JUNE 12 AND 13, 2018


NEWS AND VIEWS


I USUALLY TRY TO PUT THE MOST IMPORTANT STORY ON TOP, BUT THIS TIME I FOUND SOMETHING MORE FUN INSTEAD. CONSIDER THIS YOUR APPETIZER.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 6/12/18
Staffers tape together torn up Trump papers to meet records law
Annie Karni, White House reporter for Politico, talks with Rachel Maddow about her reporting on Donald Trump's habit of tearing up papers when he is finished with them, and the staffers who tape them back together in order to keep Trump in compliance with the Presidential Records Act. Duration: 8:25


UNFORTUNATELY, THIS MAY BE THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE AS HOSTILITY AMONG DARKER SKINNED PEOPLES, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM MEXICO AND BEYOND, GROWS AND BLOOMS. AMERICANS, BEFORE CONDEMNING THE ATTACKERS HERE, SHOULD LOOK AT THE ONGOING BEHAVIOR OF THOSE POLICING THE BORDER AND OF OUR GOVERNMENT ITSELF. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM RANTING AND RAVING ABOUT “ILLEGALS,” AND NOW ACTUALLY TAKING THEIR CHILDREN AWAY FROM THEM AND SECRETING THEM IN PLACES WHERE THE PARENTS AND RELATIVES CAN’T GET TO THEM, OR EVEN FIND THEM. THAT FIRST AROUSES FEAR, THEN GRIEF, THEN RAGE.

THAT RECENT CASE IN WHICH A US SENATOR WAS TURNED AWAY WHEN HE WENT TO INSPECT THE HOUSING, AND WAS EVEN TREATED ABUSIVELY BY THE OFFICIALS THERE, IS YET ANOTHER STEP BEYOND THE RED LINE ON HUMAN RELATIONS. WHAT TRUMP AND THE US STATE DEPARTMENT NEED TO DO IS SET UP AND FOLLOW THROUGH IN GOOD FAITH ON TALKS BETWEEN ALL THE PARTIES; CULMINATING IN A TREATY CONCERNING SOME SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS. ALSO, THOSE NATIONS TO OUR SOUTH SHOULD SIGN A BINDING AGREEMENT WITH A THREAT OF TRADE OR OTHER BOYCOTS AS A PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON AN EFFECTIVE PLAN TO WORK ON THE LAWLESSNESS AND POVERTY IN THEIR COUNTRY. ONE OF THOSE NEWS STORIES FROM SIX MONTHS OR SO AGO TOLD ABOUT A SPECIFIC HOUSE IN THE VILLAGE WHERE THE PEOPLE KNEW TO ARRANGE A DEAL WITH THE COYOTE AND PAY FOR A TRIP NORTH. “EVERYBODY” KNEW ABOUT IT, SO THE AUTHORITIES DID ALSO, AND YET NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT. APPARENTLY BEING A COYOTE WAS TREATED LIKE BEING A TRAVEL AGENT. NO PROBLEM THERE, RIGHT? OR MAYBE IT WAS THE PAYMENTS UNDER THE COUNTER THAT LOCAL AND EVEN REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS GOT ON A REGULAR BASIS. NO MATTER WHERE I TURN THE LOVE OF MONEY REALLY IS THE ROOT OF MOST “EVIL.” BETWEEN THE US AND HONDURAS, MEXICO, EL SALVADOR, ETC., ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SOUTH, WHERE GENUINE CONTROL CAN HAPPEN, IF THERE IS A GOOD, THOROUGH PLAN AND STEADFAST COOPERATION THERE CAN BE GREAT IMPROVEMENT.

MAYBE INSTEAD OF OUR CLAIMING RIDICULOUSLY THAT MEXICO “WILL PAY FOR” A SEMI-EFFECTIVE AND VERY EXPENSIVE BORDER WALL, THE US WILL COOPERATE WITH ALL OF THOSE NATIONS TO SET UP BORDER CONTROL ON THEIR BOUNDARIES IN EACH OF THOSE COUNTRIES AND PERHAPS FARTHER SOUTH, EAST AND WEST. THAT WOULD BE A BETTER USE FOR HALF OF THAT MONEY, TO BE PUT INTO A FUND BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES TO PAY FOR THEIR LOCAL ISSUES AT HOME.

THERE IS NO REASON WHY NORTH AMERICA CAN’T DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, IF WE CAN PLAY NICE WITH NORTH KOREA AND RUSSIA. I BELIEVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE GROWN SO USED TO THINKING OF THOSE PEOPLE AS INFERIORS WHO JUST SHOULDN’T NEED ANY RESPECT OR PERSONAL ATTENTION FROM US, THAT THE WALL BETWEEN US – THE REAL WALL – IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO SCALE. LET’S START WITHIN OWN MINDS AND HEARTS.

THERE WAS A REALLY GOOD AND EXTENSIVE NEWS VIDEO SOME EIGHT MONTHS OR MORE AGO ON THE ORIGINATION POINTS OF THOSE MIGRATIONS, INCLUDING COYOTES, THE LINKAGES WITH AT LEAST ONE UNSCRUPULOUS TRUCKING COMPANY WHO MEET THEM AT CERTAIN ADVERTISED PLACES AND RIDE THEM INTO THE STATES TO YET ANOTHER MEETING POINT FOR THEIR FAMILIES TO PICK THEM UP. THAT VERY SAD STORY CAN BE FOUND AT: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/23/us/san-antonio-truck-walmart-trafficking.html.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/border-patrol-agent-shot-in-arizona-officials-to-give-live-updates-today-2018-6-13/
By CRIMESIDER STAFF CBS/AP June 13, 2018, 12:32 PM
Border patrol agent shot in Arizona was attacked by several assailants, officials say

PHOTOGRAPH -- Twitter/Customs And Border Protection Arizona

ARIVACA, Ariz. -- A U.S. Border Patrol agent who was wounded in a shooting in southern Arizona near the U.S.-Mexico border Tuesday was attacked by several assailants, one of whom shot him at close range, officials said at a press conference Wednesday. The shooting happened south of the community Arivaca at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The agent was struck several times and apparently returned fire. The agent, a 21-year veteran of the Border Patrol and a trained paramedic, called for help through his car radio and bandaged himself until medical support could reach him, officials said.

He is in stable condition and is in good spirits, said Chief Patrol Agent Rodolfo Karisch, head of the U.S. Border Patrol in Tucson.

Karisch said Wednesday several people were taken into custody in the area by a specialized tactical unit, but Kasich didn't refer to them as suspects. He said they were processed on immigration charges and "we have yet to tie them to the shooting."

The area, southwest of Tucson and about 10 miles from the border, is known for its use by smugglers of migrants and drugs. It was featured in the documentary "Cartel Land." The agent had been patrolling the remote area alone.

Jim Chilton, a fifth-generation Arizona cattleman who runs the 50,000-acre ranch, told The Associated Press in an interview that the Border Patrol sent him an email saying the agent was alone when he was wounded on the ranch and was struck in the leg and the hand.

Several bullets also struck the agent's protective vest, which probably saved his life, Chilton said.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



I ALMOST DIDN’T COLLECT THIS STORY BECAUSE THE WAY THIS TRUMP /RUSSIA /COHEN /MUELLER THING PROGRESSES IS FASCINATING, BUT FRUSTRATING. COHEN’S BEEN “UNDER PRESSURE TO COOPERATE” FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW, BUT MUELLER HASN’T BEATEN HIM YET. THAT’S BECAUSE MUELLER IS WORKING ON HIM LIKE A SOUTHERNER WITH A CANE POLE CATCHES A SUNFISH. THEY COME UP AND NIBBLE ON YOUR BAIT UNTIL THEY DECIDE TO REALLY TAKE IT, AT WHICH POINT THEY WILL RUN WITH IT AND PUT UP QUITE A FIGHT. THAT’S WHAT’S FUN ABOUT FISHING! THEN, AND ONLY THEN, CAN YOU HOOK THEM.

