Showing posts with label Turkey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turkey. Show all posts

Monday, March 24, 2025

Reading archive 2025-03-24 pt 1

How a Global Online Network of White Supremacists Groomed a Teen to Kill

Turkey lurches toward outright autocracy as Erdoğan’s main rival is jailed: Popular opposition leader Ekrem İmamoğlu calls for mass protests as he is thrown in jail and booted out as Istanbul mayor.

What Is the Endgame for Ukraine?: History offers a range of precedents for what an agreement with Russia could look like—and how bad the consequences might be.

How Berlin’s fiscal flip stunned Brussels and spooked its allies: The weeklong blitz on the EU’s fiscal rules generated more blowback than Germany ever expected.

Trump said he didn’t sign the Alien Enemies Act proclamation. So who — or what — did?: Did Trump misspeak? Is he trying to deflect a decision under heavy legal scrutiny onto Secretary of State Marco Rubio?

‘Very dangerous’: Japanese Americans warn of Trump’s use of Alien Enemies Act: Some fear Trump’s invocation of a 1798 wartime authority could lead to abuses similar to those that took place during one of the darkest chapters of U.S. history.

Trump wants to build more ships in the United States. It’s not so simple.: The administration aims to counter China’s dominance of commercial shipbuilding. - "'It appears to be written by people who have absolutely no idea how the maritime supply chain works,' said Lars Jensen, chief executive of Vespucci Maritime, a consultancy in Copenhagen. 'The container lines will adjust and cut out the smaller ports. The consequence is going to be massive port congestion in the larger ports.'

...

"If the new port fees are imposed, the three major ocean carrier alliances, which collaborate like airline industry partnerships, would probably try to avoid the extra costs by reassigning Chinese-made container ships from U.S. routes to serve Europe, analysts said. 

"Some vessels that would be subject to the fees could dock at Canadian or Mexican ports rather than unload at American wharves — costing American dockworkers and truck drivers.

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"Fewer vessels docking at smaller ports such as Oakland, California, would make it harder and more expensive for major U.S. exporters to ship their goods to foreign customers, and it would affect imports as well. Farmers who rely on bulk carriers to move grain and other commodities would be hit especially hard, forced to send their crops hundreds of miles overland to Southern California."

Why Charles Schumer could be in trouble: Polling shows the Senate Democratic leader is in a historically bad position for a party leader, as some call to replace him.

‘Corner-crossing’ to reach public lands is legal, appeals court rules: The decision, in a case that pitted four Missouri hunters against a millionaire Wyoming landowner, protects public access to millions of acres across the West.

Trump says Boeing will develop the F-47, his namesake fighter jet: The president’s announcement marks a major milestone for the Air Force program that’s focused on ensuring the U.S. maintains a military edge over China.

Exploring the American frontier

Virginia man pleads guilty to removing top-secret documents from workplace: Gokhan Gun, a former electrical engineer for the Defense Department, admitted to taking classified records from the Joint Warfare Analysis Center.

Former Virginia sheriff sentenced in badges-for-dollars corruption case: Scott Jenkins, who was the sheriff of Culpeper County, had been convicted of federal bribery and fraud charges by a jury in December.

Your washing machine can clean a lot more than clothes: Here’s how to put this spring cleaning secret weapon to better use.

Sneeze smarter, not louder: The science of a quieter sneeze

Monday, December 16, 2024

Reading archive 2024-12-16

In some port towns, it’s residents vs. cruises: ‘We’re going to eradicate them’: From Alaska to Maine to Virginia, residents are using their voices and the law to preserve their communities.

Trump is filling his Cabinet fast. But can he fulfill his promises?: The president-elect’s personnel decisions raise questions about whether his true priorities square with the people who voted for him. - "Mass deportations would mean sending many undocumented migrant agricultural workers back to their home countries. Asked in that same Time interview if doing so would raise food prices sharply, he replied, 'No, because we’re going to let people in, but we have to let them in legally.' That non sequitur is an example of the disconnect between Trump’s rhetorical flourishes and reality."

