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2017-06-29 14:40:00

Hollywood star Brie Larson stars in a new Funny Or Die sketch with HAIM. The Oscar-winning Room actress appears in a new clip with the trio, portrayal their fictional fourth sister who begs to join their band despite not being able to pronounce their last name. HAIM are set to release second album ‘Something to Tell You’, the follow-up to their 2013 debut album ‘Days Are Gone’, on July 7. They will also release an Apple Music documentary about the making of the record. The band recently unveiled a new song called ‘Little of Your Love’. The track follows on from the previously released ‘I Want You Back‘ and ‘Right Now‘. During their Glastonbury performance over the weekend, the band staged an impromptu dance party during their crowd-pleasing set in the sun on The Other Stage. Following a rendition of the ‘Days Are Gone’ track ‘Falling’, Este asked if “they should keep the dance party going” – a question that was met with wild cheers from the audience. FROM PEN: Grammy News and Notes: Album of the Year Nominees The band recently announced North American tour dates for this summer. See those below. August 19 Long Beach, CA – ALT 98.7 Summer Camp at Queen Mary Events Park September 3 Seattle, WA – Bumbershoot Festival September 4 Vancouver, British Columbia – Malkin Bowl September 5 Portland, OR – Roseland Theater September 7 Oakland, CA – Fox Theater September 9 Santa Barbara, CA – Arlington Theatre September 10 Dana Point, CA – Ohana Music and Arts Festival at Doheny State Beach September 12 Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre September 13 Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre September 15 Chicago, IL – Riviera Theater September 16-17 Atlanta, GA – Music Midtown September 24 Las Vegas, NV – Life is Beautiful Festival October 20-22 Phoenix, AZ – Lost Lake Music Festival

2019-03-11 00:00:00

(Corrects flight number to ET 302 in first paragraph of this March 11 story.) NAIROBI (Reuters) - A prize-winning author, a soccer official and a team of humanitarian workers were among those who perished in the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302, government officials and employers said on Monday. Sunday’s crash, minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa for a flight to Nairobi, inflicted a particularly heavy toll on the United Nations, which has large offices in both cities. At least 21 staff members were on board, said Stephane Dujarric, a U.N. spokesman. The Addis Ababa-Nairobi route is also popular with tourists and business people, who are drawn to East Africa’s popular safari parks and fast-growing economies. The 157 victims, including 149 passengers and eight crew members, came from more than 30 countries, the airline said. They included 32 Kenyans, 18 Canadians, nine Ethiopians and eight each from Italy, China and the United States. There were no survivors. The number of U.N. staff members and aid workers from other agencies on board may have been higher than usual because of a week-long conference convened by the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, which opened on Monday. The dead included Joanna Toole, a British woman working as a fisheries consultant for the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, and Victor Tsang, a Hong Kong native who worked in Nairobi for the UNEP. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world body was in grief. “Our colleagues were women and men - junior professionals and seasoned officials - hailing from all corners of the globe and with a wide array of expertise,” Guterres said. “They all had one thing in common - a spirit to serve the people of the world and to make it a better place for us all.” The WFP said it had seven staff members on board. They included Michael Ryan, a 39-year-old engineer from Ireland. “Michael was doing life-changing work in Africa with the World Food Programme. Deepest sympathies to family, colleagues & friends,” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Twitter. Also among the dead were four Catholic Relief Services employees from Ethiopia. Sara Chalachew, Getnet Alemayehu, Sintayehu Aymeku and Mulusew Alemu were headed to Nairobi for training, their employer said. Josefin Ekermann, 30, who worked for the Stockholm-based Civil Rights Defenders, was among at least four Swedish citizens on the flight, according to her NGO and government. Karoline Aadland, a 28-year-old Norwegian Red Cross worker, was also on her way to Kenya for work, her employer said. She had recently gotten married.  Pius Adesanmi, a Nigerian-born professor with the English Language and Literature Department at Carleton University in Ottawa, was among the victims from Canada. He was awarded the Penguin Prize for African Writing in non-fiction in 2010 for a collection of essays titled, “You’re Not a Country, Africa!” “Pius Adesanmi was a towering figure in African and post-colonial scholarship, and his sudden loss is a tragedy,” said Benoit-Antoine Bacon, the university’s president. A fellow writer, the Nigerian satirist Elnathan John, said his friend had recently been injured in a car accident. He recalled hosting Adesanmi in Berlin recently. “He was still limping a bit,” John said on Twitter. “He told me how lucky he was to survive his car crash. He loved his hotel. We laughed about dressing alike.” The Italian victims included Sebastiano Tusa, an archaeologist and councillor for cultural affairs in the regional government of Sicily. He was traveling to Kenya for a UNESCO conference on protecting underwater cultural heritage in East Africa, according to Italian media reports. Glato Kodjo, a professor of Botanical Studies at the University of Lomé in the west African nation of Togo, and two lecturers at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Agnes Kathumbi and Isaac Mwangi Minae, were also reported killed. Kenya suffered the heaviest losses with at least 32 citizens killed. Jared Mwazo Babu, who founded a Nairobi-based marketing agency, and his wife, Mercy Ndivo, both died, colleagues confirmed. They left behind a 15-month-old daughter. The Tamarind Group, a Kenyan restaurant and leisure company, said it lost its chief executive, Jonathan Seex. Also among the dead were Grace Kariuki, an epidemiologist working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Nairobi, and Hussein Swaleh, a senior official with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), their employers said. Swaleh was returning to Nairobi from Egypt, where he served as a match commissioner in Friday’s African Champions League game between Ismaili and TP Mazembe Englebert “Football has indeed lost a dedicated and hardworking individual that lived the game,” FKF said. Anton Hrnko, a lawmaker from Slovakia, shared his “deep grief” after his wife, Blanka, and two grown children, Martin and Michala, died in the crash. They were among four Slovaks killed. The fourth victim was identified as Danica Olexova, an aid worker. Husband and wife Aleksandr and Ekaterina Polyakov, who both worked for Russia’s Sberbank, were among at least three Russians on board. They were on holiday when they died, local media reported. Alalo Christine, a senior police officer from Uganda on assignment with the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, also died in the crash, Uganda’s police force said. She was returning to the Somali capital Mogadishu from Italy. Reporting By Maggie Fick, Katharine Houreld, Hereward Holland, Humphrey Malalo, Omar Mohammed, John Ndiso and George Obulutsa in Nairobi, Gwladys Fouche in Oslo, Padraic Halpin in Dublin, Denny Thomas in Toronto, Giselda Vagnoni in Rome, Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm and Tatiana Jancarikova in Bratislava.; Writing by Maggie Fick; Editing by Alexandra Zavis/Mark Heinrich

2017-01-20 00:00:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former FBI employee in New York was sentenced to two years in prison on Friday after admitting that he illegally acted at the direction of a Chinese official to gather sensitive information. Kun Shan Chun, also known as Joey Chun, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero in Manhattan to pay $10,000 after pleading guilty in August to having illegally acted as an agent of a foreign government. “I’m so sorry,” a tearful Chun said in court. “I take full responsibility.” Chun, a U.S. citizen who was born in China, was arrested in March in connection with what prosecutors called a duplicitous betrayal of the FBI, which had employed him in its New York field office since 1997. Prosecutors said that beginning in 2005, Chinese individuals claiming to be affiliated with a China-based printer products manufacturer called Zhuhai Kolion Technology Company Ltd solicited an investment from one of Chun’s parents. Chun, 47, first met purported Kolion associates during a 2005 trip, and met them abroad at several other times, eventually meeting a Chinese official who asked him about the FBI and surveillance practices and targets, prosecutors said. In turn, Chun provided the official an FBI organizational chart and photographs related to surveillance technologies, prosecutors said. In exchange, Chun’s associates paid for him to go on international trips, and they sometimes also paid for prostitutes for him while he was abroad, prosecutors said. By 2015, the FBI had sent an undercover agent to meet with Chun, who told the agent that “if you deal with the government, you know what they want.” “They want what the American government is doing,” he said, according to prosecutors. During a later meeting, in which they discussed selling classified information the agent provided, Chun said his Chinese associates had asked him about surveillance targets and if he had information on “who they watching,” prosecutors said. The sale never happened, after Chun said he believed he was under investigation and one of his associates told the him not to trust the agent, who may be part of a “set up.” In court on Friday, Chun’s lawyer, Jonathan Marvinny, argued his client deserved no prison time, saying he had acted only to protect his parents’ investment and was “not out to harm the United States.” Marrero was unconvinced. “Mr. Chun knew what he was doing, and he knew it was very wrong,” he said. Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Additional reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler and Alan Crosby

2019-11-15 00:00:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. industrial production fell faster than expected in October as output for the manufacturing, mining and utilities sectors all fell. The Federal Reserve said on Friday industrial production declined 0.8% last month after an upwardly revised 0.3% decline in September. It was the largest decline since May of 2018. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast industrial production falling 0.4% last month after a previously reported 0.4% percent drop in September. Manufacturing output fell 0.6% last month, driven by an 11.1% drop in motor vehicle production. U.S. producers assembled cars and trucks in October at an annual rate of 9.14 million units, down 2.5 million since a recent peak in July. The strike at General Motors added to that decline, contributing to a 1.2% drop in durable goods output, the Fed reported. But excluding motor vehicles and parts, U.S. manufacturing production still fell 0.5%, the Fed said, and durable goods still dropped 0.2%. Production rose 0.1% for computers and related products, but output for communications equipment fell 0.4%. The data point to the possible fallout of the U.S. trade war with China, with final production of business equipment falling 0.6% amid weak business investment. The Trump administration raised tariffs on a range of Chinese imports in July, triggering retaliatory tariffs from Beijing on U.S. exports. Mining production fell 0.7% in October. Utilities fell 2.6% percent. With overall industrial production falling, capacity utilization, a measure of how fully firms are using their resources, fell last month to 76.7% from 77.5%. That was the lowest level since September 2017. Officials at the Fed tend to look at capacity use measures for signals of whether resources may become scarce and cause inflation to rise. Editing by Chris Reese

2018-10-26 14:45:00

Placebo introduced the world to Without You I’m Nothing with the music video for “Pure Morning,” in which frontman Brian Molko plays a character who seems to be toying with the idea of throwing himself off the roof of Savoy Place. Police cars fill the pavement below, reporters address their cameras, crowds of people look up. Then he lurches forward and falls for a few seconds before calmly walking down the side of the building. “It’s a song about coming down when the rest of the world is waking up,” Molko explained to Billboard at the time. “How many times have you come out of a club when the sun is coming up and others are going to work? You feel dislocated. You just want someone to slip their arm around you and make slumber easier.” Both the song and video set the tone for the rest of Without You I’m Nothing—an album that concerns itself with impulse and the periods of reflection that follow it. Written largely about drugs and intimacy and the ways in which those things can intersect, especially within queer spaces, Without You I’m Nothing takes an intense and sometimes dark look at desire. Heartbreak and heroin weave in and out of each other thematically in “My Sweet Prince,” while that feeling of the floor dropping out from under you that often accompanies addiction—whether it’s to a feeling given to you by a person or a substance—is something that runs through the whole album. Without You I’m Nothing is simultaneously harsh and tender, peeling back the bratty distortion plastered over their self-titled debut to address the sores themselves. Without You I’m Nothing achieved a massive amount of commercial and critical success. It's sold over a million albums to date and “Every You Every Me” appeared on the soundtrack to Cruel Intentions—the most twisted romance film of the 90s. Despite its mainstream appeal, though, Without You I’m Nothing remains, as NME’s James Oldham put it at the time, a record “made by freaks for freaks.” With Molko and bassist Stefan Olsdal being openly bi and gay respectively, Placebo’s music has always been coded as queer and, along with their increasingly genderfluid appearances, never shied away from actively presenting itself as such. Of all their eras, Without You I’m Nothing was especially significant for fans who shared the same feelings of otherness that crystallized both sonically and visually on the album. Without You I’m Nothing turns 20 this month and remains one of the most beloved additions to Placebo’s 22-year long career. To commemorate its anniversary, the band launched a site compiling memories from fans. Some have posted fan art, while others have posted pictures of their toenails painted black in homage to the “Pure Morning” video. There are retellings of how someone met their partner or best friend at a Placebo show, and photos of personal tokens—old merch, customized pendants, tattoos—that symbolize a connection to the album. Someone also posted a box of hummus-flavored condoms, whatever that means. I’m not here to judge. Looking back on the album, we spoke to Stefan Olsdal about intimacy, otherness, and sticking to your convictions—all things that helped pack Without You I’m Nothing with enough gut punches to stand the test of two decades. Noisey: You seem to be celebrating the anniversary of this album more than others. Would you say it’s a fairly reflective one? Stefan Olsdal: Yeah, I think so—it explores some pretty dark themes. We weren’t the most balanced and maybe not the best prepared to process those emotions, and everything that was going on around us. I think a big side of Placebo was—and still is—about a certain vulnerability in terms of the lyrics and the way that we chose to talk about who we were, and who we are, as people. We never really felt like we were part of some kind of lad culture or a part of a movement. We were these odd little ex-bedroom musicians who never really had any friends [laughs]. Do you see that "otherness" reflected in the kind of people who tend to gravitate towards your music too?Around the time of Without You I’m Nothing, I think Placebo shows started to become this place and safe space for kids who didn’t feel like they fit in. We were definitely pushing the way that we were dressing ourselves, to a place which was slightly more fluid in terms of identity and gender identity and sexual preference, during the heady and hormone-fueled early twenties we were still in. Drugs and sexuality were very much at the forefront of pop culture in a commercial sense at the time, with the eruption of all these virginal female pop stars and heroin chic happening in the fashion world. But they were rarely explored the way Without You I’m Nothing presented them, which was super dark and introverted—not just in the lyrics but in the sound as well. Was that something you were cognizant of back then?That’s a good point. We went really, really deep in. Like the title says, I am nothing without you. It’s pretty extreme. A lot of it was what it’s like to be in love. Exploring human relationships, the depths and the despair that they can bring you to, and the dependency on someone—or, alternatively, something. It was a time of having a Union Jack emblazoned on your guitar—go to the pub, write a few songs then go up on stage—and that wasn’t really our scene. We were being pulled in all sorts of directions in terms of what the [music industry] does to a band with success, so we really had to be on the same page. The nature of it felt very "us against the world," and I think in some ways the music was a chance for us to process it all. You did and still do stand in stark contrast to a certain kind of British lad culture. Even though you were doing what felt right for you, did it still feel like you were pushing back against something?That’s an interesting question. I think being quite contrary is in our nature so some level we probably were, but the strongest fuel was adhering to what was us—and that had to come at any price. I remember sitting in an executive office in the states around this time and being sold this whole idea of a fast track to fame. It was like being dangled this massive carrot and, for artistic control and wanting to have things done the way that we wanted to, we said no to a lot of opportunities that perhaps could have served us. But we were this kind of art house mafia, we had to stick to our ideals. We would die for it, basically. It was that serious. We probably made a lot of enemies along the way, stepped on some toes. We would laugh about a lot of things but when it came down to Placebo—what we do and what we stood for—it was deadly serious. How do you think the landscape of music has changed now, in relation to expressions of gender and identity?Obviously there’s areas where it’s not as safe, but I think generally it’s become a safer space to explore identity and for it to feel like you’re less alone in the way. That was the killer, and still is a killer—feeling alone in what you’re going through. When the band was starting, I found it hard to find others. I was out then but it was still hard to find other people who were in the same situations as me. Now, the stigma is breaking down [across] the whole spectrum from identity all the way to mental health issues. There’s help for musicians now if you’re going through a real rough patch. If there was something like that around back then I certainly would have used it. We had to figure everything out for ourselves, pretty much, and there wasn’t a lot to hold on to or [opportunities] to connect with other like minded people. Now it’s a safer and less lonely place in terms of trying to find out who the hell you are. Even though you’re playing much bigger venues now, do you still feel like your shows are a haven for outsiders the way they were back then?Placebo shows are always a weird mix [laughs]. It’s like, "What is this band? Who’s that tall lanky guy? Look at them on stage singing about all these fucked up topics…" Certainly, there are people who come to our shows who understand and feel that’s where they have their community. They look out for each other as well. They save each other spaces when they queue outside and there’s a lot of care going on between them. That’s a beautiful thing to hear, but at the same time it’s been 20 years now so a lot of them have started to bring their kids. I’d like to think they’re all leading healthy, balanced lives and being able to raise lovely little kids—future generations of open minded and caring people. Without You I’m Nothing had a huge amount of exposure, especially with “Every You Every Me” appearing on Cruel Intentions soundtrack. Do you think that commercial success had an affect on the band or that sense of community you were just talking about?The whole industry, and everything that goes around fame and being in a band, is an enabling machine for the ego, basically. It was like being force fed, like one of those French ducks, so our livers were screaming—literally and figuratively. We welcomed it, because we wanted to be the biggest band in the world, but I think we were racking up hundreds of hours of time with therapists in the future. That’s essentially what we were setting ourselves up for back then. Like I said, we were probably a little bit unprepared for it all and didn’t know how to handle it. And at the same time as looking after each other, we had to deal with inter-band relationships and egos and being to ether all the time. The smallest things can ignite the biggest of rows. But the success also allowed us to start reaching further and further out into the world. We headed out to New Zealand and South America and across the US, connecting with misfits everywhere. What’s the story behind the artwork, and what was the sentiment behind re-shooting it as part of the anniversary celebrations?Sarah and Sally, the twins on the cover, run a magazine called Blag, which started in the early 90s. So we’ve been in the same kind of circles since we moved to London around the age of 18. Over the years we’ve been meaning to connect and hang out and see how everyone’s doing and it just never happened. So [re-shooting the album cover] was the perfect opportunity to touch base and reminisce about Corinne Day, who shot the cover and is sadly now passed away. Sometimes it feels like you have to take the time to reconnect with events that are important for you, and this certainly was an important point in our lives and a little bit for them as well. This felt like an important album for a lot of Placebo fans so we wanted to create a space for people to share their memories and what it meant to them, too. We kind of followed our gut with this one, and felt that it was a good time to create a forum for people. Are there any posts on the site in particular that have stood out to you?I continually get overwhelmed by what it meant to people. It makes me think back to myself as this lost kid in a lot of ways, hanging on for dear life to the music to make any kind of sense of what was going on in my life. I can see that it mean that much to a lot of people, and that seems to be the general underlying response—that it helped people to get through a certain part of their life, or help them feel less alone. I guess a lot of musicians will tell you that they can’t really create for anyone else, because then it doesn’t become emotionally honest, but when they see how much it means to other people it’s… weird, but great. Were there any albums you listened to growing up that you cared about the way you see people caring about Without You I’m Nothing ?I remember being in my late teens, trying to figure out who I was and dealing with my identity on a lot of levels—feelings of loneliness and awkwardness and like I didn’t fit in. Often I’d retreat to my bedroom and just put on Violator by Depeche Mode and that would kind of be the balm on my open rash, something that would soothe the rough times when I felt like I just wanted to bang my head against the wall. I wanted to dress like them, I wanted to hang out with them, I wanted to be them. I got lost inside that album. You mentioned that you feel like there is more room for fluidity in rock and pop now, which is interesting because while attitudes are changing on a social level it also feels like things are regressing on a wider political level. How do think the relationship between identity and politics has changed since Without You I’m Nothing ?I think—back then, now, and always—your political movement starts with you. It’s about taking a hard look at yourself, finding out what‘s important, who you are and what you stand for. The way you want to make a better world—just do that on a personal level, do that yourself. I think if each person stands up for what they believe in and holds strong to that and their own identity, in a lot of cases that’s all you can do. When you get to politics with a big P, it’s a whole different ball game. It can start to feel like nothing is worth it and you can’t change anything, but you can change yourself. Make yourself counted. You can find Emma on Twitter. This article originally appeared on Noisey UK.

2019-11-19 00:00:00

Akon's ideal winning ticket in 2024 is Kanye West for President and himself for Vice President, but there's a small caveat ... he says it's all up to God. We got the singer outside Avra restaurant in Beverly Hills Monday night, and he elaborated on some recent comments he made about Ye running for Prez -- he's definitely supportive, even though he knows many are skeptical. Akon suggests Kanye could use some help ... and who better than a guy who's got his back, but also offers different viewpoints. Meaning, someone who does NOT align with Donald Trump -- like Akon! Not sure that would work, since Kanye sure seems like he'd run as a GOP candidate, but still ... Akon says he'd be cool riding shotgun as VP. As we reported, Kanye got some unintended laughs earlier this month in NYC when he doubled down on his presidential aspirations, and had to emphasize for the audience ... he's dead serious. He went on to say when the time comes for him to launch his campaign, his Yeezy brand "will have created so many jobs, I'm not gonna run [for President], I'll walk." Akon, at least, believes anything is possible ... even West/Thiam in 2024. Fun fact: The potential VP-wannabe's full name is Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam. Yeah, he'd probably need a bigger desk for the nameplate.

2017-05-11 04:00:00

Lowriders is Hollywood's latest attempt at depicting the culture that's formed around customized classic cars in the Chicanx community. Although the film, directed by Ricardo de Montreuil, hasn't come out in El Paso yet, local lowrider and Chicano activist Hector Gonzales swears he's already seen it. "Every lowrider movie is the same—whether it takes place in the 50s, 60s, 70s, or the 2000s," he tells me. "The lowriders are poor, there's some neighborhood issues, some gangs, a brother goes to prison, mom and dad love him and try to help him out... And then they play handball in prison." While Lowriders does manage to break a few persistent stereotypes about Mexican American youth (a quality that hits home for Chicanos like me who know more about At the Drive-In than how to make cars bounce), it still sticks pretty closely to Hector's script—minus the prison handball. The movie follows Danny (Gabriel Chavarria), a young Mexican American who is far more interested in becoming a renown street artist than working in the garage owned by his dad, Miguel (Demián Bichir), a lowrider aficionado. Danny's mom, Gloria (Eva Longoria), tries to hold the family together, before Danny's estranged brother Francisco "Ghost" Alvarez (Theo Rossi) returns home from prison forces Danny to confront his family's turbulent past. And while it feels a bit redundant to see yet another film about Mexican Americans getting shot and going to jail, my biggest gripe with Lowriders isn't that it sits in the shadow of American Me. Instead, it's the way it leaves out lowrider culture's history and radical politics. I grew up on the border, where lowriders have always been a loud symbol of cultural pride, cruising up against an Anglo world that demanded orderly labor, model minorities, and obedient barrios. Most old-school lowriders and Chicanx historians trace the history of the lowrider to the the rise of the pachuco. These cholo forerunners wore flashy oversized ensembles called zoot suits, spoke a distinct border Spanglish, and connected with jazz and street culture. In the 1930s, the pachuco style was immortalized when the Juárez-based performer Germán Valdés harnessed the pachuco dialect and clothes in his infamous caricature Tin-Tan, spreading the pachuco look across the North American continent. Pachucos subversive aesthetic became notorious, enraging establishment types on both sides of the border. Most importantly, pachuco represented nonconformity and rebelliousness at the peak of Anglo nationalism in the 1940s. Back then, Mexican American communities were still recovering from the US government's 1930s "repatriation" program, which saw the mass deportation of a million Mexicans and US citizens of Mexican-descent "back" to Mexico. Meanwhile, Mexicans continued to face the day-to-day racism of an Anglo society that saw them as aliens. The appearance of young brown men and women wearing zoot suits only contributed to the rising wrath of xenophobia, which eventually blew up in 1943 with media-sanctioned assaults on Mexican American communities during LA's Zoot Suit Riots. Still, when the United States entered WWII, as many as 500,000 Mexican Americans enlisted. As Chicana historian Dr. Yolanda Leyva argues, much of this had to do with proving loyalty and demanding inclusion. "In WWII," says Leyva, "we fought in bigger numbers, and a lot of it had to do with proving patriotism. So when the troops came back, there were heightened expectations for equality and the end of racial inferiority." Unfortunately, Mexican American veterans came back to the same segregated, white dominated society as when they left. A younger generation of Mexican Americans weren't having it. Confronted with persistent inequality, some young Chicanxs turned to their cars as a means of finding their own way. Gabriel Gaytan, an El Paso Chicano muralist and admirer of lowriders, explained that some of this had to do with flipping white approaches to the automobile. "The white man," says Gaytan, "he went into hot rods and fast cars. They would raise their cars and get these big ole motors, these big trucks… but the Raza says, 'Nah, I want to do the opposite. I want to do it nice and slow. Slow and low.'" To get the car low, early lowriders weighed their cars down with cinderblocks and sandbags, and then took their cars on slow barrio cruises, a practice that mimicked the courtship-seeking paseo of young men in Mexican pueblos. The lowrider also pushed against typical American car design, showcasing Mexican American religious imagery, candy-colored vibrancy, and handcrafted representations of Nahua and Maya symbolism. It's this imagery that inspires most lowriders to think of their cars as "rolling art." The lowrider's imagery and history has also enabled it to stand for much more than a flashy vehicle at a car show. For some, the lowrider has come to define the ambition of cultural preservation and barrio defense in precarious times. Today, gentrification and urban displacement are among the biggest challenges confronting Mexican American communities. From Chicago to Los Angeles, Mexican American communities are feeling the stress and trauma of haphazard "development plans" and transplant wanderlust. But in El Paso, lowriders have played an important role in resisting the trends that threaten Chicanx spaces. Hector Gonzales is one such lowrider. He first got into lowriders in the 1970s, with the publication of Lowrider magazine and the emergence of Gypsy Rose in the sitcom Chico and the Man. When he was 14, he built his first lowrider bicycle and then went on to co-found the Latin Pride car club in El Paso. But as he grew with the scene, he quickly realized that lowriders were more than cars. "We're not just about lowriders," says Gonzales. "We're about the people. When you write the word 'lowrider,' everyone thinks of the car. It's not the car—it's the guy, the family, the people, la cultura." Gonzales and other lowriders have therefore harnessed their lifestyle to contribute to anti-gentrification and cultural preservation movements in South El Paso. In the mid 2000s, development plans to "revitalize downtown" attempted to tear down vast stretches of South El Paso and Segundo Barrio, one of the oldest Mexican neighborhoods in the United States. Some lowriders informally participated in protests against these proposed demolitions, but the city finally crossed the line when development plans aimed to destroy Lincoln Center—a Chicano cultural center where lowriders had been meeting for years to host car shows. Hector and other car clubs quickly assembled to stop the demolition. "That center is very important to the Chicano community and everything we stand for," Gonzales says. "The city wanted to tear it down, so we showed up to fight and save it. When the city came with the bulldozers, we had people holding hands creating a human chain. That's the way the lowrider community does it—by numbers." After a nine-day encampment led by local activists and car clubs, the city finally backed away from the plan. But lowriders are committed to fighting new encroachments on barrios in South El Paso—specifically the latest development plans to build an arena in Duranguito, another historic Mexican community. "Years after Lincoln Center, they want to tear down another barrio, and we're there with them 100 percent," says Gonzales. "You see in these movements, the lowrider brings in la cultura, la musica, la fiesta, and then it turns it all into a big party in the end." Leyva, who's working to try to preserve Duranguito, agrees with Gonzales's assessment. "If a place is threatened, you have to occupy it—not just with your body but with art, with culture. When lowriders cruise a neighborhood, they help occupy and claim a space culturally, which is very political." Yet not every lowrider is interested in explicit activism. Mando Espinosa and Mando Santillán with EPTCruising have both brought their sizable car clubs in to help with barrio-preservation efforts, but politics isn't their main pursuit. "Politics is one thing, lowriders is another," says Espinosa, "There's nothing wrong with people having their own issues, but the lifestyle and the culture of lowriding is different. If you can mix both of them, OK, but we're more about the lifestyle of lowriding." If one thing is clear, though, its that the culture of lowriders is ultimately radical in American society. Even if some lowriders aren't interested in explicit politic action, their commitment to maintain a tradition with such a dynamic Chicanx history is an act of cultural preservation in itself. Lowriders hits theaters May 12.

2016-08-31

The wild legal battle between the founders of the company leading the race to build Elon Musk's Hyperloop took a nasty turn today—including accusations of coup-planning sessions in a garage, stolen computers and files, and "fake pornographic Twitter accounts." An amended complaint from Hyperloop One is the latest salvo in a legal battle that started in July, when the company's co-founder and CTO Brogan BamBrogan and three colleagues filed a lawsuit accusing their former employer and BamBrogan's co-founder, Shervin Pishevar, of breach of fiduciary duty, violating labor laws, wrongful termination, breach of contract, defamation, infliction of emotional distress, and assault. The details included wasted company resources, an overpaid fiancée, and a noose left on BamBrogan's desk. https://twitter.com/SiliconValleyMg/status/753013503783469056

2018-10-24

Sen. Bob MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezPelosi warns Mnuchin to stop 'illegal' .3B cut to foreign aid House passes temporary immigration protections for Venezuelans Senate panel advances bipartisan bill to lower drug prices amid GOP blowback MORE (D-N.J.) and his well-funded Republican opponent Bob Hugin squared off in their first and only debate in a closer-than-expected Senate race in deep-blue New Jersey. The candidates clashed over hyper-partisanship in politics, health care and their records. Menendez cast Hugin as a “greedy health care CEO” and acolyte of President TrumpDonald John TrumpFacebook releases audit on conservative bias claims Harry Reid: 'Decriminalizing border crossings is not something that should be at the top of the list' Recessions happen when presidents overlook key problems MORE, while the Republican blasted Menendez over his corruption case that he argued “embarrassed” New Jersey. The race has drawn national attention and money, though Menendez is still favored to win a third term. Polls show Menendez with a single-digit lead, as Hugin has poured in $24 million of his own money. Here are the takeaways from Wednesday night’s debate in Newark:  Candidates spar over responsibility of political polarization Both candidates condemned the deep polarization in politics in the wake of several bomb threats against Democratic politicians. But they disagreed on who should shoulder the blame. The Secret Service found two "potential explosive devices" mailed to former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonThe exhaustion of Democrats' anti-Trump delusions Poll: Trump trails three Democrats by 10 points in Colorado Soft levels of support mark this year's Democratic primary MORE and former President Barack ObamaBarack Hussein ObamaBen Shapiro: No prominent GOP figure ever questioned Obama's legitimacy 3 real problems Republicans need to address to win in 2020 Obama's high school basketball jersey sells for 0,000 at auction MORE's respective homes. Meanwhile, CNN's office in New York was evacuated after a suspicious package addressed to former CIA Director John BrennanJohn Owen BrennanWebb: Questions for Robert Mueller A brief timeline of Trump's clashes with intelligence director Dan Coats Trump critic Brennan praises his Iran decision: I 'applaud' him MORE was reported in the network's mail room. Menendez laid the blame squarely on Trump, referencing the “lock her up” chants at his rallies and the president’s comments from last summer’s white nationalist rally in Charlottesville that “both sides” were to blame for the violence that turned deadly. “When you create that type of environment, you create a toxic environment,” Menendez said, arguing that it’s been “largely created by this president.” Hugin similarly denounced the lack of civility and called those threats “very serious,” but he said both parties on responsible for the current political environment — while taking a jab at Menendez for being too partisan. “We’ve got to restore integrity and confidence in government,” Hugin said, disagreeing that Trump is mainly responsible. “Incivility is on both sides.” Menendez corruption case takes center stage Menendez’s corruption case has loomed large over the race and was an early topic of discussion at the debate. In 2015, he was indicted on bribery and fraud charges over allegations he traded influence in exchange for gifts from a longtime friend who’s a Florida ophthalmologist and political donor. His trial ended in a hung jury and federal prosecutors later dropped the charges. But the Senate Ethics Committee “severely” admonished Menendez earlier this year over the case. Menendez, who has denied any wrongdoing, said he understood that people are “disappointed" and apologized. But he urged voters to focus on his overall record in the Senate. “I also want them to look at the totality of my service of standing up for people in New Jersey,” Menendez said. Hugin quickly seized on the issue, arguing in his opening statement that Menendez wants to focus on Trump because he doesn’t want to draw attention to “his record of corruption.” “On top of that, it’s not just corrupt, it’s ineffective,” Hugin said. “New Jersey is dead last. … We get the least back from Washington.” In his rebuttal, Menendez invoked the president: “We’d get a lot more back if we’re not ripped off by the Trump administration.” Hugin keeps some distance from Trump A he has in every other battleground state, Trump has been a dominant force in the New Jersey Senate race. Hugin, a political newcomer, was Trump’s finance chairman for his presidential campaign in New Jersey. But the Republican sought to create some distance from the president, who lost New Jersey by 14 points in 2016. When asked point blank if he is a “Trump Republican,” Hugin said no stating, “I’m an independent Republican.” He also rattled off a list of issues with which he’s at odds with Trump, including opposition to off-shore drilling, support for abortion rights and same-sex marriage and the state and local tax deductions (SALT) caps in the GOP tax law. And when pressed about race relations in the state, Hugin criticized the president for “being divisive on the issue of race.” Menendez, who frequently brought up Hugin’s ties to Trump, shot back: “You can’t change in 60 seconds what you’ve been for 60 years.” Hugin’s time as pharma CEO comes under scrutiny Hugin’s time as CEO of the pharmaceutical company Celgene Corp. was under a microscope at Wednesday’s debate. The New Jersey Republican was asked about the steep price hike for the cancer drug, Revlimid. Hugin defended his tenure, arguing that his company helped patients overcome cancer and noting that Celgene has invested billions of dollars into cancer research. When the moderators asked Menendez if it’s the job of a CEO to turn a profit, Menendez called Hugin a “greedy health care CEO” who raised the price of the drug multiple times. “You can do well but also do good. He preyed on the most vulnerable,” Menendez said. “This isn’t about research, this is about profit.” Asked later about the pay disparity between executives and lower-level employees, Hugin said he supported transparency of salaries and that his company had one of the “lowest ratios in the country.” Menendez leans heavily on ObamaCare Democrats are going all-in on health care messaging this midterm, and Menendez is no exception. Menendez repeatedly brought up his work on the Affordable Care Act, noting in his opening statement that he “proudly” authored the health care law. And he also touted the popular provisions in the law like coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions and children under the age of 26 being allowed to stay on their parent’s insurance. At one point in the debate, the Democratic senator said his opponent “sounded like he endorsed the Affordable Care Act, which I helped write,” pointing out that Hugin’s children were able to stay on his plan. When the moderators asked if he supports ObamaCare, Hugin specifically highlighted provisions like coverage for “pre-existing conditions.” But he said that reforms are needed, calling the law “virtually a fraud on the working poor.” Instead, the two candidates found more common ground on issues like comprehensive immigration reform and combating climate change. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2016-11-08