OF COURSE, THAT’S THE WAY THE COURT CASES WORK. LAWYER ONE MAKES A FILING OF SOME SORT AND LAWYER TWO COUNTERS, OFTEN OVER DAYS AT A TIME. I JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT IT EVERY FEW DAYS AT LEAST, THOUGH, FOR FEAR OF MISSING SOMETHING. SO HERE IS TODAY’S INSTALLMENT.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-cohen-weighs-options-under-pressure-to-cooperate/
CBS NEWS June 13, 2018, 12:14 PM
Michael Cohen under pressure to cooperate with prosecutors

VIDEO – New details on FBI’s Michael Cohen Case

Longtime Trump attorney Michael Cohen continues to be under pressure to cooperate with federal prosecutors, after the raids of his home and office in April. A federal judge has set a June 15 deadline to determine which records from that raid fall under attorney-client privilege.

CBS News correspondent Jeff Pegues, who has been in contact with Cohen, reports there appear to be changes afoot in his legal strategy going forward — on the key question of whether Cohen is ready to cooperate, or whether he will decide to do battle in court. There's no indication yet, that Cohen is in fact preparing to cooperate with the special counsel. But these are his only two real options, as his case plays out in the Southern District of New York.

Still, an arrest of Cohen is not imminent — despite what Cohen has apparently been telling people, a person familiar with the matter told CBS News' Pat Milton.

Why Michael Cohen is all over the news
Michael Cohen hearings: What falls under attorney client privilege

A major factor in the Cohen probe is what is covered by attorney-client privilege from the April 9 seizure of more than 3 million items, and what isn't. A special master is reviewing those records to determine what is covered by the privilege. In the first batch of information reviewed, the special master suggested that only about 100 records are covered by attorney-client privilege, Pegues reported. A federal judge has given Cohen's legal team a June 15 deadline to review materials for attorney-client privilege.

Mr. Trump, Cohen's client for years, bemoaned the raid of Cohen's records, declaring on Twitter the day after the raids, "Attorney-client privilege is dead!"


Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Attorney–client privilege is dead!

7:07 AM - Apr 10, 2018
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What Cohen decides to do going forward is important not only to his case, but to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling and any ties to Trump associates. Mueller has already made multiple indictments as a result of that probe.

Cohen has denied any wrongdoing related to the Russia investigation, and in the case playing out in the Southern District of New York.

— CBS News' Kathryn Watson contributed to this report

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



THE INDIAN/PAKISTANI HOSTILITIES CONTINUE OVER KASHMIR AND OTHER THINGS, SUCH AS RELIGION. THE MEN IN BOTH COUNTRIES ARE EQUALLY VICIOUS TO THEIR WOMEN, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THEY DON’T SEEM TO HAVE MUCH IN COMMON. THIS IS A VERY OLD DISPUTE. I HOPE YOU ALL SAW THE WONDERFUL MOVIE, “GANDHI.” HERE IS A VIDEO OF THE FILM:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQNbHVjC0sQ.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-44472286#_=_
Chef Atul Kocchar sacked for Priyanka Chopra terrorism tweet
JUNE 13, 2018

PHOTOGRAPH -- Atul Kocchar was the second Indian-born chef to receive a Michelin star

Michelin-starred chef Atul Kocchar has been fired for a tweet claiming Muslims have "terrorised" Hindus for thousands of years.

The JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai dropped the chef after he posted the comments, aimed at Indian actress Priyanka Chopra.

Ms Chopra has come under fire for a recent episode of her US TV show Quantico, featuring a plot about Hindu nationalists.

The chef has apologised for the tweet.

In full, Mr Kocchar tweeted on Sunday: "It's sad to see that you [Chopra] have not respected the sentiments of Hindus who have been terrorized by Islam over 2000 years. Shame on You."

He has since deleted the message, and has pinned an image to his Twitter feed expressing his regret.

Image Copyright @atulkochhar@ATULKOCHHAR
Report

But his Dubai restaurant fired the chef on Wednesday, after threats online to boycott the establishment for Mr Kocchar's comments.

"We pride ourselves on creating a culture of diversity and inclusion for our guests and associates across the hotel and our restaurants," a spokesperson said.

Mr Kocchar became the second Indian to earn a Michelin star in 2007 for his Benares restaurant in London.

His tweet is part of a wave of online criticism directed at Priyanka Chopra, an Indian-born, US-based actress.

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption
The plotline on Priyanka Chopra's show Quantico drew condemnation from some in India

Ms Chopra plays the lead character Alex Parrish in spy thriller Quantico, which broadcast an episode on 1 June showing the character foiling a terror attack in New York.

Though the fictitious attack was ostensibly planned by Pakistanis ahead of a summit about Kashmir, the disputed territory claimed by India and Pakistan, Ms Chopra's character discovers it is in fact Hindu nationalists trying to frame the Pakistanis.

Why India and Pakistan dispute Kashmir
Kashmir territories profile
There was fury online after the episode aired, with some declaring Ms Chopra "an insult to India" and the episode an attack on Hindus.

Ms Chopra has since apologised, declaring herself "a proud Indian".

Image Copyright @priyankachopra@PRIYANKACHOPRA



TURKEY HAS BEEN AT THE TOP OF MY DAILY BLOG READERSHIP STATS FOR A GOOD MONTH, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST STORY I’VE SEEN THAT SEEMS TO BE OF A VERY HIGH IMPORTANCE, EXCEPT SOME THAT SHOW HE SEEMS TO BE IN CONFLICT WITH HIS PEOPLE FREQUENTLY. HOPEFULLY, IF HE IS THE VILLAIN HE APPEARS TO BE, THIS WILL BE THE END OF HIS TERM OF OFFICE/ REIGN. IF HE IS OUT, THOUGH, I HOPE SOMEONE WHO IS A MORE BENIGN LEADER WILL TAKE OVER. TODAY I FOUND SEVERAL ARTICLES. I BELIEVE THE THINGS EVERYBODY IN TURKEY HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT IS AN ELECTION – ALWAYS IMPORTANT -- AND MISTREATMENT OF THE PEOPLE.

ELECTION – TWO ARTICLES AND A VIDEO

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-13/erdogan-fights-to-keep-power-as-bloomberg-poll-shows-tight-votes
Erdogan Fights to Keep Power as Bloomberg Poll Shows Tight Votes
By Benjamin Harvey
June 13, 2018, 12:00 AM EDT
Updated on June 13, 2018, 4:39 AM EDT

Poll by Mert Yildiz’s Foresight Danismanlik for Bloomberg News
Erdogan leads, but opposition victory within margin of error

PHOTOGRAPH -- Erdogan Fights to Keep Power in Turkey

Turkey’s election this month could go down to the wire, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan facing a tougher battle to cement power or even an upset, according to a poll commissioned by Bloomberg.

Erdogan can win the presidential vote in the first round on June 24 with 50.8 percent support and get the backing of a majority in parliament, the survey by Foresight Danismanlik of 500 people on June 7-11 found. But a surprise victory for the opposition is also within the margin of error.

The key takeaway is that any array of options is possible and the only certainty is that it will be very close. Erdogan and his AK party can’t win alone, and in previous elections they got the support of religious conservatives, free-market liberals or Kurds to govern. Now success hinges on how voters identifying as nationalist cast their ballot, the poll found.

Turkey Votes
President Erdogan can clear victory in the first round, opposition surprise possible


Source: Foresight for Bloomberg News

Poll conducted by 500 people on June 7 -11

The most powerful factor tilting the result in Erdogan’s favor is the unwavering devotion to him and his AK party. Very few core supporters can imagine themselves voting for anyone else even as the deterioration of the economy looms large. But nationalists have been deserting their traditional party.

“Erdogan always needed and will need coalitions," said Mert Yildiz, a former senior emerging-markets economist for Roubini Global Economics in London who co-founded Foresight in March 2017. “Even if Erdogan wins both the parliament and the presidency, political uncertainty is unlikely to end."

Margin of Error
The survey is Foresight’s first for Bloomberg, and the first of its kind in Turkey. The pollster selected a district based on various demographic and socio-economic characteristics and one that voted in line with the past three election results.

The margin of error is 3.5 percentage points, wider than that of a typical poll because of the smaller sample size. (For more on the methodology, see the end of the story.)

