| US sends naval strike group as tensions rise with Iran Posted: 11 May 2019 01:34 AM PDT  The United States is deploying an amphibious assault ship and a Patriot missile battery to bolster an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers already sent to the Gulf, ratcheting up pressure Saturday on archfoe Iran. In response to alleged threats from Iran, the USS Arlington, which transports marines, amphibious vehicles, conventional landing craft and rotary aircraft, and the Patriot air defence system will join the Abraham Lincoln carrier group, the Pentagon announced Friday. The carrier and a B-52 bomber task force were ordered towards the Gulf, as Washington reiterated that intelligence reports suggested Iran was planning some sort of attack in the region.
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| Houthi rebels claim to begin withdrawal from key Yemen ports Posted: 11 May 2019 12:21 PM PDT  SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saturday began a long-delayed withdrawal of forces from the port facility in the key city of Hodeida, the group said, following the terms of a December cease-fire aimed at alleviating the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The government described the Houthi claim as a "farce."
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| U.S. states sue Teva, 19 other drug companies in price-fixing complaint Posted: 11 May 2019 06:46 AM PDT ![U.S. states sue Teva, 19 other drug companies in price-fixing complaint]( "U.S. states sue Teva, 19 other drug companies in price-fixing complaint") Forty-four U.S. states have filed a lawsuit accusing 20 drug companies including Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc of a sweeping scheme to inflate drug prices and stifle competition for more than 100 generic drugs, state prosecutors said on Saturday. The complaint, filed on Friday in the U.S. District Court in Connecticut, said the drug companies engaged in "numerous illegal conspiracies in order to unreasonably restrain trade, artificially inflate and manipulate prices and reduce competition," according to state attorneys general. Representatives of Teva and Sandoz, another company named in the lawsuit, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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| Police: Explosion and fire at Virginia gas station leaves three people dead Posted: 11 May 2019 04:47 PM PDT  Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause and origin of the explosion.
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| Detention cells at Mexico border so overcrowded US authorities resort to moving migrants by plane Posted: 11 May 2019 08:11 AM PDT  Overcrowding at Border Patrol stations in South Texas has become so acute in recent days that US authorities have taken the rare step of using aircraft to relocate migrants to other areas of the border simply to begin processing them, according to three Homeland Security officials.The first flight left McAllen, Texas, on Friday, transferring detainees to Border Patrol facilities in Del Rio, Texas.There are daily flights scheduled for the next several days, with two planned for Tuesday, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the operations.The flights are conducted by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but the detainees remain in the custody of Border Patrol, officials said.Though ICE routinely uses aircraft to move detainees among its detention facilities, it is very unusual for Border Patrol to fly recent arrivals from one part of the border to another to perform routine booking procedures.Homeland Security officials requested the aircraft because Border Patrol urgently needs to move single adults out of the lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.The agency is scrambling to make room for the large volume of families and children who have come across the border in dramatically higher numbers in the past several days, officials said.One official said the US government has resorted to using aircraft because all available buses were already in use and authorities needed every available transportation option."This is the worst I have ever seen it, by far," said one veteran Border Patrol agent in South Texas who was not authorised to speak to reporters.The number of people taken into custody along the Mexico border has exceeded 5,500 each day for several days in a row, and Border Patrol currently has more than 17,500 people in holding cells and tent sites set up in parking lots outside stations, officials said.That is a 30 percent increase from late March, when authorities said border agents and infrastructure had hit the "breaking point".Tents have been set up in the parking lots outside Border Patrol stations in the lower Rio Grande Valley cities of McAllen, Brownsville and Rio Grande City to ease overcrowding.Emergency tents for families also have been erected in El Paso and at Camp Donna, a military site in the