2019年4月23日星期二

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Yahoo! News: Brazil


Islamic State Says Its Fighters Carried Out Sri Lanka Attacks

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 06:34 AM PDT

Islamic State Says Its Fighters Carried Out Sri Lanka Attacks"Those who carried out the attack that targeted citizens belonging to the alliance countries and Christians in Sri Lanka are fighters with the Islamic State," according to a statement on IS news agency Amaq carried by SITE, which tracks jihadist groups. 'Alliance countries' refers to those involved in the U.S.-led military coalition against the Islamic State in Syria, which includes 79 nations from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, although Sri Lanka is not among them. Just last month the U.S. declared the last swath of territory once held by Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been liberated.


UPDATE 1-Iran lawmakers authorize firm action against US "terrorist" acts

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 03:05 AM PDT

UPDATE 1-Iran lawmakers authorize firm action against US "terrorist" actsIran's parliament passed a bill on Tuesday requiring the government take firm steps to respond to "terrorist actions" by U.S. forces, state TV reported, retaliating against Washington's blacklisting of the country's elite Revolutionary Guards. President Donald Trump on April 8 designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) a foreign terrorist group, in an unprecedented step that drew Iranian condemnation and raised concerns about retaliatory attacks on U.S. forces. Tehran reacted to the designation, which took effect on April 15, by naming the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) a terrorist organization and the U.S. government a sponsor of terrorism.


Turkish police hold ruling party member, five others after opposition chief attack

Posted: 22 Apr 2019 09:52 AM PDT

Turkish police hold ruling party member, five others after opposition chief attackTurkish police on Monday were holding six people, including a member of the ruling AKP party, after a mob attack on opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu that sparked widespread criticism. Kilicdaroglu, 70, of the Republican People's Party (CHP) was assaulted on Sunday in a crowd as he attended a funeral in Ankara for a soldier killed fighting Kurdish militants in the southeast. The attack came days after the opposition CHP won Ankara and Istanbul from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP in March 31 local elections, seen as a major setback for the ruling party after a decade-and-a-half in power.


US STOCKS-Futures pull back ahead of earnings; oil stocks jump

Posted: 22 Apr 2019 04:56 AM PDT

US STOCKS-Futures pull back ahead of earnings; oil stocks jumpU.S. stock index futures dipped on Monday as investors returned from their Easter break and took a cautious stance at the beginning of what is expected to be the busiest week of the first-quarter earnings season. The S&P 500 closed slightly lower last week, ending its three-week winning streak, but hovered about 1% away from a record high hit in September on U.S.-China trade hopes and a largely upbeat earnings season. More than a third of the S&P 500 companies, including Boeing Co, Amazon.com Inc and Facebook Inc, will report this week determining whether investors should be concerned about the start of an earnings recession or whether back-to-back quarters of negative growth can be avoided.


Saudi Arabia Executes 37 People For Terrorism-Related Crimes

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 12:02 PM PDT

Saudi Arabia Executes 37 People For Terrorism-Related CrimesSaudi Arabia's Interior Ministry says 37 Saudi citizens were beheaded on Tuesday, all accused of terrorism.


Unspeakable grief: 5 members of 1 family killed in Sri Lanka

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 10:51 AM PDT

Unspeakable grief: 5 members of 1 family killed in Sri LankaCOLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The dark wooden coffins, sitting side by side, attested to one family's unspeakable grief.


Tough trek for Central American migrant caravan heading through Mexico to U.S. border

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 06:38 AM PDT

Tough trek for Central American migrant caravan heading through Mexico to U.S. borderMany had already learned they would not be received in towns with the same hospitality that greeted previous caravans.


Neo-Nazi linked to group who said Prince Harry was a race traitor for marrying Meghan pleads guilty