Erdogan’s closest opponent for the presidency is Muharrem Ince of the CHP. He polled at 30.1 percent. Ince was followed by pro-Kurdish HDP candidate Selahattin Demirtas, who despite running his campaign from prison, polled at 10.5 percent. Former Interior Minister Meral Aksener of the new Iyi Party polled 8 percent, trailing most expectations.

Should the presidential race go to a second round run-off, Erdogan’s lead would be more substantial, the polling showed. The parliamentary vote, though, is more complicated.

Crucially, Demirtas’s party also polled above the 10 percent threshold that will allow its deputies to enter parliament and possibly deprive Erdogan of a supportive legislature.

HDP was on course to take 11.7 percent of the vote, compared with just 4.5 percent for the nationalist MHP. Deputies from MHP will enter parliament regardless because of their alliance with Erdogan’s AKP, which polled 46 percent. Ince’s CHP was on 27.5 percent for the parliamentary vote and Iyi at 9 percent. Both Erdogan and Ince are significantly more popular than their respective political parties.

Parliament Prospects
Erdogan's AK Party, and ally nationalist MHP can get the majority of available 600 seats


Source: Foresight for Bloomberg News

Poll conducted by 500 people on June 7 -11

“Even though Erdogan is likely to win power, the true winner of these elections will be Muharrem Ince," said Foresight, which advises Turkish municipalities and conducts polls on their behalf.

Deteriorating Economy
The economy is the most pressing concern for voters, with 34.2 percent of respondents saying it’s the nation’s most important problem. That was followed by 17.7 percent who said terrorism and 13.5 percent who named unemployment.

The vote comes after the lira plunged in value and soaring inflation, making economic performance a liability for Erdogan for the first time in his 15 years leading the country.

Read More: Turkey’s Bonds, Lira Slide for a Third Day

The president has unnerved investors with unconventional theories on economic fundamentals and attacks against the central bank. That was exacerbated when, in an interview with Bloomberg Television in London on May 14, Erdogan said he’d look to take greater control of monetary policy after the vote.

But while a plurality of respondents -- 35.9 percent -- said their living standards had gotten worse in the past year, very few of his supporters are likely to turn on him. Only 4.6 percent of AKP voters said they’d vote for Ince.

“Despite the excitement around the opposition parties and candidates’ campaigns, none of the candidates can truly steal votes from Erdogan loyalist AKP voters," Foresight said.

What Yildiz said about the methodology:
“It’s new, something that hasn’t been tested before in Turkey. What we did was instead of taking the whole country, we found this tiny little village that has predicted the past three elections closely. You see all colors of Turkey in that little neighborhood. You sample randomly there, and then you can weight the results for the general population. There’s a caveat that this is a small neighborhood that might have changed in the past three years, but I don’t think it did.”

— With assistance by Fercan Yalinkilic


SO, ERDOGAN DOES DO WHAT TRUMP WOULD CLEARLY LIKE TO DO: HE THROTTLES THE PRESS. THAT’S HOW A “STRONG LEADER” OPERATES, AFTER ALL. TRUMP, SO FAR, WON’T GET AWAY WITH THAT, SO HE JUST THOROUGHLY POLLUTES IT WITH LIES. WHERE, OH WHERE IS BERNIE SANDERS? OR THE LEGISLATORS WHO ARE HONEST AND COURAGEOUS? I WAS SO GLAD TO HEAR A SNIPPET OF NEWS ABOUT THE MAIN DEMOCRATS, INCLUDING OBAMA, MEETING NOT LONG AGO TO DISCUSS THE DEMOCRATIC PLANS TO SAVE OUR PARTY, AND PERHAPS OUR COUNTRY.

https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/turkey/.premium-erdogan-elections-turkish-opposition-gets-creative-1.6166971
From Google Ads to Prison Calls Turkish Opposition Gets Creative as Erdogan Tightens Grip on Media Ahead of Elections
Turkish Opposition Gets Creative as Erdogan Tightens Grip on Media Ahead of Elections
With most mainstream media under government control, Turkish opposition tries to reach voters in June 24 vote using social media and viral marketing – from posting video calls by an imprisoned presidential candidate to buying ad space on Google

Davide Lerner SendSend me email alerts
Jun 13, 2018 2:46 PM

PHOTOGRAPH -- Demonstrators hold placards with some featuring a picture of Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan during a protest against internet censorship in IstanbulReuters

RELATED STORIES:
Turkey's election: Erdogan set to gain new presidential powers despite growing voter resentment
Diaspora Turks start voting for presidential, parliamentary elections
At rally in Bosnia, Erdogan flexes his muscles as strongman of the Muslim world


ANTALYA, Turkey – Tourists in this resort city were surprised last week when they googled for “vacant rooms” in the area: The top-sponsored result wasn’t for a glamorous new hotel, but rather a campaign ad from an opposition party promising there will be plenty of rooms available if President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is booted from office.

The tongue-in-cheek ad by the Good Party (iYi Party) – which is running against Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) in presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday June 24 – was referencing the lavish 1,100-room Ak Saray (“White Palace”) that the Turkish president built for himself in Ankara, at a cost of some $650 million, in 2014.

The online ad was just one example of how opposition parties in Turkey are creatively using online marketing strategies and social media to try to get around Erdogan’s tight grip on mainstream media, which critics say has grown even stronger ahead of the snap elections this month.

A search for “VPN” – the system many Turks use to get around the government’s internet restrictions – was met with another message from the Good Party: “Don’t waste your money, wait until we are in power to enjoy internet freedom.”

With over 175,000 websites already banned in Turkey (including Wikipedia) and some 800 Twitter accounts blocked, Erdogan recently moved to secure greater control of the internet with a new law that would require many media outlets to seek a license to broadcast online.

Meanwhile, Selahattin Demirtas, the imprisoned presidential candidate for the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), decided to use the biweekly phone call he is allowed with his wife to deliver a campaign speech instead. Demirtas has been detained since November 2016, on terrorism charges largely based on claims that he was involved in the activities of the PKK – the militant Kurdish group involved in a long-standing struggle with the Turkish army.

skip - HDP tweet, saying: Presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş's election speech


HDP
✔
@HDPgenelmerkezi
Cumhurbaşkanı Adayımız Selahattin #Demirtaş'ın seçim mitingi konuşması:

4:03 AM - Jun 6, 2018
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HDP tweet, saying: Presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş's election speech
The 45-year-old human rights lawyer, who denies all charges, had been the main hope for anti-Erdogan progressives in Turkey in the last few years. However, he was jailed alongside a dozen MPs from his party amid a crackdown on the opposition following the attempted coup of July 2016.

“Every day while my hands are tied, the government officials, without pause, continue the smear campaigns against me in the newspapers and on TV. While I can’t even use my right to respond, they continue their political ruse by making all kinds of fabricated allegations,” Demirtas said in the video recording of his phone call, which was then distributed on social media by the HDP.

skip - Selahattin Demirtas tweet

Selahattin Demirtaş
✔
@hdpdemirtas
It is obvious that the elections are unfair even by the fact that I answer your questions from prison. Surely, everyone will respect the results, but if fraud or unlawfulness is detected, there will definitely be legal action.

Kristina Jovanovski
✔
@kjovano
@hdpdemirtas Do you expect the election to be free and fair? Will you tell your supporters to respect the results, regardless of the outcome? Why do you think the opposition parties didn't want you in their alliance? #AskDemirtas

7:18 AM - Jun 8, 2018
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Last week, Demirtas also held an online news conference of sorts. Questions were sent to him via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, with hashtags such as #AskDemirtas and posed to him by his lawyers, who then shared his responses on social media.

skip - Nick Ashdown tweet

Nick Ashdown
✔
@Nick_Ashdown
Demirtaş's wife's official question to her imprisoned presidential candidate husband:

"You've been doing the ironing since university and even after getting married. If you become president, are you gonna keep ironing, making breakfast for the kids and going grocery shopping?"

