| Iran leader rejects Trump talks despite Japan PM's mission Posted: 13 Jun 2019 07:32 AM PDT  Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Thursday categorically ruled out talks with US President Donald Trump, despite an unprecedented Japanese mission aimed at defusing tensions between Washington and the Islamic Republic. Iran "has no trust in America and will not in any way repeat the bitter experience of the previous negotiations with America," Khamenei said in comments published by his official website.
|
| Southern Baptist leader bemoans abuse crisis, vows action Posted: 13 Jun 2019 06:17 AM PDT  Sharing a stage with tearful survivors of sex abuse, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention apologized Wednesday for the abuse crisis besetting his denomination and outlined an array of steps to address it. "We are broken-hearted and angry," said the Rev. J.D. Greear as the largest U.S. protestant denomination neared the end of its two-day national meeting. The Rev. Russell Moore, head of the SBC's public policy arm, said the abuse crisis is a result of satanic forces at work in the church.
|
| Trump administration unlikely to move on Hong Kong barring dramatic escalation: U.S. official Posted: 14 Jun 2019 09:37 AM PDT  The Trump administration is unlikely to move to revise a 1992 act that gives Hong Kong special trade and business privileges unless there is a dramatic escalation by China in response to street protests there, a senior U.S. official said. "It's going to depend on what the Chinese do," the official told Reuters, adding that the United States might consider sanctions if there was a "precipitating event," such as Hong Kong police being told to stand down and mainland Chinese forces moving in and using violence against protesters. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Thursday, said any U.S. response could also be influenced by the status of U.S. trade talks with China that have dominated the U.S. agenda with Beijing for months.
|
| I'm Not Sure We Need a Ford Ranger Raptor Posted: 13 Jun 2019 09:00 AM PDT  The standard Ranger is probably more than you ever need off-road.
|
| U.S. Navy Scrambles After ‘Attack’ on Oil Tankers in the Gulf of Oman Posted: 13 Jun 2019 02:21 AM PDT  REUTERSTwo oil tankers have been rocked by explosions in the Gulf of Oman, according to reports, just one month after the U.S. blamed Iran for allegedly sabotaging four other tankers in the region.The two tankers were allegedly hit Thursday off the coast of the United Arab Emirates—the same area where the other four tankers were supposedly targeted last month. The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet confirmed it was assisting the two vessels after what it called a "reported attack," without elaborating on the extent of the damage or the cause of the explosions.The National—an English-language newspaper based in the UAE—identified one of the ships as the MT Front Altair. The tanker is reportedly "on fire and adrift," but all 23 crew members are believed to have been rescued. A spokesperson for Taiwan's state oil refiner CPC, which chartered the tanker, said it was "suspected of being hit by a torpedo."The second vessel has been identified as the Kokuka Courageous, which reportedly departed from the Saudi port of Al Jubail on June 10 and was on course for Singapore. The Associated Press reported that 21 sailors had been evacuated from that ship, with one suffering minor injuries.Iranian state TV reported that the 44 survivors had been evacuated to an Iranian port, and an Iranian news agency tweeted an image of what it said was the Front Altair on fire with smoke billowing out of it.Japan's Trade Ministry confirmed the two vessels had "Japan-related cargo," raising questions on whether the alleged attacks were meant to send a message to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is currently in Tehran seeking to ease tensions between Iran and the United States.Tehran has insisted it hasn't instructed any form of attack on Gulf shipping or Saudi oil installations, but on Thursday afternoon, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday blamed Iran for the attacks. "It is the assessment of the United States government that the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the attacks in the Gulf of Oman." Benchmark Brent crude spiked by as much 4 percent in trading following the reported attack to over $62 a barrel.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
|
| Snowy photo of fishing village in Greenland wins National Geographic travel photo contest Posted: 13 Jun 2019 05:31 AM PDT  A photo capturing a snow-covered, fishing village in Greenland at dusk and a small family spotlighted by overhead streetlights has been named the grand prize winner of National Geographic's 2019 Travel Photo Contest. "It felt so harmonious.
