| Ocasio-Cortez responds after Pelosi dismisses young House progressives Posted: 07 Jul 2019 09:03 AM PDT  New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fired back at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who dismissed her and other progressives who voted against their chamber's bill to send $4.6 billion in emergency aid to the U.S. southern border. "All these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world," Pelosi said, according to the New York Times. "That public 'whatever' is called public sentiment," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Saturday.
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| Seized North Korean ship sought for American student's death Posted: 06 Jul 2019 03:37 PM PDT  The parents of Otto Warmbier have filed a claim for a seized North Korean cargo ship, seeking to collect on a multimillion-dollar judgment awarded in the American college student's death. The Warmbiers filed court papers Wednesday in New York federal court saying they have a right to the assets after North Korea failed to respond to a wrongful death claim that accused it of abducting Warmbier, who had traveled there for a guided tour ahead of a study abroad program in Hong Kong. "The Warmbiers are committed to holding North Korea accountable for the death of their son Otto, and will work tirelessly to seize North Korean assets wherever they may be found," Ben Hatch, an attorney for the family, said in an emailed statement.
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| Spy Sub Down: How a Secret Russian Nuclear Submarine Caught Fire Posted: 06 Jul 2019 03:40 AM PDT  A fire broke out on a Russian research submarine earlier this week, killing fourteen sailors in what is Russia's worst submarine disaster since 2008.Russian authorities have remained tight-lipped on the nature of the data being collected by the submarine and the circumstances of the fire. "On July 1, fourteen submariners - sailors died in Russian territorial waters as a result of inhaling combustion products aboard a research submersible vehicle designated for studying the seafloor and the bottom of the World Ocean in the interests of the Russian Navy after a fire broke out during bathymetric measurements," reads the Defense Ministry's press release.As of the time of writing, the Russian government and its official channels have abstained from naming the submarine in question; however, it is widely believed to be the Project 210-- also known as AS-12, with "AS" referring to "nuclear deepwater station"-- Losharik special missions submarine. Losharik is speculated to be a pillar of Russia's deepwater intelligence gathering program, headed by the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research, or GUGI.Russian President Vladimir Putin has since spoken on the matter, but only to express his condolences. Putin added that the submarine was an "extraordinary" vessel, manned by "a highly professional crew." Seven of the fourteen sailors held the rank of captain and two were "heroes of the Russian Federation" (Russia's highest honorary title), corroborating the speculation that Losharik occupied a high-level role within GUGI.
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| A Wood-Carved Statue of Melania Trump Has Been Unveiled in Her Hometown. Local Residents Are Bemused Posted: 05 Jul 2019 03:49 PM PDT  A monument to Melania Trump was erected in her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia, the first public statue in commemoration of her, creators say.
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| Biden would name a teacher as education secretary, wouldn't appoint his wife Posted: 05 Jul 2019 03:31 PM PDT  "So the press doesn't get confused, I promise I'm not going to appoint my wife," Biden said.
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| The stuff of nightmares: Inside the migrant detention center in Clint, Texas Posted: 06 Jul 2019 12:22 PM PDT  An out-of-the-way border station in the desert near El Paso is the epicenter of outrage over the Trump administration's policies on the border.
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| Venezuela Top Court Says Jailed Judge and Journalist Released Posted: 05 Jul 2019 04:52 PM PDT ![Venezuela Top Court Says Jailed Judge and Journalist Released]( "Venezuela Top Court Says Jailed Judge and Journalist Released") (Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan courts released judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni nine years after her arrest and journalist Braulio Jatar, the country's top court said in separate posts on Twitter, without offering further details.Afiuni, writing on Twitter around mid-day on Friday, confirmed her release, saying she would post a message when she had the official high court resolution. As of Friday evening, Afiuni had not posted that information.National Assembly leader Juan Guaido said on Twitter that Afiuni and Jatar were released due to the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights report on Venezuela published on Thursday.United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said that 22 people were released on Thursday, without specifying if Afiuni or Jatar were included in that figure. "We welcome these releases and encourage the authorities to release others detained for the exercise of their human rights," Bachelet said in a statement.The United Nations report called on Nicolas Maduro's regime to take "immediate, concrete measures to halt and remedy the grave violations" of economic, social and civil rights.Venezuela's government responded, saying the UN report showed bias by minimizing measures to improve people's lives and ignored official data, while failing to mention violent actions by the opposition.To contact the reporter on this story: Jose Orozco in Mexico City at jorozco8@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ney Hayashi at ncruz4@bloomberg.net, Dale QuinnFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| 2020 Dems' opposition builds against Trump judges Posted: 06 Jul 2019 04:55 AM PDT ![2020 Dems' opposition builds against Trump judges]( "2020 Dems' opposition builds against Trump judges") Exclusive data obtained by POLITICO shows that Senate Democrats are rejecting the president's judicial nominees far more often than during the last Congress.
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| Armed Utah teachers practice responding to school shootings Posted: 05 Jul 2019 01:48 PM PDT  Nancy Miramontes had 30 seconds to find the gunman. "Nice work," a police officer told her as they exchanged high-fives in front of cardboard props representing the gunman and student. Miramontes recently joined 30 other Utah teachers at a series of trainings where police instructed them on how to respond to an active shooter.
