| Nuclear changes, more troops heighten US-Iran tensions Posted: 17 Jun 2019 09:18 PM PDT  The U.S. and Iran edged toward a flashpoint Monday as Tehran announced it was breaking compliance with the accord that keeps it from making nuclear weapons and the Trump administration followed by ordering 1,000 more troops to the Middle East. The Pentagon said the deployment includes security forces and troops for additional surveillance and intelligence gathering in the region. While the number is small, it represents an escalation of U.S. military might aimed at deterring Iran and calming allies worried that transit through key shipping lanes could be in jeopardy.
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| High school graduates fall ill during trip to Dominican Republic Posted: 19 Jun 2019 08:06 AM PDT  A group of high school graduates are the latest to fall ill in the Dominican Republic.
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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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| 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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| 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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| Tucker Carlson Finds It ‘Painful’ to Watch Trans Women Athletes ‘Stealing Athletic Opportunities From Girls’ Posted: 19 Jun 2019 12:03 PM PDT  AP/ShutterstockIf history is any judge, Fox News host Tucker Carlson and his producers apparently follow that old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" when it comes to the topic of transgender Americans.Let me first make a full disclosure: I am a transgender woman, and I worked in television news for 30 years, including at two of the networks where Carlson once earned a big fat paycheck. I've also appeared on another Fox News show to discuss the issue of trans athletes. But I don't know the man.Despite that, he seems to have a rather unhealthy interest in women like me, especially for a married guy.Admittedly, this could also be said about Laura Ingraham, The Five, and any number of programs on Fox News Channel. But no show at Fox has been as consistent on the topic of trans Americans as Tucker Carlson Tonight, or as a trans friend of mine calls it, "Tucked Crotch Tonight."Parker Molloy, a transgender writer based in Chicago and editor at large for Media Matters, has been keeping a tally. Following the latest episode she tweeted a thread about this phenomenon she's observed: at least 13 shows on trans issues since Tucker Carlson Tonight premiered in 2016 (she later corrected the total to 14 with help from an eagle-eyed follower).Molloy went on to note, "The segments are virtually identical to each other. 'Are women's sports soon to be a think of the past? Hello, I am a genuinely concerned cable TV host who isn't just doing this because it lets me get a jab in at trans people wink wink.' Sometimes it's not even a new story. He's used the same news pegs for multiple stories."And she created this graphic to illustrate her point, calling it evidence of "a sick obsession of his":Carlson himself would not directly comment on Molloy's accusation of having an "obsession."In a statement to The Daily Beast, Carlson wrote, "Probably because I have three daughters, it's painful to watch biological men steal athletic opportunities from girls. And it's completely bewildering to watch so-called progressives cheer it on. They should be ashamed."The topic of transgender athletes is indeed a controversial one. It's true that even some LGBTQ advocates cannot agree on what the correct solution is, but the International Olympic Committee, NCAA, and many state policies favor inclusion of trans women athletes within certain guidelines on hormone suppression, and allow use of testosterone for trans men. One look at any record book will reveal that transgender competitors simply don't dominate any sport, or event, or win every race or contest.And as for that watchword, "biological men," sorry, Tucker. Everyone is biological, and we all have biology. Therefore, I am a biological woman. The word they don't want to use, of course, is "cisgender," which is derived from the Latin meaning "same." Trans women are not cis women; on that we can agree.As I wrote for Outsports (where I am managing editor), Carlson most recently reported the story of three cisgender high school students in Connecticut, who have filed a federal civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education against Connecticut's statewide policy allowing transgender girls to compete with them."Stories about so-called dominant trans athletes are cherry-picked for use in moral panic narratives by far-right outlets," Molloy wrote for Columbia Journalism Review in May 2019.Although I've known Molloy for seven years, we've never met face to face. And while she declined an invitation to comment here, she did confirm for me that she is politically progressive, something that is also clear from her writing.The site where she is editor at large, Media Matters, identifies itself as a "Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media." Since 2004, it's earned a reputation as a far-left watchdog famous for its daily take-downs of America's number one-rated cable news network. Today's headline: "Trump and Fox News may start a war."Just who is Carlson trying to reach with his anti-transgender rhetoric? Liz Lenz did some digging for CJR in September 2018:"Since Bill O'Reilly was fired from Fox News in