|
| Anita Hill: I still hold Biden accountable but would consider voting for him Posted: 14 Jun 2019 10:31 AM PDT  Though Hill was not satisfied with Biden's apology over Clarence Thomas testimony, she could see herself voting for him in 2020 When asked whether Joe Biden's behavior was comparable to that of Donald Trump, who has denied multiple accusations of sexual assault, Anita Hill said: 'Absolutely not.' Photograph: Marla Aufmuth/Getty Images Anita Hill has said she could see herself voting for Joe Biden, despite his past treatment of her, saying she considers him "perfectly capable of running for president". Before announcing his presidential bid in April, Biden contacted Hill to express his "regret for what she endured" while testifying against US supreme court nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991, a hearing over which the former vice-president presided and where Hill was given little support as she alleged persistent sexual harassment from Thomas when they worked together. She later said she was not satisfied with Biden's comments and that she did not consider it a proper apology. In an interview broadcast on Thursday evening, Hill, now a law professor, said she still holds Biden accountable, but has not ruled out voting for him if he were to become the Democratic nominee in next year's presidential election. "I don't think it has disqualified him," she told NBC News. "He's perfectly capable of running for president. I think we will have to make our decisions about what we want our leaders to be doing in the future around these issues of gender violence." When asked whether his behavior was comparable to that of Donald Trump, who has denied multiple accusations of sexual assault, she said: "Absolutely not. I never said that and never intended to say that." Adding: "I'm not actually sure that anything I've said has actually hurt Joe Biden's campaign. He still is leading in the polls." In response to a question about whether she could see herself voting for Biden if he were to become the 2020 nominee, she said: "Of course I could." She declined to name a favorite from the packed field of Democratic candidates, but she that she would like to see gender violence discussed in the debates and for political leaders to take the issue seriously. "I want our leaders to stand up and say this is a serious problem that women are not safe in the workplace, not safe in our schools, they're not safe on our streets and that we are going to use the government resources to illuminate the problem," she said. Biden is ahead in the polls. Despite some signs that he is losing his lead, a recent poll put the former vice-president a solid 13 points above Trump. But his tendency for insensitive comments, inconsistency and gaffe-prone behavior on the campaign trail continues. A 2006 video uncovered by CNN shows him saying that he does not view abortion as "a choice and a right" and that "we should be focusing on how to limit the number of abortions". It comes after his about-face last week on the Hyde amendment, which prevents federal funding from being used for abortions – dropping his longstanding support of it following a backlash. Shortly before he announced his run, Biden faced a storm of complaints and criticism for initiating too much physical intimacy with women and girls he knew or met at events. He addressed the issue in public statements, but has since been joking on the campaign trail about it and continuing to make sexist remarks. He most recently drew criticism at an event after reportedly advising the brothers of a 13-year-old girl from Iowa: "You've got one job here, keep the guys away from your sister." And last month he told a young girl: "I bet you're as bright as you're good-looking" at an American Federation of Teachers town hall in Texas. But his biggest test to date will be the first Democratic primary debates later this month.
|
| Should you travel this summer to Mexico amid safety, algae and political concerns? Posted: 13 Jun 2019 07:08 AM PDT ![Should you travel this summer to Mexico amid safety, algae and political concerns?]( "Should you travel this summer to Mexico amid safety, algae and political concerns?") Safety concerns, the dismantling of the national tourism board and algae found on beaches have led to potential tourism issues for Mexico.
|
| 15 Automakers That Can Perfectly Fill Your Two-Car Garage Posted: 13 Jun 2019 06:00 AM PDT |
| Why one U.S. can-maker avoids Trump's tariffs while rivals pay up Posted: 13 Jun 2019 10:06 PM PDT  One of the largest U.S. producers of aerosol cans, Colorado-based Ball Metalpack, has laid off 91 of its 500 U.S. workers since President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on imported steel that abruptly hiked the firm's raw materials costs. At a chief competitor, DS Containers, the story is different. The U.S. Commerce Department granted DS Containers an exemption from the import tax because it uses a raw material, plastic-laminated steel, that isn't produced by U.S. steelmakers.
|
| California Rep. Hunter's wife may have flipped on him in corruption case Posted: 13 Jun 2019 01:19 PM PDT  When Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., was indicted in August 2018 on 60 criminal counts alleging that he spent more than $250,000 in campaign donations on luxury trips, tequila shots, Costco shopping sprees and other personal items, his first reaction was to blame his wife.
|
| Police face mounting brutality claims after Hong Kong clashes Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:34 AM PDT  Tens of thousands of demonstrators occupying city streets scattered when police used tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and bean bag rounds on Wednesday. Police insisted the force was necessary to fend off protesters throwing bricks and metal bars. Criticism of police tactics poured in Thursday as videos of the clashes went viral.