Başak Demirtaş
✔
@Basak__Demirtas
Üniversite yıllarından beri ütü yapıyorsunuz. Evlendikten sonra da devam ettiniz. Cumhurbaşkanı olursanız evde ütü yapmaya, çocuklara kahvaltı hazırlamaya, pazar ve market alışverişine gitmeye devam edecek misiniz? #DemirtasaSoruyorum

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4:43 AM - Jun 8, 2018
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Erdogan’s main challenger is ex-physics teacher Muharrem Ince, who is the presidential candidate for the Republican People’s Party (CHP) – the party created by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey.

Ince is also struggling with limited access to coverage in the country’s largely pro-Erdogan media, though to a slightly lesser degree than other opposition candidates. This is reflected, among other things, in his frantic campaign schedule, which often includes two or three rallies in different cities in a single day.

Ince was also quick to pick up on a Twitter campaign against Erdogan in May that started spontaneously on social media after the president declared he would step aside if he was to lose the elections. “If one day our nation says ‘enough,’ then we will step aside,” he said, using the Turkish word “tamam,” which can translate as “OK” or “enough.”

An image showing Muharrem Ince, presidential candidate of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, addresses an election rally in Istanbul
Muharrem Ince, presidential candidate of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, addresses an election rally in IstanbulAP
When the hashtag #tamam went viral in opposition circles online, with millions suggesting they had indeed had “enough,” Ince and his party took up the slogan in an attempt to reach voters.

Ince slammed Turkey’s “pathetic” television industry in an interview with the Financial Times (“Erdogan opponent warns of Turkey’s ‘society of fear’”), complaining that TV stations often cut short his rallies but give full coverage to Erdogan’s events, thus making his on-the-ground campaigning less effective.

skip - Mark Lowen tweet

Mark Lowen
✔
@marklowen
Had a chat last night with a journalist from a pro-govt TV channel:
Me: “so you are told to toe the government line?” Him: “no no, we’re much more free than that”. Me: “so do you show #Ince or #Aksener rallies or campaigning?” Him: “no we’re not allowed”.#Turkey #journalism

3:05 PM - Jun 8, 2018
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Jane Louise Kandur, a columnist for the pro-government Daily Sabah and former head of the AKP’s women’s branch in Istanbul, dismissed such complaints as groundless.

“There is a perception that Erdogan is given more airtime – which is backed up by the fact that Erdogan is president, so he is more likely to be in the news. But statistics show the distribution of airtime allocated to the campaigns is actually fair,” she told Haaretz.

At a conference held by the European Parliament last month to mark World Press Freedom Day, Turkish journalists warned that with the recent sale of the Dogan Media Group – one of the largest media conglomerates in the country – around 92 percent of the entire media landscape is now under direct control of the government.

Dogan was considered the last part of Turkey’s mainstream media to have a degree of autonomy from the government. However, it was bought by Erdogan Demirören, an entrepreneur close to Erdogan, for $1.2 billion at the end of March and renamed Demirören Media Group. A few weeks later, the president revealed his decision to call snap elections. This is seen as an attempt to head off a looming economic crisis and to secure the presidency until 2023, when Turkey celebrates 100 years from Atatürk’s establishment of the Republic.

Demirören died last Friday and the media group is now being controlled by his son, Yildirim Demirören, who previously held the position of vice chairman in the organization. The conglomerate owns the prominent newspapers Hürriyet and Posta (Turkey’s first- and fourth-biggest circulation dailies), the Dogan News Agency, as well as the TV entertainment and news channels Kanal D and CNN Türk, and other smaller outlets.

People watching a video announcing the first election rally of Selahattin Demirtas, jailed former leader of pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), in an election office of HDP in Mardin province, Turkey, June 6, 2018.

People watching a video announcing the first election rally of Selahattin Demirtas, jailed former leader of pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), in Turkey, June 6, 2018.SERTAC KAYAR/ REUTERS

In 2009, a $2.5 billion fine for unpaid taxes (later lowered to $700 million on appeal) had already forced the secular-leaning previous owner, Aydin Dogan, to soften the group’s editorial line on Erdogan’s party in order to stay afloat – according to observers who saw the penalty as politically motivated. In 2013, CNN Türk famously aired a documentary on penguins as the Gezi Park protests against Erdogan were taking place, drawing widespread criticism from the opposition.

Yavuz Baydar - editor-in-chief of the recently founded news portal Ahval, which is very critical of Erdogan - said at the Brussels conference that “90 percent of the Turkish public gets its news from TV” and that, after the sale of Dogan Media, “there is only one noteworthy opposition channel left: Halk TV.”

This means that journalists who are critical of the government can reach urban youth through news websites, but have “little hope” of reaching the majority of voters, he added.

Ahval, which according to one of its editors is partially funded by newspaper publishers from the United Arab Emirates, is run mainly by journalists who have been exiled from Turkey. Critics at home accuse it of being linked to the movement of Fethullah Gülen, the U.S.-based preacher who has been accused of masterminding the 2016 coup attempt. Baydar denies the claim.

skip - Piotr Zalewski tweet

Piotr Zalewski
✔
@p_zalewski
Welcome to Turkey's post-truth universe | 65% of AKP voters, 41% of MHP voters, 12% of CHP voters and 6% of HDP voters think the lira's decline is "an operation against Turkey by foreign powers" (tks @hasavrat)

Selim Sazak
@scsazak
Anlatacak bir şey yok, görüyorsunuz.

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7:07 AM - May 18, 2018
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At the same conference, the Istanbul-based Turkish correspondent of The Economist, Piotr Zalewski, pointed out how the lack of media freedom is a long-standing issue for Turkey, since well before Erdogan came to power.

“What needs to happen down the line is a change in the media culture that has flourished under Erdogan and the AKP, but predates them by decades. It a culture that allows no room for investigative journalism; a culture where dissidents and opponents of one group or another are tried and convicted in newspapers before they are tried in courts, where columnists act as brokers of political influence,” he said.

LOOMING LARGE: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addressing his supporters during an election rally in Ankara, June 9, 2018.\ UMIT BEKTAS/ REUTERS

With an economic downturn threatening Erdogan’s popularity ahead of the early election, the president is relying heavily on positive media coverage to de-emphasize his government’s faults. The currency crisis, which has seen the Turkish lira plummet in the last few months to record lows against the dollar, is attributed by pro-government outlets to a vaguely defined “high interest rate lobby” – whom Erdogan has even accused of being guilty of treason.

These reports never refer to the fall of the lira, but rather to the “hike” of the dollar against it. They also ignore the insights of many analysts who warn that Erdogan’s obsession with low interest rates as a way of boosting the economy has led to unwise choices by the central bank.

If Erdogan wins on June 24, he will also enjoy greater powers following a referendum on the presidential system in April 2017. Yet while many joke that the lira is the only real opposition to Erdogan left in Turkey, his opponents have been making some inroads.

According to a poll reported by Reuters last week, Erdogan may be forced to face a second round in the presidential election (he would need to secure over 50 percent of the vote in the first round to avoid a runoff). The poll also suggests his party could lose its overall parliamentary majority. The poll figures also suggest HDP leader Demirtas may secure enough votes to enter parliament, even though he will still be stuck behind bars.

Davide Lerner
Davide Lerner

Haaretz Contributor


VIDEO

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2018-06-13/erdogan-fights-to-keep-power-in-turkey-video
Erdogan Fights to Keep Power in Turkey
Bloomberg Markets
June 13th, 2018, 4:15 AM EDT
Mert Yildiz, founder of Foresight Danismanlik, discusses Turkey's upcoming election and the likelihood of Erdogan claiming a victory. Yildiz speaks on "Bloomberg Markets: European Open." (Source: Bloomberg)



THIS NEWS ISN’T SO BAD. PERRY MASON WILL ALWAYS RAISE HECK WITH THE COURT IF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ATTEMPTS TO DEPRIVE HIM OF FULL INFORMATION.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/391852-judge-rules-mueller-must-identify-unnamed-individuals-in-manafort
Judge rules Mueller must identify unnamed individuals in Manafort indictment
BY AVERY ANAPOL - 06/12/18 01:38 PM EDT

VIDEO -- Mueller Says Manafort Tried To Tamper With A Potential Witness

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that special counsel Robert Mueller must identify the unnamed individuals in his recent superseding indictment of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Mueller last week indicted Manafort and his former aide, Konstantin Kilimnik, on a series of charges related to lobbying work on behalf of Ukraine.

