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CCTV-1 (China Central Television) is the flagship free-to-air terrestrial television channel of CCTV in the People's Republic of China. It broadcasts a range of programs and is available to both cable and terrestrial television viewers from China Central Television Headquarters at East 3rd Ring Road in Beijing.

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Fresh news

Civil rights leader Andrew Young says racism is based on fear
The former colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, and later U.N. Ambassador, tells CBS News, "We're going to have to come together."

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 13:22:35 GMT

Russia's constitutional changes to come into force on July 4 -Kremlin

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 12:48:08 GMT

The UK government to acquire satellite company OneWeb in deal funded in part by India's Bharti Global
Distressed satellite constellation operator OneWeb, which had entered bankruptcy protection proceedings at the end of March, has completed a sale process, with a consortium led by the UK Government as the winner. The group, which includes funding from India's Bharti Global – part of business magnate Sunil Mittal's Bharti Enterprises – plan to pursue OneWeb's plans of building out a broadband internets satellite network, while the UK would also like to potentially use the constellation for Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services in order to replace the EU's sat-nav resource, which the UK lost access to in January as a result of Brexit.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 12:29:22 GMT

Uganda boda boda rider sets himself on fire 'over bribe'
The motorcycle taxi rider's bike had been seized for carrying passengers against coronavirus restrictions.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 11:59:09 GMT

UN agency: North Europe radiation likely linked to reactor

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 10:27:36 GMT

Messages claiming Iran nuclear site fire deepen mystery
An online video and messages purportedly claiming responsibility for a fire that analysts say damaged a centrifuge assembly plant at Iran's underground Natanz nuclear site deepened the mystery Friday around the incident. The multiple, different claims by a self-described group called the “Cheetahs of the Homeland” included language used by several exiled Iranian opposition organizations, as well as focused almost entirely on Iran's nuclear program, viewed by Israel as a danger to its very existence. The disparate messages, as well as the fact Iran experts had never heard of the group before, raised questions about whether Natanz again had faced sabotage by a foreign nation as it had during the Stuxnet computer virus outbreak believed to have been engineered by the U.S. and Israel.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 10:21:18 GMT

UN staff in Israel suspended over sex act video
The United Nations has suspended two male workers without pay after a video emerged of them cavorting with a woman in a red dress inside a UN-marked vehicle as it cruised through Tel Aviv. In the 18-second video clip, a woman is seen straddling a man in the back seat of the car, while another man dozes in the passenger seat as the vehicle drives past a beach in the Israeli city. The UN reacted with horror to the video and launched an investigation, which is focused on two workers from the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), which monitors military activity in Israel. Neither the woman nor the two men have been named since the video - which UNTSO has described as “abhorrent" - went viral earlier in June. “Two male international staff members who were in the UN vehicle in Tel Aviv have been identified as having engaged in misconduct, including conduct of a sexual nature," Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said in a statement on Thursday.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 10:15:11 GMT

Coronavirus in South Africa: Deciding who lives and dies in a Cape Town township
Without enough supplies of oxygen or staff, health workers in South Africa are making some difficult decisions.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 09:59:36 GMT

North Korea and US likely to resume talks whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden win 2020 election, China expert on Pyongyang says
A Chinese Communist Party expert on North Korea says it could pose a security threat to China and expects talks between Pyongyang and Washington to resume whether or not US President Donald Trump wins a second term in November.Zhang Liangui, professor of international strategic research at the Central Party School, said that the demolition of the inter-Korea liaison office in the border city of Kaesong last month highlighted the geopolitical risk China faced should ties between North and South Korea become unstable."If one day North Korea takes military actions against the South, geopolitics dictates that China, as a neighbouring country, will inevitably be dragged into it, whether we like it or not," he said.The Central Party School is both a think tank and a training school for Chinese leaders. Zhang, who has studied Korean issues for decades, is considered one of China's top experts on North Korea.He said that the destruction of the liaison office by North Korea last month was meant to show Pyongyang's displeasure with Seoul over issues such as South Korea's ties to the United States, and its failures to provide economic assistance and help to lift sanctions on North Korea.Taking advantage of the thaw between the two Koreas following the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, North Korea launched the "special envoy diplomacy" with South Korea in February 2018.However, the warming of ties didn't last and North Korea began to step up its criticism of the South last year. "The underlying reason is that [North Korean leader] Kim Jong-un felt he has been let down by South Korea," Zhang said.The new book by former US national security adviser John Bolton, Zhang said, suggests that the US could either continue to apply maximum economic pressure on North Korea or resort to military actions.Zhang believes that US policymakers have concluded it would be to Washington's advantage to let North Korea hold onto part of its nuclear arsenal and negotiate with Kim only on give up his long-range missiles."The US has come to realise that it would be good for them to leave a nuclear-armed country right on China's doorstep," he said."If Trump is re-elected, he will begin dealing with North Korea again, and he'll have two options. One is to press on to force North Korea giving up its nuclear weapons completely, verifiably and irreversibly. If this cannot be achieved, then military force will be considered."Trump and Kim at the demilitarised zone in Panmunjom, South Korea, on June 30, 2019. Photo: Reuters alt=Trump and Kim at the demilitarised zone in Panmunjom, South Korea, on June 30, 2019. Photo: Reuters"Which option that he will choose may depend on how China-US relations go," he continued. "[It is entirely possible] that the US and North Korea may establish ties one day [regardless of where China stands]."Zhang said that the outcome would be the same if Joe Biden, the Democratic Party's presumptive presidential nominee, defeats Trump in November " since both Republicans and Democrats have similar positions on China.Zhang said China should be worried about North Korea's nuclear stockpiles because the country has a fragile economy."If a regime is struggling for survival, it may drag someone down with it," he said. "To use the same rhetoric by the Americans, North Korea is a failed state. Its economy is in a bad shape, and it is isolated diplomatically.""Very few people in China realise how big a threat North Korea can be.""A small nation which has nuclear arms can be a serious security threat for the world," Zhang said."We should bear in mind what our ancestors have taught us " make friends from afar and attack enemies who are near."This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 09:30:00 GMT