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| California earthquake: more major quakes and months of aftershocks likely, seismologists say Posted: 07 Jul 2019 01:39 AM PDT  Up to 30,000 aftershocks could hit California in the next six months after the US state was hit by two major earthquakes in 48 hours last week, seismologists have warned. They were part of a continuing sequence of tremors that would affect the area for months, said Lucy Jones, of the California Institute of Technology and said the earthquakes. The region could see more than 30,000 minor earthquakes over six months, with one or two magnitude 6 quakes expected, her colleague and fellow seismologist Egill Hauksson, added. Up to 190 magnitude 3 earthquakes could take place over the next week alone, with a 12 per cent probability of a magnitude 6 earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).Magnitude 3 earthquakes are big enough to be felt and any earthquake over magnitude 4 is big enough to cause damage to buildings."It is a wake-up call for the rest of the state and other parts of the nation, frankly," California Governor Gavin Newsom said, voicing concerns about the possibility of major aftershocks in the months to come. He said that residents should make sure they know how to respond if more natural disasters strike.Friday's evening's earthquake was the largest one Southern California in nearly 20 years. Centred 11 miles from Ridgecrest, a small town with around 28,000 residents it struck the same area of the desert where a 6.4-magnitude temblor hit on ThursdayThe earthquake was felt by millions across an area ranging from Sacramento, the state capital in the north, to Mexico and including the Las Vegas and Los Angeles counties.It came off the back of hundreds of "foreshocks" that rattled the region late last month. Those left behind cracked and burning buildings, broken roads, obstructed railroad tracks and leaking water and gas lines and prompted the evacuation of the US Navy's largest single landholding, the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in the Mohave Desert.Only a few injuries were reported, but two houses were reported to have caught fire from broken gas pipes; water gushed from zigzagged cracks in the busted pavement; and deep fissures were seen snaking across the Mojave Desert.In Ridgecrest, local fire and police officials said they were initially swamped by calls for medical and ambulance service.But police Chief Jed McLaughlin said there was "nothing but minor injuries such as cuts and bruises, by the grace of God."In Trona, a town of about 2,000 people considered the gateway to Death Valley, fire officials said up to 50 structures were damaged. San Bernardino County Supervisor Robert Lovingood said the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) delivered a tractor-trailer full of bottled water because of damage to water lines. Newsom declared a state of emergency for the county. The USGS has issued a red alert for economic losses, meaning that extensive damage is probable and that the disaster is likely widespread. Estimated economic losses are at least $1 billion dollars."Past events with this alert level have required a national or international level response," the USGS said in its assessment.Mr Newsom estimated more than $100m (£79m) in economic damages and said President Donald Trump called him to offer federal support in the rebuilding effort."He's committed in the long haul, the long run, to help support the rebuilding efforts," Mr Newsom, a Democrat, said of his leader. "There's no question we don't agree on everything, but one area where there's no politics, where we work extremely well together, is our response to emergencies," he added. The USGS said the aftershock activity is decreasing faster than average. Aftershocks are minor earthquakes that take place as the displaced crust adjusts to the effects of the main earthquake. It is normal for aftershocks to take place for weeks after a major shock, although their number decreases over time. A large aftershock can temporarily increase the numbers again.With aftershocks expected and temperatures forecast to reach 38 Celsius over the next several days, officials were taking precautions.The California National Guard sent 200 troops, logistical support and aircraft. Major General David Baldwin said the Pentagon had been notified and the entire California Military Department was put on alert. The California Office of Emergency Services also brought in cots, water and meals and set up cooling centres in the region. Additional reporting by Associated Press
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| U.S. demands $12.7 bln in judgment against 'El Chapo' Posted: 05 Jul 2019 02:56 PM PDT ![U.S. demands $12.7 bln in judgment against 'El Chapo']( "U.S. demands $12.7 bln in judgment against 'El Chapo'") U.S. authorities said on Friday they were seeking a court order requiring Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman to forfeit $12.7 billion following his conviction for racketeering and drug trafficking crimes earlier this year. The sum represents the total amount of cocaine, marijuana and heroin that a jury found Guzman to have trafficked, multiplied by the average prices of those drugs, according to a filing by prosecutors in Brooklyn federal court. It was not immediately clear what assets, if any, the United States could seize to satisfy the judgment.
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| North Korea says released Australian student was 'spying' Posted: 06 Jul 2019 04:21 AM PDT  An Australian student who was released after being held in North Korea had been "spying" in the reclusive country, state media said Saturday. Alek Sigley, 29, disappeared around two weeks ago prompting deep concern about his fate, but was freed and flew to Japan on Thursday. Official North Korean news agency KCNA said Sigley had admitted "he had been spying by collecting our internal information and sharing with others and repeatedly asked for our forgiveness for infringing on our sovereignty".