|
| Here's what to know about about Chase's Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit card Posted: 13 Jun 2019 09:42 AM PDT  AOL Finance broke down the key points you should know as youconsider opening one of your own
|
| Joey Arias: ‘The LGBT Community Has Propelled Itself Like a Meteorite in a World of Narrow-Mindedness’ Posted: 13 Jun 2019 02:14 AM PDT  Photo Illustration by Sarah Rogers/The Daily Beast/Photos GettyIn this special series, LGBT celebrities and public figures talk to Tim Teeman about the Stonewall Riots and their legacy—see more here.Joey Arias is a performance artist, cabaret singer, drag artist, author, and comedian.How and when did you hear about the Stonewall Riots, and what did you make of them?Well, I was quite young when I heard of the Stonewall Riots. The '60s were a time of people standing up for justice. I'm from North Carolina originally. So of course I was still learning about my feelings. I would read all the magazines and thought how amazing it was that the gay revolution had also begun: standing up to police and demanding the rights of the gay way, and actually coming out of the closet. I never really knew what it meant to be in the closet 'cause I grew up just being me and I was as gay as could be!Peter Staley: 'I Wish I Could Have Witnessed Stonewall. I Would Have Torched a Police Car, for Sure'What significance do the Stonewall Riots have for you now?That everyone is created equal and everyone should treat each other with dignity. We only have a short time in life to respect the life force. Of course, throughout history certain people want to squash a lifestyle that is not in a box. When everyone finally wakes up, they will realize there's more than being told what you can and can't do. The conscience shines a light to make—or let—you push ahead. So the Stonewall Riots was an amazing push for gay rights. And that means everyone under that umbrella: Drag, Butch, Lesbian, F/M, Trans, Sissy, etc. How far have LGBT people come since 1969?The LGBT community has propelled itself like a meteorite in a world of narrow-mindedness. It's as though alien technology had some hand in it. From being gay as a taboo, it's all now really part of the norm. I have to say I think it was the drag community that had a major hand in it! For me, Suzanne Bartsch played a huge role. At her Copa parties, she showcased the artistry and magic of drag. Time will tell where it all evolves from here. Most importantly, we should be proud.What would you like to see, LGBT-wise, in the next 50 years?Plain and simple: We should leave Planet Earth and start to colonize Mars, and there heterosexuals would be the minority. They would be called 'homosensuals.' Haha. Everyone should come out of the closet, especially Hollywood actors. The stars belong to us: the LGBT community.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
|
| Top-rated Alexa and Google enabled smart plugs are down to $7 in this Amazon sale Posted: 14 Jun 2019 06:11 AM PDT ![Top-rated Alexa and Google enabled smart plugs are down to $7 in this Amazon sale]( "Top-rated Alexa and Google enabled smart plugs are down to $7 in this Amazon sale") Even though smart home devices are pretty much ubiquitous at this point, they're still often quite expensive. For example, a lamp with built-in Alexa compatibility can easily cost $100 or more! Of course, the smarter move is to keep using your regular old dumb lamp but plug it into the wall using a Teckin Mini Smart Plug. You'll get the same great Alexa controls that you would with a $100 smart lamp, but it'll only cost you $7.22 when you buy a 4-pack and use the coupon code EBS6C5V7 at checkout!Here's some additional info from the product page: * REMOTE CONTROL ----Control your electrical items via your phone whenever and wherever you are after downloading the FREE APP Smart Life as long as there is a network. Ideal for someone who can not move around very well and needs easy access to turn on/off a device. * VOICE CONTROL----Compatible with Amazon alexa, Google home assistant and IFTTT, control your home appliances with the smart plug by simply giving voice commands to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. No Hub Required, the smart plug SP10 works with any Wi-Fi router without the need for a separate hub or paid subscription service. * SCHEDULE & TIMER---- Get ready to have a smart home and create customized schedule to automatically turn on and off any home Electronics or appliances such as lamps, Christmas Lighting, coffee maker, etc * SET UP EASILY----Simply plug TECKIN mini outlet into an electrical outlet, connect a device to the Smart Plug, and wirelessly control your device using a tablet or phone. A secured 2.4GHz WiFi network is required. * QUALITY GUARANTEED----The Mini Smart Plug features a sleek new design that is FCC approved product. If you encounter any problem or need support, please feel free to contact us through following E-mail support.us@teckinhome.com or Amazon directly. We offer two years of warranty and replacement services and lifetime technical support services if the plug is defective.
