| CNN’s Alisyn Camerota Confronts Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Trump’s Tantrum Posted: 23 May 2019 08:54 AM PDT  It's been 73 days since Sarah Huckabee Sanders last held a "daily" White House press briefing. For the most part, she has chosen to bring the Trump administration's message to Fox News and Fox News only. But on Thursday morning she stepped out of her comfort zone and was quickly reminded what it feels like to be questioned by a real reporter. Sanders' interview with CNN's Alisyn Camerota on New Day started out all smiles as the two women exchanged pleasantries. But as soon as the host began to dig in on President Trump's ultimatum to Democrats in Congress that he will not work with them on infrastructure until they stop investigating him, things went south.Alisyn Camerota Loves Doing Journalism at CNN, After Doing the Opposite at Fox News"Congress say they can do two things at once, the Democrats is Congress say this isn't a problem," Camerota said. "So is the president saying that he cannot do infrastructure while he's being investigated?" "I think it's a complete lie that Democrats in Congress think they can do two things at once," Sanders replied. "So far we haven't seen them do anything. Nancy Pelosi has had the majority in the House for months and is yet to accomplish a single thing. They literally haven't gotten anything done since she took over." When Camerota pointed out that since January, the House has passed 248 bills and the Senate has passed 161, Sanders laughed it off as insignificant. "I just want to say, it's the president who is saying that he can't do infrastructure while he's being investigated," Camerota reiterated. "He is the one who walked out of the meeting. So just so that we're clear, he's saying that bridges are not going to be fixed until he's no longer investigated, is that what we hear from the White House?" Instead of answering that question, Sanders stammered a bit as she once again accused Democrats of being "incapable of doing anything other than investigating this president.""They spend all of their time attacking him and the fact that they would have a meeting an hour before they are set to arrive at the White House where Nancy Pelosi literally accuses the president of a crime and then wants to walk into his office and sit down as if nothing happened, that's just—that's lunacy," she continued. "That's not even in the realm of possibility. The president absolutely wants to get infrastructure done, he wants to secure our border, he wants to do things that help our veterans, he wants to improve our education system, he wants to do all of those things but Democrats have been unwilling to work with him."Fox News' Chris Wallace Shuts Down Sarah Huckabee Sanders' Claim About Terrorists Crossing BorderLater, after confirming that Trump's "merit-based" immigration plan will not prioritize DREAMers, Sanders returned to her attacks on Pelosi for suggesting the president may have committed a crime. "That would be like John telling you that he thought you were stealing from the network and then sitting down in the chair next to you and saying, but no big deal, let's just move forward," she said, referring to Camerota's co-host John Berman. "John would never accuse me of something like that," Camerota said with a smile. "I would hope not," Sanders added. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet 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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| Trump antagonist Avenatti indicted for ripping off Stormy Daniels, extorting Nike Posted: 22 May 2019 07:03 PM PDT  The Nike indictment concerns charges announced in March that Avenatti tried to extort more than $20 million from the athletic wear company by threatening to expose what he called its improper payments to recruits for college basketball teams it sponsored. Avenatti also faces dozens of charges in southern California, where prosecutors on April 11 accused him of stealing millions of dollars from clients to pay for personal and business expenses, and lying to the Internal Revenue Service and a Mississippi bank about his finances. If convicted on all charges, Avenatti could face more than 400 years in prison, but would likely face a lesser punishment.
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| Britain's embattled leader Theresa May resigns premiership amid Brexit deadlock Posted: 24 May 2019 09:46 AM PDT  May lasted three years in office. Her Conservative Party will start a process to replace her. It could take weeks.
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| The F-21 Could Be One Tough Fighter (With F-35 DNA). Here's the Problem. Posted: 23 May 2019 01:04 AM PDT  For the purposes of Lockheed's marketing campaign, the F-21 is a new fighter, although it shares many of its major features with the F-16V the company has sold to Bahrain, Greece, Slovakia, South Korea and Taiwan. Lockheed can build new F-16Vs or upgrade older F-16s to the V-standard.Lockheed Martin is developing a new variant of its iconic F-16 single-engine fighter in order to compete in India's 2019 tender for 110 new warplanes.(This first appeared earlier in the month.)But don't count on the American firm's "F-21" to win the contract.According to journalist Angad Singh, the likely winner is French company Dassault's Rafale twin-engine fighter.Singh explains his rationale in the May 2019 issue of Combat Aircraft magazine. India previously ordered 36 Rafales as part of an earlier fighter tender. "With 36 aircraft already on order and the infrastructure in place for an additional 36, a case could certainly be made that training, basing and sustainment costs for additional aircraft would not be an impossible burden."Other candidates for the Indian tender are the Saab Gripen from Sweden, the European Eurofighter Typhoon, the MiG-35 from Russia and the Boeing Super Hornet from the United States. Whichever fighter New Delhi selects, it needs the new jets now, according to Singh.
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| Across US, women have unequal access to abortion Posted: 23 May 2019 01:20 PM PDT  While abortion is legal nationwide, Americans have unequal access to the procedure, depending on their location in the United States and how much they are able to spend. The disparities are great indeed, from the more than 150 abortion clinics available in the most populous state of California, to only one in states like Mississippi in the South or Missouri in the Midwest. State laws also vary widely on other matters like speed limits for drivers and marriage age requirements, but the Supreme Court has set a "minimum standard throughout the entire country," noted Meg Penrose, of the Texas A&M School of Law.