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| China Likely Tested Missiles That Can Kill Aircraft Carriers in the South China Sea Posted: 06 Jul 2019 02:13 AM PDT  Earlier this week China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force most likely tested a DF-21D or DF-26 anti-ship ballistic missile—sometimes know as "carrier-killers"—in the South China Sea. Details remain sketchy, as Chinese spokesmen have remained close-mouthed about the exercise. The test came on the heels of news last May that PLA weaponeers had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles on Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef, and Mischief Reef, west of the Philippine Islands. Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn told CNBC that this week's missile test contradicted China's "claim to want to bring peace to the region and obviously actions like this are coercive acts meant to intimidate other South China Sea claimants."Col. Eastburn has it half right. Beijing clearly wants to coerce others. But the test was entirely consistent with its claim to want to bring peace to the region. It does want peace; it simply wants to transform the nature of that peace, and force is a means to that end. If Chinese Communist Party prelates in Beijing get their way, they—not foreign governments or international institutions—will make the rules in the South China Sea. They will issue laws or policy decrees mandating or proscribing certain actions in regional seaways, and others will obey. Peace will prevail.QED.
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| Sanders backs AOC after Biden suggests her politics are too far left for the general election Posted: 05 Jul 2019 10:07 AM PDT  The former vice president praised the New York representative as "brilliant," but cast doubt on whether her politics could win a national election.
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| VIDEO: Disneyland's Space Mountain ride stopped after 7.1 earthquake rattles Southern California Posted: 06 Jul 2019 08:45 AM PDT  Video shows the interior of Space Mountain after an earthquake in Kern County prompted the shutdown of the popular ride.
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| Officials: Searches find nobody in blast-damaged Nevada dorm Posted: 06 Jul 2019 03:31 PM PDT  Thorough searches of a mostly empty University of Nevada, Reno, dormitory that was heavily damaged by an explosion found nobody inside and all students accounted for, officials said Saturday. The cause of the Friday explosion that blew out windows and did other damage to multiple floors of Argenta Hall remained under investigation. Meanwhile, the university worked to find substitute housing for hundreds of students expected in the fall.
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| Salmonella outbreak linked to fresh Cavi papayas from Mexico has sickened 71 people Posted: 06 Jul 2019 02:07 AM PDT ![Salmonella outbreak linked to fresh Cavi papayas from Mexico has sickened 71 people]( "Salmonella outbreak linked to fresh Cavi papayas from Mexico has sickened 71 people") A salmonella outbreak linked to fresh Cavi papayas from Mexico has sickened 71 people in eight states, according to the CDC and FDA.
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| Rustic sculpture of Melania Trump unveiled near Slovenian hometown Posted: 05 Jul 2019 04:24 PM PDT  A life-size rough wooden sculpture of U.S. first lady Melania Trump was unveiled near her hometown of Sevnica in southeastern Slovenia on Friday. Commissioned by Berlin-based American artist Brad Downey and carved with a chainsaw by local folk artist Ales Zupevc, the statue serves as a - perhaps wry - accompaniment to Downey's exhibition in the capital Ljubljana exploring Melania's roots in the small Alpine country. The blocky, rustic figure was cut from the trunk of a living linden tree - whose base forms a tall plinth - in a field beside the Sava River in the village of Rozno, eight km (five miles) from Sevnica.
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| Shutdown Showdown: How the Strait of Hormuz Factors into the U.S.-Iran Crisis Posted: 07 Jul 2019 01:02 AM PDT  The recent mining of two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, attributed to Iran by the United States, offers an important window into the strategic thinking of Iran and similarly situated regional powers. The incident is notable because the act of mining a limited number of vessels makes relatively little sense when viewed through the lens of traditional patterns of coercive behavior. Limited coercive acts typically have little value with regards to gaining concessions from a determined opponent. Generally, these acts may serve as a visible demonstration of a state's willingness to enact some other, more substantial threat, such as shutting down the Strait of Hormuz outright. However, this requires the state making the threat to have the capacity to make good on its more substantial threats and for its opponents to believe that it is willing to incur the risks entailed. Iran, however, could not shut down the Strait of Hormuz for very long even if it wished to—something noted by President Donald Trump—and is unlikely to incur the substantial risks that an attempt would entail. Iran's opponents, then, clearly don't see its limited provocations as harbingers of something worse.
