[Charlotte Observer] FBI agents found hundreds of classified documents on Paula Broadwell’s home computers in Charlotte during their investigation into her relationship with then-CIA Director David Petraeus, according to newly unsealed FBI documents obtained by the Observer.
More than 300 of those documents were classified as secret, according to a 2013 FBI affidavit accompanying the agency’s request to search Petraeus’ Arlington, Va., home.
The documents, which were unsealed Tuesday by the U.S. District Court in Eastern Virginia, offer new details of the sweeping federal investigation into the relationship between Broadwell, a Charlotte author, and Petraeus, a highly decorated military commander, the subject of Broadwell’s book as well as her former lover.
The probe uncovered their affair, revealed their mishandling of classified documents and lead to Petraeus’ resignation as head of the CIA. Last year, Petraeus pleaded guilty in Charlotte to a misdemeanor charge of mishandling government documents and was fined $100,000.
Broadwell, the author of Petraeus’ biography, was never charged. Legal experts say her role as a journalist made any prosecution problematic.
#1
Broadwell, the author of Petraeus’ biography, was never charged. Legal experts say her role as a journalist made any prosecution problematic.
Total rubbish! She 'was never charged' simply because the spill over would have further sullied the general. Petraeus was one of the key architects of the UBL takedown as well as events in Libya and Benghazi.
It's sun dried and crusted over. Please don't kick it and we can continue to enjoy the pleasant meadow fragrances.
[Fox] In a bizarre situation that sounds like something out of a Hollywood action movie, two would-be robbers burst into a McDonald’s and were surprised to find the restaurant full of off-duty special forces soldiers.
According to The Local, 11 off-duty members of the French Armed Forces, Groupe d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN), were hanging out at a local McDonald’s in the commune of Ecole-Valentin on Sunday, enjoying their burgers when two armed men rushed into the restaurant, fired a warning shot, and robbed the cashier.
The soldiers, who specialize in handling hostage situations for the French military, thought it was safest for the other customers and McDonald’s staff if they waited until the robbers finished their crime and left the restaurant before attempting to intervene.
Once the robbers left, though, they handily captured both of them. One robber, who was carrying around 2,000 euros ($2,270) cash, stumbled as he attempted to flee and was captured, while the other was shot in the abdomen by one of the elite forces member and arrested.
Both robbers were taken to the hospital and are expected to make a full recovery before standing trial. They have since been charged with armed robbery.
HT Fausta Wertz. Slimy Atty Shakedown loses again.
The United States Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal lodged by the government of Ecuador that contested a $96 million arbitration settlement awarded to the American oil company Chevron.
Texaco, the company Chevron bought out in 2001, originally filed the suit against the Central American country for breaking from the terms of oilfield development contracts and international agreements.
In effect, the highest court in the U.S. upheld a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which favored Chevron in an arbitration deal issued by The Hague's Permanent Council of Arbitration in the Netherlands.
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/08/2016 00:00 ||
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#1
Chevron is currently suing Steve Donziger and some of his associates for engaging in a extortionate scheme.
Discovery has been interesting. Chevron's version of the situation is here.
Posted by: lord garth ||
06/08/2016 7:15 Comments ||
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I will do my level best to keep my comments PC.
Kenya's power generation company Tuesday said a monkey caused a three-hour nationwide blackout in the country.
The Kenya Electricity Generation Company (KenGen) said in a statement on Facebook that a monkey climbed on to the roof of the Gitaru Power Station in central Kenya and fell on a transformer. This caused the transformer to trip, further causing other machines to trip on overload and resulted in the loss of 180 megawatts of energy. I guess nobody wanted to pedal the backup generator.
The company is reportedly the country's largest generator of electricity, providing around 80% of energy consumed in the east African nation. The 225-megawatt Gitaru station is KenGen's largest. The blackout lasted more than three hours Tuesday before power was restored.
The animal survived the incident. "Monkey is alive and taken in by KWS (Kenya Wildlife Service)," a KenGen Facebook post said.
"KenGen power installations are secured by electric fencing which keeps away marauding wild animals," the company said. "We regret this isolated incident and the company is looking at ways of further enhancing security at all our power plants."
[An Nahar] An Egyptian court sentenced 25 men to death on Tuesday for taking part in tribal festivities two years ago that left 28 dead, court officials said.