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| EXCLUSIVE-JPMorgan cuts ties with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma -sources Posted: 23 May 2019 11:08 AM PDT ![EXCLUSIVE-JPMorgan cuts ties with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma -sources]( "EXCLUSIVE-JPMorgan cuts ties with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma -sources") JPMorgan Chase & Co has cut ties with Purdue Pharma LP over the OxyContin maker's alleged role in the U.S. opioid crisis, forcing it to find a new bank to manage cash and bill payments, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The move makes JPMorgan, the largest U.S. bank by assets, the most high-profile corporation known to have distanced itself from Purdue and its wealthy owners, the Sackler family, amid thousands of lawsuits alleging the company pushed addictive painkillers while downplaying their abuse and overdose risks. JPMorgan's decision also underscores a drive among U.S. banks to reassess their relationships with clients and industries in response to controversy and political debates over matters such as immigration detention and mass shootings.
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| North Korea calls Biden 'fool of low IQ' over Kim criticism Posted: 22 May 2019 06:12 PM PDT  SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has labeled Joe Biden a "fool of low IQ" and an "imbecile bereft of elementary quality as a human being" after the U.S. presidential hopeful called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a tyrant during a recent speech.
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| Rep. Nadler falls ill during public meeting on Upper West Side Posted: 24 May 2019 09:33 AM PDT  Rep. Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, became ill during a public meeting on speed cameras with Mayor de Blasio on the Upper West Side.
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| Congress leader Rahul Gandhi loses his home seat in humiliating election defeat Posted: 23 May 2019 09:46 AM PDT  The Indian National Congress Party went from understated optimism to shellshocked defeat within the space of a few hours on Thursday as Narendra Modi and his party celebrated another landslide victory. For the Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, the performance by his party was nothing short of a humiliation, with several members of his own party demanding he step down and lay the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty to rest for good. Mr Gandhi suffered the sting of losing the iconic seat of his family homestead in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, which he had held since 2004 and was controlled by his father before him. He won in his second constituency – candidates can run from two in India – but the symbolism of the defeat was one from which he may never recover. Modi vowed to build an 'inclusive' India after a first term marred by accusations of fomenting religious hatred Credit: AFP At a brief press conference as the results were still coming in, Mr Gandhi congratulated Mr Modi and said "the people are king and they have directed that the BJP and Modi have won this election". He added: "I don't want to get into what went wrong today, this is not the time for that. I fully respect the Indian people's decision." During the briefing he also conceded defeat in the Amethi election and congratulated his opponent Smriti Irani, of the BJP, who was more than 28,000 votes ahead at the time. Congress party officials did not return calls by The Telegraph but there were widespread reports in Indian media that the party had wildly miscalculated the margin of any potential loss with its internal polling, and now all that was left was to call for its talisman's head. "If they want to change anything, change the leadership," a Congress official in Rajasthan told Reuters, referring to Mr Gandhi and the party's high command. "You need to give young people a chance." However Mr Gandhi, 48, will probably not face an immediate leadership challenge as India's establishment party does some soul searching after an inglorious defeat. Some reports claimed Mr Gandhi had offered to resign. "According to sources, Sonia Gandhi and senior Congress leaders advised him to bring up the matter before the party forum," reported India Today TV. "The CWC (Congress Working Committee) will meet in a week in which the proposal will be discussed," it added. Ironically the youthful pretender had grown into his role as leader in the past 18 months after previously being seen as a reluctant heir to his political lineage which stretched back to India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. He campaigned vigorously and was not shy on calling out Mr Modi on the economy, national security, Hindu nationalism and women's rights. After a while the media started to take notice. However behind the scenes his inability to foster good relations with a host of regional party leaders that could have generated a tenable anti-Modi alliance may have damaged his chances. "The BJP fought these elections on the basis of social and religious divisive policies and the agenda was set by them on this basis," said Atul Kumar Anjaan, national secretary of the Communist Party of India, a potential ally. "But more significant is the fact that the unity of the opposition has been damaged by the Congress. The policies and decisions of Rahul Gandhi has weakened opposition unity, led to divisions and opened the doors for Modi's victory." Congress has ruled India for most of its history since independence from Britain in 1947, and boasts three prime ministers from the Nehru-Gandhi clan. But its weak performance in the last two elections seems to suggest it needs a drastic change of direction to take on someone with Mr Modi's political savvy.
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| The New Assange Indictment Endangers Journalism Posted: 23 May 2019 03:10 PM PDT  The original indictment charged Assange with computer hacking on the novel theory that he coached Private Chelsea Manning on how to crack passwords on Department of Defense computers that stored the reams of secret diplomatic cables Wikileaks eventually published. The government could win that case against Assange without criminalizing the receipt of classified information.
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| Britain's May announces resignation in emotional end Posted: 24 May 2019 04:25 AM PDT  Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation in an emotional address on Friday, ending a dramatic three-year tenure of near-constant crisis over Brexit and increasing the likelihood of Britain crashing out of the EU later this year. "It is and will always remain a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit," May, her voice breaking and close to tears, said outside her Downing Street office. The 62-year-old leader said she would step down as head of the Conservative Party on June 7.