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 12:41 PM PDT

Neo-Nazi linked to group who said Prince Harry was a race traitor for marrying Meghan pleads guiltyTwo teenage neo-Nazis, linked to a group that called Prince Harry a "race traitor"  for marrying Mehgan Markle, are facing jail after admitting terror charges. Polish national, Michal Szewczuk, 19, admitted two counts of encouraging terrorism and five of possessing documents that could be useful to a terrorist, when he appeared at the Old Bailey. His co-defendant, Oskar Dunn-Koczorowski, 18, had previously pleaded guilty to encouraging terrorism. The charges relate to a neo-Nazi group called the Sonnenkrieg Division, which posted extreme racist material on the GAB social media platform. In one post, a picture of the Duke of Sussex was set against a swastika with a gun pointing at his head and the slogan: "See ya later, race traitor!" The group is an off shoot of the American Atomwaffen Division, which encourages terrorism and worships Adolf Hitler and Charles Manson. Szewczuk, who used an online pseudonym, posted comments that called for the "systematic slaughter" of women.  He also pleaded guilty to five charges relating to the possession of bomb making documents and other extremist terrorist material. At an earlier hearing, prosecutor Jessica Hart described how Szewczuk and Dunn-Koczorowski had shared the Sonnenkrieg Gab account, with both posting from the same account at different times. Judge Rebecca Poulet QC warned both teenagers they could face custody when they return to court for sentencing on 17 June.


Democrats want truth but are split on Trump's impeachment

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 01:13 PM PDT

Democrats want truth but are split on Trump's impeachmentDonald Trump's approval rating has slid since release of the Russia investigation report, but instead of emerging bolstered in the 2020 presidential race, Democrats are torn over triggering impeachment proceedings that risk muddling their electoral message. While special counsel Robert Mueller's report released last week stopped short of reaching a judgment on whether Trump committed crimes, many Democrats say it detailed extensive presidential wrongdoing that highlights his lack of fitness for office.


NASA probe records first likely 'marsquake' detected on red planet

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 02:31 PM PDT

NASA probe records first likely 'marsquake' detected on red planetNASA's robotic probe InSight has detected and measured what scientists believe to be a "marsquake," marking the first time a likely seismological tremor has been recorded on another planet, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California reported on Tuesday. The breakthrough came five months after InSight, the first spacecraft designed specifically to study the deep interior of a distant world, touched down on the surface of Mars to begin its two-year seismological mission on the red planet. The faint rumble characterized by JPL scientists as a likely marsquake was recorded on April 6, the lander's 128th Martian day, or sol.


Last Chance to Earn 100k Marriott Points With Bonvoy Amex Cards

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 06:47 AM PDT

Last Chance to Earn 100k Marriott Points With Bonvoy Amex CardsThe final day to take advantage of 100,000-point offers on the newly christened Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card is coming up fast, with new card owners only having until Apr. 24 to earn 100k points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. If you can meet the minimum-spending requirement, now is the time to apply for one of the cards -- especially since we don't know how much lower the welcome bonuses will be after April 24. As a reminder, the introduction of the Bonvoy card branding (which led to new offers like this one) is a result of Marriott combining and retiring its old Marriott Rewards, Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest branding. That combination included merging points and status levels, unifying all the co-branded cards under the Marriott Bonvoy umbrella.Based on a valuation from The Points Guy, 100,000 Marriott points are worth $800 (or 0.8 cents for each point). To get an idea of how far 100,000 points can take you, you could use them for more than 15 nights at a Category 1 hotel, one night at a top-tier Category 8 property like the St. Regis Maldives or transfer your points to one of more than 40 airline partners, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant AmexThe Bonvoy Brilliant is the top-of-the-line personal credit card in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, with a $450 annual fee. It comes with plenty of perks, including: * Up to $300 in Marriott Bonvoy statement credit for each year you're a cardmember year. That credit can be put toward eligible Marriott Bonvoy purchases, including room rates. * You also get a free night award, for properties that cost up to 50,000 points (It's awarded each year after your account anniversary). * Also included is complimentary Marriott Gold elite status, which is the status level that gets you benefits including a 25% points bonus, priority late checkout and upgrades to enhanced rooms. * And you can earn 6x points on Marriott stays; 3x at US restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines (2x points on everything else).The Bonvoy Brilliant Amex is a great option for Marriott loyalists and even infrequent Marriott guests (and you can read a review summarizing the other highlights about the card here). Marriott Bonvoy Business AmexThe Bonvoy Business Amex, which includes a $125 annual fee, is great for anyone needing a business credit card and who could use some Marriott points. It also offers the following perks: * One free night award, for properties that cost up to 35,000 points, which is awarded each year after your account anniversary. * Complimentary Marriott Silver elite status. And you can earn Gold status after spending $35,000 in a calendar year. * You can also earn 6x points on Marriott stays; 4x at US restaurants, US gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from US service providers and US purchases for shipping (2x points on everything else).Check out this earlier review of the Bonvoy Business Amex for more info. Bottom LineApr. 24 is the date to keep in mind if you're looking for more Marriott points and have been eying the Bonvoy Brilliant or Bonvoy Business cards. Don't forget, the cards' benefits include a windfall of points via the welcome bonuses, plus free night awards and lots more that make them a solid deal for almost anyone who wants to sign up.


