| The Latest: Iran supreme leader critical of FM in nuke deal Posted: 22 May 2019 03:21 PM PDT  TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The Latest on increased tensions between the U.S. and Iran (all times local):
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| 'Chaotic situation' as tornado tears through Missouri's capital of Jefferson City Posted: 23 May 2019 01:38 PM PDT  A violent tornado ripped through Jefferson City, Missouri, late Wednesday, leaving many trapped and others injured. More storms are forecast.
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| UPDATE 4-U.S. Senate passes $19.1 billion in disaster relief, no border aid Posted: 23 May 2019 11:33 AM PDT ![UPDATE 4-U.S. Senate passes $19.1 billion in disaster relief, no border aid]( "UPDATE 4-U.S. Senate passes $19.1 billion in disaster relief, no border aid") The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved $19.1 billion in aid to help Americans rebound from a string of natural disasters, and President Donald Trump supported it even though it did not include the funds he requested to address a migrant surge at the southern U.S. border. The Senate, which has a thin Republican majority, approved the measure 85-8. Democrats, who have a majority in the House of Representatives, said a vote could soon follow in that chamber.
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| China says U.S. needs to fix 'wrong actions' as Huawei ban rattles supply chains Posted: 23 May 2019 06:51 AM PDT  Japanese conglomerate Panasonic Corp joined a growing list of global companies that is disengaging from Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's second-largest seller of smartphones and the largest telecom-gear maker, saying it had stopped shipments of some components. Its move came a day after British chip designer ARM said it had halted relations with Huawei to comply with the U.S. supply blockade, potentially crippling the Chinese firm's ability to make new chips for smartphones. Huawei uses ARM blueprints to design the processors that power its smartphones.
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| Serial con artist arrested after scamming woman he met on Match.com out of $85,000 Posted: 22 May 2019 11:20 AM PDT  A serial con artist was arrested Wednesday after allegedly scamming a Georgiawoman he met on Match
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| Russia and America Are Taking Turns Probing Each Other’s Air Space Posted: 22 May 2019 09:30 PM PDT  Six Russian Tu-95 heavy bombers and several Russian Su-35 fighters probed U.S. air-defenses on May 20 and May 21, 2019, prolonging a period of aerial tension between the Moscow and Washington.U.S. Air Force F-22 stealth fighters and supporting aircraft on both days peacefully intercepted the Russian planes. "The Russian bombers and fighters remained in international airspace and at no time did the aircraft enter United States or Canadian sovereign airspace," North American Aerospace Defense Command reported."Two pairs of F-22s and an E-3 airborne early warning and control system from North American Aerospace Defense Command positively identified and intercepted a total of four Tupolev Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on May 20," noted the command, which also is known by its Cold War acronym "NORAD.""Specifically, two of the Russian bombers were intercepted by two F-22s, and a second group of bombers with Su-35 fighters was intercepted later by two additional F-22s, while the E-3 provided overall surveillance."
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| Lawmaker's censure sought after comments about Trump Jr. Posted: 23 May 2019 07:31 AM PDT  MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers abruptly adjourned after one lawmaker called for the censure of another over comments that included calling the president's son "evidently retarded."