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| Download these 5 apps before your next trip Posted: 24 May 2019 04:30 AM PDT ![Download these 5 apps before your next trip]( "Download these 5 apps before your next trip") There are millions of apps available for your phone, but you can't take all of them on your next trip. So which travel apps should you pack?
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| AT&T is the first major US wireless carrier to let you pay via cryptocurrency Posted: 24 May 2019 01:48 PM PDT  If you're an AT&T mobile customer, and you have some extra bitcoin lying around that you're not doing anything with, you can now use it to pay your phone bill.AT&T just became the first big US wireless carrier to announce that its customers can now use cryptocurrency to make payments, as greater acceptance of this digital medium of exchange can be seen at companies ranging from AT&T to cable provider Dish, which also lets its customers pay via cryptocurrency. Likewise, Facebook on Friday garnered headlines over a report that it's set to launch its own cryptocurrency for use on the social network early next year.About AT&T's move, all customers need to do is select the BitPay option at MyAT&T. BitPay is an Atlanta-based bitcoin payment service provider, and it's also worth noting: This is an option that only currently works online and via the myAT&T app, so it's not as yet available for in-store payments."We're always looking for ways to improve and expand our services," said Kevin McDorman, vice president, AT&T Communications Finance Business Operations, in a statement about the new payment option. "We have customers who use cryptocurrency, and we are happy we can offer them a way to pay their bills with the method they prefer."There are of course a slew of different cryptocurrency options out there, and AT&T's announcement doesn't specify a particular kind. BitPay's website, though, notes that currencies it supports include Bitcoin, Gemini USD, and Paxos, to name a few.As of now, it's a safe bet to assume that crypto payments will probably remain a small minority of AT&T's customer payment mix for the near future. That's thanks to everything from the general public's unfamiliarity with the digital asset to obstacles like its fees and high volatility, the latter being two of the most frequent criticisms you hear.Still, expect to keep hearing more announcements like this as companies keep experimenting. Just a few weeks ago, for example, retailers like Whole Foods and GameStop likewise announced they'll be getting in on the act too, accepting cryptocurrency through the Flexa payment network.
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| Alabama Republicans call for Supreme Court to reconsider Roe v Wade in wake of abortion ban vote Posted: 23 May 2019 09:11 AM PDT  Top politicians in Alabama have resulted to publicly calling for the Supreme Court to review Roe v Wade in the wake of the state passing the most severe restrictions against abortions in America. Del Marsh, one of the 25 all-male senators who voted for the abortion ban earlier this month, defended the legislation against criticism for not including exceptions for rape or incest by saying its sole purpose is to challenge the Supreme Court's 1973 ruling. "At the end of the day, the bill passed with the only exemption the health of the mother," he said in an interview with Sky News. "What I voted for was a bill to get to the Supreme Court to challenge Roe v Wade.""That's what the instrument is," he continued. "We understand that this is not the end game. The federal courts are going to have to make a determination. What we're trying to do is force, then reconsider. That's what this is all about."Alabama's abortion ban arrived amid a national trend in which states are passing restrictive legislation surrounding women's reproductive health. Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia and Mississippi have also approved similar laws in which abortions on banned when a fetal heartbeat is detected. Those restrictions can occur six weeks into a pregnancy, when most people are not yet aware they are with a child. Not all states have taken a conservative approach towards abortion access in recent months, however. Nevada's state legislature passed a bill relaxing decades-old policies surrounding abortion that critics said deterred women from seeking access. Alabama's Governor Kay Ivey also called for the Supreme Court to reconsider its landmark ruling when signing the abortion ban. "Many Americans, myself included, disagreed when Roe v Wade was handed down in 1973," she said in a statement at the time. "The sponsors of this bill believe that it is time, once again, for the US Supreme Court to revisit this important matter, and they believe this act may bring about the best opportunity for this to occur."The wave of bans have sparked major protests across the country, with many 2020 presidential hopefuls speaking out against the restrictive measures against women's reproductive rights. "Our democracy only works when the people of this country stand up and demand it," Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York senator running for the White House, said at a StopTheBans rally in Washington on Tuesday. "Do not allow this moment to pass without putting everything you have behind it … organise, advocate and vote."
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| Deutsche Bank plans cuts in U.S. equities, prime unit -sources Posted: 23 May 2019 11:27 AM PDT ![Deutsche Bank plans cuts in U.S. equities, prime unit -sources]( "Deutsche Bank plans cuts in U.S. equities, prime unit -sources") Deutsche Bank is planning cuts at its U.S. equities business, including prime brokerage and equity derivatives, to win over shareholders unhappy about its performance, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Chief Executive Officer Christian Sewing told shareholders at the bank's annual meeting on Thursday it was prepared to make "tough cutbacks" at its investment bank. The bulk of the anticipated U.S. cuts will come from its money-losing equities business, which includes cash equities trading.