Rio Grande Valley.To alleviate overcrowding in holding cells, Border Patrol in recent weeks has begun releasing migrants directly from its custody, instead of waiting for ICE to pick them up and either detain or release them.But the sheer volume of people coming across the border in the past several days has swamped the agency's ability to process families and children, so holding cells are filling with single adults because they are a lesser priority.Border Patrol will use the flights to transfer some of those adults to Del Rio, where facilities are less overcrowded, instead of having to conduct releases, officials said. Each flight costs $16,000 (£12,300) and can transport about 135 adults.Homeland Security officials view the direct release of single adults as a red line, because they say that demographic group has the most potential to be deterred by enforcement efforts.Carla Provost, the chief of Border Patrol, told lawmakers on Wednesday that authorities would "lose control" of the border if they had to begin releasing single adults, because that group is the only remaining demographic that can be detained and quickly deported."My greatest concern is that we will no longer be able to deliver consequences and we will lose control of the border," Ms Provost told members of a Senate Homeland Security panel.Adults who arrive with children typically are released from custody after a few days with an appointment to see an immigration judge because US courts have limited the amount of time minors can be held in immigration jails.Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials say this model – which President Trump decries as "catch and release" – is to blame for the border surge.Authorities detained 109,144 migrants along the Mexico border last month, the highest total since 2007. More than 60% of those taken into custody were families or children.Acting Homeland Security secretary Kevin McAleenan and acting Defence secretary Patrick Shanahan plan to travel to the Rio Grande Valley on Saturday to visit the McAllen border station to call for a "whole of government" approach to addressing the crisis, according to a DHS statement.The Washington Post
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| Boeing crash payouts would be partly based on how long passengers knew they were doomed Posted: 12 May 2019 09:00 AM PDT  Settlements to the families of 346 people who died in the two catastrophic Boeing Max plane crashes will be calculated, in part, by how long the victims knew they were doomed. Lawyers handling claims against the US aerospace company said the longer the passengers and crew were aware of their desperate fate, the larger the likely payout. "There's a better chance of (financial) recovery if it took minutes rather than seconds for the plane to crash,'' Joe Power, a personal-injury lawyer representing some Ethiopian victims, told Bloomberg this weekend. The first passenger plane, Lion Air Flight 610, ditched into the Java Sea 12 minutes after taking off from Jakarta, Indonesia on October 29th last year. Six months later on March 10th, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed six minutes after take off from Addis Ababa. In both cases, the jets were Max 8 models and in both cases, all aboard died. Experts say the Boeing Company could be facing payouts in excess of $1 billion (£770 million) if it can be proved that it had knowledge that the model had safety flaws. Thirty individual law suits have now been filed against Boeing on behalf of families with many more expected. Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER that disappeared from air traffic control screens in 2011 Credit: AP "The bottom line is Boeing's exposure is much more substantial than in any other case that I've been a part of in my quarter-century of representing families'" in plane-crash cases, said Brian Alexander, a New York aviation lawyer for victims of the Ethiopian Airlines jet . "You get into 'What did you know and when did you know it.'" The two disasters, with similar characteristics, led to the worldwide grounding of all Boeing 737 Max 8 models. Both pilots desperately struggled to take control of the aeroplanes as they intermittently dived while reaching speeds of close to 600 miles per hour. Investigators have zeroed in on the malfunctioning Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, an automated safety feature designed to prevent a stall. Earlier this month Dennis Muilenburg, the Boeing CEO acknowledged its automatic flight control system played a role in the two crashes. "The full details of what happened in the two accidents will be issued by the government authorities in the final reports, but, with the release of the preliminary report of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accident investigation, it's apparent that in both flights the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, known as MCAS, activated in response to erroneous angle of attack information."
