| Mike Pompeo urges other countries to help protect tankers after Gulf attacks Posted: 18 Jun 2019 12:45 PM PDT  Secretary of state says shipping security was not exclusively a US problem and stresses that Trump does not want war with IranWashington has blamed recent attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Iran. Photograph: -/AFP/Getty ImagesThe US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has called on other nations to help safeguard tanker traffic in the Persian Gulf following a spate of attacks on ships which Washington blames on Iran.On a visit to US Central Command headquarters, Pompeo said shipping security in the Gulf was not exclusively a US problem."You have China that depends enormously on energy transiting the Strait of Hormuz. You have South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, all of whom have an enormous interest in ensuring there's freedom of navigation throughout this waterway," the secretary of state said."The United States is prepared to do its part, but every nation that has a deep interest in protecting that shipping lane so that energy can move around the world and support their economies needs to make sure they understand the real threat."Pompeo added that "President Trump does not want war, and we will continue to communicate that message, while doing the things that are necessary to protect American interests in the region."In an interview on Tuesday, Trump played down the threat to the US represented by the tanker attacks in the region, which he described as being "very minor"."Other places get such vast amounts of oil there," Trump told Time magazine. "We get very little. We have made tremendous progress in the last two and a half years in energy. And when the pipelines get built, we're now an exporter of energy. So we're not in the position that we used to be in in the Middle East where … some people would say we were there for the oil."The Trump administration is seeking to handle the Gulf crisis amid turmoil in its top ranks. The acting defence secretary, Patrick Shanahan, who Trump had nominated to take on the job official, resigned on Tuesday "to devote more time to his family", according to a Trump tweet.Trump named the army secretary, Mark Esper, to take over as acting defence secretary. The US has not had a Senate-confirmed defence secretary in place since December, when James Mattis resigned.As with his approach to Nato and US Pacific alliances, Trump is focused on persuading allies in the Gulf to shoulder a greater burden in providing security.The US would be able to rely on Gulf Arab support for tanker protection, but enlisting European involvement is complicated by the fact that European governments see the Trump administration as having precipitating the crisis by walking out of the 2015 multilateral nuclear deal with Iran, and imposing an oil and banking embargo on the country.On Tuesday, Pompeo confirmed that the visit to Tehran last week by the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was made on Trump's request."President Trump had sent … Abe to take a message of his to the leadership in Iran," the secretary of statem said. Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, rejected the proposal of a dialogue with Trump and the two tankers, one of them Japanese-owned, were attacked while Abe was in Tehran.The deputy chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Paul Selva also confirmed on Tuesday that the US had been using Swiss and Iraqi channels as well as public messaging to warn Iran off any direct attack on US interests."To engage [the US reinforcements] would be a miscalculation that would lead to a response," he said. "We don't want them to do that. We want them to be clear-eyed in whatever it is they are planning."He added: "The risks of miscalculation are real."Iran has denied responsibility for the blasts that hobbled two tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, but on Tuesday the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) – which the US says carried out the attack with limpet mines – stepped up the threat to ships travelling through the Strait of Hormuz."These missiles can hit with great precision carriers in the sea," Brig Gen Hossein Salami said in a televised speech. "These missiles are domestically produced and are difficult to intercept and hit with other missiles."Anthony Cordesman, a national security analyst at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said Arab states in the Gulf could easily help protect tankers with surveillance planes and drones, and could have warplanes at the site of an attack within minutes.Cordesman acknowledged that deep scepticism over US policy towards Iran has made European governments cautious about being drawn into a conflict, but he argued that the presence of a UK and French naval fleet could offer a powerful political deterrent to further attacks."If what you want is a precondition for negotiations, and cool the situation down, there is an incentive for the UK and France to take part – if what you are doing is deterring attacks and monitoring the situation," Cordesman said. Nicholas Burns, a former under secretary of state for political affairs, said: "The administration has a credibility problem due to its rash and unwise disavowal of the Iran nuclear deal and its threats to sanction European companies that do business with Iran."He added: "But Iran is clearly in the wrong in its activities in the Gulf. The administration is right to consider international convoys. And it is in the clear interest of the European allies, as well as some of the Sunni Arab states, to help the US. At risk is commercial energy traffic in a critical international waterway. Europe, especially, should want to see the free flow of oil and gas for its economic wellbeing."
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| Hong Kong leader's apology is 'fake,' more protests are coming, foes say Posted: 18 Jun 2019 12:06 PM PDT  Leaders of a massive protest in Hong Kong rejected Chief Executive Carrie Lam's apology for a contentious extradition bill, demand her resignation.
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| China earthquake kills 13, injures 199 Posted: 18 Jun 2019 07:49 AM PDT  The toll from a strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake in southwest China rose to 13 dead and 199 injured on Tuesday as rescuers pulled bodies and survivors from wrecked buildings. More than 8,000 people were relocated as a large number of structures were damaged or collapsed after the quake struck late Monday near Yibin, in Sichuan province, according to the city government. Other images were of a woman being helped out of another collapsed structure.
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| This Tank Could Stop a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan Posted: 18 Jun 2019 12:42 AM PDT  The Trump administration's plan to sell tanks, missiles and ground-launched air defenses to Taiwan embodies what might be called a strategic paradigm shift to empower the small island's deterrence posture against an often-threatened Chinese invasion.While much existing discussion centers upon strengthening Taiwanese air, sea and undersea defenses, there also appears to be an unequivocal need for major land defenses. The existing air-sea emphasis is extremely important, yet there are certainly elements of this approach which invite further discussion about the need to provide Taiwan with a strong, armored ground force as well.The proposed $2 billion arms package includes 108 main battle tanks, 250 Stinger anti-air missiles, as well as 409 Javelins and 1,240 TOW anti-tank missiles.Drawing heavily upon a US Pacific presence along with Asian-theater allied support, a maritime-air Taiwan defense strategy has clearly had a deterrence impact in recent years. Part of this ability to keep a Chinese invasion at bay has naturally hinged upon a strong US posture ensuring defense of the island.