The indictment accused Manafort and Kilimnik of obstructing justice by attempting to tamper Owith [sic] witnesses in the investigation.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Mueller to turn over the names of several individuals and organizations, including European politicians and other Manafort contacts, to Manafort’s attorneys, according to court documents and reports by Politico.

The New York Times reported last week that two veteran journalists told Mueller that Manafort attempted to contact them and tried to shape their testimony. Three Times sources identified the journalists as Alan Friedman and Eckart Sager. Mueller’s indictment did not name the witnesses that Manafort and Kilimnik allegedly contacted.

Jackson’s ruling comes in response to a motion from Manafort’s team seeking more information on the superseding indictment.

Jackson wrote that Mueller turning over the information will help Manafort prepare for a “complex” trial, which is expected in September.

“[The] defendant is obliged to prepare for a complex trial with a voluminous record within a relatively short period of time, and he should not have to be surprised at a later point by the addition of a new name or allegation,” she wrote.

Manafort has also been indicted on multiple charges related to financial crimes and is expected to go to trial next month. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

TAGS ROBERT MUELLER PAUL MANAFORT



CHRISTIE DOES HAVE HIS HIGHLY UNETHICAL TRAITS – THAT BRIDGE EPISODE ESPECIALLY – BUT HE APPARENTLY HAS THE GUTS TO STAND UP TO TRUMP. “GOOD ON YE,” CHRISTIE!”

https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/03/politics/chris-christie-rudy-giuliani-russia-investigation/index.html?utm_source=ADA_obamplify19&utm_medium=conversion_politicsrss&utm_campaign=cnn_PoliticsDesktopTablet&utm_term=The+Hill+Administration&utm_content=Chris+Christie%3A+%27Outrageous+claim%27+that+Trump+cannot+obstruct+justice
Chris Christie: 'Outrageous claim' that Trump cannot obstruct justice
CNN Digital Expansion 2018 Veronica Stracqualursi
By Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN
Updated 3:24 PM ET, Sun June 3, 2018

Washington (CNN)Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie knocked the claim from Donald Trump's legal team that, by nature of his office, the President cannot obstruct justice and could simply shut down the Russia investigation altogether.

"It's an outrageous claim, it's wrong," the former Republican governor said on ABC News' "This Week."

Christie, who was a former federal prosecutor before becoming governor, added that Trump's legal team "was trying to make a broad argument."

Preet Bharara says Trump pardoning himself would be 'almost self-executing impeachment'

The argument from the President's lawyers, Jay Sekulow and then-Trump attorney John Dowd, came in a confidential January letter to special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election, including a related question of whether Trump has obstructed justice with regard to that probe.

The lawyers wrote in the 20-page letter that the President cannot illegally obstruct the Russia probe because he, as the top law enforcement officer, has authority over all federal investigations.

"It remains our position that the President's actions here, by virtue of his position as the chief law enforcement officer, could neither constitutionally nor legally constitute obstruction because that would amount to him obstructing himself, and that he could, if he wished, terminate the inquiry, or even exercise his power to pardon if he so desired," they wrote in the letter, which The New York Times published Saturday.

The two argued that "no President has ever faced charges of obstruction merely for exercising his constitutional authority" and that a president can "order the termination" of a Justice Department or FBI investigation "at any time and for any reason."

On Sunday, Christie pointed to Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani's comments earlier Sunday on ABC's "This Week," in which Giuliani appeared to downplay the argument from Sekulow and Dowd, who resigned in March, that Trump could shut down the Russia probe if he so chooses. Giuliani was not part of Trump's counsel when Dowd and Sekulow sent the letter to Mueller.

"You'd have to ask John exactly what he's relying on for that," Giuliani told ABC News. "I would not go that far."

Giuliani added that Trump has no plans to pardon himself, but that he probably could.

"He has no intention of pardoning himself," Giuliani said. He added, "It would be an open question. I think it would probably get answered by gosh, that's what the Constitution says, and if you want to change it, change it. But yes."

Giuliani also said on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday that Trump pardoning himself is "unthinkable" and "would lead to probably an immediate impeachment."

Former US attorney Preet Bharara said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" that it "would be outrageous" for a sitting president to pardon himself.

"I think (if) the President decided he was going to pardon himself, I think that's almost self-executing impeachment," Bharara, a CNN legal analyst, said. "Whether or not there is a minor legal argument that some law professor somewhere in a legal journal can make that the President can pardon, that's not what the framers could have intended. That's not what the American people, I think, would be able to stand for."



IS IT JUST ME THAT’S CONFUSED BY THIS ANSWER?
"NO, NOT AT ALL," MR. TRUMP SAID. "BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IT SAID THAT WE ARE GOING TO -- LET'S SEE HERE -- IT WILL BE GONE. I DON'T THINK IT CAN BE ANY MORE PLAIN IN WHAT WE'RE ASKING."

THERE IS A VIDEO THAT HELPS EXPLAIN THE AGREEMENT. OKAY. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT SOMETHING IN THE WAY OF AN AGREEMENT OCCURRED. KIM IS WELL KNOWN FOR CHANGING HIS MIND, HOWEVER; SO, I HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. ALSO, FROM A TRUMP’S EYE VIEW: “... BEAUTIFUL BEACHES READY FOR CONDOMINIUM DEVELOPMENT.” IS THERE A DEAL HERE? FERTILE AREA HERE FOR ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEAL? HOPEFULLY IT WILL HAPPEN AFTER HE LEAVES THE WHITE HOUSE.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-leaves-singapore-new-relationship-north-korea-kim-jong-un-summit-recap-2018-06-12/
By MAJOR GARRETT CBS NEWS June 12, 2018, 6:32 PM
Trump leaves Singapore claiming success after historic meeting with Kim Jong Un

SINGAPORE -- A jubilant President Trump boarded Air Force One on Tuesday for Washington, leaving Singapore with what he said was an historic new relationship with North Korea and a commitment from dictator Kim Jung Un to eventually give up nuclear weapons.

Trump says Kim Jong Un will "start now" on denuclearization

In roughly five hours, the leaders shook hands at least eight different times, gestures that conveyed new friendliness while elevating secretive and repressive North Korea on the world stage.

"A lot of good will went into this. A lot of work," Mr. Trump said of the summit.

The two men signed a joint statement that called for better relations, peace between the two Koreas and denuclearization.

When Mr. Trump was asked about the joint statement and how it lacked verbiage about verifiable or reversible denuclearization, the president said it wasn't a concession on the part of the U.S.

"No, not at all," Mr. Trump said. "Because if you look at it, it said that we are going to -- let's see here -- it will be gone. I don't think it can be any more plain in what we're asking."

The president said inspectors will verify North Korean compliance and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will lead the negotiations over the details of the process to dismantle the weapons program.

"So Mike, our whole team has to get to work and get it completed," Mr. Trump said at a press briefing after the summit's conclusion. "If you don't the ball over the goal line, it doesn't mean enough, OK?"

Mr. Trump also announced an end to joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises, a goal long-sought by North Korea. The move surprised many at the Pentagon and in Seoul.

"We will be saving a tremendous amount of money. Plus, I think it's very provocative," Mr Trump mentioned.

The summit was a spectacle -- with Kim even comparing it to a science fiction movie.

And Mr. Trump showed Kim a video, showcasing a glowing new North Korean economic future.

View image on Twitter

Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Here is the video, “A Story of Opportunity” that I shared with Kim Jong-un at the #SingaporeSummit
➡️https://www.facebook.com/WhiteHouse/videos/1710505219037204/ …

5:23 PM - Jun 12, 2018
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The president said North Korea had beautiful beaches ready for condominium development.

"Think of it from a real estate perspective," Mr. Trump pointed out. "You have South Korea, you have China, and they own the land in the middle. How bad is that, right?"

Last year, the president called Kim -- with his abysmal human rights record -- wicked and depraved. Tuesday, he said he trusts the dynastic dictator -- after one face-to-face meeting.