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| Multiple injuries in Florida gas explosion Posted: 06 Jul 2019 11:10 AM PDT  A vacant pizza restaurant exploded Saturday in a thundering roar at a South Florida shopping plaza, injuring more than 20 people as large chunks of concrete flew through the air. The blast flung debris widely along a busy road in Plantation, west of Fort Lauderdale. The restaurant was destroyed, and nearby businesses and cars were damaged. Though firefighters found ruptured gas lines afterward, authorities said it was too early to determine a cause. Broward County Firefighters works in the area where an explosion occurred at a shopping center in Plantation, Florida Credit: Cristobal Herrera/Rex "We thought it was thunder at first, and then we felt the building shake and things started falling. I looked outside and it was almost like the world was ending," said Alex Carver, a worket at a deli across the street from the explosion. "It was nuts, man. It was crazy." The explosion hurled large pieces of concrete up to 50 yards (45 meters) away and sent pieces of metal scattering as far as 100 yards (90 meters) across the street. Carver said two of his co-workers' cars were destroyed. At least 21 people were injured though none of the injuries was life-threatening, Police Sgt. Jesica Ryan said. The explosion demolished the building, leaving behind only part of its metal frame. The restaurant, called PizzaFire, had been out of business for several months. The blast also blew out the windows of a popular fitness club next door at the shopping plaza in Broward County. Jesse Walaschek had just left the fitness club with his wife and three children, ages 4, 6 and 8. They were parked near the restaurant and had just driven about 50 yards (45 meters) away when they heard the blast.. The building where the explosion happen destroyed. People I spoke with described feeling Surrounding buildings shake as far as South of SR 595 @WPLGLocal10pic.twitter.com/gd4qLU21n4— Roy Ramos (@RRamosWPLG) July 6, 2019 "It was a massive explosion like I have never experienced," he said. Walasheck said dust and debris filled the air. "Everything just stopped. You didn't see anybody. I just wanted to get these guys safe," he said, pointing to his children. "If this had happened a minute before when we were getting the kids in the car, it would have been really bad." Dozens of firefighters responded and could be seen picking through the rubble with dogs sniffing through the debris to make sure people weren't trapped underneath. There were no known fatalities immediately after the explosion. Fire department Battalion Chief Joel Gordon said there were ruptured gas lines when firefighters arrived, but he couldn't say for certain that it was a gas explosion. "At this point, nobody was killed. Thank goodness for that. As bad as it is, it could have been a lot worse," Gordon said
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| China's envoy to London laments "Cold War mentality" Posted: 07 Jul 2019 02:26 AM PDT ![China's envoy to London laments "Cold War mentality"]( "China's envoy to London laments \"Cold War mentality\"") China is not interested in a diplomatic war with Britain but rejects the "Cold War mentality" it has seen from some British politicians over Hong Kong, China's ambassador to London said on Sunday. There has been an escalating war of words between China and Britain following mass protests in Hong Kong against a now suspended bill that would allow extradition to mainland China.
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| Williamson warns US elections could become more like Iran's Posted: 05 Jul 2019 07:47 PM PDT ![Williamson warns US elections could become more like Iran's]( "Williamson warns US elections could become more like Iran's") Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson on Friday warned that American elections could become more like voting in countries like Iran. Speaking at a campaign event in Dover, New Hampshire, the author described an "illusion of choice," and criticized the "political media elite establishment. Williamson added: "It's kind of like countries like Iran, where you can vote for whoever you want, among the people that they tell you it's OK to vote for.
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| Nearly 900 drivers suspended in wake of deadly motorcycle crash in New Hampshire Posted: 06 Jul 2019 10:41 AM PDT  The Massachusetts RMV has suspended 876 drivers whose out-of-state infractions hadn't been tracked after a motorcycle crash killed 7 in New Hampshire
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| Johnson Set for Crushing Victory Over Hunt, Poll Suggests Posted: 06 Jul 2019 01:19 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Boris Johnson looks set for a landslide victory over rival Jeremy Hunt in the race to become Britain's next prime minister.According to a YouGov poll published in the Times newspaper, Johnson is backed by 74% of Conservative Party members with Hunt languishing on 26%.The survey also suggests that the vast majority of the 160,000 grassroots party members who will receive their ballot papers this weekend don't believe Hunt's claim that he's prepared to take Britain out of the European Union without a deal. Only 27% think Hunt would do so, compared with 90% for Johnson.In an interview with the Times, Hunt sought to play down perceptions that Johnson's status as the Brexit referendum's poster child would influence the outcome of the vote. Preparing for an exit without an agreement with Brussels is key, he said, adding that the best way to deliver Brexit would be do so with an accord."The choice on this election isn't actually between our approach to no-deal, it's who is the candidate who is most likely to negotiate a deal so that we don't have those difficult decisions to take," Hunt said.In an interview with the Daily Mail, Johnson responded to a question on what he would do if, by the Brexit deadline at the end of October, the EU has refused to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement and Parliament has blocked a no-deal exit, saying it wouldn't happen "in a month of Sundays."Brexit has become an "existential" issue for both main parties so they need to "move on and get it done," the newspaper quoted him as saying.In the Daily Mail interview Johnson sought to buttress his law and order credentials with a commitment to ensure that serious sexual or violent offenders serve out their full sentences rather than being released at the halfway point as at present. Restrictions on stop-and-search, put in place by Theresa May when she was Home Secretary, should be dumped, he said.The new prime minister is expected to be announced -- and then take office -- during the week of July 22.