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| The Latest: Runaway barges cause 'minimal' damage to dam Posted: 23 May 2019 06:03 PM PDT  JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on severe weather moving across the central United States (all times local):
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| Trump Gives Attorney General William Barr Authority to Declassify Russia Probe Documents Posted: 23 May 2019 05:57 PM PDT  Chip Somodevilla / GettyPresident Trump has authorized Attorney General William Barr to declassify any documents he sees fit in his newly launched investigation into the origins of the Russia probe and "intelligence activities" focused on Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. As part of the attorney general's investigation—which has alarmed many who see it as a way for Trump to target the FBI agents he has accused of "treason" for investigating his campaign—Trump has also directed intelligence officials to cooperate and "promptly provide such assistance and information" as Barr may request. The White House confirmed the directives in a statement late Thursday. "Today, at the request and recommendation of the Attorney General of the United States, President Donald J. Trump directed the intelligence community to quickly and fully cooperate with the Attorney General's investigation into surveillance activities during the 2016 Presidential election," the White House said. "The Attorney General has also been delegated full and complete authority to declassify information pertaining to this investigation, in accordance with the long-established standards for handling classified information. Today's action will help ensure that all Americans learn the truth about the events that occurred, and the actions that were taken, during the last Presidential election and will restore confidence in our public institutions."House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) later called the president out on Twitter, blasting the order as "un-American.""While Trump stonewalls the public from learning the truth about his obstruction of justice, Trump and Barr conspire to weaponize law enforcement and classified information against their political enemies," he wrote. "The coverup has entered a new and dangerous phase. This is un-American."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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| Facebook accused of leaving 'broken children' in wake of its commercial aims, abuse inquiry hears Posted: 24 May 2019 09:26 AM PDT  Facebook has been accused of leaving 'broken children' as collateral damage in the wake of their commercial aims, the child sex abuse inquiry has heard. Barrister William Chapman, representing the victims of abuse at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), said social media companies were not preventing paedophiles reaching children as it was "contrary to their business model" and that their apps needed to be "fundamentally redesigned". Police also warned that tech firms were going ahead with plans to encrypt more features "in the certain knowledge" it would lead to more children being abused. The warnings came as the inquiry's hearing into online child abuse drew to a close yesterday. Over the last fortnight IICSA has heard evidence from Facebook, Apple, Microsoft and Google about their efforts to combat child abuse online. Giving his closing statement, Mr Chapman singled out Facebook as the "unacceptable face of social media", citing that over half of reported grooming offences in 2017 and 2018 related to the company or its Instagram and WhatsApp apps. William Chapman giving his closing address to the inquiry He said that social networks scanned for evidence of abuse after it happened and that they now needed to change their business model to stop abusers easily contacting children. Mr Chapman said: "What they will not do, because it is contrary to their business model, is to restrict the opportunities for abuse before it takes place." He added: "They leave behind broken children like so much collateral damage. "Money, they say, is no object but none you heard from has a dedicated budget to tackling this problem." Among the recommendations being made to the inquiry on behalf of victims are for tech companies pay compensation to those abused via their services and that a new criminal offence be made of posing online as a child online without a reasonable excuse. Mr Chapman also accused tech companies of not giving the inquiry a "straight answer" about the scale of abuse on their sites and selectively releasing figures without context. Earlier in the hearing Microsoft failed to provide figures for how many children had been groomed on its live chat services Xbox Live and Skype and Facebook was similarly unable to say how many registered sex offenders had been caught using its services. "It is not acceptable to hide the extent of the problem on your platform in a black box out of which you prick pinholes for others to see only hints of the full horror within," said Mr Chapman. Later in the hearing, Debra Powell QC, speaking for the National Police Chiefs Council, warned that tech giants' plans to make ever more services encrypted would lead to more children being abused. Last month Facebook announced plans to add end-to-end encryption to its 1.3 billion-user Messenger service, meaning not even it will be able to see the content of messages. Ms Powell said: "Currently many technology companies are building in and offering to their users ever greater privacy protections, including end-to-end encryption, in the certain knowledge that this will make the detection and prevention of child sexual abuse and exploitation more difficult. "The inevitable result must be that more children will be abused and exploited and that their ordeals will go on for longer before the perpetrators can be caught, if they are caught at all."
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| Almost 40% of Americans Would Struggle to Cover a $400 Emergency Posted: 23 May 2019 09:13 AM PDT  The Fed's 2018 report on the economic well-being of households, published Thursday, indicated "most measures" of well-being and financial resilience "were similar to, or slightly better than, those in 2017." The slight improvement coincided with a decline in the average unemployment rate to 3.9% last year, from 4.3% in 2017. The statistic, which was a bit better than in the 2017 report, has become a favorite rejoinder to U.S. President Donald Trump's boasts about a strong economy among Democratic politicians, including 2020 presidential candidate Kamala Harris, the U.S. senator from California. "Relatively small, unexpected expenses, such as a car repair or replacing a broken appliance, can be a hardship for many families without adequate savings," the report said.
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| In new charges against Assange, groups see cause for concern Posted: 23 May 2019 06:43 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — New charges filed against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange quickly drew alarm Thursday from media organizations and others. The groups are concerned that the Justice Department is charging Assange for actions that ordinary journalists do routinely in their jobs.
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| UN agency for Palestinians rejects US call to dismantle it Posted: 23 May 2019 04:41 AM PDT  The head of the United Nations organisation for Palestinian refugees on Thursday rejected a US call to dismantle the agency, saying it cannot be blamed for stalled peace efforts. UNRWA's commissioner general Pierre Krahenbuhl rebuffed the criticism from US envoy Jason Greenblatt during a visit to the Gaza Strip. "I unreservedly reject the accompanying narrative that suggests that somehow UNRWA is to blame for the continuation of the refugee-hood of Palestine refugees, of their growing numbers and their growing needs," he said in response to a question about Greenblatt's comments.