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| Scouted: Add an Extra Level of Sun Protection This Year and Get Yourself UPF Clothing and Accessories Posted: 12 May 2019 05:00 AM PDT  While broad-spectrum sunscreen is your first and foremost defense against skin cancer and early-aging, you can add an additional layer of protection in the form of UPF clothing. While SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is standard in sunscreens, UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) takes your clothing a step further so you're protected from the broad-spectrum of UV rays that the sun emits. This protection is built into swimsuits, cover-ups, T-shirts, and even sun hats. We've rounded up a few to add to your outdoor plans this year.REI Co-Op Sahara Long-Sleeve Shirt, $60 from REIREI Co-Op Sahara Long-Sleeve Shirt, $60 from REI: Wear this button-down alone or thrown over a tank top to give yourself another layer of UPF 35 sun protection. It comes in five different neutral shades, so maybe it's worth getting them all.Vapor Apparel Men's UPF 50+ UV Sun Protection Performance Long Sleeve T-Shirt, $20 on AmazonVapor Apparel Men's UPF 50+ UV Sun Protection Performance Long Sleeve T-Shirt, $20 on Amazon: With over 2,800 reviews and a 4.6-star rating, this long sleeve will keep you dry and protected in the warmer months. Choose from 22 different colors.Coolibar UPF 50+ Women's Everyday Beach Shawl, $29 on AmazonCoolibar UPF 50+ Women's Everyday Beach Shawl, $29 on Amazon: A simple cover-up for the beach can also be an easy way to add sun protection. This breezy shawl gives you UPF 50+ sun protection and comes in a multitude of color options to go with any swimsuit.Sunday Afternoons Havana Hat, $32 from REISunday Afternoons Havana Hat, $32 from REI: Besides the fact that this hat doesn't really look like a sun hat, the best part is that it's crushable and packable, so you won't end up with a wonky piece of headgear. With UPF 50+ sun protection, this is your go anywhere, do anything hat.prAna Men's Stretch Zion Pants, $42-$85 from REIprAna Men's Stretch Zion Pants, $42-$85 from REI: These pants are ready for anything. Not only do they have UPF 50+ sun protection, but they're also DWR-coated, so they're water-resistant as well. They even have roll-up leg snaps so you can give your ankles a little breeze.Toad&Co; Jetlite Pant, $55- $80 from BackcountryToad&Co; Jetlite Pant, $55- $80 from Backcountry: A pair of pants that are lightweight, quick-drying, DWR-coated, and has UPF 50+ sun protection is like a gift from the outdoor gods. There's even a hidden zippered thigh pocket to keep your valuables secure.Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.Read more at The Daily Beast.
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| White House Economic Advisor Contradicts President Trump on Who Actually Pays for the Tariffs on China Posted: 12 May 2019 02:20 PM PDT  Trump has characterized his tariffs as being paid for largely by China
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| Hearing in Colorado school shooting put off until next week Posted: 10 May 2019 07:30 PM PDT  DENVER (AP) — Prosecutors investigating the case against two students suspected of shooting nine classmates, one fatally, in a suburban Denver charter school have until next week to decide what charges to pursue, a judge ruled Friday.
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| Brexit anger makes European vote 'difficult' for Conservatives: UK minister Posted: 12 May 2019 04:47 AM PDT  Almost three years since Britain voted to leave the European Union, the country's Brexit process has become mired in chaos with Prime Minister Theresa May's inability so far to get a deal through parliament fuelling anger among voters. With little movement in talks between the government and the opposition Labour Party to try to end the impasse in parliament, an election to the European Parliament on May 23 will offer a new opportunity for voters to show their discontent. "I don't think anyone is in any doubt these are going to be difficult elections for us ... for some people this is the ultimate protest vote opportunity," education minister Damian Hinds told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.
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| May expected to clarify resignation timetable: senior MP Posted: 11 May 2019 09:17 AM PDT  British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to set out her departure plans within days, the leader of backbench lawmakers in her governing Conservative Party said Saturday. Graham Brady, who chairs the 1922 Committee of rank-and-file Conservative MPs, said he expected May to provide clarity on her exit timetable at a meeting with him on Wednesday. "I find it very hard to see how that route can lead to any sensible resolution," Brady told BBC radio.
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| India is going forward with an antitrust case against Google’s Android Posted: 10 May 2019 08:07 PM PDT  Google has lost a number of antitrust cases in recent years, which netted the tech company three record-setting fines in Europe. The European Commission looked at Google's Search, Android, and online ads practices and found that Google abused its position in the market.Separately, Russian regulators investigated the same alleged Android abuse, which resulted in a different fine, albeit not comparable to the EU's. In each case, Google had to make several concessions regarding Android. And now India appears to be Google's next nightmare when it comes to antitrust investigations.Google has allegedly abused its dominant position in the market to block rivals, two sources familiar with India's antitrust watchdog's actions told Reuters. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is the local regulator that started looking at a complaint against Google last year. The CCI determined in mid-April that the complaint had merit, ordering its investigation unit to launch a full probe into the matter."It is a strong case for the CCI, given the EU precedent," a source said. "The CCI has (preliminarily) found Google abused its dominant position."The EU hit Google with a €4.34 billion ($5 billion) fine in the Android case. Google said it'd fight the ruling, but at the same time decided to modify Android in Europe to give users more choice when it comes to internet browsing apps and default search engines. The EU found that Google's contracts with Android vendors forced them to install Google Search and Chrome browsers on devices, alongside Google Play.The CCI's investigation could take about a year, and Google execs might be summoned before the Commission in the coming months, Reuters reports. Indian regulators could impose fines of up to 10% of the relevant turnover of Google's last three financial years. However, it's unclear how much money Google makes from Chrome and Search in the region.Google meanwhile said via a spokesman that the company is working with the CCI "to demonstrate how Android has led to more competition and innovation, not less." He said that Android had enabled millions of Indians to connect to the internet by making mobile devices more affordable.