Armstrong Williams (R)  Host of Sirius/XM Radio’s Urban View channel How many electoral votes will he or she get? 270 Who will win North Carolina? Trump Who will win Ohio? Trump Who will win Florida? Trump Who will win Colorado? Trump Will Democrats retake the Senate? No Will House Democrats pick up seats? If so, how many? Yes, 19 This will truly be a historic and chaotic election. Donald Trump must run the electoral table. Look for disgruntled and disenchanted voters — who couldn’t publicly support him — to privately vote for him. House Republicans will feel some pain in swing districts. They’ll lose 19 seats, but retain their majority and reelect Paul RyanPaul Davis RyanEmbattled Juul seeks allies in Washington Ex-Parkland students criticize Kellyanne Conway Latina leaders: 'It's a women's world more than anything' MORE Speaker. Sens. Roy BluntRoy Dean BluntEx-CIA chief worries campaigns falling short on cybersecurity GOP group targets McConnell over election security bills in new ad Budget deal sparks scramble to prevent shutdown MORE (Mo.), Richard BurrRichard Mauze BurrHoekstra emerges as favorite for top intelligence post Trump casts uncertainty over top intelligence role Trump withdraws Ratcliffe as Intelligence pick MORE (N.C.), Pat Toomey (Pa.) and Kelly AyotteKelly Ann AyotteTrump makes rare trip to Clinton state, hoping to win back New Hampshire Key endorsements: A who's who in early states Sinema, Gallagher fastest lawmakers in charity race MORE (N.H.) win barely. Joe Heck wins Nevada and Senate Republicans will hold a one-seat majority.     Bob Beckel (D) Political analyst for CNN Who will be our next president? Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonTop Sanders adviser: Warren isn't competing for 'same pool of voters' Anti-Trump vets join Steyer group in pressing Democrats to impeach Trump Republicans plot comeback in New Jersey MORE How many electoral votes will he or she get? 322 Who will win North Carolina? Clinton Who will win Ohio? Trump Who will win Florida? Clinton Who will win Colorado? Clinton Will Democrats retake the Senate? 50-50, with Tim KaineTimothy (Tim) Michael KaineA lesson of the Trump, Tlaib, Omar, Netanyahu affair Warren's pledge to avoid first nuclear strike sparks intense pushback Almost three-quarters say minimum age to buy tobacco should be 21: Gallup MORE casting deciding vote Will House Democrats pick up seats? If so, how many? Democrats pick up six to nine seats.  Always dangerous but here goes: Hillary Clinton will be our next president, despite losses in Ohio and New Hampshire. She will win North Carolina, Florida and Colorado.  Democrats will not win outright control of the Senate but will end up in a 50-50 tie with Vice President Kaine casting the deciding vote, putting the Democrats in control of the committees.  Although Democrats will win six to nine House seats, they will still not have enough members to control the House, ironically giving the alt-right Freedom Caucus more power.   Maria Cardona (D) Political commentator for CNN/CNN en Español Who will be our next president? Hillary Clinton How many electoral votes will he or she get? Over 300 Who will win North Carolina? Clinton Who will win Ohio? Trump Who will win Florida? Clinton Who will win Colorado? Clinton Will Democrats retake the Senate? Yes Will House Democrats pick up seats? If so, how many?  Yes, 20–24  The race came down to who had the temperament, knowledge, compassion and decency to be commander in chief. That choice was always Hillary Clinton.  There will be historic turnout of the Hillary Coalition, which includes overwhelming turnout from Hispanics, similar numbers of African-Americans, and historic turnout of Asian-Americans, millennials and college-educated whites, especially women.  She will lose Ohio and win North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada and Iowa. Democrats will retake the Senate with a two or more seat margin. Democrats will come a few seats shy of retaking the House, gaining about 20 to 24 seats.    Matt Schlapp (R) Chairman of the American Conservative Union  Who will be our next president? Donald Trump How many electoral votes will he or she get? Trump 270, Clinton 268 Who will win North Carolina? Trump Who will win Ohio? Trump Who will win Florida? Trump Who will win Colorado? Clinton Will Democrats retake the Senate? No, GOP 51, Dems 47 (+2) Will House Democrats pick up seats? If so, how many? Yes, 10+ The 2016 election has changed presidential elections forever. From now on, personal scandals and imperfect or unvirtuous behavior will not disqualify.  We also saw the death of objective news in America, as most Donald Trump supporters saw daily examples of a hopelessly stacked deck against our values.  Republicans went through a painful public realignment of leaders and priorities. Now, Democrats are one presidential cycle away from the same revolt, which Bernie SandersBernie SandersTop Sanders adviser: Warren isn't competing for 'same pool of voters' Eight Democratic presidential hopefuls to appear in CNN climate town hall Top aide Jeff Weaver lays out Sanders's path to victory MORE gave voice to.    Michael Steele (R) MSNBC political analyst and former chairman of the Republican National Committee Who will be our next president? I hate to say it, Hillary Clinton How many electoral votes will he or she get? 297 Who will win North Carolina? Trump Who will win Ohio? Trump Who will win Florida? Clinton Who will win Colorado? Clinton Will Democrats pick up seats? If so, how many? Yes, 10–12. Despite her built-in electoral, money and political advantages — sound familiar? — Hillary Clinton and her team still find themselves second-guessing “what ifs.” That, more than anything else, has been the power and success of Donald Trump in this election season.   Simon Rosenberg (D) President of the New Democrat Network Who will be our next president? Hillary Clinton How many electoral votes will he or she get? Clinton wins 334-203 Who will win North Carolina? Clinton Who will win Ohio? Trump Who will win Florida? Clinton Who will win Colorado? Clinton Will Democrats retake the Senate? Yes, 50-50.   Will House Democrats pick up seats? If so, how many? Yes, 15 With a 2016 win, Democrats will have won more votes in six of past seven presidential elections, among the strongest showings by a U.S. political party in history. The strength and success of the modern Democratic Party has been underappreciated.  Problems with an emerging electorate, especially Hispanics and millennials, represent a possible existential threat to the GOP. Watch Texas — it has a higher percentage of millennials and Hispanics than California.  With Clinton’s convincing win and gridlock fatigue, it will be hard for the GOP to repeat its Obama-era levels of obstruction.    Grover Norquist (R) President of Americans for Tax Reform Who will be our next president? Donald Trump How many electoral votes will he or she get? 272 Who will win North Carolina? Trump Who will win Ohio? Trump Who will win Florida? Trump Who will win Colorado? Clinton Will Democrats retake the Senate? No, 51 Republicans Will House Democrats pick up seats? If so, how many? Yes, Democrats pick up five The GOP will retain control of governorships and state legislatures. This will make it more difficult for Democrats to restore the gerrymandering that swelled the number of House Democrats for decades. This will allow Republicans to define the GOP by successes at the state level, via tax policy, pension reform, job creation, protecting the sharing economy (Uber/Airbnb), tort reform, charter schools and parental choice in education.  If Republicans pick up the governorships in New Hampshire or Missouri and/or the House in Kentucky, they will pass Right to Work, adding to the 26 RTW states today.   Brent Budowsky (D) Columnist for The Hill Who will be our next president? Hillary Clinton How many electoral votes will she get? 290 Who will win North Carolina? Clinton Who will win Ohio? Trump Who will win Florida? Clinton Who will win Colorado? Clinton Will Democrats retake the Senate? Yes Will House Democrats pick up seats? If so, how many? Yes, 16 This is the most unpredictable election in modern history. Polls could be missing something big in either direction. Five Senate races could have razor-thin margins and go either way. I hope House Democrats do better than gaining 16 seats but can’t predict it today, objectively.  Key factors will be the large Democratic vote from women and the historic Democratic vote from Hispanics, which will carry the party over the top. Without the James Comey fiasco, I would have predicted a Democratic landslide.   Joe Scarborough (R) Host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”  Who will be our next president? Hillary Clinton How many electoral votes will he or she get? 278 Who will win North Carolina? Trump Who will win Ohio? Trump Who will win Florida? Trump Who will win Colorado? Clinton Will Democrats retake the Senate? Yes Will House Democrats pick up seats? If so, how many? 14 Based on Florida early voting and a crazy New Hampshire poll, I move Florida to red and New Hampshire to undecided. The big question in Florida and North Carolina has to do with unaffiliated voters. Democrats think they will break big her way. If so, Clinton wins.  I always thought North Carolina would be Trump’s Waterloo. It’s looking more likely that distinction may fall on Nevada.    Richard Fowler (D) Host of “The Richard Fowler Show” Who will be our next president? Hillary Clinton How many electoral votes will she get? 298 Who will win North Carolina? Trump Who will win Ohio? Trump Who will win Florida? Clinton Who will win Colorado? Clinton Will Democrats retake the Senate? Yes Will House Democrats pick up seats? If so, how many? Yes, 12–15 The odds still lie firmly in Clinton’s favor. Not only does she have multiple pathways to 270 votes, her campaign has one of the best grassroots operations we have seen in recent history, focused on early voting and Election Day turnout. Clinton will be pushed over the top by Latino voters, who have rallied behind her in the closing days of this race.  With the recent announcement by FBI Director James Comey putting an end to the up-and-down Clinton email saga and Donald Trump continuing to beat the “rigged election” drum, this election couldn’t end any sooner. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2017-01-09

Image: GettyThe distinguished Cleveland Clinic is facing a firestorm of complaints after the director of its wellness institute, Dr. Daniel Neides, posted an anti-vaccination article online. The Cleveland Clinic has disavowed the post, but anti-vaxxers will undoubtedly exploit this incident to the fullest given the source of the article. In his January 7 blog post, “Make 2017 the year to avoid toxins (good luck) and master your domain: Words on Wellness,” Daniel Neides wrote that preservatives and other “toxins” in vaccines and flu shots are responsible for the increase in diagnosed cases of neurological diseases such as ADHD and autism—claims that are not supported in the scientific literature. Here’s a quick taste of the article:Why do I mention autism...in this article. Because we have to wake up out of our trance and stop following bad advice. Does the vaccine burden—as has been debated for years—cause autism? I don’t know and will not debate that here. What I will stand up and scream is that newborns without intact immune systems and detoxification systems are being over-burdened with PRESERVATIVES AND ADJUVANTS IN THE VACCINES.Dr. Daniel Neides (Image: Cleveland Clinic)It’s the typical anti-vaxxer nonsense we’re accustomed to seeing (neuroscientist Steven Novella has penned an excellent takedown of the article), but it’s the source of the post that’s causing the controversy. In addition to being a respected family physician, Neides is the Medical Director and the Chief Operating Officer of the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. It’s a huge embarrassment for the institution, which is now in damage control mode. Social media erupted over the weekend in response to the article, with many chastizing the Cleveland Institute for hiring someone with anti-vaccine views—and for putting him in such an important position.Yesterday, the clinic put out the following statement (which has gone through at least one revision):Cleveland Clinic is fully committed to evidence-based medicine. Harmful myths and untruths about vaccinations have been scientifically debunked in rigorous ways. We completely support vaccinations to protect people, especially children who are particularly vulnerable. Our physician published his statement without authorization from Cleveland Clinic. His views do not reflect the position of Cleveland Clinic and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. The website that published the article, Cleveland.com, is also facing criticism, both for publishing the article in the first place, and for temporarily taking it down. A note at the bottom of the post now reads, “This column was inexplicably removed from Cleveland.com for a few hours, but has now been restored in it’s entirety.” (Inexplicably? Really?) Neides has issued his own statement, writing: I apologize and regret publishing a blog that has caused so much concern and confusion for the public and medical community. I fully support vaccinations and my concern was meant to be positive around the safety of them.It’s not entirely clear if Neides is being sincere, or if he’s simply backtracking given the ensuing shitstorm his article has generated. Sadly, the post will undoubtedly inspire the legions of anti-vaxxers who agree with Neides’ sentiments. “A doctor, in a position of authority spreading misinformation, is akin to inciting harm.”“Vaccines save millions of lives each year, and are the foundation for modern preventive health,” Dr. David B. Agus, a professor of medicine and engineering at the University of Southern California told Gizmodo. “A doctor, in a position of authority spreading misinformation, is akin to inciting harm. To get normative change we need leadership, and in the vaccine compliance arena this is sorely needed. I hope the discourse this doctor incited will bring a new level of understanding.”“Having anti-vaccine sentiments from a physician affiliated with a prestigious, world-famous institution is going to be seized on by anti-vaccine opponents and repeated again and again and again,” NYU Langone Medical Center bioethicist Arthur Caplan told Gizmodo. “It has the potential to do enormous harm.”Caplan says the Cleveland Clinic’s response is not good enough, and that it needs to do more than just distance itself from the physician and threaten disciplinary action. A public relations campaign, and a highly visible pro-vaccine message, would be a good start, he says. Regardless, Caplan is worried about the damage done by Neides’ article.“The anti-vaxx movement will consider this an outstanding Christmas present, and they’ll say the clinic is just censoring whistleblowers,” Caplan told Gizmodo. “They’re going to try to turn this guy into a martyr. The clinic ought to be ready to address this in a very aggressive manner because the damage done is huge.” [STAT]

2019-12-22 00:00:00

RavnAir, citing a “malicious cyber attack” on its computer network, canceled at least six flights out of Alaska on Saturday, according to The Associated Press. Company spokeswoman Debbie Reinwand said the cancellations, which included all flights involving its Dash 8 aircraft, would affect about 260 passengers. The aircraft were grounded until noon “because the cyber attack forced us to disconnect our Dash 8 maintenance system and its back-up,” the carrier said in a statement, according to the AP. The carrier services numerous parts of Alaska that are not accessible by car. The company said it would run Dash-8 flights on their normal afternoon schedule, according to AP. “We will be trying to add flights where we can over the next two days,” the company said in a statement Sunday afternoon, according to the AP.  “We have, where possible, re-booked passengers on other flights.” RavnAir Connect and PenAir flights continued to operate as scheduled on back-up systems, Reinwand said. The airline said it is working with the FBI and other authorities, as well as a cyber-security firm, to restore its systems, according to the AP. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2020 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2019-01-30

SAO PAULO, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Banco Santander Brasil SA beat analysts’ fourth-quarter profit estimates on Wednesday as the bank sped up loan book growth for another quarter and increased fee income. Recurring net income at the Brazilian unit of Spain’s Banco Santander SA jumped 23.8 percent to 3.405 billion reais ($915.30 million) and topped the 3.197 billion expected by analysts on average, Refinitiv data showed. $1 = 3.7201 reais Reporting by Carolina Mandl; editing by Jason Neely

2016-01-27 16:10:00

Every now and then, The Creators Project comes across an artwork that surprises and delights us every bit as much as it confuses us and otherwise has us begging for answers. This is art that defies conventions, challenges sensibilities, and breaks down barriers between comprehension and critique. You might like it—you might not "get it." But we do. Take a deep breath, and before you read this, remember: it's art. Beautiful, isn't it? At least, that's what we hope the unnamed buyer of Kevin Abosch's above portrait, "Potato #345," said before forking over €1,000,000 for it sometime last year. Abosch, whose work, Business Insider reports, "begins at $150,000 and can rise as high as $500,000 if commercial licensing comes into play," came to prominence for a similarly-lit photo of Johnny Depp. "Art and science is just the means to an end," Abosch explains, but we have to wonder how much psychology comes into play when appraising his work. As Petapixel reports, the sale price of "Potato #345," nearly matches that of Edward Weston’s seminal “Nautilus (1927).” Is it the work that fetches a high price? Or vice versa? What do you think of Kevin Abosch's $1M potato? Let us know @CreatorsProject or in the comments below.  Click here to visit Kevin Abosch's website.  Related: It's Art: 12 Horses Tied to Art Gallery Walls It's Art: The Tip of England's Tallest Mountain It's Art: Wall Mount for Vintage Furby Collection It's Art: An American Garbage Bag It's Art: A Day-Long Nap On a Bed of Nails It's Art: The Rainbow Lucky Charms Marshmallow Sculpture It's Art: Microwaving a Nintendo 3DS It's Art: Artist Sculpts His Own Dead Body It's Art: David Bowie's Dentures It's Art: Dr. Dreidel It's Art: Corn Flake Portraits of Pop Stars It's Art: Marina Abramovic Counts Grains of Rice It's Art: Black-and-White Studio Portraits of Goats It's Art: Sven Sachsalber is Looking for a Needle in a Haystack It's Art: Jeff Koons Recycles Birkin Bags It's Art: A Gallery Filled with French Fries It's Art: An Army of Clones Jogs to Kraftwerk It's Art: Jeanette Hayes Celebrates Halloween It's Art: James Franco In A Space Suit Destroying Artwork It's Art: Resuscitated CPR Dolls & Dante's Divine Comedy It's Art: Mountains That Look Like Ice Cream It's Art: Bitcoins Rain Down On A Deep Web T-Shirt It's Art: The Hair Flip Machine

2017-12-29 00:00:00

President Trump announces his plans to withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement. President Donald Trump stunned the world in June when he vowed to pull the US — the second-largest emitter of climate pollution — from a global agreement to protect the world from catastrophic warming. Trump said the US will not stay in the Paris accord unless it can negotiate better terms, claiming the current voluntary terms would hurt the US economy. Although the US has notified the United Nations of its intent to ditch the deal, it cannot officially do so until November 2020. The nation’s refusal to support the Paris climate accord was repeatedly a sticking point at meetings for world leaders this year, including the main summits for the Group of Seven (G7) and Group of Twenty (G20). As the US government has stepped back from Paris, however, a growing number of cities, states, universities, businesses, and others have reaffirmed their support for the accord and for fighting climate change. Trump signed an executive order in March undoing the climate action plan, a sweeping government-wide mandate from 2013 requiring federal agencies to reduce their emissions and fold climate science into their decision-making on new buildings, projects, and more. He had already identified the plan for elimination on his first day in office. The Environmental Protection Agency announced in October its plan to kill the Clean Power Plan, the Obama administration’s rule to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. “The war against coal is over,” EPA head Scott Pruitt said at a press event in Kentucky about the news. The agency used questionable facts and figures in its justification for why it should ditch the rule, and is now soliciting public comment on a possible replacement. Trump and others have repeatedly said the war on coal is now over. Beyond this coal-related rule, the administration has nixed a new rule protecting streams against mining pollution and paused a study on the dangers of mountaintop coal mining. Flooding in Houston after Hurricane Harvey Weeks before Hurricane Harvey drenched Texas with record rainfall, Trump repealed an Obama-era mandate to protect new federally funded projects from flooding. He revoked the standard in a single line in his sweeping infrastructure executive order. Facing a backlash from conservative free-market groups, environmentalists, and flood experts, federal officials have said they intend to replace the rule. If they want a replacement rule to influence the rebuilding following Harvey and the other 2017 hurricanes, experts say they are running out of time. A natural gas flare near Watford City, North Dakota, in 2015. The Trump administration has delayed or ended a series of rules finalized at the end of last administration to curtail how much methane — a potent greenhouse gas — oil and gas companies can spew into the air. After Congress failed to roll back the rules, the Interior Department proposed delaying the implementation of a rule to curb flaring and other ways natural gas is wasted at oil and gas operations on public lands. The rule was supposed to take effect January 2018. Citing concerns about the cost to operators, federal officials are pushing its implementation back a year, and leaving the door open to changing or ending the rule. The EPA is reconsidering methane and other emissions standards for landfills, and also plans to reconsider new air pollution standards for various oil and gas infrastructure, from well sites to compressor stations. Climate information has been erased or edited down from several federal websites this year, from the State Department’s Office of Global Change webpage, to the EPA’s page on the endangerment finding (which says that climate change is harmful to human health and welfare), to the Department of Interior’s website about tribal climate programs. A National Park Service Twitter account was shut down after retweeting information about low turnout to the inauguration and the disappearance of climate websites. Then a series of tweets with climate facts were deleted from the Badlands National Park Twitter account in January. An Energy Department official in August asked a scientist to remove the terms “climate change” and “global warming” in descriptions of her government-funded work. Around that same time, the EPA launched a review of grants, reportedly on the hunt for “the double C-word” (climate change). At least one EPA grant was cut short “due to a shift in priorities,” and several others were pulled before they even began. The EPA also canceled talks for three scientists slated to discuss climate change at a Rhode Island conference in October. Pruitt has since said scientists won’t be prevented to talk about climate change. Despite fears of tampering or censorship, a government report on climate science and its impacts across the US was published as planned. Responding to the report, a White House official said: “The climate has changed and is always changing.” Scott Pruitt EPA head Scott Pruitt said in July the agency was working to organize a “red team/blue team” public debate on climate science, potentially to show on TV. He’s reached out to climate denial organizations, such as the Heartland Institute, for names to put on the “red team,” which would question whether climate change is real. Climate scientists have balked at the idea, saying there’s already a forum to debate this science: peer-reviewed journals. It’s possible such an exercise could be used to launch a review of the endangerment finding. For now, the exercise is reportedly on hold. President Trump and other top US officials, as well as prominent Republicans in Congress, have also questioned climate change. And more climate deniers could be on the way: Trump has nominated several people with a record of questioning man-made global warming. EPA head Scott Pruitt signing a new directive about who can serve as science advisers to the agency. The Interior Department quietly disbanded its 25-person Advisory Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resource Science. In August, a 15-person committee that advised the US government on implementing new policies based on the latest national climate assessment was dissolved. More recently, a group that helped local officials plan for extreme weather and climate impacts ended and will be replaced with a national workshop. Beyond climate, the EPA told many of its science advisers they were out of a job and then overhauled the rules for who can serve on these panels in a way that opens the door for more influence from businesses. Native American drummers lead the Native Nations March in Denver, Colorado, to protest against the Dakota Access oil pipeline. Obama-era restrictions on fossil fuel development are quickly being undone under Trump, from the lifting of a moratorium on new coal mining on public lands, to the reversal of a ban on new drilling in Arctic waters, to the approval of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. The US government is also boosting its energy exports, such as starting to ship coal to Ukraine. The EPA and The Federal Highway Administration are looking to repeal requirements for tracking and reporting the climate pollution from national highways. They are also reconsidering stricter greenhouse gas emission standards and fuel efficiency for cars and light trucks with model years 2022–2025. The EPA may also try to revoke legal waivers that let California set its own standards for fuel efficiency and electric vehicles, but Pruitt has told state lawmakers the rule is safe for now.

2016-01-13

Struggling wearable camera maker GoPro on Wednesday trimmed its guidance and announced it would cut its workforce by about 7 percent. GoPro expects fourth-quarter and full-year 2015 sales of $435 million and $1.6 billion, respectively. Analysts had projected fourth-quarter revenue of $512 million, according to a consensus estimate from Thomson Reuters. "Fourth-quarter revenue reflects lower-than-anticipated sales of its capture devices due to slower-than-expected sell-through at retailers, particularly in the first half of the quarter," the company said in a statement. GoPro shares plunged as much as 28 percent in after-hours trading after a halt. Shares of Ambarella, a key GoPro producer, also fell by about 10 percent in extended trading. In a memo to staff, CEO Nick Woodman said the job cuts were "necessary" after workforce growth in recent years. The company said its employee count grew by more than 50 percent annually in the past two years to more than 1,500 at the end of 2015. "This was a difficult and deeply emotional decision. But it was a necessary one," Woodman said in the memo. Additionally, GoPro said Zander Lurie resigned from his post as senior vice president of GoPro Entertainment and would join the company's board of directors. Lurie previously was an executive at CBS. The company's shares have tumbled 70 percent in the last year. At its after-hours lows Wednesday, the stock was down about 90 percent from its all-time intraday high of $98.47 per share, which was reached in October 2014. GoPro is scheduled to report full quarterly results on Feb. 3.

2017-03-16

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa’s Competition Tribunal will hold a hearing in July where banks accused of colluding to rig the rand currency will make their submissions, the anti-trust body said on Thursday. The Competition Commission said last month it had found traders at more than a dozen local and foreign banks colluded to coordinate dealing in the South African and U.S. currencies. The tribunal, an anti-trust oversight body, said the commission has until the end of March to supplement its complaint against Bank of America Merrill Lynch and seventeen other institutions, among them South African banks Standard Bank , Barclays Africa Group and Investec. The banks have until May 3 to file applications to raise objections on grounds that the complaint is vague or does not disclose a cause of action. Standard Bank said earlier this month that the commission was not clear in communicating what the bank is being accused of. Barclays and Citigroup previously approached South Africa’s competition regulators with information linked to the case and Citigroup was fined 69.5 million rand ($5.5 million)last month for its role. The tribunal will hear these objections - called exception applications in South African law - in July. “It is important to note that the exception application hearing is, by no means, the final hearing on the merits of the matter,” the tribunal said. The Commission has recommended fines amounting to 10 percent of the banks’ South African revenues in a scandal that has piled political pressure on the South African banks accused of being involved. Reporting by TJ Strydom; Editing by James Macharia

2017-01-24 20:31:32

Applications management company AppDynamics was just wrapping up the final touches on its initial public offering when it learned that Cisco was interested in discussing a potential deal. Preliminary talks were abandoned in November, but the discussion just picked up again last week. The deal was announced today and the IPO was slated to price tomorrow. Although many companies seek acquisition offers in the months leading up to an IPO, also known as a “dual-track process,” that wasn’t what happened with this one. Investment banking firm Qatalyst, decided to play matchmaker and floated the idea to Cisco, a source with knowledge of the deal tells TechCrunch. Fast forward to today, where the company announced a $3.7 billion deal. We’re told things were just decided on Saturday, and they had about 48 hours to complete the paperwork. (This is fast…very fast). The IPO would have valued AppDynamics at around $2 billion, or close to the $1.9 billion the company was valued at its last private round. While it’s possible the stock would have risen, AppDynamics leaders liked the bird in hand. Competitor New Relic went public a little over two years ago and is still trading near where it was at on its first day. With clients like IBM and Salesforce, Cisco saw opportunity with AppDynamics to grow its enterprise IT business. Cisco has been known to make billion-dollar purchases, such as when it acquired Jasper Technologies last year. This would have been the first tech IPO of the year. AppDynamics was expected to kick off a spate of tech IPOs for 2017, a contrast from last year’s dry spell. Its management had been talking publicly about its IPO plans since for several years. AppDynamics has raised more than $300 million in funding over the past eight years and its largest shareholders are Greylock Partners and Lightspeed Venture Partners, which each owned 20.8 percent of the company.

2019-09-07 00:00:00

EditorsNote: Subbed photo; minor fixes throughout Mauricio Dubon hit a home run and Jeff Samardzija went six solid innings as the San Francisco Giants complicated the Los Angeles Dodgers’ weekend division-clinching plans by holding on for a 5-4 victory in the opener of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. The Giants overcame a three-homer night from A.J. Pollock, who got the Dodgers within a run in the ninth inning with his third blast. Dubon’s second career home run came against Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who was held to his shortest outing of the season at four-plus innings. Kershaw (13-5) gave up three runs on seven hits with three walks and six strikeouts, needing 99 pitches to record 12 outs. Combined with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ victory over the Cincinnati Reds, the Dodgers’ magic number for clinching their seventh consecutive National League West title remained at four. Pollock hit two home runs off the right-handed Samardzija, and the third off left-handed closer Will Smith to give him 13 this season. The Dodgers’ NL-record homer total increased to 253. Pollock’s first homer gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but Dubon evened the score 1-1 in the fourth with his homer off the left field foul pole against Kershaw. It was his second home run in a span of five days. After Austin Slater singled and Kevin Pillar walked to open the fifth inning, Kershaw was replaced by right-hander Dylan Floro. The Giants ended up with a four-run inning, and a 5-1 lead, after a two-run double by Mike Yastrzemski and a two-run single by Dubon. It was a three-RBI night for Dubon, who had driven in just one career run entering the game. Pollock’s second homer came in the fifth inning. It was his first multi-homer game as a member of the Dodgers and the fifth of his career. Samardzija (10-11), who also gave up an RBI single to Cody Bellinger in the sixth inning, allowed three runs on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts. The veteran picked up just his second career victory over the Dodgers and his first as a starter. Smith got two quick outs in the ninth before Pollock homered for the third time. Smith then walked Russell Martin before striking out namesake Will Smith for his 32nd save in 36 chances. —Field Level Media

2018-10-01 00:00:00

Google on Monday announced a few big changes coming to Google Maps on iPhone and Android that might help you save time during your commute. Google Maps will soon show you real-time status updates on public transit — like trains or buses in your city — so you know exactly where they are, and if your bus or train is running a bit early or late. Google said it will be available in 80 regions around the world initially but will continue to roll out to more areas. The app also has a new "commuter" tab that will show you all the information you need about your commute. If Google knows that you tend to drive part of the trip and then ride a train for another part, it will show you information about the traffic and train schedules. If it knows your commute will take longer than normal, it will send alerts about alternate routes before you leave the office or house. Google Maps will also let you control your music from Spotify, Apple Music and Google Play Music from within the app, so you don't have to switch back and forth to quickly change a song while driving. Google said the update will roll out to Google Maps users on iPhone and Android this week.

2019-04-29 00:00:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration is ready to provide more federal aid to farmers if required, a White House adviser said on Monday, after rolling out up to $12 billion since last year to offset agricultural losses from the trade dispute with China. “We have allocated $12 billion, some such, to farm assistance. And we stand ready to do more if necessary,” White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had previously ruled out a new round of aid for 2019. As of March, more than $8 billion was paid out as part of last year’s program. On Monday, the department said it had extended the deadline to apply to May 17. A constituency that helped carry Republican President Donald Trump to victory in 2016, U.S. farmers have been among the hardest hit from his trade policies that led to tariffs with key trading partners such as China, Canada and Mexico. While farmers have largely remained supportive of Trump, many have called for an imminent end to the trade dispute, which propelled farm debt to the highest levels in decades and worsened the credit conditions for the rural economy. Beijing imposed tariffs last year on imports of U.S. agricultural goods, including soybeans, grain sorghum and pork as retribution for U.S. levies. Soybean exports to China have plummeted over 90 percent and sales of U.S. soybeans elsewhere failed to make up for the loss. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer were scheduled to travel to Beijing on Monday for the latest negotiations in what could be the trade talks’ endgame. Both sides have cited progress on issues including intellectual property and forced technology transfer to help end a conflict marked by tit-for-tat tariffs that have cost the world’s two largest economies billions of dollars, disrupted supply chains and rattled financial markets. Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Peter Cooney

2017-09-26

Jill Filipovic is a journalist based in New York and Nairobi, Kenya, and the author of the book "The H-Spot: The Feminist Pursuit of Happiness." Follow her on Twitter. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. (CNN)Is Catholicism about faith and compassion, or rigid doctrine and exclusion? According to a group of conservative Catholics who just accused Pope Francis of spreading heresy, it's the latter. Sixty-two (somewhat marginal) Catholic scholars and clergy have signed a letter that disputes Francis' signaling of his willingness to allow divorced and remarried people to receive communion. This, they say, is immoral and heretical, a sign of Francis "misleading the flock." Far better, in this retrograde reading of doctrine, to ostracize and shame the remarried as "adulterers" and the divorced as sinful failures. Really? I've seen how this "old way" played out in my own family, and it puts Pope Francis' more reform-minded church in useful perspective. My grandparents were devout Catholics, married young, and had five children; my grandfather also beat my grandmother. She eventually left -- a painful and terrifying decision for a woman with only a high school degree in 1950s America. She supported the five kids by working multiple low-wage jobs at once. He did his damnedest to skirt financial responsibility, and she struggled her entire life. The kids had to drop out of Catholic school because she couldn't afford the tuition, and back then the school wasn't about to give a scholarship to the family of a divorced mother. Two decades later, my grandfather met a woman he wanted to marry -- in the Catholic Church. He had remained devout, and so was granted an annulment from the marriage to my grandmother -- and poof, it didn't exist. Their years together, their five children, just erased so he could remain in the good graces of his faith. That, according to the moral compass of the current Francis critics, is "moral." And my grandma, by those lights, was a failure. Had she remarried before my grandfather, she would have been considered an adulterer. She could have gotten an annulment too, I suppose, which would have lifted that fate from her, but this was a laborious process back then that could take years -- a process that Francis made easier two years ago, permitting, among other things, a fast-track. What's more, for my grandmother, living in a culture where a marriage sanctioned by the Catholic faith constituted a powerful aspect of personal identity, it's easy to imagine that the idea of expunging what was a very real union would have felt like an unforgivable lie (especially to tell before God). Had she stayed with an abusive man and raised her children in a violent and unhappy home, she would have been righteous in the eyes of a group of unmarried and celibate men in Rome. Was refusing her, as a divorced woman, the right to take communion -- and casting her as a sinful outsider -- moral? Was it Christ-like? Maybe not, but it was a routine and intractable part of Church practice. My grandparents are both dead. My grandmother retained her faith in God, but not in the church. My grandfather stayed loyal to Rome -- although he was critical of the changes of Vatican II, which liberalized the church just slightly. He played by the church's rules, technically, and considered himself a good and devoted Catholic; the church loved him right back. A Catholic priest spoke at his funeral, and his religious friends attended. My grandmother worked herself to the bone for her entire life, and spent her final years in terrible decline, unable to attend religious services or maintain friendships. There was no funeral for her, and certainly no speeches from men in robes, because in the end, all she had were her children and grandchildren. We loved her fiercely, but she deserved so much more. We marked her death privately, and we felt it acutely -- not just losing her, but all she lost in her life. I knew my grandfather as a warm, loving figure who built tree houses and told my sister and I too-racy jokes. I only learned about that uglier, personal part of my family's history much later. People are complex, it turns out, capable of great kindness and great cruelty in a single lifetime. The lives of mere mortals on earth are complicated. Marriage can be a sacrament and a union of mutual service, or it can be a prison of abuse and spiritual death. Religious doctrine draws predictable and neat lines, but make it too rigid and it snaps under the pressure of heavy, messy reality. The beautiful parts of faith and belief can break along with it, too -- which is why my own mother didn't raise her children in the church. And which is why I carry my own bitterness and anger toward the church and everything it stands for -- especially its misogyny. Women still cannot hold the same leadership positions as men, a reality that -- despite his theoretical explorations of that possibility -- will keep this pope from being known as a true "progressive." When you lose compassion for humanity, and when you lose the ability to love and honor and fully receive people as they come to you -- flawed, broken, evolving, all of us clawing our way to something we hope is better -- you have lost sight of why people seek spirituality and religion in the first place, and of what the Bible itself tells us. Those accusing Pope Francis of heresy might ask themselves how compassion can be at odds with the will of a benevolent God. Of course every institution needs rules; of course religions have codes of conduct. But when you begin to hold fidelity to rigid doctrine above open-hearted service to people -- when you claim to do God's work on earth but put hidebound rules before earthbound mercy -- you should look in the mirror and ask yourself who you're really serving. You might just find them staring back at you.

2018-08-08

Democratic strategist Juanita Tolliver warned on Wednesday that the people President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump pushes back on recent polling data, says internal numbers are 'strongest we've had so far' Illinois state lawmaker apologizes for photos depicting mock assassination of Trump Scaramucci assembling team of former Cabinet members to speak out against Trump MORE has surrounded himself with are driving the administration into dangerous territory, citing recent allegations that Commerce Secretary Wilbur RossWilbur Louis RossTrump administration delays penalty on Huawei for another 90 days WaPo calls Trump admin 'another threat' to endangered species Recession fears surge as stock markets plunge MORE swindled large sums of money from associates during his time as a businessman.  "This is just another example of the culture of corruption and the type of people Trump surrounds himself with that are really driving this administration into a dangerous place," Tolliver, the director of campaigns at the Center for American Progress, told Hill.TV's Krystal Ball and Buck Sexton on "Rising."  Tolliver was responding to a recent Forbes article, in which 21 of Ross's former colleagues accused him of wrongly taking money from associates for himself.  Forbes reports that Ross would have swindled over $120 million from associates if the allegations are true.  The Commerce Department has denied the accusations against Ross.  "The anonymously sourced Forbes story is based on false rumors, innuendo, and unverifiable claims," the department said in a statement. "The fact remains that no regulator has made any of these accusations against the Secretary. This rehash of old stories is clearly the result of a personal vendetta. The baseless claims made in this story were well publicized long ago and are not news." The accusations against Ross come a month after Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott PruittEdward (Scott) Scott PruittEnvironmentalists renew bid to overturn EPA policy barring scientists from advisory panels Six states sue EPA over pesticide tied to brain damage Overnight Energy: Trump EPA looks to change air pollution permit process | GOP senators propose easing Obama water rule | Green group sues EPA over lead dust rules MORE resigned from his post following months controversies surrounding his spending, ethics, and management.  — Julia Manchester Republican strategist Marissa Martinez predicted Monday that former Vice President Joe Biden will win the Democratic nomination, citing his fundraising prowess. A senior adviser to Bernie Sanders’s 2020 presidential campaign said Monday that former Vice President Joe Biden’s greatest vulnerability is his “pro-corporate policies.” A senior adviser to Bernie Sanders’s 2020 presidential campaign said Monday that the Vermont senator and progressive rival Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) aren’t necessarily competing for the same group of voters. Conservative commentator Patrice Onwuka ripped Ben Shapiro on Friday after the conservative commentator said that it is a “you problem” if someone has to work more than one job to support themselves. Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann criticized Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) after the lawmaker questioned whether there would be “any population of the world left” if not for rape and incest. Support for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) among college students climbed to its highest mark since April, according to a new weekly Chegg-College Pulse poll. A former FBI intelligence officer said Thursday that combating right-wing extremism and white nationalism poses a serious challenge for security officials going into 2020. The head of a flight attendants union that represents nearly 50,000 members across the country said Thursday that there is “broad support” within the labor movement for “Medicare for All.” A former campaign staffer on President Obama's 2008 campaign is calling on John Hickenlooper to end his White House bid and instead launch a Senate run in Colorado. Ken Cuccinelli, the acting head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, told Hill.TV on Wednesday that the number of migrants coming to the U.S. southern border has dropped significantly since record-highs in May. Law professor Richard Hasen said Wednesday that expanding the number of justices on the Supreme Court should be a “last resort” for lawmakers. Ken Cuccinelli, the acting head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,  defended his controversial remarks about the poem etched on the Statue of Liberty in an exclusive interview with Hill.TV Tuesday afternoon.  Republican strategist Holly Turner said Tuesday that former Vice President Joe Biden’s recent string of gaffes won’t necessarily hurt his chances to take on President Trump in the 2020 election. Foreign affairs expert Gordon Chang predicted on Tuesday that the United States and China won’t reach a comprehensive trade deal before the 2020 U.S. elections. Security analyst Gordon Chang on Tuesday criticized President Trump's language on ongoing protests in Hong Kong, saying the U.S. has a much more vested interest in the embattled city than what the president has indicated. Conservative commentator Dennis Prager said Monday that tech giants like Google and Facebook need to decide whether they are publishers or open forums. A top Iowa Democratic Party official said Monday that 2020 presidential candidate Tom Steyer has an advantage in the state thanks to his name recognition and ties to various grassroots organizations. Iowa Democratic Party official Troy Price on Monday said that President Trump’s ongoing trade war with China is among the top concerns among voters in the Hawkeye State, saying the battle is starting to hurt local farmers. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2019-10-23 20:38:00

Yearning to get approval from your boss has existed since the advent of the workplace.But more powerful, and more advantageous, is having a boss that will be an active advocate for you. They don't just want to promote you; they want you to get truly ahead.Own your projects from start to finish, make yourself known as an employee who has it together, and add time to your boss's calendar.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.The search for appreciation and approval from the boss is a quest that's been around since the invention of the hierarchy. Everyone wants it; we all spend too much time seeking it; and oh, by the way, it can be an empty victory at best or soul-crushing at worst.  But true advocacy? A boss who is motivated, even compelled, to be your champion, to help you get the best exposure, recognition, and opportunities?Well, that's as good as it gets.So how do you get some of that?It turns out it's a very specific set of characteristics — traits that represent how your boss most wants your greatness to show up. I know because in doing research for my book "Find the Fire," I conducted a survey of 3,000 managers to find out what behaviors make bosses most want to advocate for their employees. The key word is want — in other words, the behaviors that get bosses involved head and heart to make good things happen for that employee. I distinguish this from the usual litany of things that merely make someone promotable.So what are these advocacy-inducing attributes?  1. You're the CEO of your projects Every boss appreciates someone who exhibits strong ownership of their work. But "being the CEO of your projects" warrants a special brand of admiration from the boss because it means you own your projects, every aspect of them, from vision to execution.You leverage your boss for support and barrier-busting rather than waiting to be told what to do. This level of ownership also means you hold yourself accountable for results. And when someone demonstrated this level of accountability to me, as a boss it made me feel accountable for their career. 2. You inspire unswerving confidence that you've 'got things covered' This one is related to the above, but worthy of its own mention. Bosses often just want to know that you know. I was like this as a manager. I tried never to micromanage, but on too many occasions I had bosses that micromanaged me and wanted me to know all the details. I didn't want to know all the details. I just wanted to know that my subordinate knew the details.If they did, it kept me from having to know everything at every level, which would have burned me out. So I really felt passionate about employees who just had it together. If I could count on them to have things covered, they could count on me to cover some serious ground in the breadth of advocacy I'd give them. 3. You consistently go above and beyond By far, the single thing I found most difficult to coach was initiative — the desire to not only be a self-starter but to go the extra mile when up and running.I also found that if you had to coach someone on this, they could only ever be so good at it, which usually wasn't at a level truly worthy of "emotional advocacy." Compare this to the employee who did hit this mark — it was night and day. That employee couldn't not go above and beyond. They couldn't help but think in helpful ways outside the scope of their project, and had never uttered the words "not my square" in their life.  4. You uncover issues — and offer solutions No boss likes surprises. Most bosses like it when you uncover problems they didn't know they had. Every boss likes when you present solutions along with the problems you've uncovered. It's so easy to want to advocate for someone who makes your job easier. Which brings us to the next point. 5. You're a time-creator for your boss, not a time-sucker It's the rare soul who finds new ways to add value and take on more responsibility. That makes the boss's job easier. Anyone can be a calendar-chomper. 6. You make an effort to make your boss look good Lest we forget about the good old ego: It's an unspoken aspect of reciprocity. If you do things to make the boss look good, they can't help but do right by you.So do the right things right to get the advocacy you deserve. Then pay it forward.  Read the original article on Inc. Copyright 2019. Follow Inc on Twitter.