Of 164 people on trial, 21 received life sentences, equivalent to 25 years, over the deadly festivities in the southern province of Aswan.
Tribal vendettas are common in Egypt's poor, rural south, but the festivities over two days in early April 2014 were the deadliest in several years, according to police.
Long-standing rivalry between the Bani Hilal, an Arab tribe, and the Dabudiya, a Nubian family, flared after a man from one camp sexually harassed a woman from the other.
The two sides had sought to dampen tensions with a reconciliation meeting, but it degenerated into a firefight, leaving three Bani Hilal members dead.
The following day, men from Bani Hilal went to take Dire Revenge and fighting broke out, leaving a further 25 dead and around 100 injured on both sides. Eventually the army intervened to stop the fighting.
Eighteen others were sentenced to between two and 15-year prison terms, while the remaining 100 defendants were acquitted.
The men sentenced to death were convicted of murder, attempted murder and arson, the court officials said.
The court issued its verdict after consulting the mufti of Egypt, who is responsible for interpreting Islamic law for the authorities. His opinions are not binding and he generally endorses death sentences issued by the courts.
The trial was held in another southern province, Assiut, for security reasons. All those sentenced can appeal.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/08/2016 00:00 ||
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[Iran Press TV] A Chinese J-10 fighter jet has intercepted a US plane flying over the East China Sea in an "unsafe manner," US officials say.
The US Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft was flying above the sea Tuesday, when it was approached by the jet with a "high rate of speed as it closed in" up to 100 feet (30 meter), unnamed military officials told CNN.
The US pilot’s reaction or how long the confrontation took place remained unclear.
Another "unsafe" intercept was reported in mid-May, when two Chinese J-11 tactical aircraft confronted a United States EP-3 reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea.
Tuesday’s intercept was reported as the annual US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue was closing in Beijing, with Secretary of State John F. I was in Vietnam, you know Kerry Former Senator-for-Life from Massachussetts, self-defined war hero, speaker of French, owner of a lucky hat, conqueror of Cambodia, and current Secretary of State... and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew in the Chinese capital.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/08/2016 00:00 ||
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[5 views]
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#1
So tell me one more time why we should not slap a tariff on Chinese imports.
#3
I suspect China will soon begin switching its focii from the South China Sea to the East China Sea, espec as the Bammer last, final months of being POTUS occurs. Unlike in the SCS, China can't improve on any natural islands or shoals, etc. widout inviting military retaliation from US Regional Allies + even Russia. The true threat to the US is having to wage a military response in defence of our overseas allies.
See also WAFF + GUARDIAN.UK > [SOUTH CHINA SEA: "WE HAVE NO FEAR OF TROUBLE", CHINESE ADMIRAL [Sun Jianguo] WARNS.
* SAME > [Straits Times] FRANCE CALLS FOR EUROPEAN [Naval] PATROLS IN SOUTH CHINA SEA.
* WORLD NEWS > [Express.UK] OBAMA PLANS MILITARY RESPONSE AFTER CHINA INTERCEPTS US AIRCRAFT IN [East] SOUTH CHINA SEA.
versus
* WORLD NEWS > [Stars-N-Stripes] CHINA DOESN'T CARE WHAT SOME DUTCH COURT [UCLOS = Hague] THINKS ABOUT THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.
* SAME > [Forbes] WHY BEIJING WILL INCREASE ITS SOUTH CHINA SEA ACTIVITIES IN NEXT FEW MONTHS.
IMO East China Sea in the Fall???
* JAPAN TIMES > CHINESE FRIGATE SAILS NEAR SENKAKUS, AS DOES RUSSIAN MILITARY VESSELS.
Again, RUSSIA fears China-Japan mil conflict will spill over into Sakhalin + former Japanese Kuriles.
* COCONUT MANILA > VIRAL [again]: [2012] VIDEO OF CHINESE NEWS ANCHOR SAYING PHILIPPINES IS OWNED BY CHINA GETS NEW LIFE.
ARTIC = denotes as an "indisputable fact" that the "Philippines is China's inherent territory, + Philippines belongs to Chinese sovereignty.
JUST-IN-CASE PH PRESIDENT-ELECT DUTERTE DOESN'T GIVE CHINA + PLA ANY"SOLE" OR "SHARED" MILBASES ON PH SOIL.
* DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > CHINESE STATE MEDIA RAN AN
ARTICLE ABOUT [PLA] NUCLEAR STRIKES AGZ LOS ANGELES [+ Seattle, WA; San Francisco, + San Diego].
Sniff, sniff, is there no love in the PLA to nuke Portland or Sacramento???
[NYPOST] Ralph Lauren is the latest retailer to announce cuts in stores and layoffs.
The fashion icon will be shedding jobs and closing stores as part of its new turnaround plan, the details of which will be unveiled on Tuesday when the company’s chief executive, Stefan Larsson, speaks with analysts.
About 50 stores -- mostly full-price locations -- and 8 percent of the company’s 15,000 full-time employees will be eliminated, according to sources familiar with the plan. The downsizing was first reported by WWD.
Larsson, who hails from Old Navy and H&M, was brought in eight months ago by Ralph -- who remains closely involved as chief creative officer and executive chairman -- to revamp the company amid sagging sales and weak returns. Revenues in the last quarter were flat, but profits exceeded analysts’ estimates.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/08/2016 00:00 ||
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#1
But Obean said the economy was doing great. You mean he lied...Again!
I believe the idea of leapfrogging the F-35 MoneypitPieceofshit Lightning via a combination of F-22s and upgraded F-18s has been floated here before at the Burg.
Ahem. Cough, cough...
While campaigning for office, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised that his government would never buy the controversial, increasingly expensive F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for his country's air force. That declaration came despite the previous administration's commitment to purchase 65 of those planes from Lockheed Martin. Now, however, it appears Trudeau's government has found a way to fulfill his campaign promise and avoid any potential legal headaches that would result from Canada dropping its commitment with Lockheed. Trudeau's solution? Buy more fighters from Boeing now, delay an F-35 decision 'til later.
At last week's CANSEC defense trade show in Ottawa, Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said that the Canadian Air Force's aging CF-18 Hornet fighter fleet would present a "growing capability gap" over the next decade that would make it difficult for Canada to meet its commitment to NATO. "This I find unacceptable, and it's one thing that we plan to fix," Sajjan said.
And as Defense News reports, the fix Sajjan and the Trudeau government will implement was proposed by Boeing. Instead of waiting for the F-35 to become available, Canada would buy a new version of Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet--and thus push the need to make a decision on an F-35 purchase into the late 2020s. The "interim" acquisition plan was reportedly presented to the Canadian government by Boeing with a very warm reception.
Canada's government committed to purchasing the F-35 as its exclusive replacement for the CF-18 in 2010. But the delays and cost overruns since then gave Boeing an opening, and the company's executives have proposed various sales of the Super Hornet to Canadian officials over the past four years. Boeing has pointed out that in 2014 a fleet of 65 Super Hornets would cost Canada $1.7 billion (ÂŁ1.2 billion) less than the proposed F-35 purchase.
Boeing made the same pitch successfully to the Australian government, which moved to purchase more Super Hornets (primarily the F/A-18F two-seater variant) for the Royal Australian Air Force because of F-35 program delays. Australia ultimately ordered 24 more F/A-18s in 2015 along with 12 new EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft. Australia originally purchased the Super Hornet in 2007 to replace the RAAF's 1970s-era F-111 Aardvarks (which are still being used as strategic strike aircraft today).
The Super Hornet has had extensive modifications over the previous generation of the aircraft, which currently is the workhorse of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Work has particularly been done to reduce the vehicle's radar cross-section. While it's not a "stealth" fighter like the F-22 or F-35, its front and rear radar cross-section are dramatically smaller from other current generation fighter aircraft, and it also carries more extensive electronics countermeasures. The Super Hornet also has the advantage of sharing about 90 percent of its avionics with the Hornet--so there will be little retraining required for the RCAF's pilots.
#3
The Super Hornet is a really good multi-role fighter. Its only real drawback is that it has short little legs and can't go very far without a tanker.
#4
And for Canadian air defense you need? Mission defines requirements. theirs is not the same as the USAF, plus Canada's printing presses aren't as deep as Washington's.
#6
...FWIW, my understanding is that it might not be that easy - apparently LockMart got themselves one hell of a contract team because if the Canadians buy any F-18s, LockMart is dragging them to court. Popcorn, anyone?