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| Missouri: destructive tornado leaves three people dead and severe damage Posted: 23 May 2019 05:07 AM PDT  Series of devastating storms led to multiple tornadoes, leaving people injured and trapped in homes as torrid weather pummels parts of midwest A large and violent tornado has left at least three people dead in Missouri as torrid weather continues to pummel parts of America's midwest. A series of devastating storms hit the area on Wednesday night leading to multiple tornadoes. The region has already endured days of torrential rain and flooding. The National Weather Service confirmed that the deadly tornado moved over Missouri's capital, Jefferson City, shortly before midnight. "Across the state, Missouri's first responders once again responded quickly and with strong coordination as much of the state dealt with extremely dangerous conditions that left people injured, trapped in homes, and tragically led to the death of three people," Governor Mike Parson said. Authorities said the three were killed in the Golden City area of Barton county, near Missouri's south-west corner, as the severe weather moved in from Oklahoma, where rescuers struggled to pull people from high water. Kenneth Harris, 86, and his 83-year-old wife, Opal, were found dead about 200 yards from their home, and Betty Berg, 56, was killed and her husband, Mark, seriously injured when their mobile home was destroyed, authorities said. The tornado hit during a week that has seen several days of tornadoes and torrential rains in parts of the southern plains and midwest. No deaths were reported in the capital, but city police officials said about 20 people were rescued by emergency personnel as the tornado caused damage to multiple buildings. Emergency workers reported about two dozen injuries, Williams said, and around 100 people went to shelters. Hospitals reported treating injuries such as cuts and bruises. The weather service reported that a "confirmed, large and destructive tornado" was observed over Jefferson City at 11.43pm local time on Wednesday, moving north-east at 40mph . The capital city has a population of about 40,000 and is located about 130 miles west of St Louis. "It's a chaotic situation right now," said Lt David Williams of Jefferson City police. A car is trapped under the fallen metal roof of the Break Time gas station and convenience store in Jefferson City, Missouri. Photograph: David A Lieb/AP The tornado was described as a "wedge", meaning it was wider than it was tall. According to reports it moved at 40mph at some points, and dispersed debris 13,000ft into the air, including overturning vehicles. The weather service said it had received 22 reports of tornadoes by late Wednesday; some could be duplicate reporting of the same twister. One tornado skirted just a few miles north of Joplin, Missouri, on the eighth anniversary of a catastrophic tornado that killed 161 people in the city. The tornado caused some damage in the town of Carl Junction, about four miles north of the Joplin airport, where several injuries were reported. Storms and torrential rains have ravaged the midwest, from Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois. Authorities urged residents of several small towns in Oklahoma and Kansas to leave their homes as rivers and streams rose. Deaths from this week's storms include a 74-year-old woman found early on Wednesday morning in Iowa. Officials there say she was killed by a possible tornado that damaged a farmstead in Adair county. Missouri authorities said heavy rain was a contributing factor in the deaths of two people in a traffic accident on Tuesday near Springfield. A fourth weather-related death may have occurred in Oklahoma, where the highway patrol said a woman apparently drowned after driving around a barricade on Tuesday near Perkins, about 45 miles north-east of Oklahoma City. The unidentified woman's body was sent to the state medical examiner's office to confirm the cause of death. Keli Cain, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma department of emergency management, said she was not yet listed as what would be the state's first storm-related death. Catastrophic flooding in the area even swept some homes into a river. The Associated Press contributed reporting
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| 14 Garage Organization Ideas That'll Give You Back Your Parking Spot Posted: 23 May 2019 07:00 AM PDT |
| Pelosi says Trump 'is engaged in a cover-up' — drawing his fury Posted: 22 May 2019 07:57 AM PDT  The House speaker slammed the president's efforts to stonewall ongoing congressional investigations amid calls from some members of her party for his impeachment.
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| UN agency for Palestinians rejects US call to dismantle it Posted: 23 May 2019 04:41 AM PDT  The head of the United Nations organisation for Palestinian refugees on Thursday rejected a US call to dismantle the agency, saying it cannot be blamed for stalled peace efforts. UNRWA's commissioner general Pierre Krahenbuhl rebuffed the criticism from US envoy Jason Greenblatt during a visit to the Gaza Strip. "I unreservedly reject the accompanying narrative that suggests that somehow UNRWA is to blame for the continuation of the refugee-hood of Palestine refugees, of their growing numbers and their growing needs," he said in response to a question about Greenblatt's comments.