2018-09-12

ROME (Reuters) - Italy’s biggest private broadcaster Mediaset is working on a large merger or acquisition in Europe’s TV sector, its chief executive said on Wednesday. “We are working on something big and something complex... we believe in it,” Pier Silvio Berlusconi said in reply to a question on European merger activity in the sector. In June, Berlusconi said Mediaset was looking to create a pan-European broadcaster to fend off competition from traditional rivals and online content providers like Netflix. Mediaset, controlled by the family of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, tried to broaden its business in 2016 with a pay-TV agreement with French media giant Vivendi aimed at building a southern European media powerhouse. But the deal fell through when Vivendi, which owns 28.8 percent of the Italian group, backtracked, leading to a court battle. “When the deal is done, we’ll announce it,” Berlusconi said. Reporting by Alberto Sisto, writing by Stephen Jewkes; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle

2016-09-22 15:03:14

SAN FRANCISCO — Yahoo announced on Thursday that the account information of at least 500 million users was stolen by hackers two years ago, in the biggest known intrusion of one company’s computer network. In a statement, Yahoo said user information — including names, email addresses, telephone numbers, birth dates, encrypted passwords and, in some cases, security questions — was compromised in 2014 by what it believed was a “state-sponsored actor.” While Yahoo did not name the country involved, how the company discovered the hack nearly two years after the fact offered a glimpse at the complicated and mysterious world of the underground web. The hack of Yahoo, still one of the internet’s busiest sites with one billion monthly users, also has far-reaching implications for both consumers and one of America’s largest companies, Verizon Communications, which is in the process of acquiring Yahoo for $4.8 billion. Yahoo Mail is one of the oldest free email services, and many users have built their digital identities around it, from their bank accounts to photo albums and even medical information. Changing Yahoo passwords will be just the start for many users. They’ll also have to comb through other services to make sure passwords used on those sites aren’t too similar to what they were using on Yahoo. And if they weren’t doing so already, they’ll have to treat everything they receive online with an abundance of suspicion, in case hackers are trying to trick them out of even more information. The company said as much in an email to users that warned it was invalidating existing security questions — things like your mother’s maiden name or the name of the street you grew up on — and asked users to change their passwords. Yahoo also said it was working with law enforcement in their investigation and encouraged people to change up the security on other online accounts and monitor those accounts for suspicious activity as well. “The stolen Yahoo data is critical because it not only leads to a single system but to users’ connections to their banks, social media profiles, other financial services and users’ friends and family,” said Alex Holden, the founder of Hold Security, which has been tracking the flow of stolen Yahoo credentials on the underground web. “This is one of the biggest breaches of people’s privacy and very far-reaching.” Simple tips to follow if you think your personal information online has been exposed to hackers. The Yahoo hack also adds another miscue to what has been a troubled sale of a long-troubled company. In July, Verizon said it would acquire the internet pioneer, roughly a month before Yahoo security experts started looking into whether the site had been hacked. It is unclear what effect, if any, the breach will have on Yahoo’s sale price. In a statement on Thursday, a Verizon spokesman, Bob Varettoni, said his company learned of the breach of Yahoo’s systems only two days ago and had “limited information and understanding of the impact.” It is unclear whether security testing — such as a test to see if security experts could break into the Yahoo network — was performed as part of Verizon’s due diligence process before it agreed to the acquisition. But such security is often overlooked by investors, even though breaches can result in stolen intellectual property, compromised user accounts and class-action lawsuits. To date, no law requires such security checks as part of due diligence. “Cybersecurity can absolutely affect a valuation, and these are important questions that investors need to be asking,” said Jacob Olcott, vice president of BitSight Technologies, a security company. Yahoo said it learned of the data breach this summer after hackers posted to underground forums and online marketplaces what they claimed was stolen Yahoo data. A Yahoo security team was unable to verify those claims. But what they eventually found was worse: a breach by what they believe was a state-sponsored actor that dated back to 2014. A potential breach of Yahoo’s systems was first reported by the tech news site Recode early Thursday morning. The first sign that something was amiss appeared in June, when a Russian hacker who goes by the user name Tessa88 started mentioning, in underground web forums, a new trove of stolen Yahoo data, Mr. Holden said. In July, Tessa88 supplied a sample of the stolen collection to people in the so-called underground web for authentication. Find out which parts of your identity may have been stolen in major hacking attacks over the last several years. The sample contained valid Yahoo user accounts, but it was unclear whether the data was from a breach of a third-party service or Yahoo itself. And it was not clear whether it came from a recent Yahoo breach or a previous incident in 2012, when the internet service acknowledged that more than 450,000 user accounts were compromised. Then, in August, a second hacker who goes by the alias Peace of Mind began offering a large collection of stolen Yahoo credentials — including user names, easily cracked passwords, birth dates, ZIP codes and email addresses — on a site called TheRealDeal, where hackers can buy and sell stolen data, Mr. Holden said. TheRealDeal uses Tor, the anonymity software, and Bitcoin, the digital currency, to hide the identities of buyers, sellers and administrators who are trading attack methods and stolen data. After looking into that data, Yahoo did not find evidence that the stolen credentials came from its own systems. But it did find evidence of a far more serious breach of its systems two years earlier. Two years is an unusually long time to identify a hacking incident. According to the Ponemon Institute, which tracks data breaches, the average time it takes organizations to identify such an attack is 191 days, and the average time to contain a breach is 58 days after discovery. Security experts say the breach could bring about class-action lawsuits, in addition to other costs. An annual report by the Ponemon Institute in July found that the costs to remediate a data breach is $221 per stolen record. Added up, that would top Yahoo’s $4.8 billion sale price. Thursday afternoon, Senator Mark R. Warner, a Democrat from Virginia and former technology executive, issued a statement that said the “seriousness of this breach at Yahoo is huge.” He weighed in with a call for a federal “breach notification standard” to replace data notification laws that vary by state. Senator Warner added that he was “most troubled” that the public was only learning of the incident two years after it happened.

2016-01-04

Be forewarned: if you have not seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there are spoilers below. If you have seen the movie, however, then you are well aware of the fact that the entire plot of The Force Awakens basically hinges on the attempt to find Luke Skywalker, who hasn't been seen in years. When a map to Luke's hideout finally presents itself (thanks to R2D2 and BB-8), we discover that Luke has been living on an island in the middle of an ocean, on a world that the script reveals is called Ahch-To, like some sort of hermit. All of which, dear friends, is the perfect fodder for a parody Twitter account. A user going by the handle Very Lonely Luke has been spending recent days serving up all of the deep and desolate thoughts that could be going through Skywalker's head while he passes time on his desolate island. From musing about the wellbeing of his nephew Kylo Ren, to staring at the ocean, to wishing for a single friend, Very Lonely Luke is both hilarious and pathetic. Here are a few of the most dazzling gems, direct from the hermit's brain: Leia said, "You're his uncle. Talk to Kylo Ren" And I said "I'd love to share parenting responsibilities with you" Then I ran away forever — Very Lonely Luke (@VeryLonelyLuke) January 3, 2016 Have the last 20 years of my life been a waste of time? No. They have not been a waste of time. That ocean isn't going to watch itself. — Very Lonely Luke (@VeryLonelyLuke) January 3, 2016 Some people don't like it when I swear And by people, I mean one person And by person, I mean a rock I threw it the ocean Fuck that rock — Very Lonely Luke (@VeryLonelyLuke) January 3, 2016 I'm done staring at the ocean. That didn't accomplish anything. Now I'll glare at it. Totally different. — Very Lonely Luke (@VeryLonelyLuke) January 3, 2016 Sometimes I don't know why I get out of bed. Then I remember I don't have a bed. I sleep on rocks. It still hurts less than my loneliness — Very Lonely Luke (@VeryLonelyLuke) January 3, 2016 Staring at the ocean isn't always the same. One time I thought I saw something. It turned out to be nothing. It was an exciting day. — Very Lonely Luke (@VeryLonelyLuke) January 4, 2016 Hey @Charmin, can you hook me up? I came to this planet 20 years ago, and I only brought one roll. Kind of a crisis here. — Very Lonely Luke (@VeryLonelyLuke) January 3, 2016 I would never Netflix and chill. The Jedi code forbids it. I Netflix and die alone. — Very Lonely Luke (@VeryLonelyLuke) January 3, 2016 Of course, we haven't actually heard hermit Luke say anything on screen yet. But if his lines are anything like these tweets, Star Wars Episode VIII will make for an amazing movie.

2016-01-11 00:00:00

If you watch Black-ish, you know that the kids are the show's real stars. In a new promo, Zoey (Yara Shahidi) tells her younger siblings that they should make a viral video — one that happens to casually feature Kendrick Lamar. Lamar raps out "Alright" with his signature speed and precision as the Johnson family dances and mouths along in the promo. It's full of trippy jump cuts, dancing and family fun, as well as the fabulous image of Lamar eating out of a giant bowl, unperturbed by the silliness surrounding him. The rapper has been busy, having recently debuted a new song on The Tonight Show and collaborating on "No More Parties in LA" with Kanye West. May we suggest a full-length video with the Johnson kids next?

2019-07-22 00:00:00

PARIS (Reuters) - The French Navy has found the wreckage of its ‘Minerve’ submarine, which disappeared off the coast of Toulon in the Mediterranean Sea in 1968, leading to the loss of 52 lives. “We have just found the Minerve. It was a successful operation, a moment of relief and a demonstration of technical prowess. I would like to spare a thought for the families of those who have waited for this moment for so long,” said French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly on Monday. The government decided in 2018 to renew efforts to find the Minerve, following requests from the bereaved families, and found it thanks to the use of new sonar and drone technology. The reason the submarine sank remains unknown. Reporting by Marine Pennetier and Sophie Louet; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta/Leigh Thomas

2017-04-26

SEOUL, April 27 (Reuters) - Strong memory chip earnings propelled tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd to its best quarterly profit in more than 3 years, the South Korean firm said on Thursday as its first-quarter results matched its earlier guidance. Samsung said in a regulatory filing its January-March operating profit was 9.9 trillion won ($8.75 billion), compared with 9.9 trillion won it estimated earlier in April. Revenue rose 2 percent to 50.5 trillion won, also in line with its earlier estimate. $1 = 1,131.7900 won Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin and Se Young Lee; Editing by Stephen Coates

2016-07-22

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - One of the first questions aid worker Isaac Kwamy was asked in Greece’s camps for refugees and migrants was not whether there was food or water, but whether there was internet access. “Very few of them (migrants) said, ‘We are hungry, we need food. Or we are thirsty, can we have water?” said Kwamy, who visited camps in June. “They were literally asking, ‘Do you have Wi-fi access and where can we charge our phones?’” As the head of emergency response at NetHope, an alliance of aid groups and companies like Facebook, Microsoft and Cisco that provide technology services during humanitarian crises, Kwamy said the need for connectivity came as no surprise. Not only do asylum seekers and migrants need the internet on their smartphones to plan their journey towards Europe, he said, they also use it to apply for asylum, and to stay in touch with family through mobile apps like WhatsApp and Facebook. “One man, who got separated from his family, had not spoken to his daughter in two years. And only this year he managed to speak with his daughter on Facebook through Wi-fi that NetHope had set up,” Kwamy told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Since September, NetHope has deployed Wi-fi hotspots along the migration route in Europe, though many connectivity sites in the Balkans have now been deactivated as most refugees and migrants have moved on. Some 48,000 refugees and migrants are stranded on the Greek mainland by the closure of Balkan borders, which has shut the main overland route used last year by a million people from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and beyond headed for western Europe. Asylum seekers in Greek camps can only book an interview with the Greek Asylum Office through Skype, a web-based phone service. Many only have a window of one hour when Skype lines are open. Once individuals complete the so-called “pre-registration”, they are granted a temporary right to remain in Greece, and access to basic services. Currently, only those based in Athens are able to apply for asylum in person, at the city’s two pre-registration sites. This makes internet connectivity even more crucial, said Katerina Kitidi, a spokeswoman for the U.N.’s refugee agency (UNHCR) in Greece. “It’s a gateway to information, and a gateway to the right of services like the asylum procedures,” she said. With many refugees and migrants now stuck in Greece, Kwamy said NetHope is planning to convert existing internet hotspots into faster, more reliable broadband in August. In his 17 years as an aid worker, Kwamy said it is the first time he has seen such a reliance on the internet during a humanitarian crisis. “It’s as important as eating food, drinking water, being treated (medically), being given a tent,” he said. Imad Aoun, a Save the Children spokesman in Greece, said providing access to information has become a critical element of the refugee crisis in Europe. Aoun said providing internet access helps with language barriers between aid workers and refugees, and also lets migrants make informed decisions about the route they should take and the risks they are taking. “There’s the impression that the internet is a luxury and if you’re a refugee you don’t have the right to be connected,” he said. “That’s not true. They have the same right as everybody else.” In June, the U.N. passed a resolution to amend Article 19 which made internet access a basic human right. “It’s important we don’t see humanitarian work as the provision of items,” Aoun told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “A lot of it now is becoming about internet connectivity and providing information as a form of aid... It’s part of making sure that we’re offering a dignified form of assistance.” Reporting by Lin Taylor @linnytayls, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters that covers humanitarian issues, conflicts, global land rights, modern slavery and human trafficking, women's rights, and climate change. Visit news.trust.org to see more stories

2016-09-20

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration proposed on Tuesday deeper government involvement in the design of autonomous vehicle systems and called on manufacturers to share more information about how such systems work and why they fail. The wide-ranging proposal unveiled on Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) called on automakers to voluntarily submit details of self-driving vehicle systems to regulators in a 15 point “safety assessment.” The plan came as automakers race to put autonomous driving systems on the road and regulators scramble to keep up. The emphasis on voluntary action reflected the reality, cited by regulators, that enacting formal rules could take years and securing congressional approval to expand NHTSA’s authority faces political obstacles. “This technology is moving so rapidly that it is outpacing the public policy that is necessary to make sure we’re doing this properly,” Senator Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat, said Tuesday. The proposals gave automakers and technology companies investing in automated driving many things they wanted, including a call for a single, national set of rules for self-driving cars. Throughout the document, titled, “Accelerating the Next Revolution In Roadway Safety,” NHTSA cites the importance of fostering innovation. U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said on Tuesday at a briefing for reporters the agency would seek to make it mandatory through the regulatory process. “The industry now knows where we are headed,” Foxx said, acknowledging that the policy leaves many questions unanswered now and will be updated at least annually. A fatal crash in May involving a Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA.O) sedan highlighted the challenges for regulators. NHTSA had authority to ask Tesla for details of the system’s design only after the crash. “The absence of something like this policy creates a bit of a vacuum and makes it difficult for safety to be addressed properly,” Foxx said. Transportation officials said at a briefing they want Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google unit, Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL], Tesla and others to answer safety assessment questions within six months about self-driving vehicles and systems such as Tesla’s Autopilot, which allows limited hands-free driving on highways. In what appeared to be a win for Google’s self-driving car project, NHTSA said it could exempt up to a few thousand vehicles from regulations that require steering wheels and brake pedals for testing, but would need a change in law to permanently change the rules. Google has proposed fully autonomous vehicles without driver controls. Uber is testing self-driving vehicles in Pittsburgh. Other automakers are testing their systems on public roads in other states. The regulator said it wants to explore whether automakers should be required to submit technology to regulators for approval before they are offered for sale in a process similar to that used by the Federal Aviation Administration with aircraft. NHTSA said it plans to propose a requirement that automakers report to regulators on the results of their testing of self-driving vehicle systems. The next presidential administration and Congress will determine the future of NHTSA proposals. Some consumer advocates called on NHTSA to go beyond voluntary guidelines and issue rules to govern autonomous vehicles before they are allowed on roads. “This new policy comes with a lot of bark but not enough bite,” Marta Tellado, president of Consumer Reports, said in a statement. The NHTSA proposals touch an array of issues, from the ethics of robot-guided vehicles - should an automated car hit a pedestrian or protect the occupants of the vehicle in a case where a crash is unavoidable - to whether self-driving cars should be allowed to speed. In that instance, NHTSA said self-driving cars should obey all traffic laws, including speed limits. Industry groups on Tuesday praised the administration’s call for federal standards for self-driving vehicles, instead of allowing states to set their own rules. The NHTSA also urged states not to require a licensed driver for the most highly automated vehicles. The California Department of Motor Vehicles, in a statement on Tuesday, said it “supports NHTSA’s goal of creating a consistent approach and national framework” for self-driving cars. The administration guidelines also call for sharing among manufacturers and regulators of data about problems encountered by self-driving vehicles. IHS Markit analyst Jeremy Carlson said data sharing could be a sensitive issue. “There is a competitive aspect to all this data, all of the software,” he said. Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Andrew Hay

2016-08-11 00:00:00

THESE are difficult times for America’s free-traders. Donald Trump has put anger at “globalism” at the heart of his campaign. Even Democrats have turned against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)—an ambitious new agreement between 12 Pacific-rim countries, and one of Barack Obama’s signature second-term achievements. Hillary Clinton, once a backer, has withdrawn her support, while left-wing activists rail against the deal at every opportunity. The changing structure of global trade is partly to blame for the souring of public opinion. Unfortunately, that evolution will make any new effort to liberalise trade devilishly hard. Trade between America and China has grown explosively since 2000, over which time manufacturing employment in America has fallen from just over 17m workers to around 12m, while wages for less-skilled workers have stagnated. In a recent paper David Autor, David Dorn and Gordon Hanson examined the performance of cities where industry was most exposed to Chinese competition. They found depressed wages and labour-force participation and elevated unemployment persisted for a decade or more after rapid growth in trade with China began. Resentment at this experience, and at the perception that too little has been done by American leaders to mitigate these harms, certainly motivates some trade warriors. The wonder, arguably, is that politicians have taken so long to exploit these trends. Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks. However, polling actually shows that Americans favour freer trade—more so, in fact, than they did a few years ago, when Mr Obama prioritised the TPP negotiations. But the recognition of the value of trade agreements does not extend to acceptance of TPP. Recent surveys find that the majority of Americans are against it. If worker angst and Sinophobia were determining what people think, then you might expect more anger about overall trade but less hostility to TPP, which excludes China. Instead, the public—and even Republicans, now America’s most trade-hostile party—see more opportunity than cost to expanded trade, while at the same time distrusting TPP. This odd divergence in opinion may be linked to a globalisation of supply chains. Production of traded goods has become “unbundled”, says Richard Baldwin of the Graduate Institute in Geneva. Firms once tended to design new gadgets and order the supplies needed to build them in a single factory or city. In the past few decades, more efficient global shipping and improvements in communications allowed firms to spread production across far-flung locations: to design a phone in America, source parts from several Asian economies, and assemble it in China. The share of parts and components in trade rose from 22% to 29% between 1980 and 2000. In 2005 trade in “intermediate inputs” accounted for an estimated 56% of trade in goods and 73% in services across rich countries. This dispersion of production chains contributed to a dramatic acceleration in global trade growth. It also changed the way many workers view trade. Where once it meant the choice between Japanese and American gadgetry, it now means iPhones, but built with cheap foreign labour. As production has spread around the world, countries have specialised in different segments of the supply chain. While those, such as China, with lots of low-cost labour, focused on manufacturing and assembly, more advanced economies followed a different path. Cities like New York and San Francisco enjoyed an initial advantage in the most lucrative bits of the modern supply chain: research and development, engineering and finance. As a result, growth in supply-chain trade has been a boon for the powerful and profitable firms with headquarters in those cities, and for the highly skilled, well-compensated workers they employ. To the extent that further trade integration is seen as likely to reinforce these trends, TPP helps motivate opposition among red-state Republicans who are contemptuous and suspicious of big, blue-state metropolitan areas, and also among left-leaning Americans worried about inequality. Worse still, from a strictly political perspective, is the focus within new trade agreements on stripping away non-tariff barriers. After decades of multinational diplomacy, tariff rates on most goods traded by most members of the WTO are too low to mention. Yet all sorts of obstacles to free exchange remain. Tradable services—in finance, or information industries—are subject to thickets of domestic regulation, for example conditions that must be satisfied before a firm can invest across borders. Simplifying and harmonising such rules should reduce trade costs. But when voters get a peek at such negotiations, they see their government offering to alter domestic standards—to sacrifice autonomy and sell out domestic interests, even—just to help the big firms make a few more bucks. Multinational companies do indeed exercise plenty of influence over what such pacts will entail. Yet even if they did not, the nature of the bargaining would make such dealmaking politically vulnerable. America’s lot in this new world is, on the whole, a happy one. Many countries envy its fortunate position as a hub for innovative cities. Most studies of the potential effects of TPP conclude that the deal would raise American output by a small but meaningful amount: just under a percentage point of GDP, perhaps, over the next 15 years. But the obstacles confronting new trade deals are formidable. More generous redistribution, perhaps through an expanded programme of trade-adjustment assistance, could help neutralise some opposition. But discomfort with TPP is mostly rooted in a mistrust of the elite. Voters who are sceptical of the value of TPP will be unlikely to change their stripes without some demonstration that pacts of its kind benefit the many rather than just the few. Visit our Free exchange economics blog

2017-02-15

President Trump on Wednesday touted his forthcoming tax plan to retail executives who represent an industry with major concerns over a tax plan from House Republicans. "Tax reform is one of the best opportunities to really impact our economy," Trump said. "So we're doing a massive tax plan that's coming along really well." Trump said his tax plan would be submitted in the "not too distant future." He said it would benefit middle-income families and businesses, lower rates and simplify the tax code. "H&R Block probably won't be to happy,” Trump joked. "People are going to love it." Trump's opening remarks did not provide any indication about whether his tax plan would include "border adjustability," a provision in the House Republicans' tax plan that would tax imports and exempt exports. Retailers are among the biggest opponents of border adjustability, arguing that it would result in higher prices for consumers. A number of Republican senators also have concerns about the proposal, putting its future in jeopardy. The White House has given mixed signals on whether the president supports the border adjustment tax. Trump called it "too complicated" in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, but the White House later said that taxing imports could be one way to pay for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Gary Cohn, head of Trump's National Economic Council, told CNBC earlier this month that border adjustability is "one of the options that's on the table." A spokeswoman for Target, whose CEO attended the meeting, said in a statement that the border-adjustment provision was discussed. The statement did not say anything about Trump's stance on the proposal but noted that Target opposes it. "If enacted, the House proposal would have profound implications for our guests and business, and at Target, we believe that anything that raises prices for families is not a good idea for America," the spokeswoman said.  Trump during Wednesday's meeting also spoke about his plans to cut regulations. "We're cutting regulations in just about every industry," he told executives from companies including Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Gap, AutoZone, Target, Tractor Supply and JC Penney. AutoZone CEO Bill Rhodes said in a statement after the meeting that retailers "had a positive and productive conversation with President Trump about the important role the retail industry plays in our national economy." “We stressed the importance of taking a thoughtful approach to tax reform for both individuals and corporations," said Rhodes, who is also the chairman of the Retail Industry Leaders Association. Later on Wednesday, the retail executives met separately with House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin BradyKevin Patrick BradyRepublicans' rendezvous with reality — their plan is to cut Social Security The Social Security 2100 Act is critical for millennials and small business owners House panel releases documents of presidential tax return request before Trump MORE (R-Texas) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin HatchOrrin Grant HatchTrump to award racing legend Roger Penske with Presidential Medal of Freedom Trump awards Presidential Medal of Freedom to economist, former Reagan adviser Arthur Laffer Second ex-Senate staffer charged in aiding doxxing of GOP senators MORE (R-Utah). Brady told CNBC he had a "good meeting" with the retail leaders. "These are iconic American brands and some of the sharpest CEOs I know," he said. Brady remained confident that the border-adjustment tax would be included in a tax overhaul. "If you don't have that in there, tax rates on our local businesses ... will go up, our tax code will continue to favor foreign products over American-made products, and we'll continue to have major incentives to drive jobs and headquarters overseas." Updated at 6:07 p.m. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2018-09-12 17:42:33

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Despite attacks that have killed dozens of civilians at a time, the Trump administration on Wednesday certified that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are doing enough to minimize the deadly impact of their military campaign in Yemen. The certification, announced by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, was legally required to allow American military aircraft to continue refueling warplanes belonging to the two Gulf nations, the dominant members of an Arab coalition fighting a brutal war in Yemen that has helped create the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Mr. Pompeo’s move came amid rising concern in Washington about the coalition’s prosecution of the war and worries among some lawmakers that American weapons were being used to commit war crimes and that American officials could be held liable. In its efforts to oust Yemen’s Houthi rebels from the capital, Sana, the coalition has bombed weddings, funerals, factories and other civilian infrastructure, often with munitions acquired from the United States. The aerial assaults have elicited harsh criticisms from United Nations investigators and human rights groups, who have also accused the Houthis of violating the laws of war. Last month, the coalition launched an airstrike near a bus full of students on a religious outing, killing dozens in an attack that Human Rights Watch called “an apparent war crime.” In response to similar assaults, Congress included in a defense bill signed by Mr. Trump last month a clause that required Mr. Pompeo to certify that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were doing enough to avoid harming civilians. Without that certification, they would lose the aerial refueling services provided by the United States. In his statement on Wednesday, Mr. Pompeo said they were doing enough. “The governments of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates are undertaking demonstrable actions to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure resulting from military operations of these governments,” Mr. Pompeo said. He also said that ending the war in Yemen was “a national security priority” and that the United States would continue working with Gulf allies to pursue peace talks and ensure delivery of humanitarian aid. The charity Oxfam, a longtime provider of assistance to Yemeni civilians, denounced the decision as having enabled the continuation of a horrific war. “The State Department demonstrated that it is blindly supporting military operations in Yemen without any allegiance to facts, moral code or humanitarian law,” Scott Paul, a policy advocate for the group, said in a statement. “This administration is doubling down on its failed policy of literally fueling the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.” The war in Yemen began in 2014, when the Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival, seized control of the country’s northwest, including the capital, sending the government into exile. In March 2015, a military coalition of Arab nations led by Saudi Arabia launched a bombing campaign aimed at ousting the Houthis and restoring the government. It has so far failed to achieve either objective, and the war has led to widespread hunger and the spread of dangerous diseases, like cholera. The intervention has been a dilemma to officials in both the Obama and Trump administrations, who had to choose between supporting close Gulf allies who have spent many billions of dollars on American weapons and holding them accountable for waging war in a way that rights groups and others say has caused egregious harm to civilians. The United States has offered some assistance in the campaign, sharing intelligence, helping Saudi Arabia protect its southern border and refueling coalition jets in midair, but United States officials say they play no role in target selection. Much of the debate has revolved around the best way for the United States to influence the coalition’s actions. Some have argued for punitive steps, like curtailing military aid. Others have counter-argued that American disengagement could worsen matters. It was the counterargument that prevailed on Wednesday, at least in part because of the strong relationships between the White House and the Gulf countries. In Washington, some Trump administration officials tracking the war in Yemen have increasingly expressed anxieties over the civilian deaths in internal conversations, said Andrew Miller, deputy director for policy at the Project on Middle East Democracy. Those include officials working on the issue at the State Department and Defense Department, he said. “I do think there is growing concern, although it hasn’t reached the point that has translated to a change in policy,” said Mr. Miller, who worked on Middle East policy on the National Security Council in the Obama administration and was a State Department official. Mr. Miller said there is “reticence” among some policymakers, including among political appointees, on strengthening ties with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates “because of the question of whether war crimes are being committed.” However, those officials have little or no direct access to the White House and Cabinet members. And Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law and the top White House adviser on the Middle East, is in close touch with Saudi and Emirati officials. “Gulf relations are impaired by the sense among Saudis and Emiratis that all they need is Trump and Kushner, and they don’t need anyone else,” Mr. Miller said. Saudi officials say the coalition exerts great efforts to minimize harm to civilians and has established an internal body to investigate reported violations of the laws of war. Early this month, the coalition admitted “mistakes” in the bombing of the school bus and said those responsible would be held accountable. The certification signed by Mr. Pompeo said the Trump administration had recognized that “civilian casualties have occurred at rates that are far too high.” But it said the coalition had taken steps to improve, including developing a no-strike list of sensitive targets and putting Saudi pilots through American training on avoiding civilian deaths. Rights groups have said similar efforts have been going on for years and appeared to have had little effect. Some openly dismiss the coalition’s professed interest in investigating itself. A recent report by Human Rights Watch about the coalition’s investigative body said it had failed “to provide credible, impartial and transparent investigations into alleged coalition laws-of-war violations.” Others, too, accuse the coalition of doing too little. Larry L. Lewis, a former State Department official who visited Saudi Arabia five times in 2015 and 2016 to help the country’s air force improve its targeting and investigations, said the certification showed that the administration either lacked the will to push the coalition to improve or did not know what it meant to do “everything possible” to reduce civilian casualties. “There’s more that can be done,” Mr. Lewis wrote in an email. “Whether the U.S. government is willing to do more is another matter.”