"He's smart, loves his people, he loves his country. He wants a lot of good things, and that's why he's doing this," Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump mentioned an agreement to work to repatriate remains of prisoners of war and those missing in action from the Korea War. The president said this was something very important to him -- dating back to when he was a 2016 presidential candidate.

PHOTOGRAPH -- Trump, Kim -- U.S.-North Korea summit
President Trump (R) gives a thumbs up as he sits down with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (L) for their historic U.S.-North Korea summit at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore on Tue., June 12, 2018. GETTY

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



JUNE 12, 2018 – FORMER FBI DEPUTY DIRECTOR ANDREW MCCABE IS SUING THE FBI AND THE DOJ FOR HIS POSSIBLY GROUNDLESS AND DECIDEDLY CRUELLY MANAGED FIRING ON MARCH 16, 2018. A TRUMP TWEET INDICATES THAT THE METHODS USED WERE PURPOSEFUL ON TRUMP’S PART, ALSO. WHEN I HEARD ON THE NEWS THAT MCCABE HAD BEEN FIRED DAYS BEFORE HIS ANNOUNCED RETIREMENT PREVENTING HIS ACCESS TO HIS PENSION, I WAS SHOCKED, HORRIFIED, ENRAGED, AND DISGUSTED. I HOPE THAT THIS SUIT WILL MAKE ITS’ WAY UP THE CHAIN TO THE SUPREME COURT. MAKING THE LIVES OF WORKERS MISERABLE BY HARASSMENT SHOULD NOT BE A PRESIDENTIAL OPTION. SEE THE BBC ARTICLE ON THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE FIRING, BELOW.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/andrew-mccabe-fbi-department-of-justice-lawsuit-today-2018-06-12/
CBS/AP June 12, 2018, 10:02 PM
Andrew McCabe alleges FBI, Justice Dept. failed to provide information on his firing in lawsuit

PHOTOGRAPH -- FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe seen July 20, 2016. REUTERS

Former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe is suing the FBI and the Department of Justice (DOJ), alleging they refused to provide him with documents related to his firing. Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired McCabe in March, just two days before he was set to retire.

The complaint says the DOJ has publicly defended the firing yet failed to identify for McCabe the policies and procedures it followed before dismissing him. The department has withheld the information, McCabe's lawyers allege, for fear that the materials could be used against them in any additional lawsuits.

Andrew McCabe speaks out in op-ed after firing

"We don't create or adjudicate under secret law or procedure," David Snyder, one of McCabe's lawyers, said in an email to The Associated Press.

The case pits the career law enforcement official against a Justice Department that employed him for more than two decades. It refocuses attention on a firing last March that divided current and former DOJ officials. And it signals that McCabe, repeatedly targeted for criticism and attacks by President Trump in the last year, is determined to try to clear his name in court even as he faces a possible criminal probe into whether he intentionally misled internal investigators.

The lawsuit in federal court in Washington also comes just days ahead of a Justice Department inspector general report expected to criticize senior FBI officials, including McCabe, for their actions during the Hillary Clinton email investigation.

McCabe's lawyers say in the complaint that they want the records as they "seek to vindicate Mr. McCabe's rights and restore his good name," and as they weigh whether to take more legal action over a firing they contend was improper. The case names as defendants the Justice Department, the FBI and the inspector general's office.

A spokeswoman for DOJ declined to comment Tuesday evening, and a spokesman for the watchdog office did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired McCabe on March 16, less than two days before his scheduled retirement, on the recommendation of FBI and DOJ officials. McCabe, who joined the FBI in 1996 and was named to the No. 2 position 20 years later, became the bureau's acting leader following the firing in May 2017 of James Comey as director.

The termination followed allegations that McCabe had misled disciplinary officials and Comey, his then-boss, about his role in authorizing FBI officials to speak with a Wall Street Journal reporter for an October 2016 story about an FBI investigation into the Clinton Foundation.

The inspector general's office concluded in a report earlier this year that McCabe had repeatedly deceived investigators and referred the matter for potential criminal prosecution to the U.S. attorney's office in Washington. McCabe has denied the allegations, and has said that when he thought his answers were being misunderstood during interviews with investigators, he tried to correct the record.

In the lawsuit, McCabe's lawyers say the department has repeatedly insisted that it followed appropriate policies and procedures before firing McCabe but has either denied or refused to respond to multiple requests about that process.

"Defendants fear that disclosure to Plaintiff of the documents at issue will place Defendants and others at risk in any proceedings brought against them by Mr. McCabe," the complaint states. "Based on these fears, Defendants appear to have preemptively decided not to disclose the documents to Plaintiff."

Among the records being sought are an inspector general manual that lays out the guidelines governing the office and FBI policy guides on how disciplinary matters should be handled.

The lawsuit says the inspector general's office refused to make the manual available for public review and denied multiple requests to provide it, and also denied the lawyers access to a library or reading room where the materials could have been reviewed. The complaint also says the FBI and DOJ failed to disclose a series of requested FBI documents, preventing McCabe and his lawyers from knowing whether appropriate procedures were followed before the firing.

In a May 3 email to the FBI's Office of Professional Responsibility, according to the complaint, Snyder, McCabe's lawyer, asked for records about the FBI's "Offense Codes," media relations policy and any other manuals about internal investigations and discipline that might relate to McCabe's firing.

The FBI and DOJ lawyers turned down the request.

The complaint quotes a May 21 email from one DOJ official that said, "In the absence of actual litigation, (Plaintiff's) demands are not constrained by the normal rules of discovery, which exist, in part, to protect defendants from burdensome or otherwise unreasonable requests."

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



THIS ARTICLE GIVES MOST AND HOPEFULLY ALL OF THE INFORMATION ON WHY MCCABE WAS FIRED. LIKE COMEY HE WAS SUSPECTED ON TRUMP’S PART OF BEING DISLOYAL, WITH TRUMP ASKING HIM WHO HE VOTED FOR IN 2016 AND ABOUT MONEY DONATED TO HIS WIFE (A DEMOCRAT) IN HER CAMPAIGN. HE ALSO ALLOWED AN INTERVIEW BETWEEN TWO FBI AGENTS AND THE WALL STREET JOURNAL IN OCTOBER 2016.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43439066
FBI ex-deputy director Andrew McCabe sacked days before retirement
17 March 2018

PHOTOGRAPH -- Mr McCabe has spent most of his career working at the FBI

Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe has been sacked days before he could retire with pension rights.

He was fired by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who said an internal review found he leaked information and misled investigators.

Mr McCabe denied the claims and said he was being targeted because of his involvement in the inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

US media say he has kept notes of his interactions with the president.

If so, they may become part of the inquiry.

Mr Trump has long accused Mr McCabe of bias in favour of the Democrats.

He immediately praised Mr Sessions' decision to fire him.

Image Copyright @realDonaldTrump@REALDONALDTRUMP
Report
In December, the president appeared to taunt the then number two at the FBI, when he tweeted: "FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!"

Why was McCabe fired?

Mr McCabe had been under an internal investigation into the FBI's handling of two key inquiries during the 2016 presidential campaign - the revelations that Hillary Clinton had used a private email server while secretary of state and suspicions that Russia was interfering to help Mr Trump win the presidency.

He stepped down from his role as deputy director in January because of the review, and had remained on the FBI's books ahead of his expected retirement.

His sacking came late on Friday night. Mr Sessions, who heads the justice department, said it was the result of "an extensive and fair investigation" by his department and the FBI.

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption
Mr Sessions has been under pressure to decide Mr McCabe's fate ahead of his retirement

Mr Sessions said the report had concluded that Mr McCabe had "made an unauthorised disclosure to the news media and lacked candour - including under oath - on multiple occasions".

Who's who in Russia-Trump inquiry?
Trump Russia: Key questions answered
What is Mueller's special counsel?

The report has not been released but it is thought to refer to an interview Mr McCabe authorised between two FBI officials and a Wall Street Journal reporter in October 2016 to explain the agency's position in the Clinton emails inquiry.

He was then subsequently interviewed by the justice department's inspector general.

How did McCabe respond?

