attorney's office on 28 February that they could no longer investigate the crime. Smollett was indicted on 7 March. The lead investigators in the case met with Assistant State's Attorney Risa Lanier, who informed detectives "that she felt the case would be settled with Smollett paying the city of Chicago $10,000 in restitution and doing community service". The detectives closed the case at that point because an arrest was made and the alleged offender was being prosecuted, according to Guglielmi.It was the attorneys for Smollett who announced charges alleging he lied to police about attack had been dropped. At the time, Johnson said he learned of the deal prosecutors made with Smollett when the deal was announced by lawyers, adding he didn't think justice was being served. However, he didn't directly criticise prosecutors."My job as a police officer is to investigate an incident, gather evidence, gather the facts and present them to the state's attorney," Johnson said. "That's what we did. I stand behind the detectives' investigation." The Illinois Prosecutors Bar Association said the dismissal of the charges was "an affront to prosecutors across the state" as well as police, victims of hate crimes and the county as a whole.The city of Chicago is seeking $130,000 from Smollett to cover the costs of the investigation into his reported beating. The city claims about two dozen detectives and officers investigated the entertainer's report that he was attacked, resulting in a "substantial number of overtime hours."Additional reporting by agencies
|
| The surprising main reason 492 out of 500 people at one company chose iPhone over Android Posted: 31 May 2019 06:36 AM PDT  There are so many exciting new Android smartphones coming in 2019. In fact, several of the best ones have already been released. After two years with the same design, Samsung completely overhauled the Galaxy S10 series and gave it a new all-screen design with a hole-punch camera that people seem to love. Then the OnePlus 7 Pro came along with the first true all-screen design and a selfie camera that pops up out of the top of the phone only when you need it. Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg and there are even more exciting new Android phones set to be released over the course of the year, including the first crop of smartphones with OLED screens that actually fold so they can be made more compact.Meanwhile, on the other side of the fence, there's not really anything terribly exciting about Apple's upcoming new iPhone 11 series smartphones. The iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max will feature upgraded triple-lens cameras, which is certainly nice considering how far Apple has fallen behind market leaders like Huawei and Google. Beyond that, however, we're looking at new iPhone 11 models that look just like iPhone XS models from last year and the iPhone X from two years ago. And yet... despite how boring Apple's 2019 iPhone upgrade is shaping up to be, the companies unreleased iPhone 11 series smartphones still garner so much more hype than Android rivals. There's just something about Apple's iPhones that people can't seem to stay away from, and people are constantly trying to figure out exactly what it is. There are undoubtedly plenty of different reasons people have for choosing an iPhone over Android smartphones, but a new informal survey that was recently conducted suggested that one of the biggest reasons is something you would probably never expect.A Redditor who goes by the name "jackharvest" posted earlier this week in the Android subreddit to share an interesting story. He works in IT at an unnamed company, and his team noticed something crazy: of the 500 employees at the company, only 8 of them chose to use an Android phone. Everyone else -- all 492 of them -- chose an iPhone over Android phones.The IT team was so intrigued that it decided to issue a survey to ask employees why they chose the iPhone over Android. According to the Redditor, more than half of the iPhone users at the company gave the same answer. Did they choose Apple's iPhone over an Android handset because the design and build quality are so much better? Was it because iPhones always outperform even the most powerful Android flagships in real-life speed tests? Or perhaps it was because they all prefer the simplicity and ease of use that iOS offers compared to Android.Nope, it wasn't any of that. It was because they didn't want to be "green bubbles," a reference to the fact that iMessage chats in the iPhone's Messages app use blue bubbles while SMS chats are displayed with green bubbles. Forget all of the great advantages iPhones might offer, iMessage is the main reason all these people wanted an iPhone. 98% of the employees at this company went with Apple over Android, and for the majority of them, it was mainly because of a single service.Now, commenters on Reddit were quick to point out that this phenomenon is unique to the United States and perhaps a handful of other regions, and they're correct. Cross-platform messaging apps from third-party app makers are popular in the US, but SMS and iMessage are still widely used. That's not the case in many other markets -- SMS has been almost completely abandoned in favor of messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and others. The US is one of the biggest smartphone markets in the world though, and it's pretty crazy to think that the desire to be a blue bubble is still such a huge deciding factor for people here. Meanwhile, Google continues to flounder in all of its attempts to produce a similar messaging service for Android with anywhere near the kind of lock-in we've seen with iMessage.