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| 3 Ways To Make A Glock Gun Even Better Posted: 11 May 2019 02:30 AM PDT  The Glock Safe Action Pistol is the most popular Pistol in the United States. Gaston Glock's plastic fantastics came about in a time where most guns featured metal frames and were hammer fired. Polymer striker fired guns had been done before, but never succeeded like the Glock.Since then the Glock has gone on to become an insanely popular handgun. Part of that popularity is modularity. Glock pistols in general have three different frame sizes, the standard, the larger, and the single stack. By frame size I don't mean length and width, I mean compatibility.For example, the Glock 26 and Glock 17 are the same standard frame. There are differences in overall size, but they can accept the same magazines and the same internals. This makes it very easy to find upgradeable parts for any Glock.Today, we are looking and talking about the most popular Glock upgrade out there, the trigger. The compatibility we mentioned is important, because you have to be selective about your trigger, and ensure it fits your Glock frame.
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| Lime-Yellow 1973 Datsun 240Z up for Auction is the Cleanest We've Seen outside a Museum Posted: 12 May 2019 11:00 AM PDT  This pristine Japanese sports coupe is a Me Decade time machine.
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| Your Weekend Reading: At Least They’re Still Talking Posted: 11 May 2019 04:30 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Want to receive a daily news briefing, including this weekend edition, in your inbox every day? Sign up here
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| The Latest: Police: blood in man's apartment linked to girl Posted: 11 May 2019 07:57 PM PDT  Houston police say they found "blood evidence" in the apartment of Derion Vence that matches that of the missing 4-year-old girl, Maleah Davis. In a statement on the arrest of Vence, Houston police say that he has been charged with tampering with evidence. The laundry basket was found in the trunk of Vence's silver Nisson Altima, which was recovered in Missouri City, Texas, Thursday.
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| Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Becomes Youngest Woman Ever to Preside Over the House of Representatives Posted: 11 May 2019 10:53 AM PDT  "It's certainly a view," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said
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| Islamic State claims it killed 11 soldiers in northeastern Nigeria Posted: 11 May 2019 01:34 PM PDT ![Islamic State claims it killed 11 soldiers in northeastern Nigeria]( "Islamic State claims it killed 11 soldiers in northeastern Nigeria") Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has carried out a string of attacks in Nigeria in recent months. The group split in 2016 from Nigeria-based Boko Haram, which has waged a decade-long insurgency in northeast Nigeria that has killed some 30,000 people and displaced a further 2 million.
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| Delhi leader defies slaps and shoes to step up election fight Posted: 11 May 2019 06:24 PM PDT  The tussle for the capital will be front and centre, with all eyes on its chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) -- or Common Man party -- was formed just seven years ago amid outrage over corruption. It has since taken control of Delhi's regional government and is fighting to add to its four seats in India's lower house of parliament. Modi's right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be trying to stave off the onslaught and keep the seven seats it currently holds.
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| Graduation gifts: Why stocks are better than straight cash Posted: 12 May 2019 08:10 AM PDT  Cash and gift cards are popular graduation gifts, but stocks can have a more lasting financial effect.