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| McAleenan: We need to address issue of families crossing the border Posted: 23 May 2019 07:28 PM PDT  Acting DHS Secretary Kevin McAleenan discusses the ongoing immigration crisis at the border on 'The Ingraham Angle.'
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| China says lodged solemn representations with U.S. over Huawei Posted: 23 May 2019 02:14 AM PDT  China said on Thursday it had lodged solemn representations with the United States after it escalated a trade war between the two countries by placing Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on a blacklist for U.S. suppliers. No further trade talks between top Chinese and U.S. negotiators have been scheduled since the last round ended in a stalemate on May 10, the same day U.S. President Donald Trump sharply increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods and took steps to levy duties on all remaining Chinese imports.
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| Huawei needs Google’s Android and Microsoft’s Windows 10 like fish need water Posted: 23 May 2019 04:06 PM PDT  The import ban the Trump administration imposed on Huawei a few days ago was the next logical step in the trade war against China. While some people may have foreseen it, given the ZTE practice run from before, it still sent shockwaves through the industry. Huawei is prepared to fight, even as numerous business partners from the US and other countries confirm they're putting their business dealings with the Chinese giant on hold.One of the things Huawei confirmed earlier this week is that it'll move forward with an operating system of its own, which we'll call Huawei OS for lack of a better alternative, and which could launch as early as fall. That operating system is based on Android, and it's supposed to run both on smartphones and tablets. But, make no mistake, Huawei needs Google's version of Android and Microsoft's Windows 10, no matter what.Huawei might be in a hard place right now, but things will work out one way or the other. With the ban in place, it's not just Huawei that loses, but US and international companies as well. That said, Huawei will probably want to be more prepared in the future, which is why it makes sense to see it launch an operating system of its own.Huawei OS, however, only has a chance to catch on over in China, where Google doesn't have a presence, and where Huawei could easily make an Android of its own. Convincing smartphone users in Western markets to ditch a phone with Google's Android, on the other hand, will be an uphill battle. Huawei doesn't have alternatives to Google's apps, especially the Google Play Store, not to mention other popular services like YouTube, Gmail, and Google Maps.The same thing goes for Windows 10. Good luck trying to replace Windows 10 on Huawei laptops in Europe, the US, or anywhere else where Windows is still popular -- which is pretty much everywhere.But that's not the only reason why Huawei can't afford to lose its licenses with Google and Microsoft. In addition to the operating systems, these two firms bring Huawei the credibility they desperately need in Western countries. There's no better way to fight the US government's claims that Huawei hardware isn't as secure than having strong partners in companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Intel vouch for the security of your devices.Google's Sebastien Missoffe and Bob Borchers, Microsoft's Kurt Petersen, or Intel's Christian Morales and Chris Walker are just a few of the top execs who appeared on stage during Huawei's product launch events in recent years. Huawei didn't just invite them to talk about the product that was about to be unveiled, but also to send a clear message that these US tech titans trust the Chinese company. In turn, these companies would not have attended the events if that weren't the case. Add to that the marketing clips that Huawei aired ahead of some of its press conferences, featuring carrier partners from various countries that sell Huawei products, and it's clear that Huawei has been desperately trying to make it clear to consumers that they will be safe when using Huawei devices.That doesn't mean the US government is wrong to assert that Huawei may have closer ties to the Chinese government than intelligence agencies would want. Or that you should be careful when trusting any company with your private data.But knowing that Huawei's phones and laptops run the latest versions of Android and Windows 10, complete with regular security updates, should put your mind at ease. The alternative -- running a Huawei OS that can't be defended as vigorously and independently as Android and Windows when it comes to security and privacy -- might not sound great to tech-savvy buyers in Western countries looking to spend top dollar on hardware. And that's why Huawei will have to do whatever it takes to keep its Android and Windows 10 deals in place for as long as possible. Huawei OS alone won't cut it.There's also the argument that both Google and Microsoft, and all the other companies who just cut ties with Huawei, don't like the import ban. But that doesn't change the fact that Huawei can't just distance itself from the world's top operating systems, no matter how great Huawei OS might be.
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| Trump calls 'treason' on Comey, McCabe and 'a number of people' Posted: 23 May 2019 02:44 PM PDT  President Trump on Thursday escalated his attacks on those involved in launching the federal investigation into his campaign's contacts with Russia, saying "a number of people" are guilty of treason.
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| Bodies in submerged Missouri vehicle bring storm toll to 9 Posted: 24 May 2019 03:58 PM PDT  OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The bodies of a man and a woman were discovered Friday in a submerged vehicle near the Mississippi River in Missouri, bringing the death toll to nine from storms that have ravaged the central U.S. this week and threaten major flooding through the holiday weekend.