|
| US releases footage 'showing Iran removing unexploded mine' from stricken oil tanker Posted: 13 Jun 2019 10:52 PM PDT  The US military released a video on Friday that it says shows Iran's Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded mine from one of the oil tankers targeted near the Strait of Hormuz. It suggested the Iran had sought to remove evidence of its involvement from the scene. US Central Command also released photographs showing the apparent mine, which attaches to the side of a ship magnetically. Release of the classified black-and-white images showed US determination to convince the international community that Iran was responsible for Thursday's attacks on the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous, and the Norwegian-owned Front Altair. However, the Japanese operator of Kokuka Courageous said the crew saw "flying objects" just before the attack, suggesting the tanker was damaged by something other than mines. Yutaka Katada, the company president, said reports of a mine attack were "false". Both vessels suffered explosions, forcing crews to abandon ship and leave them adrift in waters between Gulf Arab states and Iran. All crew members were safely evacuated. Navy Captain Bill Urban, a Central Command spokesman, said the Revolutionary Guard vessel was observed at 4.10pm local time approaching the Kokuka Courageous. He said: "It was observed and recorded removing the unexploded limpet mine from the Kokuka Courageous." He added: "The United States has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East. However, we will defend our interests." Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, said: "Taken as a whole these unprovoked attacks present a clear threat to international peace and security, a blatant assault on the freedom of navigation and an unacceptable campaign of escalating tension by Iran". Mr Pompeo said American assessment of Iran's responsibility was based on intelligence sources, the weapons used and the level of expertise, saying "no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication". In a statement the Iranian mission to the United Nations said Tehran "categorically rejects the US unfounded claim with regard to 13 June oil tanker incidents and condemns it in the strongest possible terms." It accused the United States and its allies, including Saudi Arabia, of "warmongering." Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, said the UK believed the US assessment that Iran was responsible but repeated his warning there was a serious danger of the US and Iran stumbling into an unwanted war. "We have no reason not to believe the American assessment and our instinct is to believe it because they are our closest ally," Mr Hunt told the Today programme. "We are very worried about the situation in Iran because at the moment both sides in this dispute think the other side doesn't want war and the risk you have is that then they doing something provocative that leads to catastrophic consequences that weren't intended." The explosions, which left one of the oil tankers burning outside the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway, marked the most serious incident since the White House warned in early May that Iran was plotting attacks in the region. The incident came one month after Iranian forces allegedly used naval mines to blow holes in two oil tankers and two smaller ships off the Emirati port of Fujairah. The US publicly said Iran was behind that attack, while Tehran denied responsibility. Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, said "suspicious doesn't begin to describe" the incident in Gulf of Oman. He previously suggested without evidence that Israel was staging the attacks to undermine Iran. Responding to Mr Zarif's comments, Mr Pompeo said: " Foreign Minister Zarif may think this is funny but no one else in the world does." The explosions at sea came hours before Shinzo Abe, Japan's prime minister, met with Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, on a diplomatic mission intended to try to ease tensions between Iran and the US. But the Japanese leader's efforts appeared to bear little fruit. Ayatollah Khamenei refused to hear any messages from Donald Trump delivered by Mr Abe, the Iranian government said. The ayatollah also said Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons but "America could not do anything" to stop Tehran if it did decide to pursue a nuclear course. Mr Trump on Thursday ruled out the possibility of making a deal with Iran, saying: "While I very much appreciate PM Abe going to Iran to meet with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, I personally feel that it is too soon to even think about making a deal. They are not ready, and neither are we!" Both tankers were carrying "Japanese-related" cargo, according to Japan's government. It was not clear if that was a coincidence or if the targeting of the ships was done deliberately to coincide with Mr Abe's visit to Tehran. While Iran's civilian government denies responsibility for any of the attacks, it is possible that the Revolutionary Guard, who answer directly to the supreme leader, are carrying out operations without the government's knowledge or consent. Iran tries to keep tensions between the two sides concealed but they spilled into the open early this year when Mr Zarif threatened to resign after he was left out of a key meeting while a senior Revolutionary Guard commander was invited. Markets Hub I Brent Spot The attacks capped six weeks of building tensions between Iran and the US during which time Mr Trump has ordered an aircraft carrier, a bomber taskforce and 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East. Both the US and Iran say they are not looking for war but Britain and other countries have warned of the danger that the two sides could stumble into an unintended conflict. Antonio Gutteres, the UN secretary general, condemned the attack and warned that the world cannot afford "a major confrontation in the Gulf region". Any fighting near the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway which transports 20 per cent of the world's oil, would likely cause serious damage to global energy supplies. Analysts said that Iran appeared to be lashing out in order to send a message in response to crippling US sanctions imposed by Mr Trump after he withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal. "I think Iran is showing that it has teeth," said Charles Hollis, a former British diplomat in Tehran who is now managing director of the Falanx Assynt consultancy. "It's a way of showing that if they are backed into a corner they are not without means of causing grief." Iran has warned that it will begin enriching high-grade uranium, the kind that could be used for a nuclear weapon, in July unless Europe finds a way to get around US sanctions and prop up the Iranian oil and banking sectors.