October 2017, Carlson has cannibalized O'Reilly's audience. According to Nielsen Media Research, the top-rated markets for the show are Ft. Myers, Florida; Knoxville, Tennessee; Jacksonville, Florida; West Palm Beach, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Birmingham, Alabama; Orlando, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Greenville, South Carolina; and Buffalo, New York. "Only half of these cities went for Trump in the 2016 election, but they are (with the exception of Birmingham and Atlanta) overwhelmingly white and middle class, with an average age of 36. A large part of the jobs held by men in each city are in retail or construction."What's interesting about Carlson's frequency in focusing on transgender issues is how infrequently he's invited someone trans to be a guest, and given them a fair shake.Trans attorney Jillian Weiss accepted an invitation to be on the show in February 2017, and the HuffPost wrote that Carlson immediately insulted her. In April 2017, his first guest for his first show in his current time slot—vacated by MeToo culprit Bill O'Reilly, who got the boot—was Caitlyn Jenner. Variety wrote, "Carlson had Jenner on to make a fool of her." And in August 2018, Salon wrote that Carlson and his conservative guest "spewed hatred" at trans politician Christine Hallquist.About the only time a trans guest didn't get mocked or belittled by Carlson was July 2018, when trans athlete Joanna Harper shocked him into silence. Twice. The world-renowned expert on transgender athletes agreed with Carlson on the subject of trans girls competing in track events. "If I were making the rules, I would allow them to participate in the state meet but not win medals." Carlson was silent for 1.6 seconds, then fell mute again for 1.7 seconds later in the interview.If Carlson is up for it, I'd like a shot at beating Harper's record.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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| Saudi, Philippines airlines order Airbus, IAG goes for Boeing Posted: 18 Jun 2019 09:14 AM PDT  Saudi Arabian Airlines, the kingdom's national airline, said Tuesday it had ordered 65 A320neo-type aircraft from Airbus, worth more than $7.4 billion at list prices, giving an early boost to the European manufacturer at the Paris Air Show. The deal is part of Saudi Arabian Airlines' plans to boost its A320neo fleet to up to 100 aircraft from 35 now. The additional aircraft will be deployed to support the national carrier's plan to boost capacity," Airbus said in a statement.
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| Ex-ICE officials criticize Trump's tweet about upcoming deportation sweep Posted: 18 Jun 2019 11:55 AM PDT  President Trump issued a public warning Monday night, by tweet, of a mass deportation effort by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to start next week. His tweet prompted sharp criticism from some former ICE officials.
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| Cracker Barrel turns away Grayson Fritts, detective who called for LGBTQ executions in Tennessee Posted: 19 Jun 2019 09:25 AM PDT  The Cracker Barrel restaurant chain says it has a zero-tolerance policy for "discriminatory treatment or harassment of any sort."
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| Investigators crack cold case murder of South Dakota woman Posted: 18 Jun 2019 12:55 PM PDT  The murder of a pharmacist who was raped and strangled in her home in a South Dakota city more than half a century ago has been solved with the use of DNA technology and genealogy databases, police said. Investigators believe Eugene Carroll Field killed 60-year-old Gwen Miller in 1968 when he was a 25-year-old living in Rapid City, Detective Wayne Keefe said at a news conference Monday. It is "a little surreal" to finally identify the killer after 51 years and up to 5,000 hours of work, Keefe said.
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| Black lawmakers get Biden's back amid 'segregationist' uproar Posted: 19 Jun 2019 11:56 AM PDT ![Black lawmakers get Biden's back amid 'segregationist' uproar]( "Black lawmakers get Biden's back amid 'segregationist' uproar") "I worked with Strom Thurmond all my life," Jim Clyburn says.
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| New study to examine feeding habits of Cape Cod great whites Posted: 19 Jun 2019 03:10 AM PDT  Researchers on Cape Cod are launching a new study focused on the hunting and feeding habits of the region's great white sharks following last year's two attacks on humans, including the state's first fatal one in more than 80 years. The hope is that the work, which starts in the coming days, contributes critical information to the ongoing debate over how to keep Cape beachgoers safe, said state marine biologist Greg Skomal, who has been studying the region's great whites for years and is leading the new effort. Cape Cod officials have been wrestling with how to respond to public concern in the aftermath of last year's attacks.
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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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| 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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| 'Your Species Isn't Known for Moving Quickly.' Jon Stewart Roasts Mitch McConnell Over 9/11 Bill on The Late Show Posted: 18 Jun 2019 07:35 AM PDT  Stewart went on The Late Show to support the people he calls "the first heroes."