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| May to Announce Departure Date Friday, FT Says: Brexit Update Posted: 23 May 2019 12:48 PM PDT  Key Developments:May will inform her advisers Friday morning of the day she plans to stand down, the FT reportedMay's Brexit legislation isn't listed for debate in the first week of June as promised, but the government says it still hopes to put it to Parliament that weekEU elections are under way. The prime minister will meet with her advisers at 10 a.m. to reveal her decision and will also meet Graham Brady, chairman of the rank and file 1922 Committee, it said. May appeared determined to re-write her Withdrawal Agreement Bill to make it palatable to her party when she met with Home Secretary Sajid Javid, according to a person familiar with the discussion.
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| The U.S. Just Upped the Ante on Julian Assange's Extradition With Espionage Charges Posted: 24 May 2019 08:43 AM PDT  By indicting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with 18 charges under the Espionage Act the U.S. has considerably raised the stakes in competing extradition claims.
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| Theme park attendance passed half a billion mark for first time in 2018: report Posted: 23 May 2019 08:37 AM PDT  For the first time, attendance at amusement parks exceeded half a billion visits in 2018, a figure that represents nearly seven percent of the world population.
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| Narendra Modi wins landslide victory in Indian election Posted: 23 May 2019 06:19 AM PDT  Narendra Modi swept back into power on Thursday as his Hindu nationalist party made unexpected gains in a landslide victory. After a mammoth six-week election in which over 600 million people voted, all the results were tallied on Thursday and within hours the TV networks predicted a win for Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Official data from the Election Commission showed Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party ahead in 300 of the 542 seats up for grabs, up from the 282 it won in 2014 and more than the 272 seats needed for a majority in the lower house of parliament. That would give his party the first back-to-back majority for a single party since 1984. "Together we grow," Mr Modi said on Twitter. "Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again!" Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at BJP headquarters to attend a ceremony to thank the Union Council of Ministers for their contribution in India's general election, in New Delhi Credit: AFP The win by Modi and the BJP has surprised even the most hardened political analysts, with the consensus being that they would be returned to power but with a reduced majority. His re-election reinforces a global trend of right-wing populists sweeping to victory, from the United States to Brazil and Italy, often after adopting harsh positions on protectionism, immigration and defence. The result reinforces Mr Modi's immense popularity and vindicated what at times was a belligerent campaign by several parties, with the focus heavily on the economy, national security, and from the BJP's perspective, an affirmation of its underlying ideology of Hindu nationalism. Nalin Kohli, a senior BJP official, claimed his party had picked up votes from Muslims, especially Muslim women. "We are the party of power, we are the flavour of the season. It is the aspirations of 1 billion-plus people that have elected us." The main opposition Congress party was heading for a better performance than its nadir in 2014, but early results suggested it would get at least 52 seats. With its partners it makes up the United Progressive Alliance, which was predicted to hit the 110 mark. With some of the BJP's critics accusing it of making India a more divisive country, particularly for Muslims and other minorities, many are asking what happens next for India. सबका साथ + सबका विकास + सबका विश्वास = विजयी भारत Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again! VijayiBharat— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2019 Professor Santosh Kumar Rai, of Delhi University, said: "Certainly a second term means an ideological victory, even if it is more a personality cult. With a [BJP] majority, a rightist agenda with all the institutions of the state under its control, the party will be more likely to convert India into a majoritarian state. "Law, education and culture will be the major areas expecting paradigm shift. Foreign and Finance policies will continue as they are going on now." The election has been the biggest democratic exercise in history with an electorate of 900million, more than 1 million polling booths, seen phases of polling, seven national parties and dozens more regional parties vying for seats in the New Delhi parliament. Commentators have said Mr Modi put himself at the centre of a more presidential style of campaign, often making himself and his party interchangeable. At a packed victory rally at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, Mr Modi said: "This victory will be an inspiration for generations in the country. Crores [tens of millions] of Indians have blessed us, my gratitude to the people. "This is the highest voter turnout since Independence, even in adverse weather conditions. I congratulate the Election Commission for conducting smooth elections in such a big democracy. "I have been saying that no party or candidate is fighting the polls but the people of India are. If anybody has won, it is the people of India. This is the biggest event in any democracy in the world." Referring to his rivals in the Congress Party, he said: "They used a fake tag of Secularism that they thought would wash all sins; today these people have been completely unmasked. Today, India has only two castes - those who are poor and those who want to eradicate poverty. "This is not Modi's victory. This is victory of honest people's hope, this is a victory of youths who have walked on the path of 21st century with dreams."
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| The top 10 Memorial Day sales we are shopping this weekend Posted: 23 May 2019 08:31 AM PDT  This year, there is certainly no shortage of awesome Memorial Day sales
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| African swine fever threatens French deli meats producers Posted: 23 May 2019 06:00 AM PDT  French deli meats makers are being squeezed by a surge in pork prices linked to an African swine fever epidemic that has decimated the pig herd in China, they said on Thursday, warning of potential bankruptcies in the sector. African swine fever, a highly contagious virus, has spread to every province on the Chinese mainland since August last year, killing millions of animals and prompting China - the world's biggest pork producer - to turn to imports earlier this year. In a knock-on effect, French live pork prices have gained 24% since early March, with a rise of as much as 30% for some ingredients used in making deli meats like saucisson, cooked ham and dry-cured ham, making it hard for producers to pass such price rises on to clients, industry association FICT said.