|
| What Led Up to U.S. Marshals Fatally Shooting 20-Year-Old Man in Memphis Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:54 PM PDT  New details are shedding light on why U.S. Marshals went to arrest Brandon Webber before shooting him to death, sparking unrest in Frayser.
|
| PetSmart's Chewy gets Wall Street tails wagging with $1 billion IPO Posted: 13 Jun 2019 04:24 PM PDT  Chewy Inc said on Thursday it priced its initial public offering at $22 per share, above its target, and sold more stock than originally planned, valuing the online pet products retailer at $8.77 billion. The IPO raises funds to help manage the debt load of parent company PetSmart, and indicates investor demand for a loss-making but fast-growing e-commerce company to tap into the roughly $70 billion U.S. pet industry market. Some 46.5 million Chewy shares were sold in the IPO, up from the anticipated 41.6 million as PetSmart sold more shares than originally planned.
|
| Former Vice President Joe Biden Surprises Voters at Iowa Cafe Posted: 12 Jun 2019 06:17 PM PDT  Former Vice President Joe Biden surprised diners at an Eldridge cafe on Wednesday as part of his two-day campaign trail in Iowa.
|
| Trump administration providing ‘false’ information about Gulf of Oman attack, says Japanese tanker owner Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:42 AM PDT  The owner of the Japanese tanker attacked on Thursday said US reports have provided "false" information about what happened in the Gulf of Oman. The ship operator said "flying objects" that may have been bullets were the cause of damage to the vessel, rather than mines used by Iranian forces, as the US has suggested. Yutaka Katada, chief executive of the Japanese company operating the ship called Kokuka Courageous, one of two vessels attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, said the damage could not have been caused by mines or torpedos that are shot underwater, since the damage was reportedly above the ship's waterline. "It seems that something flew towards them. That created the hole, is the report I've received," Mr Katada said at a press conference in Tokyo on Friday, the Financial Times reported. Donald Trump's administration has meanwhile insisted the attacks were carried out by Iran, which has denied having any involvement in either of the two incidents. The US released video shortly after that it said showed Iranian Revolutionary Guard officials removing what was likely an unexploded limpet mine from the Kokuka Courageous. The US also said the ship was abandoned after an "initial explosion."The White House has singled out the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in recent months under Mr Trump, taking the rare step of classifying a foreign government entity as a terror group.The Kokuka Courageous and another Norwegian-operated vessel were ablaze for hours in the Gulf on Thursday. The owner's of the other vessel, the Front Altair, have not yet provided an explanation of what they believe to be the cause of the damage. The entire 21-person crew were evacuated the Kokuka Courageous. Sailors reported seeing the "flying objects" from the vessel before the incident occurred, according to Katada.The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
|
| Calm prevails in Memphis neighborhood two days after fatal shooting, amid police patrols Posted: 14 Jun 2019 03:07 AM PDT  Police helicopters and squad cars patrolled the Memphis neighborhood overnight into Friday morning where a young black man was fatally shot by federal agents, with residents appearing to heed calls for calm a day after sometimes violent street demonstrations. The man who was killed, Brandon Webber, was suspected by police of shooting a man in a violent carjacking in Mississippi earlier this month. Webber's death prompted hundreds of his neighbors to demonstrate in nearby streets on Wednesday night in Frayser, a working-class, predominantly black neighborhood.
|
| Trump Jr grilled by US senators, says unconcerned about perjury Posted: 12 Jun 2019 10:44 PM PDT  Donald Trump Jr wrapped up a return interview Wednesday with US lawmakers who questioned him about his contacts with Russians, with the president's eldest son dismissing concerns he may have perjured himself in his 2017 testimony. The 41-year-old appeared relaxed as he emerged from a three-hour closed-door session with the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of the Republican-led panel's two-year investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. Trump Jr, who helms the Trump Organization collection of businesses that his real estate billionaire father ran for decades, earlier told reporters there was "nothing to correct" from his previous comments to the committee.