2016-03-04 17:52:00

There's an expression in Vegas that the locals love to drop: "This town wasn't built on winners." There's some truth to it. As one of the largest tourist destinations, not just in America, but in THE WHOLE DAMN WORLD, Sin City has perfected the art of keeping people happy and entertained while ripping holes in their pockets.But here's the thing. Most of you are in town for a bachelor/ette party. Or a wedding. Or your best friend's 21st birthday party. You'll be blackout drunk within the first three hours you arrive on the Strip, and you'll stay that way until you leave three days later. You'll lose money, then win some, then lose it all again, all while throwing shade at the one friend in your group who hit it big and responsibly cashed out and never touched the slots again. You won't remember where you ate or the clubs you hit up or the lap dance from Destiny at the strip club because Vegas has a tendency to blur together in the 24/7 madness. And you'll love every minute of it—even the part where you found yourself sobering up in the horror that is Circus Circus—because VEGAS, BABY! During its days of glory, Las Vegas was where the OG panty droppers went to spend money, chill with their mafia pals, and sometimes sing a song or two. The Rat Pack, Elvis, Tom Jones—all those guys lived that cool AF Ocean's Eleven life. These days, you've got Britney Spears, Celine Dion, and an endless crew of corny magicians running the Strip. Not gonna hate on Cirque du Soleil, though. Those mofos are mad athletic. It's not all bad. There's still good music and delicious restaurants. The best DJs in the world stop by nightly. And there are worse things to do at 10:30 AM than hitting up a pool party. But if you want to get to know the REAL Vegas, the one with the growing hip-hop scene, restaurants owned by locals, and some damn fine desert and mountain scenery, you might have to venture AWAY from the Strip once in awhile. But don't worry. We'll hold your hand the whole way. You may have noticed that in some of our other city guides, we've referenced "neighborhoods we like." Vegas doesn't quite work like other cities. Try asking a local where they live. They'll rarely give you a neighborhood or town. The response will either be cross streets or a compassed version of the city ("I live in North LV."). Away from the Strip, Las Vegas is extremely spread out and development is always stopping and starting, creating new residential zones. For the purposes of this guide, these are the places you should know. The Las Vegas Strip, aka the StripWhen you think of Vegas or watch movies about Vegas, this is where it all happens. All the major hotels, restaurants, casinos, etc. are situated along or (important to note) just off Las Vegas Boulevard. For example, the Palms and Hard Rock are not on Las Vegas Boulevard, but are often still referred to as being on the Strip. But we're about to blow your mind, because... THE STRIP IS NOT ACTUALLY IN LAS VEGAS.It's technically south of the city limits in the towns of Paradise and Winchester. But remember that thing above about neighborhoods/towns not really being a thing? There you go.A couple warnings about the Strip. First, if you happen to be sober and out-and-about during the day, it's a complete eyesore. The buildings look sad in the sunlight, and the surrounding brown and orange hues will be an aggressive reminder that you're in the desert. But damn, when that town lights up at night, people flip their shit. If your flight comes in after dark, you'll definitely want a window seat. Second, the Strip is much longer than you think. Depending on your source, it runs between 4.2 and 4.5 miles. Not blocks. MILES. Think about that when you decide to wear your highest, most uncomfortable shoes for a night of casino and club hopping. Nothing will be as close as you want it to be. Just getting from one end of your hotel to the other can take 20 minutes. Please don't be gross and start walking around barefoot. You will step in things that will give you nightmares for years. Go to the nearest pharmacy and buy those cheap flats that fold up and fit in a clutch. ParadiseThe airport, UNLV, and most of the Strip is in this "town." You will likely go your entire stay without ever hearing the word "Paradise," but if you do, this is what's being referred to. Fremont/ The Arts District/ Downtown Las VegasThe original Vegas. Fremont Street houses some of the classic casinos, most of which have seen better days. In recent years, efforts have been put into revitalizing the area. Most of that is thanks to a huge investment from Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos, and the Downtown Project. Despite some backlash in the last couple years, it's difficult to deny the impact the change has had for the people of Las Vegas. A good chunk of the new businesses that have sprung up are owned by locals instead of huge corporations, and enjoying a night out won't break the bank. Yes, you'll still find meth heads wandering the streets (and occasionally trying to break into your car), but you'll also find delicious food, the best of the LV music scene, and a community of old and new artists.ChinatownLike most large cities, Las Vegas has its own Chinatown. Unlike most large cities, the name is misleading. Businesses are just as likely to be run by Japanese/Thai/Vietnamese/Korean/Mexican people as they are by Chinese locals. The area is made up of shopping centers where the traditional unattractive strip mall architecture is sometimes embellished with Asian touches, but make no mistake, good eats abound. GamblingBetter known to locals as "gaming." Gaming, like the quickie divorce, has been legal in Vegas since 1931. You need to be 21 to play. People visit from abroad, especially Europe, and are surprised they can't gamble at 18. If you're underage, you will be booted.Locals are known to partake in gaming as much as tourists. It's not unusual for someone to say, "I want to party hard tonight. Let's see if we can win the money we need to have a good time" and then hit up the nearest gaming spot for some slots or sports betting (way more fun if your team is in the game). Counterintuitive, we know, but it's been an effective strategy for the legal-aged youth of Las Vegas.If you hit it big, there are a couple things you should know. First, if it's a non-table game (slots, keno, etc.), you will be forced to pay taxes on it, so expect some paperwork. Second, if you're playing in a bar or anywhere where the serving staff has been attentive, it's customary to leave a large tip in line with how much you've won. Don't be a dick.We can sit here and recommend one casino over another, but in reality, luck is luck. Whether you're hitting the slots at the airport, in a CVS (because that's a thing), at the Bellagio, or at a rundown Station Casino, may the odds be ever in your favor.Sex IndustryProstitution is legal in Vegas, right? Let's live out our Godfather dreams and order a bunch of hookers and do blow all night!Think again.Prostitution is technically illegal in Clark County, which is where Las Vegas is located. There are legally operating and highly regulated brothels in Nevada, including the famous Moonlite Bunny Ranch, but be prepared to drive way outside the city. So if you accept a solicitation from that lady subtly-not-so-subtly roaming Las Vegas Boulevard telling everyone it's cool because it's legal, don't be surprised if there are consequences beyond just an STD.For those of you who prefer not paying for full-on sex but still want some booty in your face, Vegas has no shortage of strip clubs. It's actually overwhelming. Everyone from your cab driver to the hotel staff will try to push different clubs on you (they get a healthy cut from the entry fees), and with so many options, how do you choose? Whether you want full-on nudity (Palomino), a dip in the pool while surrounded by topless women (Sapphire Pool), or just a nice buffet and steak to go with your show (Treasures), options abound.And yes, Virginia, there are swingers clubs in Las Vegas, many of which are gently blended into strip malls like the delicate flower establishments they are. We can't make promises for how fuckable or STD free the people in these establishments are. Enter at your own risk. A Note About CopsIt might be Sin City, but you can't get away with everything. Cops here are plentiful and are not to be messed with. Don't think you can make a scene on the Strip or in a casino and not have an encounter. They are EVERYWHERE. Try not to act a fool (in the illegal sense). Have you ever watched an episode of Cops set in Las Vegas? It's ridiculous. They've seen it all and then some, so do your best not to engage. Since Vegas is an insanely popular tourist destination, most big name chefs have an outpost somewhere on the Strip: Daniel Boulud (DB Brasserie), Wolfgang Puck (CUT, Cucina, and quite a few more), Gordon Ramsey (Pub & Grill, Burgr, and Steak), Mario Carbone/Rich Torrisi (Carbone at the ARIA), Scott Conant (Scarpetta at the Cosmopolitan). The list goes on. Do any of these places offer the ambiance or impeccable food that the originals do? No. Of course not. This is Vegas. Everything is bigger and glossier. That doesn't mean the food isn't good. It's just not AS good, and it's sometimes way more expensive. So if you're visiting from anywhere that's not New York or LA, here's a chance to experience your favorite celebrity chef's food. If you are from New York or LA, it's not really worth it, and you're probably not feeling the celeb chefs back home anyway. There is one exception.Rao's Las Vegas is the outpost of a legendary NYC family–owned red sauce joint that holds what some consider to be the world's most unattainable reservation. The place is tiny, and some of the city's most powerful players hold standing reservations, making it impossible for norms like me and you to get in. Rao's Las Vegas at Caesar's Palace, however, has plenty of availability. The Rao family is very much involved with the Vegas operation, so the food is pretty fucking good. The restaurant does have a "business casual" dress code, but as an underdressed tourist accompanied by his wife and young children recently told us before walking in, "They sell their sauce in my local supermarket. Fuck them. I'm wearing my shorts." From what we could tell, no one kicked him out.A note about Las Vegas buffets: They are everywhere, expensive, expansive, and rarely any good. Buy in at your own risk. If you find one that's not expensive, be twice as wary. However, because casinos want you to stick around and gamble away your hard earned cash, it's pretty easy to come across discount or free buffet vouchers. If you're broke or don't want to interrupt your winning streak for too long, go ahead and put those vouchers to use.If you're in town for more than a couple days, you'll eventually be jonesing to leave the Strip. That's where this list comes in. Don't be thrown off by how many decent places exist in strip malls. Vegas, like so many other rapidly growing cities, has occasionally fallen victim to cheap cookie-cutter construction.eat.Yes, the lowercase letters and the period are intentional. So is the delicious food cooked up by Chef Natalie Young. This downtown breakfast and lunch joint is only open until 3 PM during the week and until 2 PM on the weekend, and it does sometimes run out of the more popular dishes, so get there early (by Vegas standards, of course). The deviled eggs and the truffled egg sandwich are life.Carson KitchenLast September, celebrity chef Kerry Simon passed away from multiple-system atrophy. The staff at Carson Kitchen works hard to preserve his memory, and they're doing a hell of a job because the food is really, really good. The space is small with an open kitchen concept, but in the summer, the outdoor patio increases the size. Standouts on a recent visit included the veal meatballs, gyro tacos, and the mac 'n' cheese. Plates are designed to be shared, so take advantage. Downtown Container ParkArchitects are super into making green structures out of giant recycled containers these days. We're not sure why. The acoustics seem terrible and controlling the temperature seems like a daily struggle. Still, we have to admit, they did a decent job with the Downtown Container Park. There's a dope playground in the center that is often overrun by small children (and the occasional drunk adults), so if kids aren't your thing, you might have trouble relaxing around here. But the place has a bunch of decent eats. Some of the better ones include Pinches Tacos, Stoned N Baked, and Cheffini's Hot Dogs.Pinches Tacos, a small California chain making its way through Vegas, has a sign outside its shop that reads "Real Mexican food by real Mexicans," and the smell inside validates the claim. The tortillas are all homemade, but they do tend to fall apart, so encourage the taco-makers to double wrap those delicious al pastor tacos. The agua fresca and horchata are sweet, but not nausea inducing. Micheladas are made with a choice of Dos Equis, amber, or lager. Just remember that "pinche" is considered a Mexican swear word in most households, so don't go throwing it around like a chingón.Next door to Pinches Tacos, Cheffini's Hot Dogs is working the specialty hot dog angle. The signature sauces are where it's at, but as an unapologetic carnivore, we were surprised by how much we enjoyed the vegan dog too. If you're really in the mood to give yourself a heart attack, try the salchipapa (deep fried hot dog bits of your choice mixed with some fries and the signature fry sauce). Newcomer to the Container Park, Stoned N Baked specializes in pizza and brownies (GET IT???). The pizzas range from $7–$10 and cook in five minutes thanks to a tiny oven-of-the-future imported from Naples that blasts the suckers in 800-degree heat. They come out surprisingly light and crispy, and there's a decent selection of fresh toppings. The brownies have stoner names like Heavenly Hash and Magic Bar, but they are, sadly, hash-free. Even so, they sell pretty fast, especially since Container Park employees make repeat visits throughout the day. The brownie flavors change daily, but if you come across the lemon bars or peanut butter brownies, pounce.Pawn PlazaFor some unknown reason, Rick Harrison, better known as "that guy from Pawn Stars" (Why do we always watch that show on planes? WHY?), decided to open his own mini-container park. The structure is... well... hideous. Hideous. But here are two reasons we can't totally hate on it: Pawn Donut and Coffee and Inna Gadda di Pizza. Pawn manages to fill the void left when O Face Doughnuts closed at the end of last year (RIP) by serving a mix of those fancy artisanal donuts that everyone's into these days (Love Me Tender, a chocolate, banana, and peanut butter concoction, would do Elvis proud) and classic donuts. A few doors down, Inna Gadda di Pizza is the closest thing Las Vegas has to a proper Brooklyn slice. Pro-tip: After Pawn closes for the day, the unsold donuts can be purchased at Inna Gadda for the whopping price of $2.00 for 3 donuts. We can, with some shame, confirm they still taste pretty damn good after 5:30 PM.BabyStacks CafeThere are four locations of this increasingly popular pancake spot. The décor is unimpressive, but the specialty pancakes are on point. Surprisingly, the BabyStacks signature dish is not a pancake at all, but a dish called Lolo Rick's Adobo Fried Rice. The menu description calls it "a traditional Filipino dish made with marinated shredded chicken and rice. All wrapped up in omelette style eggs!" We would describe it as a fried rice burrito with an omelette in place of a tortilla. It's flavorful and enormous. Enhance the experience by upgrading to include a side of the best-selling red-velvet pancakes. It sounds like a disgusting combination. It's not. The Egg and I/Egg WorksRemember when IHOP didn't serve food that looked like a someone sat on it before putting it in front of you? We don't either. Family owned breakfast joint the Egg and I and its sister restaurants, Egg Works, have been around since 1988 and 2005, respectively. There are six locations all over the city. The large menu features simple breakfast and lunch eats in the huge American portions people expect from Vegas. Some unexpected dishes are included, like Cincy chlli (that cinnamon flavored Cincinnati-style chili that gets served over spaghetti) along with some Hawaiian-inspired dishes. However, their strength is in—you guessed it—the egg dishes.The Cornish Pasty Co.Hidden in the desolate Village Square Shopping Center, perhaps best known for housing theGreen Door swingers club, the Arizona-born Cornish Pasty Co. specializes in, well, British pasties. The options are extensive, but the traditional (called the "Oggie"—steak, potatoes, onion, and rutabaga with a side of red wine gravy or ketchup) is a good starter choice. The Bangers and Mash Pasty features some homemade pork and sage sausage that goes down especially well with a cold beer. In addition, there are about 12 vegetarian/vegan options, so meat eaters and veg lovers can dine in harmony. The most expensive pasty is around $11, and there are always leftovers, so it's easy on the wallet.Lotus of SiamIn the same desolate shopping center as the Cornish Pasty, Lotus of Siam is significantly easier to spot. The award-winning restaurant specializes in northern Thai cuisine and locals go seriously apeshit for the food. Yes, it has the ever-familiar pad thai and pad se-ew dishes, but are you really going to be THAT guy? Be proper and order just about any other dish. The chef, Saipin Chutima, has a James Beard Award for God's sake. Don't waste this opportunity.Joyful HouseThis Chinatown sit-down restaurant features a selection of Chinese-American food (chicken and broccoli and those kinds of basics), but also traditional Hong Kong Chinese dishes that include varieties of shark fin soup and clay pot dishes. There are also plenty of seafood and vegetarian options. The imperial peking duck will set you back $48, but it can easily feed five or more people. That's a damn bargain, my friends. The place isn't 100 percent strictly Chinese. Other items on the menu nod to surrounding cultures. For example, you can get the imperial peking duck with tortillas instead of buns and wash the whole thing down with a Thai iced tea.Seoul PlazaDown the road from Joyful House is Chinatown's Seoul Plaza (confusing, right?). Much like Chinatown isn't just Chinese businesses, Seoul Plaza isn't just Korean. The small strip mall comes hard with the food game. The best of the lot is a small Japanese ramen place called Monta. The service is super friendly, and the ramen might be the most authentic in Las Vegas. Most people gravitate to the tonkotsu-shoyu ramen (the broth is a mix of chicken and pork), but the shoyu ramen is just as good. If you take the ramen to go, the restaurant kindly leaves boiling instructions on the packaging so you don't fuck it up when you get home.After all that salty ramen, you're gonna want something sweet. Walk over to Snowflake Shavery for shaved ice. Popular flavors include green tea, mango, coconut, and black sesame, and the toppings range from mochi to Cap'n Crunch. The "small" is huge. The "large" is ridiculous. The "monster" is off the charts, and if you can eat an entire one by yourself, you might want to consider a life as a competitive eater. Vegas is a great place to train for your newfound career. Let's start by stating the obvious: You can drink just about everywhere in Vegas, and you can do it 24 hours a day. Bars, casinos, hotel lobbies, and the sidewalk are all fair game. There are, however, some subtleties to the drinking laws. If you want to leave a bar and take your drink with you, by all means, ask for a plastic cup and hit the streets. But buy something in a glass bottle? Nope. Can't take it with you. Glass and aluminum containers are banned from public places.Want to drink your plastic-cup-booze near a religious building, a school, a homeless shelter, or a hospital? Well, for starters, you're a damn degenerate. What's wrong with you? Second, you can't. Not allowed.If you choose to drink on the Strip, expect to spend some cash. If you game long enough and hard enough, you'll probably get some drinks on the house. Otherwise, do what the locals do and sneak in a flask. (You didn't hear that from us.)So now that we've cleared that up, go forth and walk the line between being shitfaced and suffering from alcohol poisoning, just like so many visitors before you. It's your amoral duty.Atomic LiquorsA true Las Vegas landmark, Atomic was originally opened as Virginia's Café in the 1940s. Business was bumpy, so when the first atomic tests began in the 1950s, new owners Joe and Stella Sobchik decided to take advantage of incoming atomic tourism by turning the place into a bar and liquor shop. Visitors were welcome to watch tests from the roof. Joe and Stella died within a few months of each other in 2010. By 2012, the bar was reopened, the gaming removed, and the focus switched to highlighting the history of the bar. As the bartender told me on a recent afternoon, "It's part of our culture to see things implode and rebuild." The cocktails are solid, and the beer list is highly curated. Enjoy the best of both worlds with a beer cocktail (Col. Mustard, In the Study, With a Banana is the best cocktail name of all time, but it's also delicious and worth the $11). A kitchen focusing on American fare that will serve the bar is expected to open next door in April.The GriffinDespite a giant neon "cocktail" sign in front of the Griffin, there's no cocktail list at the bar. Small fireplaces are scattered throughout the western-meets-medieval space, making it a good choice on those shockingly cold Las Vegas nights. When it's busy on weekends, a secret room in the back occasionally opens up for dancing and deep house music. The Golden TikiBack in the 60s, tiki bars were all the rage, especially in Las Vegas. That's why you'll find them scattered around town. Chinatown's Golden Tiki is one of those bars that can't seem to let go. If we're honest with ourselves, the Caribbean pirate theme is hella corny, and it seems wrong for adults to be drinking out of giant punch bowls while surrounded by animatronic skeletons. Still, the place somehow gives off the comfort of your favorite dive bar. The bartenders are super nice and manage to maintain all kinds of dignity while people are taking pictures in a nearby loveseat shaped like a conch shell. It's weirdly chill, and the super sweet drinks will mess you up quick.Velveteen RabbitThe dark South Main Street bar has velvet upholstered furniture everywhere, but it's the adventurous cocktail list that grabs people's attention. The "No Soup for You" (gin, dry vermouth, veggie broth, sweet potato puree, lemon, celery biitters, and a tomato water ice cube) sounds more like a meal than a drink, and it admittedly tastes like cold, spiked Maruchan ramen broth. If you need some dessert to wash it down, the Colombiana (brandy, apple brandy, apple guava syrup, coconut cream, lime, absinthe spray, and powdered sugar) is the way to go. Or, you know, do what most people do. Just get a cheap beer. Commonwealth/ The Laundry RoomCommonwealth is basically three bars in one. There's the main bar that you see when you walk in, a rooftop bar, and a cocktail-only space called the Laundry Room. They tend to refer to the Laundry Room as a speakeasy, but if it openly exists and you can make a reservation, it's not really a speakeasy, is it? Either way, Commonwealth is a good place to grab a quick drink with some friends. Oak & IvyIt's surprising enough to find a legit American whiskey bar inside a family-friendly outdoor mall (which, to its credit, has a Swiss Family Robinson treehouse adults can play on after dark), but what's truly delightful is when your bartender sprinkles "extra cocaine" (powdered sugar) on your mint julep and then asks, "Wanna try something that really tastes like a gummy?" before sliding a sip of liqueur across the bar. He's right, and you want that.Frankie's Tiki RoomMind the skull ratings at this musty Polynesian paradise, where the five-skull Zombie was once limited to two per patron. Throw back a few potions, enjoy some old hula footage and leave absolutely annihilated. Touch the tiki's junk on your way out the door and something exciting might happen. And by might we mean will.OddfellowsHit up this indie dance club for dollar beers and tunes your hooves can cry to. Oddfellows excels at the themed party ('90s, anyone?), and no one cares that you've got shit for moves. Or at least you won't by that point. The Backyard at Gold SpikeThe building that currently houses the Gold Spike has been around since the 70s and was gross and rundown forever. Ownership has switched hands a few times in the last few years, but the place has been remodeled, and the backyard is a nice place to booze it up when it's not oppressively hot out, even though the giant Jenga set is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Fun Fact: The 31st cast of The Real World has been housed out of a penthouse at the Gold Spike. Because apparently The Real World is still on the air? Learn something new every day.Bin 702Located in the Container Park, the folks at Bin 702 love their wine and spirits. A lot. But they're not snobs about it. They've also got some nice beers on the menu. So go ahead and drink away your sorrows while listening to the screaming children playing on the trippy playground out front.Herbs & RyeTechnically, Herbs & Rye is a casual, hidden steakhouse much loved by locals for its steak happy hour. So why is this in the drink section? Because anything on its menu that isn't steak isn't worth eating. But the bar? Holy gawd. The drink menu is extensive and will take you through a historic look at the evolution of classic cocktails. We think we learned more from the drink menu than we learned in any of our college history classes. Despite the enormous cocktail list, the bartenders can execute each drink to perfection. Trust us. We've worked our way through a good chunk of the menu and have yet to encounter a shitty drink.Pioneer SaloonIt's an old, haunted biker bar in the middle of fucking nowhere—with barbecue. You're welcome. When you think about great music towns, no one ever calls out Las Vegas. In fact, people often think of Vegas as the place where great artists go to collect major cash AFTER their careers have peaked. The public wants to believe it's where music goes to die.The reality is that Vegas is a great fucking town for local music. Following a show at Bunkhouse (more on that below), rapper Marion Write told us, "We're Vegas and no one looks to us for it, but it'd be cool if this could be acknowledged as a great music breeding town for rock, hip-hop, and country. We have all of it. Vegas is a big entertainment city and has INSANE talent, but never quite gets the props like other cities."Write's totally correct. The hottest performers have been stopping by regularly for decades. Some of the best DJs in the world have long-standing residencies on the Strip. Countless locals grew up in homes with parents who are singers, musicians, dancers... you think any of that doesn't leave a mark? GTFOH.It should be noted that quite a few of the bars mentioned in WHERE TO DRINK (Commonwealth, Velveteen Rabbit, Golden Tiki, and the Griffin) also regularly host live music. We've placed them above because they're great places to get a drink as much (maybe more so) than a place for enjoying music. At the end of the day, this is Vegas. There's music everywhere.Hard Rock LiveYes, we understand that Hard Rock is a huge corporation. But music is at the core of what it does, so the venue is on point. Big acts come through, but Hard Rock Live is also surprisingly great at promoting undiscovered local acts, especially DJs. That being said, security is strict, and guards will get in your face if you start acting up. Drinks won't come cheap, but that's to be expected with just about any place on the Strip.Brooklyn BowlThe Vegas offshoot of the much-loved Brooklyn venue has been greeted with open arms by the city. The space has maintained an indie quality despite setting up shop in the LINQ Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. This being Vegas, however, there's still the option of VIP and bottle service. Local artists consider it one of their favorite venues not only for performing, but for attending live shows. The Bunkhouse SaloonBunkhouse has always been supportive of local artists, but it never got much shine. Despite the Western theme, you can catch some of the town's best off-Strip music (especially hip-hop) shows here. On a recent night, rapper Marion Write, singers Pyramid Ron and Deena Jeaux, guitarists Dominick Hill and Devrin Allen, spoken-word artist Danni McQueen, along with drummer Josh Gibbs and local artists Goose and Marcus Harris, collaborated on a last-minute secret show to a packed house. There was no cover charge, and the drinks were cheap. The crowd was lively and engaged, but still chill enough that some random dude spent the night painting in a corner by the stage. In a town full of contradictions, Bunkhouse fits right in. Las Vegas Country SaloonContinuing on our tour of Western-themed bars that refuse to be pigeonholed, LVCS is definitely not a country saloon. Yes, there's a mechanical bull, and, yes, the décor would lead you to believe as much when the place is empty, but LVCS hosts everything from punk to hip-hop to everything in-between. Maybe you want to see the Dead Kennedys or maybe you want to catch the Men of Steele (Not a metal band. Just a band of male strippers). The choice is yours. The space is a little grungier than some of the other Vegas venues, but that's why we like it. ArtificeCatch some local acts while enjoying some local art. Artifice has what it refers to as an "eclectic mix" of musical acts. This couldn't be more true. A typical week this month consists of Las Vegas's longest running "goth, industrial, deathrock, dark 80s" event, followed by a burlesque show the next day. Check the calendar, and check your expectations at the door.The Olive Hookah BarEverything about Olive is weird. It's in a strip mall. It's a lounge. There's hookah. There's an adjoining Mediterranean restaurant. There's live music. What? But the small stage at Olive is where local musicians like to test out some of their new stuff before taking it to larger venues. The weirdly bohemian vibe gives it a coffee shop feel, whether there's a hip-hop act or Latin jazz on the stage. Vegas is a party city. You knew that well before reading this guide. But if you need a little fresh air and some time away from the slot machines, we've got suggestions. Pool PartiesIn the summer, it gets hot in Vegas. Really fucking melt-your-skin-omg-I'm-being-boiled-alive hot. You can stay indoors and enjoy the glory of air-conditioning, or hit up a pool party at any of the big hotels. Some of the biggest DJs on Earth regularly spin at these parties (Calvin Harris, Skrillex, Tiesto, etc.), so they don't come cheap. Depending on the time of day, a ticket can set you back anywhere from $40 to $100. But Vegas is a promoter's city, and promoters get paid by how many people they bring in. It's rare that locals pay to get in. Do your homework. Comb through social media for some contact info. You can always shoot a promoter a text or an email ahead of the party to ask for free tables or entry, especially if you have a large group. A lot of times bottle service or free drink tickets will be included. Just make sure everyone who comes tips the hostess/server at least $20 when the party's over. And don't harass the promoter day-of or expect to sweet talk your way in once the party has started. They have shit to do.Nellis DunesLas Vegas is surrounded by desert, and deserts mean sand dunes. The nearest dunes can be found about 30 minutes away from the Strip near the Nellis Air Force Base. As far as sand dunes go, these aren't the most majestic, but it's still pretty fun to hop on an ATV and ride around. Red Rock CanyonRed Rock Canyon is made up of numerous hiking trails that range from "a toddler can do this" to "Am I gonna die?" There's also rock climbing, horseback riding, and other outdoorsy stuff. Marvel at the beauty of nature, but try not to be an idiot by attempting to reach the highest point when the sun is its most aggressive. Unless you're one of those hyper-prepared nature freaks, you will dehydrate and melt into a puddle of death. Stick to early mornings and late afternoons.Hoover DamWhat's more patriotic than visiting the Hoover Dam? We can think of at least ten things, but if it was good enough for the Griswolds, it's good enough for you. An estimated 112 people died to make this thing, and the construction kept the city of Las Vegas from succumbing to the Great Depression. Mostly, it's just an impressive and massive structure. Go and be inspired by what man can build. But don't do any of the boring-ass tours. We don't care how impressive the structure is. No one needs to stare at the Hoover Dam for two hours. Ever.Old Las Vegas Mormon FortOh, you didn't know Las Vegas was settled by Mormon missionaries? Surprise! The Old Mormon Fort is considered a state park, but it's so tiny, we drove past it for years and never even knew it was there. Based on the guest book, it seems like they don't get a ton of visitors on the regs. We mostly like sitting at one of the picnic tables and staring at the weird adobe structure while eating some hangover-easing lunch. Then we pretend that we're, like, way knowledgeable about LV history. It'll cost you a whopping $1 to get in. You've spent $1 on worse things. Shopping on South Main StreetPeople love to go on and on about how Las Vegas is soooooo great for shopping, but those people are usually hitting up stores on the Strip or at the local outlet mall that they could easily find back home. South Main Street is covered with vintage and antique shops (Retro Vegas, Vintage Vegas Antiques, Martin's Mart Thrift Shop) with well made, cheap, and occasionally irresistibly weird finds.First FridayOn the first Friday of every month, Downtown Las Vegas hosts art walks, vendors, food trucks, and live music throughout the area. It's a great way to get a quick taste of what the creative locals are up to. Make sure to check out the Arts Factory, where especially interesting exhibitions tend to take place.Mount CharlestonIf you look in the distance and see a snow-capped mountain, you're probably looking at Mount Charleston. It's the highest point in Clark County and offers hiking and some pretty crappy skiing. The view on the mountain is spectacular, and if you're into camping, that's an option. Or just drive the hour back to your hotel room on the Strip. Whatever. TaxisTaxis are easy to come by all over the Strip, and a total pain everywhere else. Wait times can be epic. Las Vegas isn't a taxi-hailing town. Taxi drivers are ticketed on the Strip if they stop on the street, so don't be surprised if they drive right past you while you're flailing your arms around. There are taxi stands everywhere, though, so don't panic. Just walk to the nearest hotel or major attraction.Uber and LyftWhen Uber arrived in Vegas well over a year ago, it wasn't allowed on the Las Vegas Strip. Signals were blocked, so you had no prayer of even making contact. Last Spring, despite protests from the taxi and limousine companies, the Nevada State Legislature legalized both Uber and its competitor, Lyft. There are designated drop-off/pickup points at airports, and like the taxis, you can't just order a car from anywhere on the Strip. Find a designated pickup spot.RTC/ The DeuceThe unfortunately named Deuce is probably the least expensive and most convenient way to travel along the Strip. The double-decker buses are run by the Las Vegas bus system (RTC) and run day and night making stops at almost all the major hotels. A two hour pass will cost you $6, but $8 will get you all-access for 24 hours. So spend the extra deuce for the all day Deuce. Las Vegas MonorailThe Las Vegas Monorail runs adjacent to Las Vegas Boulevard, dropping people off fairly close to seven major points on the Strip. A single ride is $5 and a 24-hour pass is $12, so it's not exactly a bargain, but Nevada residents get a small discount at customer service booths.Mini TramsSome casinos offer free trams between themselves and sister casinos. They don't leave as often, but it's a cheap way to get around.Rent a CarIf you plan on doing anything AWAY from the Strip, just rent a car. Las Vegas is a sprawling city, and parking isn't too hard to come by. A Warning About ParkingThere are garages all over the city that promote free parking. These garages are only free if you're staying at the hotel, but they don't mention that in the fine print and will charge you outrageous parking prices. You're better off paying to park in a public lot.

2018-02-21

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Gunmen killed six people in an attack on a police station in a small South African town on Wednesday, stealing quantities of weapons and a vehicle in what police were treating as a robbery. Five police officers and an off-duty soldier were killed in the attack in Nqcobo, about 800 km (480 miles) southeast of Johannesburg, police spokesman Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said. “This incident happened in the early hours of the morning when armed robbers, or what we suspect is armed robbers, entered the station, randomly opened fire on the police officers on duty,” Naidoo told eNCA news channel. The gunmen also shot a bystander who turned out to be a off-duty soldier as they fled in a stolen police vehicle, Naidoo said. South Africa’s police minister, Fikile Mbalula, called the attack a national tragedy. “The killing of our law enforcement officers robs us of dedicated servants of our people whose only sin was to serve and protect,” Mbalula said on Twitter. South Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world. Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Robin Pomeroy

2017-05-16

LONDON (Reuters) - Policy uncertainty in South Africa and low commodity prices are hurting investment in the mining sector and will lead to further job cuts, the chief executive of the world’s biggest platinum miner, Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), said on Tuesday. The embattled industry is waiting for the latest version of the Mining Charter which contains regulations meant to redress imbalances of the nation’s past apartheid rule and stipulates rules for miners to perpetually keep black ownership levels at 26 percent. “Uncertainty is dreadful for investment,” Chris Griffith told Reuters on the sidelines of Platinum Week in London. “It puts pressure on jobs and some mines that are already loss-making... there will be further rationalization of the mines and its going to lead to further job losses in South Africa,” he said. The new rules could mean significantly higher taxes and levies on mining companies operating in South Africa such as Anglo American, Glencore and Lonmin. In addition to policy uncertainty, South African platinum miners are battling low commodity prices, high costs and social unrest which has triggered thousands of job losses. Platinum prices inched up last year for the first year in three but are still near eight-year lows despite expectations of a sixth year of supply deficit. Amplats sold its labour-intensive Rustenburg mines in 2015 to focus on more mechanised mines. Griffith said 60 percent of the industry was loss-making and that more jobs were at risk. Amplats has cut 15,000 jobs over the last four years. Smaller rival Lonmin fired about 15 percent of its staff in 2016. Underscoring the struggles faced by the industry, Lonmin on Monday posted a first-half loss mainly on an impairment charge as the rand currency strengthened against the dollar which raises costs. In a speech on Monday, South Africa’s mines minister Mosebenzi Zwane told Parliament the mining charter and the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act were “almost complete” after further consultations with stakeholders. Zwane did not give a new deadline. Additional reporting by Wendell Roelf in Cape Town, editing by Ed Osmond

2017-09-28 00:00:00

Heidi Klum's ex managed to do what's seemingly impossible -- get busted for mushrooms at Burning Man. According to docs obtained by TMZ ... Vito Schnabel was arrested September 3 by Pershing County Sheriffs and charged with distribution and manufacture of a controlled substance ... a felony. In the report, prosecutors say Vito was in possession of Psilocybin -- the scientific name for psychedelic 'shrooms ... which is a Schedule I controlled substance. He's pled not guilty. Vito's no stranger to Burning Man. He was there last year with Heidi. They split up Monday after a 3-year relationship. Vito faces up to 5 years in prison if convicted. We've reached out to him, so far no word back.

2018-05-11 18:05:00

Yvonne Strahovski is pregnant! The Handmaid’s Tale actress, 35, happily announced on Instagram Friday that she is expecting her first child with husband Tim Loden. “I am very excited to finally be able to share my special news – I’m going to be a Mama!” Strahovski wrote along with a photo of her baby bump. “So very exciting to watch & feel this little Peanut growing every day!” In September 2017, the Australian actress surprised fans with the news that she secretly wed Loden over the summer. Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the PEOPLE Babies newsletter. “We ended up jumping in the lake in our suit and gown, it was ridiculously hot. But we had a great time,” she said on the Emmy Awards red carpet. “We all made it through and did some dancing. It was fantastic,” Loden said. In April, Strahovski revealed that playing Serena Joy on the hit Hulu series delayed plans of becoming a mom in real life. “[The role] hasn’t put me off at all, it’s definitely something I want for my future,” she told Stellar magazine about her Handmaid’s Tale character, who is unable to conceive herself. “[Serena Joy] has made me wary of starting that process. I just always imagine if I have a child at work – screaming at people or throwing things around – how on earth will that affect something growing inside of me?” she added.

2020-03-18 00:00:00

WARSAW, March 18 (Reuters) - Poland’s central bank will on Thursday conduct a tender at which it will start buying treasury bonds to support the government in its efforts to bolster the economy in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic, governor Adam Glapinski said on Wednesday. Glapinski also said during a news conference that the central bank will supply banks with cash so they can stock their ATMs and may deliver foreign currencies to lenders so consumers can buy them, even though he doesn’t support such behaviours in the current moment. Reporting by Marcin Goclowski; Editing by Joanna Plucinska

2016-05-31 00:00:00

Donald Trump doesn’t deserve much credit for raising and disbursing nearly $6 million for veterans groups, Hillary Clinton said Tuesday. “Well, I think the problem here is the difference between what Donald Trump says and what Donald Trump does,” Clinton told CNN’s Jake Tapper during a phone interview. “He's bragged for months about raising $6 million for veterans and donating a million dollars himself. But it took a reporter to shame him into actually making his contribution and getting the money to veterans. Look, I'm glad he finally did, but I don't know that he should get much credit for that.” Trump railed against the media Tuesday morning during a 40-minute news conference in which he detailed how he has raised $5.6 million for dozens of veterans groups. Clinton, meanwhile, hasn’t held a news conference in roughly five or six months. “Oh, I’m sure we will,” Clinton said, when pressed on whether she planned to hold a news conference, as Trump often does. Clinton added that she was “shocked” to learn from her staff that she’s done nearly 300 interviews in 2016. “And they’re not even sure they captured all the ones that I’ve done,” she said. “I believe that we do and we should answer questions. Of course I’m going to in many, many different kinds of settings.” But a good portion of the interview was spent on Trump, who suggested that he would have preferred to keep his veterans donations private “because I don’t think it’s anybody’s business.” “I raised close to $6 million. It’ll probably be over that amount when it’s all said and done, but as of this moment it’s $5.6 million,” the real estate mogul told reporters. Clinton particularly seized on Trump's harping on the media. He lobbed both broad attacks (“We have to read pretty libelous stories — or certainly close — in the newspapers”) and specifics ones, calling Tom Llamas of ABC News "a sleaze" and Bill Kristol of the Weekly Standard "a loser." “I believe that it’s important to continue to, you know, speak to the press as I’m doing right now and to understand that his attacking everybody — fellow Republicans, Democrats, the press, you just name it, he attacks everybody — is a recipe for gridlock in Washington,” Clinton said. “And that’s what we’ve gotta break and get away with. You know, he seems to believe or at least is demonstrating that insulting and attack is his mode of operations and, you know, I just don’t think that’s going to cut it if you wanna actually produce results for the American people and not only lead at home but lead the world.”

2016-12-19 23:00:00

Looking back at 2016, it was inevitable that our contentious presidential election, featuring polarizing icons Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, would sear itself into the fabric of American style. We all watched as our media pundits fixated not just on the policies and perspectives of the presidential candidates, but also on the clothes they wore and why. We saw identity politics stretch from the campaign trail out to the closets of everyday citizens and the runways of New York Fashion Week. And we witnessed the way hats and T-shirts and sneakers became an ideological battleground for Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, SJWs and alt-righters. Since so much has happened at the intersection of style and politics this year, we thought it'd be good idea to take a trip back down memory lane and revisit some of the most significant events of 2016 that involved our politics and the way we express ourselves through the stuff we wear. We've always been interested in what American politicians wear and the signals those clothes send, from the towering presence of Abe Lincoln's hat to the freakout over Barack Obama's sharp khaki suit. Fittingly, in 2016 the wardrobes and appearances of presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were almost as hotly discussed and dissected as the clothes of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. Long before Hillary Clinton put her bid in for the White House, Americans have been fixated with her wardrobe. From her early days as a lawyer in the 70s, Clinton has defied gender stereotypes with her adoption of pantsuits over skirts and dresses. Over the years, the two-piece sets have have empowered many and angered some who felt she should dress more "feminine." Tim Gunn once famously claimed she was "confused about her gender." Because of this past controversy, through much of the 2016 election season, it seemed as though Clinton was trying to take the spotlight off of her clothing. Instead of her usual brightly colored pantsuits, during the Democratic debates she opted for a muted colors of navy, brown, and black, much like her male counterparts. In January, Venessa Friedman of the New York Times claimed that the presidential candidate had ended the chatter over her style by "boring everyone into silence." Unfortunately, it wasn't long before the gender-driven obsession with Hillary's look was reignited. Following the Democratic candidate's speech on income inequality in June, her outfit made almost as many headlines as her proposal for fixing the economy. A big part of the internet's fascination was over her Armani jacket's $12,000 price tag—regardless of the fact that Trump's go-to suit designer, Brioni, can cost as much as $17,000. Before accepting the Democratic nomination in July, "What will Hillary wear tonight?" was the top-trending search term on Google associated with her name. But, Clinton's suits weren't just a point of controversy, they became a symbol of solidarity for her supporters. Prior to election day, a Facebook group with millions of members called "Pantsuit Nation" revealed their intentions to wear their power suits as an ode to Hillary. Its social media accounts were flooded with pictures of people donning their pantsuits as they headed to the polls. Donald Trump was also no stranger to creating buzz with his look. Throughout his campaign, the president-elect got plenty of flack for everything from his Cheeto-colored tan to his idiosyncratic combover. The media even launched investigations into how he could master that unnatural hue of orange skin. According to the RNC's makeup artist, the recipe involves a mixture of tanning beds and artificial tanners. His mystifying combover was another stumper. Over the years, there has been plenty of speculation over the evolution of Trump's locs and it continued through 2016. His signature blonde hairdo had people likening him to everything this year, from a fur-covered Gucci shoe to a Chinese pheasant with an uncanny resemblance. Many have accused his strange-looking mop of being a wig, but he attempted to debunk those rumors in September by letting Jimmy Fallon aggressively tousle his hair on television. Much like Hillary, Trump was also criticized for his suits. Even though he is willing to dish out thousands on one outfit from Brioni or famed New York City tailor Martin Greenfield, the fit always seems to be off. The Washington Post's fashion critic Robin Givhan perfectly described his suiting as, "a little too roomy, the sleeves a tad too long. So much so that they look cheap." Despite becoming winning the election in November, it doesn't look like being the president-elect has improved his fashion sense. In December, a powerful gust of wind revealed that our future president uses Scotch tape to fasten his tie together. As he prepares to take the keys of the White House from Obama, let's hope he also inherits Obama's tailor. This election cycle, presidential hopefuls didn't just battle on the debate stage and in TV campaign ads. They also duked it out via their supporters by using their bodies as walking billboards. Never before in electoral politics have we seen candidates spend more money on branded merchandise than the most recent presidential election. In January alone, Clinton spent approximately $147,399, while Trump dished out $912,397 on promotional goods. All together, the six candidates that were still in the running in January 2016, spent $2,228,204 on campaign products in that month alone. "Usually, bumper stickers would be the most popular form of support for a candidate, but this year it was different," said Michael Cohen, a retail expert with NPD, a group of market research experts. "The ability to merchandise it, billboard it through that merchandise, and raise money selling the merchandise was also unlike any other." By May, Trump had invested $4.3 million on merchandise, in comparison to Clinton's $1.4 million. In the thick of his campaign, Trump was spending nearly $2 million on a slew of red, white, and blue gear emblazoned with his controversial slogan "Make America Great Again" that he sold on his website. To put it all in perspective, Obama only spent a total of $1.3 million on swag during his entire 2008 campaign. But the Donald wasn't the only one pushing pro-Trump goods. As the Republican nominee made his way across the country in 2016, so did independent vendors selling anti-Hillary gear. Similar to Trump's campaign, the merch was filled with hateful slogans like "Trump That Bitch" and "Hillary sucks but not like Monica" plastered across the chest. Many Trump fans loved the hateful merch, making it a staple at his rallies around the US. These bootlegs reportedly made the dealers hundreds of dollars a day. "It wasn't good enough to support your choice on the car, it had to be shouted and discussed," said Cohen. "By wearing your support, it brought on conversation. It went with you wherever you went and didn't stay in the parking lot." Although not on Trump's level, there was plenty of pro-Clinton merch being shelled out, too. Styles like the red "everyday pantsuit tee," which featured a screen-printed version of Hillary's suit jacket and the iconic "I'm with Her" tee became popular designs for her supporters. Clinton also enlisted designers like Diane von Furstenberg, Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, and Joseph Altuzarra to create a more fashionable range of merch for her. Still, her investment in apparel was dwarfed by her competition. By October Trump had reportedly spent $13.5 million dollars on merchandise, with a hefty $3.5 million spent on "Make America Great Again" hats alone, which is more than he spent on polling or direct mail. The unofficial Trump merch market was also booming as election day grew closer. It appeared the D.I.Y. designs were growing even more popular and getting even more offensive, too. After "pussy gate," one woman was spotted wearing a shirt that said "Trump Can Grab My..." with an arrow pointing to her crotch, a man on the street was photographed donning an "I wish Hillary had married OJ" tee, and a father attending a rally with his children sported a "Hillary is a Cunt. Vote Trump" shirt. As the campaign raged on, it seemed the presidential candidates couldn't say anything without it being turned into a wearable product. After Hillary referred to Trump supporters as a "basket of deplorables" during her speech at a LGBTQ gala, the slogan "Deplorables for Trump" was printed on a T-shirt. When Trump called Clinton a "nasty woman" during the final debate, merch with the viral comment flooded sites like Etsy and Amazon. While politicized clothing was being embraced by those wanting to showcase their support, it was also making them targets. A 22-year-old Home Depot employee received death threats for wearing an "America Was Never Great" hat and a nine-year-old was banned from wearing his signed "Make America Great Again" hat to school because it was attracting negative attention from other students. After the election, it became clear that supporters on both sides aren't willing to give up their politically-driven wardrobes. Clinton fans designed new shirts with slogans like "I'm still with her." And days after being named president-elect, Trump sent an email to his supporters urging them to pick up their "piece of history" in the form of his official MAGA hats and "big league" T-shirts. Fans continue to crowd around the gift shop in Trump Tower, where his T-shirts sell out regularly. Even irrelevant celebrities like Kid Rock joined the Trump merch train in December, releasing a line of tees and hats just in time for the holidays that say ridiculous things like "Make America Badass Again" and "God, Guns, and Trump." But even though the election is over, the contention around all of this politically themed merchandise has not ceased. In November, a man in New York City was allegedly choked because of his MAGA hat. From designers to retailers, those in the fashion industry weren't shy about broadcasting their political alliances—and Clinton was the clear favorite. Early on in the campaigns, designers like Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch, and Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osbourne of Public School joined forces with Clinton to create a collection of unisex tees inscribed with messages like "Make Herstory" and "Women's rights are equal rights." The shirts were sported by some of her most influential fans in fashion from Kendall Jenner to Anna Wintour. Wintour, the infamous editor-in-chief for Vogue, was one of Clinton's biggest celebrity supporters. Not only did she act as a style consultant throughout the Democratic nominee's campaign, which might explain some of Clinton's style choices, she also hosted fundraisers around the world from Washington D.C. to London. One star-studded event hosted by Wintour in New York City raked in $2 million in one night. Her co-sign of Clinton also lead to Vogue's first-ever presidential endorsement. Of course, Trump is no stranger to the industry himself. In 2004, he launched a line of suits and men's dress clothes called the Donald J. Trump Collection, which is sold at department stores around the country. But his ties to the fashion world seemed to do more harm than good in this election. Macy's publicly dropped his line in June of 2015, after his offensive remarks about Mexican immigrants and refused to bring him back in 2016. The Trump Collection also faced backlash early this year when it was discovered that many of his dress shirts, suits, and jackets were made in countries like Indonesia, China, and Mexica—which came off as a direct contradiction of his rhetoric about creating more jobs for American citizens. Following Trump's presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention in July, brands started coming forward to express their distaste for him. Brendon Babenzian, the former Supreme creative director who launched his own brand Noah in 2015, announced on social media that he would give any Trump supporters their money back. "For those of you in the comments who said you feel strongly enough to not shop with or support us, we will gladly accept your Noah merchandise back for a full refund," Babenzian wrote on the now-deleted Instagram post. International retailers like American Apparel also got political with a "Make America Gay Again" collection that included a range of apparel emblazoned with the new take on Trump's slogan and rainbow flags. Even Urban Outfitters took sides this election by selling anti-trump shirts with slogans like "IDK NOT TRUMP." Their first run of 300 shirts reportedly sold out in 24 hours. When New York Fashion Week rolled around in September, the fashion industry was getting more vocal about the 2016 election and their fear of a Trump presidency. Instead of presenting a traditional runway show, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim of Opening Ceremony put together a "Pageant of the People." The designers wanted to use their platform to discuss the importance of issues like LGBTQ rights, immigration reform, and the Syrian refugee crisis. The topics were addressed on stage by famous guests like Rashida Jones, Whoopi Goldberg, and Diane Guerrero, who also simultaneously modeled OC's latest collection. Kerby Jean-Raymond, the designer behind Pyer Moss, also used his NYFW show to make a political statement. The presentation titled "Bernie vs. Bernie," used the dichotomy between Sanders's socialism and Madoff's capitalism as inspiration. The collection, which was a take on the Wall Street uniform with pieces like deconstructed suits was meant to offer commentary on the election, capitalism, and the economy. However, Raymond refused to use any references of Trump in the show. "I won't make any graphics about him. I won't give him any more fame," he told Fashionista. Other designers were more explicit with their anti-Trump stance. R13 opened its NYFW show with a red and white silk mini dress emblazoned with a "Fuck Trump" print, it appeared again on a pair of pants and sweatshirt in the collection. "To all the Trump supporters...#sorrynotsorry," the brand wrote on Instagram prior to its show. The Berlin-based brand Namilia also used its Spring/Summer 2017 collection to voice their stance on Trump. Several of the pieces throughout their NYFW presentation featured images of the Republican nominee dressed in bondage and being dominated by women with the words "Take Down Trump." "We had these references of chains and fetish and we thought who else do we want to take down and chain to the ground, and it just hit me—Donald Trump," said Nan Li, the co-founder of Namilia told me after the show. "In Germany you would never see a T-shirt with the Prime Minister on it, it is just so scary that here Donald can become an idol," added his partner Emilia Pfohl. Despite Trump's win in November, the fashion industry's protest of the former reality star didn't stop. Several designers made it known that they would not be providing clothes for his wife Melania. Sophie Theallet, who has dressed Michelle Obama, wrote an open letter explaining her refusal to dress the former model and future first lady: "As one who celebrates and strives for diversity, individual freedom, and respect for all lifestyles, I will not participate in dressing or associating in any way with the next first lady. The rhetoric of racism, sexism, and xenophobia unleashed by her husband's presidential campaign are incompatible with the values I live by," Theallet wrote. She also called for other designers to follower her lead, while Tom Ford shared that he has been refusing to dress Melania for years. Some Americans called for a boycott against stores that carried not only Trump's merchandise, but also his daughter Ivanka's clothing line, which included big name retailers like Nordstrom, Amazon, Neiman Marcus, and Lord & Taylor. But not everyone was protesting a Trump win. Following election night, New Balance's vice president of communication Matt LeBretton told the Wall Street Journal, "We feel things are going to move in the right direction" under Donald Trump. Many were so outraged over the comment, which was apparently made in reference to Trump's opposition of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, that they threw out and even burned their New Balance sneakers. Conversely, the Daily Stormer, a neo-nazi site, was so pleased with the sportswear company's support for Trump that they proclaimed their sneakers "the official shoe of white people" and urged its readers to buy its sneakers and apparel. While New Balance became a signal for "white power," wearing a safety pin became a symbol inclusivity. Following the devastating election, Americans took cues from the UK and adopted the safety pin to show their solidarity with people of color, immigrants, and the LGBTQ community. The idea originally came from a woman named Allison, who implemented the safety pin campaign after Brexit, when marginalized groups felt they were being targeted. Although the act came with some criticism, thousands of people across the US sported the silver accessory—including LeBron James on the latest cover Sports Illustrated. WATCH: Venus X Wants to Party the Pain Away There's no telling how essential fashion and style will be to our political discourse as we enter the Trump era in 2017. But considering Trump's daughter Ivanka is emailing "style alerts" to her followers after interviews with 60 Minutes to hawk expensive style accessories, and men's fashion icon Kanye West is kissing up to the president-elect at the Trump Towers, it seems like we're headed for another year where our style is fueled by unprecedented nature of our politics. Follow Erica on Twitter.