It Would Cost Trillions: The Day North Korea Collapses
The prospect of a peaceful Korean Unification, however remote it seems, would be a historical event worth planning for. While preparing for the worst, we should hope for the best. Hoping for the best means there is a scenario where North Korea’s collapse and regime change occur miraculously, opening doors to South Korea and the West to take over North Korea in what one hopes would be a peaceful absorption. As unlikely as this sounds, it is important to remember that it is not without historical precedent.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 09:30:00 GMT

U.N. says it is "alarmed" at arrests in Hong Kong, concerned at "vague" law

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 09:12:15 GMT

Steroid drug purchased for COVID patients in poor countries - U.N.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 08:03:58 GMT

Africa's week in pictures: 26 June - 2 July 2020
A selection of the week's best photos from across the continent.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 07:36:20 GMT

Modi visits military base close to China amid standoff
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unannounced visit Friday to a military base in a remote region bordering China where troops from the two countries have been facing off for nearly two months. Modi’s visit comes in the backdrop of a massive Indian army buildup in Ladakh following hand-to-hand combat between Indian and Chinese soldiers on June 15 that left 20 Indians dead and dozens injured in the Galwan Valley, the worst confrontation in over four decades between the Asian giants.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 07:20:10 GMT

South Africa's hospitals bracing for surge of virus patients
The nurse started crying when describing her work at a Johannesburg hospital: The ward for coronavirus patients is full, so new arrivals are sent to the general ward, where they wait days for test results. Its hospitals are now bracing for an onslaught of patients, setting up temporary wards and hoping advances in treatment will help the country's health facilities from becoming overwhelmed. In Johannesburg, the largest city, health officials said they are considering reimposing some restrictions to try to slow the quickening spread of the virus.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 06:05:56 GMT

Nord Stream 2 Could Sever Transatlantic Ties
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- U.S. President Donald Trump is furious at Germany for many reasons, not all of them fathomable. In phone conversations with Angela Merkel, he’s allegedly called the German chancellor “stupid” and denigrated her in “near-sadistic” tones. Though this be madness, as the Bard might say, there is — on rare occasions — method in it. One such case is Nord Stream 2.It is an almost-finished gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea between Russia and Germany, running right next to the original Nord Stream, which has been in operation since 2011. “We’re supposed to protect Germany from Russia, but Germany is paying Russia billions of dollars for energy coming from a pipeline,” Trump roared at a recent campaign rally. “Excuse me, how does that work?”As is his wont, the president thereby conflated many things. One of his grievances is that Germany has long been scrimping on its military spending, in effect free-riding on U.S. protection, for which he wants to punish his “delinquent” ally. Another is that the European Union, which he considers Germany’s marionette, allegedly takes advantage of the U.S. in business. Trump also wants to sell Europe more American liquefied natural gas (LNG).But Trump isn’t the only American trying to stop Nord Stream 2. In December, Congress aimed sanctions at a Swiss company that supplied the ships to lower the pipes into the water. This delayed the pipeline’s launch. Then Russia sent another vessel to finish the job. So this week a bipartisan group of Senators moved to widen the sanctions in order to kill Nord Stream 2 altogether.The problem is that if this new round becomes law, it will amount to an all-out economic assault on Europe. It could hit individuals and companies from many countries that are only tangential to the project — by underwriting insurance for the pipeline, say, or providing port services to the ships involved.Considering this an instance of illegal American extraterritoriality, the German government now plans to make the EU retaliate against the U.S. Trump, in the heat of America’s “silly season” leading up to November, could then strike back with new tariffs on German cars or a full-blown trade war. The transatlantic alliance, which was already frayed, is close to tearing.To me, this situation increasingly resembles “chicken,” a classic in game theory. The question is whether both sides are merely feigning recklessness (as the game assumes) or are already too far gone. And that applies just as much to the Germans. They like to play the reasonable side in transatlantic fights but deserve just as much blame as Trump and Congress for causing this mess.If Russia were a normal country, the German rationale for this pipeline might make sense. Europe will need more gas, especially to replace much dirtier coal and to supplement renewable sources of energy on the way to becoming carbon-neutral. And to get that gas, it makes sense to diversify — between Norwegian imports, American LNG or any other sort, including the Russian stuff. And piping it into Europe along the shortest route — through the Baltic — is efficient.But Russia is far from a normal country. It has for years been waging hybrid warfare in Europe, ranging from disinformation campaigns to aggression in Ukraine. At Germany’s urging, Russia recently extended a contract with Kiev to keep piping gas through Ukraine for several more years. But in the longer term, the new pipeline gives Russia dangerous geopolitical and strategic options.With two pipelines through the Baltic and another big one through the Black Sea, Russia could in the future cut all central and eastern European countries out of billions in transit fees. The country already controls almost 40% of the EU’s gas market even without Nord Stream 2. Once that goes online, the rest of Europe may become too dependent and therefore vulnerable to blackmail. When Trump calls Germany “a captive to Russia,” he has half a point.This is why Poland and the Baltic republics of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia also oppose Nord Stream 2. As NATO’s eastern front line and former victims of invasion and aggression, they fear Russia more viscerally than Germans do nowadays. Psychologically, the Poles distrust any deal between Germany and Russia over their heads, because it reminds them of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939, which carved up their region between Nazi and Soviet spheres of influence.My question to the Germans, then, is why they have for years been deaf to these strategic concerns by their partners in NATO and the European Union, while coddling their own pro-Russian business lobbies and, of course, the Kremlin.German intransigence looks even more unsavory when considering who within Germany is most passionately in favor of the pipeline. Support for it skews sharply to the left, with its long tradition of anti-American and pro-Russian leanings. The most egregious example is Gerhard Schroeder, a Social Democrat who was Angela Merkel’s predecessor as chancellor. He’s always been buddies with Russian President Vladimir Putin. These days he also chairs the supervisory board of Nord Stream AG, which is owned by Gazprom PJSC and thus controlled by the Kremlin, as well as the board of Rosneft Oil Co PJSC, a Russian oil giant.This week, Schroeder testified to the Bundestag that Germany and Europe should prepare tough countermeasures against U.S. sanctions. He won support from The Left, a party that descends from the former regime in East Germany.Nord Stream 2 was and is a terrible idea. It’s a geopolitical project disguised as a private business deal. It has shown Germany to be an insensitive and naïve ally, and the U.S. to be a truculent one. It is now rending what little remains of their former relationship. If there is any way to leave these pipes buried and forgotten under the sea, all involved should discreetly and diplomatically search for it. Otherwise, this game of chicken will end the way it’s not supposed to.This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Andreas Kluth is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. He was previously editor in chief of Handelsblatt Global and a writer for the Economist. He's the author of "Hannibal and Me." For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 05:30:22 GMT