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| Watch as a Model 3 is transformed into the first Tesla pickup truck Posted: 18 Jun 2019 04:06 PM PDT ![Watch as a Model 3 is transformed into the first Tesla pickup truck]( "Watch as a Model 3 is transformed into the first Tesla pickup truck") For all of the hoopla surrounding Elon Musk's online antics and Tesla's ongoing struggles to ramp up Model 3 production, it's easy to overlook just how far the company has come in a relatively short period of time. In less than seven years time, Tesla managed to roll out the award-winning Model S, followed of course by the Model Y and the Model 3. It's worth noting that Tesla, during this seven-year period, has seen its deliveries and overall manufacturing figures skyrocket. As a prime example, Tesla during the first quarter of 2018 manufactured 34,494 vehicles. During the first quarter of 2019, just one year later, that figure jumped to 77,100 vehicles. All the while, Tesla has no plans of slowing down. Over the next few years, the company has plans to release a crossover version of the Model 3, a Tesla semi-truck, a next-gen Roadster, and last but not least, an electric pickup truck. Tesla's pickup truck plan is particularly intriguing given how popular pickup trucks are in the United States. Over the past few months, Musk has teased Tesla's somewhat mysterious pickup truck, noting that it will boast "incredible functionally from a load carrying standpoint" and that it will look more like a sci-fi truck than a traditional pickup truck. "That means that it's not going to be for everyone," Musk said a few weeks ago, "like if somebody just wants to have a truck that looks like trucks have looked like for the last 20 to 40 years, it probably isn't for them." With no definite timeline regarding a release date, or even an unveiling, an enterprising Model 3 owner and robotics enthusiast named Simone Giertz recently decided that she couldn't wait for Tesla to get around to releasing a pickup truck. So instead, she created one on her own out of a Model 3. The entire process was documented on YouTube and it's quite fascinating. "I don't know if this going to be the smartest or the most stupid thing I'm ever gonna do, but the bottom line is I really want an electric pickup truck and more specifically I want a Tesla pickup," Giertz explains. Suffice it to say, the entire process was quite involved and not exactly straight forward. But after a lot of engineering and planning, the first Tesla pickup truck was borne into existence. It's not the most aesthetically pleasing design, but it's still quite an impressive achievement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKv_N0IDS2A She even went so far as to make a commercial for the fictional "Truckla" she designed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R35gWBtLCYg
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| Authorities Seize 16 Tons of Cocaine From a Ship Docked in Philadelphia, in One of the Largest Drug Busts in U.S. History Posted: 18 Jun 2019 02:44 PM PDT  Federal officials estimate the street value at over $1 billion
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| Suspected home intruder chased off by 11-year-old boy with machete Posted: 17 Jun 2019 01:48 PM PDT  An 11-year-old boy is making headlines after he chased off three home invadersby striking one of them with a machete last Friday morning, according to WTVD
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| Trump to Florida Rally Crowd: Democrats ‘Want to Destroy You’ Posted: 18 Jun 2019 06:40 PM PDT  President Trump officially "kicked off" his 2020 re-election campaign in Orlando, Florida on Tuesday night by telling a crowd of riled up supporters that Democrats are hell-bent on "destroying" them. "The Democrats don't care about Russia," the president growled. "They only care about their own political power. They went after my family, my business, my finances, my employees, almost everyone that I have ever known or worked with, but they are really going after you!"Asserting that the Russia investigation was really about erasing the votes of his supporters, Trump claimed it was all an attempt to erase the "legacy of the greatest campaign and the greatest election probably in the history of our country.""And they wanted to deny you the future that you demanded and the future that America deserves and that now America is getting," he added.After soaking in some more cheers from the audience, the president said his "radical Democrat opponents are driven by hatred, prejudice and rage" before turning up the inflammatory rhetoric."They want to destroy you and they want to destroy our country as we know it," Trump snarled. "Not acceptable. It's not going to happen!"His supporters, meanwhile, lapped it up, exploding in applause.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| IRGC chief says Iran's ballistic missiles capable of hitting 'carriers in the sea' Posted: 18 Jun 2019 09:16 AM PDT ![IRGC chief says Iran's ballistic missiles capable of hitting 'carriers in the sea']( "IRGC chief says Iran's ballistic missiles capable of hitting 'carriers in the sea'") The commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps said on Tuesday that Iran's ballistic missiles were capable of hitting "carriers in the sea" with great precision. "These missiles can hit with great precision carriers in the sea ... These missiles are domestically produced and are difficult to intercept and hit with other missiles," Brigadier General Hossein Salami said in a televised speech.