Johnson & Johnson Heirs List Hudson Valley Estate with Helipad for $13 Million

Posted: 22 Apr 2019 02:12 PM PDT

Johnson & Johnson Heirs List Hudson Valley Estate with Helipad for $13 MillionThe property is a subdivision of the family's 600-acre estate called Lightning Tree Farm


Google, Facebook, Twitter have to do more to fight fake news: EU

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 03:13 AM PDT

Google, Facebook, Twitter have to do more to fight fake news: EUThe monthly reports follow a pledge made by the tech giants and advertising trade bodies in October last year to combat the spread of fake news and avoid more heavy-handed regulations. The EU has warned of foreign interference during campaigning for the European Parliament elections and national elections in Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine in recent and coming months. "Further technical improvements as well as sharing of methodology and data sets for fake accounts are necessary to allow third-party experts, fact-checkers and researchers to carry out independent evaluation," the EU executive said.


Sri Lanka military gets special powers after deadly bombings

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 02:06 PM PDT

Sri Lanka military gets special powers after deadly bombingsCOLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka's president gave the military sweeping police powers starting Tuesday in the wake of the Easter bombings that killed nearly 300 people, while officials disclosed that intelligence agencies had warned weeks ago of the possibility of an attack by the radical Muslim group blamed for the bloodshed.


Modi among tens of millions to vote in India's 'Super Tuesday' polls

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 09:06 AM PDT

Modi among tens of millions to vote in India's 'Super Tuesday' pollsTens of millions of Indians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, voted on India's "Super Tuesday" in the latest round of polls when the biggest number of seats are decided in the country's marathon election. Nearly 190 million voters were eligible to vote on 117 seats spread across 15 Indian states, stretching from the Himalayas to the Indian ocean, in the third of the seven phases of the mega polls. Heavy security has been put in place, with violent clashes erupting between rival groups in eastern India's West Bengal state, killing one political worker.


How Does the Geely Geometry A Measure Up to the Tesla Model 3?

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 07:40 AM PDT

How Does the Geely Geometry A Measure Up to the Tesla Model 3?Is the Chinese automaker capable of making a Tesla Model 3 fighter? We do the math.


Demoted and sidelined: Google walkout organizers say company retaliated

Posted: 22 Apr 2019 03:25 PM PDT

Demoted and sidelined: Google walkout organizers say company retaliatedStaff who organized mass protests say in internal letter their roles were changed after November 2018 demonstration Workers protest against Google on 1 November 2019 in Mountain View, California. Photograph: Noah Berger/AP They helped to organize an unprecedented global protest that saw tens of thousands of Google employees walk off the job in November 2018. Now two Google employees, Meredith Whittaker and Claire Stapleton, are alleging that Google is retaliating against them and other employee activists. "Google has a culture of retaliation, which too often works to silence women, people of color, and gender minorities," reads a letter from Whittaker, Stapleton and 10 other employees that was published internally on Monday and seen by the Guardian. "Retaliation isn't always obvious. It's often confusing and drawn out, consisting of icy conversations, gaslighting, project cancellations, transition rejections, or demotions. Behavior that tells someone the problem isn't that they stood up to the company, it's that they're not good enough and don't belong." Stapleton, a nearly 12-year veteran at Google, wrote that two months after the walkout, she was demoted, had a previously approved project cancelled, and was "told to go on medical leave, even though I'm not sick". "Only after I hired a lawyer and had her contact Google did management conduct an investigation and walked back my demotion, at least on paper," she wrote. "While my work has been restored, the environment remains hostile and I consider quitting nearly every day." Whittaker, who co-founded the AI Now Institute, wrote that after Google decided to scrap its AI ethics council, she was told that her "role would be changed dramatically". "I'm told that to remain at the company, I will have to abandon my work on AI ethics and the AI Now Institute," she wrote. Neither Whittaker nor Stapleton responded immediately to a request for comment. The letter was first reported by Wired. A Google spokeswoman said that the company has already investigated these cases and determined there was no retaliation. "We prohibit retaliation in the workplace, and investigate all allegations," the spokeswoman said in a statement. "Employees and teams are regularly and commonly given new assignments, or reorganized, to keep pace with evolving business needs. There has been no retaliation here." Google employees have been at the forefront of a wave of tech worker activism that has swept the industry over the past year. Employee-organized protests have taken aim both at the company's business decisions – such as its work for a Department of Defense drone project or plans to build a censored search engine for China – and its treatment of employees and contractors. The November walkout was sparked by a New York Times report that revealed that a former executive, Andy Rubin, had received a $90m severance package despite being forced out over an allegation that he had forced a female employee to perform oral sex. The report unleashed a flood of anger and frustration among Google employees who had faced harassment or discrimination. In Monday's letter, the organizers say that they "collected over 350 stories" during the walkout, and discovered a "sad pattern": "People who stand up and report discrimination, abuse, and unethical conduct are punished, sidelined, and pushed out. Perpetrators often go unimpeded, or are even rewarded." The organizers are planning to host a Retaliation Town Hall for workers on Friday. They have reserved conference rooms and plan to live stream the discussion internally. Have you experienced retaliation for workplace activism in the tech industry? Contact the author: julia.wong@theguardian.com or julia.carrie.wong@protonmail.com