Mr McCabe has issued a lengthy statement vehemently rejecting the allegations against him and denouncing what he described as a campaign of attacks on his credibility.

He insisted he had done nothing wrong in organising the October 2016 interview, saying "it was the type of exchange with the media that the Deputy Director oversees several times per week".

He said of the subsequent justice department investigation that he tried to answer the questions "truthfully and accurately" and "when I thought my answers were misunderstood, I contacted investigators to correct them".

VIDEO -- Media caption The former director's most revealing moments

"The big picture is a tale of what can happen when law enforcement is politicized," he went on to say.

"Here is the reality: I am being singled out and treated this way because of the role I played, the actions I took, and the events I witnessed in the aftermath of the firing of James Comey."

Mr Comey was fired as head of the FBI in May last year by the president, who cited his handling of the Clinton email investigation but later acknowledged "this Russia thing" was part of the reason.

Mr Comey had been leading the FBI's investigation into allegations of collusion between Trump campaign officials and Russian interference in the vote. He later told a Senate hearing that the president had asked for his "loyalty".

Mr McCabe alleges that the release of the justice department report recommending his firing was "accelerated" after he indicated that he would corroborate Mr Comey's version of events.

Why did Trump object to McCabe?

Mr Trump has been a frequent critic of Mr McCabe, whom he accuses of political bias in his roles in the Russia and Clinton email investigations.

He has publicly pointed to donations that Mr McCabe's wife Jill, a Democrat, received from a Clinton ally when she ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate in Virginia in 2015.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption

The White House said it was for the attorney general, not President Trump, to fire Mr McCabe
After James Comey was fired, Mr McCabe became acting director of the FBI. Mr Trump reportedly invited him to the Oval Office and asked him who he voted for in the 2016 election.

Mr McCabe, in his statement on Friday, said he and his family had been the targets of an "unrelenting assault" in the media to undermine his reputation, and said Mr Trump's tweets had "amplified and exacerbated it all".

Citing anonymous sources on Saturday, the Associated Press news agency says Mr McCabe has kept memos of his meetings with Mr Trump. It is not clear whether they have been handed over to the special counsel leading the inquiry, Robert Mueller.

Mr Comey also kept contemporaneous notes of his encounters with Mr Trump.

Trump 'asked McCabe how he voted'
Republican memo accuses FBI of abusing power
Trump renews attack on 'disgraceful' FBI

Why has it happened now?

Mr McCabe had been with the FBI for two decades and was due to retire on Sunday, the day he turns 50 and can claim his federal government pension.

It is not clear how much of his pension he might lose as a result of Mr Sessions' announcement.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday said it was for the attorney general to decide Mr McCabe's future.

"But," she added, "we do think it is well documented that he has had some very troubling behaviour and by most accounts a bad actor and should have some cause for concern."


SO, HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH EVER LARGER CORPORATIONS. I BELIEVE THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF MONOPOLY HAS BEEN ABANDONED.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/t-wins-u-court-approval-buy-time-warner-204617767--finance.html?soc_trk=gcm&soc_src=338950e1-cae3-359e-bfa3-af403b69d694&.tsrc=notification-brknews
AT&T wins U.S. court approval to buy Time Warner for $85 billion
Reuters -- By Diane Bartz and David Shepardson
June 12, 2018

PHOTOGRAPH -- From AT&T and Time Warner to the hot pursuit of 21st Century Fox and Sky, media mergers are in full swing. Why now? WSJ's Amol Sharma answers all your questions about the forces driving media deals. Photo: Getty Images

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT&T Inc won approval from a U.S. court on Tuesday to buy Time Warner Inc for $85 billion, without conditions, allowing AT&T to compete with internet companies that dominate digital advertising and providing new sources of revenue.

The planned deal is seen as a turning point for a media industry that has been upended by companies like Netflix Inc and Google which produce content and sell it online directly to consumers, without requiring a pricey cable subscription. Distributors including cable, satellite and wireless carriers all see buying content companies as a way to add revenue.

The ruling could also prompt a cascade of pay TV companies buying television and movie makers, with Comcast Corp's bid for some Twenty-First Century Fox Inc assets potentially the first out of the gate.

The merger, including debt, would be the fourth largest deal ever attempted in the global telecom, media and entertainment space, according to Thomson Reuters data. It would also be the 12th largest deal in any sector, the data showed.

"I conclude that the government has failed to meet its burden of proof," District Court Judge Richard Leon told the court. He called one of the government's arguments against the deal "gossamer thin."

The judge in a scathing opinion urged the U.S. government not to seek a stay of his ruling, saying it would be "manifestly unjust" to do so and not likely to succeed.

Shares of AT&T were about flat in after-hours trade following the decision, while Time Warner rose more than 5 percent.

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit to stop the deal in November 2017, saying that AT&T's ownership of both DirecTV and Time Warner would give AT&T unfair leverage against rival cable providers that relied on Time Warner's content, such as CNN and HBO's "Game of Thrones."

AT&T in a six-week trial argued that the purchase of Time Warner would allow it to gain information about viewers needed to target digital advertising, much like Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google already do.

AT&T and other wireless carriers need to find new sources of revenue as the mobile phone market stagnates and more customers abandon pricey cable and satellite packages for streaming services they can watch on their phones or televisions.

The government estimated costs to industry rivals, such as Charter Communications Inc, would increase by $580 million a year if AT&T owned Time Warner.

To assuage the Trump administration's criticisms, AT&T offered to submit pricing disagreements with other pay TV companies over Turner's channels to third-party arbitration. The companies further offered not to black out programing during arbitration for seven years.

Announced in October 2016, the deal was quickly denounced by Donald Trump, who as a candidate and later as president has been critical of Time Warner's CNN and its coverage.

Before the trial started, AT&T lawyers said the Time Warner deal may have been singled out for government enforcement but Judge Leon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejected their bid to force the disclosure of White House communications that might have shed light on the matter.

The deal cost AT&T's top lobbyist, Bob Quinn, his job in May after it became public that AT&T had paid Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen $600,000 for advice on winning approval.

The ruling could also have implications for CBS Corp's potential tie-up with Viacom Inc, which is already uncertain because of a lawsuit between CBS's controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, and its board.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz and David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Ginger Gibson in Washington and Sheila Dang in New York; Writing by Peter Henderson; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)



I HAVE OFTEN SPOKEN AGAINST PIT BULLS AS HOUSE PETS (FOR HERDING CATTLE AND CONFRONTING BULLS, WELL, THAT’S HOW THEY GOT THEIR NAME); BUT THIS PIT BULL IS THE LESS OFTEN REMARKED HERO OF A BURNING HOME. SHE SAVED A BABY IN A LEAP OF INSIGHT THAT I WOULDN’T HAVE EXPECTED OF A PIT BULL. A GERMAN SHEPHERD OR COLLIE, YES.

WHEN THE FIRE BEGAN SHE WAS OUTDOORS, AND BUMPED REPEATEDLY UP AGAINST THE DOOR CRYING UNTIL HER OWNER LET HER IN. AS SOON AS SHE WAS INSIDE SHE RAN STRAIGHT INTO THE BEDROOM AND BEGAN PULLING THE BABY OFF THE BED BY THE DIAPER. NOBODY HAD TO INSTRUCT HER TO DO THAT. SHE “DEDUCED” WHAT TO DO. I CALL THAT “THOUGHT.”

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hero-dog-sasha-warns-family-house-fire-drags-baby-out-by-diaper-stockton-california/
By CAITLIN O'KANE CBS NEWS June 10, 2018, 7:10 PM
Hero dog warns family of house fire, drags baby out by diaper to safety

PHOTOGRAPH -- A heroic dog in California saved a woman and her baby when a fire broke out in their apartment. KTXL-TV/NNS

Sasha, an 8-month-old pit bull, was sitting outside of her Stockton, California, home Sunday, June 3 when flames began to engulf the apartment building. Sasha's owner, Nana Chaichanhda, and her baby were inside.

The quick-thinking dog jumped into action, alerting Chaichanhda about the fire before she even realized the blaze herself. The fire eventually destroyed most of the four-plex, but not before Sasha helped get her family out.