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| Nike’s app will use augmented reality to determine your shoe size Posted: 11 May 2019 06:01 AM PDT  Do you know your own shoe size? You might think you do, but there's a good chance you're walking around in shoes that aren't actually a perfect fit. Nike thinks it can change that with a new addition to its smartphone app that leverages the power of augmented reality to perform a super-accurate scan of your feet, matching you with the ideal size, depending on the kind of shoe you're shopping for.In a new blog post, Nike calls out the current system of shoe sizing as "antiquated," calling it "a gross simplification of a complex problem." That's where Nike Fit, the new sizing feature, comes in.Nike describes Nike Fit as "a new scanning solution that uses a proprietary combination of computer vision, data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and recommendation algorithms."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMXc_1qCa8EThat's a whole bunch of flashy terms that don't mean a whole lot to the average shoe shopper, but the gist of it is that the app will allow you to take a scan of your feet when you're about to buy a pair of kicks. Nike Fit will be an option alongside the traditional sizing list, but the company is obviously promoting this as the ideal way to get the perfect fit."Using your smartphone's camera, Nike Fit will scan your feet, collecting 13 data points mapping your foot morphology for both feet within a matter of seconds," Nike explains. "This hyper-accurate scan of your unique foot dimension can then be stored in your NikePlus member profile and easily used for future shopping online and in-store."Your Nike Fit scan will be stored and can be accessed by the app whenever it needs to guide you to your perfect pair of new shoes. Perhaps most interesting, this new sizing system may actually change its size recommendation for you based on the kind of shoe you're shopping for.Nike says "different shoes are made with different performance intent," meaning that you'll probably want something like a running shoe to be a little bit tighter than the kind of everyday sneaker you wear in casual situations. The app handles all those decisions on the backend, and Nike seems pretty sure it knows exactly how to set you up with the size you need.The feature isn't available just yet but it should be available sometime in July in the U.S. and August in Europe.
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| You Sunk My Carrier: How the Navy Could Sink China's New Aircraft Carriers Posted: 10 May 2019 07:00 PM PDT  That carrier-killer imagery resonates with Western audiences comes as little surprise. It implies that Chinese rocketeers can send the pride of the U.S. Navy to the bottom from a distance, and sink U.S. efforts to succor Asian allies in the process. Ah, yes, the "carrier-killer." China is forever touting the array of guided missiles its weaponeers have devised to pummel U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs). Most prominent among them are its DF-21D and DF-26 antiship ballistic missiles (ASBMs), which the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has made a mainstay of China's anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) defenses.(This first appeared several years ago. It is being republished due to reader interest.)Beijing has made believers of important audiences, including the scribes who toil away at the Pentagon producing estimates of Chinese martial might. Indeed, the most recent annual report on Chinese military power states matter-of-factly that the PLA can now use DF-21Ds to "attack ships, including aircraft carriers," more than nine hundred statute miles from China's shorelines.
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| Tesla CEO Elon Musk faces trial for 'pedo' insult of diver Posted: 10 May 2019 05:59 PM PDT  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tesla CEO Elon Musk will have to go to trial to defend himself for mocking a British diver as a pedophile in a verbal sparring match that unfolded last summer after the underwater rescue of youth soccer players trapped in a Thailand cave.
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| Pence at Liberty, UNCC-Charlotte graduation, Mother's Day: 5 things you need to know this weekend Posted: 11 May 2019 06:35 AM PDT  Vice President Mike Pence will speak at Liberty University, millions of moms will celebrate Mother's day and more of the weekend's news to know.
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| Pope gives church 19 new priests in Vatican ceremony Posted: 12 May 2019 05:20 AM PDT  VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has given the church 19 new priests, ordaining the men in an elaborate ceremony Sunday in St. Peter's Basilica, as the credibility of the Vatican and many of its clergy is threatened by widespread scandals of pedophile priests and systematic efforts at cover-ups.
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| Who's been sitting in Pelosi's chair? Democrat Ocasio-Cortez Posted: 10 May 2019 08:05 PM PDT  In another first for rookie congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the liberal Democrat from New York on Friday became the youngest woman to preside over the U.S. House of Representatives. Sitting in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's chair as part of a routine rotation of House members, Ocasio-Cortez took her turn with the gavel and ran the chamber for about an hour. The duty is shared day-to-day by members of the House majority, currently the Democrats.
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| Ex-fiance of missing girl's mom in custody, charged with evidence tampering Posted: 11 May 2019 06:24 PM PDT  Authorities say Derion Vence is facing a charge of evidence tampering, namely a corpse, in the 4-year-old's disappearance.
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| Female Afghan former journalist shot dead in Kabul Posted: 11 May 2019 12:56 PM PDT  A former journalist who worked for the Afghan parliament was shot and killed in Kabul on Saturday, an official said, in the latest brazen attack to rock Afghanistan's capital. Mena Mangal was well known in Kabul circles for her work presenting shows on several television networks, before she left journalism to become a cultural advisor to parliament. According to interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi, Mangal was gunned down in eastern Kabul in broad daylight.