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| Duterte Stands by China, Doubts Own Fishermen in Sea Collision Posted: 17 Jun 2019 10:51 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is standing by China over a collision involving the two nations' boats in the South China Sea, with his spokesman casting doubts on local fishermen's accounts of the incident.In his first public statement about what he described as a "maritime incident," Duterte said China's side should be heard on the collision that resulted in a Philippine vessel carrying 22 fishermen sinking in disputed waters on June 9. The crew were rescued by a Vietnamese fishing boat and a Philippine Navy ship."It is best investigated. I don't issue a statement now because there's no investigation and no result," Duterte said in speech at a Philippine Navy event on Monday night. "The only thing we can do is wait and give the other party the right to be heard."The Philippines will not escalate tensions with China by sending military ships to the South China Sea following the collision, he added, reiterating his nation isn't ready to go to war with Beijing.At a briefing Tuesday, Duterte's spokesman Salvador Panelo said there are "circumstances that give doubt to the version" of the Filipino fishermen, including how most of them were asleep when the collision happened."The President doesn't want this to be blown into an international crisis," Panelo said. "We are being careful because there will be repercussions if we make the wrong move."'Passive' PolicyDuterte stuck to his pro-China stance despite calls from the opposition, led by Vice President Leni Robredo, to change his "passive" China policy by actively asserting the nation's rights in the disputed waters. Robredo, in a Facebook post Sunday, also called on Duterte's government to demand the Chinese fishermen's trial in the Philippines.Duterte now has to convince the public that friendly ties with China is still the way to go, said Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines' Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea."Between the Philippine government and the Chinese government the friendship policy has been set, but this incident has happened and casts doubt on the sincerity and wisdom of it to the Filipino people," Batongbacal said.The Philippines' long-term position in the South China Sea dispute may be weakened if Duterte maintains his pro-Beijing stance after the incident, said Professor Jeffrey Ordaniel, a fellow at Hawaii-based foreign policy research institute Pacific Forum. "The Duterte administration's China policy is unfortunately helping the Chinese pursue their maritime ambitions."Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang described the incident as an "accidental collision" at briefing on Monday, adding that politicizing the collision "is not appropriate." Beijing's embassy in Manila earlier said the Chinese vessel's captain tried to rescue the Philippine fishermen after bumping into their boat, but was afraid of being "besieged" by other Filipino fishing boats.The incident took place near Reed Bank, an area claimed by both Manila and Beijing where there's a pending oil exploration plan by Philippines company PXP Energy Corp.\--With assistance from Dandan Li and Philip J. Heijmans.To contact the reporter on this story: Andreo Calonzo in Manila at acalonzo1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Cecilia Yap at cyap19@bloomberg.net, Ruth Pollard, Caroline AlexanderFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| The Latest: Indiana AG's office plans vigorous defense Posted: 18 Jun 2019 12:54 PM PDT  The Indiana attorney general's office says it will vigorously defend him against a federal lawsuit by four women who say he drunkenly groped them during a party last year. The lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges sexual harassment by Republican state Attorney General Curtis Hill on a state lawmaker and three legislative staffers in March 2018 at an Indianapolis bar. Hill has denied wrongdoing and rebuffed calls from Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to resign.
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| Russia's 1st 5th Generation Stealth Fighter: Meet the Secret MiG 1.44 Posted: 17 Jun 2019 09:00 PM PDT  Over the prior decade, Russia's foray into fifth-generation jet fighter development has become synonymous with the upcoming Su-57. But the Su-57 was only Russia's second attempt at developing a fifth-generation aircraft, preceded by several decades with an altogether different project.This is the story of the ill-fated MiG 1.44.In 1979, Soviet high command determined that a new generation of fighter aircraft was needed to ensure the competitiveness of the Soviet Air Force (VVS) into the 1990's and beyond. The timing could not have been more apt; it was only several years later that the US air force began researching and developing what would become the highly capable F-22 fighter.The project, which became known as MFI or "Multifunctional Frontline Fighter," established a set of core design criteria roughly corresponding with the Soviet and early Russian understanding of what makes a fifth-generation fighter: supermaneuverability, supercruise capability (sustained supersonic speeds without the use of afterburners), low radar cross-section, integrated avionics system, and substantially improved landing/takeoff capability.
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| Ocasio-Cortez accuses Trump administration of creating ‘concentration camps on the southern border’ Posted: 18 Jun 2019 09:50 AM PDT  The freshman Democrat sharply criticized the Trump administration's handling of migrants seeking asylum in the United States with rhetoric that drew the ire of some Republicans.
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| Venezuela receives second shipment of Red Cross aid Posted: 18 Jun 2019 12:49 AM PDT  Venezuela Monday received a second shipment of Red Cross humanitarian aid, including 24 tonnes of medical supplies and generators provided by Panama, intended for hospitals to help address the country's acute health crisis. In a statement, the Venezuelan Red Cross said it had received "medicines, medical supplies and power generators" that will be distributed in hospitals across the country, which is experiencing the worst crisis in its recent history. Six trucks moved the supplies to a Red Cross warehouse in Caracas, an AFP journalist confirmed.
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| Comics say Trump should be interrupted by coughing more often Posted: 18 Jun 2019 10:33 AM PDT  What was Trump's White House interview with Stephanopoulos like? The comics give a crash course in Best of Late Night.
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| Staff evacuated as rocket strikes near foreign oil firms in Iraq Posted: 18 Jun 2019 09:20 PM PDT  A rocket hit a site in southern Iraq used by foreign oil companies on Wednesday, including U.S. energy giant ExxonMobil, wounding three people and threatening to further escalate U.S.-Iran tensions in the region. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack near Iraq's southern city of Basra, the fourth time in a week that rockets have struck near U.S. installations. Three previous attacks on or near military bases housing U.S. forces near Baghdad and Mosul caused no casualties or major damage.