"June 3, 2018, I was awaken by my pit bull pup Sasha banging and crying at my backyard door. Little did I know, Sasha would become my hero," Chaichanhda wrote on a GoFundMe page intended to raise money after losing her home in the fire.

"My neighbors home was totally destroyed, and the fire was quickly spreading to my unit," the mother wrote. "[Sasha] was trying to warn us of the fire. I got out of bed to see what was going on. At that moment I opened the back door and Sasha ran into our home, straight into our bedroom."

Chaichanhda said at first she was confused, then realized her cousin's apartment, which was right next door, was up in flames. "I ran into the bedroom, where Sasha was already dragging my 7-month-old baby off the bed by her diaper," she wrote. "Thanks to Sasha we were able to get out safe and call 911."

Firefighters arrived on the scene and were able to save most of the building. Chaichanhda and her cousin's apartment were destroyed in the blaze. The family is now staying with relatives who live in one of the surviving apartments, CBS affiliate WTVR-TV reports.

Chaichanhda says it's because of Sasha that she and her baby are safe, and she hopes her story helps change the negative perception of pit bulls.

"I owe her everything. If it wasn't for her, I would have still been in bed and things could have taken a worse turn," she said.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

NOW THIS IS A TRAGEDY. A SHIP HAS ALREADY BEEN THE VICTIM IN A CIRCUMSTANCE LIKE THIS. I WONDER IF ALL THESE ENTITIES, FROM BUSINESSES TO HUMAN TRANSPORTATION. WE NEED FOOLPROOF CYBERATTACK BLOCKING PROGRAMS, AND I THINK FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN THAT A "FOOLPROOF" SYSTEM IS JUST WAITING FOR THE MOST DEADLY AND CREATIVE BLACK HAT HACKER.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cybersecurity-dhs-experts-warn-its-a-matter-of-time-before-commercial-airliners-get-hacked/
By KRIS VAN CLEAVE CBS NEWS June 12, 2018, 6:45 PM
DHS experts warn it's a "matter of time" before hackers hit commercial airliners

VIDEO – THIS CONTAINS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE INFORMATION. DO WATCH IT.

WASHINGTON -- Cybersecurity experts working for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a sobering warning about the vulnerability of commercial airliners to hackers. The same group of experts hacked a Boeing 757, and now CBS News is learning more about the government's ongoing efforts to learn about the vulnerabilities.

In a presentation in January, researchers from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory warned it is "a matter of time before a cybersecurity breach on an airline occurs," according to 119 pages of heavily redacted documents provided by DHS to CBS News. That assessment came after a DHS decision to launch "nose to tail" tests of a Boeing 757 for hacking weak spots.

The documents, which were first reported by the website Motherboard, show DHS planned to begin developing mitigation efforts to protect against cyberattacks in 2017.

Those tests came after a DHS team led by Dr. Robert Hickey took just two days to hack remotely into the plane while it was parked at a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) facility at the Atlantic City Airport in September of 2016.

The DHS team gained access through the plane's radio frequency communications using "typical stuff" that could be brought through airport security. In response, DHS officials scheduled further hacking attempts on the plane, including efforts to access flight management, life support, autopilot, the plane's electrical and fuel systems as well as its engines.

"I think we've come to realize that cyberthreat is everywhere," said Ron Hosko, former assistant director of the FBI. "My fear is that our nation acts most directly when they're on the backside of a crisis. The crisis has occurred we lose a lot of lives and now we're prepared to put money into infrastructure."

US-POLITICS-TRUMP
The private jet belonging to President Donald Trump, a Boeing 757, sits on the tarmac at La Guardia Airport in New York on May 27, 2018. GETTY

The 757-200 aircraft being tested is old, having "reached end of life and is equipped with some older technologies no longer widely in service," researchers wrote in one document.

While the 757 hasn't been built since 2004, it is an aging workhorse for American, Delta and United airlines. President Trump's personal plane is a 757, as is the aircraft often used by Vice President Mike Pence, sometimes referred to Air Force Two.

The documents show experts wanted to see if the plane's inflight entertainment system, Wi-Fi or even USB charging ports could be used as a way to hack in.

But in a statement, Boeing says:

The Boeing Company has worked closely for many years with DHS, the FAA, other government agencies, our suppliers and customers to ensure the cybersecurity of our aircraft and will continue to do so.

Boeing observed the test referenced in the DHS documents, and we were briefed on the results. We firmly believe that the test did not identify any cyber vulnerabilities in the 757, or any other Boeing aircraft.

Boeing is confident in the cyber-security measures of its airplanes. Multiple layers of protection, including software, hardware, network architecture features, and governance are designed to ensure the security of all critical flight systems from intrusion.

Boeing's cyber-security measures have been subjected to rigorous testing, including through the FAA's certification process, and our airplanes meet or exceed all applicable regulatory standards.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



THERE’S GOOD NEWS HERE. HE ISN’T ON THE LOOSE ANYMORE. LOOK AT THIS VIDEO AND PHOTOS. HE CLIMBS THE BUILDING AS EASILY AS A CAT GOES UP A TREE AND BY THE SAME METHOD – WITH HIS CLAWS. ANIMAL CONTROL PUT A BOX TRAP ON TOP OF THE BUILDING WITH CAT FOOD IN IT, AND IT WORKED MAGICALLY. THE POOR LITTLE FELLOW IS CLEARLY TERRIFIED OF THE CAMERAS, THOUGH.

https://gizmodo.com/mpr-raccoon-reaches-roof-after-climbing-23-story-office-1826789170
MPR Raccoon Reaches Roof After Climbing 23-Story Office Building, Becoming Internet Sensation
Matt Novak
Today 7:45amFiled to: MPR RACCOON

The moment that the MPR Raccoon triumphantly reached the top of St. Paul’s UBS Tower at around 2:50am local time in Minnesota
GIF: KARE 11

The MPR Raccoon has safely made it to the roof. And if you have no idea what I’m talking about, you missed quite a day on Twitter yesterday.

Twitter users were captivated yesterday while watching the perilous journey of a small raccoon as it scaled a 23-story office tower in St. Paul, Minnesota. Local reporters at Minnesota Public Radio dubbed it the #MPRraccoon and many people went to bed last night unsure of the little critter’s fate.

And while we’re still waiting on word about whether animal control has successfully captured it, at least the poor raccoon isn’t pulling any more Spider-Man hijinks. Or Mission Impossible hijinks, as it were.

Update: MPR Raccoon is safe and has been captured on the roof!

The raccoon was first spotted on Monday in downtown St. Paul near the Town Square building just a couple of stories up. On Tuesday, maintenance workers tried to coax it down, but the raccoon became frightened and started scaling the side of the nearby UBS Tower.

Office workers in the UBS building started posting photos on Twitter to provide updates as they saw the raccoon scale the skyscraper. The animal was clearly hungry and tired, but kept climbing anyway.

By evening, the journey of the MPR raccoon had become an internet sensation with write-ups around the globe. Social media users had become heavily invested in the fate of this little guy.

Local TV news station KARE11 in Minnesota started streaming the raccoon’s movements and MPR was constantly updating its story throughout the day on Twitter and Facebook. By the time it had reached the 23rd floor, people weren’t sure if it was going to make it to the roof.

As MPR’s Tim Nelson reports, animal control officers put a live trap on the roof with aromatic food so that once it made its way up there it could be captured and safely brought down to the ground. As you can see from the livestream video by local TV news station KARE 11, MPR Raccoon reached the top of the building at around 2:50am local time in Minnesota. But we’re still waiting for any word on what condition the raccoon might be in.

The raccoon gave people something to root for, but it sure was a perilous journey. If something bad happened to that raccoon now I think we’d all just have to crawl back into bed for the day.

We’ll update this post when we know more from St. Paul Animal Control.

[MPR and KARE 11]

Update, 8:45am: UBS Plaza just tweeted a photo of MPR Raccoon! The little guy is safe and will be picked up by Wildlife Management!
Update, 9:35am: Apparently the raccoon is still on top of the roof, but is eating and will reportedly be released “somewhere safe” soon.
Update, 11:21am: MPR reporter Tim Nelson has some more updates from UBS Tower:


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