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| 20+ Healthy Picnic Recipes Perfect For Lunch In The Park Posted: 12 May 2019 01:46 PM PDT |
| Brexit Party Has More Support Than Britain's Main Parties: Poll Posted: 11 May 2019 03:11 PM PDT  The party, fronted by Nigel Farage and founded only last month, would take 34% of the vote in the May 23 election, compared with 21% for Labour and just 11% for Theresa May's Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats would get 12%. The Conservatives, on 22%, trail Labour in that survey by six percentage points and lead the Brexit party by just one point.
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| Anti-Israel imam delivers prayer in House chambers Posted: 12 May 2019 05:56 AM PDT  New York Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin says Omar Suleiman has compared Israelis to Nazis.
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| James Comey called Trump a 'chronic liar.' What his anti-Trump politics mean for the FBI Posted: 11 May 2019 11:41 AM PDT  James Comey has carved an unusually political path in the two years since President Trump fired him as FBI director.
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| Pope: It's OK to organize pilgrimages to Bosnian shrine Posted: 12 May 2019 10:14 AM PDT  VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has given Roman Catholic faithful his OK to make pilgrimages to a Bosnian shrine where children said the Virgin Mary appeared to them, but the Catholic Church hasn't yet authenticated their vision, the Vatican said Sunday.
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| Reuters Health News Summary Posted: 12 May 2019 05:55 AM PDT ![Reuters Health News Summary]( "Reuters Health News Summary") Patients who see their doctors in the morning are a lot more likely to be referred for screenings for breast and colon cancer than patients with end-of-the-day appointments, a new study suggests. Researchers poring over records of more than 50,000 patients who were eligible for breast or colon cancer screening saw a big drop in referrals as the day progressed. China has pledged to stem a flood of the synthetic opioid fentanyl onto America's streets, where it kills thousands of people a month, but U.S. security experts are skeptical about whether Beijing is willing, or even able, to follow through.
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| A Mazda Dealer Surprised a Loyal Customer by Refurbishing His First-Gen MX-5 Miata's Seats for Free Posted: 11 May 2019 06:00 AM PDT  Longeuil Mazda in Quebec wanted to thank André Frève for his loyalty, so it gave his Miata's interior some TLC.
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| The Google Play Store is nagging some users to get rid of old apps Posted: 12 May 2019 11:08 AM PDT  There have been a handful of updates to the Google Play Store's operation that garnered headlines in recent days, such as the news that apps' rating calculations will start being more heavily weighted toward the most recent user ratings. Meanwhile, some users have started seeing something new from the Play Store -- a notification gently reminding them to remove apps they may have downloaded years ago and long since stopped using.The folks at Android Police note that the reminder is reminiscent of the Play Store's uninstall manager from back in 2016. The way this new reminder shows up is as a notification in the store's notification section, which you can then tap to see a list of apps that haven't gotten used for a while. Decide which ones you want to axe, and then you can also see how much space it's freed up.It doesn't appear to be a notification that's showing up across the board yet, which makes sense especially if you don't download many apps and don't, you know, need this reminder in the first place.This news comes, as we said, at a time of change for the Play Store, with Google confirming at I/O in recent days that the change to app ratings will manifest itself come August."Many of you told us that you want a rating that reflects a more current version of your app, not what it was years ago -- and we agree," Google Play project lead Kobi Glick explained in a company blog post. "So instead of a lifetime cumulative value, your Google Play Store rating will be recalculated to give more weight to your most recent ratings. Users won't see the updated rating in the Google Play Store until August, but you can preview your new rating in the Google Play Console today."Meanwhile, as we reported here, Google also in recent days booted one of the biggest app developers from the Play Store (and removed their apps) after a BuzzFeed analysis found that several of them may have been sharing data they collect with the Chinese government.
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| With the 2020 GR Supra, Toyota Gets In Touch With Its Fun Side Posted: 12 May 2019 03:00 PM PDT  Toyota always knew how to build fun cars. Now they're doing it again.
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| Facebook takes down fake Italian accounts ahead of EU election Posted: 12 May 2019 12:33 PM PDT ![Facebook takes down fake Italian accounts ahead of EU election]( "Facebook takes down fake Italian accounts ahead of EU election") Facebook said on Sunday it had taken down numerous Italian accounts on its platform that were false or were spreading fake news ahead of a European parliamentary election later this month. The European Union has warned of foreign interference in campaigning for the vote of May 23-26, and in April the European Commission urged Google, Facebook and Twitter to do more to tackle fake news before the poll. "We have removed a series of false and duplicated accounts which violated our authenticity policy, as well as several pages due to violation of rules on name changing," a spokesman for Facebook in Italy said in an emailed statement.