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| Police: Mom drives into Michigan river; 3 dead Posted: 18 Jun 2019 10:47 AM PDT  Authorities say they've found the body of a woman and her 9-year-old twin daughters after she intentionally drove a car carrying them into a southwestern Michigan river. (June 18)
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| The secret to Elizabeth Warren's surge? Ideas Posted: 17 Jun 2019 11:00 PM PDT  Of all the Democratic candidates, Warren has offered by far the most plans-driven and ambitious campaign – and voters love it'Rather than condescend to voters, like most politicians, Warren has treated voters as adults, smart enough to handle her wonky style of campaigning.' Photograph: Mark Makela/Getty ImagesOn Friday, the Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren co-sponsored a bill to impose mandatory fines on companies that have data breaches. It was the kind of consumer welfare legislation that in the past would have been unremarkable. But in an era when Congress has consistently shirked its duty to shield consumers, the bill stood out.The legislation capped a week in which Warren surged in the polls. Less than eight months before the Iowa caucus, Warren is making strides in 2020 primary polls. According to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey of 1,000 adults, 64% of Democratic primary voters in June were enthusiastic or comfortable with Warren, compared with 57% in March. Fewer of these voters were enthusiastic or comfortable with Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, who have lost 11 and six points, respectively, since March.There's more. In a poll last week of 2,312 registered voters in South Carolina, Warren gained nine points to reach 17% compared to Biden's 37%. Among 18-34 year olds, Warren is leading 24% to Sanders' 19% and Biden's 17%.> There's a simple reason for Warren's sudden rise in the polls: the public has an appetite for policyThere's a simple reason for Warren's sudden rise in the polls: the public has an appetite for policy. Of all the Democratic candidates, Warren's campaign has been by far the most ideas-driven and ambitious in its policy proposals. And voters love it.Rather than condescend to voters, like most politicians, Warren has treated voters as adults, smart enough to handle her wonky style of campaigning. Instead of spoon-feeding prospective voters soundbites, Warren is giving them heaps to digest – and her polling surge shows that voters appreciate the nerdy policy talk.Indeed, since Warren declared her candidacy for president, she has been offering policy prescriptions for our country's most pressing ailments – and she hasn't been brainstorming in a bubble.Week in and week out, she has been crisscrossing the country to tell receptive voters her ideas for an ultra-millionaire tax, student debt cancellation and breaking up big tech. She has also weighed in on reproductive rights, vaccines, the opioid crisis and algorithmic discrimination in automated loans. Her bevy of white papers demonstrates that there isn't a policy area Warren won't touch and she isn't worried about repelling anyone with hard-hitting proposals.Better than any other candidate, Warren has articulated a connection between her personal and professional struggles and her ideas, lending an air of authenticity to her campaign. Her backstory – teacher turned reluctant stay-at-home mom turned Harvard Law School professor – clearly resonates with voters in important states such as Iowa and South Carolina.That sense of reciprocity has turned Warren into a populist rock star. Instead of appealing to the lowest common denominator among the voting public, she's listening to and learning from voters in an ideas-driven campaign that doesn't take voters for granted.The strategy is paying off – and proving wrong the outdated political wisdom that Americans don't care about the intricacies of government.In May, Warren traveled to Kermit, West Virginia, the heart of Trump country, to pitch a $2.7bn-a-year plan to combat opioid addiction."Her stance is decisive and bold," Nathan Casian-Lakes told CBS News. "She has research and resources to back her ideas." * Jill Priluck's reporting and analysis has appeared in the New Yorker, Slate, Reuters and elsewhere
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| Far-right UK student jailed over Prince Harry online posts Posted: 18 Jun 2019 04:46 AM PDT  A far-right university student who called Prince Harry a race traitor and created an image of him with a pistol to his head was on Tuesday jailed in Britain for more than four years. Michal Szewczuk, 19, posted the image, which also featured a blood-splattered swastika, on microblogging platform Gab in August last year, months after the prince married mixed-race actress Meghan Markle. Szewczuk, who was jailed for four years and three months, pleaded guilty to two counts of encouraging terrorism and five counts of possession of terrorist material, including the White Resistance Manual and an Al-Qaeda manual.
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| Google puts up $1B to ease housing headaches it helped cause Posted: 18 Jun 2019 03:29 PM PDT  Google is pouring $1 billion into easing the high-priced housing headaches that it and its Silicon Valley peers helped give the San Francisco Bay Area. The pledge announced Tuesday by Google CEO Sundar Pichai consists of a $250 million investment fund and $750 million of company-owned land. Google's commitment eclipsed a recent $500 million pledge made by Microsoft to combat housing shortages in the Seattle area and a $500 million housing fund created by a consortium including Facebook.
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| Popular new $46 true wireless earbuds are only $30 with this special coupon Posted: 18 Jun 2019 06:03 AM PDT ![Popular new $46 true wireless earbuds are only $30 with this special coupon]( "Popular new $46 true wireless earbuds are only $30 with this special coupon") Before you go and spend $159 on Apple's new AirPods 2 earbuds, there's a great new pair from a rival company that you should know about. The TaoTronics Bluetooth 5.0 True Wireless Earbuds offer a better design than AirPods, with silicone tips that isolate sound as well as better water-resistance thanks to the IPX7 rating. They're a bargain at $46, but the special coupon code WSCZS4YF slashes the price all the way down to $29.99! Definitely get a pair while they're down to their lowest price ever -- you'll be glad you did.Here are the highlights from the product page: * Extended playtime: true wireless ear buds that last over 3 hours on a full charge; 3350mAh case can recharge the ear buds up to 40 times to give you 120H of extra playtime, doubles as a power bank * User-friendly: remove ear buds from the charging Pod to auto turn on and connect to your last Device, Disconnects when returned; One touch control for streamlined user interface * Uninterrupted enjoyment: Bluetooth 5. 0 for no signal loss or music dropouts to retain high quality audio within 10M/ 33ft operational range; straightforward to pair with any Device * For all occasions: with a built-in mica in each ear bud, you can utilize both single/Twin mode; use a single ear bud for working or use the pair to enjoy music alone or Share with a loved one * Durable & Water-Resistant: IPX7 waterproof build that keeps up with you during strenuous workouts, lightweight And compact construction to survive every aspect of daily life
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| What's the future for cash? Target register outages prove physical loot still has its place Posted: 19 Jun 2019 09:46 AM PDT  Is cash on borrowed time? The outages at Target stores remind us that nothing beats cash when technology fails.