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| Photos of the 2020 Ford Explorer Posted: 18 Jun 2019 03:00 AM PDT |
| Trump reelection launch heralds political scorched earth campaign Posted: 19 Jun 2019 09:12 AM PDT  With a 2020 campaign launch painting opponents in almost apocalyptic terms, President Donald Trump showed Democrats the scorched earth treatment they can expect in his fight for reelection. "He excited the base and it sends a pretty strong message to the Democrats that this is going to be a pretty tough race," Committee to Defend the President chairman Ted Harvey said on Trump's go-to TV channel Fox News.
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| Bella Thorne slams Whoopi Goldberg's 'awful' views on her nude photo-scandal Posted: 19 Jun 2019 07:26 AM PDT  Bella Thorne is flatly rejecting Whoopi Goldberg's criticisms as "sick and disgusting" after her nude photo scandal.
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| Attorney Michael Avenatti faces November trial in New York Posted: 18 Jun 2019 02:35 PM PDT  California attorney Michael Avenatti learned Tuesday that he faces a November trial date on charges he tried to extort millions of dollars from Nike. The Nov. 12 trial date was set by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe at a pretrial hearing in Manhattan. Avenatti participated by telephone.
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| Boeing may rebrand the 737 Max so people are willing to fly in it again Posted: 18 Jun 2019 02:06 PM PDT  Boeing has a serious problem on its hands. After a pair of fatal crashes that claimed hundreds of lives, the company's 737 Max jetliner has been seriously tarnished. Nobody really wants to fly on the planes, even if Boeing can figure out how to keep them from killing people, and that means the hundreds of planes sitting around in storage right now may have a tough road ahead.Now, Boeing says it might have a plan for dealing with the complete loss of public trust in the 737 Max line, and it could be as simple as just changing its name. As Bloomberg reports, Boeing CFO Greg Smith noted the possibility of a name change in an interview during the Paris Air Show this week."I'd say we're being open-minded to all the input we get," Smith reportedly said. "We're committed to doing what we need to do to restore it. If that means changing the brand to restore it, then we'll address that. If it doesn't, we'll address whatever is a high priority."Boeing followed up the interview with an official statement in which it reiterated its desire to make the plane, you know, not crash. The company also said it had "no plans" to change the name of the 737 Max at the moment, but it's also worth noting that the planes are still grounded, so a name change probably wouldn't do them any good, yet.The first order of business for Boeing is obviously fixing whatever is wrong with its jets. Reports following the second fatal crash suggested that flight software which was designed to avoid a stall may have been to blame for sending both planes plummeting to the Earth, but details have been hard to come by in the months since those reports surfaced.It'll be interesting to see how Boeing handles things once its planes are inevitably cleared to fly once more. Will travelers simply forget the history of the Max line, or ignore it? If not, a name change might be one way to get butts in the seats again.
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| Mohammed Morsi swiftly buried after being denied public funeral in hometown Posted: 18 Jun 2019 05:11 AM PDT  Egypt's ousted president Mohamed Morsi was buried this morning at a small family ceremony in Cairo after authorities refused permission for a burial in his home province of Sharqiya. Morsi, who was deposed in a 2013 military coup after becoming the nation's first democratically elected president, collapsed and died in court on Monday evening after suffering a fatal heart attack. He was facing several long-running prosecutions stemming from his year-long reign. The 67-year-old was buried at 5am on Tuesday next to the graves of other leaders of the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. The ceremony took place with just five family members in attendance. "The state wants to avoid this becoming a catalyst for any kind of mobilisation," said Tim Kaldas of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East politics. "That was the point of burying him so quickly, and in a place that's harder to turn into a pilgrimage site." Mohammed Morsi pictured here in 2014 Credit: Ahmed Almalky/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images The interior ministry declared a state of emergency in Sharqiya following Morsi's death and there was increased security around the Cairo prison where he was held on Monday evening. By Tuesday, however, the police presence appeared normal. The Muslim Brotherhood responded to Morsi's death with a call for protests at Egyptian embassies around the world. But the likelihood of street protests in Egypt itself is low given a 2013 law requires permits for any demonstration and the Muslim Brotherhood, as a banned organisation, cannot apply. Human rights organisations have accused the Egyptian authorities of keeping Morsi in inhumane conditions in prison and refusing him treatment for diabetes. The former president was held in solitary confinement for most of his six years in prison, which amounts to torture under international standards. "Egyptian authorities have shamefully and unlawfully treated former President Morsi for years while in detention, denying him not only due process rights but also critical access to medical care," said Michael Page of Human Rights Watch. Rabbi'ah | What is it? The government has promised an investigation into Morsi's death, but experts say such internal reviews rarely yield results. "It's a delaying tactic until the story ceases to be newsworthy and they hope people will lose interest," Mr Kaldas told The Telegraph. "The state has sought to erase [Morsi] as they have sought to erase the entire revolution, and to some extent they might succeed." Morsi's death was not featured on the front pages of Egypt's tightly state-controlled media. Where stories did appear, they did not refer to him as a former president of the country.