2018-03-26 19:20:00

Chrissy Teigen claims to have discovered the identity of the alleged Beyoncé biter. In the latest twist to an already strange saga, the model, 32, tweeted on Monday that she knows the unnamed actress who Tiffany Haddish claims bit the “Lemonade” singer in the face at an after-party for Jay-Z back in December. “I cannot leave this planet without knowing who bit Beyonce in the face,” she tweeted. “I can only think of one person who would do this. but I cannot say. but she….is the worst.” A few moments later, she added, “Update it is NOT the person I think is the worst. IM DONE.” As fans continued to press her for the person’s identity, Teigen tweeted, “I AM NEVER TELLING I’m scared I’ve said too much KNOWLEDGE IS A CURSE!” She later quipped, “You know how much s— I have said and done to famous people?? I had to verify with john it wasn’t *me*.” I cannot leave this planet without knowing who bit Beyonce in the face — christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 26, 2018 Update it is NOT the person I think is the worst. IM DONE — christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 26, 2018 I AM NEVER TELLING I’m scared I’ve said too much KNOWLEDGE IS A CURSE! — christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 26, 2018 Haddish, 38, who was at the after-party where the incident supposedly took place, revealed her version of the story in a recent interview with GQ. “Beyoncé stormed away…went up to Jay-Z, and was like, ‘Jay! Come here! This bitch—’ and snatched him. They went to the back of the room. I was like, ‘What just happened?’ And Beyoncé’s friend walked up and was like, ‘Can you believe this bitch just bit Beyoncé?’ ” Beyoncé’s representative, Yvette Noel-Schure, responded to the claim by telling GQ, “I absolutely cannot comment on any of this, as I have no knowledge.” The comedienne wouldn’t name Queen Bey’s attacker but said that wasn’t the end of their dealings that night. Haddish said the actress later told her to stop dancing, so the funny lady gave Beyoncé a heads up that she wasn’t afraid to scuffle. “I’m going to beat somebody ass at your party. I just want to let you know that,” Haddish claimed she told Beyoncé. However, the singer told her to forget about it and “have fun,” Haddish said, leading to their selfie to cool down tension. She added, “Near the end of the party, Beyoncé’s at the bar, so I said to Beyoncé, ‘Did she really bite you?’ She was like, ‘Yeah.’ I was like, ‘She gonna get her ass beat tonight.’ ” Beyoncé, 36, kept a cool head, according to Haddish. “She was like, ‘Tiffany, no. Don’t do that. That bitch is on drugs. She not even drunk. The bitch is on drugs. She not like that all the time. Just chill.’” Former 90210 star Sara Foster also joked about the alleged incident on Instagram, where she posted a screenshot of a media comment request asking if she wanted to respond to a suggestion in The Cut that she was the biter. “She knows what she did,” Foster joked cryptically in the photo caption.

2016-02-03

Feb 3 (Reuters) - Wuhu Shunrong Sanqi Interactive Entertainment Network Technology Co Ltd * Says unit in deal to buy 30 percent stake in digital tech firm for 400 million yuan ($60.81 million) Source text in Chinese: bit.ly/20GoHzO Further company coverage: ($1 = 6.5775 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Hong Kong newsroom)

2018-04-19

Shift Renaissance man Jamie Foxx pays auto aficionado Jay Leno a visit on Thursday's episode of CNBC's "Jay Leno's Garage " and gets a high-speed driving lesson from his own stunt-double, Jay Lynch. Lynch, whose stuntman career spans almost 30 years and over 200 movies, has collaborated with Foxx 10 times. Their relationship goes as far back as the 1997 comedy "Booty Call. " "Not sure what the stunts were in that," Leno notes. But on occasion Foxx does his own stunts. He recounts to Leno shooting a scene for the 2017 action thriller "Baby Driver " during which the windshield of his car broke and he had to have glass removed from his eye before returning from the doctor to shoot the scene again. "I was trying to act brave, Jay," he says, adding that ideally you want to do your own stunts as much as possible. So, in this episode of "Jay Leno's Garage, " Lynch demonstrates how to do three stunts while driving a 2018 Dodge Hellcat, a Challenger with 707 horsepower and a top speed of 199 mph. He performs a power slide, a few donuts and a reverse-180, otherwise known as a J-turn, "named after a handsome ex-talk show host," jokes Leno. During the initial demonstration, Foxx can't keep it together. As long as the car is in motion, he shrieks, and whenever the car stops he has to collect himself. "I wasn't scared at all," he assures the camera after he gets out. "Jay was in there screaming like a little b----." Foxx then jumps out of the driver seat and is met with cheers and applause from the film crew. He rips off his shirt, runs off and does a set of push ups. That's when Lynch tells Foxx he thinks he is ready to do it alone. Foxx responds with a dab. Leno seems concerned. "You're not abandoning ship, are you?" he asks. "You're leaving me in here with the crazy man." But even without Lynch by his side, Foxx completes each trick with ease and then, of course, drives through a bunch of stacked-up empty boxes. "No car stunt drive is complete without [that]," says Leno. "Looks like I'm going to be on the unemployment line," Lynch jokes. "Foxx, you knocked it out, baby."

2019-10-11 00:00:00

Ally, one of the most popular online banks, informed account holders it's dropping the interest rate on its high-yield savings account from 1.9% to 1.8% today, following previous cuts earlier in the year from a high of 2.2%. The drop comes as the Federal Reserve debates cutting its benchmark short-term interest rate again. While those rate cuts can help consumers taking out a mortgage or personal loan, it also means that savings account rates suffer. But in a crowded field, there are plenty of other finance companies vying to hold your money. Here are the companies currently offering over 2% on savings. Savings rates can change at any time,  but with an influx of fintech companies like Robinhood, Wealthfront and Credit Karma now in the banking game, savers can still earn over 2%, at least for now. Robinhood announced this week that it's relaunching its cash management account with a 2.05% APY, though there is no confirmed release date for this account. As noted above, most of the fintech companies, save Vio, are not chartered as banks, meaning that the products they're offering are not technically savings accounts. They partner with other regional banks, which hold savers' money and provide FDIC insurance. Savers should research all of their options thoroughly, and get a handle on the banks the companies partner with, before opening an account. And while they're still offering APYs above 2%, Betterment's rate has fallen since July, when it was at a peak of 2.69%, and Wealthfront's from 2.57%. With additional rate cuts from the Fed, they could fall further. If you're happy with Ally, there's no need to make a switch: The national average APY rate sits at 0.09% for savings accounts, according to the FDIC, so Ally's 1.8% rate is still 20 times higher.

2016-06-23

The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the state does not have to disclose its execution drug supplier, a ruling that could pave the way for the state to carry out its first execution in more than a decade. The decision in favor of the department of corrections reverses a lower court ruling that the state had to disclose its execution drug supplier. In 2013, the state signed a contract with death row inmates, agreeing to disclose information about the origin of execution drugs. Just two years later, however, the legislature changed the law, making that information confidential. The inmates sued, saying the new law didn't invalidate their agreement and a lower court agreed. But on Thursday, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that the information is irrelevant. "Here, the provenance of the drugs is not in question. ADC [Arkansas Department of Corrections] voluntarily submitted the drugs it had obtained to an independent laboratory for testing. The test results confirmed that the contents of the vials match the FDA-approved labeling and revealed that all three drugs meet applicable potency requirements," Justice Courtney Goodsen wrote for the majority. "In light of this evidence, identifying the supplier of the drugs serves no useful purpose in establishing the Prisoners' claim... Given the practical realities of the situation, as borne out by this record, the circuit court erred in ruling that public access to the identity of the supplier of the three drugs ADC has obtained would positively enhance the functioning of executions in Arkansas. As has been well documented, disclosing the information is actually detrimental to the process." States have tried hard in recent years to keep the supplier of their execution drugs hidden, claiming that suppliers are only willing to sell the drugs if the public and their business partners won't find out. As drug makers have taken measures to keep their products out of the hands of executioners, states have sometimes turned to less than reputable sources. Just a few years ago, Arkansas had to surrender its execution drug to the Drug Enforcement Administration after obtaining it from an overseas source. And a recent grand jury investigation into botched execution attempts in Oklahoma placed much of the blame on execution secrecy. But the high court ruled that Arkansas is not still bound to follow the settlement agreement from years ago. "The settlement agreement cannot be read as expressing an intention to create a continuing obligation on the part of ADC to make similar disclosures based on" future execution procedures, the court ruled. The Arkansas Constitution also requires the state be public about how it spends taxpayer money. The court said the state's new secrecy law doesn't violate the constitution. "In adopting this legislation, it did not completely shield the identity of thesupplier from disclosure. Instead, the General Assembly determined that any disclosure is to be made by the ADC in litigation on the condition that it apply for a protective order." The ruling was criticized heavily in a dissent by Justice Robin Wynne. "Far from merely indicating principles, the provision clearly states exactly what information is to be given to the public. One thing that the General Assembly may not do is decide whether to make the information public," she wrote. "Essentially, the majority is saying that a requirement for certain information to be publicly declared is satisfied if a state agency first gets an order prohibiting the information from being made public. That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Portions of [the secrecy act] clearly violate... the Arkansas Constitution." The inmates also challenged the state's three-drug protocol. In this method, the state injects the inmates with a sedative, followed by a paralytic, and then a third drug that kills and can be painful if the inmate isn't properly sedated. The method was upheld in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling from last year, in which the court said inmates would have to propose a better method for them to be killed. Arkansas inmates proposed several other drug protocols, and also suggested a firing squad. The state supreme court said however, that they had not proven that the drugs were available to the state for use in executions, and that the firing squad was not readily available since the legislature would have to change the law to allow it.

2019-04-09

arrival'@ (Adds House leaders delaying vote) WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday a Democratic bid to restore the 2015 net neutrality rules is "dead on arrival in the Senate." The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday debated a Democratic plan to reinstate the Obama-era rules and overturn a December 2017 decision by the Federal Communications Commission to reverse the rules and hand sweeping authority to internet providers to recast how Americans access information. Late Tuesday, the House opted to delay a vote on the measure and a series of amendments until Wednesday because of an unrelated issue over a separate budget measure. The net neutrality bill mirrors an effort last year to reverse the FCCs order, approved on a 3-2 vote, that repealed rules barring providers from blocking or slowing internet content or offering paid "fast lanes." The reversal of net neutrality rules was a win for internet providers such as Comcast Corp, AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc, but was opposed by companies like Facebook Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc. On Monday, the White House told Congress that if the bill were approved, President Donald Trump's advisers would recommend he veto it. The White House "strongly opposes" the measure that would "return to the heavy-handed regulatory approach of the previous administration," it said in a statement. The bill would repeal the order introduced by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, bar the FCC from reinstating it or a substantially similar order and reinstate the 2015 net neutrality order. The House will also consider a series of amendments. Representative Mike Doyle, a Democrat, said Tuesday the bill "puts a cop on the beat to make sure our internet service providers aren't acting in an unjust, unreasonable or discriminatory way." Republicans called a bid to restore internet protections akin to a "government takeover of the internet" and said it would open the door to the FCC eventually setting internet rates or imposing new taxes on internet service similar to levies on cable or telephone service. Democrats say polls show Americans overwhelmingly back net neutrality and want protections that providers will not interfere with their internet access. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Amanda Becker; Editing by Dan Grebler and Lisa Shumaker)

2018-11-15 00:00:00

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Thursday that no-one had produced an alternative to her Brexit plan, and that all options involved a backstop arrangement that has been criticized by many in her own party. “Nobody has produced any alternative proposal,” May told reporters at a news conference, adding that repudiating a backstop altogether would kill any chance of a deal with the European Union. “If we do not move forward with that agreement, nobody can know for sure the consequences that will follow. It would be to take a path of deep and grave uncertainty, when the British people just want us to get on with it,” May said. Reporting by Elizabeth Piper, Kate Holton and David Milliken; writing by Alistair Smout; editing by Guy Faulconbidge

2019-04-01

(CNN)The US military carried out a series of six airstrikes in Yemen last week targeting the local al Qaeda affiliate there. They were the first US airstrikes in Yemen since January 1, when the US conducted two strikes, including one that killed Jamal al-Badawi, an al Qaeda operative linked to the 2000 attack on the USS Cole. Last week's airstrikes took place in Al Bayda Governate. The US has sought to prevent al Qaeda from exploiting the chaos of Yemen's civil war to establish a safe haven, but the number of US military strikes has declined sharply over the last few years. "In coordination with the government of Yemen, US forces continue to support ongoing counterterrorism operations against AQAP and ISIS-Y to disrupt and destroy militants' attack-plotting efforts, networks, and freedom of maneuver within the region," Lt. Col. Earl Brown, a spokesman for US Central Command, said in a statement. The US did not release details of any casualties from the recent strikes. The US military carried out 131 airstrikes in Yemen in 2017 and conducted 36 strikes in 2018, nearly all of them targeting al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The CIA also carried out at least one strike in Yemen and US officials told CNN in August last year that a 2017 CIA drone strike killed Ibrahim al-Asiri, a senior al Qaeda bomb-maker behind the "underwear bomb" attempt to detonate on a flight above the skies of Detroit on Christmas Day in 2009. The US efforts to combat al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula are separate from US efforts to support the Saudi-led coalition fighting in the Yemen civil war. The US House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on a Senate resolution that would curtail US support to the Saudi-led coalition which is battling the Iranian-backed Houthis.

2018-10-29 01:00:03

Politicians and activists are shaping nationalist sentiment into pride in artificial and ahistoric notions of civilization. Mr. Brophy is a senior lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Sydney. SYDNEY, Australia — In 1985, the Australian entrepreneur Paul Ramsay took a tour of Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana. So impressed was he with the luxurious “white castle” mansion and its grounds that he decided to buy it right there and then. In Mr. Ramsay’s hands, the property became a popular tourist attraction and resort. The resort’s website continues to revel in Nottoway’s antebellum glory days, while neglecting to make any mention of the slave labor from which it was built. A similar desire to whitewash the past informs the institution that Paul Ramsay has left Australians as his legacy: the Ramsay Center for Western Civilization in Sydney. In the 1990s, Prime Minister John Howard accelerated the privatization of Australian health care, introducing a tax rebate for those who took out private insurance. During the sell-off of state assets, Mr. Ramsay specialized in turning veterans’ hospitals into profit-making enterprises, before expanding his interests across the sector. By the time he died in 2014, his net worth was likely upward of $2 billion. Mr. Ramsay’s health care fortune is now being plowed into a second sector facing a dire erosion of public funding: higher education. With Mr. Howard as chairman of its board of directors, the Ramsay Center is in negotiations with multiple Australian universities to fund a new program of courses in Western Civilization. There’s no denying the benefits that philanthropy can bring to a public university, but the Ramsay Center is no ordinary donor. Its board members have been frank about their political goals: to redress what they see as excessive criticism of the West in Australian universities, and to cultivate a “new generation of leaders” who will “defend and promote” Western civilization, which the chief executive of the center, Simon Haines, believes is “arguably the richest of all civilizations.” The Ramsay Center wants to establish its program alongside, and separate from, existing offerings in disciplines like history and philosophy — disciplines already heavily weighted toward the West. And it intends to privilege “Western civilization” by providing its budding “cadre of leaders” with scholarships and learning conditions that outstrip those available to their peers. Ramsay’s push onto campuses marks the next step in a wider campaign to roll back the more pluralistic definition of national identity that is emerging in today’s multicultural Australia. In the 1990s, Prime Minister Howard voiced his hostility to a “black armband view of history,” which in his view gave excessive weight to the indigenous viewpoint on Australia’s colonization. Speaking in 2010 at the launch of the Foundations of Western Civilization Program, an initiative of the free-market Institute of Public Affairs, Mr. Howard railed against the Australian Labor Party’s new high-school history curriculum, which he felt belittled European and British influences on Australia. But it is not only Australia’s history wars in which “Western civilization” serves as a rallying cry for conservatives. In a 2011 address entitled “Western civilization must be defended,” Mr. Howard argued that same-sex marriage was “an exercise in de-authorizing the Judeo-Christian influence in our society.” Another former prime minister, and Ramsay Center board member, Tony Abbott, has justified the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq in terms of “defending Western civilization against the forces of chaos.” The myth of an embattled “Western civilization” has also been featured in a recent series of alarming interventions into the politics of race and immigration in Australia. In August, Senator Fraser Anning referred to his harsh policy ideas as the “final solution to the immigration problem,” arguing that we must not “concede the field to enemies of Western civilization.” Earlier this month, the governing Liberal-National coalition endorsed Senator Pauline Hanson’s motion echoing the alt-right slogan “It’s O.K. to be white,” and deploring “attacks on Western civilization.” Efforts to re-center the university curriculum on more celebratory notions of “Western civilization” feed off, and in turn give scholarly legitimacy to, interventions such as these. The Ramsay Center’s rhetoric may sound more sophisticated than the outright Western chauvinism emanating from the Australian Senate, but the kinship they share is obvious. The Ramsay initiative mirrors a wider global trend in which politicians and activists shape nationalist sentiment into pride in artificial and ahistoric notions of civilization. Amid growing geopolitical rivalries, and widely expressed hostility toward free trade, kindred spirits on the global right now seek to divide the world into cultural camps, threatening the critical spirit and international exchange that is so vital to scholarly work. In the United States, the conservative National Association of Scholars has lobbied to restore “Western civilization” to the centrality it once held in America’s college curriculum. This campaign led to the creation of Texas Tech’s Institute for the Study of Western Civilization, headed by the N.A.S.’s founding chair. Next month, the institute is hosting Bruce Gilley, a professor of political science at Portland State University, who will present “the case for colonialism.” In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is introducing a curriculum that will inculcate a “new civilization” informed by his definition of Ottoman and Islamic values. In China, President Xi Jinping has similarly set himself the task of reviving his nation’s confidence in “5,000 years of Chinese civilization.” In some cases in Australia, universities have shown themselves vigilant to the dangers inherent in this climate of cultural nationalism. When Beijing’s Confucius Institute came knocking at the University of Sydney, my colleagues rightly insisted that they have no role in teaching Chinese language and culture to our undergraduates. The Ramsay Center’s first suitor, The Australian National University, balked when it realized the constraints the center wished to place on its autonomy and the intellectual freedom of its faculty. Yet with much of the same proposal still intact, including a periodic review of funding and Ramsay participation in hiring decisions, administrators at the University of Sydney have been unable to resist the lure of the center’s millions and — to the considerable disquiet of staff, including me — are plunging into negotiations. More preliminary moves are afoot at the University of Queensland. In the face of administrative intransigence and the erosion of faculty governance, staff and students at the University of Sydney have mobilized strongly against the Ramsay proposal, and enlisted the support of colleagues from around the country and overseas. Several departments have issued open letters opposing the partnership, and some faculty have threatened to boycott it. An arm wrestle is taking place on our campus, and its outcome will have significant consequences for Australian higher education. For universities to fulfill the critical role they were designed for, it’s essential that they not simply serve as conduits for the viewpoints espoused by the loudest or wealthiest voices in the wider society. The values of pluralism and diversity that all Australian universities profess to represent shouldn’t be reduced to mere advertising slogans — they’re prerequisites for the participatory intellectual climate in which scholarly work thrives. It’s time for our universities to live up to these promises and to reject Ramsay. David Brophy is a senior lecturer in the department of history at the University of Sydney, and a member of the Staff Against the Ramsay Center group. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. Want more Australia coverage and discussion? Sign up for the weekly Australia Letter, start your day with your local Morning Briefing and join us in our Facebook group.

2017-11-21 00:00:00

As we prepare to drown ourselves in Black Friday deals from every store and enter a state of scary, budget-destroying spending from now until the ball drops, it’s important to keep in mind that there are so many gifts options out there that give in more ways than one. Enter: The Starling Project, an organization that creates luxurious soy-based candles whose sales help provide solar power systems for families in under-resourced communities without proper access to electricity. You get a little light, you give a little light. In the short two years since The Starling Project was founded, the organization has given over $150,000 to UNICEF for solar energy projects in Rwanda and Chad, working to power schools, homes, and hospitals (where it's especially crucial for the storage of life-saving vaccines). Each candle sale provides energy for one family in need, similar to the FEED model of buy a bag, give a meal. The project even earned founder Sterling McDavid the UNICEF Champion for Children Award and the President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama. This season, the Starling Project is turning up the festivity a notch with a limited-edition holiday candle that will appeal to everyone on your list. The fragrance is a classic winter medley of woody pine and spice — it's cabin-y, but not in-your-face Christmas-y — and it burns for 60 hours, which is a whole lot longer than the bottle of wine you planned to bring as a hostess gift would last. It might not be the be all end all solution to global health and poverty issues, but it's certainly a good start — and really, who couldn't use more light in their life after this year? Starling Project Holiday Candle, $55, available at Starling Project. Related Video: Read these stories next: I Drank A Gallon Of Water A Day For Better Skin & Here's What Happened Why I Tattooed My Eyebrows & What It Was Really Like All The Differences Between A $200 Skin Cream & A $20 One

2018-05-12 00:00:00

TWO years ago, if you had asked experts to identify the most influential person in technology, you would have heard some familiar names: Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Alibaba’s Jack Ma or Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. Today there is a new contender: Masayoshi Son. The founder of SoftBank, a Japanese telecoms and internet firm, has put together an enormous investment fund that is busy gobbling up stakes in the world’s most exciting young companies. The Vision Fund is disrupting both the industries in which it invests and other suppliers of capital. The fund is the result of a peculiar alliance forged in 2016 between Mr Son and Muhammad bin Salman. Saudi Arabia’s thrusting crown prince handed Mr Son $45bn as part of his attempt to diversify the kingdom’s economy. That great dollop of capital attracted more investors—from Abu Dhabi, Apple and others. Add in SoftBank’s own $28bn of equity, and Mr Son has a war chest of $100bn. That far exceeds the $64bn that all venture capital (VC) funds raised globally in 2016; it is four times the size of the biggest private-equity fund ever raised (see Briefing). One VC grandee calls Vision Fund “the most powerful investor in our world”. Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks. Power does not necessarily mean success. Sceptics about the Vision Fund have lots of ammunition. After a long bull market, the valuations of tech firms are stretched. Mr Son personally makes most of the investing decisions. He has notched up some triumphs in his career, including an early bet on Alibaba. But his dotcom-era investments mean he is also the person to have lost more money than anyone else in history. His pursuit of the “singularity”, the point at which computer intelligence exceeds the human kind, might make him a visionary—or just an eccentric. The money is being shovelled out almost as fast as it was taken in. The fund has already spent $30bn, nearly as much as the $33bn raised by the entire American VC industry in 2017. And because about half of its capital is in the form of debt, it is under pressure to make interest payments. This combination of gargantuanism, grandiosity and guaranteed payouts may end up in financial disaster. Indeed, the Vision Fund could mark the giddy top of the tech boom. But even if the fund ends up flopping, it will have several lasting effects on technology investing. The first is that the deployment of so much cash now will help shape the industries of the future. Mr Son is pumping money into “frontier technologies” from robotics to the internet of things. He already owns stakes in ride-hailing firms such as Uber; in WeWork, a co-working company; and in Flipkart, an Indian e-commerce firm that was this week sold to Walmart (see article). In five years’ time the fund plans to have invested in 70-100 technology unicorns, privately held startups valued at $1bn or more. Its money, often handed to entrepreneurs in multiples of the amounts they initially demand and accompanied by the threat that the cash will go to the competition if they balk, gives startups the wherewithal to outgun worse-funded rivals. Mr Son’s bets do not have to pay off for him to affect the race. Mr Son’s second impact will be on the venture-capital industry. To compete with the Vision Fund’s pot of moolah, and with the forays of other unconventional investors, incumbents are having to bulk up. Sequoia Capital, one of Silicon Valley’s most famous names, is raising its biggest-ever fund in response. Mr Son is also bringing capital to places where it is still in fairly short supply—to India, to South-East Asia and to several European countries. When the Vision Fund invested close to $500m in Improbable, a British virtual-reality firm, it broke a funding record, and its €460m ($565m) in Auto1, a German online car dealer, was one of the country’s biggest such investments in several years. Rather than wait for founders to make the trip to California, investors are under greater pressure to seek out entrepreneurs. The Vision Fund’s unprecedented span, across countries and industries, leads to its third impact. Mr Son says he wants to create a “virtual Silicon Valley in SoftBank”, meaning a platform on which unicorns can offer each other contacts and advice, buy goods and services from each other, and even join forces. The concept of portfolio companies collaborating is familiar from private equity, but the fund’s sheer breadth marks it out. Mr Son is, for example, trying to orchestrate his various ride-hailing investments so that they do not burn through so much cash by competing with each other. He encouraged Uber to sell its South-East Asian business to Grab earlier this year and is urging it to make a deal in India with Ola. The Vision Fund model is disruptive, then. But is it good for innovation and consumers? Mr Son’s project certainly has its attractions. It is shaking up the cosy world of Silicon Valley venture capital. And it may nurture competition against the tech giants. The fund offers founders of startups an alternative to cashing out to the likes of Google, Facebook and Amazon; its massive chequebook also gives those entrepreneurs a better shot at competing with the titans. The fund may perform a similar function in China, where nearly half of all unicorns are by now backed by one of the country’s four tech giants, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent or JD.com. Yet its disadvantages extend beyond the risk of losses. Its sheer size risks raising the cost of running a startup for everyone. Young firms that receive its cash often spend it on sales and marketing, which puts pressure on every other company in the industry to spend as lavishly in order to acquire customers. Companies that receive hundreds of millions of dollars of capital in one go are elevated far above their competitors. That hands a single individual kingmaking powers, while keeping young firms out of the clarifying glare of the public markets for even longer. Attempts to carve up markets among portfolio firms may in time raise a different set of competition concerns. A proper verdict on the Vision Fund will not be possible for years. But the fate of many startups and the choices consumers enjoy in the future will be guided by the bets Mr Son is making today. Fortune’s biggest wheel is spinning.

2016-05-12 13:45:00

Lottie Jacks can’t wait to walk across the graduation stage on Saturday – the 85-year-old great-grandmother has waited her whole life for this moment! The soon-to-be college grad is on track to receive her bachelor’s degree in biology from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 14. Jacks originally enrolled in college in 1948, but dropped out of school one semester short of receiving her degree to marry her longtime sweetheart. “I wanted to finish what I started! All those years, I dreamed of going back to school,” she said in an interview with Samford University. Jacks – a mother of four, grandmother of seven and great-grandmother of two – will actually be walking with her granddaughter on Saturday, who is graduating with a Master’s Degree. Jacks decided to pursue her longtime dream of receiving a college degree in 2015. When she began collecting the necessary documents for her application, she was completely shocked to find that her transcript from 1948 was still on file. She was accepted to Samford and enrolled for the spring 2015 semester. The dedicated student quickly took on a research project that would eventually turn into her senior thesis paper – the study of feeding habits of turkey vultures. “I am impressed by Lottie’s willingness to tackle a novel project that required fieldwork and observation,” says Jacks’ professor, Betsy Dobbins. • Need a little inspiration? Click here to subscribe to the Daily Smile Newsletter for uplifting, feel-good stories that brighten up your inbox. “Studying takes all my time!” says Jacks. Jacks will finish her final exams on Thursday – and she couldn’t be more excited about finally achieving her lifelong dream. “I prayed that God would approve it. Everything has worked out wonderfully,” she said.

2018-08-31 00:00:00

Comedian and former "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno knows a lot about cars. One of his very first jobs was at a Ford dealership, where he worked as a the "lot boy," he tells CNBC Make It. A few years later, when he was trying to break into comedy, Leno supplemented his stand-up gigs with money he made working at a different dealership. These days, he hosts the CNBC show "Jay Leno's Garage, " in which he searches for unique vehicles and the stories behind them. And eventually, self-driving cars will become the norm. "It's not like all of a sudden people flip over to self driving cars," he notes. "But it's the same thing that happened when anti-lock brakes came out: People said, 'I don't want some computer doing the braking in my car. I want to step on my car.' Or power steering: 'I like to feel the road. I'm not going to get power steering.' Well, all these things eventually become — well, they just get adapted to cars and you sort of move on." In general, "you will do less and less in your car," says Leno. He also predicts that any sort of "exotic car," like a Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maserati, "will become like snowmobiles or what any recreational vehicle is today. During the week, you use some sort of electric, hybrid thing to get you around because it's so crowded you can't go fast anyway. Then, on the weekends, you enjoy your sports car, the way people would any other recreational vehicle." With change comes pushback, he says, but that is consistent across all industries: "I can remember when Barney Clark, who was the world's oldest living heart transplant, got a heart transplant. People were protesting: 'You're taking the heart from one man and putting it in another. It's the work of the devil. It's a horrible thing.' Now heart transplants are as common as any other kind of medical procedure. So I think it just takes a while, but eventually it becomes evolutionary."

2017-07-18

If you're minimizing your debt, putting money away for retirement and generally bringing in more than you spend each month, you're probably doing all right financially. But if you want to reach larger financial goals, such as retiring early or becoming a millionaire, you need to know more, like how quickly you're able to build wealth. On their blog Money Sloths, Mike and Sophie, who use only their first names online and save up to 80 percent of their annual income, break down how to calculate your personal savings rate. That's "the amount of money, expressed as a percentage or ratio, that a person deducts from his disposable personal income to set aside as a nest egg or for retirement," according to Investopedia. The formula is simple. "It's just your income, less your spending, divided by your income. Multiply by 100," the Money Sloths write. They break it down into four steps: When calculating your saving rate, it's important to note that it should include your income after taxes, because you'll over-estimate your savings otherwise. Besides, "it's much easier to look at everything from an after-tax basis right now since your future hypothetical self will face the uncertainty of different tax rates — whether it's because you live in a different state or maybe you're retired and now sit in a lower tax bracket," say Mike and Sophie. You should also include any employer 401(k) matches in this number since those will go toward your eventual retirement as well. On the spending side, be sure to include medical expenses such as health insurance, if those don't come straight out of your paycheck, as well as property taxes and interest on any outstanding debt, including your mortgage. Once you figure out your savings rate, you can get a sense of how close you are to financial independence. This varies according to your personal goals but experts typically recommend having $1 million set aside to retire in your 60s. However, if you want to kick back earlier, many early retirees rely on the "four percent rule. " The idea behind that is, if you can safely withdraw four percent a year from your retirement savings portfolio, you have enough in the bank to quit your job. Flipping the four percent rule can help you figure out how big your portfolio needs to be, or what's called your "magic number." Simply divide your annual spending by 0.04 (or multiple it by 25) to get your target. For example, financial blogger "The Money Wizard " — a Minneapolis-based millennial who goes by the pen name Sean and is on track to retire by age 37 — plans to live off of about $30,000 per year. Using the four percent rule, he estimates he'll need $750,000 ($30,000 / 0.04) in the bank to retire comfortably. Although the four percent rule will give you a good idea of how close you are to being able to fund your retirement in full, it's not foolproof. Some experts recommend using a lower withdrawal rate to be safe. And if you're vying to join the early retirees' club but aren't on track to make it happen yet, take some inspiration from people who have already done it:

2020-02-04 00:00:00

The Republican Governors Association rolled out a digital ad campaign Tuesday against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who is set to deliver the Democratic Party's official response to President TrumpDonald John TrumpSchiff: Bolton 'refused' to submit affidavit on Trump's involvement in Ukraine controversy Yang congratulates Romney for 'voting his conscious and character' in convicting Trump McConnell 'disappointed' by Romney impeachment vote, but 'I'm going to need his support' MORE's State of the Union address Tuesday night. According to a press release by the group, the ad, dubbed “Broken Roads, Broken Promises,” touches on "Whitmer’s failure to achieve any progress on her signature campaign pledge to 'fix the damn roads,'” including vetoing hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure funding, as well as recent polling showing her approval rating in decline. The ad includes a clip of President Trump taking a jab at Whitmer's campaign pledge at a rally he held in Michigan in December, quipping, “I understand she’s not fixing those potholes." The ad will be aired on Facebook and Instagram in and around the Lansing area, especially near the Michigan state Capitol. Whitmer plans to give her rebuttal address from a local high school. Democratic congressional leaders announced Jan. 24 that Whitmer would give the party's official response to Trump, calling her "a forward-looking leader who is laser-focused on solving problems for everyday Michiganders." Freshman Rep. Veronica EscobarVeronica EscobarThe Hill's Morning Report - Icy moments between Trump, Pelosi mark national address READ: Speaker Pelosi's response to Trump's State of the Union address Sanders hits Trump, predicts he delivered his 'last' State of the Union address MORE (D-Texas) is set to deliver the Spanish-language Democratic rebuttal. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2020 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2019-11-09 00:00:00

LONDON (Reuters) - British finance minister Sajid Javid said on Sunday the opposition Labour Party’s “reckless” spending plans would trigger an economic crisis within months if it won the Dec. 12 election, citing a contested dossier published by his Conservative Party. Labour strongly dismissed the report, which said it would increase spending by 1.2 trillion pounds ($1.5 trillion) over the next five years, calling it fake news. The future path of Britain’s economy, the world’s fifth largest, has been at the center of the election campaign in recent days, with both parties pledging higher spending, but arguing over the scale of investment needed and how to pay for it. “These are eye-watering levels of spending - 1.2 trillion (pounds) - it will be absolutely reckless and will leave this country with an economic crisis within months,” Javid told the BBC on Sunday. The Conservatives, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and currently ahead in opinion polls, said the figure was based on Labour’s manifesto for the 2017 election and estimates of more recent policy pledges. But Javid refused to put a price tag on his own party’s plan for government, saying it would fully account for new spending when the party manifesto is published. Labour has also pledged to explain how it would pay for its program for government. “This ludicrous piece of Tory fake news is an incompetent mish-mash of debunked estimates and bad maths cooked up because they know Labour’s plans for real change are popular,” said Labour’s would-be finance minister, John McDonnell. The Conservative dossier included a disputed 196-billion pound cost for Labour’s plan to renationalize private rail companies, energy supply networks, water companies and the Royal Mail postal service. Costs for other policies were based on an immediate start, whereas Labour has said they would be phased in over several years. Britain’s top civil servant barred the finance ministry from publishing a costing of Labour’s policies last week, saying it would breach political impartiality rules. Johnson, whose minority government has had to rely on support from political allies, called the early election in an attempt to break a parliamentary impasse over Brexit. Labour, run by socialist Jeremy Corbyn, makes no secret of its desire to increase the role of the state. “Labour will tax the rich to pay for things everyone needs and deserves, like decent housing, healthcare and support for our children,” McDonnell said. In a separate interview for the Sunday’s Independent he said the party’s manifesto would be “the most radical ever” and include a pilot program for a universal basic income. The Conservatives currently enjoy a sizeable lead in opinion polls over Labour at the start of election campaigning. Separate polls for the Mail on Sunday and Observer newspapers both put the Conservatives on 41% support and Labour on 29%, while a Sunday Times poll put the Conservatives on 39% and Labour on 26%. Both Javid and McDonnell unveiled significant spending plans last week, reflecting a desire to win over voters after nine years of cutbacks under Conservative-led governments. Like in many advanced economies, British government borrowing costs are currently close to record lows. But on Friday credit ratings agency Moody’s assigned a negative outlook to Britain’s sovereign rating, blaming Brexit-related policy uncertainty and a lack of political will to reduce debt. “The number one thing they point to is this paralysis in decision making, and that is coming from what was a very dysfunctional parliament,” Javid said when asked about the Moody’s report. He said the only way to remove the uncertainty was to elect a Conservative government. Britain’s public debt currently stands at around 1.8 trillion pounds, more than 80% of economic output - though below equivalent amounts in the United States, Japan and France. ($1 = 0.7832 pounds) Reporting by David Milliken and William James; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Frances Kerry

2018-03-22 00:00:00

March 22 (Reuters) - Nike Inc reported a 6.5 percent rise in quarterly revenue on Thursday, helped by robust demand in its international markets and initiatives such as selling directly to customers. However, the company reported a net loss of $921 million, or 57 cents per share, in the third quarter ended Feb. 28, compared with a profit of $1.14 billion, or 68 cents per share, a year earlier. The company recorded a one-time charge of $2 billion in the reported quarter related to the recently enacted U.S. tax law. Revenue rose to $8.98 billion from $8.43 billion. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)

2017-08-09 00:00:00

Aug 9 (Reuters) - KUWAIT REINSURANCE COMPANY: * H1 NET PROFIT ATTRIBUTABLE TO SHAREHOLDERS 1.8 MILLION DINARS VERSUS 1.1 MILLION DINARS YEAR AGO * H1 TOTAL OPERATING REVENUE 15.8 MILLION DINARS VERSUS 20.1 MILLION DINARS YEAR AGO Source: (bit.ly/2uoSv9I) Further company coverage:

2017-12-08

(CNN)NAACP President Derrick Johnson will not attend the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights museum Saturday, citing President Donald Trump's presence at the event as the reason for his absence. Johnson, who heads the group which seeks to eliminate race-based discrimination, insisted that his choice not to attend was not a boycott because he and other black leaders still plan to "celebrate the veterans of the civil rights movement" and honor the museum's purpose. Still, Johnson told CNN's Kate Bolduan, "I will not be there tomorrow," calling Trump's planned appearance at the museum opening a photo opportunity. "His attendance is a distraction from us having the opportunity to honor true Americans who sacrificed so much to ensure that democracy works," Johnson said. "It is unfortunate, in fact it is an affront, to those individuals who fought for voting rights to ensure that people had quality education and access to health care will be celebrated. Those are principles this President does not support." Two black congressmen announced Thursday they would not attend because of Trump's planned presence. In a joint statement released Thursday, Democratic Reps. John Lewis and Bennie G. Thompson said that after "conversations with church leaders, elected officials, civil right activists and many citizens of our congressional districts," they have decided not to attend the opening. The White House responded to their decision saying it was "unfortunate" the congressmen were skipping the event. "We think it's unfortunate that these members of Congress wouldn't join the President in honoring the incredible sacrifice civil rights leaders made to right the injustices in our history," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Thursday. "The President hopes others will join him in recognizing that the movement was about removing barriers and unifying Americans of all backgrounds."