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| The migrants risking it all on the deadly Rio Grande Posted: 18 Jun 2019 03:37 AM PDT  The 19-year-old pregnant migrant wades towards the US shore, deep enough in the Rio Grande for waves to splash against her waist. Pushing through the river's current, and mindful of an alligator lingering upriver, she guides her friend's crying 10-year-old boy towards a US border-patrol rescue boat. As the boat carries them on the final leg of their journey to the United States from Honduras, the young woman waves back to a group on Mexico's riverbank cheering her rescue.The day before, border-patrol agents at the Eagle Pass river crossing in South Texas had found the body of a man too decomposed to be easily identified. A couple of days earlier, a video of a man desperately trying to swim against the current before going limp and sinking circulated in Mexican news media. And in early May, border-patrol agents at Eagle Pass pulled the body of a 10-month-old baby from the Rio Grande after a raft carrying nine migrants overturned. Only five survived."The sad moments are the deaths. Unfortunately, we've seen some of those," says Bryan Kemmett, the border-patrol agent in charge of Eagle Pass, a town of 29,000 about an hour from the larger Del Rio. "The more troubling ones, the ones more recently, are the small infants. When you see the small infant and you hear the infant dying, you think about your own children."Migrants have for years traversed the Rio Grande on makeshift rafts to cross illegally into the United States. But facing a surge of families from Central America, border-patrol agents are now pulling dozens of migrants, including young children, from the harsh current of the river almost every day. President Donald Trump's repeated threats and attempts to limit immigration have not deterred migrants. The US Customs and Border Protection agency took more than 144,200 into custody in May, the highest monthly total in 13 years.Policies that separated migrant children from their parents, forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their day in court and detained teenagers in camps likened to juvenile prisons have done little to stem the immigration flow. So far in the current federal fiscal year, which began on 1 October, border-patrol agents have rescued at least 315 migrants from a 209-mile stretch of the Rio Grande – up from 12 migrants the year before.Earlier this month, a 40-year-old migrant woman collapsed at the Eagle Pass station about 30 minutes after crossing the river. She was declared dead at a hospital, and the authorities were investigating the cause of her death.Migrants who are interviewed for this article at Eagle Pass say they are well aware of the risks. But they also say they were convinced by human smugglers and by other migrants that crossing the Rio Grande, which can take about five to 10 minutes, was the fastest and least complicated way to start their requests for asylum, given the Trump administration's clampdown at legal ports of entry."The whole world crosses through the river," says Yevy Leiva, 28, who steered a raft across the Rio Grande with his son and two other migrants. Nine days later, he waits in a shelter in Del Rio, packed with scores of other migrants, for a bus to Dallas to stay with friends. Only migrants who show visible distress or who are travelling with a child are rescued by border-patrol agents. And while far more migrants trying to slip into the United States die on land – from dehydration or other dangers in the desert and brush – the number of deaths in the Rio Grande is rising at an alarming rate.Over the past two fiscal years, at least 11 people have drowned in the Del Rio sector of the Rio Grande. By comparison, the border patrol recovered the remains of four people from the river from fiscal 2015 to fiscal 2017.Randy Davis, the acting deputy chief patrol agent of the border patrol for the Del Rio sector, blames the deluge of migrants on the human smugglers who are increasingly exploiting this stretch of the Rio Grande as a comparatively untapped path into the United States.Since 1 October, border-patrol agents in the Del Rio sector have arrested nearly 18,000 migrant family members – compared with 1,387 during the first eight months of fiscal 2018. Agents in the sector have also rescued nearly three times as many migrants in the water than agents in other sectors along the border with Mexico, taken together.Some of them were infants who had to be flown to a hospital in San Antonio after they nearly drowned, Kemmett says. Davis says he expects to find more bodies. "There have been hundreds and hundreds of rescues," Davis says. "I'm trying to keep them all straight in my mind. I would suspect there are other individuals out there that were never reported missing that we will eventually recover at some point in the future."The US border patrol has issued warnings in Mexico about the dangers of crossing the Rio Grande, and Kemmett says migrants have been urged to at least wear life jackets before making the attempt. He says the river's levels have risen about 3ft because of a water release from a nearby hydroelectric dam and excessive rainfall. While the Rio Grande is shallow in some areas, other parts dip without warning to a depth of 8ft. Debris ricochets along the riverbed, and the banks are littered with inflatable tubes and Styrofoam noodles that migrants use to stay afloat.The river levels are expected to rise again soon and the dam releases to irrigate crops in and around Eagle Pass and to provide electricity for the town. Underscoring the dangers to the migrants, an alligator hid among river weeds one afternoon last month, floating just high enough to show the spikes along its back."They're navigating the currents, they're navigating the river itself, and now you have alligators," says Kemmett, a 24-year veteran of the border patrol. "An alligator is not going to know the difference between a child and a chicken, or any other small animal." Migrants often head to the Rio Grande with one change of clothes as well as their identification and other documents in a plastic bag. After crossing successfully, some change into the dry clothes before they are taken to a border-patrol facility to be processed.> They're navigating the currents, they're navigating the river itself, and now you have alligatorsWalking along the riverbank in Eagle Pass, Kemmett stops to examine a shirt left in the weeds near the water. It belonged to a baby. "We're seeing a lot of families," he says. "But within those families, we're seeing more and more younger infants. Trying to cross the river with a 2-month-old strapped to your chest or your back is not easy.""It's not easy to begin with," Kemmett says, "but now you're trying to hold on to your child. And the desperation and the panic gets in there, and then they start to struggle." Once they cross the Rio Grande and touch US soil, the migrants are taken into custody by the border patrol. They are processed in centres that were built to detain migrants before they were deported.But the sheer number of incoming migrants – many of whom are seeking asylum and are travelling with children who, by US law, cannot be detained for more than 20 days – has created an overwhelming backlog in cases and crowding at the border processing facilities. As a result, the vast majority of migrants who illegally enter the United States are told to report to court at a later date and are released. From there, the migrants search out relatives or other places to stay while their cases wind their way through immigration court.Last month, the Trump administration began flying migrants from overcrowded centres elsewhere