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| Narendra Modi wins landslide victory in Indian election Posted: 23 May 2019 06:19 AM PDT  Narendra Modi swept back into power on Thursday as his Hindu nationalist party made unexpected gains in a landslide victory. After a mammoth six-week election in which over 600 million people voted, all the results were tallied on Thursday and within hours the TV networks predicted a win for Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Official data from the Election Commission showed Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party ahead in 300 of the 542 seats up for grabs, up from the 282 it won in 2014 and more than the 272 seats needed for a majority in the lower house of parliament. That would give his party the first back-to-back majority for a single party since 1984. "Together we grow," Mr Modi said on Twitter. "Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again!" Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at BJP headquarters to attend a ceremony to thank the Union Council of Ministers for their contribution in India's general election, in New Delhi Credit: AFP The win by Modi and the BJP has surprised even the most hardened political analysts, with the consensus being that they would be returned to power but with a reduced majority. His re-election reinforces a global trend of right-wing populists sweeping to victory, from the United States to Brazil and Italy, often after adopting harsh positions on protectionism, immigration and defence. The result reinforces Mr Modi's immense popularity and vindicated what at times was a belligerent campaign by several parties, with the focus heavily on the economy, national security, and from the BJP's perspective, an affirmation of its underlying ideology of Hindu nationalism. Nalin Kohli, a senior BJP official, claimed his party had picked up votes from Muslims, especially Muslim women. "We are the party of power, we are the flavour of the season. It is the aspirations of 1 billion-plus people that have elected us." The main opposition Congress party was heading for a better performance than its nadir in 2014, but early results suggested it would get at least 52 seats. With its partners it makes up the United Progressive Alliance, which was predicted to hit the 110 mark. With some of the BJP's critics accusing it of making India a more divisive country, particularly for Muslims and other minorities, many are asking what happens next for India. सबका साथ + सबका विकास + सबका विश्वास = विजयी भारत Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again! VijayiBharat— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2019 Professor Santosh Kumar Rai, of Delhi University, said: "Certainly a second term means an ideological victory, even if it is more a personality cult. With a [BJP] majority, a rightist agenda with all the institutions of the state under its control, the party will be more likely to convert India into a majoritarian state. "Law, education and culture will be the major areas expecting paradigm shift. Foreign and Finance policies will continue as they are going on now." The election has been the biggest democratic exercise in history with an electorate of 900million, more than 1 million polling booths, seen phases of polling, seven national parties and dozens more regional parties vying for seats in the New Delhi parliament. Commentators have said Mr Modi put himself at the centre of a more presidential style of campaign, often making himself and his party interchangeable. At a packed victory rally at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, Mr Modi said: "This victory will be an inspiration for generations in the country. Crores [tens of millions] of Indians have blessed us, my gratitude to the people. "This is the highest voter turnout since Independence, even in adverse weather conditions. I congratulate the Election Commission for conducting smooth elections in such a big democracy. "I have been saying that no party or candidate is fighting the polls but the people of India are. If anybody has won, it is the people of India. This is the biggest event in any democracy in the world." Referring to his rivals in the Congress Party, he said: "They used a fake tag of Secularism that they thought would wash all sins; today these people have been completely unmasked. Today, India has only two castes - those who are poor and those who want to eradicate poverty. "This is not Modi's victory. This is victory of honest people's hope, this is a victory of youths who have walked on the path of 21st century with dreams."
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| Serial cyberstalker could avoid prison again under plea deal Posted: 22 May 2019 02:23 PM PDT  Only hours before women marched through many U.S. cities in January, Christopher Cleary set off a manhunt when he posted a Facebook message threatening to kill "as many girls as I see" in retaliation for years of romantic rejection. Cleary, 27, called himself a virgin who never had a girlfriend, stoking fears of another deadly rampage by a man blaming women for his problems. When police tracked his cellphone and arrested the Colorado resident at a McDonald's restaurant in Provo, Utah, Cleary said he had been upset and wasn't thinking clearly.