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| Xi firmly backs Pyongyang's effort to solve Korea Peninsula issues: Rodong Sinmun Posted: 18 Jun 2019 04:32 PM PDT  Chinese President Xi Jinping said in an op-ed in North Korean state newspaper Rodong Sinmun on Wednesday that China supports North Korea's "correct direction" in politically resolving issues on the Korean Peninsula. The front-page op-ed is an honor rarely granted to foreign leaders and comes a day before Xi is set to visit Pyongyang on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, making him the first Chinese leader to visit in 14 years. The visit is a sorely needed show of support for Kim, whose campaign of diplomatic outreach and drive to rebuild the economy has suffered since the collapse of the Hanoi summit between North Korea's Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in February.
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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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| Xiaomi Eyes $725 Million Expansion to Stave Off Huawei in China Posted: 18 Jun 2019 11:55 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Xiaomi Corp. aims to spend an additional 5 billion yuan ($725 million) expanding its Chinese retail network over the next three years, anticipating a re-doubled effort by Huawei Technologies Co. to grow its domestic market share.The smartphone maker will spend the money on expanding distribution channels and on reward programs for its partners and sales employees, a person familiar with the matter said, citing an internal meeting convened by billionaire co-founder Lei Jun Tuesday. That spending comes on top of an existing budget for building up its retail operations. Chinese media outlet Caixin reported on the investment earlier.Huawei is said to be preparing for a drop in international smartphone shipments of 40% to 60% as the Trump administration bars its access to American components and software. That means Google will cut off popular apps like YouTube and stop providing updates for the Android system that powers all of Huawei's devices abroad. It wants to grab as much as half of the smartphone market in China in 2019 to offset that decline overseas, people familiar with the matter have said, citing internal discussions about year-end goals. It hopes to get there also by investing in marketing and expanding distribution channels.Xiaomi aims to become the country's top vendor but its priority is to at least become No. 3, the person said, asking not to be identified discussing internal goals. The company currently ranks fourth. It sees the roll-out of next-generation 5G mobile networks in coming years as a golden opportunity to boost sales on its home turf, the person added.Hong Kong-listed Xiaomi now commands about 12% of the Chinese smartphone market versus Huawei's 34%, Canalys estimates. Its shipments slid 13% in the first quarter while its rivals' soared 41%, the research outfit estimated.To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Gao Yuan in Beijing at ygao199@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Peter Elstrom at pelstrom@bloomberg.net, Edwin Chan, Colum MurphyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Trump envoy not ruling out using Afghan war law to justify Iranian strikes Posted: 19 Jun 2019 11:08 AM PDT  'We're not seeking military action,' said Brian Hook, the State Department's special representative for Iran. 'There is no talk of offensive action.'
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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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| New York Man Dies in Dominican Republic After Plastic Surgery Posted: 17 Jun 2019 07:44 PM PDT  A New York man died in the Dominican Republic after going to the island nation for a liposuction procedure.
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| View Photos of the 2020 Lexus GX Posted: 18 Jun 2019 03:00 AM PDT |
| 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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| Pentagon sending 1,000 U.S. troops to Middle East after oil tanker attacks Posted: 18 Jun 2019 06:16 AM PDT  Last week, the Trump administration accused Tehran of being responsible for an explosion that set two oil tankers on fire off the coast of Iran.