in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas to Del Rio to be processed. But agents in Del Rio say the processing facility there was also overcapacity; earlier this month, the authorities there built a tent city to house migrants. Storage areas that had been used for border-patrol equipment in Del Rio "are now storing baby formula, diapers, additional extra space for blankets, heat blankets they can wrap up in", Davis says. Most of the migrants who are caught by the border patrol come to the United States to escape poverty in their home nations, Kemmett says, and do not appear to be the criminals that Trump has warned of in his campaign to limit immigration. Agents in Del Rio say there is no sign that the surge of migrant families will decline.Kemmett says the border-patrol agents he oversees are becoming "battle fatigued". He also questions why migrants would knowingly put their children in that type of danger in attempting the perilous journey to the United States.For some of the immigrants, it is the only way to protect their families. Barefoot and balancing his 8-year-old daughter on his shoulders, Angel Gabriel, 39, crosses the Rio Grande and into Eagle Pass on a hot afternoon.He steadies his 32-year-old wife as they walk into the river current; she tightly grips their barefoot 16-year-old son. Border-patrol agents meet the family in the middle of the river and bring them to land. As soon as agents finish patting down Gabriel to ensure he is not carrying weapons or drugs, he rushes to his family members and embraces them. All four of them weep."Truly thankful," Gabriel says through tears as he sits in a border-patrol van with his family. He says they left Honduras after being attacked. "Thankful to the power of the United States that they helped us get out," Gabriel says. "I feel thankful that my family is OK."A few hours earlier, a pregnant Honduran woman took her first steps on US soil. She had briefly reconsidered crossing the Rio Grande after seeing pictures on Facebook a day earlier of an alligator in the river. But turning her head, she revealed a bruised jaw – the evidence of what she said was an attack by her domestic partner in Honduras.The woman, who said she was to give birth in about a week, wanted to apply for asylum in the United States and hoped to create a good life for her soon-to-be-born son. "The life with my partner was a risk," she said as she looked at the river. "So this is nothing compared to that."© New York Times
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| UPDATE 1-Guatemala says it has not pledged to accept U.S.-bound asylum seekers Posted: 18 Jun 2019 03:44 PM PDT ![UPDATE 1-Guatemala says it has not pledged to accept U.S.-bound asylum seekers]( "UPDATE 1-Guatemala says it has not pledged to accept U.S.-bound asylum seekers") Guatemala has not yet committed to becoming a "safe third country" for U.S.-bound migrants seeking asylum, but is analyzing with the United States how to contain flows of people from Central America, the Interior Minister said on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump said in a Twitter post on Monday that Guatemala "is getting ready to sign a Safe-Third Agreement," suggesting Guatemala could receive asylum seekers https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-trump/trump-says-u-s-agency-will-begin-removing-millions-of-illegal-immigrants-idUSKCN1TJ04D from neighboring countries. Trump added on Tuesday that Guatemala was "different" than in past administrations https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-trump/trump-says-immigration-roundup-will-start-next-week-idUSKCN1TJ2RZ, without providing details.
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| Reynolds Wrap will pay someone $5,000 a week to travel across America eating ribs Posted: 18 Jun 2019 10:34 AM PDT  Grill masters and backyard barbecue bosses, listen up
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| Parkland survivor says Harvard revoked his admission over racist remarks Posted: 17 Jun 2019 01:20 PM PDT  Kyle Kashuv, who became a pro-gun conservative activist, tweeted that decision was made over texts he made before the massacreKyle Kashuv, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, speaks at the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action Leadership Forum in Indianapolis in April. Photograph: Michael Conroy/APA survivor of the Parkland school shooting says Harvard University has revoked his acceptance over racist comments he made online and in text messages.Kyle Kashuv, who became a pro-gun conservative activist after the mass shooting in March last year, tweeted on Monday that Harvard "has decided to rescind my admission over texts and comments" made before the massacre.> 1/ THREAD: Harvard rescinded my acceptance. > > Three months after being admitted to Harvard Class of 2023, Harvard has decided to rescind my admission over texts and comments made nearly two years ago, months prior to the shooting. > > I have some thoughts. Here's what happened.> > — Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019Kashuv's comments were made while using a Google Doc with schoolmates in December 2017. A video of his edits to the Google Doc, and those of other school students, were recorded in a video and posted online by a former classmate earlier this year. The video showed Kashuv using comments he later described as "abhorrent racial slurs" in his correspondence with Harvard."A few weeks ago, I was made aware of egregious and callous comments classmates and I made privately years ago - when I was 16 years old, months before the shooting – in an attempt to be as extreme and shocking as possible," Kashuv tweeted on Monday."I immediately apologized," Kashuv wrote, claiming that "former peers & political opponents" had then pressured Harvard to rescind its offer.Kashuv posted a letter to Twitter, dated 24 May, from Harvard that demanded an explanation from him within 72 hours, and said it "reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission".Kashuv posted correspondence between himself and the college, which resulted in a letter from Harvard, dated 3 June, revoking an offer of a place to study there."As you know, the [Admissions] Committee takes seriously the qualities of maturity and moral character," the letter from William R Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions, reads. "After careful consideration the Committee voted to rescind your admission to Harvard College."Asked for comment, Harvard said "we do not comment publicly on the admissions status of individual applicants".In its coverage of the comments in the Google Doc, the New Yorker described the initial edits as "attempts at humor", but said "Kashuv's contributions were more unhinged"."He referred, in capital letters, to 'my jewish slaves'. Elsewhere, he wrote the N-word eleven times in a row," the New Yorker reported. "'I'm really good at typing" the word, he explained. 'Practice uhhhhhh makes perfect.'"After the video was posted on Twitter, Kashuv stood down as high school outreach director with Turning Point USA, a group that promotes conservative ideas on school and college campuses.
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| Photos of the 2020 Ford Explorer Posted: 18 Jun 2019 03:00 AM PDT |
| The Latest: 2 charged in huge cocaine bust at Philly port Posted: 18 Jun 2019 03:35 PM PDT  Two members of a container ship's crew face federal drug charges after agents raided their vessel at a Philadelphia port and seized about 33,000 pounds (15,000 kilograms) of cocaine. Court documents filed Tuesday charge Ivan Durasevic and Fonofaavae Tiasage with conspiracy to possess cocaine aboard a ship subject to U.S. jurisdiction.