Activist leaves Hong Kong after new law to advocate abroad
Prominent Hong Kong democracy activist Nathan Law has left the city for an undisclosed location after testifying in a U.S. congressional hearing about a tough new security law imposed by mainland China on the semi-autonomous territory. Law, who declined to disclose his whereabouts for safety, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday that he left because Hong Kong needs an advocate for democracy who can work internationally. Under the new security law, activists and politicians in Hong Kong who speak to foreign media or testify in foreign hearings can be arrested for secessionism or colluding with foreign forces, Law said.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 04:59:32 GMT

White Mich. couple arrested after gun pulled on Black family
Jillian Wuestenberg, 32, and Eric Wuestenberg, 42, were charged Thursday with felonious assault, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper said in a release. Cellphone video captured the confrontation Wednesday outside a Chipotle in Orion Township, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Detroit. Sheriff Michael Bouchard told reporters that the couple is from Independence Township and both have concealed pistol licenses.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 04:30:17 GMT

Trump's Rushmore trip draws real and figurative fireworks
President Donald Trump will begin his Independence Day weekend on Friday with a patriotic display of fireworks at Mount Rushmore before a crowd of thousands, but even in a part of the country where many remain supportive of the president, the event has drawn controversy and protests. Trump is expected to speak at the event, which has issued 7,500 tickets to watch fireworks that he previewed on Thursday as a “display like few people have seen.” The president will likely enjoy a show of support, with the state Republican Party selling T-shirts that feature Trump on the memorial alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 04:19:30 GMT

Only verified intelligence? A look at presidents' briefings
The White House says President Donald Trump was never briefed on intelligence that Russia had put a bounty on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan because there wasn’t corroborating evidence. Intelligence that may be on shaky ground today may foreshadow tomorrow’s calamity. HOW DO PRESIDENTS RECEIVE NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION?

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 04:15:59 GMT

Virus concerns grow — as do crowds flocking to Jersey Shore
As coronavirus-related restrictions are eased and temperatures climb, people are flocking back to the Jersey Shore. “I am really concerned,” said Paul Kanitra, mayor of Point Pleasant Beach, a popular shore town that was unexpectedly overrun by thousands of tourists who swarmed the beach and boardwalk a few weeks ago at a “pop-up party,” paying little heed to social distancing or masks. “We're seeing spikes across the country in states that opened up weeks ago, and while we're doing a good job in New Jersey, there are a lot of people that are way too cavalier about social distancing,” he said.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 04:10:38 GMT

North Korea's response to coronavirus has been a 'shining success', says Kim Jong-un
Kim Jong-un has said that North Korea has stopped the coronavirus making inroads in his country and his response to the pandemic has been a "shining success". According to state news agency KCNA, Mr Kim told a meeting of the politburo of the ruling Workers Party that North Korea had "thoroughly prevented the inroad of the malignant virus and maintained a stable anti-epidemic situation despite the worldwide health crisis, which is a shining success achieved." He warned against complacency or relaxation in the anti-epidemic effort and urged North Koreans to maintain "maximum alert", KCNA said in a statement. The politburo meeting on Thursday comes as many hard-hit countries are easing lockdowns, even as the world moves quickly past the grim milestones of 10 million confirmed infections and 500,000 deaths. North Korea has reopened schools but kept a ban on public gatherings and made it mandatory for people to wear masks in public places as part of its response to the coronavirus threat, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official said on Wednesday.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 04:03:16 GMT

Paraguay controls coronavirus, while its neighbors struggle
As nearby nations grapple with uncontrolled spread of the novel coronavirus, the poor, landlocked nation of Paraguay appears to be controlling the disease, with just a few thousand confirmed cases and a few dozen deaths. Along with Paraguay's relative isolation, experts credit the country with creating a network of quarantine centers in military academies, motels, and religious institutions where citizens arriving home must isolate for at least 14 days and pass two consecutive coronavirus tests before being able to move about the country freely. With only 7 million people, a stagnant economy, high poverty and a weak public health system, Paraguay moved to slow coronavirus in March by closing borders and imposing the quarantine restrictions, along with closing schools and public events and declaring a nighttime curfew.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 04:01:40 GMT