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| Scouted: New Balance Has Given Us a New Running Sneaker Perfect for the Everyday Posted: 22 May 2019 03:00 AM PDT  Flat footed and a runner, getting the right shoe means a whole lot to me — and I've always been able to rely on New Balance as one of my go-to running and workout footwear mainstays. So when the brand released its Fresh Foam Roav (a cousin of one of my personal favorites: the Fresh Foam Vongo Stability Running Shoe), I was quick to check it out. It's the brand's new everyday sneaker. It's designed with a supportive cushioned sole and the foundational Fresh Foam midsole, a single piece of foam that provides a natural feel for your feet (no matter how hard you ride them). This is an everyday sneaker that certainly leans more toward sneaking than sitting but for some people (myself included), that could be perfect for weekends, evenings, and casual work settings. The synthetic mesh upper keeps your feet cool and a curvy outsole aims to balance function and comfort in your shoes. Best of all: The Fresh Foam Roav looks really good. There are men's and women's styles and everything is available on Zappos, which means checkout is a breeze and returns are easy. I'm definitely drawn to the men's Rain Cloud with Marblehead & Munsell White style (I also like the pair in Vintage Indigo with Pigment & Sea Salt but it's an exception and available from the New Balance shop, not Zappos). On the women's end, the most gorgeous pair is the Rain Cloud with Light Cobalt & Munsell White pair and while I think it'd be totally fine to wear casually to work or out with friends, you could go more conservative with the Magnet with Black & Champagne Metallic style. Shop the full line at New Balance or virtually all of it at Zappos today.Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Dem. Rep. Accuses DHS Secretary of Choosing to Let Migrant Kids Die: ‘This Is Intentional’ Posted: 22 May 2019 09:48 AM PDT  Representative Lauren Underwood (D., Ill.) on Wednesday accused the acting Department of Homeland Security secretary of intentionally implementing border-security policies that would lead to the deaths of migrant children.During his appearance before the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan was asked to explain why five children have died in federal custody after being apprehended at the southern border since December."These stories are appalling and yet they keep happening," Underwood said, referring to the recent migrants deaths, as well as reports of inadequate housing and medical care for migrant children apprehended at the border. "Now Congress just provided half a billion dollars in February to address the humanitarian crisis at the border and will soon provide more. Why do these tragedies keep happening?"McAleenan, who succeeded Kirstjen Nielsen in April, responded that the resources provided by Congress are insufficient to address the record number of asylum seekers, many of whom are women and children, arriving at the border each day."They're happening because the crisis is exceeding the resources provided. That's why we've asked for more and we've asked for more authority to prevent this crisis from happening in the first place and to prevent the children from being placed at risk," he said.Underwood, a 32-year-old freshman lawmaker, dismissed McAleenan's claims, suggesting instead that he was implementing policies intended to result in the death of children."People keep dying, sir. People keep dying. So, this is obviously more than a question of resources," she said. "Congress has been more than willing to provide the resources and work with you to address the security and humanitarian concerns, but at this point, with five kids that have died, 5,000 separated from their families, I feel like — and the evidence is really clear — that this is intentional. It's a policy choice being made on purpose by this administration and it's cruel and inhumane.""That's an appalling accusation and our men and women fight hard to protect people in our custody every single day," McAleenan responded.> The acting DHS secretary denies the accusation that migrant deaths are "intentional" policy. pic.twitter.com/7xiThg8IVY> > -- VICE News (@vicenews) May 22, 2019Republicans on the panel reacted forcefully to Underwood's assertion. The ranking Republican on the committee, Representative Mike Rogers (R., Mich.) called for a vote to strike her comments from the record. The vote passed 9-7."You cannot impugn the character of the witness by stating that he intentionally murders children. That is completely inappropriate and her words should be taken down," Rogers said during the hearing. "She was very explicit.""It's absolutely disheartening to see some radical Democrats stoop so low to say that the Acting DHS Secretary McAleenan is murdering children. McAleenan left the private sector to serve his country after the towers fell on 9/11. This is a sad day for America and the Democrat party," Representative Mark Green (R., Tenn.) said in a statement provided to National Review.On Monday, 16-year-old Carlos Hernandez Vasquez became the fifth migrant child to die in federal custody in the last six months.Vasquez crossed into the U.S. without his parents and died of the flu at a Border Patrol station in Weslaco, Texas after spending a week in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CPB). His death has drawn scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers, who have pointed out that policy dictates he should have been transferred to the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within 72 hours of his apprehension."Make no mistake: This is a pattern of death. This is an epidemic of death by the Trump administration," Representative Joaquin Castro of Texas told reporters during a press conference Tuesday. "As I mentioned, nobody had died for ten years. And in the last six months, you've had five deaths."The Trump administration has for months urged Congress to provide resources for medical care and the construction of housing units that can accommodate the new asylum-seekers arriving at the southern border. The existing detention centers lack the capacity to handle the record influx and were built to accommodate the mostly single men who formerly comprised most of the illegal-migrant population.The administration has also urged Congress to reform the asylum system through legislation in order to limit the number of migrants who must be detained on U.S. soil while their claims are being adjudicated.