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| Brand new Pixel 4 leak features the same design that Google confirmed Posted: 17 Jun 2019 12:44 PM PDT  Responding to a series of recent leaks that claimed the Pixel 4 would have a square-shaped dual-lens rear camera module, Google shocked fans last week by actually releasing a render of the Pixel 4's rear design which confirmed the rumors. Since then, a prototype of the phone was spotted in the wild in London, just as we learned that Google created three designs for this year's Pixel flagship, before settling on this model.A brand new leak, meanwhile, seems to flesh out that reveal -- not that we should be surprised at this point.Posted online by designer/leaker Ben Geskin, the following images show the Pixel 4's alleged design, and they do look a lot like what we've seen before:https://twitter.com/BenGeskin/status/1140287480391974912Google's teaser only confirmed the rear design of the phone, complete with its square camera and physical buttons on the side. This being a flagship Pixel model, it won't feature a headphone jack on the bottom.On the front, meanwhile, we can only see a front-facing speaker at the top in the other image above, which indicates we're going to have a bezel or a notch at the top. Recent leaks told us that the Pixel 4 will have a dual-lens camera system on the front, as well as components for 3D face recognition authentication. Also, the leaks claimed Google chose a full bezel instead of an iPhone-like notch at the top of the display.Geskin didn't say where the CAD files originate from, but they show a design that's very similar to what Google revealed and what other designers have imagined (including the render at the top of this post). Google, meanwhile, will unveil the Pixel 4 in October, according to a recent Verizon leak. That gives us four more months of Pixel 4 leaks, which means we'll probably see the phone's screen design well before Google announces the Pixel 4 series.
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| Forget Glock or Sig Sauer: This 100 Year Old Gun Might Be Better Posted: 17 Jun 2019 11:00 PM PDT  The response of some weapons designers might have been to develop a fully automatic gun. If one bullet wouldn't stop the enemy, three might. That would be the argument of a disposable, consumerist culture of overabundance, but we weren't there yet. The 1911 was frugal with the bullets, but the ones it dished out really did the job.The 1911 is one of the most notorious handguns in history and easily the most famous in America, having seen action in every U.S. conflict since World War I. One of the most successful product designs ever, the 1911 has achieved something rare in the world of machines: immortality. Over a hundred years old, it remains largely unchanged.What Apple is to consumer electronics, John Browning was to late 19th and early 20th century firearms. The 1911 is his most famous design. The typical 1911 is 8.25 inches from tip to tail and weighs 2.49 pounds empty — about as much as a trade paperback book. The 1911 is made of steel, steel and more steel, and takes a magazine that holds seven bullets.The 1911 has seen service in World War I, Mexico, Haiti, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic (twice), Lebanon, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Iran, Grenada, Panama, the Gulf War, the Iraq War and Afghanistan. It has chased bad men from Pancho Villa to Osama Bin Laden.
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| As the trade war with China heats up this summer, who is feeling the chill? Posted: 18 Jun 2019 12:35 PM PDT  The number of visitors to the U.S. from China fell 5.7% to 3 million in 2018, the first decline In 15 years. So far, it's not getting better in 2019.
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| Shanahan's confirmation hearing for defense secretary delayed amid FBI investigation Posted: 17 Jun 2019 04:22 PM PDT  Patrick Shanahan is facing a protracted FBI investigation that has delayed his Senate hearing until at least next month. With Shanahan's confirmation on hold, press reports have questioned his relationship with the president, and the Pentagon has been fielding press queries about his personal life.
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| Qatar sends technical experts to Israel, eyeing new Gaza power line Posted: 18 Jun 2019 02:43 AM PDT  GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A Qatari technical delegation held talks in Israel and the Gaza Strip this week about helping pay for a proposed new power line between them, officials on both sides said on Tuesday, marking a potential expansion of Doha's aid efforts for Palestinians. Qatar has in recent years funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into relief projects in Hamas-controlled Gaza, which it views as helping stave off privation and fighting with Israel. The intervention is approved by Israel but has gone largely unacknowledged by rightist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, along with U.S.-allied Arab leaders, has cold-shouldered Doha for its ties to Iran and Islamist groups like Hamas.
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| Venezuela's misery doesn't even spare the dead in Maracaibo Posted: 18 Jun 2019 04:24 AM PDT  Thieves have broken into some of the vaults and coffins in El Cuadrado cemetery since late last year, stealing ornaments and sometimes items from corpses as the country sinks to new depths of deprivation. "Starting eight months ago, they even took the gold teeth of the dead," said José Antonio Ferrer, who is in charge of the cemetery, where a prominent doctor, a university director and other local luminaries are buried. Much of Venezuela is in a state of decay and abandonment, brought on by shortages of things that people need the most: cash, food, water, medicine, power, gasoline.
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| Boeing's troubled 737 MAX gets huge vote of confidence from IAG Posted: 18 Jun 2019 11:16 AM PDT  US aircraft giant Boeing got a welcome vote of confidence in its beleaguered 737 MAX plane on Tuesday when International Airlines Group, owner of British Airways, said it wanted to buy 200 of the planes. It was a coup for Boeing since up to now IAG has been a longtime client of Airbus for its single-aisle jets, used on some of its most popular routes. "We have every confidence in Boeing and expect that the aircraft will make a successful return to service in the coming months having received approval from the regulators," IAG's chief Willie Walsh said in a statement.
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| 4 Injured, 3 Arrested After Reports of Shooting During Raptors Celebration, Toronto Police Say Posted: 17 Jun 2019 01:56 PM PDT  Two people sustained "serious but not life-threatening" injuries after shots were fired at a celebration for the Toronto Raptors NBA championship.