(Updates with excerpts from Daily Mail interview from sixth paragraph.)To contact the reporters on this story: James Ludden in New York at jludden@bloomberg.net;John Glover in London at johnglover@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Matthew G. Miller at mmiller144@bloomberg.net, James AmottFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Russian Oligarch Scoffed at FBI’s Collusion Theory Posted: 06 Jul 2019 10:21 AM PDT  John Solomon is a terrific reporter, and he has done excellent work on the Trump-Russia investigation. Nevertheless, legal analysis is not his specialty. That is evident in his otherwise intriguing report at The Hill about Oleg Deripaska's dealings with the FBI.Deripaska is an aluminum magnate who is sometimes referred to as "Putin's oligarch" thanks to his close relationship with the Russian strongman. He was also Paul Manafort's business partner.Manafort, of course, was Donald Trump's campaign chairman for about four months in mid 2016. He has paid dearly for entering Trump World.In 2014, an investigation of Manafort's work for the deposed Ukrainian government of Viktor Yanukovych was closed. Manafort joined the Trump campaign in early 2016. The FBI and the Obama Justice Department reopened the Manafort case, helped along by pro-Clinton officials in Ukraine's government. In August 2016, the latter leaked a ledger of questionable provenance, purporting to show over $12 million in cash payments to Manafort. The leak of the ledger led to Manafort's dismissal from the Trump campaign. He was eventually indicted and convicted in the Mueller investigation for tax evasion and other financial-fraud charges. He is serving a 90-month prison sentence. (Manafort has never denied being paid by Yanukovych and his Party of Regions; he has maintained that he was paid by wire, not in cash. As Solomon has reported, the current Ukrainian government does not vouch for the authenticity of the ledger.)Deripaska has credibly accused Manafort of swindling him in connection with an investment in a grossly overvalued Ukrainian telecom firm. He has sued the political consultant in various jurisdictions for over $25 million.Solomon has reported that early in the Obama administration (while Robert Mueller was the FBI's director), Deripaska attempted to help the bureau rescue Robert Levinson, a retired FBI agent captured by Iran in 2007 while reportedly working for the CIA. Though the oligarch is said to have spent millions of his own funds, the rescue effort was unsuccessful. The recriminations about why are an interesting story for another day. For present purposes, the point is that the FBI came to believe the oft-sanctioned Deripaska might prove to be a useful U.S.-government source. They sought to flip him, hoping he'd provide damning information of Trump-campaign "collusion" with the Kremlin in connection with the 2016 campaign.Upon being interviewed by the FBI, Deripaska scoffed at that collusion theory. He further told the agents that Manafort was highly unlikely to have been involved in any Trump–Russia conspiracy.To grasp that Deripaska was right about this, one need not be favorably disposed toward a Putin crony who made his fortune in the post-Soviet "gangster capitalism" era. Contrary to the collusion fable tirelessly peddled by the media-Democrat complex, Manafort's work for Ukraine did not make him a Russian agent (note that Special Counsel Mueller never accused him of such a thing). Moreover, Manafort is known to have tried to nudge Yanukovych into pursuing tighter ties to Western Europe despite intense pressure from Putin.In any event, as Solomon suggests, the fact that Deripaska has no love lost for Manafort lends some credence to his exculpatory opinion about Manafort -- although not much, I'd say, since Deripaska would be expected to toe the Putin line regardless of the impact on Manafort.Solomon reports that the FBI's interview of Deripaska was not disclosed to Manafort's defense during the proceedings at which he was convicted -- federal criminal cases in Virginia and Washington, D.C. Manafort's lawyers claim that this concealment violated Manafort's due-process rights. One need not be a Trump-deranged collusion diehard to understand why this claim will get nowhere.The suggestion that the nondisclosure amounts to a Brady violation (the relevant precedent is the Supreme Court's 1963 ruling in Brady v. Maryland) misapprehends the prosecution's obligations. Brady requires the government to surrender to the defense information uniquely in its possession that tends to exculpate the defendant. Information is not exculpatory unless it shows the defendant is not guilty of the crime charged. Manafort was never charged with any offense alleging a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. As Solomon notes, he was charged and "convicted on tax and lobbying violations unrelated to the Russia case." Deripaska's reported statements to the FBI have no bearing on those offenses.Manafort's counsel intimates that the government's possession of potentially exculpatory information means the investigation of Manafort was illegitimate. I am not a fan of Mueller's probe, but there is no Brady right against being investigated. The purpose of an investigation is to determine if a crime has been committed. Usually, there is evidence on both sides of the question -- that's why you investigate rather than forging ahead with an indictment. Brady simply means that if prosecutors formally charge a person with a crime, they must disclose information in their possession that indicates the person did not commit the crime.That information, by the way, must actually be exculpatory. Here, not only is Deripaska's information irrelevant to the crimes that were charged against Manafort. It might not have qualified as Brady material even if "collusion with Russia" had been alleged. The statement amounts to Deripaska's opinion. To be sure, it is not an uninformed opinion. The oligarch is close to Putin and the Russian regime. To my knowledge, however, no one has alleged that Deripaska had any knowledge or participation in Russia's hacking of Democratic email accounts, or of the dissemination of those emails to the media via WikiLeaks and other channels. Unless he was a conspirator in the scheme, or otherwise shown to have insider knowledge about it, Deripaska's opinion about who might or might not have participated in it would be immaterial. Brady only requires government