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| Columbine survivor Austin Eubanks spoke about emotional pain and drug addiction before death Posted: 22 May 2019 06:56 AM PDT  Columbine survivor Austin Eubanks became a nationally known speaker on the dangers of addiction. His family says he "lost his battle" this weekend.
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| After Huawei, U.S. could blacklist Chinese surveillance tech firm: media Posted: 22 May 2019 01:46 AM PDT  The U.S. administration is considering Huawei-like sanctions on Chinese video surveillance firm Hikvision, media reports show, deepening worries that trade friction between the world's top two economies could be further inflamed. The restrictions would limit Hikvision's ability to buy U.S. technology and American companies may have to obtain government approval to supply components to the Chinese firm, the New York Times reported on Tuesday. The United States stuck Huawei Technologies on a trade blacklist last week, effectively banning U.S. firms from doing business with the world's largest telecom network gear maker, in a major escalation in the trade war.
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| Biden blasts Trump for saying he 'deserted' Pennsylvania: 'I was 10' Posted: 22 May 2019 06:49 AM PDT  The former vice president blasted President Trump for telling the crowd at a rally in Pennsylvania earlier this week that he "deserted" them.
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| Teen arrested in attack on off-duty firefighter defending elderly couple on Upper East Side Posted: 23 May 2019 10:57 AM PDT  The 17-year-old suspect told reporters that he was "defending his friend." He's charged with second-degree assault.
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| African swine fever threatens French deli meats producers Posted: 23 May 2019 06:00 AM PDT  French deli meats makers are being squeezed by a surge in pork prices linked to an African swine fever epidemic that has decimated the pig herd in China, they said on Thursday, warning of potential bankruptcies in the sector. African swine fever, a highly contagious virus, has spread to every province on the Chinese mainland since August last year, killing millions of animals and prompting China - the world's biggest pork producer - to turn to imports earlier this year. In a knock-on effect, French live pork prices have gained 24% since early March, with a rise of as much as 30% for some ingredients used in making deli meats like saucisson, cooked ham and dry-cured ham, making it hard for producers to pass such price rises on to clients, industry association FICT said.
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| Brexit Bulletin: May’s Final Gamble Backfires Posted: 21 May 2019 11:33 PM PDT  As Theresa May made a last-ditch plea to save her Brexit deal yesterday, she tried to present enough improvements to win over opponents on all sides. Instead, it looks like she's ended up pleasing no one. In a speech yesterday, the embattled prime minister unveiled a 10-point plan she said was the "one last chance" to salvage Brexit, including a promise to give members of Parliament a vote on whether to call another referendum to ratify Britain's exit. Pro-Brexit Conservative MPs, including Boris Johnson, joined Labour's Jeremy Corbyn and May's Northern Irish allies in condemning her proposals.
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| Will FAA's plan for 737 MAX fly outside US? Posted: 21 May 2019 10:58 PM PDT  Getting Boeing's top-selling 737 MAX back in the skies faces a critical test this week as the company and US regulators each seek to restore their reputations after two deadly crashes. The US Federal Aviation Administration convened a summit of global aviation regulators on Thursday to walk through the steps taken to address concerns with the MAX following criticism the agency dragged its feet on the decision to ground the jets. Most agencies around the world have said little or nothing about the situation since the 737 MAX was grounded following the March 10 Ethiopian Airlines crash, which together with a Lion Air crash in October, claimed 346 lives.
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| This Is the Secret to Making Your Driveway 10 Times More Beautiful Posted: 22 May 2019 08:24 AM PDT |
| The Harriet Tubman $20 bill was supposed to drop in 2020, but Trump's Treasury secretary has delayed it Posted: 23 May 2019 04:34 AM PDT  "The ultimate decision on the redesign will most likely be another secretary's down the road," Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Wednesday.