U.S. envoy to visit S.Korea to discuss stalled N.Korea nuclear talks

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 03:21:38 GMT

Supreme Court blocks curbside voting in Alabama
The U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision Thursday blocked a lower court ruling allowing curbside voting in Alabama and waiving some absentee ballot requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conservative justices granted Alabama’s request to stay a federal judge’s order that would allow local officials to offer curbside voting in the July runoff and loosen absentee ballot requirements in three of the state’s large counties. The order will remain stayed while the court decides whether to hear Alabama’s appeal.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 01:35:57 GMT

Emails Tell the Inside Story of How the Enquirer Got Jeff Bezos’ Nudes*
In September 2018, an obscure Hollywood talent agent reached out to a reporter at the National Enquirer with a hell of a story. Michael Sanchez said that one of the world’s wealthiest people had accidentally sent nude photos of himself to a colleague. He had access to the photos, the reporter told her editors, and he wanted hundreds of thousands of dollars to turn them over.Less than four months later, the Enquirer ran the first of a multi-part series exposing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s extramarital affair. AMI says the stories were based entirely on text messages and lewd photos provided to the publication by Sanchez, the brother of Bezos’ mistress.The Daily Beast first reported in early 2019 that Sanchez was the Enquirer’s source. And the Enquirer has since confirmed his role. But Sanchez has vehemently disputed public accounts of his involvement since then, including that he was AMI’s sole source—and has filed lawsuits against Bezos and American Media Inc., the Enquirer’s parent company. On Tuesday, AMI moved to dismiss its lawsuit and sanction Sanchez for allegedly abusing the court system.As part of that motion, AMI revealed extensive new information about how, in its telling, the Bezos expose came together—and about Sanchez’s role in leaking the relevant information to the tabloid. Its court filing contained emails, text messages, and sworn statements by the three AMI employees who co-bylined its Bezos stories: former chief content officer Dylan Howard, editor James Robertson, and reporter Andrea Simpson.Trump Had Kushner Push the National Enquirer to Probe Scarborough Murder ConspiracyThose documents tell AMI’s side of the story, and they paint a picture of an investigation driven almost entirely by Sanchez’s eager desire to sell the salacious tale for a sum that he hoped would exceed half a million dollars. (Neither Sanchez nor AMI responded to requests for comment.)At the same time, the documents reveal some inconsistencies in what AMI employees told each other about the story, what Sanchez told them, what eventually appeared in print, and what AMI has said publicly about the series since it ran in January 2019. The person who supposedly received Bezos’ inadvertently sent photos is not revealed, and AMI’s court filing is cagey about the nature and source of the most salacious material undergirding its investigation.Even the order of events is less clear than AMI’s position indicates. According to AMI, Sanchez first reached out to Simpson, the Enquirer reporter, on Sept. 10, 2018. But a person familiar with the situation said reporters at the Enquirer had started to investigate Bezos earlier, raising questions over AMI’s timeline as presented in the court filings.Indeed, the person familiar with the matter said that on Sept. 9, a day before Simpson says she first heard from Sanchez, a directive went out from a senior AMI editor to multiple reporters with a seemingly out-of-the-blue demand for an in-depth investigation into Bezos, his life story, finances, family, business, and any potential skeletons in his closet. The editor didn’t mention Sanchez or any specific suspicions about an extramarital affair.Lurking behind the tabloid’s fixation on Bezos, the world’s wealthiest man, have been suggestions from Bezos’ top security consultant, Gavin de Becker, that the government of Saudi Arabia may have had a role in the Enquirer story. “Our investigators and several experts concluded with high confidence that the Saudis had access to Bezos’ phone, and gained private information,” de Becker wrote in a March 2019 column for The Daily Beast. “As of today, it is unclear to what degree, if any, AMI was aware of the details.” In January of this year, two United Nations special rapporteurs released a report, commissioned by de Becker, providing some limited forensic evidence linking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the unauthorized access of Bezos’ phone. The Saudi ruler appeared to be taunting the Amazon founder about his affair—months before the Enquirer began its investigation.Bezos Investigation Finds the Saudis Obtained His Private DataAMI, which has enjoyed a cozy relationship with the Saudi royal family, has consistently and vehemently denied that that government played any role in its Bezos reporting. The origins of the investigation, as it portrayed them in its court filing this week, were more mundane, and, AMI insists, began with that tip from Sanchez.Simpson reported back to Howard on her initial Sept. 10 exchange with Sanchez in an email filed in court this week. “Michael has a potentially great story,” she wrote. Much of the email was redacted. Its subject line was “Lauren Sanchez,” the name of Michael Sanchez’s sister. She was also Bezos’ lover, a fact that AMI says it didn’t learn for another six weeks.Sanchez, Simpson told Howard, had told her that a friend of his worked for a “Bill Gates-type, very well known billionaire.” Bezos, whom Sanchez didn’t identify at the time, was “bragging” to this mutual friend about the actress he was sleeping with, and decided to send the friend a screenshot of a text message from the woman. Instead, as Simpson relayed Sanchez’s tip, Bezos inadvertently sent nude photos of himself, “sexy photos of the actress,” and “sexual emails between the two.”