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| OnePlus 7 Pro users report ‘ghost touches’ that occur without any input Posted: 24 May 2019 03:04 PM PDT  It should be an exceptional week for OnePlus, considering the stellar response the OnePlus 7 Pro got after launch and the fact that the young smartphone vendor just launched its first ever 5G phone. However, OnePlus is already being forced to put out fires.OnePlus addressed criticism that it's misleading users with its 3x zoom claims earlier this week, but now, some users have discovered a more serious issue that might actually impact their overall experience, as this one concerns the sophisticated OnePlus 7 Pro display.The OnePlus 7 Pro features a brand new design, complete with an all-screen display that features no notches or holes. The screen is also curved on the sides, which will remind some people of Samsung's phones. But, more importantly, the Pro features a 90Hz display that doesn't have many rivals. What that means for users is that they should get an even better, smoother Android experience than on competing flagships.But it turns out that some OnePlus 7 Pro displays register ghost touches, which is as annoying as it sounds. As you can see in the following video, the display registers touches that don't actually happen, and reacts accordingly, producing the results you'd expect to see on the screen had you pressed the same buttons:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT1U8ilxy4kThere's a thread on the matter over on the OnePlus forums, and Android Central confirms it's been able to replicate the issue on one of its test units:> It's only happened a couple of times in my four days with the handset so far, the first time in WhatsApp for about 5 seconds, not a big deal. The second time it happened, it lasted about 2 minutes and was affecting every app I was in, including the home screen. It makes navigating and typing on the keyboard incredibly difficult as the phone thinks you're tapping away on something else.It's unclear at this time what is causing the issue. Hopefully, it's not the hardware, in which case a software update should fix things. If you're experiencing similar issues, your best bet is to exchange yours for a new one.
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| Trump walks out on Democrats as impeachment talk heats up Posted: 22 May 2019 08:30 PM PDT  Donald Trump erupted in fury Wednesday at unrelenting probes into his links to Russia, as the top Democrat in Congress accused the president of a "cover-up" that could be an impeachable offense. A livid Trump abruptly shut down a White House meeting with Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, announcing he could not deal with them on policy until "phony investigations" are brought to a close. The clash marked a dramatic escalation in Trump's war of words with congressional opponents seeking to bring him to account for what they say is presidential wrongdoing.
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| Abortion rights groups sue to block Alabama's near-total ban Posted: 24 May 2019 09:46 AM PDT  The near-total abortion ban in Alabama is scheduled to go into effect in November, but Planned Parenthood and the ACLU are suing to block it.
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| Trump Justice Department Crosses New Line, Charges Assange With Publishing U.S. Secrets Posted: 23 May 2019 03:34 PM PDT  Daniel Leal-Olivas/GettyIn a stunning escalation of the Trump administration's war on the press, the Justice Department has indicted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for revealing government secrets under the Espionage Act. It's the first time a publisher has been charged under the World War I-era law.The indictment charges Assange with 16 counts of receiving or disclosing material leaked by then-Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in 2009 and 2010. The charges invoke broad provisions of the Espionage Act that make it a crime to disclose or retain any defense information knowing it "could be used to injure" the U.S. The act has no exception for reporters or publishers, but prior administrations have balked at invoking the law against journalists for fear of colliding with the First Amendment. The Justice Department immediately sought to draw a distinction between Assange and the press in a briefing for reporters announcing the new indictment."The department takes seriously the role of journalists in our democracy and we thank you for it," said John Demers, head of the department's National Security Division. "It has not and never has been the department's policy to target them for reporting. But Julian Assange is no journalist." Demers cited WikiLeaks' publication of the names of U.S. government sources, saying it endangered people in China, Iran, and Syria.WikiLeaks on Twitter called the prosecution "the end of national security journalism and the First Amendment."Assange is currently serving an 11-month sentence in the U.K. for jumping bail in a Swedish rape investigation, while the U.S. pushes its request to extradite him to the United States on computer hacking charges revealed in April. He was kicked out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London that month after taking refuge there from authorities for seven years. The leaked documents comprised 250,000 State Department cables, 90,000 Army field reports from Afghanistan and 400,000 from Iraq, and 800 detainee assessment briefs from Guantanamo Bay. Assange released most of that material without redaction, and the new indictment claims that the U.S. sources identified in the leaks were put in harm's way as a result. "By publishing these documents without redacting the human sources' names or other identifying information, Assange created a grave and imminent risk that the innocent people he named would suffer serious physical harm and/or arbitrary detention," the indictment alleges. He is also charged with two counts of conspiracy for allegedly working with Manning to violate the Espionage Act and the anti-hacking Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The FBI and federal prosecutors in Alexandria, Virginia, first began investigating Assange in 2010 and amassed a wealth of internal WikiLeaks chats and documents from informants and subpoenas. But the Obama administration was reluctant to indict Assange. A former senior Justice Department official told The Daily Beast last month that the Trump administration saw Assange's case as a way to pursue its war on leaks. "There was renewed interest under the new administration to revisit issues of what qualifies as the media and to look back at the Assange case," said Mary McCord, who was acting head of DOJ's National Security Division. Despite the barrage of leaks in the years following the Manning disclosures, there were signs as early as 2017 that the Justice Department