Kamala Harris grapples with her future in a wounded Democratic Party: As questions loom about a run for president or governor, many Democrats do not blame Harris for her loss, but that doesn’t mean they want her to run again - "Her husband, Doug Emhoff, plans to return to his career as an entertainment lawyer, and shortly after the election, the couple decamped to Hawaii with a small coterie of aides to decompress and relax." [ed. note: MUST BE NICE]

Kamala Harris grapples with her future in a wounded Democratic Party: As questions loom about a run for president or governor, many Democrats do not blame Harris for her loss, but that doesn’t mean they want her to run again

Virginia man convicted of funding Islamic State in terrorism trial: Lawyers for Mohammed Chhipa, 35, argued he was ensnared by the FBI with a fake marriage ruse.

A low, low point for ABC News: ABC News not only settled a defamation suit with Trump. It paid out $15 million. What? - "The posture of ABC News progressed from unreasonably dismissive (rejecting legitimate demands for correction) to unreasonably accommodating (giving away the store to Trump via $15 million, a note of contrition and so on)."

As D.C. Council weighs Trayon White’s fate, one lawmaker calls for expulsion: Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) said he is in favor of expelling White, who pleaded not guilty to a federal bribery charge in September.

D.C. Council committee recommends expelling White after bribery charge: The unanimous vote means that the council may vote to expel White in early 2025. White will have at least 30 days to prepare a defense.

Metro orders employees back to the office by July: The move comes as federal workers await word on similar mandates.

Some N.C. residents distrust FEMA so much they’re hesitant to apply for hurricane aid: It is one of the more unusual elements of Hurricane Helene’s aftermath in western North Carolina.

Assad’s fall to Islamist rebels in Syria unsettles region’s autocrats: Leaders in countries such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are worried Assad’s ouster, and the rise of an Islamist government, could stir unrest at home.

Faced with mounting public anger, a weakened Hamas starts to compromise: A new proposal for a 60-day pause in hostilities in Gaza and the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners includes key concessions from Hamas.

Woman behind infamous Duke lacrosse rape accusations admits she lied: The case against three White players dominated national news for months but later unraveled. On a recent podcast, Crystal Mangum revisited that time.

Ukrainian troops say inexperienced North Koreans are making easy targets: At least 30 North Koreans were “killed or wounded” over the weekend while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region, Ukrainian military intelligence said.

Trump eyes privatizing U.S. Postal Service, citing financial losses: Trump feuded with the mail agency in his first term. Privatizing it could shake up consumer shipping and business supply chains. - "Cuts to the Postal Service could upend the trillion-dollar e-commerce industry, hitting small businesses and rural consumers whose businesses and budgets make the agency the shipper of choice. Amazon, the Postal Service’s largest customer, uses the agency for 'last-mile' delivery between its hulking product fulfillment centers and consumers’ homes and businesses. And the agency’s 'universal service obligation' — which requires it to deliver mail or parcels regardless of distance or profitability concerns — means it is often the only carrier that will deliver to far-flung reaches of the country."

Child care gets little help in Idaho. A family-run center is buckling.: As TLC For Tots and the parents depending on it worry about the future, lawmakers in this deeply conservative state say government shouldn’t play a role.

Turkey exploits post-9/11 counterterrorism model to target critics in exile: Turkey has drawn extensively from the U.S. counterterrorism post-9/11 playbook to go after exiled political enemies, in particular the Gulen movement. - "'Twenty-plus years after 9/11, you would anticipate a diminished' reliance on the terms and tactics associated with the war on terror, said Fionnuala Ni Aolain, who served as special rapporteur to the United Nations on counterterrorism and human rights from 2017 until last year. 'Instead, what we find is a repurposing, reappropriation and acceleration of those methods by backsliding democracies and authoritarian regimes.'"

Monday, February 13, 2023

Reading archive 2023-02-13

Russians abandon wartime Russia in historic exodus

How Mahomes' Chiefs beat Hurts' Eagles in Super Bowl 2023

Super Bowl LVII: The Inevitable Patrick Mahomes - "And everyone else outside the NFC East is either a spunky up-and-comer (Lions, Seahawks), last-year's news (Bucs, Rams), Fraudzilla (Vikings), being held hostage by a barking madman (Packers), or just a mess."

Opinion  They clicked once. Then came the dark prisons.

Former FBI agent’s side work puts bureau under new scrutiny: Charles McGonigal’s alleged illegal dealings in Albania — and for a notorious, U.S.-sanctioned Russian oligarch — have put the FBI in political crosshairs - "In January, McGonigal was indicted on federal charges of money laundering, violating U.S. sanctions and making false statements, stemming in part from his alleged interventions on Fokina’s behalf. McGonigal has pleaded not guilty to the charges in New York and Washington and is free on bond. He is one of the most senior FBI officials ever charged with criminal offenses, and his case has deeply concerned national security professionals, given the extraordinary access he had to sensitive government secrets."