|
| Jupiter’s Europa is seriously salty Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:07 PM PDT  Of all the places in our solar system (besides Earth, of course), Jupiter's moon Europa might have the best chance of hosting life. Scientists studying the planet are intrigued by its massive ocean of liquid water hiding beneath a thick icy shell, and it's possible that life is lurking there, too.Now, a new research paper reveals that the colossal ocean isn't just liquid water, it's salty liquid water, making it potentially even more like Earth's oceans than we originally thought. The study was published in the journal Science Advances."The potential habitability of Europa's subsurface ocean depends on its chemical composition, which may be reflected in that of Europa's geologically young surface," the researchers write.But actually visiting Europa to see what its oceans are made of isn't really in the cards at the moment, so scientists have done the next best thing. Using the powerful spectrograph instrument on the Hubble, researchers are able to sniff out the makeup of nearby worlds, and in the case of Europa it's very, very salty.If the planets are indeed as salty as they appear, it could be a sign that the waters there are suitable for life. Whether or not any life forms have ever taken root there, however, is a far more challenging question to answer.Researchers have considered the possibility of sending some kind of robotic probe to the planet's surface. Its incredibly thick sheet of ice would need to be penetrated in order to sample the liquid water below. Such a mission would be costly, however, and while there's plenty of interest among scientist searching for life outside of Earth, NASA and other groups are largely focused on trips to the Moon and Mars in the immediate future.
|
| Warren probes U.S.-backed loan to Kushner family firm Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:25 AM PDT  The loan "raises serious questions about conflicts of interest" Sen. Elizabeth Warren said.
|
| Google publishes images of Pixel 4 far before fall launch Posted: 13 Jun 2019 05:05 AM PDT  In response to the flood of rumors spreading about Google's upcoming flagship, the company published its own official images of the device on Twitter revealing the Pixel 4's square-shaped rear camera apparatus. Despite the launch of the next Pixel most likely not taking place until October, rumors about the Google handset have been spreading like wildfire among tech enthusiasts. To curb the public's' obvious interest -- or perhaps to ignite it more -- Google responded to the onslaught of rumors Wednesday by publishing an official image of the backside of the Pixel 4.
|
| Stocks post small losses; investors look ahead to Fed Posted: 14 Jun 2019 02:01 PM PDT  Stocks ended a choppy week of trading with modest losses Friday as investors look forward to getting more clues about the direction of interest rates. Technology shares drove the declines, and energy stocks also fell a day after leading the market. Some late-day gains in banks and insurers helped temper the market's losses.
|
| Pompeo blames Iran for attack on tankers in Gulf Posted: 13 Jun 2019 12:27 PM PDT  As his secretary of state spoke, President Trump said it is "too soon to even think about making a deal" with Iran.
|
| REFILE-UPDATE 1-South Carolina man who killed his five children sentenced to death Posted: 13 Jun 2019 12:26 PM PDT ![REFILE-UPDATE 1-South Carolina man who killed his five children sentenced to death]( "REFILE-UPDATE 1-South Carolina man who killed his five children sentenced to death") A South Carolina jury sentenced a man to death on Thursday after convicting him of murdering his five young children at their mobile home in 2014 before driving their decomposing bodies through several states and dumping them in Alabama. The jurors voted unanimously to give Timothy Jones the death penalty. Jurors considered whether to give Jones the death penalty or life in prison without possibility of parole.
|
| Delicious Spring Soups That Make Meal Prep a Breeze Posted: 13 Jun 2019 01:47 PM PDT |
| Far-right group in EU parliament doubles in strength Posted: 13 Jun 2019 10:16 AM PDT  The European Parliament's nationalist group will double in strength to 73 deputies in the new 751-seat assembly after last month's elections, MEPs said Thursday. The Identity and Democracy Party, formerly known as the Europe of Nations and Freedom Party, becomes the assembly's fifth biggest bloc, immediately after the Greens. "This group is from now on the first nationalist force in the European Parliament," Marine Le Pen, head of the French National Rally (RN), told a news conference in Brussels.