2020-01-15 00:00:00

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian social media postings urged citizens to take to the streets for a fifth day on Wednesday, after the admission by the authorities that they had accidentally brought down a passenger plane after days of denials stoked public outrage. “We’re coming to the streets,” one posting circulating on social media said, urging people to join nationwide demonstrations against a “thieving and corrupt government”. Another post called for protests in the city of Hamedan. Protests, with students at the forefront, erupted on Saturday when the military said it had shot down a Ukrainian plane in error at a time when the country was on high alert for U.S. reprisals after tit-for-tat military strikes. Reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Edmund Blair

2019-05-01 15:17:55

Tech Fix The tiny tags are typically used to find valuables like house keys, but they are far more versatile than that. This week, I’m asking readers to engage in an admittedly odd exercise: to use our imaginations with Bluetooth trackers. Sounds weird, right? Bluetooth trackers are those tiny tags that help you find lost items. They attach to your house keys or wallet so that if those things are misplaced, you open a smartphone app and tap a button to make the tracker play an alarm. That sound lets you find the item more easily. But that’s not all these trackers can do. You can squeeze a lot more value out of the tags by thinking beyond the items that live in your pockets. I engaged in this exercise over the past two weeks. Bluetooth trackers, which are generally priced between $10 and $35, come in many shapes and sizes from dozens of brands, including Tile, Chipolo and Adero. I tested Tile, the Bluetooth tracker recommended by Wirecutter, a New York Times company that reviews products, in various focal points of my life: the car, my luggage, the living room and even my dog. It turned out the tags were useful in far more situations than lost items. Who would have guessed that trackers would make retrieving my checked luggage at the airport slightly less miserable, or help an absent-minded driver find his car? More on these below. There’s a bigger point to this exercise, of course. Many tech gizmos seem to be designed for one specific use. But with a little thought and inspiration, they can be helpful in more situations. Try it! Anybody who owns an Apple TV is familiar with its frustratingly slim remote control. While thin and elegant, the remote control vanishes between couch cushions on a regular basis. I have misplaced two Apple TV remotes and still haven’t found them — they are probably living somewhere deep in the crevices of my couch. So when I bought my third remote, I also purchased an Apple remote loop, which is basically a bracelet that you plug into the remote control’s power port. Then I tied a Tile tracker to the loop. Whenever I lose the remote, I now open the Tile app on my phone and press a button to make the tracker play a sound. Then I know exactly where to look. The only downside is that with a tracker tied to it, the Apple TV remote is bulkier and somewhat reminiscent of a bathroom key at a gas station. The most annoying part about checking your luggage is waiting for it to arrive at baggage claim. The second most annoying part is searching for your bag amid dozens of others that look just like it. So when I traveled recently, I slipped a Tile into my luggage tag to see if it would make my bag easier to find. When my luggage finally showed up, the Tile app on my phone showed that the tracker was nearby. I pressed a button to play an alarm from the Tile; it was just loud enough for me to spot my luggage as it arrived. In a crowded parking lot, my silver Toyota Prius is unremarkable and can be difficult to find. So when I parked in a large lot recently, I stuck a tracker into the glove compartment. When walking through the parking lot, I opened the Tile app, which showed the last known location of the tracker on a map. I followed the map, and as I got closer to the location that it indicated, the app signaled the tracker was nearby. This was helpful, but there are probably better methods for keeping track of where you parked. Some mapping apps, like Google Maps, can automatically detect where you parked and make a note of it on a map. But since I often drive without using a maps app, leaving a tracker in my glove compartment was a decent backup solution. Plenty of pet owners are paranoid about their dogs or cats running away. I was curious to see how effective a Bluetooth tracker would be at tracking down a fast-moving animal. I recently attached a Tile to the collar of my Labrador retriever, Mochi, and asked my fiancée to take the dog somewhere so I could try finding her. I opened the Tile app, selected the tracker attached to Mochi and tapped “notify when found.” Then I received an alert indicating that Mochi was last seen a few miles away in a dog park on the side of a mountain. Here’s how that worked: My Tile is part of a network of Tile users. That means when other people with the Tile app get within range of the tracker on Mochi, their app automatically lets Tile know the location. That information is then forwarded to my Tile app. That may sound like a privacy disaster, but Tile said the network was anonymized, meaning others don’t actually see my Tiles and I don’t see theirs; this is all running in the background of people’s Tile apps. With Mochi, another Tile user was probably near her, so my Tile app informed me of where my tracker was last seen. The problem was that Mochi’s last known location remained static on the map, probably because she did not pass by more Tile users. I went to the indicated location in the dog park, but she was nowhere in sight. (It is a big dog park.) Luckily, I eventually ran into Mochi there. But if this were a loose animal with true intentions of running away, lacking a real-time update on the tracker’s location would make it very difficult to find the pet. Representatives of Tile noted that the device was not designed for tracking pets in real time. There are pet products made for this purpose, like trackers that rely on GPS to pull a signal from a satellite and provide a precise, up-to-date location. Those tend to be expensive. One final note: These situations were pertinent to my life, but there are plenty of other applications for these trackers for people with different lifestyles. Busy parents may benefit from adding trackers to the jackets of their young children, for example. People with medical conditions may want to attach trackers to devices they need to find quickly, like inhalers. In other words, with a little bit of inventiveness, the things that are truly important to you won’t become lost.

2019-03-30 00:00:00

The artist seeks to address the severed relationship between the landscape and the viewer. Advertise on Hyperallergic with Nectar Ads The city of Salvador in northeast Brazil sits on a peninsula that divides the Atlantic Ocean from the Bay of All Saints. At the foot of a bluff that looks onto the bay is the stony shore of a small cove and the Museu de Arte Moderna (MAM). When New York-based artist Sarah Cameron Sunde walks into the water at low tide on April 2, she’ll stand in the bay for 12 hours while the water rises to her chin, then recedes. “There is true and real suspense in not knowing how it will all unfold,” Sunde tells me, reflecting on her upcoming performance, 36.5 / Bay of All Saints. The work is part of a series titled 36.5 / A Durational Performance with the Sea that began in Maine in 2013 and will cover six continents before arriving in New York City in 2020 for the artist’s ninth and final performance. Prompted by Hurricane Sandy, which devastated New York City in 2012, 36.5 is an investigation of individual and collective vulnerability and resilience. The work is first an image of a figure against a ground: a woman dressed in red facing the horizon. As in a Romantic landscape painting, the human body, dwarfed by its environment, serves as a mirror of nature — a measure of rising tides. But Sunde’s ecological perspective shifts the viewer’s relation to the site from aesthetic to critical contemplation. Walking into the water — and inviting the public to join her — the artist dissolves the one-point perspective of the observer standing outside the frame and addresses the severed connection between landscape and spectator. Sunde’s work is informed by her background in theater; she is known internationally as Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse’s American translator and director and is the former Deputy Artistic Director of the theater company New Georges. With 36.5 she stages a quiet drama. “The water has the primary action in the performance,” she tells me. “I’m just listening to my partner.” 36.5 / Bay of All Saints also partners the artist with the urban communities of Salvador. “I’m interested in listening to the people I meet to really understand their relationship to the water,” she states. Through performing the work in Mexico, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and the US, she’s developed a method of working with local institutions and individuals to create a collective encounter with the sea. In Salvador, she’s working with MAM as well as the city’s Chief Resilience Officer and a Brazilian artist and anthropologist Clara Domingas to build relationships with the communities around the site, including members of the Solar do Unhão community. “I don’t ever want to impose myself on any space. It’s really about engaging in an equal collaboration, letting it emerge as a proposal for what can happen when you work together with people in different parts of the world.” She invites the public to stand with her in the bay for the duration of the piece. To mark the passage of time, those on the shore can participate in a brief movement sequence devised with local artists. “Once an hour, there’s a little burst of activity that occurs on the shore,” she explains. “It’s very spontaneous, and the public can choose to participate in it or not. That bit of spontaneity is tied to my desire to give the audience a little surprise.” There’s always a moment, she says, when those watching the tide take their eyes off the water, get involved in conversations, then look back and feel a jolt at how far the water has risen. In Salvador, she adds, climate change is not yet widely discussed. “Adriana Campelo, the city’s Chief Resilience Officer, is thinking about how to bring this question into a local space and relate it to daily life. That’s a question that always comes up for me: How do I talk about climate change when people are just trying to survive on a daily basis? But for me, this project is about the parallel between the daily struggle to survive and the wider struggle for survival as a human species.” Sunde is part of a global community of artists working with water in response to the crisis of climate change. A founding member of the curatorial group Works on Water, she was a lead organizer of the inaugural Works on Water Triennial in New York in 2017. She and others see Water Art as a correlate of Land Art, and the movement has affinities with urban projects by Agnes Denes and Mary Miss. But while the history of Land Art is characterized by frontier machismo, many practitioners of Water Art are women working in cities to engage questions about ecology and temporality in the service of community-building. (Full disclosure: I collaborated with Works on Water and Underwater New York to host an artist residency on Governors Island in 2018.) At stake for Sunde and her peers is our collective capacity for resilience. Resilience, she proposes, begins with an awareness and acknowledgment of the transformations we’ve wrought in our environment. A readiness to adapt or reconsider our place in the world will, she says, “let us work with nature or our environment, for lack of a better word, instead of protecting ourselves from it or against it. I think the way toward resilience is to collaborate with the elements.” As Sunde performs at sites around the globe, she hopes to make connections among communities across continents. “I’m gathering stories from really specific spots in the world in order to connect them to a global experience of humanity in relationship to water.” Forging these connections relies in part on the multi-channel video installation she produces from footage of each performance. The video for 36.5 / Bay of All Saints will premiere in Brazil before it tours to other locations: “Showing the video on location is an important element of the work, so that the people who participate can see themselves before we go away.” Shot by local videographers and scored by composer Joshua Dumas, the video installation offers an immersive environment in galleries or museums that encourages sustained viewing. As 36.5 / Bay of All Saints attends to the slow unfolding of time, it counters monumental or sublime representations of Nature — the violent sea, its power overriding the intellect and senses — with something more subtle: not the ship dashed against the rocks, but the water lapping at your collarbone. This is a radical gesture in itself; by stressing endurance, continuity, and incremental change 36.5 holds out the possibility that there’s still time for meaningful action. Live stream footage of 36.5 / Bay of All Saints will be available here on April 2, 7:29AM–7:45PM, EST.

2018-10-23 15:29:00

Another clue about the upcoming Modern Family death has been disclosed — but it still has audiences scratching their heads. More than a month after fans learned that a beloved character will die in the show’s tenth (and likely final) season, star Jesse Tyler Ferguson is setting the record straight about one member of the Pritchett/Dunphy family. “It’s definitely a person, not the dog,” Ferguson, 43, told E! News. That means Jay (Ed O’Neill) and Gloria’s (Sofia Vergara) dog Stella — or any animal — is out of the question. “I’ve been hearing rumors about the dog, it’s not the dog,” said Ferguson, who clarified, “It’s no animal, it’s a human being.” In September, co-creator Christopher Lloyd told Entertainment Weekly that a “significant character on the series” will die. “We’re handling some bigger life events in this season,” he explained. “We do deal with a death, which is certainly a topic that families have to deal with, and on television, it’s not easy to do because that’s a heavy subject. But at the same time, it would seem unusual for a family not to go through it.” While Lloyd didn’t offer any more hints as to the identity of the character, he shared that the death “will be a moving event … that has repercussions across several episodes.” Lloyd also said that while he hopes the long-running series will get picked up for another year, season 10 would serve as a fitting send-off. “From our standpoint creatively we’ve gotten excited writing this season and changing the lives of the characters — some in a significant way — and it’s made us think, ‘Wow, there’s a lot to explore in the lives of these characters,’ ” he said, adding that “they’re in many ways such different characters than they were five or 10 years ago when we started.” “So our standpoint was, ‘Well, if we can do another season, we may as well,’ ” he said, adding that “if it winds up that we tried and just couldn’t make it work, we will have a great final season for sure.” Modern Family airs Wednesdays (9 p.m. ET) on ABC.

2016-04-03

The horrific blaze in Lake County, California, destroyed nearly 2,000 structures and killed four people before it was contained in October. Nancy had last seen Muscat when she was evacuated from her home, veterinary staff said. But on Thursday, she noticed a cat by her house that looked a lot like her beloved kitty. "So she stopped, and he came to her," staff for the animal hospital wrote on Facebook. "She is so happy to have him back," hospital staff wrote. "A wonderful reminder to never give up hope." Hospital spokeswoman Teresa Axthelm told CBS San Francisco that the hospital was able to help Nancy and Muscat through a fund set up for fire victims. She said the staff was "so excited" to help in the happy reunion, and that they are hoping to help locate more lost pets from the fire. "So many people are still looking for their pets. We have a bulletin board here," she told the news station. "Missing pets, dogs and cats. To give anybody some hope, it's obviously a great thing."

2019-05-09

(CNN)Jason Momoa didn't mean to steal the thunder of the release of the Mueller report. The "Aquaman" star appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" for the first time recently and she teased him about making big news. DeGeneres told him that his shaving his beard was "over trending" on the same day when the highly-anticipated report on the investigation into possible Russian interference was released. Jason Momoa shaved his beard and people are freaking out "Yeah, sorry about that," Momoa said. "That was an accident." The former "Game of Thrones" star did it to draw attention to a new line of canned water that he helped launch with the Ball Corporation as an alternative to plastic bottles in support of the environment. DeGeneres also embarrassed the actor by showing off some shirtless photos of him. That didn't stop him from stripping down a bit to teach the talk show host how to throw an ax. DeGeneres added some dollar values to the target to help Momoa raise money to aid in his fight to do away with plastic. Momoa ended up earning $31,000.

2017-10-27 00:00:00

QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - At least six people were wounded on Friday when a bomb went off along railway tracks in southwestern Pakistan, halting train service in the region, security and railways officials said. The train was traveling from Baluchistan’s capital of Quetta to the eastern metropolis of Lahore when a blast on the main railway track damaged one of its cars. “One train bogie was damaged in the blast and a portion of the tracks blown up,” said railways official Aammir Baloch, adding that Quetta’s train services had been suspended. Security officials said six passengers were injured in the blast. The Taliban, Sunni Islam militants and sectarian groups linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State group also operate in the strategically important region, which borders Iran and Afghanistan. Baluchistan is at the center of infrastructure projects that form part of China’s ‘Belt and Road’ initiative, which has brought $57 billion of investment to Pakistan. Violence in the southwestern region has fueled concern about security for a transport and energy link planned to run from western China to Pakistan’s southern deepwater port of Gwadar. Separatists in Baluchistan, who have long battled the state for a greater share of the resources of the gas- and mineral-rich region, also accuse the central government of discrimination. Separately, two workers of a prominent political party were killed on Friday in a landmine blast in the district of Harnai near Quetta as they traveled to a party meeting. “The victims were brothers and belonged to the Awami National Party,” regional official Abdul Salam Achakzai told Reuters. “The explosive device was planted by the road,” he added. Writing by Saad Sayeed; Editing by Clarence Fernandez

2020-01-22 00:00:00

Scientists think the new virus spreading rapidly through Central China first became capable of infecting humans at the beginning of December. By December 31st, public health officials reported that they had patients with the then-unknown virus to the World Health Organization (WHO). Two weeks later, scientists had isolated and published the virus’s genetic sequence, determining that it was a type of virus called a coronavirus, which is part of the family of viruses that also caused the SARS outbreak. That fast turnaround highlights the progress made in biotechnology and in public health response to novel viruses over the past few decades. By comparison, the SARS virus emerged in November 2002, but it took until April 2003 for scientists to get a full genetic sequence. It took several months of disease spreading in Western Africa in 2013 before authorities determined it was caused by Ebola. It took around a year to identify Zika as the cause of illnesses in Brazil in 2014 and 2015. “It’s been extremely rapid,” says Kristian Andersen, director of infectious disease genomics at the Scripps Research Translational Institute. The process moved quickly even though it’s flu season in China, which likely made the process more complicated than usual. Clinicians had to first figure out that the illnesses they were seeing were unusual and not just caused by the normal flu. “I’ve been quite impressed by how fast this whole response went. It’s extremely difficult, to realize you have an outbreak, be able to isolate the virus, sequence it, and share data. This is not easy.” Epidemiologists are pouring attention into the virus because they fear it could be a serious health threat. So far, China’s health authorities report that over 500 people have been infected with the new virus, and 17 people have died. Cases have also been confirmed in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand in people who had recently returned from China. One case has been reported in the US in Washington state. The virus can cause a high fever and difficulty breathing in severe cases, while mild cases may look more like a common cold. Early cases were linked to a seafood market in Wuhan, a city in Central China. The response shows the improvements China has made in its public health system since SARS. At that time, there was limited infrastructure in place. But after the outbreak, billions were invested in infectious disease facilities and reporting systems across the country. The country also disclosed the new virus to WHO almost immediately. With SARS, the Chinese government attempted to conceal the extent of the outbreak and hid cases from WHO inspectors. “Compared to back when SARS came around, certainly China has improved tremendously. It probably has one of the best public health systems in the world,” Andersen says. The US might be able to respond as quickly if it was faced with a novel virus, he says, but not faster. “Identifying the pathogen was done quickly, which shows the capacity that China has now. The sequencing was done rapidly. More importantly, it was shared immediately. That’s why Korea, Japan, and Thailand were able to diagnose cases so quickly,” Tedros Adhanom, director general of the WHO, said in a press conference. Advances in genetic sequencing technologies also helped scientists quickly identify the new virus. It’s much easier to figure out the full sequence of a virus than it was even a few years ago, Andersen says. Once scientists had the full genetic sequence of the virus, they were able to quickly develop tests to diagnose the new coronavirus in people suspected of having the illness, which were published by WHO on January 17th. “It’s a domino effect, really,” says Timothy Sheahan, a coronavirus expert and assistant professor at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health. “New sequencing technologies make lots of different things more rapid.” That includes research on the new coronavirus. As soon as the sequences were published, scientists were able to send it off to companies that build synthetic viruses. “We can synthetically resurrect this virus outside of China and study its biology without having to rely on someone sending it in the mail,” Sheahan says. “The rate at which that happens is completely crazy.” Having information so soon after the new coronavirus jumped to humans may help officials start to contain it, Andersen says, by letting them know what they’re dealing with and allowing the development of diagnostic tests that confirm cases. “Having the ability to rapidly identify these viruses and identify that you have a new virus is helpful,” he says. But, he adds, speed can only do so much — especially if a virus is spreading directly from person to person, as this one is. “With that, it becomes very difficult to stop the spread no matter what you do.” There are still a lot of unknowns around the new virus, including uncertainty about how quickly or easily it can pass from person to person. That’s a key issue, Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a press conference. An easily spread virus could create a broader epidemic. The emergence of the new virus is consistent with the around once-a-decade spread of a human coronavirus seen since the start of the century: SARS spread in 2002, and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), also caused by a coronavirus, circulated in 2012. Coronaviruses are common in animals and can be found in most wild species. But before SARS, the coronaviruses that infected humans only caused mild respiratory illnesses. Public health experts and virologists learned a lot from fighting both SARS and MERS in the past 20 years that can apply to the current outbreak. “The advancements we’ve made with MERS over the past seven years could be applicable here,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, manager in the Emerging and Re-Emerging Diseases Unit at the WHO, in a press conference. Importantly, the previous two coronaviruses also showed that these viruses can be dangerous. “SARS taught the world a lot of things, one of which is that coronaviruses can emerge and cause severe human disease,” Sheahan says. “People are more aware now.” Update January 22nd, 5:06PM ET: This report was updated to include new information from the WHO.

2017-12-30

Tommy Vietor, who served as a spokesman for former President Obama's National Security Council, on Saturday pushed back on the claim by President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump pushes back on recent polling data, says internal numbers are 'strongest we've had so far' Illinois state lawmaker apologizes for photos depicting mock assassination of Trump Scaramucci assembling team of former Cabinet members to speak out against Trump MORE's aides and allies that George PapadopoulosGeorge Demetrios PapadopoulosFlynn, Papadopoulos to speak at event preparing 'social media warriors' for 'digital civil war' Judge dismisses DNC lawsuit against Trump campaign, Russia over election interference Mueller hearings should lead Democrats to be shocked at abuse of justice system MORE was a "low-level" foreign policy staffer with little import to the Trump campaign. "Low-level foreign policy staffers don’t set up head of state meetings. Trust me I was one," Vietor wrote on Twitter.  Low-level foreign policy staffers don’t set up head of state meetings. Trust me I was one. https://t.co/vfnyj60G5H Vietor's tweet came in response to a New York Times report detailing, among other things, Papadopoulos's role as a foreign policy adviser to Trump's campaign. In that role, he helped set up a meeting between the real estate mogul and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi just two months before the presidential election. Papadopoulos pleaded guilty earlier this year to lying to the FBI about his contacts with people linked to the Russian government during the 2016 presidential race, and has since become a cooperating witness in special counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) Swan MuellerTrump calls for probe of Obama book deal Democrats express private disappointment with Mueller testimony Kellyanne Conway: 'I'd like to know' if Mueller read his own report MORE's investigation into Russian meddling in the election. Trump once lauded Papadopoulos as an "excellent guy." But the White House and Trump's allies have sought to downplay Papadopoulos's role in the campaign since his guilty plea, calling him a low-level and insignificant aide whose time on Trump's team was short. According to the Times report, however, Papadopoulos appeared to play a significant role in the events that prompted the FBI to open a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign before the 2016 election. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2017-09-25 07:15:49

The biggest clash in the N.F.L. over the weekend was off the field — but the battle over protests may soon draw in the broadcasters, deep-pocketed sponsors who partner with the league as well. The Big Question Mr. Trump suggested that fans were already punishing the N.F.L., saying that ratings were way down. That isn’t true for the most part, according to PolitiFact and The Times’s Julie Hirschfield Davis. Still, Fortune’s David Z. Morris argued that a Trump-inspired boycott could end up hurting the league’s partners: The likely outcome will be continued erosion in viewership, costing broadcasters hundreds of millions of dollars. That could impact renewal negotiations down the line, but even a divisive NFL remains a rare unifying force in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. Some viewers — and venues that show N.F.L. games — appear ready to back a boycott. Others aren’t so sure that the political controversy would be bad for broadcasters. From Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw: “There will be a lot of attention paid to ratings, and it will be fascinating to see if more people tune into the beginning of games just to see what happens,” said Brian Wieser, an analyst with Pivotal Research Group. Yahoo Finance’s Daniel Roberts questions whether the league’s big sponsors — including Anheuser-Busch InBev, FedEx, McDonald’s and PepsiCo — will take a side here. (Historically, they haven’t walked away when controversies erupted, he notes.) Related Reading Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin backed Mr. Trump and argued that players should not assert free speech on the job, according to Politico’s Kevin Robillard: “They can do free speech on their own time.” Angela Merkel won her fourth term as chancellor. But the electoral showing of a far-right party, Alternative for Germany, dimmed her victory — and knocked down the euro’s value this morning. The result is expected to lead to a tougher line on fiscal discipline in the eurozone, pushing up yields on government bonds in places like Spain and Italy, according to The Financial Times’s Michael Hunter. But some expect the weakness of the euro to be short term, Reuters’ Saikat Chatterjee reports: “The impact is limited, as the German election results is more of a domestic political story for now rather than a regional European trend, and the euro will be more sensitive to any shift in direction from the European Central Bank policy,” said Viraj Patel, an FX strategist at ING Bank in London. What to Look Out For Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank, is to give a monetary policy update at the European Parliament on Monday. Uber said on Monday that it was unclear why London’s travel authorities had decided not to renew its license. Reuters reports: “Sitting down with TfL (Transport for London) representatives as soon as possible would be the most helpful thing to really understand their concerns to work out what they are,” Uber’s U.K. Head of Cities Fred Jones told BBC radio. “It’s just not clear for us what their concerns might be.” Uber’s chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, took the moment to engage in some self-reflection, according to Recode’s Johana Bhuiyan: “Irrespective of whether we did everything that is being said about us in London today (and to be clear, I don’t think we did), it really matters what people think of us, especially in a global business like ours, where actions in one part of the world can have serious consequences in another.” In the Obama administration, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission was one of the toughest financial regulators around. Under President Trump, it’s adopting a new strategy. The Times’s David Enrich obtained a preview of a forthcoming speech by the commission’s director of enforcement, James McDonald: “We also recognize that no matter how much corporate leaders may want to foster compliance within the company, when they detect misconduct their decision whether to voluntarily report it often comes down to their perception of whether they’ll be treated fairly.” The Context Here’s how The Times described the regulator’s former chief Gary Gensler in 2014: But even as Mr. Gensler’s aggressive streak thrust the once-backwater agency into the front lines of reform, it also maddened colleagues and complicated his legacy. And now that his tenure is ending on Friday, the agency has reached an inflection point, prompting Wall Street to hope for a friendlier regulator. Is it time for Facebook to step up and be regulated? Antonio García Martínez, a former employee, writes in Wired: “The company needs to put its big boy pants and assume its place on the world stage.” Meanwhile, The Washington Post reports that Mark Zuckerberg received a high-level warning about political interference last year: Huddled in a private room on the sidelines of a meeting of world leaders in Lima, Peru, two months before Trump’s inauguration, Obama made a personal appeal to Zuckerberg to take the threat of fake news and political disinformation seriously. Unless Facebook and the government did more to address the threat, Obama warned, it would only get worse in the next presidential race. Related Reading • Maureen Dowd wonders about automation after Sheryl Sandberg apologized for ad-buying tools that enabled advertisers to direct pitches of people who expressed interest in topics like “why jews ruin the world.” • Facebook dropped a proposal to reclassify its stock, a move that would have solidified Mr. Zuckerberg’s control over the social network, in a victory for shareholders in a class-action lawsuit. James Altizer, an engineer at the chip maker Nvidia who leads a group called Bay Area Fathers’ Rights, to The Times’s Nellie Bowles: “It’s a witch hunt,” he said in a phone interview, contending men are being fired by “dangerous” human resources departments. “I’m sitting in a soundproof booth right now because I’m afraid someone will hear me. When you’re discussing gender issues, it’s almost religious, the response. It’s almost zealotry.” Ms. Bowles’s piece stirred up a lot of debate on Twitter:

2016-08-21 00:00:00

An American pole vaulter took his patriotism to the next level at the Olympics. Sam Kendricks, a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve and an Olympic pole vaulter, stopped mid-attempt to pay his respects to his country. Kendricks was competing in the qualifying round of the men's pole vault in Rio on Aug. 13, when he skidded to a halt, threw his pole on the ground and stood to attention while the anthem played. The video was posted online by NBC on Sunday. 2nd LT Sam Kendricks stops mid-run to stand at attention when he hears the national anthem🇺🇸 https://t.co/9yoosVTGNC https://t.co/aNohNvGWxN — NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) August 21, 2016 The pause didn't affect Kendricks' pole vault game, with the 23-year-old athlete winning the qualifying event and then going on to win bronze in the final on Monday. Kendricks told USA Today on Aug. 13 that his comrades were proud of him, so he hoped to do them proud in return.  "I am certainly looking to represent the Americans on two fronts, as a military man and as a U.S. athlete," Kendricks said. "I’m just trying to put my best foot forward for all those soldiers who are watching." He certainly achieved that goal with his patriotic act and his medal.Â

2016-12-29 11:45:00

Nick Viall may be the new Bachelor, but it would be totally understandable if you wanted to pass up a rose from this reality star. In a new interview with People, the two-time Bachelorette contestant (and one time Bachelor In Paradise love-seeker) reveals the belief system that caused him to reveal that he had sex with Andi Dorfman in the Fantasy Suite. Unfortunately, it doesn't make his actions any less icky. Viall was the runner-up on The Bachelorette season 10 when Dorfman was dishing out the roses. On the "After the Final Rose" special, Viall — apparently so devastated after Dorfman accepted Josh Murray's proposal — revealed that he and the Bachelorette had sex in the Fantasy Suite. With sad puppy dog eyes, Viall told the newly-engaged Dorfman: "Knowing how in love with you I was, if you weren't in love with me, I'm just not sure why you made love with me," he said.Dorfman, was, obviously, not too pleased with Viall's gross reveal on national television."Well, first of all, I think that's below the belt," said the Bachelorette. "I think some things are private and should be kept private." Not for Viall! Though he did tell New York magazine in 2015 that he regretted the comments because "Andi got a lot of flak," he also believed that "acknowledging that we had sex... was a great thing" because it encouraged "sex-positivity" for women. Now, he's claiming something else: that honesty was just so important to him he couldn't possibly have kept intimate details of his love life on the down low. As Viall tells People: “I’m a big believer in transparency in any type of a relationship and in life,” he says of his relationships both past and present. Of his time as the Bachelor, the "fourth time's the charm" reality star told People that his commitment to honesty wouldn't falter.“When you’re going to consider spending the rest of your life with someone, you need to have some pretty transparent conversations,” Vaill says. “If you’re taking it seriously you have to be willing to have those conversations and be open about it. You can’t have a watered-down version of the real world, especially if you’re considering proposing.”Honesty is great... just not on national television, where your words have the power to embarrass someone. Given that Viall is dating on national television yet again beginning January 2, he might want to keep his penchant for honesty in the places the cameras can't catch him. The women of the world shouldn't forgive him for another Dorfman-like situation and this time around, Viall may want to watch his mouth.

2017-09-25

Sept 25 (Reuters) - Harim Co Ltd : * Says it plans to issue 33 million shares of the company via rights issue, to raise 103.46 billion won in proceeds for facilities Source text in Korean: goo.gl/PN4Yis Further company coverage: (Beijing Headline News)

2016-07-21 00:00:00

Durban (CNN)In 1987, a photograph of Princess Diana shaking the hand of a man with AIDS helped to break down stigma around the illness. Nearly 30 years later, Prince Harry is highlighting the need to continue fighting the stigma persisting around today's AIDS epidemic, particularly among teenagers. Prince Harry joined Sir Elton John on stage Thursday at the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, and praised the work of leaders including Nelson Mandela and his own mother, for the fight against the disease. "When my mother held the hand of a man dying of AIDS in East London hospital, no one would have imagined that just over a quarter of a century later, treatment would exist that could see HIV-positive people live full, healthy loving lives," he said. But he warned that many are winding down the battle too soon. "We now face a new risk, a risk of complacency," he said. His words echo the same concern presented by other world leaders, activists and scientists throughout the conference as international funding for research and development has dropped along with funds for treatment and prevention programs. But the prince particularly fears for the future of the epidemic among adolescents -- aged 10 to 19 -- for whom AIDS is currently the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa, and the second leading cause of death globally. His own charity, Sentebale, founded in partnership with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, has been working to improve and support the lives of children affected by HIV in Lesotho since 2009 and recently began working in Botswana. "Children living with HIV grapple with severe medical, emotional and social challenges all at once," the prince said, adding "It is all too common for a 12-year-old boy or girl to be forced out to work so they can provide for their brothers and sisters having lost one or two parent to AIDS." He spoke of his own insights from working in Lesotho and the difference he has witnessed first-hand from helping children feel supported. The prince went on to declare it was now time for everyone to "step up" and address the problems that fuel and result from today's epidemic. In 2014, an estimated 2 million adolescents between the age of 10 and 19 were living with HIV worldwide. Deaths relating to AIDS among adolescents have tripled since 2000, while going down in all other age groups. The prince voiced that young people worldwide need to be educated and empowered to take control of their health, and that society needs to change to get rid of the stigma circling the disease today. His passion to end the AIDS epidemic was praised by Sir Elton John who, in his own speech, said he could not relate to teenagers in the way Harry can and praised him for following his mother's determination to "make the world a better place." UNAIDS have set the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030, but many in the field feel this may not be achieved. The prince thinks young people can make it happen. "In helping young people to fight HIV, we will not just be ending his epidemic," he said. "We'll be changing the direction of history for an entire generation."

2018-01-17 17:00:00

This article is part of a weeklong series looking back at the first year of Donald Trump's presidency. The past year has been a legislative trash fire. Congress has been deadlocked, with delays and dissension marking even basic governing duties. The Republican majority passed just one of its key legislative priorities, an unpopular and dysfunctional tax bill, just before the end of 2017, and is now in the middle of negotiating a spending bill to prevent a federal government shutdown. Yet in the midst of this chaos and dysfunction, on October 18, Congress passed at least one big bipartisan bill, the Elder Abuse Prevention and Protection Act (EAPPA). The EAPPA was proof that Congress can still get things done, at least some of the time. And though it didn’t get much in the way of media attention, it’s a bona fide achievement. According to Bob Blancato, a prominent anti-elder abuse and neglect activist, this “was the most significant elder justice legislation since the passage of the Elder Justice Act in 2010,” the first law to authorize federal funding to address elder abuse. The EAPPA was a priority for the Obama administration in its final days, noted Ronald Acierno, a professor of nursing who studies elder abuse and justice, and its co-sponsors in the Senate (Democrat Richard Blumenthal and Republican Chuck Grassley) did their best to get the word out about it. So the fact that its passage attracted almost no media attention may seem odd. But as Julie Schoen of the National Center on Elder Abuse put it, “With all that’s been going on in the media and the administration, maybe people just haven’t seen this as a priority.” Priority or not, the bill was a direct reaction to growing awareness of a major issue. Every year, by some estimates, scammers, caretakers, or even their own children bilk about 1.5 million older Americans out of their cash, to the tune of $2.9 billion—and that’s probably a low estimate. A portion of the bill was named after one such victim, Robert Matava, a decorated WWII veteran from Blumenthal’s state of Connecticut whose son defrauded him and left him penniless; he died in 2011 at age 90, and his son was apparently never brought to justice. Other elderly Americans are subject to physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, endangerment, or neglect. “I’ve been involved in prosecuting these crimes for over 22 years, and all I’ve seen is a steady increase,” said Paul Greenwood, an elder abuse specialist at the San Diego district attorney’s office and leading elder justice prosecutor. “There are a lot of reasons: the demographics, that we’ve done a better job of identifying this as a crime, and, thankfully, that we do have more trained law enforcement” tracking down and reporting these crimes, at least in some places. The EAPPA addresses this issue through a range of provisions. Most notably, it installs elder justice coordinators in the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, and every federal judicial district, and orders the creation of tools and allocation of more resources for training to assist officials at all levels in tackling elder abuse. It also calls for more and better data collection on elder abuse, opens up access to old funding pools to help the victims of these crimes, and increases the penalties for certain types of financial fraud against the elderly. Finally, it orders reviews of existing elder justice programs at the federal level and the development of further policy recommendations, among other minor provisions. Schoen, however, thinks that explicit funding allocations should have been attached to the bill. Underfunding has been a chronic issue for the implementation of recent elder justice bills. The Elder Justice Act of 2010 has still only been partially funded to date, though Blancato points out that that may be in part because it was passed within the Affordable Care Act and has suffered the stigma and conservative backlashes that followed. Still, elements of the bill can come to fruition without fresh funding allocations, argues Blancato. Many agencies have already started to appoint elder justice coordinators by tapping members of their existing staff. These new coordinators may potentially bring a newfound focus to elder justice issues. “It’s finally going to allow federal prosecutors to become more aware of the problem and reach out,” said Greenwood, “and for county and district prosecutors to reach out to each other as well and organize how they can work together.” And with just a little funding, data collection can get underway. If harmonized with new or existing state and local data collection, this could be a big win. “This has been a striking need for a very long time,” said elder law attorney Sally Hurme. “We really can’t talk the way we should be able to talk about the prevalence of all forms of elder abuse if we don’t have better numbers.” While this is a significant piece of legislation, Greenwood thinks there’s still a lot to be done. “I don’t think you’ll see an increase in everyday elder abuse cases,” he said. “Even though they will reallocate someone to become the point person, that person won’t be able to take regular cases that are popping up all over the place,” like caretakers stealing checks out of their elder charges’ mail. The feds, he added, can only allocate manpower and resources to go after massive fraud operations. To truly improve prosecutions, Greenwood and Hurme agree, the government needs to allocate significantly more funds to Adult Protective Services (APS), the people who first investigate cases of possible elder abuse. Greenwood notes that around the country he often finds localities with only a tenth of the funds for their APS as they have for Child Protective Services; he’d like to see the nation move to parity funding. Hurme adds that she hopes local and state prosecutors working on these issues can be funded on par with those investigating major white-collar crime. Despite a few provisions that could be applied to all forms of abuse, the language of the bill also focuses on financial abuse, with little mention of similarly prevalent physical, emotional, and sexual abuse or neglect. “It’s the one element of elder abuse that you can get your arms around; it’s the one that gets reported,” explained Blancato. “There is not as much information, knowledge, or understanding of the other forms of elder abuse as there should be.” Blancato hopes that the new focus and data following this bill will prompt new legislation that will address other forms of abuse more explicitly and better fund the ground troops responding to these cases at the state and local level. “I’ve been around this town long enough to know that if you have data, then it can drive dollars,” he said of the DC budget process. There’s reason to believe that Congress would be reactive to new data stemming from the EAPPA as well. As Schoen points out, protecting the elderly from abuse is something everyone can get behind regardless of party, and Congress is eager for the sweet relief of an easy bipartisan lift these days. Greenwood trusts that the senators behind this bill will be eager to follow up on it. And, Blancato adds, the current administration may pick up on this as a law and order issue it’s willing to throw weight behind. Legislators had “better find the money, otherwise this is going to become one of the biggest social and criminal problems of the next decade,” said Greenwood. Clearly, the EAPPA isn’t earth-shaking. Like most of what comes out of Congress now, it’s flawed and limited. But it takes a real crack at a serious issue and lays groundwork for future bipartisan action. It’s a reasonable and meaningful bill, and that’s not nothing in this Congress. As Hurme put it, “I’m glad to see that at least we got this much.” Follow Mark Hay on Twitter.