Kohl's expands Amazon returns program to all stores, shares jump

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 09:21 AM PDT

Kohl's expands Amazon returns program to all stores, shares jumpThe returns program with Amazon.com, launched in 2017, is currently available in 100 Kohl's stores mostly concentrated in the Los Angeles, Chicago and Milwaukee markets. The new program will allow returns at Kohl's all 1,159 stores in the United States. "This new service is another example of how Kohl's is delivering innovation to drive traffic to our stores and bring more relevance to our customers," said Kohl's Chief Executive Officer Michelle Gass.


Delphi murders: Here's what we know about unsolved killings of two teen girls in Indiana

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 02:16 PM PDT

Delphi murders: Here's what we know about unsolved killings of two teen girls in IndianaIt's been more than two years since the Delphi murders. Here's what we know now about the unsolved killings of Abigail Williams and Liberty Germany.


Islamic State claims Sri Lanka blasts, as government says probe making progress

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 11:16 AM PDT

Islamic State claims Sri Lanka blasts, as government says probe making progressThe claim, issued through the group's AMAQ news agency, was made after Sri Lanka said two domestic Islamist groups with suspected links to foreign militants were suspected to have been behind the attacks at three churches and four hotels. Three sources told Reuters that Sri Lankan intelligence officials had been warned hours earlier by India that attacks by Islamists were imminent. President Maithripala Sirisena said he would change the heads of the defense forces following their failure to act on the intelligence.


North Korea's Kim will go into Putin summit needing a win

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 11:57 AM PDT

North Korea's Kim will go into Putin summit needing a winTOKYO (AP) — When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin for their first one-on-one meeting, he will have a long wish list and a strong desire to notch a win after the failure of his second summit with President Donald Trump.


Libya PM Says Foreigners Are Arming Strongman’s Tripoli Push

Posted: 22 Apr 2019 10:14 PM PDT

Libya PM Says Foreigners Are Arming Strongman's Tripoli PushPrime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj declined to identify the countries. Sarraj says he won't negotiate until Haftar withdraws his forces, and that he's disappointed by the muted international reaction to the assault. U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to Haftar last week, recognizing his role in combating terrorism, as Washington and Russia stymied a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire.


Sony's latest TVs range in price from $650 to $70,000

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 06:00 AM PDT

Sony's latest TVs range in price from $650 to $70,000On Monday, Sony announced the pricing of the flagship Master Series televisions as well as that of its new LCD and OLED models originally revealed at CES earlier this year. While the smaller three televisions of the Master segment, the A9G TVs, measure in at 65", 55", and 77" and feature 4K OLED displays with over eight million pixels, the two larger models -- the Z9G TVs -- are 8K HDR televisions with 33 million pixels.


UPDATE 3-Ukraine enters uncharted waters after comedian wins presidency

Posted: 22 Apr 2019 12:14 AM PDT

UPDATE 3-Ukraine enters uncharted waters after comedian wins presidencyUkraine entered uncharted political waters on Monday after near final results showed a comedian with no political experience and few detailed policies had dramatically upended the status quo and won the country's presidential election by a landslide. Volodymyr Zelenskiy's win was a bitter blow for incumbent Petro Poroshenko and presents a riddle for investors, the West and Russia who wonder what approach he will take on everything from relations with Moscow to the domestic banking sector. Zelenskiy, 41, will take leadership of a country on the frontline of the West's standoff with Russia following Moscow's annexation of Crimea and its support for a pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine.