“The guy who got them wants $, likely 6 figures,” Simpson told Howard. “I told Michael the material and story so far sounds good.” Sanchez, Simpson wrote, would be “the middle man” in the exchange.Two weeks later, Sanchez followed up with Simpson to tell her that his friend, the one to whom Bezos had supposedly sent the photos inadvertently, was already pitching the story to another outlet, the Daily Mail. That publication had offered 0,000 for the story, Sanchez told Simpson. A knowledgeable Daily Mail source said that was “patently untrue,” and that the publication had never been offered the story, let alone agreed to a six-figure payment for it.If the supposed Daily Mail offer was a bluff, it underscored Sanchez’s apparent eagerness to get AMI on board. He wanted the company to enter into a non-disclosure agreement, and he was specific about the type of material it needed to cover. “NDA should say ‘text messages & multiple photos that are deemed to be of a sexual and/or inappropriate nature,’” he told Simpson in a text.At this point, AMI insists that it still didn’t know who the mysterious billionaire was. Sanchez referred to him by the codename “Bill” in communications with Simpson, Howard, and Robertson, the AMI editor. But in early October, Simpson and Sanchez met in person, and, she says, he showed her printed out copies of text messages and suggestive photos with faces cropped out.By mid-October, Sanchez was getting impatient. “The NDA delays are likely going to push the story to one of you [sic] weak rivals,” he told Howard. “I would prefer to avoid that.” Sanchez also reached out to Robertson with additional language he wanted added to the agreement: if AMI published the story Sanchez had brought them, he would get 0,000. If they used photos or screenshots he’d provided, Sanchez wanted 0,000 plus a percentage of that edition’s sales.The agreement was ratified the following day, October 18, and it stipulated that Sanchez would receive 0,000—far less than his asking price, but according to AMI, the most they’d ever paid for a story. The agreement covered “information, photographs, and text messages documenting an affair between Bezos and L. Sanchez.”On that same day, Sanchez told Howard that “Bill” was Jeff Bezos. A few days later he revealed that the mistress was his sister.Sanchez also went into more detail about the materials in his possession. He emailed Robertson a document titled “Project 77.docx” with an extensive account of information that he would provide to AMI, including photos described as “PIC OF [BEZOS] SELFIE IN UNDERWEAR / TOWEL,” “SHIRTLESS SELFIE PHOTO OF [BEZOS] IN JEANS,” and “PIC OF [LAUREN SANCHEZ] IN BIKINI / PICOF [LAUREN SANCHEZ] IN RED DRESS.”Notably absent from the photos described in that document were any suggesting they were of a fully nude Bezos, as described in Simpson’s email to Howard a couple months earlier.The Enquirer did obtain such photos—or, at least, Howard told Bezos they did in what the latter dubbed a “blackmail” threat after the Enquirer published its expose. According to emails that Bezos published in a Medium post in February 2019, Howard reached out to him and threatened to publish a “‘below the belt selfie’—otherwise colloquially known as a ‘d*ck pick’” unless Bezos publicly affirmed that the Enquirer’s story about him was not politically motivated. The Amazon chief declined, then published the emails.“Below-the-belt selfie” is also the turn of phrase that Sanchez has used in the more than a year since the Enquirer’s stories ran to describe nude photos of Bezos in AMI’s possession. And he has repeatedly denied providing such photos. The phrase also pops up repeatedly in AMI’s court filing this week, which says that Sanchez provided such a photo to the Enquirer, but is vague about some of the details.Private Eyes Detail Inner Workings of National Enquirer ‘Blackmail’ MachineAccording to Robertson, Sanchez had promised such a photo to AMI. He, Howard, Simpson, and Sanchez jumped on a FaceTime call in November 2018, on which Robertson says he “observed Ms. Simpson looking at a printed photograph that Mr. Sanchez represented was a below-the-belt selfie of Mr. Bezos.”Howard provided a similar description of the photo in his declaration to the court submitted this week. “During the conversation, I saw Ms. Simpson look at a printed photograph that Mr. Sanchez told us was a below-the-belt selfie of Mr. Bezos.”Both Howard and Robertson conspicuously avoid saying that they saw the photo in question. But AMI’s court filing is more definitive. “The evidence demonstrates that Sanchez did share with AMI a below-the-belt selfie of Bezos,” it states.At the same time, the filing states that the photo came not from Bezos’ supposed inadvertent text message to his colleague, but from Lauren Sanchez herself. “Sanchez said that Bezos had texted the selfie to Lauren Sanchez, and that Lauren had later shared the photo with Sanchez,” the filing recalls.A couple weeks later, Sanchez had more material for AMI. He sent Howard and Robertson an email on Nov. 11 containing nearly a dozen screenshots of suggestive text message conversations between Bezos and his sister. A number of the texts are redacted in AMI’s court filing, indicating that they may have included additional photos.Michael Sanchez has, over the past year, characterized his involvement in the Enquirer story as one designed to help his sister and her boyfriend, using public relations skills acquired through a career managing entertainment industry talent. But according to AMI, he told Simpson that they were entirely unaware that he was sharing their photos and text messages.“He says Lauren and Jeff are NOT in cooperation with him,” Simpson told Howard and Robertson in a late November email. “Neither one have a clue.”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.