was still focused on the leaks that first put WikiLeaks on the map. A witness at the grand jury proceedings that produced Thursday's indictment told The Daily Beast that prosecutors were specifically probing Assange's reluctance to redact his leaks for any reason."They showed me chat logs in which I was arguing vehemently with him about releasing documents that would leave people vulnerable and put people's lives at risk," said David House, a former WikiLeaks volunteer, in an interview last March. "That was the only thing they put in front of my face that made me think, 'This may be what they're going after him for.'"No U.S. sources are known to have come to harm as a result of the leaks, likely in part because of a massive remediation effort launched in the weeks before Assange published the material. The indictment takes pains to distinguish WikiLeaks from conventional journalism outfits in other ways as well, quoting Assange's own description of his site as an "intelligence agency of the people" and lingering on Assange's chats with Manning in which he encouraged and guided the soldier in the leaking. It also claims Manning deliberately sought out military secrets that were listed on a "most wanted leaks" section on WikiLeaks' website.None of this is strictly relevant to the Espionage Act. If the Justice Department included these details to make the Assange prosecution more palatable to journalists and free speech advocates, it's not working. "Any government use of the Espionage Act to criminalize the receipt and publication of classified information poses a dire threat to journalists," said Bruce Brown, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in a statement. "This is an extraordinary escalation of the Trump administration's attacks on journalism, and a direct assault on the First Amendment," said the ACLU's Ben Wizner. "It establishes a dangerous precedent that can be used to target all news organizations that hold the government accountable by publishing its secrets."How Assange Could Beat the U.S. and Stay Out of JailRead more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet 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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| The Cadillac CT4 Is the Brand's Future Entry-Level Sedan—and There Will Be a CT4-V Posted: 23 May 2019 07:20 AM PDT  Replacing the ATS, it will do battle with the Audi A3 and the Mercedes-Benz A-class.
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| The 'AOC primary': Can Warren steal the prized endorsement away from Bernie? Posted: 23 May 2019 12:53 PM PDT  While the Democratic star says she'll support whoever wins her party's nomination, she's leaning toward two candidates.
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| Best Grocery Stores for a Memorial Day Cookout Posted: 24 May 2019 04:58 AM PDT  Before you toss the burgers and dogs on the grill this Memorial Day, think about where you'll buy your cookout fixings. In addition to the fresh food for grilling, you might want to add prepared ...
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| GSK's shingles vaccine approved for use in China in adults aged 50 and above Posted: 23 May 2019 09:59 AM PDT  GlaxoSmithKline Plc said on Thursday its shingles vaccine had been approved for use in China in adults aged 50 and above. The company said the vaccine will be introduced in phases in China, starting in 2020, to ensure reliable supply to all countries, where it has been launched. Shingrix, which has already been approved for use in the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia, brought in 357 million pounds ($452.03 million) in the latest quarter.
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| This is what the Galaxy Note 10 might look like Posted: 23 May 2019 12:41 PM PDT  With May almost over, we're some two months away from the next major Android phone launch. The Galaxy Note 10 will likely drop in early August, and it'll come in as many as four versions, according to recent reports, including two differently sized 4G phones, and their respective 5G counterparts.The Galaxy Note 10 will not share the Galaxy S10's design, reports keep telling us, but it won't feature a perfect all-screen design either. We're still looking at an Infinity-O hole-punch screen design and a multi-lens camera on the back of the Note 10, but both the rear and selfie cameras will have different placements.One leak suggested that the Galaxy Note 10's selfie camera will be placed in the center at the top of the phone, while the camera module on the back will have a vertical orientation instead of horizontal, as is the case on the Galaxy S10 phones. As a result, PhoneArena created the following renders of a potential Galaxy Note 10:On the front, we have a curved Infinity-O display with a smaller camera hole at the top.On the back, meanwhile, the camera module has four distinct lenses, and it's positioned in the top-left corner. If Samsung is ditching the horizontal camera layout, then the cameras will have to go in one of the two corners. Most phone makers tend to place their cameras near the left corner, so the renders make sense, assuming these leaks are accurate.What's interesting to point out is that the Galaxy Note 10 will also feature a built-in stylus, whose housing is also on the left side, when looking at the phone's rear. In other words, Samsung has to factor in all these details when designing the new Note. The extra cameras and stylus take up a lot of space inside the phone and could affect battery size.There's also one other practical reason for slightly tweaking the phone's design, making it stand out from the crowd of Galaxy S, A, and Note models. Recycling the Galaxy S10 design for the Note 10 could hurt sales of the latter. The rumored tweaks above, meanwhile, would give the Note 10 its own personality.
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| Trump says US-China trade deal could include Huawei Posted: 23 May 2019 02:57 PM PDT  President Donald Trump on Thursday for the first time linked a dispute over telecom giant Huawei, which he views as a threat to American security, with a deal to resolve the US-China trade war. "Huawei is something that is very dangerous," Trump told reporters at the White House. The two sides have hardened their stands over Huawei, with the US blacklisting the smartphone and telecommunications company over worries that China uses it as a tool for espionage, while Beijing has accused Washington of "bullying" the firm.
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| Trip bundling is growing: Here are 6 places you can plan a trip from start to finish Posted: 23 May 2019 06:07 AM PDT  Trip bundling is becoming more popular as it saves time and often money.
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| Photos of the 2020 Porsche Cayenne Coupe Posted: 23 May 2019 05:00 AM PDT |