2018-11-01

(CNN)The Congressional Black Caucus signaled in a letter on Thursday that if Democrats win the majority in the House of Representatives, they would like African-American representation in at least one of the top two leadership positions for the party in the chamber. An African-American member has never served in either of the top two leadership positions. The private letter was sent from the chairman of the caucus, Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana, and was prompted by "much speculation" about how Democrats will govern if they should assume the majority. Though Richmond praised current leadership, he states that the Congressional Black Caucus' role in the Democratic caucus remains "inconsistent with our most powerful leadership roles in the House." "African Americans deserve more than a simple gesture of gratitude -- they deserve representation at the apex of the party's infrastructure," Richmond wrote. Politico first reported the existence of the letter. Currently, Nancy Pelosi serves as the Democratic minority leader, while Steny Hoyer serves as the minority whip, the No. 2 position. Pelosi is seeking the role of speaker of the House should Democrats reclaim the chamber and one source told CNN Hoyer is expected to seek the majority leader spot. South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the current No. 3 leader as House assistant Democratic leader, has also indicated that he would be interested in a leadership position. Richmond cited numerous contributions that the Congressional Black Caucus has made recently, including a meeting with newly elected President Trump in 2017 that resulted in the Jobs and Justice Act of 2018, and also a strategic plan to increase African-American voter turnout for the Senate special election in Alabama in December 2017. Democratic leadership elections are tentatively scheduled for the week after Thanksgiving. Hoyer and Clyburn previously competed for the minority whip position in 2010, but after it was clear Clyburn didn't have enough support, House Democrats created the assistant Democratic leader position.

2018-10-25 11:46:00

Two South Carolina deputies who were rescued from a flooded van during Hurricane Florence have been fired as officials investigate the deaths of two mental health patients who drowned inside the vehicle, PEOPLE confirms. Stephen Flood and Joshua Bishop were fired from the Horry County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, about a month after they allegedly drove around a barricade and into a flood-prone area as they attempted to transport Nicolette Green, 43, and Windy Newton, 45, to a facility during deadly Hurricane Florence. “First step towards justice! We are very happy,” Green’s sister, Donnela Green-Johnson, told WMBF. “It is the first formal acknowledgment of any wrongdoing by anyone in the county. Even if it’s just the admittance of violations in policy which require the termination … it’s a beginning. It’s a victory.” “Corrections Officers Stephen Flood and Joshua Bishop employment with the Horry County Sheriff Office [were] terminated today, as the result of an ongoing internal administrative investigation into the incident where two female occupants died when a detention center transport van was overtaken by floodwaters,” the office said in a statement on Twitter. “Since the administrative internal investigation is currently continuing and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division inquiry into the incident is ongoing, no further details regarding the employees’ termination of employment can be released at this time.” pic.twitter.com/zB68cstvEu — Horry County Sheriff (@horrysheriff) October 24, 2018 Green and Newton were being transported from hospitals to a behavioral center on Sept. 18. Neither Green nor Newton have arrest records in the state, CBS News reported. The deputies were traveling in the area of the Little Pee Dee River when they drove into floodwaters that quickly swamped the van. They tried to pull the women out, but couldn’t get the van doors open, Horry County Sheriff Phillip Thompson said during a news conference last month. Thompson noted that the deputies “tried for a long period of time” to rescue the women. Search teams later found the deputies on top of the submerged van and rescued them. Thompson said he does not believe the women were in restraints and noted that it is common for deputies to transport mental health patients. In the wake of the deaths, many have rallied behind the women. “I feel very upset and kind of betrayed, because my mom was a very, very trusting person,” Rose Hershberger, 19, told NBC News of her mother Green’s death last month. Hershberger said her mother was seeking help for schizophrenia at the time of her death. “She still put her trust in the deputies that were supposed to take care of her and made sure she got there safely,” Hershberger said then. “The fact that they were able to get out but my mom and the other woman wasn’t makes me feel really like hurt and betrayed by them,” she added. “In my head, it’s hard for me to accept the fact that my mom is now dead.” At least 51 people died during Hurricane Florence, including 39 deaths in North Carolina, nine in South Carolina and three in Virginia, according to CNN.

2017-06-23 15:52:00

Strange, then, to credit Woolf with such an imprecise, expansive interpretation, antithetical to the above. (In Three Guineas, Woolf goes on to suggest that someone write "feminist" on a piece of paper, set it on fire, then "bray the ashes in a mortar with a goose-feather pen.") But you can see why it appeals in 2017, when every product and lifestyle choice is an opportunity for personal branding, and the trendy brand is feminism. Someone likely made up the platitude and simply slapped "Virginia Woolf" on it, like an "Authentic Feminist Saying" label. The idea that "a feminist is any woman who tells the truth about her life" sets a ludicrously low bar to join a social movement, though the slogan is suited to the era of extreme self-regard we're currently in: It requires that a feminist only speak for herself to get her membership card. In addition to companies like Girlboss and corporations like "Ellevest," which focuses on investing for women, celebrities have caught on to how easily one can use feminist trappings to slip into the social justice realm simply by talking about themselves. This "And you get a car!" vision of radicalism is one supported by Anne Helen Petersen's latest book, Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman. A collection of ten essays about "unruly" women in film, music, television, sports, and politics, the book focuses on figures who "step outside the boundaries of good womanhood, who end up being labeled…too whatever the characteristic women are supposed to keep under control," but who have achieved great success nonetheless. Serena Williams is too black and too strong; Melissa McCarthy is too fat; Lena Dunham is too naked; Nicki Minaj is too slutty; among others. Though it's undeniable that each subject has made great gains in her field, Petersen's dedication to overstating the transgressive behaviors of female celebrities in service of the notion of subjectivity as empowerment rings hollow. Her line of inquiry reveals the collective progress lost—or at least plateaued—by mainstreamed claims to feminism, which are couched in a rhetoric of "unruliness" that is really anything but. Watch: Virginie Despentes on Killing Rapists She is careful to plot the ways her subjects are differently able to be "unruly," to be loud or gross or sexual or "nasty" or "messy," and to argue that it is "riskier to do those same things in a body that is not white; not straight; not slender, not young, or not American." The privilege enjoyed by figures like Caitlyn Jenner and Melissa McCarthy, who might be unruly but are also white, is underscored by sections on the two black women in the book, Serena Williams and Nicki Minaj. Petersen quotes from one of several succinct lines in Claudia Rankine's 2015 profile of Williams in the New York Times Magazine: "The notable difference between black excellence and white excellence is white excellence is achieved without having to battle racism." I can't think of anyone who would not benefit from reading such a sentence again. But it's Petersen's attempts to cohere these stories with the others into a vision of collective self-determination—towards something "satisfying, nourishing, expansive, and radically inclusive"—that expose how weak unruliness is as a paradigm of social change. It includes nearly every woman who adopts its most superficial behaviors, as well as those who profit immensely and incongruously from it. Petersen sees a crescendo of the unruly feminist movement in the defeat of Hillary Clinton—who is her central unruly subject—in the 2016 presidential election. Waking up to the result on November 9, which should have been "a victory for unruly women everywhere," was proof of "the beginning of a backlash that has been brewing for years, as unruly women of various forms have come to dominate the cultural landscape." To call our current moment a "backlash" rather than a "failure" implies that the umbrella brand of unruliness was working, that it was liberating us, before it was not. This conclusion is not just Petersen's: a slew of other group studies conducted by feminist journalists interested in the unruly rubric in recent years support this claim. Among them are Sady Doyle's Trainwreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock, and Fear…and Why, and Rebecca Traister's All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation. As Petersen herself admits, "there have been unruly women for as long as there have been boundaries of what constitutes acceptable feminine behavior," so they have been around for two millennia, at least. And yet, while being "unruly" is as popular as ever, the political gains of the most radical periods in American history are being rolled back: government social programs of the 60s, Civil Rights-era voting protections, reproductive rights, public housing, healthcare. The world of Petersen's celebrities, in which women are "queens" and in charge of their bodies, safety, and futures, is, in Petersen's own words, "a constant reminder of the chasm between what we think we believe and how we actually behave." But this chasm is where Petersen's attention remains. The overdetermined analysis with which she dissects celebrity behaviors with the utmost gravity stretches the utility of words like radical, subversive, and activist until they hold everything, and mean nothing. For example, Kim Kardashian has said many times that she is not a feminist. (So we should probably listen to her—or does this actually make her a feminist, because she's telling her truth?) But Petersen describes Kardashian's choice to showcase her difficult pregnancy on her television show—in which she showcases every aspect of her life for money—as "work to make the labor of femininity visible." "An accidental activist is an activist nonetheless," Petersen claims. But is she? Has Kim Kardashian advocated publicly for paid maternity leave or better prenatal healthcare? Will her viewers be accidentally galvanized by the depiction of her pregnancy on television? How do these signals of unruliness in culture translate to a better quality of life for the "unruly women [who] surround us in our everyday lives"? And who are they, exactly? It's no wonder that we have a pantheon of rowdy, truth-telling, brash, sexy women who we can claim as our WCWs, but our love for them has failed us politically. If the pinnacle of unruliness is ultimately the consolidation of "power, stature, and attention," it cannot—logically, philosophically, syntactically—also be an ideology through which we achieve equality. The women in Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud are too much, of many things, yes, but one thing they are not is too poor, though they might have been once. This is the hard fact that Petersen's work, like others of its kind, leaves out: how race, gender identity, sexuality, age, and size are deeply enmeshed in the capitalism we've let run amok with our futures. And though it nods to this conclusion, the book also never truly reckons with how white women especially, who have dominated the feminist movement as it has moved into the mainstream, are implicated. How else could "unruliness" include, in Petersen's estimation, figures like Megyn Kelly and Marie Antoinette? When activism can be accidental, when unruliness can run the gamut from refusing to shoulder racist epithets at a tennis match all the way to joining a secret Facebook group, we lose sight of who is truly vulnerable, and what real unruliness would look like. It feels necessary to make the disclaimer that I recognize the impulse to try and reconcile politics with consumption, because I share it as a fellow consumer. While I wrote this piece, I listened to Katy Perry's song "Swish, Swish," which features Nicki Minaj and sounds a lot like her song "Truffle Butter." I know this because I like Nicki Minaj and listen to her, a lot. It is much easier to hang all of our subversive practices on culture—what we buy, wear, listen to, eat, and watch—than figure out what comes next after representation, what we might have to give up or love a little less in order to improve. "America feels unsafe for so many," Petersen writes. "Unruliness—in its many manifestations, small and large, in action, in representation, in language—feels more necessary than ever." This sentiment and the many conversations among mainstream feminists that share it feels like an attempt to hold onto an inadequate way of thinking about women and progress. It seems more likely that change will come from landing our attention elsewhere, putting our resistance eggs in different baskets. Virginia Woolf disavowed the term feminist for a few reasons, some of which were self-serving, but in Three Guineas, at least, she too sees a mode of equality that is defined only one, traditionally masculine way—"the right to earn a living"—and argues that it should be left behind. Addressing the men of England, she reasons, "it seems both wrong for us rationally and impossible for us emotionally to fill up your form and join your society. For by so doing we should merge our identity in yours; follow and repeat and score still deeper the old worn ruts in which society, like a gramophone whose needle has stuck, is grinding out with intolerable unanimity." I imagine her rewriting the last phrase for the here and now: "…like an iPhone whose home button is stuck, a feed perpetually scrolling with sameness."

2017-05-05

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China’s home-grown C919 passenger jet landed successfully in Shanghai after an 80-minute maiden flight on Friday, a major step for Beijing as it looks to boost its profile in the global aviation market. The narrow-body aircraft, which will compete with Boeing’s (BA.N) 737 and the Airbus (AIR.PA) A320, is a key symbol of China’s ambitions to muscle into a global jet market estimated to be worth $2 trillion over the next 20 years. (Graphic: Passenger jets compared - tmsnrt.rs/2onKgHf) Reporting by Jackie Cai, Adam Jourdan and Brenda Goh; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman

2016-06-16 00:00:00

This week’s issue of The Economist features an article on the economics of Broadway shows. Broadway is a risky business—just one in five shows make money, and far less academic research has been conducted on theatre's economics than on Hollywood's. Fortunately, there are rich data available on the industry. "Hamilton" looks set to become Broadway's best-selling show ever. Given publicly-available information, was there any way anyone could have foreseen its success? Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks. Data Our primary source of data is the Broadway League, the industry’s trade group. It publishes weekly revenue and attendance totals for every show on Broadway going back to 1984. It maintains the Internet Broadway Database, which contains additional information such as: whether a show is a play or a musical, whether it’s an original work or a revival, who its actors and producers are and how many Tony awards it has won. Finding data on critics’ reviews is slightly trickier. Unlike film, there is no Rotten Tomatoes for theatre, since critics do not assign numerical or letter grades. We used two different sources for our analysis. The first was DidHeLikeIt.com, a website which takes critics’ reviews and condenses them down into three categories: positive, neutral and negative. The other was Jeffrey Simonoff, a statistician at New York University. Three of his colleagues meticulously read reviews for hundreds of Broadway shows in the New York Times, the Daily News and USA Today, and assigned them favourability scores from one to five. In a paper published earlier this year, Mr Simonoff and his colleagues found that while shows that received positive reviews in USA Today and the Daily News tended to survive longer on Broadway, reviews in the New York Times has no statistically-significant effect. Musicals and plays often feature Hollywood celebrities to draw in crowds. To quantify the “star power” of a cast, we used figures from The Ulmer Scale, which measures the perception of actors′ “bankability” by assessing how easy it is to secure financing for a film starring them. Methodology Broadway has enjoyed a glorious 30-year run: the average production today collects five times what one did in 1985. That makes comparing shows' success across different eras difficult. To put them on an equal footing, for every week since June 1984, we calculated the average revenue per performance for all shows on Broadway, as well as the standard deviation of these sales, a measure of how spread out or tightly-bunched-together they are. We then counted each production’s number of standard deviations above or below the mean, a statistic called a “Z-score”. This represents how well each show did relative to its peers, after stripping out the context of the health of the industry as a whole. Another difficulty is that Broadway revenues are constrained by the number of seats available: even "Hamilton" can only sell about 11,000 tickets a week. Because producers are typically very reluctant to raise prices sharply, weekly revenues tend to face a fairly hard ceiling at their venue size times a maximum ticket value (currently around $200). As a result, the revenues of shows that operate near capacity tend to cluster fairly closely together, even if demand for some of them is far greater than others. In order to prevent theatres’ capacity limits from distorting our estimates, we split up our model into three segments. First, we predicted the probability that a show would sell out in any given week, defined as exceeding 95% of its maximum capacity. Next, we forecasted how much revenue (expressed as a Z-score) it would collect in the event it did sell out. Finally, we projected its gross if it failed to sell out. For the chances-of-selling-out model, we used a logistic regression, a statistical method that estimates a probability from zero to one based on any number of predictor variables. We weighted each show equally, so that a performance of a production that ran for just ten weeks counted ten times as much as a performance of a show that ran for 100 weeks. Perhaps unsurprisingly, we found that having well-known Hollywood actors, a small theatre, good reviews, Tony awards (particularly for plays), and big casts (particularly for musicals) tended to correlate to a better chance of selling out, and that Disney-backed shows did particularly well. Plays tended to have very short shelf lives of a year or two at most, while musicals could run almost forever. With this in hand, we moved to the (Z-scored) revenue regressions, conducted by ordinary least squares. Unsurprisingly, for sold-out shows, theatre size is by far the most potent variable: the bigger your venue, the more money you make if you sell out. But many of the factors that improve the chances of selling out also lead to higher revenue in the event of a sellout. A-list actors also yield additional pricing power—perhaps because they tend to perform during brief, limited runs. And although original works are less likely to sell out than revivals, reflecting their greater propensity to fail, they tend to command higher ticket prices. Combining these three equations into a single forecast is straightforward: the expected Z-score of revenue for a given show in a given week is simply equal to its sellout probability times its expected revenue in the case of sellout, plus the remaining probability times its expected revenue in the case of a non-sellout. But we still had to translate these projected Z-scores back into cold, hard cash. To accomplish this, we started by simply drawing a graph of average Broadway revenues per performance from 1984 to the present, to derive an annual growth rate. Next, we charted a time series of the coefficient of variation—the ratio of the standard deviation of revenue to the average of revenue—and found that it started a bit high in the mid-1980’s (when a revival of "The King and I" was Broadway’s only mega-hit) and then stabilised. We plotted a smooth line through this data, and used it to generate an expected yearly average and standard deviation. With annual baselines, we could then study the impact of week-to-week variation. We ran two final regressions, on the ratio of average revenue and standard deviation of revenue in each week to the same values for the year as a whole. We found that the Thanksgiving holiday provides a small boost to revenues and the Christmas season a big one, and that aside from that, revenues are highest in late summer (perhaps because school is out and/or tourism is up) and lowest in March. These relationships yielded a projected Broadway average and standard deviation for each week. From there, we simply multiplied the projected Z-score for each show-week by the projected standard deviation and added back the projected average, and the result was a final revenue forecast. Results The chart below compares our predictions for revenues versus the actual values, with each point representing the average for a single show. Any points above the trendline are, according to our model, overperformers, while any below the line are underperformers. If we were looking strictly at the difference between predicted earnings and actual, "Hamilton" is among the biggest outliers (though its outperformance looks far less impressive in percentage terms). However, our models look only at box-office receipts, and during the past year the producers of "Hamilton" have sold tickets at a fraction of their market value. Had they been more aggressive about raising prices to meet demand, "Hamilton" would probably have ranked light-years ahead of the competition.

2019-10-11 02:00:11

Faced with broken toilets, canceled shore visits and a lack of information, travelers on the Norwegian Spirit staged — and chronicled — a rebellion on the high seas. It is not clear if the rebellion was sparked by the clogged toilets or the canceled visit to Scotland, but passengers on the Norwegian Cruise Line ship had had enough. In recent days, travelers on the “mystical fjords” voyage in Europe staged (and live tweeted) a veritable mutiny after inclement weather forced repeated changes to their itinerary and trapped them at sea. The ship, called Norwegian Spirit, departed from Southampton, England, recently for a 14-day voyage with planned stops in the Netherlands, Norway and Iceland. But those plans were scuttled by bad weather, forcing the ship to plan new stops — some of which were then also canceled because of the weather. Passengers said they were stuck at sea for three days. By Monday, a fed-up — and social media-savvy — group of passengers rallied in the ship’s atrium to vent their outrage at the crew, demand a refund from the company and post images and video of their revolt on newly created Twitter and YouTube accounts. They described the scene as a “riot” and “open rebellion.” “Buddy, you’re not a manager, we want the head — who is driving the boat?” a passenger in one video asked a uniformed crew member, who stood flanked by security personnel in a crowd of angry vacationers. Nearby, a woman screamed. “What you’re doing right now is you’re not helping the situation, you’re getting people amped up,” the passenger said to the crew member. Later, looking into the camera, the passenger said: “Nothing on this itinerary is the same. Nothing is the same. Not one thing.” Passengers shared grim images of their trip on Twitter, including video and pictures of toilets that did not flush, a picture of a uniformed crew member in a scrum of angry passengers grabbing one of them by the wrist, and a receipt for a $79 tour of the ship that included a visit to the laundry room. “After three days floating around the Atlantic the bathrooms are backing up, not flushing, and out of order today on Norwegian Spirit,” one protester, Cody McNutt, wrote on a Twitter account he started to share updates from the protests. He said it “smelled like sewage in public areas on the ship.” “Many passengers got off the ship when it stopped after 3 days stuck floating the ocean, fearing for their safety and health,” he wrote. Another video showed crew members retreating up a staircase to escape dozens of angry passengers in the ship’s atrium, many of whom could be seen holding their phones over their heads to record the mayhem. The man being booed was the captain, the passengers said. “We don’t want to be on this ship!” one man yelled, as the crew members clambered up the stairs. Another man agreed, yelling, “We want off the ship!” In another video, passengers at a reception desk can be seen angrily reacting to staff members who advised them to call the cruise line’s Miami headquarters for information. Again, many of the passengers can be seen recording the scene with their phones. “It’s a good thing we got this fancy new phone here for our trip,” a woman quipped. A representative for Norwegian Cruise Line declined on Thursday to provide a day-by-day breakdown of events on the ship or to provide its original and modified itineraries. In a statement, the company pleaded for calm. “We understand that it is disheartening when we are unable to call on ports that our guests have been looking forward to visiting,” the company said. “However, we do ask for our guests’ patience, cooperation and understanding that severe weather conditions are an act of God and cannot be controlled, influenced or remediated by the cruise line.” A spokesman said that the itinerary was changed because of “severe weather conditions” and that the company had offered its passengers 25 percent off the cost of a future cruise. But on social media, the protesters said that offer was not enough. They held up signs in the ship’s atrium and chanted: “Refund! Refund! Refund!” The ship finally docked in Southampton early Friday, according to VesselFinder.com. Passengers disembarking the ship on Friday voiced their dismay, according to CBS News. “There’s a lot of people that are saying never again,” one passenger was quoted as saying. The ship was scheduled to travel the seas again and arrive on Saturday in Le Havre, France, more than 100 miles northwest of Paris, the site said, but whether that would happen was unclear. The cruise line did not immediately respond to questions about whether the ship’s plumbing and other problems would be addressed before it departs. Derrick Bryson Taylor contributed reporting.

2017-04-27 12:10:01

The Trump administration, with great fanfare, rolled out a new tax plan on Wednesday. It was neither particularly new nor truly a “plan,” at least not in the way that word is typically used in presidential politics. It actually tells us less about where Trump wants to take the tax code than his campaign plan did, which bodes poorly for anyone who hoped Trump was serious about a sweeping, pro-growth overhaul of the system. Americans went to the polls last November not knowing a lot of important details about Donald Trump’s promise to deliver what he said would be the largest tax cut in US history. They didn’t know how that plan would guard against a wave of tax-evasion by high earners, or how it keep from adding trillions of dollars to the national debt, or — and this seemed especially important — how it would avoid actually raising taxes on 25 million Americans. Seven months have passed. Trump’s team has had a lot of time to fill in those blanks, which it promised to during the campaign but never did. But somehow, the one-page outline for tax reform that administration officials released on Wednesday managed to include fewer details than his campaign plan. It answered none of those questions from the fall, and it raised several new ones. This is not how policymaking usually works — at least, not for policymakers who hope to pass actual laws. “We’re just in theatrics mode, even though there’s a chance to do something,” said Alan Cole, an economist at the conservative Tax Foundation, whose colleagues declared on Wednesday that the new Trump outline did not include enough details for them to complete a full economic analysis of it. Trump officials “still think of, how does stuff play on cable news?” Cole added. “They’ve built a culture that’s not ideologically predisposed to listening to someone who cares about little details. … It feels like we’re kind of in a perpetual campaign, and as a result, there’s no policy.” Cole, and many others like him, has high hopes for a truly bold tax reform bill — one that encourages growth, investment, and income gains across the economy. Many supply-side economists will tell you that to be effective, those reforms need to be permanent, and not set to expire after a few years, so that companies can invest and hire with confidence. This is the first of many, many rubs for the Trump plan. To cut taxes permanently in Washington, you either need to clear 60 votes in the Senate, or you need to clear 50, but not increase the deficit outside of a 10-year window. Trump appears to have done none of the outreach to Democrats that he would need to get 60 votes. That leaves the 50-vote route, via budget reconciliation, and the easiest way through it is designing a plan that Congress’s tax-scorers will deem revenue-neutral (when accounting for a boost to economic growth from the cuts). Trump is nowhere close to such a plan, going by the details he’s put forth. Doing some back-of-the-envelope math, Cole estimates he’s proposing around $2 trillion to $3 trillion in net tax cuts — rate cuts minus offsetting loophole closures. He thinks the plan might generate about $1 trillion in added revenues from growth. That would still leave Trump short. Again, this is a rough estimate, and if anything it’s optimistic — it comes from a think tank that typically projects much higher growth gains from tax cuts than its peers. Trump’s team could solve this, theoretically, by producing its own modeling showing massive growth effects from the plan. It could even persuade senators to adopt that model for the purposes of reconciliation. But — ugh, here it is again — you can’t model a plan without details. You need to estimate, for example, how many high-earning workers might suddenly file their taxes as a so-called “pass-through” business in order to take advantage of the administration’s proposed 15 percent tax rate for such businesses and drastically cut their tax bills. The Trump team says it will limit that practice — restrict the rate to actual businesses, not workers who can declare themselves LLCs — but it won’t say how, and so, it’s impossible to predict how successful that limitation might be, which matters a lot for tax revenues. “Their answer to that is, no, trust us, we’ll fix it,” said Harry Stein, the director of fiscal policy at the liberal Center for American Progress. Stein does not take that promise seriously. But, he said, “I do take (the plan) seriously as an intent to enact enormous tax cuts for wealthy people and big corporations.” This is another rub for Trump. His officials are selling the plan as a big boost to the middle class. But while the new outline is clear on its cuts for businesses, it does not specify the income thresholds for each of its three personal tax rates. It increases the standard deduction, though not by as much as Trump originally promised, and it eliminates most other deductions, but it also appears to eliminate some deductions that particularly benefit larger middle-class families with children. That combination is what led Lily Batchelder, a New York University professor and former Obama economic adviser, to calculate the effects on the middle class. She said that some 25 million low- or middle-income families could see their taxes go up under Trump’s campaign proposal. To which Trump’s team responded, no, they won’t — our plan will ensure it. Such assurances were nowhere to be found in the plan released on Wednesday. After its release, Batchelder said in an interview that “the changes announced today could have been written on a business card,” but by carrying over some assumptions from the campaign plan, she could roughly estimate its effects. “It appears to me that it’s worse for the middle class, and that more working families will face a tax increase,” she said. “I, or many tax nerds, could have fixed this in a matter of hours. I don’t think it’s a lack of staff. It’s a lack of will.” In call after call with economic experts on Wednesday afternoon, no matter their ideology or party affiliation, this was the constant question: Why didn’t the administration sweat more of the small stuff? Or even more of the big stuff? It appears “they didn’t put much thought into this, and then last week, Trump announced they were doing a plan,” said Stan Veuger, an economist at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. “It’s just not well done. I don’t know what else to say about it. It’s hard to tell what goal we’re working toward.” On Wednesday, administration officials stressed the time and preparation that had gone into the plan before they rolled it out. “This is quite an historic day for us, and one that we have been looking forward to for a long time,” said Gary Cohn, the head of the National Economic Council. “We’ve been working on this plan for a considerable amount of time,” said Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary. And yet, Mnuchin swatted away request after request from reporters during a White House briefing on the plan, saying the administration would tell Americans more once it had reached a deal with Congress. "You're going into very micro details here," he told a questioner at one point. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the administration took a similar tact on its effort to repeal and replace Obamacare. Trump never detailed his preferences on the issue publicly, failed to unify Republicans around a bill, and has seen the issue languish in the House. Tax reform was supposed to go more smoothly for him, in part, Americans were assured, because Trump knows and cares more about tax policy than he does about health care. That attitude should worry boosters of reform. There are lots of reasons why the country hasn’t seen a major tax reform effort pass Congress since 1986. Presidential indifference to tax policy isn’t one of them. Every president since then has campaigned on a tax plan and worked, at least at the margins, to change tax policy. True reform — and not temporary cuts, or tinkering around the edges of the code — requires that sort of deep knowledge from a president. It also requires attention to detail, in order to translate presidential priorities into real-world effects. It requires coalition building and public salesmanship. And it requires hard choices, angering some interest groups while pleasing others. Trump’s new plan reflects none of those traits. That is why, unless he fleshes it out and answers the hard questions, it seems likely to fail.

2017-10-11

Washington (CNN)Trump administration negotiators are bringing an aggressive position on trade to the North America Free Trade Agreement negotiating table, demanding several provisions that some worry will sink the deal and give President Donald Trump a reason to scrap the agreement entirely, business leaders and sources with knowledge of the proceedings tell CNN, With the fourth round of negotiations on NAFTA getting underway and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meeting Trump at the White House on Wednesday, sources say the Trump administration will propose tightening rules on the origins of car parts, push to implement a sunset provision on the deal and urge an end to the process used to resolve conflicts between nations and businesses. White House aides declined to confirm that these proposals were on the table, noting that negotiations are far from over, but representatives from the business community are worried that such demands will make it impossible for Mexico and Canada to agree to a revamped deal. If they walk away, sources say, the lack of an agreement could give Trump a reason to end the trade deal entirely. Tom Donohue, president of the US Chamber of Commerce, said on Tuesday in Mexico City that he worried about the "several poison pill proposals still on the table that could doom the entire deal." Negotiators led by United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Donohue said, have pushed for a sunset clause that would allow any country to terminate the deal after five years and tighten rules on where parts that eventually go into finished products can be purchased. The Chamber of Commerce, a reliably Republican organization, has vehemently opposed significant changes to NAFTA, leading a public campaign against any changes. That position puts the group at odds with the Republican President, setting up a showdown between the heavyweight political group and the White House. "All of these proposals," Donohue said in Mexico, "are unnecessary and unacceptable." Trudeau and Trump did not have a traditional press conference when the Canadian Prime Minister visits the White House on Wednesday. But the two did speak briefly with reporters before their formal meeting in the Oval Office, which Trump said would include a discussion about the trade deal. "If we cannot make a deal, it will be terminated and that will be fine," Trump said about NAFTA, nodding to his belief that the United States and Canada will look out for their best interests and help each other when they can. Trudeau also spoke about NAFTA during a meeting with members of the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday morning, telling reporters that while there may be small issues, the larger US-Canada relationship is what matters. "The relationship between Canada and the United State is unlike the relationship between any other countries anywhere in the world," Trudeau said. "Overall with the little challenges that come up, we will be able to talk through and work through, but the overall picture is what we can't lose sight of." NAFTA, implemented by former President Bill Clinton in 1994, has drawn considerable political ire in recent years because of working class job losses, many of which have been blamed on free trade. Trump pledged to end or renegotiate NAFTA during the 2016 campaign, using the plan to invigorate working class voters in Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. "Personally, I don't think we can make a deal because we have been so badly taken advantage of," Trump said in Arizona earlier this year. "I think we'll end up probably terminating NAFTA at some point." Trump, though, agreed not to immediately terminate the deal shortly after taking office and instead entered negotiations with Canada and Mexico. Ending NAFTA would be a "pretty big shock to the system," he said at the time, but warned that it still could happen. By demanding too much in negotiations, business leaders like Donohue think Trump will eventually get what he wants and be able to blame Mexico and Canada for walking away. Possible changes to NAFTA have worried even pro-Trump voters and groups. According to the American Farm Bureau, a group that is leading a campaign against NAFTA changes, agriculture exports have increased from $8.9 billion in 1993 to $38.1 billion in 2016 because of NAFTA. And some farmers who voted for Trump have publicly worried the man they voted for could hurt their business by toying with NAFTA. "Trade got a bad rap in the campaign," Bob Hemseath, an Iowa corn farmer, told CNN earlier this year. "Mexico is extremely important to my farm and to corn farmers in general because they are one of our top consumers of corn. It is very important to have access to the market." White House press secretary Sarah Sanders dodged questions about NAFTA on Tuesday. "The President wants to continue the conversation. But the President's ultimate goal is to make sure that we get the best deal for Americans as possible, and certainly for American workers," she said. "He's been clear that he doesn't think the current structure is a good one, and he wants a better deal."

2019-06-27 00:00:00

** Shares of healthcare co Syncona Ltd down 2.6% at 217 pence ** Co says agreed to sell its portfolio firm Blue Earth Diagnostics, where it held 89% stake, to Italian rival Bracco for an equity value of $450 mln ** Syncona says it will receive net proceeds of 337 mln pounds ($428.06 mln) for its holding, which represent an uplift of 69.8 mln pounds to Syncona’s holding value of 267.5 mln pounds ** Blue Earth Diagnostics expects to post $140 million revenue in the fiscal year to September 2019, mainly in the U.S. market ($1 = 0.7873 pounds) (Reporting by Justin George Varghese in Bengaluru)

2019-11-10 00:00:00

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that the whereabouts of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, missing since visiting Iran’s Kish Island in 2007, remain unknown, and it denied a report that Tehran had opened a criminal case against him. Levinson disappeared while on a trip to the island in the Persian Gulf. Iranian officials have repeatedly denied knowledge of his disappearance or of his whereabouts. “Levinson has a judicial case in our country as he is missing ... This is based on humanitarian issues,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said in remarks carried on state television. Mousavi was commenting on a Western media report that Iran had told the United Nations that Levinson was the subject of an ongoing criminal case. In 2016, during President Barack Obama’s administration, senior U.S. officials said they believed Levinson had died in captivity. But in January, a State Department spokesman said that was inaccurate and called on Iran to locate Levinson and return him home to his family. Tension between Iran and the United States has risen significantly since U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from an international nuclear deal with Tehran last year and reimposed U.S. sanctions that had been lifted after the 2015 accord. Several Americans have been detained in Iran in recent years, and Trump warned in 2017 that Tehran would face “new and serious consequences” unless all unjustly held U.S. citizens were freed. Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Hugh Lawson

2016-01-11 00:00:00

London (CNN)Pop star. Songwriter. Record producer. Multi-instrumentalist. Actor. Artist ... Legendary British art-rock icon David Bowie -- who has died aged 69 -- was all these and so much more. In a prolific career spanning more than four decades, Bowie amassed a huge catalog of music, his unrelenting evolution keeping him relevant to new generations of fans. As an actor, his career flourished from the late 1970s to the early 1980s -- and he worked with great directors including David Lynch, Martin Scorsese and Jim Henson. Latterly, he mainly acted in cameos -- not bad for a side career. In honor of a fallen star, here are some of Bowie's most memorable songs and film roles -- including his final haunting word in "Lazarus," released just a few weeks ago. BOWIE THE MUSIC SUPERSTAR 'Space Oddity' (1969) The first song to feature fictional astronaut Major Tom, released just weeks before the first Moon landing. Later songs included "Ashes to Ashes" and "Hallo Spaceboy." 'Ziggy Stardust' (1972) "Ziggy was my Martian messiah who twanged a guitar," Bowie once said of perhaps his most memorable alter ego, Ziggy Stardust -- who remains one of the enduring symbols of glam rock. The concept album that tells his story 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' was Bowie's breakthrough hit and is consistently ranked one of the greatest records of all time. 'Rebel Rebel' (1974) This was Bowie's last single in the glam rock style that had been his trademark with songs like "Ziggy Stardust" and "Jean Genie" -- and extravagant brightly colored skintight jumpsuits and neon orange mullet. 'Fame' (1975) This is the song that made Bowie huge in the U.S. -- reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September of 1975. His new friend, John Lennon, sings backing vocals. 'Heroes' (1977) Bowie said the song was inspired by a pair of lovers by the Berlin Wall. Years later, he admitted that the lovers in question were his producer Tony Visconti and his German girlfriend. He performed the song at the wall in 1987, two years before it fell. 'Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy' (1977) with Bing Crosby Bowie was noted for his collaborations, including with Queen and Mick Jagger. This bizarre duet with Bing Crosby was originally recorded for the crooner's TV special "Bing Crosby's Merrie Old Christmas." At the time Bowie said, "I hate this song. Is there something else I could sing?" according to one of the song's writers Ian Fraser. But it's since become a pop culture classic. 'Ashes to Ashes' (1980) The big reveal in this song is what happened to Bowie's legendary character Major Tom -- now a junkie, strung out and drifting to the stars. 'Let's Dance' (1983) Ever-changing, Bowie reinvents himself again three years after his New Romantic period, which included songs like "Ashes to Ashes." Much more upbeat that his previous work, "Let's Dance" was produced by Nile Rogers of the disco band Chic, who was responsible for its slick '80s vibe. 'Lazarus' (2015) The last song Bowie released, now a haunting final word from a man who knew he was dying. The line "Look up here, I'm in heaven," is among the poignant lyrics. Long-time friend and producer Tony Visconti said he turned his death into a work of art, describing his new album "Blackstar," released a few days ago, as "his parting gift." BOWIE ON SCREEN 'The Man who Fell to Earth' (1976) Nicolas Roeg Bowie's breakout film role saw him use his skeletal, androgynous appearance to unsettling effect as an alien who comes to Earth to get water for his dying planet. Director Nicolas Roeg's film is today considered a visionary classic of the sci-fi genre. 'Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence' (1983) Nagisa Oshima In a widely acclaimed performance, Bowie plays a rebellious POW in a Japanese prisoner of war camp in this WWII drama with homoerotic undertones. 'The Hunger' (1983) Tony Scott In this visually sumptuous, if rather self-conscious vampire drama, Bowie plays the lover of a centuries-old vamp. It was not a hit with many critics, and it has been called "agonizingly bad," and "ludicrous." Labyrinth (1986) Jim Henson For an entire generation, "Labyrinth" not Ziggy Stardust was their introduction to the appeal of David Bowie. As the androgynous Goblin King who was at once threatening and sexually alluring, Bowie added a dangerous, adult edge to this fantasy film filled with puppets. 'The Last Temptation of Christ' (1988) Martin Scorsese Originally another musician, Sting, was to play the role of Pontius Pilate in Scorsese's controversial but critically acclaimed drama about Jesus' struggle with temptation during his life. Bowie was cast after Sting turned the role down.