Google self-driving unit Waymo picks Detroit factory site

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 09:28 AM PDT

Google self-driving unit Waymo picks Detroit factory siteDETROIT (AP) — Google's self-driving car spinoff Waymo says it will reopen an axle plant in Detroit to convert conventional vehicles so they can drive autonomously.


Two more defendants agree to plead guilty in college admissions bribery case

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 11:10 AM PDT

Two more defendants agree to plead guilty in college admissions bribery caseA former women's soccer assistant coach at USC and another parent have agreed to plead guilty in the nation's college admissions bribery case.


Incoming Japanese emperor's life filled with breaks from tradition

Posted: 21 Apr 2019 07:31 PM PDT

Incoming Japanese emperor's life filled with breaks from traditionNaruhito, 59, will not only be the first Japanese emperor born after World War Two and the first to be raised solely by his parents, but also the first to graduate from a university and pursue advanced studies overseas. SELFIES WITH BYSTANDERS Naruhito, the eldest of three children, was cared for by his mother, Empress Michiko, instead of being raised by wet nurses and tutors. FAMILY DEVOTION Naruhito defied palace officials to marry Masako Owada, now 55, after she caught his eye at a concert, prompting a years-long courtship during which she rejected his early proposals.


DHS Secretary: Separating Migrant Families ‘Not Worth It’

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 12:21 PM PDT

DHS Secretary: Separating Migrant Families 'Not Worth It'Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan said Tuesday that border authorities are not considering resuming the separation of migrant families, a practice that was ended by the Trump administration last year after it drew outrage from both sides of the aisle."We're not pursuing that approach," McAleenan said. "Prosecuting violations of the law does have a consequence and it does deter behavior but it [does] not work if you lose the public trust."The DHS secretary added that the separation policy was "not worth it" from an enforcement perspective.DHS's "zero tolerance" immigration-enforcement policy was spearheaded by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The family-separation component of the policy continued for at least a year until President Trump signed an executive order last June ending it."We're going to have strong, very strong borders, but we're going to keep the families together," Trump said at the time. "I didn't like the sight or the feeling of families being separated."The government never had a concrete plan to reunite separated families, according to documents that emerged as part of a court battle over the policy. And while the precise number of separated families is unknown, it is believed to be in the thousands."They were always intended to be reunited," McAleenan said of minors who were detained separately from their parents. "Really a better system, as I've said many times, would allow us to detain families together during fair and expeditious immigration proceedings and getting actual immigration results from courts, so that's what's missing from the current situation."McAleenan took over at DHS after Kirstjen Nielsen was forced out of the job earlier this month, reportedly due to Trump's dissatisfaction with her failure to secure the border as migrants continue to flow into the country at a record pace. Nielsen took the lion's share of public criticism for the family-separation policy, which was implemented under her tenure and which she defended vigorously.


Iran, Pakistan to set up border 'reaction force' after attacks

Posted: 22 Apr 2019 02:37 AM PDT

Iran, Pakistan to set up border 'reaction force' after attacksIran's President Hassan Rouhani announced Monday that he and visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan agreed to set up a joint border "reaction force" to counter terrorism. "We agreed to create a joint rapid reaction force at the borders for combatting terrorism," Rouhani told a joint news conference, following months of increased tensions over attacks on both sides of the two countries' frontier. The border skirts the volatile southeastern Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchistan which has been the scene of frequent attacks on Iran's security forces.


Which Chinese Cars Are Coming to the U.S.? The Shanghai Auto Show Offered Strong Hints

Posted: 22 Apr 2019 11:30 AM PDT

Which Chinese Cars Are Coming to the U.S.? The Shanghai Auto Show Offered Strong HintsIncreasingly, Chinese brands are eyeing the U.S. market and making serious plans to come here. Which ones? Read on.