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
06/08/2016 17:35 Comments ||
Top||
#7
"And for Canadian air defense you need? Mission defines requirements. theirs is not the same as the USAF, plus Canada's printing presses aren't as deep as Washington's."
Which would suggest something more like an F-15 than an F-18, IF one were going to exclude the F-35. It'll be a long-range interceptor that can actually handle the ranges involved in patrolling the Canadian arctic.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange claims that Google has been working closely with US presidential hopeful Hilary Clinton's campaign in efforts to promote the candidate in the race to the White House. Speaking from the Ecuadorean embassy in London, via video conference as part of a two-day media event named "New Era of Journalism: Farewell to Mainstream", he said: "Google is directly engaged with Hillary Clinton's campaign," the Sputnik reported.
Pointing out that Google's former CEO Eric Schmidt is now heading the Pentagon's innovation branch, Assange said: "Google is heavily integrated with Washington power, at personal level and at business level... Google which has increasing control over the distribution channels... is intensely allying itself with the US exceptionalism."
Commenting on Clinton's nomination prospects, Assange said: "What we have with Clinton is someone who is a hawk but who has the tools of legal interventionism, a rhetorical cover to start the wars, and someone who seemingly wants to start them... From WikiLeaks' perspective Hillary Clinton is a problem in terms of war and peace."
According to a report by RT, Assange is not the only one to have identified a connection between Clinton's campaign and Google. Behavioural psychologist Dr Robert Epstein said in an interview that Schmidt has set up a little-heard-of start-up called Groundword, the sole purpose of which is "to put Clinton in office".
"It's a very secretive organisation, super high-tech stuff, and [it's] very likely they're using these techniques that we've been studying in our research to make sure that votes are shifted to Clinton in November," he added.
"There is a merger between the corporate organisations and state... 80% of the National Security Agency budget is privatised. The NSA is the core of the US deep state... There has been a smoothing out between the government and the corporations," said Assange, indicating that there may be quid pro quo deals between the US government and private tech giants like Google.
"[Google] shows the will to use that at different levels. It will inevitably influence its audience," Assange added.
Assange has been staying in the Ecuadorean embassy in London since 2012 in efforts to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning on sexual assault allegations, which Assange has denied. The whistleblower fears that if extradited to Sweden, he could then be extradited to the US where he is wanted for charges relating to espionage, conspiracy, theft of government property and computer fraud for his involvement in the WikiLeaks revelations.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in February declared that Assange was being unlawfully detained and that the British and Swedish authorities should end his detention and grant him freedom. However, British authorities have maintained that Assange faces arrest and possible extradition if he chooses to step out of the confines of the Ecuadorian embassy.
[DAWN] PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar demanded the disbandment of CII and asked for the Rs100 million fund allocated for the body for fiscal year 2016-17 be withdrawn.
"There is no reason for Council of Islamic Ideology to continue its job and it should not send more reports to the Parliament for legislation," Babar said during his speech on budget in the Senate.
"This is the council which says husband can beat his wife," said Babar said the CII also denied DNA as proof in rape cases.
He said that council had also suggested to the people to write 'Kalma Taiba' on their homes so that culture of Jihad can be promoted.
"A council should not continue its job with so many controversies," Babar said adding that the council has also declared minimum age for a girl's wedding as un-Islamic.
Babar raised concerns over the increase in the annual budget of the council and demanded the government to withdraw the funds allocated for CII.
"Money allocated for the council should be given to National Commission for the Protection of Women," the senator stated.
He added the parliament or provincial assemblies can consult the Ulema if any legislation required an Islamic point of view. "Federal Shariat Court can declare any law as un-Islamic if it feels the need, hence there is no need of a consultative body like the CII," the senator maintained.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/08/2016 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[Iran Press TV] A Chinese J-10 fighter jet has intercepted a US plane flying over the East China Sea in an "unsafe manner," US officials say.
[NYPOST] Ralph Lauren is the latest retailer to announce cuts in stores and layoffs.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange claims that Google has been working closely with US presidential hopeful Hilary Clinton's campaign in efforts to promote the candidate in the race to the White House. Speaking from the Ecuadorean embassy in London, via video conference as part of a two-day media event named "New Era of Journalism: Farewell to Mainstream", he said: "Google is directly engaged with Hillary Clinton's campaign," the Sputnik reported.