disclosure of material information that shows innocence.Furthermore, Brady generally applies only to information that is uniquely in the government's possession. If the defendant has access to the same information, the government has no obligation to disclose it. Here, Manafort and his associates (in particular, his protégé Konstantin Kilimnik) had access to Deripaska. To be sure, relations were not good between them, but they were good enough that -- as has been widely reported and as the Mueller Report confirms -- Manafort instructed Kilimnik to offer Deripaska briefings about the Trump campaign. (Deripaska denies receiving any Trump-campaign information from Manafort.) If Manafort had been in a position to obtain any helpful information directly from Deripaska, the government would probably not have been obligated to disclose the FBI's interview with Deripaska, even if it were deemed exculpatory. At most, prosecutors might have been obliged to advise Manafort's lawyers that they should consider interviewing Deripaska -- but again, that would only be if there were a "collusion" allegation, which there was not.So Deripaska's FBI interview would not have been much help to Manafort. Does this mean the oligarch is of no interest to Russiagate followers? Hardly.What is most interesting about Deripaska vis-à-vis the collusion caper is the fact that Christopher Steele was working for him and lobbying the U.S. government on his behalf. Steele, of course, is the British former intelligence agent who is the principal author of the "dossier" -- the unverified anti-Trump research project commissioned by the Clinton campaign and the DNC.While he was running a private intelligence business, Steele was an FBI informant -- even before his anti-Trump research began in June 2016. He also provided his private intelligence reporting about Russia and Eastern Europe to the Obama State Department. Naturally, his private-eye work was heavily influenced by who was paying him. As Eric Felten has reported, the State Department's Russia analysts were dismissive of Steele's work due to its "Putinesque spin." We now know that Steele was not consulting only with Deripaska; he also told the State Department (and, presumably the FBI) that he was getting information indirectly from two highly-placed Kremlin sources: top Putin adviser Vladislav Surkov and former SVR chief Vyacheslav Trubnikov. (The SVR is Russia's foreign intelligence service.)After nearly three years of investigation, Steele's major anti-Trump allegations remain unverified. The FBI and the Obama Justice Department relied on Steele's information to claim there was probable cause that Carter Page was a clandestine agent of Russia, yet Page has never been charged with a crime. And Mueller closed his investigation by concluding that there was no Trump–Russia conspiracy. There is no credible reason to believe the collusion narrative. There is, however, a great deal of reason to suspect that the Russian regime used Steele to channel disinformation into the intelligence and foreign-policy arms of the United States government.Deripaska, Surkov, and Trubnikov were not informing on the Kremlin. These are Putin's guys. They were peddling what the Kremlin wanted the world to believe, and what the Kremlin shrewdly calculated would sow division in the American body politic. So, the question is: Did they find the perfect patsy in Christopher Steele?
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| Mexican authorities rescue 24 kidnapped migrants Posted: 06 Jul 2019 09:22 AM PDT  Mexican authorities on Friday rescued 24 Central American migrants, including nine children, who had been held hostage for nearly three weeks in the crime-ridden state of Guanajuato, officials said. The migrants were held for 20 days in the town of Celaya, about 210 kilometres (130 miles) from Mexico City, said Secretary of State Security Juan Jose Gonzalez. Separately, the security ministry announced the arrest of 59 migrants, including 55 Hondurans, around the northeastern town of Saltillo, near the US border.
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| Apple is reportedly working on a foldable iPad with 5G support and a massive screen Posted: 05 Jul 2019 01:56 PM PDT  2019 was supposed to be the year of the foldable, but issues with Galaxy Fold review units and a mysterious delay of Huawei's Mate X have left curious consumers in the lurch. Both of the phones will launch eventually, but it's difficult to see foldable devices establishing any kind of foothold on the market this year.That apparently hasn't scared off Apple, though, as IHS Markit analyst Jeff Lin claims that the company is developing a foldable product of its own. This isn't the first time we've heard rumors about an Apple-made foldable, but the twist here is that Lin says Apple is building a foldable iPad, rather than an iPhone.According to Lin, the foldable iPad will support 5G, will have the latest A series processor, and will feature a display nearly as large as the current MacBook line. He didn't describe the design of the device, so we have no idea whether this foldable iPad will have a single screen that folds in half, or if Apple will go another route. Lin also noted that it will be highly portable and have "business-friendly" features, which might make it the laptop replacement the standard iPad isn't (despite Apple making strides on this front in recent years).Lin believes that the foldable 5G iPad could launch as soon as next year, but considering that Apple has yet to even release a 5G phone, it's hard to imagine a 5G foldable tablet being ready within the next 18 months. That said, there have been rumors that 5G could come to the iPad line before it hits the iPhone.
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| Oregon state senator faces hearing on 'heavily armed' comment Posted: 05 Jul 2019 06:12 PM PDT ![Oregon state senator faces hearing on 'heavily armed' comment]( "Oregon state senator faces hearing on 'heavily armed' comment") An Oregon state senator who was among Republican lawmakers who fled the Capitol last month to scuttle a vote on a bill to fight climate change faces a conduct hearing over remarks tinged with threats of violence about any efforts to force the senators to return. Governor Kate Brown, a Democrat, enlisted the State Police on June 20 to try to bring Republicans back to the Capitol, but ultimately the Democratic-sponsored bill died. By fleeing the Capitol, the Republican senators prevented a vote from being held because, under Senate rules, there were not enough lawmakers present for legislation to be voted on.