Today’s top deals: $15 Wi-Fi extender, $8 wireless charger, $20 128GB microSD, $10 Philips Hue bulbs, more

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 07:12 AM PDT

Today's top deals: $15 Wi-Fi extender, $8 wireless charger, $20 128GB microSD, $10 Philips Hue bulbs, moreToday's roundup of the best daily deals we could find has some truly outstanding deals, but perhaps none are quite as good as the one-day sale that gets you Amazon's best-selling Wi-Fi range extender for just $14.99 after a discount and a $5 coupon you can clip. It works with any router, it has more than 20,000 5-star ratings, and it has never been anywhere close to this price! Other top daily deals on Tuesday include a terrific fast wireless charger for just $7.99, a SanDisk 128GB microSD card for $19.99, Philips Hue white LED bulbs for an all-time low of $10 a piece when you buy a 4-pack, another all-time low price for Philips Dusk-to-Dawn LED light bulbs that automatically turn on at night and off in the morning, $40 off the best-selling 8-quart Instant Pot, a $140 stand mixer that's just as good as a KitchenAid, a blazing-fast internal SSD with 120GB of capacity for under $26, Avengers: Infinity War for just $9.99, Netgear's most popular Orbi mesh Wi-Fi bundle at an all-time low price of just $159.99, and plenty more. See all of today's best deals below.


The Latest: UK intercepts total of 36 migrants in Channel

Posted: 22 Apr 2019 08:16 AM PDT

The Latest: UK intercepts total of 36 migrants in ChannelTHESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — The Latest on the flow of migrants in Europe (all times local):


UPDATE 3-Halliburton sees signs of price recovery, shares dip

Posted: 22 Apr 2019 04:10 AM PDT

UPDATE 3-Halliburton sees signs of price recovery, shares dipHalliburton Co sought to convince investors on Monday that weak pricing which has undermined oilfield services providers over four years was on the verge of turning a corner. Better-than-expected revenue in North America, along with the company's claim that prices were bottoming out, initially drove shares in the oilfield services giant almost 5 percent higher after it published first quarter results. Shares of Halliburton were flat in midday trade.


Kushner: Mueller Probe Worse for U.S. Than ‘a Few Facebook Ads’ From Russia

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 08:53 AM PDT

Kushner: Mueller Probe Worse for U.S. Than 'a Few Facebook Ads' From RussiaJared Kushner, son-in-law and senior adviser to President Trump, on Tuesday claimed that the Russia investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller has been "way more harmful to our country" than any Russian meddling in the 2016 election."I thought the whole thing was nonsense to be honest," Kushner said of the two-year investigation, which concluded with the release of a 448-page report released last week. "It's been very, very thoroughly investigated."The findings, submitted to Congress by Attorney General William Barr, detailed Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election in support of Trump, in addition to at least ten potential instances of obstruction of justice by the president.Despite the embarrassing—and potentially criminal—details plainly described in the report, Kushner said at the TIME 100 Summit in New York that he believes the investigation has "been just a big distraction for the country." "You look at Russia did: buying some Facebook ads to try to sow dissent. It's a terrible thing, but I think the investigations and all of the speculation that's happened for the last two years has had a much harsher impact on our democracy than a couple Facebook ads," Kushner continued. "If you look at the magnitude of what they did and what they accomplished, the ensuing investigations have been way more harmful to our country."Of course, Russia's interference in the U.S. election wasn't just "a couple Facebook ads," as Kushner dismissively characterized it. The Mueller report described how Russia's efforts to undermine the election "demonstrated a significant escalation in directness, level of activity, and scope of effort compared to previous operations." And beyond using social-media platforms to sow discord, Russian operatives engaged in cyber-espionage.TIME senior White House correspondent Brian Bennett, who interviewed Kushner at the Tuesday event, said as much: "Well, it was a lot more than Facebook ads. There were Russian operatives organizing real events during the campaign, so it had a real-world impact on their social-media campaign.""Not only that," Bennett added, "but Russia was actively hacking and stealing documents that they then systematically released at certain key points during the campaign. One of the biggest things I think that doesn't sit well with the public is: Why didn't the trump campaign openly say 'Russia, we don't need your help. We don't want your help. Please stop.'"Kushner replied: "The one thing the Mueller report was conclusive on is that there was no coordination or collusion with the Trump campaign [and Russia]. Everything the president's been saying and I've been saying for two years has been fully authenticated."The TIME 100 Summit, which showcases several of the magazine's picks for its 2019 list of the most influential people in the world, will also feature an interview with Trump's nemesis, Hillary Clinton, whose campaign emails were among those stolen by Russian operatives.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here


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