|
| Mueller Adds to Impeachment Fervor, But Democrats Won’t Move Fast Posted: 30 May 2019 06:30 AM PDT  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other party leaders are reluctant to pursue impeachment hearings, focusing instead on a slow windup of investigations by multiple committees. The House calendar could also delay the process, with members set to be away from Washington for big chunks of time for the rest of the year.
|
| Nevada governor vetoes national popular vote compact Posted: 30 May 2019 03:41 PM PDT  CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevada will not join a cohort of other U.S. states that have pledged their Electoral College votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote.
|
| JPMorgan Chase settles case with male employees over paid parental leave Posted: 31 May 2019 09:14 AM PDT ![JPMorgan Chase settles case with male employees over paid parental leave]( "JPMorgan Chase settles case with male employees over paid parental leave") JPMorgan Chase reached a settlement with male employees who accused the company of denying them paid parental leave.
|
| U.S. 'playing with fire' on Taiwan, China says ahead of defense meeting Posted: 30 May 2019 03:59 AM PDT  The two countries, locked in an escalating trade war, are also at odds over a series of strategic issues, from the disputed South China Sea to democratic Taiwan, claimed by China as its sacred territory, to be taken by force if needed. Wei and Shanahan - who on his first day as acting defense secretary in January said the U.S. military would focus on "China, China, China" - are both attending the annual Shangri-La defense forum in Singapore which begins on Friday, where they are expected to meet. China has been particularly incensed by recent U.S. Navy patrols in the Taiwan Strait, U.S. legislation in support of Taiwan and a meeting between Taiwan's national security chief David Lee and White House national security adviser John Bolton.
|
| Scouted: Cold Brew Coffee is the Best Kind of Coffee and Here’s How to Brew the Best Cup Posted: 31 May 2019 01:00 PM PDT  There are some people who can drink hot coffee year-round. I am not one of those people. If anything, I could drink cold brew well into winter time without much thought (though I would get some looks from strangers).I've talked about what I love about cold brew and why it's superior to any other method of brewing coffee. If you want to make it yourself at home, you have many options. We've rounded up some of the best-selling cold brew coffee makers on the market that deserve a place on your kitchen counter — and in your heart.Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker, $19 on AmazonTakeya Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker, $19 on Amazon: I love this cold brew maker because it's just so easy. You just dump your favorite ground coffee into the center compartment, fill the rest with water, and let it sit. The only thing you really need for a really good cold brew from this maker besides coffee and water is patience.OXO BREW Cold Brew Coffee Maker, $50 on AmazonOXO BREW Cold Brew Coffee Maker, $50 on Amazon: What's great about this cold brew maker is that you can evenly distribute the water thanks to the "Rainmaker" top that disperses water across the grounds. It brews up top and then a quick-release button empties the coffee into a ready-to-pour carafe. Toddy Cold Brew System, $35 on AmazonToddy Cold Brew System, $35 on Amazon: This maker from Toddy comes with its own reusable filter and the ability to buy a separate paper filter for quick and easy cleanup. Steep your coffee in the top and then pull out the rubber and empty it into the carafe below. The carafe itself comes with an airtight lid so you can easily store your cold brew without worrying about any flavor changes.Country Line Kitchen Cold Brew Coffee Maker, $27 on AmazonCountry Line Kitchen Cold Brew Coffee Maker, $27 on Amazon: While this may look a little kitschy, the mason jar brewer is all business. The interior filter is made from a super strong stainless steel and the lid features a flip-top lid to keep the caffeine flowing freely (this sounds like a dream I had last night). And look, the mason jar-style container is just darn cute.Bodum Bean Cold Brew Coffee Maker, $22 on AmazonBodum Bean Cold Brew Coffee Maker, $22 on Amazon: I always forget how much I enjoy French press coffee and this maker from Bodum pairs its classic French press style with multi-hour-long steeps. Just put your grounds in, fill with cold water, and let steep. After it's done, press down like you would any other French press-style brew.Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.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.
|