|
| New leak may confirm the most controversial part of Apple’s iPhone 11 redesign Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:21 AM PDT  There are so many exciting new smartphones set to be released in the coming months. The Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10 Pro are both due in August, Samsung's horrible Galaxy Fold may also launch soon with a slightly less horrible design, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL that Google just unveiled 4 months early is set to hit store shelves in October, and there are several other new smartphones that will debut between now and the end of 2019. As is always the case, however, no upcoming smartphones have managed to stir up hype that comes anywhere close to matching Apple's iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Max, and iPhone 11R (or whatever Apple ends up calling them).We've seen countless leaks and rumors that suggest Apple's upcoming next-generation smartphone lineup will feature a design that is almost identical to its previous-generation iPhone lineup. There is one big visual difference between last year's iPhones and the new iPhone 11 series, however, and it has managed to stir up a ton of controversy already, despite the fact that Apple's new iPhone 11 lineup hasn't even been unveiled yet so nothing can be confirmed. Unfortunately for Apple fans who don't like this particular new design element, a new leak is as close to a confirmation as we've come so far.If you're an Apple fan, you obviously know exactly what we're talking about at this point: the rear camera. The good news is Apple is giving it's iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max a massive camera upgrade with three rear-facing lenses, a new low-light mode that's rumored to rival Google's Night Sight, and more. The bad news is Apple decided to use a massive square camera bump to make it happen.There is absolutely no question that this square camera bump will be exactly like the notch Apple first introduced on the iPhone X in 2017. People are going to freak out about it at first, and that'll likely last a week or two. Then it'll be the new norm and no one will care anymore. The outrage of Apple fans is just as easy to predict as the fact that the Sun will rise in the east each morning and set in the West in the evening. For that first week or two, however, the whining will be incessant.You should all brace yourselves for it now because the latest leak pretty much confirms that the square camera bump is happening. Accessory maker Olixar is almost always spot-on when it releases accessories ahead of a new smartphone launch, and it just sent iPhone 11 Max (and iPhone 11) camera protectors to smartphone accessory retailer MobileFun. As you've undoubtedly surmised at this point, they match the exact design we've seen leak time and time again. Here are a few images:And here's a hands-on video with the new iPhone 11 Max camera protectors:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvxVMMyK6PILong story short, this is Apple's new iPhone design. Like it or not, it's coming in September when Apple's new iPhone 11 lineup hits store shelves. And people who buy an iPhone 11R (or whatever it's called) won't get a reprieve either, because that model will also have a large square camera bump despite only having a dual-lens rear camera.
|
| Biden vs. Sanders and other things to watch in the first Democratic debates Posted: 14 Jun 2019 02:11 PM PDT  The debates offer a chance to define a candidate's campaign — or severely hinder it.
|
| Airbnb launches adventure travel experiences for intrepid globetrotters Posted: 13 Jun 2019 09:06 AM PDT  Airbnb has launched adventure travel experiences that include everything from treks in the Amazon jungle to camping on a cliff in Colorado and hunting for UFOs in Arizona.
|
| FOREX-Dollar steady before Fed meeting, G20 summit Posted: 13 Jun 2019 07:00 AM PDT ![FOREX-Dollar steady before Fed meeting, G20 summit]( "FOREX-Dollar steady before Fed meeting, G20 summit") Tepid inflation and weakening economic data in the midst of a U.S.-China trade war has fed expectations that the Federal Reserve is close to cutting interest rates. "I think in order to see the dollar weaken further you need to see some follow through from the Fed on rate easing," said Mazen Issa, senior fx strategist at TD Securities in New York. The Fed is not widely expected to cut rates when it meets on June 18-19, though investors will watch for new signals that a cut may come in July.
|
| Key events raising tensions in the Persian Gulf Posted: 13 Jun 2019 04:28 AM PDT |
| The New Bentley Flying Spur Imagined Four Different Ways by Our Staff Posted: 14 Jun 2019 01:00 PM PDT |
| EXCLUSIVE-Petrobras ignored warnings about fuel broker implicated in graft probe Posted: 13 Jun 2019 03:00 AM PDT ![EXCLUSIVE-Petrobras ignored warnings about fuel broker implicated in graft probe]( "EXCLUSIVE-Petrobras ignored warnings about fuel broker implicated in graft probe") Brazil's Petrobras found suspicious activity in its oil trading business - and failed to stop it - six years before an alleged bribery scandal erupted in that unit in 2018, according to three people with knowledge of the situation and documents seen by Reuters. A 2012 internal probe at the state-run oil company turned up more than two dozen instances in which traders in Petrobras' Singapore office overpaid for fuel, the people said. Some employees in 2013 recommended halting transactions with one particular fuel brokerage that had consistently sold fuel to Petrobras at above-market prices, according to the people.