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 01:01:22 GMT

Explosion rocks Iranian nuclear facility: analysts
A centrifuge production plant above Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment facility was damaged by fire and an explosion around 2 a.m. Thursday, according to analysts. A U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite detected the fire from afar. Government spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi and Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi immediately headed to the site that houses a development program 25 feet underground to protect it from airstrikes.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 23:13:17 GMT

Trump Admin Mulls Keeping Putin From G7 Summit in Response to Russian Bounties on Americans’ Heads
You pay to kill our troops—we won’t invite you to our meeting of world leaders.That’s the scenario being mulled by senior officials in the upper echelons of the Trump administration, who are scrambling for a way to respond to Russia after news broke that Moscow paid bounties to the Taliban to kill U.S. forces. One idea these officials have raised with President Donald Trump in recent days: not inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G7 summit of global powers later this year.President Trump told reporters in late May that he wanted to invite Russia to the meeting (which used to be known as the G8, until Russia was suspended for annexing Crimea and invading Ukraine). And that following Monday, Trump spoke with Putin on the phone to discuss, among other things, the G7 gathering and the possibility that Russia might attend.But over the last several days, senior officials in the White House, including National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien, have recommended to Trump that he not formally extend that invitation in the wake of the recent reports about the Russian bounties. (That’s according to two U.S. officials and a third source familiar with the matter.) While President Trump has not made a final decision on whether to officially invite Russia to the G7, officials say the administration is also considering inviting India and Australia to the meeting.Trump Gives Putin a Pass on Bounties So He Can Target Leakers Instead When government officials have briefed the president in the past week on the bounty intel and the G7, as well as the way forward on messaging and possible policy moves, they have encountered a familiar problem: holding Trump’s attention. In at least two instances in recent days when officials or aides have discussed the option of rescinding his offer to Putin, Trump responded by not committing one way or the other. According to two sources familiar with the matter, he instead quickly pivoted to bashing the media, particularly The New York Times, which broke the news of the bounties. The discussions about the G7 highlight the extent to which the administration is concerned about the optics of Trump embracing Russia in the middle of an uproar over its military intelligence service paying the Taliban to kill American troops. It also shows how constrained administration officials believe their options to be, given the president’s long-documented admiration for Putin.Trump “has made it perfectly clear that he wants to do Russia’s bidding,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT).The White House did not respond to a request for comment.Since the Times broke the news about the bounties, officials have grappled with how to defend the integrity of what’s been called an ongoing investigation into the Russian payoffs while also protecting Trump himself. The administration’s top intelligence and national security officials have all claimed that the president was not verbally briefed on the intelligence because there was a lack of consensus over the validity of the bounty evidence. Yet the information was deemed solid enough to make it into the President’s Daily Brief. But as The Daily Beast previously reported, a classified U.S. intelligence report makes it clear that Russia is supporting the Taliban materially and financially, and that there is serious evidence pointing to the fact that it is also paying bounties. So far, though, the administration has not made any moves to publicly address the issue, though senior administration officials said the Pentagon had issued warnings about the bounties to troops on the ground in Afghanistan. Backing away from offering Putin an invitation to the G7 could be a way for the president to take a public stand against Russia while at the same time preserving the goodwill between the two countries, an official familiar with the administration’s G7 conversations said. And maybe, if worded right, it might not piss off Trump.GOP Deny, Downplay Questions About Russian Bounty Scandal On Capitol Hill, where the intelligence report has circulated in recent days, Democrats are calling on the White House to address the Russian bounties. Some suggested issuing additional sanctions. Others said the president should demand that Putin put a stop to the bounty program.Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the Armed Services Committee and an Iraq War veteran, expressed exasperation on Thursday with what she said was an inadequate briefing on the Russia bounty question from the Defense Department. She has yet to hear from Afghanistan war commander Gen. Scott Miller, CIA Director Gina Haspel or Gen. Paul Nakasone, director of the NSA.While Duckworth cautioned that she has not been fully briefed, she said the administration ought to do “much more” than not inviting Putin to attend the forthcoming G7 summit. “Obviously, we can have sanctions, obviously the president should be reaching out to the Russians saying, ‘You will not do this, you will cease and end this,’” she said.But Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, suggested on Wednesday that, at this point, there’s little Congress can do to rein in the president’s clearly pro-Moscow instincts.“I think it's impossible for Congress to override the president’s Russia policy. The President sets foreign policy… Congress can pass additional sanctions, but if the President continues to try to bring them into the G7, if he withdraws troops from Germany, there’s nothing we can do that counteracts the administration’s policy,” Murphy said. “I don’t think Russia cares too much about congressional sanctions if the president is cheering them back into the G7 and withdrawing troops from NATO countries.”—with additional reporting by Spencer Ackerman and Sam BrodeyRead 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.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 23:02:50 GMT

At Least 162 Dead In Landslide At Myanmar Jade Mine
More than 160 people were killed and more are still missing in a landslide at a jade mining site in northern Myanmar. The country's fire department said Thursday the miners "were smothered by a wave of mud" in the ensuing landslide after a heavy rainstorm in the Hpakant township, a jade-rich area in Kachin state. The United Nations in Myanmar said it was "deeply saddened by the loss of life" and extended "its sincere condolences to the families of the victims."

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 22:37:00 GMT

At Least 162 Dead in Landslide at Myanmar Jade Mine
More than 160 people were killed and more are still missing in a landslide at a jade mining site in northern Myanmar. The country's fire department said Thursday the miners "were smothered by a wave of mud" in the ensuing landslide after a heavy rainstorm in the Hpakant township, a jade-rich area in Kachin state. The United Nations in Myanmar said it was "deeply saddened by the loss of life" and extended "its sincere condolences to the families of the victims."

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 22:37:00 GMT

House judiciary panel to interview ousted NY prosecutor
The ousted former U.S. attorney for Manhattan will sit down with the House Judiciary Committee next week for a closed-door interview as the panel investigates politicization in the Justice Department. Geoffrey Berman, the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York who led investigations into allies of President Donald Trump, will appear in person for the transcribed interview July 9, according to a person familiar with the meeting who requested anonymity because it hasn't yet been announced. Berman left his job last month after an extraordinary standoff in which he refused to resign until Trump himself fired him.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 22:27:32 GMT

Botswana: Lab tests to solve mystery of hundreds of dead elephants
Some 350 elephant carcasses have been spotted in Botswana's Okavango Delta since May.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 22:22:17 GMT

France and Germany push for cease-fires to tackle pandemic
France and Germany’s top diplomats urged stepped-up action Thursday to quickly implement a new U.N. Security Council resolution demanding cease-fires in major global conflicts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said during a virtual council meeting that “we now need to redouble our efforts,” pointing to conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Africa’s Sahel region and Afghanistan where “the situation remains extremely unstable and civilian populations continue to suffer the consequences.” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who presided at the meeting, urged often-divided council members to implement the “long overdue” resolution by working together toward cease-fires in specific countries.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 22:05:12 GMT

Over 100 killed in Myanmar landslide, others believed trapped
Over 100 people are dead and others remain missing following a landslide Thursday in northern Myanmar. At least 162 bodies were recovered by 7:15 p.m. local time following the landslide, which occurred Thursday morning at a jade mine in Hpakant, located in Kachin State, CNN reports. In a statement, the United Nations in Myanmar said it “deeply saddened by the loss of life” and “commends the courageous efforts by the men and women involved in the difficult rescue and recovery efforts and extends its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishes the injured a speedy recovery.”