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| You’ll save $300 when you turn your wired Bose noise canceling headphones into wireless headphones Posted: 17 Jun 2019 01:53 PM PDT ![You'll save $300 when you turn your wired Bose noise canceling headphones into wireless headphones]( "You'll save $300 when you turn your wired Bose noise canceling headphones into wireless headphones") Do you have wired Bose headphones and you're thinking about upgrading to a newer wireless model? Well we've got a much better idea that's only going to cost you $55 instead of $350. Check out the Bolle&Raven Wireless Bluetooth Adapter for Bose Headphones, which is available for the QuietComfort 25 headphones as well as Bose's QuietComfort 15 model. It plugs into the audio jack on your headphones and it blends in with Bose's design so it just looks like a normal part of your headphones. Definitely check it out!Here are the bullet points from the product page: * UNWIRE AND UPGRADE your Bose QC headphones to wireless functionality using this Bluetooth adapter * Apple + Android Compatible: easily access the controls (volume, song skip etc.) and still enjoy the serenity of the headsets noise cancellation feature * PLAY ON, the internal battery provides up to 8 hours of uninterrupted playback and talk time * Built-in mic and controls makes switching from phone calls to music a breeze (apple / android compatible) * What you get: The wireless adapter, Charging cable, User guide and our 18 Month Guarantee supported by our friendly customer care team.
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| Could GM Bring Hummer Back as an Electric SUV Brand? Posted: 18 Jun 2019 08:48 AM PDT  Reports are swirling about the revival of the military-inspired SUVs.
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| Parkland School shooting survivor's Harvard admission revoked after his racist comments surfaced Posted: 17 Jun 2019 02:39 PM PDT  A Parkland school shooting survivor says Harvard University revoked his acceptance over racist comments he made.
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| Instant Pot Owners: Here Are 40+ Recipes To Make In Your New Baby Posted: 17 Jun 2019 10:51 AM PDT |
| Trump's acting defence secretary Patrick Shanahan withdraws amid family's domestic violence incidents Posted: 18 Jun 2019 03:46 PM PDT  Donald Trump's acting defence secretary has withdrawn from consideration after a series of domestic violence incidents within his family came to light. The US president announced on Tuesday that Patrick Shanahan, 56, had "decided not to go forward with his confirmation process" to lead the Pentagon permanently. Mr Trump said the army secretary, Mark Esper, will come in as acting secretary of defence. The post has been vacant since James Mattis resigned in December over Mr Trump's sudden decision to remove US troops from Syria. The new upheaval leaves the Pentagon without a permanent leader at a time of rising tensions in the Middle East, with America accusing Iran of attacking oil tankers in the strategic Gulf of Oman. Mr Shanahan's nomination process in the Senate had been delayed by an FBI background check because of the details surrounding his divorce, including a 2010 claim by his ex-wife that he punched her in the stomach. James Mattis resigned from the role in December Credit: AP A spokesman for Mr Shanahan said that his ex-wife, who now goes by Kimberley Jordinson, started the fight and it was she who was arrested and charged with domestic violence. Court documents also revealed that Mr Shanahan's 17-year-old son William repeatedly beat his mother with a baseball bat in 2011, leaving her in hospital with a fractured skull and elbow. Two weeks later, Mr Shanahan stated in a note to his ex-wife's brother that his son had acted in self-defence. "Use of a baseball bat in self-defense will likely be viewed as an imbalance of force," he wrote. "However, Will's mother harassed him for nearly three hours before the incident." In an interview with The Washington Post published on Tuesday, Mr Shanahan said that "bad things can happen to good families" and said he feared the publicity "will ruin my son's life." He also said he regretted writing the memo suggesting there could be any justification for an assault with a baseball bat. Ms Jordinson maintained in a recent interview that Mr Shanahan had hit her in 2010 as the pair struggled over a briefcase. ....I thank Pat for his outstanding service and will be naming Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper, to be the new Acting Secretary of Defense. I know Mark, and have no doubt he will do a fantastic job!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2019 However officers who were called to the family home concluded that Ms Jordinson, not Mr Shanahan, had been the attacker. Police said they could find no injuries on Ms Jordinson, but Mr Shanahan was sporting a bloody nose and his wife "appeared to be intoxicated" and had "blood stains" on her right forearm. She was later arrested on a domestic assault charge but prosecutors dropped the case the next year because of a lack of evidence. At the time, the couple's son William submitted a statement to his mother's lawyer stating that she called him for help during the struggle. But this week he told USA Today that his mother "coerced" him to sign the document meant to assist her defence. "I did what she told me," he said. During her divorce Ms Jordinson was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and police records show there have been ongoing concerns about her mental stability when officers have responded to multiple calls from her home. Details of the incidents have started to emerge in US media reports about Mr Shanahan's nomination process. The former Boeing executive has been leading the Pentagon as acting secretary since January 1 despite having very little experience in government, a highly unusual arrangement for one of the most sensitive Cabinet positions. In more than four months as the acting secretary, he focused on a shift from the resources and tactics required to fight small wars against extremist groups to what Mr Shanahan calls "great power" competition with China and Russia. Addressing his withdrawal, he said: "I believe my continuing in the confirmation process would force my three children to relive a traumatic chapter in our family's life."
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| The Latest: Turkey president says Morsi didn't die naturally Posted: 18 Jun 2019 08:52 AM PDT  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he doesn't believe that Egypt's former president Mohammed Morsi died of natural causes. Erdogan made the comments Tuesday at an Istanbul mosque, where hundreds held funeral prayers for Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president who was ousted by the military in 2013.
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| UN chief calls on Russia, Turkey to 'stabilize' Syrian province Posted: 18 Jun 2019 11:39 AM PDT  UN chief Antonio Guterres called on Russia and Turkey Tuesday to "stabilize the situation" in the Syrian province of Idlib, rocked by intense fighting between pro-government and jihadist-led forces. "I am deeply concerned about the escalation of the fighting in Idlib and the situation is specially dangerous given the involvement of an increased number of actors.
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