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| Officials Dispute Mike Pompeo's Claim That Iran Is Collaborating With Al Qaeda Posted: 21 May 2019 06:27 PM PDT  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's claim that Iran and al Qaeda are collaborating is at best an exaggeration, officials tell TIME.
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| Ford presents home-delivery robot Posted: 23 May 2019 08:08 AM PDT  The American automaker Ford has unveiled "Digit," a two-legged, almost human-like robot capable of making home deliveries. Designed in collaboration with Agility Robotics, Digit can walk, go up and down stairs, and carry packages of up to 40 pounds (just over 18kg), like a human. Ford's technology, research and development department is full of surprises.
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| Ukraine's parliament snubs new president on election law Posted: 22 May 2019 10:38 AM PDT  KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian lawmakers on Wednesday turned down the new president's proposal to amend the election law in a blow to his hopes to get more of his supporters into parliament.
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| Accused Thief Taunted Disney World With Photo of Stolen Robot’s Mutilated Head Posted: 22 May 2019 02:31 AM PDT  Photo Illustration by Sarah Rogers/The Daily Beast/Photos GettyIf you're accused of stealing an animatronic child from Disney World, maybe don't make a wildly popular Disney-related Twitter account and post a picture of the stolen robot child with its eyes gouged out."Buzzy," an animatronic boy from an abandoned Disney World attraction, has been missing for months. Online, Disney superfans treated the disappearance like a kidnapping. But the investigation into the theft led police to someone in the online Disney fandom: a Disney blogger who taunted Disney about their security, posted conspiracy theories about Buzzy's disappearance and, in the final days before his arrest, uploaded a picture of the robot's decapitated and eyeball-less head.Patrick Spikes, 24, was arrested last week. He worked at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, until last year. But Spikes didn't completely part ways with the theme park after he stopped working there. Instead, he started churning out videos, podcasts, and tweets under the username "BackDoorDisney." His Twitter account, which amassed more than 17,000 followers before going dark last week, promised to give fans an inside view of Disney World. In its seven months of operation, the account uploaded pictures of Disney control rooms, secret maps, and Disney cast members pretending to have sex while dressed as characters from Toy Story.Soon, Spikes was posting about an even more salacious Disney World story. In August, Disney told police that someone had stolen clothes off Buzzy. The 300-pound animatronic child used to sit inside the "Cranium Command" exhibit, in Epcot's Wonders of Life Pavilion. But the building, which hosted somewhat dated attractions, had been closed for years. The stolen clothes (including a miniature bomber jacket) were worth nearly $7,000, Disney claimed, according to an affidavit from Florida's Orange County Sheriff's Department. Later, the entire robot was stolen, an operation that required the thief to cut through electric cables.Spikes and other Disney bloggers posted about Buzzy's rumored disappearance. But Spikes and a crowd of Disney fans who broke into the park soon came under suspicion. Spikes routinely boasted of secret trips through Disney World, including with a friend who climbed the park's Thunder Mountain roller coaster."Good job filling the holes under the Mk back fence this morning," Spikes wrote in a January tweet directed at Disney. "I told you guys about this issue 2 months ago but it took somebody going in and climbing one of your coasters for you to care."On his personal Twitter account, Spikes taunted Disney, advising them to buy a bulk box of security cameras from Best Buy. As the search for Buzzy continued, Disney fans speculated that an urban explorer might have snatched the robot.Eventually, police began narrowing in on Spikes and his scene. Investigators found an October picture of Buzzy on Spikes' @BackDoorDisney account. The picture does not appear to have been taken inside the Cranium Command exhibit. In texts with investigators, Spikes allegedly let slip that Buzzy's clothes were sold on the black market for $8,000.Police got a warrant for Spikes' cellphone and called him in for questioning in December. The meeting went poorly when Spikes tried to cut it short."The defendant stated he felt sick and felt that he was going to vomit," police alleged in an affidavit. "A short time later, he began to make strained breathing noises, and stated he couldn't breath. He requested water, which was given to him, and also was allowed to lay on the floor. The fire department responded and all vitals were normal." Spikes was taken to a hospital. Police charged him with non-violently resisting arrest. He has pleaded not guilty.Spikes later made a video about a police