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 21:32:20 GMT

Herman Cain treated for COVID-19 after attending Trump rally
WASHINGTON (AP) — 2012 GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain is being treated for the coronavirus at an Atlanta-area hospital, according to a statement posted on his Twitter account Thursday. It's not clear when or where Cain was infected, but he was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending President Donald Trump's campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Cain, 74, was hospitalized after developing “serious” symptoms but is “awake and alert,” according to the statement.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 21:31:24 GMT

An Iranian nuclear facility was apparently sabotaged, and a mysterious dissident group called the Homeland Cheetahs claimed responsibility
The incident at Iran's largest uranium-enrichment facility occurred amid historic tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear program.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 21:22:31 GMT

Watchdog says govt blocking report on Trump-hurricane flap
A government watchdog says the Commerce Department is trying to block the findings of an investigation into the agency’s role in rebuking forecasters who contradicted President Donald Trump’s inaccurate claims about the path of Hurricane Dorian last year. The accusation comes from Peggy Gustafson, the inspector general for the Commerce Department, who wrote a memo expressing “deep concern” that release of the report was being blocked. It's the latest turn in a saga that led the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to chastise government forecasters who contradicted the president after he posted inaccurate information about the hurricane's path across the southern United States.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 20:04:25 GMT

Russian voters back referendum banning same-sex marriage
The referendum, which included over 200 constitutional amendments, also paves the way for Russian President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 19:53:30 GMT

Russian voters back referendum banning same-sex marriage
Russian voters supported a national referendum defining marriage exclusively as a union between one man and one woman. The referendum, which included more than 200 constitutional amendments, also paves the way for Russian President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036 if he so chooses. Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy organization, slammed the gay marriage ban and said Putin is a "threat to the human rights of all."

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 19:53:30 GMT

France to return skulls of 24 Algerian anti-colonial fighters, Algiers says
They were killed resisting French forces in the 19th Century and their skulls displayed in a museum.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 19:31:38 GMT

Saudi-led coalition launches new strikes on Yemeni capital
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen said Thursday that it unleashed a new air campaign on the war-torn country's capital and on other provinces, in retaliation for drone attacks on Saudi Arabia that were claimed by the rebels. “The targeting of civilians and civilian facilities is a red line,” said Col. Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the coalition. Residents in Sanaa, Yemen’s rebel-held capital, reported hearing huge explosions as a round of bombs fell on the city on Wednesday night.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 19:03:27 GMT

US, Russia share a complex and bloody history in Afghanistan
Moscow and Washington are intertwined in a complex and bloody history in Afghanistan, with both suffering thousands of dead and wounded in conflicts lasting for years. Now both superpowers are linked again over Afghanistan, with intelligence reports indicating Russia secretly offered bounties to the Taliban to kill American troops there. “The Russian endgame is an Afghanistan which will neither support jihadi movements in the former U.S.S.R. nor host American bases that might one day be used against Russia,” says Anatol Lieven, a Georgetown University professor in the Middle Eastern state of Qatar and a senior fellow at the New American Foundation.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 18:48:43 GMT

Democrats say US needs to address protective gear shortage
A congressional committee criticized President Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday for a series of problems in distributing personal protective and testing equipment during the coronavirus pandemic and called on the administration to come up with a better plan. “We need urgent action from the federal government now, before this virus spins further out of control,” said Rep. James Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat and chair of a House committee overseeing the nation’s pandemic response.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 18:19:51 GMT

How California went from success story to virus hot spot
Heading into Memorial Day weekend, California's mood was celebratory. The state had avoided dire predictions of a coronavirus surge, hospitalizations were starting to decline and restaurants and most other businesses had reopened. Fireworks shows are canceled and Gov. Gavin Newsom is imploring residents to avoid the holiday tradition of backyard barbecues and other gatherings of relatives and friends.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 18:11:00 GMT

Visa lottery winners feel cheated by Trump's visa ban
Noha, an Egyptian engineer, should feel lucky after winning a visa lottery that randomly selects people from a pool of more than 14 million applications for about 55,000 green cards that would let them live permanently in the United States. The State Department says no exceptions are made for those who do not yet have one in hand.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 16:48:21 GMT

US tries to seize Iranian gas heading toward Venezuela
U.S. federal prosecutors are seeking to seize four tankers sailing toward Venezuela with gasoline supplied by Iran, the latest attempt to disrupt ever-closer trade ties between the two heavily sanctioned anti-American allies. The civil-forfeiture complaint filed late Wednesday in the District of Columbia federal court alleges that the sale was arranged by a businessman, Mahmoud Madanipour, with ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. “The profits from these activities support the IRGC’s full range of nefarious activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and a variety of human rights abuses, at home and abroad,” prosecutor Zia Faruqui alleges in the complaint.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 16:46:15 GMT

Iran agrees to compensate families of victims on downed plane, says Swedish official
A Ukrainian Boeing 737 was struck by two missiles after take-off from Tehran. Iran initially denied shooting down the plane.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 16:41:00 GMT

Iran agrees to compensate families of victims on downed plane, says Swedish official
Sweden said Thursday that Iran has agreed to compensate the families of victims who were killed when a Ukrainian airliner was shot down by Iranian forces outside Tehran in January. Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde said the agreement had been clinched following negotiations between Iran and the countries with citizens among the victims. "We have signed an agreement of mutual understanding that we will now negotiate with Iran about amends, compensation to the victims' next of kin," Linde told the Swedish news agency TT.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 16:41:00 GMT