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| Thousands of Norwegian Cruise Line passengers stranded in Barcelona after technical issue Posted: 05 Jul 2019 09:50 AM PDT ![Thousands of Norwegian Cruise Line passengers stranded in Barcelona after technical issue]( "Thousands of Norwegian Cruise Line passengers stranded in Barcelona after technical issue") Norwegian Cruise Line is apologizing to customers for canceling a cruise in Spain, days before it was supposed to end in Italy.
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| The Latest: Helicopter crash victim was helping friend Posted: 06 Jul 2019 02:54 PM PDT  One of the victims of the helicopter crash that killed seven people in the Bahamas was 22-year-old Delaney Wykle. Wykle says that when one of the party got sick and needed to be transported back to the mainland, Delaney Wykle wanted to be there to help.
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| Trump fans in violent clashes with communists after American flag burned outside White House during 4th of July celebrations Posted: 05 Jul 2019 10:14 AM PDT  Two people have been arrested after a violent clash between Trump supporters and a group of communists following a flag burning in front of the White House yesterday.Protesters wearing t-shirts of Bob Avakian, chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party USA, burned the American flag while chanting "America was never great" before fighting with counter-protesters wearing MAGA hats, according to USA Today.The arrests came about two hours before Donald Trump paid tribute to the US military during a speech for his "Salute to America" event for Fourth of July.The US Secret Service said one person was arrested for felony assault on a police officer and malicious burning, while the other was arrested for hindering a police investigation and resisting arrest.Some of the pro-Trump counter-protesters identified themselves as members of the Proud Boys, a far-right group whose members describe themselves as "western chauvinists".Two uniformed Secret Service officers also suffered minor injuries while attempting to make the arrests.Although it is not illegal to burn a US flag, the Secret Service said the burning occurred beyond the limits of a permit issued by the National Park Service.One of the arrested flag burners is believed to be Gregory "Joey" Johnson, a member of the Revolutionary Communist Party who won a court case in 1989 arguing that flag burning was protected speech under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.Speaking on 3 July outside the White House, Mr Johnson said: "[The US flag] is a symbol of empire, it's a symbol of oppression, it's a symbol of slavery, it's a symbol of genocide, it's a symbol of invasion, it's a symbol of occupation, it's a symbol of torture. This rag of empire deserves to be burned."Mr Trump has been accused of wasting money with the Salute to America event and politicising the Fourth of July celebration ahead of his 2020 presidential campaign.The National Park Service diverted nearly $2.5m (£2m) in entrance and recreation fees intended for improving parks to cover costs for the event, according to the Washington Post.However, the full cost of the event, which was open to the public free of charge, has not been revealed.Despite the clashes earlier in the day, demonstrations at the Lincoln Memorial were largely peaceful.Protesters in Washington brought out the inflatable "Trump baby blimp", last seen during Trump protests in London, and a 16-foot tall robot depicting Mr Trump sitting on golden toilet.
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| Sneaky: America's F-22 Stealth Fighter Snuck up on an Iranian F-4 Phantom Posted: 06 Jul 2019 10:00 AM PDT  It was a close call.Back in 2013, Pentagon press secretary George Little said that an Iranian air force F-4 Phantom combat plane attempted to intercept a U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone flying through international airspace near Iran.As we reported back then, one of the two F-4 Phantom jets — in service in Iran since the Shah — came to about 16 miles from the Predator, but broke off pursuit after two American planes escorting the drone broadcast a warning message.It was a close call.The March 2013 episode happened only a few months after a two Sukhoi Su-25 attack planes operated by the Pasdaran (the informal name of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards) attempted to shoot down an American MQ-1 flying a routine surveillance flight in international airspace some 16 miles off Iran.After this attempted interception, the Pentagon decided to escort drones involved in reconnaissance missions with fighter jets: either F-18 Hornets embarked on the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis, currently in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of responsibility, or F-22 Raptors like those deployed to Al Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates.
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| Could the Toyota MR2 Make a Comeback as an EV? Posted: 06 Jul 2019 05:00 AM PDT  The lightweight mid-engined runabout might return as soon as 2024 to fill a gap in Toyota's sports-car lineup.
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| Rattled nerves, minor damage from second major Southern California quake Posted: 06 Jul 2019 03:28 PM PDT  Southern California appeared to have avoided the worst on Saturday after it was rocked by a second powerful earthquake in as many days -- a 7.1 magnitude tremor that revived fears of the so-called Big One the region has feared for decades. No fatalities or serious injuries have been reported from this second quake, the largest in Southern California in more than two decades. It hit Friday night in a remote and sparsely populated area around 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles, where it was also felt.