China says at least 10 U.S. balloons have flown in its airspace since 2022

A barred owl and a bald eagle were badly hurt, rescued in Virginia: Experts said they are being cared for, but they are also worried about their ability to return to the wild

Monday, May 16, 2022

Reading archive 2022-05-16

Flood of weapons to Ukraine raises fear of arms smuggling: Vague U.S. assurances spark concern about lost military equipment in Ukraine, a longtime hub of arms trafficking

A rural county in Iowa that supported Trump turns to Latinos to grow - "During one meeting in Jefferson, a man who lives just outside the county questioned whether Latinos would be here legally. 'Are they going to bus them in from Texas?' he asked, referring to the influx on the southwest border. 

"Other residents are enthusiastic, aware that Latino residents and businesses have revitalized other Iowa cities such as Storm Lake and Denison.

"'I’m glad that it’s getting done,' said Marilyn Schwartzkopf, 73, a Democrat who has been practicing her Spanish to help newcomers, as she volunteered at the county’s historical museum in Jefferson. 'We need some diversity here. We’re all too old and White.'"

'Provide some cover': New Eastman emails shed light on his push to overturn Biden's win: He suggested a way for Pennsylvania legislators to cancel Joe Biden's win.

Ukraine: The spy war within the war

Democracy is at stake in the midterms. The media must convey that.: We journalists have to try harder and find new ways to convey to voters how badly things could turn out

Leading GOP candidates in Pennsylvania were in Washington on Jan. 6: Mastriano, Barnette among growing number nationally who have made false claims of election fraud a key part of their pitch

A civil war among neighbors over Confederate-themed streets

‘A magnet for rip-off artists’: Fraud siphoned billions from pandemic unemployment benefits: Identity theft and other sophisticated criminal schemes contributed to potentially $163 billion in waste, while inflicting harm on unwitting victims.

Ten Tips for Visiting Gardens with Non-Gardeners

Honeybees are far too insufficient to supply optimum pollination services in agricultural systems worldwide

Why Turkey dissents on Finland and Sweden joining NATO and why it matters

Dr. Oz’s Trump-infused Senate run is coming down to the wire: Ahead of his tight Republican primary, some call him a Pennsylvania carpetbagger — while others say he’s the future of the Republican party

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Reading archive 2021-02-25

Scientists see stronger evidence of slowing Atlantic Ocean circulation, an ‘Achilles’ heel’ of the climate The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, a system of currents, is weaker than it has been in 1,000 years

Inside a Battle Over Race, Class and Power at Smith College: A student said she was racially profiled while eating in a college dorm. An investigation found no evidence of bias. But the incident will not fade away. - "'This is the racist person,' Ms. Kanoute wrote of Ms. Blair, adding that Mr. Patenaude too was guilty. (He in fact worked an early shift that day and had already gone home at the time of the incident.) Ms. Kanoute also lashed the Smith administration. 'They’re essentially enabling racist, cowardly acts.'"

"Ms. Blair has lupus, a disease of the immune system, and stress triggers episodes. She felt faint. 'Oh my God, I didn’t do this,' she told a friend. 'I exchanged a hello with that student and now I’m a racist.'"

At the mercy of foreign powers: Libyans ousted a dictator, but an ensuing civil war has drawn in Russia, Turkey and others with a thirst for control

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Reading archive 2018-02-28

We studied thousands of anonymous posts about the Parkland attack — and found a conspiracy in the making

Hope Hicks Acknowledges She Sometimes Tells White Lies for Trump

Turkey’s president consoled a crying 6-year-old with talk of her glorious death in future combat

NSA director Mike Rogers’s remarkable comments about Trump’s Russia efforts — or lack thereof

Obama’s secret struggle to punish Russia for Putin’s election assault (from June 2017)

Corker Reconsiders Retirement, but He Must Win Over Trump to Do It

The Foiled Plot to Kick Mitt Romney Out of the [Utah] Republican Party: The Senate candidate's allies believed party activists were trying to change bylaws to exclude him—but a last-minute amendment preserved his eligibility.