How to manage plant pests and diseases in your victory garden
Home gardening is having a boom year across the U.S. Whether they’re growing their own food in response to pandemic shortages or just looking for a diversion, numerous aspiring gardeners have constructed their first raised beds, and seeds are flying off suppliers’ shelves. Now that gardens are largely planted, much of the work for the next several months revolves around keeping them healthy.Contrary to the Biblical adage, we do not necessarily reap what we sow. As researchers specializing in plant pathology and entomology, we have devoted our careers to understanding and managing plant pests and pathogens. We are also gardeners with varying levels of experience and have seen firsthand the damage these insects and disease-causing agents can inflict.Plant health is essential for seeing your garden succeed all the way to harvest. The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health to help bring needed attention to pests and diseases that threaten global food production. Thousands of pests and pathogens are known to target commercial crops, but a few usual suspects are routinely responsible for havoc in gardens across the U.S. Although each organism’s preferences vary, a few common tactics can help you detect them and protect your plants. Start with preventionJust as preventive steps like maintaining a balanced diet help keep humans healthy, home growers can take many actions to help their gardens thrive.One key step is assessing soil fertility – the ability of soil to sustain plant growth – which can vary widely depending on your location and soil type. Low soil fertility limits food production and predisposes plants to disease and pests. University extension soil testing labs can help evaluate the quality of garden soil and identify nutrient deficiencies and acidic soils, often at no charge.Suppressing weeds, either through mulching or weeding by hand each week, increases air flow and reduces humidity around garden plants, making it harder for pests and pathogens to thrive. Weed control ensures that nutrients are available for the plants you want to grow.Proper spacing between plants is also important. Crowding can contribute to disease and pest outbreaks, so check and follow recommendations on seed packs or online as you add and move plants throughout the season. You can always cull plants after they come up to help with spacing. In small gardens, fewer plants that are properly supported can produce a bigger harvest than many overcrowded plants. [You’re smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversation’s authors and editors. You can get our highlights each weekend.]And then there’s the weather. Frost, hail, drought and flooding all pose unique risks to plants. Inconsistent rainfall can kill thirsty plants more quickly than infertile soils. Both too little and too much water will stress plants and can make them more vulnerable to severe pest and pathogen outbreaks.A general rule of thumb is to follow a consistent daily watering regimen – preferably first thing in the morning – and to avoid over-watering, which can encourage root pathogens in soil. Diagnosing problemsCommon plant pathogens include viruses, bacteria, nematodes, oomycetes and fungi. All of these microorganisms, especially at an early stage of infection, are too small to see. But when they proliferate, they cause changes in plants that we can recognize. Unlike insects, which move around on six legs or on wings through the air, pathogens can move unseen and unchecked from leaf to leaf on the wind, through the soil or in droplets of water. Some microbes have even formed intimate relationships with insects and use them as vehicles to move from plant to plant, which makes these pathogens even more challenging to manage. Unfortunately, by the time some pathogens make their presence known, the damage is already done.We recently conducted a Twitter poll of gardeners nationwide to find out which culprits plagued their gardens. People named aphids, squash vine borers, squash bugs and flea beetles as the most problematic insect pests. Their most troublesome pathogens included powdery mildew, tomato bacterial wilt and cucurbit downy mildew. To manage such perennial challenges, the first step is to spend time closely looking at your plants. Do you notice any insects consistently hanging around, or molds colonizing leaves or other plant parts? How about symptoms such as blight, stunting, or leaves that are yellowing, browning or wilting? There are countless resources online for keen-eyed and curious gardeners looking to identify and manage pests and diseases. Try uploading a photo to the iNaturalist app or a Facebook gardeners group that can offer a community-sourced ID. Plant disease clinics in your state will also diagnose plant damage from diseases and pests for free or at low cost.Once you’ve identified a problem serious enough to intervene, the land grant extension system can provide solutions. Extension programs at land grant schools like West Virginia University and Penn State University offer critical information on agriculture and management of pests and diseases in multiple languages for commercial and home growers. Their resources include information on safe and proper use of pesticides as part of integrated pest management strategies. This approach employs pesticides in a targeted way along with non-chemical control methods and cultural practices, such as choosing native plants. Our professional societies, including the American Phytopathological Society, also offer a compendium series to help users diagnose and treat pests and diseases.Those who are serious about learning and sharing their experience with others may want to consider Master Gardener programs, which train and certify community members on the latest evidence-based gardening techniques, tailored to their growing area. Master Gardeners pay it forward by training new Master Gardeners and answering questions for any gardener.Plant pests are a daily reminder that gardens do not exist in a vacuum, and gardeners shouldn’t struggle alone either. Joining the gardening community takes attentiveness and time, but we believe the investment required to become an active member of your local gardening community is well worth it. With experience, the nervous tightrope act of keeping pests at bay and food on the table becomes a delicate dance that can help us appreciate where our food comes from – and ultimately, our place in the global ecosystem.This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.Read more: * The impulse to garden in hard times has deep roots * City compost programs turn garbage into ‘black gold’ that boosts food security and social justiceMatt Kasson receives funding from USDA and The Ohrstrom Foundation. Carolee Bull receives funding from the USDA and from the mushroom industry, and matching funds from seed companies for her research projects. Brian Lovett does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 16:27:39 GMT

Only verified intelligence? A look at presidents' briefings
The White House says President Donald Trump was never briefed on intelligence that Russia had put a bounty on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan because there wasn’t corroborating evidence. Intelligence that may be on shaky ground today may foreshadow tomorrow’s calamity. HOW DO PRESIDENTS RECEIVE NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION?

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 16:26:31 GMT

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