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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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| McConnell Rejects Possibility of Slavery Reparations Posted: 18 Jun 2019 02:17 PM PDT  Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that he is opposed to the idea of authorizing reparations for the descendants of slaves brought to the U.S. against their will."I don't think reparations for something that happened 150 years ago, for whom none of us currently living are responsible, is a good idea," McConnell said, before going on to argue that the U.S. has taken other steps to atone for the "original sin of slavery.""We've tried to deal with our original sin of slavery by fighting a civil war, passing landmark civil-rights legislation," he said. "We've elected an African American president. I think we are always a work in progress in this country, but no one alive currently was responsible for [slavery] and I don't think we should be trying to figure out how to compensate for it."McConnell's comments came ahead of a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on Wednesday meant to discuss the possibility of appointing a commission to study the question and recommend what, if "any form of apology and compensation" should be offered to the descendants of slaves.Former representative John Conyers had introduced a bill calling for the establishment of such a commission every year for three decades, to no avail. But amid renewed discussion among Democrats of the question of reparations, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee introduced the bill again this year."It is tragic, but it is real that we've seen an uptick in racial incidences -- white supremacy, white nationalism," Jackson Lee said this week. "And so the question of slavery, frankly, has never been addressed, particularly from the institutional governmental perspective."Speaker Nancy Pelosi has signaled her support for a commission to study the possibility of reparations, calling it "one of the things that we can do not only just in terms of trying to make up for a horrible, sinful thing that happened in our country in terms of slavery, but for our country to live up to who we think we are."
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| Apple explores moving 15-30% of production capacity from China: Nikkei Posted: 19 Jun 2019 02:13 AM PDT  Apple's request was a result of the extended Sino-U.S. trade dispute, but a trade resolution will not lead to a change in the company's decision, Nikkei said, citing multiple sources. The iPhone maker has decided the risks of depending heavily on manufacturing in China are too great and even rising, it said. Earlier this month, credit rating agency Fitch said it views Apple, Dell Technologies Inc and HP Inc as potential blacklist candidates if China blacklists U.S. companies in retaliation for restrictions on Huawei.
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| Exclusive: President Trump Says Hong Kong Protesters Are Having a 'Big Impact' Posted: 18 Jun 2019 12:56 PM PDT  Following simmering trade tensions with China, Donald Trump spoke to TIME in an exclusive interview about the protests in Hong Kong.
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| 12 Designs We Need From Wayfair’s Super Affordable New Collection Posted: 19 Jun 2019 07:13 AM PDT |
| Historic US drug bust nets 16 tonnes of cocaine Posted: 18 Jun 2019 02:06 PM PDT  US authorities said Tuesday they had seized around 16 tonnes of cocaine with an estimated street value of over $1 billion in a historic drug bust aboard a ship at the port of Philadelphia. "This is one of the largest drug seizures in United States history," tweeted William McSwain, the US attorney for the Eastern District of Philadelphia. "Members of the ship's crew have been arrested and federally charged" following the drug bust at Philadelphia's Packer Marine Terminal, McSwain's office said on Twitter.
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| Huge iPhone X Plus Looks Like the One to Beat Posted: 19 Jun 2019 07:35 AM PDT  Apple is betting that its biggest upcoming iPhone might just prove to be the most popular.Credit: Tom's GuideThe tech giant has ordered 45 million 6.5-inch OLED panels and 25 million 5.8-inch OLED panels, according to a report from Korean news outlet The Bell. Apple has also placed an order for 30 million 6.1-inch LCD panels for a cheaper version of its iPhone X, according to the report, which was earlier discovered by 9to5Mac.While the orders don't necessarily translate to sales predictions and can change over time, if they're accurate, it would suggest that Apple believes its iPhone X Plus will be the most popular version of all the handsets it releases this year. It also suggests that the iPhone X follow-up will be its least-popular model.Rumors have been swirling for months that Apple is working on three new iPhones for this year. The base model is expected to be a 6.1-inch LCD-based handset that will feature an iPhone X-like design and come with the most affordable price tag of the bunch. Apple's iPhone X, which is equipped with a 5.8-inch screen, is also getting a refresh, according to reports. And Apple will complement those handsets with the 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus, which will come with the same design as the iPhone X, but have a much larger screen.MORE: Case Maker Just Leaked the iPhone of Our DreamsThere had been speculation that Apple would sell more LCD models this year than any other. After all, the company's iPhone X has its biggest screen of all time and its highest price tag but isn't as popular as the cheaper iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Some had suggested the same might happen with this year's slate of iPhones.But Apple appears to be basing its decision on older iPhone launches that saw the larger versions attract more shoppers than the smaller and cheaper models. Apple ostensibly believes that customers will follow the same path with the iPhone Xs this year and opt for a larger version if it's available.Of course, price also matters here. And it's believed that Apple will keep all of its models under the $1,000 mark to start, with the iPhone X going for $899 and iPhone X Plus retailing for $999. The base LCD model will be less, but exactly how cheap is unknown. See also : Best iPhone X Alternatives * The Most Anticipated Smartphones - New Phones Coming Out * The Best iOS Apps You're Not Using (But Should Be) * 9 New iOS 12 Features That Make Your iPhone Better
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| Witness: Navy SEAL called dead prisoner an 'ISIS dirtbag' Posted: 19 Jun 2019 04:22 PM PDT  A Navy SEAL charged with killing a captive teenage militant in his care had told fellow troops that if they encountered a wounded enemy, he wanted medics to know how "to nurse him to death," a former comrade testified Wednesday. When a radio call announced an Islamic State prisoner was wounded on May 3, 2017, Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher replied: "Don't touch him, he's all mine," Dylan Dille told jurors in a military courtroom. When Iraqi forces delivered the captive to a SEAL compound in Mosul, he was on the hood of a Humvee and fading in an out of consciousness with only a minor leg wound visible.