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| 15+ Game-Changing Avocado Salads Posted: 12 May 2019 02:10 PM PDT |
| 'I have a plan for that': Elizabeth Warren leads the Democratic 'ideas primary' Posted: 11 May 2019 08:57 AM PDT  As candidates follow the senator in churning out progressive proposals, some activists warn the priority must be beating Trump Elizabeth Warren speaks in Ames, Iowa. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP Elizabeth Warren has a plan for that. And that. And that as well. On Wednesday, the Massachusetts senator unveiled the 12th major policy proposal of her presidential run, a $100bn plan to combat the opioid crisis. Warren's reputation as the ideas generator has gained widespread attention. But she is not the only candidate for the Democratic nomination who has white papers to flaunt. In the last few days, Bernie Sanders has rolled out a package of proposals to "rebuild rural America" and released legislation to cap credit card interest rates at 15%. Kamala Harris has come out with a bill to financially assist public defenders. Cory Booker has proposed sweeping reforms to the nation's gun laws. Kirsten Gillibrand has vowed to only nominate supreme court justices who would uphold Roe v Wade. Amy Klobuchar has laid out a $100bn plan to combat drug and alcohol addiction and improve mental healthcare. The "ideas primary" is shaping up to be one of the most revealing fronts in the 21-candidate contest for the Democratic nomination. Taking advantage of a field full of 2020 hopefuls eager to distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack, activists are injecting into the debate proposals once dismissed as too radical and too ambitious. I think voters understand that the differences between candidates are not as critical as the differences with Trump Neera Tanden From Medicare for All to a Green New Deal, affordable housing to baby bonds, ideas are the currency of progressive politics. But in a presidential primary personality, identity, experience and electability – an elusive measure of the ability to beat Donald Trump – count too. Sometimes even more. "Policy provides really important cues about the character and priorities of a candidate," said Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress, a liberal thinktank in Washington. "But with Trump as president, I think voters also understand that the differences between candidates are not as critical as the differences with Trump." Ahead of the first debate in late June, progressive activists are ramping up efforts to influence the contest of ideas. At candidate forums in Washington, Texas and New York, and in televised town halls, activists and voters have pushed candidates on fraught issues such as reparations for slavery, electoral college reform and voting rights for prisoners. "The grassroots activism that helped shepherd in the most diverse, most progressive Congress in our country's history has not died down any since the 2018 election," said Jennifer Epps-Addison, the president and co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy Action, which co-hosted the We the People summit in Washington last month. "It has transformed into an even bigger force in communities all around the country that is pushing presidential candidates to speak to the needs of everyday Americans." The 'Grim Reaper' The youth-led Sunrise Movement is the force behind one of the most successful activist-driven campaigns: the Green New Deal, a sprawling social and economic initiative to fight climate change and address income and racial inequality. Nearly every candidate has been asked if they support the plan. "Having such an open field forces a more robust discussion about the values, the principles, the policies that differentiate the candidates," said Varshini Prakash, executive director of the group. She added: "Given the moment that we find ourselves in, the candidates that have the most powerful and potent climate policies will rise to the top." Mitch McConnell speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill this week. Photograph: Aaron P Bernstein/Reuters As the candidates build their policy agendas, many policies are still ideas lacking details. And even if a Democrat wins the White House, many of their proposals under discussion aren't politically feasible with a Republican-controlled Senate. Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, has vowed to be the "Grim Reaper" of progressive policies, singling out the Green New Deal and Medicare for All as "socialist" policies he would pronounce "dead on arrival" in the Senate. "More important than the details of any one policy idea that these candidates may have is a plan for how they would actually achieve it," said Brian Fallon, executive director of Demand Justice, a progressive group that aims to rally liberals around the federal judiciary. "Without a strategy for overcoming Mitch McConnell in the Senate and a supreme court that's been packed by Donald Trump, a lot of the policy conversation is going to be purely academic." His group has applauded candidates who embrace norm-shattering reforms such as abolishing the Senate filibuster and expanding the supreme court. Nonetheless, the 2020 policy debate illustrates how far the party has moved left on healthcare, taxes, gun control and more. That has forced many candidates to embrace progressive and populist policies as they reckon with