search on his house, and professed his innocence."I said 'really? The entire thing got stolen?' I didn't really believe it," he said in the March video. "It blew my mind. I was like, you can't be serious right now."Later in the video, Spikes suggested that Disney had staged Buzzy's disappearance in order to shut down his BackDoorDisney account."There's a theory someone talked about that Imagineering [a Disney team] removed Buzzy and didn't tell anyone else. So when Operations, the part of the company that runs the Pavillion noticed he was missing, they filed him as 'stolen,'" he said. "Did Disney willingly file a report, knowing the thing wasn't stolen, just to run me down? Because obviously I had been posting a lot of backstage photos and stuff, and information … It almost seems like they wanted my phones because they knew I had a lot of backstage photos on them."But BackDoorDisney kept implying inside knowledge of Buzzy's disappearance.In a May 12 tweet, he tweeted a picture of Buzzy's fate. The tweet showed a picture of Buzzy's decapitated head, with its eyeballs scratched off. The image was included in a screenshot of a text Spikes received, which meant someone else might have stolen the robot.TwitterFive days later, police arrested Spikes. Although Buzzy's disappearance featured prominently in an arrest affidavit (police appear to have started investigating him over Buzzy's theft), Spikes was actually charged for a different series of alleged thefts from Disney World. His lawyer did not return The Daily Beast's request for comment.In July, police alleged, Spikes printed a fake Disney employee card for his cousin and snuck him into the park. The pair allegedly snuck into the Haunted Mansion, a popular ride, and stole a collection of wigs and outfits from backstage. The clothes, which were designed for the ride's animatronic ghosts, cost between $40 (a tiara) and $1,746 (a robot's jacket), adding up to more than $7,000.Spikes and his cousin allegedly took pictures throughout the heist, and posed in the wigs at a nearby 7-Eleven. A video from shortly after the theft allegedly shows Spikes' cousin's girlfriend wearing a robot's stolen dress.Disney may have priced the clothes at just over $7,000, but they allegedly went for four times that price on the black market. Days after the alleged burglary, Spikes allegedly received a combined $29,451 payment from two people over Paypal. One of the people, whose name is redacted in the affidavit, told police he paid Spikes $8,890 for 18 items from various Disney heists, including $1,000 for a Haunted Mansion dress.Shortly before his arrest, Spikes teased a forthcoming video about the black market for stolen Disney gear.Police haven't charged Spikes with Buzzy's disappearance. But they say his video about the raid on his house raised questions about his involvement. In the video, he showed part of a search warrant for his house. Police say he edited the document to remove references to two pieces of evidence police sought."The fact that Spikes altered the warrant for his video and only removed these two items indicate that he was aware these items were used in a crime," the affidavit reads.In that same video, Spikes tells viewers he'll keep his lips tight about Buzzy's disappearance until the investigation is over."If things are still under investigation, I'm not going to get on YouTube and run my mouth about it," he said. "That would be dumb."Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| View Photos of the 2019 Opel Corsa-e Posted: 23 May 2019 12:59 PM PDT |
| Novartis CEO plans gene therapy price 'far lower' than $4 million to $5 million range Posted: 22 May 2019 02:25 PM PDT  Novartis is expecting the drug initially to be approved for infants and is in discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about whether approval will include other forms of the disease beyond the most serious Type 1, he said.
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| India's Modi and Pakistan PM highlight need for 'peace,' after vote Posted: 23 May 2019 11:38 AM PDT  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani rival Imran Khan sent messages highlighting the need for "peace" Thursday after Modi's hawkish party won a new term in power. While the nuclear-armed rivals launched cross-border air strikes at each other barely three months ago, some analysts say the return of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a new landslide could help peace prospects. Khan congratulated Modi on the win by the BJP, which has long taken a strong anti-Pakistan stance.
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| The top 10 Memorial Day sales we are shopping this weekend Posted: 23 May 2019 08:31 AM PDT  This year, there is certainly no shortage of awesome Memorial Day sales
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| Abortion rights supporters' voices thunder at #StopTheBans rallies across the nation Posted: 21 May 2019 07:41 PM PDT  Hundreds of #StopTheBans rallies took place across the nation as supporters vented frustrations at actions by states to restrict access to abortions.