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| Restored Fastback: 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Posted: 05 Jul 2019 09:43 AM PDT  This recently restored Mustang has a bunch of factory options on its build sheet.When it comes to Ford's celebrated Mustang sports car, the Mach 1 is one of the most renowned performance packages, especially the first-generation model. This 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 underwent a restoration a few years ago, and it's an impressive specimen of the facelifted first-generation Mach 1.Street Dreams in Fredericksburg, Texas offers this Mach 1 for sale. This example is clean throughout and features a variety of factory options, such as factory air-conditioning, power steering, and power brakes, making it a somewhat comfortable muscle car. The seller also includes build sheets, receipts for work performed on the car, and also a Marti Report, which is a vehicle order information report from Ford Motor Company's database.Both the interior and exterior of this Mustang utilize a black and white color scheme. While it is easy to dirty up a white vehicle (and especially one with white seats), this example is extremely tidy. Personally, I enjoy the wood accents in the cabin, which nicely complement the black carpeting and white seats.All Mach 1 Mustangs were available with non-functional hood scoops as a no-cost option or a standard feature, but this Mach 1 features the Ram Air hood option. The Ram Air hood utilizes a vacuum controlled door and a fiberglass plenum to direct cool air through an air filter housing and into the carburetor.This Mustang features the M-code 351 cu.-in. "Cleveland" V8 engine, which uses a 4-barrel carburetor. From the factory, this 5.8-liter V8 made about 285 horsepower and 370 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine pairs to an automatic transmission to drive the rear wheels. Both the advertisement and the 5-digit odometer display 42,144 miles.Street Dreams is asking $39,500 for this Mach 1, though they will consider reasonable offers, and also can provide worldwide delivery. Do you think that's a fair price for this performance-oriented Mustang? Read More... True M-Code: 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Grabber Lime Mach 1 Is Seventies Perfection 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Super Cobra Jet Has Modern Performance This 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Is A Numbers Matching Beauty
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| Definitely try these $25 true wireless earbuds before dumping $159 on Apple’s AirPods Posted: 05 Jul 2019 10:33 AM PDT  If you're a jogger and you need to hear what's going on around you while you're running, AirPods are great. Or if you're a commuter and you walk through city streets to get to your office, AirPods are a smart buy. But for just about anyone else, you probably want to lock all that sound into your ears instead of letting the bass all leak out like it does with the smooth plastic tips on Apple's AirPods. Before you spend $159, maybe you should check out the $30 SoundPEATS True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds on Amazon. Did we say $30? Clip the coupon on the product page and use the promo code 3DT28K4C at checkout, and you'll only pay $25.49!Here are the bullet points from the product page: * [TWS & BLUETOOTH 5.0] - Adopt global professional Realtek chipset, true wireless design with latest Bluetooth 5.0, the SoundPEATS TrueFree wireless earbuds own fast and stable transmission without tangling. * [SINGLE & COUPLE] - Support working together to enjoy stereo sound, or using one earbud only for preference or driving safety. Different from the previous version or other brand, the TrueFree wireless earbuds provide HiFi stereo sound at both music and phone calls. * [ONE-STEP PAIRING] - Born to offer you every convenience, the earbuds are built with very easy operation. Pull out the earbuds from charging case and hit on Bluetooth list. That's how easily you get the earbuds paired. * [EXTENDED PLAYTIME] - Compact and lightweight magnetic charging case for you to carry the earbuds around. 3.5 hours playtime per charge and 15 hours in total, the earbuds strive to keep you company longer. * [BIG IN SMALL] - Sound PEATS True Free wireless earbuds fulfill all your fantasy and needs about Bluetooth earphones. As long as your device is with Bluetooth version above 4.0, you can use it with the earbuds. Sound PEATS provides 12 months hassle-free warranty to ensure the enjoyment of your purchase.
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| U.S. envoy says latest peace talks with Taliban 'most productive' so far Posted: 06 Jul 2019 07:59 AM PDT  U.S. and Taliban officials will reconvene on Tuesday to continue peace talks described as the "most productive session" by a top U.S. negotiator leading the discussions with the hardline Islamists group to end the Afghan war. The warring sides started a seventh round of peace talks last week, aiming to hammer out a schedule for the withdrawal of foreign troops in exchange for Taliban guarantees that international militant groups will not use Afghanistan as a base for launching attacks. In a tweet on Saturday, U.S envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been holding peace talks with the Taliban to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan since last year, said the latest round of discussions were the "most productive session" to date.
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| Human remains belong to mother and child missing since June 2018, police say Posted: 05 Jul 2019 10:05 AM PDT  Police identified the human remains found in the backyard of a Lansing, Michigan, home as those of mother and son missing since June 2018.
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| Indiana city headed by Buttigieg weighs more police cameras Posted: 05 Jul 2019 10:17 AM PDT ![Indiana city headed by Buttigieg weighs more police cameras]( "Indiana city headed by Buttigieg weighs more police cameras") The Indiana city where Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is mayor is considering buying additional body cameras for its police officers, although it's unclear if the proposal was spurred by a white police officer's recent fatal shooting of a black man. A request for 75 additional body cameras at a cost of $337,500 was added to the agenda of Wednesday's meeting of the city's Board of Public Works, but was removed before the meeting and no action was taken, the South Bend Tribune reported .
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| Trump blames rain and teleprompter for his Independence Day speech gaffe Posted: 05 Jul 2019 10:14 AM PDT  President Trump on Friday blamed inclement weather and a malfunctioning teleprompter for flubbing part of his Independence Day speech. During the rain-soaked "Salute to America" event, Trump made a reference to nonexistent airports during the American Revolution, a comment he walked back a day later.
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