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| Hawaiian, Southwest, Allegiant top Forbes list of fastest airlines in the U.S. Posted: 18 Jun 2019 09:30 AM PDT ![Hawaiian, Southwest, Allegiant top Forbes list of fastest airlines in the U.S.]( "Hawaiian, Southwest, Allegiant top Forbes list of fastest airlines in the U.S.") Hawaiian, Southwest and Allegiant airlines topped the list that measured efficiency and government on-time percentage rates.
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| New leak shows us how the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Pro will compare Posted: 18 Jun 2019 06:26 AM PDT  The Galaxy Note 10 series will be announced in about 2 months, which means we'll see plenty of new leaks as we get closer to the release date. The new Note will come in two sizes and each one will have a 5G version, which means you're going to have plenty of choices. But the phones will both share the same design and specs, which means you'll be getting the same overall experience — the only big differences will concern screen and battery sizes, of course. The latest batch of alleged Note 10 accessories seem to reinforce the leaks that we saw in previous weeks. The Note 10 and Note 10 Pro will have an all-screen design like the Galaxy S10, but the new Infinity-O display will be a twist on the one Samsung introduced on its Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e. Samsung will stick to Infinity-O screens for this flagship series, but the Galaxy Note 10's hole punch display will have only a single-lens selfie camera placed in the middle of the screen. Posted on Weibo initially, the following image shows alleged screen protectors for the smaller Note 10 and the bigger Note 10 Pro: https://twitter.com/Samsung_News_/status/1140876189327925248?s=19 Like previous leaks, these accessories indicate the phones will have very slim top and bottom bezels, as well as curved edges. A different Samsung insider shared new Galaxy Note 10 images that show what appear to be screen protectors for the upcoming phones: https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1140902986404597760 The following image also teases the Note 10's two different sizes: https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1140905271981531137 Again, we're looking at screen protectors that seem to feature big holes near the bottom of the screen that would probably fit the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. If they seem familiar, that's because we saw similar screen protectors for the Galaxy S10 ahead of the phone's arrival. At the time, those leaks sparked a debate about the sensor's functionality, with some people claiming only certain screen protectors would support it. Samsung cleared the air after the S10 launched, explaining that accessory makers would have to adhere to certain standards when making Galaxy S10 screen protectors. The same probably goes for the new Note phones.
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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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| U.S. Navy says mine fragments suggest Iran behind Gulf tanker attack Posted: 19 Jun 2019 04:24 AM PDT  The United States sought on Wednesday to bolster its case for isolating Iran over its nuclear and regional activities by displaying limpet mine fragments it said came from an oil tanker damaged in an attack last week and saying the ordnance looked Iranian in origin. Separately, a senior U.S. official said U.S. intelligence had confirmed that Iranian vessels had approached the damaged tanker, the Kokuka Courageous, as well as a second one, the Front Altair, prior to explosions that damaged their hulls last week. Iran has denied involvement in explosive strikes on those two tankers in the Gulf of Oman last week and on four tankers off the United Arab Emirates on May 12, both near the Strait of Hormuz, a major conduit for global oil supplies.
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| South Korea to send 50,000 tons of rice to North Korea Posted: 19 Jun 2019 02:49 AM PDT  South Korea said Wednesday it plans to send 50,000 tons of rice to North Korea through the World Food Program, in its second aid package announced in past weeks as it seeks to help with North Korean food shortages and improve bilateral relations. South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, Seoul's point man for North Korea, said his government will work with the U.N. agency to ensure that the food reaches North Korean people without delay.
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| Father of a Sandy Hook victim has won a defamation lawsuit Posted: 18 Jun 2019 06:10 AM PDT  The father of a victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre has won a defamation lawsuit against the authors of a book that claimed the shooting never happened — the latest victory for victims' relatives who have been taking a more aggressive stance against conspiracy theorists.
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