North Pole surges above freezing in the dead of winter, stunning scientists

Shocker: Democrats’ predictions about the GOP tax cut are coming true

Trump’s Tax Cuts in Hand, Companies Spend More on Themselves Than on Wages

Trump lashes out at attorney general over alleged surveillance abuses

Sessions pushes back on Trump after 'disgraceful' insult

Clinton says Trump is surrendering to Russia's election meddling

Gus Kenworthy Reveals the Homophobic Messages He Gets Online: ‘Go Die of AIDS'

Cindy McCain sounds off on Trump: ‘We don’t need more bullying, and I’m tired of it’


Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Reading archive 2018-01-03

Tom Brady Is Drowning In His Own Pseudoscience

Warren positions herself for potential 2020 run: The Massachusetts senator has made a series of under-the-radar moves in the past year that would help her if she challenges Donald Trump.

Former Taliban captive Joshua Boyle arrested and charged with sexual assault, death threats

Trump Tower meeting with Russians 'treasonous', Bannon says in explosive book

The Republicans’ Fake Investigations - "Three congressional committees have heard over 21 hours of testimony from our firm, Fusion GPS. In those sessions, we toppled the far right’s conspiracy theories and explained how The Washington Free Beacon and the Clinton campaign — the Republican and Democratic funders of our Trump research — separately came to hire us in the first place."

Donald Trump Didn’t Want to Be President: One year ago: the plan to lose, and the administration’s shocked first days. - "This was a real-life version of Mel Brooks’s The Producers, where the mistaken outcome trusted by everyone in Trump’s inner circle — that they would lose the election — wound up exposing them for who they really were.
...
"As soon as the campaign team had stepped into the White House, Walsh saw, it had gone from managing Trump to the expectation of being managed by him. Yet the president, while proposing the most radical departure from governing and policy norms in several generations, had few specific ideas about how to turn his themes and vitriol into policy. And making suggestions to him was deeply complicated. Here, arguably, was the central issue of the Trump presidency, informing every aspect of Trumpian policy and leadership: He didn’t process information in any conventional sense. He didn’t read. He didn’t really even skim. Some believed that for all practical purposes he was no more than semi-­literate. He trusted his own expertise ­— no matter how paltry or irrelevant — more than anyone else’s. He was often confident, but he was just as often paralyzed, less a savant than a figure of sputtering and dangerous insecurities, whose instinctive response was to lash out and behave as if his gut, however confused, was in fact in some clear and forceful way telling him what to do. It was, said Walsh, 'like trying to figure out what a child wants.'"

Trump slams Bannon: ‘When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind’

Michael Wolff’s unbelievable — sometimes literally — tell-all about the Trump administration

Manafort sues DOJ, Mueller over Russia probe authority

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE IS REBRANDING AS A WHITE MAN: The former *NSYNC singer is the latest pop star to embrace his “authentic” roots.

THE BIGGEST SECRET: My Life as a New York Times Reporter in the Shadow of the War on Terror

U.S. officials urge Iran to stop blocking social-media sites as death toll rises in nationwide protests

Trump takes hard line on ‘dreamers,’ but remains interested in a deal

NSA’s top talent is leaving because of low pay, slumping morale and unpopular reorganization

Why Turkey’s president was among thousands in Konya paying homage to Rumi

Pharma, under attack for drug prices, started an industry war

‘You feel that the devil is helping you’: MS-13’s satanic history

Accused Islamic State supporter appears in Virginia court

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Reading archive 2016-12-21

Never Normalize: Why Trump’s Presidency Is Illegitimate And How To Respond

My President Was Black - "'And so I’m careful not to attribute any particular resistance or slight or opposition to race. But what I do believe is that if somebody didn’t have a problem with their daddy being employed by the federal government, and didn’t have a problem with the Tennessee Valley Authority electrifying certain communities, and didn’t have a problem with the interstate highway system being built, and didn’t have a problem with the GI Bill, and didn’t have a problem with the [Federal Housing Administration] subsidizing the suburbanization of America, and that all helped you build wealth and create a middle class—and then suddenly as soon as African Americans or Latinos are interested in availing themselves of those same mechanisms as ladders into the middle class, you now have a violent opposition to them—then I think you at least have to ask yourself the question of how consistent you are, and what’s different, and what’s changed.'"

What Their Reactions to Monday's Attacks Reveal About Trump and Obama: Two sets of statements tell radically different stories about who was being attacked, and why.