|
| Huawei’s Android replacement is one step closer to becoming a reality Posted: 13 Jun 2019 07:05 PM PDT  Huawei is getting closer, it seems, to the day when it will begin relying on a Plan B mobile operating system to replace the reliance it's enjoyed up to this point on Google's Android, which the Chinese consumer electronics giant is in danger of losing access to soon thanks to US sanctions.As far as what form Huawei's back-up OS will take, when it will roll out and where -- those details are still a bit sketchy. However, the company has begun trademarking its "Hongmeng" operating system in at least nine countries, as well as Europe, which could be read as a sign that plans for the company's much-speculated-about Android replacement are starting to firm up.That news comes via Reuters, which notes that Huawei has started filing for the Hongmeng trademark in countries like Cambodia, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, and Peru. It's a direct result of what Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer division, said earlier this year was the backup OS the company has been prepping for just such a turn of events like this, apparently long ago envisioning a day when it would need to wean itself off a reliance on US companies.President Trump's move in recent weeks to put Huawei on a blacklist that bans US companies from doing business with the Chinese brand almost immediately led to chatter that Huawei's ambition of one day being the biggest smartphone maker in the world just got kneecapped. Since then, the company has been racing to figure out how to deal with the US-led opposition which threatens to cut it off from parts suppliers to, arguably worst of all, Google -- which means existing Huawei smartphones couldn't get Android updates or security fixes, and new Huawei smartphones would not have access to Android or the Google Play Store at all.The smartphone industry, of course, is littered with the carcasses of operating systems that tried to break a lock on the iOS-Android duopoly, which is another reason why Huawei's next steps here are so perilous. And why its replacement OS will have a high mountain to climb, to say the least.As another curveball to this story, there have also been reports in recent days that Huawei could decide to work with Russia and use a Russian-created OS as an Android replacement. Which would, of course, present a whole new series of concerns.
|
| Judiciary Committee lawmakers begin reviewing Mueller report evidence Posted: 13 Jun 2019 02:40 PM PDT ![Judiciary Committee lawmakers begin reviewing Mueller report evidence]( "Judiciary Committee lawmakers begin reviewing Mueller report evidence") The groups will include Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
|
| 'Shark Tank' star Barbara Corcoran 'overwhelmed with sadness' after brother dies in Dominican Republic Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:57 AM PDT  John Corcoran, brother of "Shark Tank" star Barbara Corcoran, died in April.
|
| Huawei folding phone launch delayed from mid-June to September Posted: 14 Jun 2019 06:44 AM PDT  Huawei has revealed that the launch of the folding Mate X -- which was originally supposed to happen this month -- won't take place until September. On Friday, Huawei told CNBC that the company is delaying the launch of the Mate X, which was first unveiled in February, until September to extend product testing -- not because of its US blacklisting. After observing Samsung's Galaxy Fold debacle from the sidelines, a spokesperson admitted that, "We don't want to launch a product to destroy our reputation." Huawei is allegedly taking extra time to ensure that the device is fully functional no matter which mobile carrier it is running on.
|
| Last Ever Two-Door Range Rover Classic Heading To Auction Posted: 13 Jun 2019 05:17 AM PDT  Perhaps the most significant left-hand drive Range Rover Classic in existence, this 1994 200 Tdi presents a significant piece of Land Rover history. Rolling off the Solihull production line on January 11, 1994, '647644' was the very last production two-door model, destined for Portugal. How To Buy The Perfect Range Rover Classic!
|
| South Carolina Man Sentenced to Death for Killing His 5 Children Posted: 13 Jun 2019 04:48 PM PDT  A South Carolina father was sentenced to death Thursday for killing his five children with his own hands. After they were dead, he drove around with their bodies for nine days before dumping them in garbage bags on the side of an Alabama dirt road.
|
| Trump defends position on 'oppo research' from foreign governments: 'How ridiculous' to tell the FBI Posted: 13 Jun 2019 07:58 AM PDT  The president attempted to defend his stunning admission that he would accept damaging information from foreign governments against his political rivals, were if offered, and that he might not alert the FBI.
|
| Israel strikes Hamas in Gaza, calling attack response to rocket fire Posted: 12 Jun 2019 11:53 PM PDT ![Israel strikes Hamas in Gaza, calling attack response to rocket fire]( "Israel strikes Hamas in Gaza, calling attack response to rocket fire") Israeli aircraft attacked a Hamas target in Gaza on Thursday after a Palestinian rocket strike, the Israeli military said, in the first serious cross-border flare-up since a surge in fighting last month. The latest hostilities followed Israel's closure of offshore waters to Gaza fisherman on Wednesday in what it said was a response to incendiary balloons launched across the frontier that caused fires in fields in southern Israel this week.
|
