Andrew McCabe, a Target of Trump’s F.B.I. Scorn, Is Fired Over Candor Questions
By MATT APUZZO and ADAM GOLDMANMARCH 16, 2018
The dismissal of Andrew G. McCabe, the former F.B.I. deputy director, was carried out against a highly politicized backdrop. Credit Al Drago/The New York Times
WASHINGTON — Andrew G. McCabe, the former F.B.I. deputy director and a frequent target of President Trump’s scorn, was fired Friday after Attorney General Jeff Sessions rejected an appeal that would have let him retire this weekend.
Mr. McCabe promptly declared that his firing, and Mr. Trump’s persistent needling, were intended to undermine the special counsel’s investigation in which he is a potential witness.
Mr. McCabe is accused in a yet-to-be-released internal report of failing to be forthcoming about a conversation he authorized between F.B.I. officials and a journalist.
In a statement released late Friday, Mr. Sessions said that Mr. McCabe had shown a lack of candor under oath on multiple occasions.
“The F.B.I. expects every employee to adhere to the highest standards of honesty, integrity and accountability,” he said. “I have terminated the employment of Andrew McCabe effective immediately.”
Andrew McCabe Is Known at F.B.I. for His Precision and Intellect MAY 11, 2017
Andrew McCabe, a Symbol of Trump’s F.B.I. Ire, Faces Possible Firing MARCH 14, 2018
Andrew McCabe, Ex-Deputy Director of F.B.I., Will Be Faulted for Leaks MARCH 1, 2018
Taunted by Trump and Pressured From Above, McCabe Steps Down as F.B.I. Deputy JAN. 29, 2018
Early Saturday morning, the president weighed in with another shot at Mr. McCabe, posting on Twitter that it was “a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI.”
@realDonaldTrump
Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI - A great day for Democracy. Sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy. He knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!
3:08 PM - Mar 17, 2018
In an interview, Mr. McCabe was blunt. “The idea that I was dishonest is just wrong,” he said, adding, “This is part of an effort to discredit me as a witness.”
F.B.I. disciplinary officials recommended his dismissal. Mr. McCabe, who stepped down in January and took a leave of absence, denied the accusation and appealed this week to senior career officials in the Justice Department.
Lack of candor is a fireable offense at the F.B.I., but Mr. McCabe’s last-minute dismissal was carried out against a highly politicized backdrop.
Mr. McCabe was among the first at the F.B.I. to scrutinize possible Trump campaign ties to Russia. And he is a potential witness to the question of whether Mr. Trump tried to obstruct justice. Mr. Trump has taunted Mr. McCabe both publicly and privately, and Republican allies have cast him as the center of a “deep state” effort to undermine the Trump presidency.
As a witness, Mr. McCabe would be in a position to corroborate the testimony of the former F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, who kept contemporaneous notes on his conversations with Mr. Trump. Mr. Comey said Mr. Trump prodded him to publicly exonerate the president on the question of Russian collusion and encouraged him to shut down an investigation into his national security adviser.
Turnover at a Constant Clip: The Trump Administration’s Major Departures
Since President Trump’s inauguration, staffers of the White House and federal agencies have left in firings and resignations, one after the other.
In a statement released by his lawyers, Mr. McCabe said his firing was part of Mr. Trump’s “ongoing war on the F.B.I.” and Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel. He said he answered questions truthfully in the internal investigation and contacted investigators to correct the record when he believed they misunderstood him.
“I am being singled out and treated this way because of the role I played, the actions I took and the events I witnessed in the aftermath of the firing of James Comey,” he said.
Mr. McCabe, a 21-year F.B.I. veteran, was eligible for a government pension if he retired on Sunday. The firing jeopardizes that benefit, though it was not immediately clear how much he might lose.
“It’s incredibly unfair to my reputation after a 21-year career,” Mr. McCabe said. He said the president’s public attacks were aimed at several targets. “The real damage is being done to the F.B.I., law enforcement and the special counsel,” he said.