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| Schiff Strikes Deal to See Mueller's Counterintelligence Work Posted: 22 May 2019 06:49 AM PDT  Schiff said in a statement Wednesday that the department has offered to start turning over 12 categories of information that his panel had subpoenaed, and he said the process should be completed by next week. It was a rare instance of cooperation as the Trump administration increasingly stonewalls demands from Democratic-controlled House committees for documents and testimony to follow up on Mueller's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election.
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| Apple Watch Series 4 models are back on sale on Amazon at all-time low prices Posted: 23 May 2019 05:46 AM PDT ![Apple Watch Series 4 models are back on sale on Amazon at all-time low prices]( "Apple Watch Series 4 models are back on sale on Amazon at all-time low prices") Popular new Apple products rarely go on sale with worthwhile discounts, but there are exceptions to every rule. One such exception can be found right now on Amazon, where there are multiple Apple Watch Series 4 models that have just gone back on sale at all-time low prices. The Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS, 40mm) with Space Gray Aluminum Case and Black Sport Band is down to just $349.99, while the 44mm version of the same popular setup is just $379.99. If you want to upgrade to the models with cellular connectivity, you can save $50 on an Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS + Cellular, 44mm) with Space Gray Aluminum Case and Black Sport Band or $70 on a high-end Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS + Cellular, 40mm) with Space Black Stainless Steel Case and Black Sport Band. There's no telling how long these deals will stick around, so you had better check them out soon. Also, be sure to click around because there are other models on sale as well!Here are the highlights from the product page: * GPS + Cellular * Over 30% larger display and 50% louder speaker * Electrical and optical heart sensors * Digital Crown with haptic feedback * 50% louder speaker * S4 SiP with faster 64-bit dual-core processor * Improved accelerometer and gyroscope for fall detection * Swimproof * watchOS 5 * Aluminum or stainless steel case
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| Trump administration may use Iran threat to sell bombs to Saudis without Congress' approval: senator Posted: 23 May 2019 12:31 AM PDT  "I am hearing that Trump may use an obscure loophole in the Arms Control Act and notice a major new sale of bombs to Saudi Arabia (the ones they drop in Yemen) in a way that would prevent Congress from objecting. In this case, they said the Republican president would cite rising tensions with Iran as a reason to provide more military equipment to Saudi Arabia, which he sees as an important U.S. partner in the region. Trump has touted arms sales to the Saudis as a way to generate U.S. jobs.
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| Sheriff's Deputy Accused of Having 'Sexual Contact' With Teenage Boy Posted: 22 May 2019 10:15 AM PDT  Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputy Shauna Bishop is supposed to protect and serve but now she`s accused of doing just the opposite.
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| The 2020 BMW X5 and X7 Get New M50i Performance Variants Posted: 22 May 2019 10:27 AM PDT  Both SUVs pack 523 horsepower and are positioned above the existing 50i models.
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| Major Texas border station closed for flu outbreak after teen death Posted: 22 May 2019 03:40 AM PDT  A major Texas border station has been temporarily closed due to a fever outbreak, officials said, one day after a Guatemalan teenager diagnosed with flu at the facility died in immigration custody. Medical staff imposed the quarantine at the McAllen processing center after a "large number" of detainees were found to have high fevers and symptoms of a flu-related illness. "To avoid the spread of illness, the Rio Grande Valley Sector has temporarily suspended intake operations at the CPC," Customs and Border Protection said in a statement late Tuesday, referring to the Central Processing Center.
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| U.S. judge says Qualcomm violated antitrust law; appeal planned, shares plunge Posted: 22 May 2019 01:02 PM PDT  The decision issued late Tuesday night by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, caused Qualcomm shares to plunge 11 percent on Wednesday. "Qualcomm's licensing practices have strangled competition" in parts of the chip market for years, harming rivals, smartphone makers, and consumers, Koh wrote in a 233-page decision. Qualcomm said it will immediately ask Koh to put her decision on hold, and also seek a quick appeal to the federal appeals court in California.
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