2018-12-23 00:00:00

DUBAI, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Bahrain’s annual growth in gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation, slowed in the third quarter of this year as both the oil and non-oil sectors lost momentum, the government’s statistics website showed on Sunday. GDP grew 1.6 percent from a year earlier in the third quarter, slowing from 2.5 percent in the second quarter. The oil sector shrank 1.5 percent in the third quarter, while the non-oil sector grew 2.4 percent. (Reporting by Andrew Torchia; Editing by Alison Williams)

2017-03-27 00:00:00

The latest trailer for Justice League came out this weekend, giving us our first good look at the upcoming DC Comics team-up. And like the first trailer, it looks pretty fun! But, despite a great showing from Jason Momoa living his Aquaman-by-way-of-Khal-Drogo life and a quip about how rich Batman is, something is noticeably missing: Henry Cavill’s Superman. This isn’t the first time Superman has been absent from a Justice League promotion. That first look footage from San Diego Comic-Con last year? Not even a hint of Kal-El. Teaser image from January? No Superman. New batch of posters that accompanied the new trailer? The Last Son of Krypton is nowhere to be found. In fact, Henry Cavill’s chiseled mug has only been seen in exactly two pieces of promotional materials related to Justice League: a piece of concept art from a January 2016 preview of the film, and a single photo of the entire team together from Comic-Con last July. Why? Because Superman is the film’s big twist. Yes, I think Superman will be a bad guy in Justice League. And I think I can prove it. Spoilers for Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Suicide Squad follow: First off, I would like to point out that not including Superman in the Justice League trailers is extremely weird. If we only saw Cyborg once or twice, or had only gotten a glimpse of Aquaman, that’d be strange, sure. But they’re not established characters in DC’s film universe in the same way Batman or Wonder Woman are. But this is Superman! He’s incredibly important to the entire Justice League conceit! Along with Batman and Wonder Woman, he is probably the most important member of the Justice League! Now, there is an obvious explanation, which is that Zack Snyder killed off Superman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Superman isn’t being shown off in the trailers because it would ruin the “surprise” of him not being dead in Justice League. I will counter that argument by saying that if Snyder was hoping to make this a surprise, he shouldn’t have: Therefore, Superman’s death and complete absence from anything we’ve seen in Justice League have to be taken as specific, intentional choices by Snyder to serve some narrative purpose. That leaves me with the conclusion that we haven’t seen Superman yet because he’s a villain. Shocker! This isn’t anything new, of course. The DC Extended Universe movies have been telling us that Superman is destined for a heel turn for basically the entirety of their existence. Man of Steel posits that Superman is capable of visiting untold destruction upon humanity. Batman v Superman’s central conflict is about whether or not that’s true, and what should be done about it. A Justice League where Superman finally does go bad would serve as a fitting cap to that arc. And it’d be downright poetic for Batman, who, after having spent an entire movie trying to murder Superman before he goes rogue, would now be forced to save him from being the very thing he always feared. It’s a thread that follows through in the larger DCEU, as well. The Suicide Squad’s entire raison d’être is as an answer to the question “What if Superman went bad?” and that film ends with Bruce Wayne promising Amanda Waller that next time, he and his friends (i.e., the Justice League) will handle it instead. But if these “subtle” hints aren’t quite enough, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice also has already shown us an evil Superman who rules over a parademon-infested Earth, just to hammer the point home. And then there’s the costume. Cavill released a teaser picture on his Instagram showing off a close-up of his costume from Justice League last August. The image shows what may be a black version of his iconic suit, although it’s equally possible that the photo might just be a stylistic filter. #Superman A post shared by Henry Cavill (@henrycavill) on Aug 15, 2016 at 11:58am PDT If the black suit is real, it could very well be Superman’s post-resurrection “solar suit” from the comics. Then again, it’s another point in favor of the theory that “dark version of supersuits” = “evil.” Assuming Superman is going to be evil in Justice League, a question remains: why? One can take the simple answer that Justice League is a big superhero team-up film, and if The Avengers, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Captain America: Civil War have taught us anything, it’s that we as audiences love to see our favorite characters fight. Heck, both Avengers movies feature “mind-controlled super-powerful hero is forced to fight the rest of the team as a means to come together” as their major second act conflict. At this point, it would almost be weird not to have the various members of the Justice League duke it out before uniting to face off against a mindless horde of enemies and a sky-beam. Plus, “Evil Superman” is already having a bit of a cultural moment thanks to the Injustice series and the upcoming Injustice 2 video game (set to release just months before Justice League) featuring a universe where Superman has taken over the Earth. Alternately, having watched Man of Steel’s character assassination on Superman, along with Batman v Superman’s literal assassination of him, it’s possible that Zack Snyder just doesn’t like Superman. (Remember how he had Superman’s pal Jimmy Olsen killed off in the extended edition of BvS in the name of “hav[ing] fun with him?”) Having Superman serve as a major villain to the Justice League — a group he’s a critical founding member of — would be like if Marvel ended Captain America: The First Avenger by revealing Steve Rodgers to secretly be a Nazi the Avengers would have to fight. It makes sense if you buy into Snyder not loving Superman’s boy scout image. But that’s just a bit of mostly baseless personal speculation. In short, Justice League will feature Superman as a bad guy, at least until the Justice League beats the stuffing out of him and turns him good again. (I, for one, am looking forward to seeing the delighted grin on Jason Momoa’s face when this happens, because if the trailer is anything to go by, I think he might be the only one having any fun here.) I look forward to being proved right about this when Justice League is released later this year on November 17th.

2020-03-20 00:00:00

March 20 (Reuters) - Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG: * DGAP-ADHOC: HAMBURGER HAFEN UND LOGISTIK AG: STRONG IMPACT OF CORONA VIRUS EXPECTED ON REVENUES AND EARNINGS * RELIABLE FORECAST FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN 2020 IS NOT POSSIBLE * ASSUMES IN ITS FORECAST FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 2020 THAT REVENUES AND OPERATING RESULT (EBIT) WILL STRONGLY FALL BELOW FIGURES ACHIEVED IN PREVIOUS YEAR * ASSUMES THAT HHLA’S LIQUIDITY WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO MEET ITS DUE PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS AT ALL TIMES, DESPITE PANDEMIC-INDUCED BURDENS * EXACT EXTENT TO WHICH PREVIOUS YEAR’S RESULTS WILL NOT BE ACHIEVED CANNOT BE RELIABLY ESTIMATED AT PRESENT Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Gdansk Newsroom)

2016-05-01 00:00:00

(Reuters) - The visiting Colorado Rapids moved into a three-way tie for top spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference after they twice battled back for a 2-2 draw with Didier Drogba’s Montreal Impact on Saturday. Rapids (5-2-2) defender Bobby Burling scored in the 73rd minute from close range off a header from Axel Sjoberg to tie up the game for good and extend Colorado’s unbeaten run to four games after three wins and a draw. Former Chelsea striker Drogba curved a free kick from outside the box in ninth minute to open the scoring, but Colorado’s Shkelzen Gashi converted a cross from Mekeil Williams in the 47th minute. Maxim Tissot restored Montreal’s one-goal lead with a long-range strike in the 50th minute. “Twice we were down and our team showed big character,” Gashi said. “We know what we can do and everyone wants to do what they can for the team. I believe in this team. We worked hard and we were rewarded.” The Rapids now are tied for first in the West along with FC Dallas (5-3-2) and Real Salt Lake (5-1-2). The Impact (4-3-2) remained top of the Eastern Conference. Elsewhere, Steven Mendoza scored in the 73rd minute in a 3-2 win for New York City FC (2-3-4) against the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps (3-5-2). Seattle Sounders (3-4-1) rookie striker Jordan Morris found a loose ball in close in the 88th minute in a 1-0 victory at home to the Columbus Crew (2-4-2). Carlos Rivas scored in the 90th minute to earn a 2-2 draw for visiting Orlando City (2-2-4) against the New England Revolution (1-2-7). Simon Dawkins of the San Jose Earthquakes (4-2-3) scored in the 83rd minute for a 1-1 draw on the road against the Philadelphia Union (4-3-1). Patrick Nyarko scored an equalizer the equalizer in the 64th minute to give D.C. United (2-3-4) a 1-1 draw at the Chicago Fire (1-2-4). Jordan Allen and Yura Movsisyan scored eight minutes apart midway through the second-half in Real Salt Lake’s 2-1 comeback win over the Houston Dynamo (1-5-2). Reporting by Tim Wharnsby, editing by Nick Mulvenney

2017-06-28

June 28 (Reuters) - Talkmed Group Ltd * Updates on inquiry conducted by Singapore Medical Council Disciplinary Tribunal * Ang Peng Tiam, Chief Executive Officer of company has been given an eight-month suspension by court of three judges * Suspension will begin on 25 July 2017 * “While verdict may have material impact on group’s earnings, board is confident that suspension will not have a major long-term effect on group” * During period of suspension, Ang will not be involved in patient care but will continue to lead group & develop other growth opportunities Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

2017-08-10 18:56:00

For a guy who says he's not running for president, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg acts an awful lot like someone who might run for president, or at least pivot to politics. At the beginning of 2017, the 33-year-old tech billionaire announced he was embarking on a cross-country quest to better know the so-called real, non-billionaire Americans who use the monster of a social network he birthed. In December, he renounced his atheism, writing on his Facebook page, "I was raised Jewish and then I went through a period where I questioned things, but now I believe religion is very important." And Zuck's recent hires at his nonprofit, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative—former Clinton pollster and one-time Obama adviser Joel Benenson, former Obama aide David Plouffe, and George W. Bush's 2004 campaign manager Ken Mehlman—suggest political aspirations. Not too long ago, the idea of a rich guy with zero political experience and an, um, unpolished style—have you seen him talk on Facebook Live?—gearing up for a national campaign would have been laughable. But after Donald Trump, anything seems possible. If and when Zuckerberg decides to run, he'll face one big obstacle: No one really wants him to. Leftists are wary of tech oligarchs, the right doesn't like California liberals, and it's not clear what his natural constituency would be or what his political beliefs even are. Even members of the "Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Fans" group on Facebook weren't too excited by the prospect: "Someone Please Stop Mark Zuckerberg From Running for Office," a recent Observer op-ed begged. When I put out a public request looking for people who would vote for Zuck, InfoWars' Paul Joseph Watson snarked, "Do I get free Kool-Aid?" Another person asked, "Are you going to place them in 24-hour mental health holds?" My call for Zuck fans was retweeted by alt-right superstar Mike Cernovich, which invited a flood of trolls into my inbox sending along excerpts of the Unabomber manifesto. One correspondent ironically called the Facebook founder "the very model of American excellence and Jewish ingenuity," opining, "He can reduce the human condition to raw data... So get used it, Mark Zuckerberg 2020, and when he combined us mortals with technology, supplying us with all the dopamine we need, we'll be calling him POTUS for eternity." I also got anti-Zuck memes like this gem: But there are a few people out there enthusiastic about a Mark Zuckerberg presidency. Wade Chapman, a 17-year-old from Alabama who once volunteered for Bernie Sanders, told me he actually met Zuck on his cross-country tour, when Chapman was out to lunch with his dad. "He just starts walking to every table introducing himself," Chapman told me. "Being involved with politics, I knew what he was doing so I asked him a question about small businesses and his thoughts on how to make them thrive. His answer was more moderate than I expected." Zuckerberg's nascent hypothetical candidacy has also been imagined in more elite circles. Last year, Jim VandeHei, the co-founder of Politico who is now the CEO of Axios, penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, where he wrote that America needs an outsider to lead the country, but it shouldn't be Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders: But who would actually vote for this Innovation Party? I found six other people who are down for a Zuck presidency and asked them, literally why? VICE: Have you always liked Mark Zuckerberg?Debbie Saslaw: No. But the older I get, the more I identify with him: My knee-jerk reaction is to resist any and all authority. I have a short fuse, and often come across as curt, aggressive, or emotionally despondent—I think Trump is the same way. We're disruptors, and while I dislike most/any/all of Trump's policies, I respect his unyielding resolve, and the fact that he's not hiring 20 different community managers to growth-hack his Twitter account... [Zuckerberg] understands web culture and the power of transparency. What do you make of Zuck's cross-country trip?It's noble of him to acknowledge the bubble he helped create, and while I don't think he's doing us any favors (and by "us" I mean the rest of the "coastal elite"), I truly think the election was Zuck's "come to Jesus" moment... I feel like Zuckerberg used to be a punk who now has a big company and a lot of responsibility, and he's grappling with his own lack of moral fortitude. Since there's little to go off of, what do you know about Mark Zuckerberg's political beliefs? What policies do you imagine he'd champion?If Mark can figure out a way to help people of all ages monetize their talents (YouTube/Google/Adsense has done a pretty solid job with this, as well as tools like Patreon, Kickstarter, Etsy, etc...), I'd vote for him in a heartbeat... His Harvard speech was a pretty good preview of what his platform might look like. Yes, he's still corporate huckster, but it reads more Bernie than Trump. Are you concerned that the qualities Zuckerberg shares with Trump—a billionaire without political experience—might make him a less than ideal candidate?My main concern with both Zuckerberg and Trump is the fact that they want to run this country like a business. I'd like to think Mark Zuckerberg is more humane, but there was that whole thing about him building a wall in Hawaii, etc. If you had to decide a slogan for Mark Zuckerberg's 2020 campaign, what would you go with? And who would you choose as VP? I'm sure I'm not the first to suggest "I'm President, Bitch." I have a long-running joke about the Dwayne Johnson/Zuckerberg 2024 bid. Is that even a joke, though? VICE: What do you make of Zuck's cross-country trip?Skylar Baker-Jordan: It's quite obviously a farce; it's political theater. But the thing about political theater is we know it works. Donald Trump was as far removed from middle America as you can be, and yet through the media circus that ensued managed to tap into a very real anger and resentment toward the chattering classes that few politicians have been able to exploit. It works, and it's smart. Does it mean I think Zuckerberg is a man of the people? Not really. No more than Donald Trump was, and less so than Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders were. But if we're being realistic here, it's a necessary, if cynical, step. Zuckerberg is going to have to show he's in touch with middle America, and that might mean milking cows in Wisconsin or hunting in Montana. It's all for show, but these images matter—whether we want them to or not. Why do you think Mark Zuckerberg would make a good politician? Why do you like him?I don't know if Mark Zuckerberg will make a good politician... I do like him, though. He's not like Donald Trump, who inherited his wealth, built one tower, and then went bankrupt and leveraged his celebrity to build essentially a marketing business. Mark Zuckerberg is a visionary. Contrast this with Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump, both who look backward at what America was in the 1960s and 1970s. Mark isn't doing that. He's looking ahead, realizing the jobs of the past—like the factory job my grandpa retired from at 50—aren't coming back, but that there are other jobs to be created and American talent to take them on... Couple this with Zuckerberg's overtures to the LGBT community—he's always been an ally. What do you know about Mark Zuckerberg's political beliefs? What policies do you imagine he'd champion?I think he would champion a more inclusive America. I think he'd look to further open, not close, our borders... Economically, I think he'd tell us some hard truths. Factory jobs aren't coming back... Instead, Zuckerberg will be focused on the economy of the future—service, yes, but also technology, science, engineering, and education. If anything, he could promote the manufacturing and assembly of electronic and technological components in the United States. How does Mark Zuckerberg's status as a billionaire factor into your support of him? Not at all. If Batman teaches us anything, it's that not all rich people are dicks. VICE: Why do you think Mark Zuckerberg would make a good politician? Why do you like him? Robert Miller: The left is doing some soul searching after losing pretty much everything for years now. Democrats don't have a message, and personally I think that there is a phenomenal opportunity for tech/Silicon Valley to be a part of that message. Run on the promise of building a better future with technology. Of curing cancer, building flying and driverless cars, going to Mars, fighting climate change, you name it. A positive message of a better future. Zuck could be the person to shepherd this in. I don't think he's the best person for the job, but he works, and I believe in the message enough that I think he could win in 2020 with it. Do you think Zuck is electable?Trump changed the rules of the game and society seems so volatile that I could absolutely see Zuckerberg being elected. If you had to decide a slogan for Mark Zuckerberg's 2020 campaign, what would you go with? And who would you choose as VP? "A Better Future" and [California senator] Kamala Harris. VICE: Why do you think Mark Zuckerberg would make a good politician? Why do you like him? Sandra M.: When I look at the politicians in Washington, DC, currently... I don't see a lot of people who see digitally first... The chance that Zuckerberg could take his forward-thinking business ideas and learn more about the populations in America that include people like my mom or grandma is exciting. What policies do you imagine he'd champion?I don't know what he believes politically. I can say that he has "potentially" an open mind simply because he has married outside of his race, backed down off of his Hawaii land controversy, and recently changed the mission statement of Facebook. Do you think Mark Zuckerberg is electable?Did I ever believe my grandmother would be on Facebook in her 80s? No, but did I think Donald Trump would be elected? No! It is important to believe anything is possible. Are you concerned that the qualities Zuckerberg shares with Trump—a billionaire without political experience—might make him a less than ideal candidate?The difference is that when I hear Zuckerberg speak, I don't think that he is speaking at a fourth-grade level like Trump. I believe he earned his place in Harvard. I believe he would surround himself with advisers on areas foreign to him and would be thoughtful about the American people instead of having disdain for our institutions like Trump. VICE: What do you make of Zuck's cross-country trip?Carlos Guzman: I think it's the same as when rich students go to Africa and snap selfies with people who live in poor villages, all for show... Once you reach a certain level of wealth, you are so far away from the problems of average people it's impossible for you to relate to them. I don't think any of this stems from Mark being genuinely worried or interested in the well-being of common Americans. Why do you think Mark Zuckerberg would make a good politician? Why do you like him?He's an outsider... he's young, [and] he understands a language that has so far been overlooked by most if not all politicians in recent elections across the world: technology. Technological advances like artificial intelligence and genetic alterations are looming on the horizon, and this knowledge has the potential to really destroy us if we don't overcome this technological infancy that we currently find ourselves in a post-Trump era. None of these things are really understood by Congress or other politicians... Having a president who understands this will facilitate the creation of necessary policies for the US to lead the effort to consolidate global boundaries in what could be very harmful tech. If you had to decide a slogan for Mark Zuckerberg's 2020 campaign, what would you go with? And who would you choose as VP? "America and all your friends like this." A good VP would probably be [former New York City mayor Michael] Bloomberg. VICE: Why do you like Mark Zuckerberg? Wesley Taylor: I have always thought Mark Zuckerberg was an impressive guy. Sure, he may not be loquacious, but seizing the zeitgeist and creating something like Facebook is much more impressive than having a high verbal IQ. Why do you think he would make a good politician? I don't know a lot about Zuckerberg's political beliefs. I know he donated to Obama, publicly signaled against Donald Trump, and recently hired Clinton pollsters, so I think it's fair to say he's on the left. He recently championed universal basic income in his speech at Harvard, so I imagine he would champion something like that as a politician. I think policies like Universal Basic Income are the bold proposals that have to come from outside of political parties and have to be championed by people outside of mainstream political parties. I would like someone like Peter Thiel to be part of the Zuckerberg team, but Thiel is an immigrant, so someone like Sheryl Sandberg might make a decent choice. It's hard to say this far out. Do you think Mark Zuckerberg is electable?Yes... Even though he has a lot of negatives—short, un-charismatic, bad public image—I think the American people will be so anti-Republican after four years of Trump that Zuckerberg will be electable, simply because he could run as the anti-Trump. Why do you think so many people hate the idea of Mark Zuckerberg being president?They probably troll him because of his nerdy aesthetic or maybe they view his persona as trying too hard to get people to like him, and there's nothing more uncool than that. (In The Social Network, his entire motivation [for creating Facebook] is to get a girlfriend and become more popular.) VICE: Why do you think Mark Zuckerberg would make a good politician? Why do you like him?Ari Notis: He's called for a universal basic income, believes in investing significant capital into developing technical skills in workers, and—at least on paper—seems to genuinely care about people. Say what you will, but no matter the potential cynical motivations, he's donated billions to those in need. (Hey, at least he tried with his Newark Public Schools donation!) Also, honestly? As a Jewish person, I'd love to see a Jew sit behind the Resolute Desk. Are you concerned that the qualities Zuckerberg shares with Trump—a billionaire without political experience—might make him a less than ideal candidate?Zuck has surrounded himself with Obama and Clinton brass, and he has a proven track record of listening to people that know more than him. (See: Sean Parker telling him to turn down the at-the-time Yahoo's outrageous offer [to buy Facebook for $1 billion in 2006.] If you had to decide a slogan for Mark Zuckerberg's 2020 campaign, what would you go with? And who would you choose as VP?Something like, "Connecting America," or, "America's Social Network," or "Bringing the Country Face to Face... book." Kamala Harris for VP. Follow Eve Peyser on Twitter.

2018-09-21 00:00:00

Although we're positive we'll never run out of rad eyeshadow palettes to play with or new lipsticks to test, we do know that the beauty trends on our radar aren't necessarily as traditional as they've been in the past. Case in point: Our beauty team is currently obsessed with tattoos, specifically those of the minimal nature. Tats come in every shape, size, and color — and have been around for thousands of years — yet our Instagram feed somehow shows us new and inspiring options every single day. From teeny tiny designs on the wrist to bold-lined fruit baskets on an ankle, there seems to be no end to the creativity behind this form of expression. And with the fall season in the air, we're prepared to finally pull the trigger on the designs we've been eyeing all summer. Need a little inspiration of your own? Check out our editors' top picks, ahead.

2017-04-26

In a surprise TED talk address Tuesday, Pope Francis advised those who had power to act humbly, while appealing for society to not leave individuals behind as the scientific and technological age advances. "Allow me to say it loud and clear: the more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly," said Pope Francis in a recorded broadcast to an audience in Vancouver. "If you don't, your power will ruin you, and you will ruin the other." Speaking Italian in a video with subtitles for the TED2017 Conference which had the theme "The Future You"; the pontiff was highlighting the importance of tenderness and how it shouldn't be seen as a weakness but rather a path of choice for "the strongest, most courageous men and women". TED Conferences are held across the world and videos are posted online for free distribution, under the slogan "ideas worth spreading". Pope Francis emphasized the importance of solidarity among individuals, groups and countries during the 18-minute talk; urging society to overcome the "culture of waste" and not forget others as technology evolves. "How wonderful would it be if the growth of scientific and technological innovation would come along with more equality and social inclusion," the Pope said in the recording, filmed in Vatican City. "Only by educating people to a true solidarity will we be able to overcome the 'culture of waste,' which doesn't concern only food and goods but, first and foremost, the people who are cast aside by our techno-economic systems which, without even realizing it, are now putting products at their core, instead of people." The religious leader went on to highlight this importance of unity and compassion, by retelling and referencing the Good Samaritan parable, saying that the story of the Good Samaritan was "the story of today's humanity", whereby people's paths have been riddled with suffering, as "everything is centered around money, and things, instead of people". However, the Pope went on to add that despite the "darkness of today's conflicts", people had the capability to react against evil and that each and every individual could "become a bright candle". During the speech, the religious leader put forward three messages about needing one another, technology's relationship to social inclusion, and the "revolution of tenderness"; choosing to end the speech on a note about unity and what may lie ahead for humanity. "The future of humankind isn't exclusively in the hands of politicians, of great leaders, of big companies," the Pope said in his concluding remarks. "Yes, they do hold an enormous responsibility. But the future is, most of all, in the hands of those people who recognize the other as a 'you' and themselves as part of an 'us'. We all need each other." Other leading figures who are expected to be delivering speeches during the five-day conference, which began on Monday, include athlete Serena Williams, World Bank Group president Jim Yong Kim, and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. According to Reuters, since TED Talk lectures were uploaded online in 2006, these discussions have been viewed collectively more than 4.6 billion times.

2018-05-16 00:00:00

Over the last seven days, 21% of the time I've spent on my iPhone has been spent on Instagram. I devoted five-and-half hours to scrolling through my feed, mindlessly tapping through Stories, and watching yellow labrador puppies roll around in the mud on Explore. This amounts to more time than I've spent checking email, listening to music, texting, and Tweeting — combined. I found out about this because I looked at the breakdown of my iPhone's battery usage (Settings > Battery). Soon, though, I'll see it directly within Instagram, via a "Usage Insights" feature. TechCrunch revealed the news yesterday, and Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom confirmed it with a tweet, and short explanation: Systrom's mention of personal responsibility is similar to the language Mark Zuckerberg has used when discussing Cambridge Analytica. Facebook owns Instagram, so this resemblance is not totally surprising. However, the references to ensuring time spent is "positive and intentional" go far beyond Facebook's talking points and are more reflective of the user wellbeing trend that's sweeping the tech industry as a whole. The digital detoxes you've read about in vacation planning articles and mindfulness guides are now being encouraged by the very companies that made them necessary in the first place. Just last week, Google executives promoted "JOMO" (the joy of missing out) and debuted new features meant to limit your time spent online. These include an app timer and a new tool called "shush", which automatically turns on "do not disturb" when you put your phone facedown, silencing any incoming calls, texts, and push notifications. Facebook has been on its own kind of user health campaign since a former executive's disparaging remarks in December, followed by the Cambridge Analytica scandal. This focus on decreasing time spent online — or ensuring the only time you do spend is intentional — is somewhat counterintuitive. In the past, the formula for business success in Silicon Valley relied heavily on time: Get people using your product, and make sure they're using it a lot, whether it's an app or a physical piece of hardware. Time translates to ad dollars, helping combat the lucrative TV market. Since 2014, the time spent on mobile — and social media advertising budgets — have steadily risen, as the time spent watching TV has fallen, though it still comes out on top. While worries about tech's control of our data are just beginning, the health impact has been targeted as cause for concern far longer. Numerous studies warn about the dangers of growing up on screens, and "much of this was driven by how successful and sticky mobile devices and social media apps have been," Evan Asano, the CEO of social media agency MediaKix, told Refinery29. MediaKix predicts that over a lifetime, people will spend about five years and four months on social media — and that's an underestimate. It will likely be decades before we understand how that pans out from a health perspective for a generation of digital natives. This lack of insight makes the upcoming introduction of a "time spent" feature on Instagram tricky. "There's not a benchmark or hardline as to what is a healthy amount of time to spend on devices and social media and when it starts to become detrimental," Asano said. "Without that, people can't know that they should be spending less time on it." To be fair, Systrom said the upcoming tool is meant to ensure time spent is "positive and intentional" — not that you spend less of it overall. Still, that raises questions of how we define "intentional" on social media in the first place. If you start watching a Story and end up clicking through five more people's posts than you originally planned, does that count as unintentional? It's hard to know. Instagram's play at user wellness is likely tied to another trend in tech right now: user loyalty. But at the end of the day, the responsibility falls not just on Instagram, Facebook, and Google, but on users as well. It goes back to the basics of self control — only we can set the parameters for what we do and how long we do it. Instagram is probably not going to have an option that kicks you off the app for staying on too long (can you imagine the user lash back that would cause?), so you're going to have to decide for yourself, how much is too much? Unfortunately, that's not an easy question to answer.

2016-02-21 20:00:00

Tornadoes, President Trump, world peace, the return of Freaks and Geeks… it's hard to predict what fates will befall us in 2016. But The Creators Project has a few ideas about which trends will take the world by storm this year. From tattoo artists becoming super-famous on social media to video game players getting featured on ESPN, these are our bold predictions for the year to come. Thanks to Instagram it's easier than ever for artists to get their work seen by the masses. Perhaps most adept at capitalizing on this opportunity are tattoo artists, who use social media to show off their needling skills and become celebrities in their own right. From offbeat artists like stoner-friendly Seanfromtexas and macabre Cris Cleen, to abstract expressionists like Amanda Wachob and Gene Coffey, to minimalists like stick n' poke impresario Rachel Howe and Curtis Montgomery, who's infamous for his raunchy work, these tattoo artists turn likes and follows into a powerful personal brand. Keep an eye on the world of celebrity tattoo artists, as 2016 seems primed to be the year this trend goes global. Americans are more tattoo-friendly than ever, having spent around $1.65 billion dollars on ink in 2015. Prepare to see a sharp uptick in celeb tatters as more artists find an outlet for their work and can express their individual styles through Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The past decade saw the rise of news satire as a primary, viable source of news and information. As programs like The Daily Show, Last Week Tonight, and The Nightly Show grew in popularity, the general public became comfortable with "fake news" allowing sites like The Onion to explode in readership. So it should come as no surprise that the populous has reached the next level of meta-commentary. As everyone consumes gallons of clickbait from sites like Buzzfeed, another form of satire now has room to grow. Enter "fake clickbait"—especially ClickHole, from the minds behind The Onion—as a new form of acerbic social commentary. 2016 looks like the perfect storm for this trend, as a growing savviness from fake 'bait creators coincide with a public quickly losing its taste for traditional, attention-grabbing clickbait. Want to make your own fake clickbait? Try out this clickbait headline generator. Somewhere in between the full immersion of virtual reality (which is also set to blast off in 2016 with the commercial release of the Oculus Rift) and the natural world around you lies augmented reality. With the aid of a screen and the right apps, augmented reality inserts images into the real world around you. AR has wide-ranging applications, from helping archaeologists recreate and re-experience an ancient site, to creating interactive mobile gaming, and even bringing a new dimension of life to invisible galleries and the work of fine artists like Austin Lee. Don't let the death of Google Glass mislead you, augmented reality is primed to explode among a public that wants virtual reality, but can't afford the high cost of early VR hardware. "...if any one of you want to make me ANY perfect fake of ANY work of art - step up. I pay like $155.00." So declared Jerry Saltz in an Instagram post explaining his recent purchase of a fake Wade Guyton piece. The lines between originality, plagiarism, cultural critique, and mass-produced art have always been a little blurry, but 2016 could well be the year of the inspired, professional art copier. Look to Stanley Casselman's Inhaling Richter Moments series as proof of just how good a "copy" can look. Is this unscrupulous, or speaking to a larger movement or shared ideas and themes? Either way, keep an eye out for a boom in pro copies this year. Related: A Visual Dictionary of 2015's Art Trends Trust Tattoos? Here's What Happened When an Artist Had Total Control Sculptures Come to Life in an Augmented Reality Art Gallery

2019-12-17 00:00:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose more than 1% on Tuesday, supported by hopes the U.S.-China trade deal will bolster oil demand in 2020 after a prolonged dispute between the world’s two largest economies dented global market sentiment. The Phase 1 agreement between the United States and China has been “absolutely completed,” Larry Kudlow, a top White House adviser, said on Monday, predicting U.S. exports to China will double under the deal. Brent crude LCOc1 futures gained 76 cents, or 1.2%, to settle at $66.10 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 futures rose 73 cents, or 1.2%, to settle at $60.94 a barrel. The Phase 1 agreement does not mean tensions are going to fully dissipate anytime soon, Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan said on Tuesday. “Phase 1 is better than not having a Phase 1 but it doesn’t mean there won’t still be trade uncertainty,” Kaplan said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. “I think the trade issues with China are going to go on for...years.” The prolonged trade dispute has dampened oil demand and weighed on prices. Banks including JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs have revised up their 2020 price forecasts in the wake of the improving trade outlook and a new OPEC-led agreement to curb output. The Organization of the Petroleum of Exporting Countries and allies such as Russia - a group known as OPEC+ - will make a further oil supply cut of 500,000 barrels per day from Jan. 1 to support the market. This comes on top of the existing deal to trim supply by 1.2 million bpd that came into effect on Jan. 1 this year. “The combination of the increased risk appetite and larger-than-expected OPEC+ production cuts could keep speculative capital flowing into the long side for a few more sessions in limiting downside price swings,” Jim Ritterbusch, president of trading advisory firm Ritterbusch and Associates, said in a note. U.S. crude inventories rose by 4.7 million barrels in the week to Dec. 13 to 452 million, data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed late on Tuesday. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a draw of 1.3 million barrels. Prices pared gains slightly in post-settlement trade after the data was released. Official government data on stockpiles is due on Wednesday. Additional reporting by Alex Lawler in London and Jessica Jaganathan in Singapore; editing by Louise Heavens, David Evans and David Gregorio

2017-10-30

The White House on Monday said it had no plans to dismiss special counsel Robert Mueller after he delivered the first indictments in his investigation of Russia’s meddling in last year’s election that has shadowed the first year of Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump pushes back on recent polling data, says internal numbers are 'strongest we've had so far' Illinois state lawmaker apologizes for photos depicting mock assassination of Trump Scaramucci assembling team of former Cabinet members to speak out against Trump MORE’s presidency. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the charges brought against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and two other ex-aides have “nothing to do with the president,” adding that most of the alleged crimes took place before the 2016 campaign. Echoing the president, Huckabee also deflected attention to Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonTop Sanders adviser: Warren isn't competing for 'same pool of voters' Anti-Trump vets join Steyer group in pressing Democrats to impeach Trump Republicans plot comeback in New Jersey MORE’s losing campaign and Democrats’ funding of opposition research that produced a dossier of explosive accusations about Trump’s ties to Moscow, arguing that was where the focus should be. “The real collusion scandal, as we've said several times before, has everything to do with the Clinton campaign,” Sanders said. While it hit Clinton, the White House did not criticize Mueller, even as a few voices on the right wing, including the Wall Street Journal editorial board, have called for him to be fired or resign over the Trump dossier. Sanders sought to downplay the possibility that Trump will take any drastic measures in order to end the special counsel investigation, though she also declined to rule them out. “There is no intention or plan to make any changes in regards to the special counsel,” Sanders said when asked if Trump is considering firing Mueller. She stopped short of taking presidential pardons for Manafort and Richard Gates, a second Trump official indicted on Monday, off the table, saying, “I think we should let the process play through before we start looking at those steps.” Democrats on Capitol Hill voiced heightened concerns Monday that Trump will ax Mueller, who was tapped to lead the Russia probe after the president fired James Comey as FBI director. “The president must not under any circumstances in any way interfere with the special counsel's work. If he does, Congress must respond swiftly, unequivocally and in a bipartisan way to ensure that the investigation continues," Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerLewandowski on potential NH Senate run: If I run, 'I'm going to win' Appropriators warn White House against clawing back foreign aid Colorado candidates vying to take on Gardner warn Hickenlooper they won't back down MORE (D-N.Y.) said on the Senate floor. House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey GowdyHarold (Trey) Watson GowdyRising star Ratcliffe faces battle to become Trump's intel chief Cummings announces expansion of Oversight panel's White House personal email probe, citing stonewalling Pelosi says it's up to GOP to address sexual assault allegation against Trump MORE (S.C.), an influential House Republican, said Sunday that colleagues should curb their criticism of the special counsel.   “I would encourage my Republican friends, give the guy a chance to do his job,” he said Sunday on Fox News. “The result will be known by the facts, by what he uncovers.” Gowdy also criticized leaks related to the indictments, an increasing concern for Republicans. News that an indictment was coming on Monday leaked out to CNN on Friday. Some Republicans fear the charges could stymie this week’s planned rollout of their long-awaited tax plan and overshadow Trump’s first presidential visit to Asia — not to mention the existential concerns hanging over the Trump administration. For now, White House allies are taking solace in the fact that the indictment of Manafort and Gates stemmed from their work on behalf of a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine — and not the Trump campaign. Sanders’s press briefing was dominated by questions about the Manafort and Gates indictments, as well as a guilty plea from 30-year-old former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos, who admitted to making false statements to the FBI about his talks with Russians. It is possible that Papadopoulos could offer testimony to investigators that could be used against other campaign officials. Sanders downplayed Papadopoulos’s role on the campaign, calling him a “volunteer” who served on an advisory committee that met just one time. The aide said he was in touch with a Russian academic in April 2016 who promised “dirt” on Clinton based on the contents of her emails, months before the Russian hack of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta’s emails became public. Sanders did not say when Trump first became aware of the emails. Papadopoulos also tried to arrange a meeting between campaign officials and Kremlin representatives. A high-ranking campaign official encouraged Papadopoulos to meet with the academic in Russia to find out more “if feasible,” according to a court document unsealed Monday. But Sanders appeared to contradict that claim, saying “any actions that he took would have been on his own.” When pressed on the conversation detailed in the court document, Sanders replied that she was “not aware of that conversation, so I can't speak to that.” Trump and his advisers have repeatedly attempted to distance the president from Manafort, who led his campaign between May and August 2016. Media outlets have reported on allegations of Manafort’s corrupt financial practices for well over a year, raising questions about Trump’s decision to hire him. In his only public response to the charges, Trump tweeted earlier Monday they were the result of actions taken “years ago, before Paul Manafort was part of the Trump campaign.” But Monday’s indictments have undercut that claim. Court documents said Manafort was charged for actions that began around 2006 and continued through the 2016 campaign. Sanders said Trump’s “last known conversion” with Manafort happened in February. She declined to say if Trump regretted choosing him to lead his campaign. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.