past positions out of step with the new left. An increasingly vocal cohort of Democrats fear contenders are being pushed too far, potentially hobbling the eventual nominee in a fight against Trump. This House was won not on the platform of national single-payer healthcare but on a commitment to improve the ACA Heidi Heitkamp In an opinion piece for the Washington Post this week, the former North Dakota senator Heidi Heitkamp wrote: "In their rush to earn the support of the party's highly energized primary electorate, some of the best prospective Democratic standard- bearers are embracing positions that would present serious risks when it comes to challenging and defeating Trump in the general election." Heitkamp urged Democrats not to abandon Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act in favor of Medicare for All, citing as evidence the 2018 midterms. "This House majority was won not on the platform of national single-payer healthcare," she wrote, "but on a commitment to improve the ACA." Not all candidates are leading with policy ideas. The former vice-president Joe Biden has risen in the polls since entering the race with a promise to restore a sense of normalcy after a Trump presidency. In his first visit to Iowa, Biden promised he was "gonna talk a lot over this campaign about what my policies are". Noting his audience were all standing, however, he promised to not "go into great detail" just yet. Pete Buttigieg holds a town hall in North Charleston, South Carolina. Photograph: Meg Kinnard/AP Similarly, the South Bend, Indiana, mayor, Pete Buttigieg, has leapt to the front of the pack with an appeal for a new generation of leadership. Pressed during a CNN town hall on why his campaign website doesn't have a policy section, he said he planned to take his time. "It's important we don't drown people in minutiae before we've vindicated the values that animate our policies," he said. "We go right to the policy proposals and we expect people to be able to figure out what our values must be from that." The former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke was pilloried as a policy lightweight when he entered the race. But last week he became the first candidate to unveil a major proposal on climate change. The plan calls for a $5tn investment in infrastructure and innovation over a decade and aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. 'Challenging power' Policy, of course, is no guarantee of success. Hillary Clinton lost to Trump though her platform was far more expansive and detailed. But even in defeat, policy presents an opportunity to shape the agenda. In 2016, Sanders lost the primary to Clinton but popularized the concept of Medicare for All. It now enjoys support from several candidates and has received its first real congressional hearing in decades. Even the long-shot candidate Andrew Yang has found some success injecting his plan for a "universal basic income" into the policy debate. All that said, Warren has undoubtedly set the pace, churning out so many policies that her unofficial campaign slogan has become: "I have a plan for that!" The senator has plans to break up Big Tech, to create universal childcare, to cancel student-loan debt and to invest in public housing. More proposals are likely before the first debate. "Senator Warren is clearly winning the ideas primary," said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which has endorsed her. Green said it was not only the depth and volume of Warren's plans that was winning converts and boosting her in the polls. It was also the way she weaves her ambitious agenda into a "narrative about challenging power". "We're still living in an outsider moment," he said. "To defeat Trump, we need someone who is seen as an equal and opposite change agent and who will shake up the system, but do it for real on behalf of regular people and not the special interests."
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| Big Bullet: The New AMP Round Means U.S. M1 Abrams Tanks Kill Everything Posted: 11 May 2019 07:00 AM PDT  In a 2016 Army statement on AMP, quoting a senior program manager, describes it impact this way…. "Right now our crews face the dilemma as they go into combat of deciding what rounds to load in the turret and carry in the gun. If they choose wrong, they could have a mismatch between target and ammunition, which will cost them valuable seconds while in enemy contact."A single emerging US Army Abrams tank round is engineered to attack and destroy enemy tanks, bunkers, concrete walls, light armored vehicles and even small groups of enemy fighters - by enabling crews to instantly adjust its explosive effect within seconds.The Army's Advanced Multi-Purpose 120 mm ammunition round is being prepared for a far-superior M1A2 SEP v4 Abrams tank variant for the 2020s and beyond — designed to be more lethal, faster, lighter weight, better protected, equipped with new sensors and armed with upgraded, more effective weapons, service officials said.(This article by Kris Osborn originally appeared in DefenseMaven in 2019 and is being republished due to reader interest.) The AMP round, according to Northrop Grumman and Army developers, will replace four tank rounds now in use by consolidating various possible blast effects into a single round, using variable "fuse" adjustments and an advanced Ammunition Data Link.
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