Mr. McCabe was the F.B.I.’s second in command during one of the most tumultuous periods in the bureau’s history. He oversaw investigations into both the Trump campaign and Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server — and he dealt with the fallout from both. He became the acting F.B.I. director after the sudden firing of his boss, Mr. Comey, and he publicly contradicted the White House on national television over whether Mr. Comey had lost the support of rank-and-file F.B.I. agents.
Since then, Mr. Trump has repeatedly singled him out for public attack, suggesting that he helped protect Mrs. Clinton from prosecution during the 2016 presidential campaign. As evidence, he pointed to the fact that Mr. McCabe’s wife, Jill, ran as a Democrat for a State Senate seat in Virginia and received hundreds of thousands of dollars from a political committee run by Terry McAuliffe, a longtime ally of the Clintons.
As recently as Thursday, even as the White House said it left Mr. McCabe’s fate in Mr. Sessions’s hands, officials there left little doubt where the president stood. “It is well documented that he has had some very troubling behavior and by most accounts a bad actor,” said the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Mr. McCabe’s lawyer called those comments “vile and defamatory” and said they were intended to put pressure on the Justice Department. “This intervention by the White House in the D.O.J. disciplinary process is unprecedented, deeply unfair and dangerous,” said the lawyer, Michael R. Bromwich.
Mrs. McCabe lost her race and Mr. McCabe was later promoted to deputy director, where he oversaw the investigation into Mrs. Clinton. No charges were filed in that case, and Mr. Trump has pointed to the donations to Mrs. McCabe’s campaign as evidence of F.B.I. bias.
@realDonaldTrump
Problem is that the acting head of the FBI & the person in charge of the Hillary investigation, Andrew McCabe, got $700,000 from H for wife!
9:21 PM - Jul 25, 2017
The president is not involved in the firing decisions of career employees like Mr. McCabe. His firing had been recommended by veteran disciplinary officials. But Mr. Trump’s statements loom large over the decision, which is why previous presidents have typically refrained from wading into law enforcement and personnel matters.
The inspector general’s report faults Mr. McCabe for his lack of candor in interviews with internal investigators. The report has not been released, but people briefed on it say the allegations revolve around disclosures to The Wall Street Journal, which reported in October 2016 a dispute between the F.B.I. and the Justice Department over how to proceed in an investigation into the Clinton family’s foundation.
Mr. McCabe, working through the F.B.I. press office, authorized a spokesman and a bureau lawyer to speak with The Journal in order to rebut allegations that Mr. McCabe had slowed down the Clinton Foundation investigation. To the contrary, the article ultimately noted, Mr. McCabe had insisted that his agents had the authority to investigate the foundation, even if the Justice Department refused to authorize grand jury subpoenas.
Mr. McCabe joined the F.B.I. after law school and rose quickly through the ranks. Mr. Comey groomed him for senior leadership from a young age, rankling some agents who saw him as too academic and not enough of a traditional crime-fighter. But senior F.B.I. officials and his counterparts in other agencies praised his intellect and ability to manage complicated worldwide national security issues.
Katie Benner contributed reporting from Austin, Tex.
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Engineers saw cracks in Miami bridge days before collapse - NBC News
MAR 16 2018, 11:08 PM ET
Engineers saw cracks in Miami bridge days before collapse
by PHIL MCCAUSLAND
Engineers working on the bridge that fell on to a Florida highway Thursday had attempted to warn state officials about cracks on the walkway just two days before the deadly collapse, according to a voicemail transcript released Friday night by the Florida Department of Transportation.
The lead engineer of FIGG Bridge Engineers, the company that led the design of the walkway, left a voicemail with FDOT Tuesday that said cracks had appeared on the bridge and were in need of repair.
But the message, left on a landline, was not listened to until Friday because the employee it was intended for was out of the office on assignment, the department said.
Collapsed Florida bridge was built using 'accelerated' technology
The engineer said in the voicemail: "Calling to, uh, share with you some information about the FIU pedestrian bridge and some cracking that's been observed on the north end of the span, the pylon end of that span we moved this weekend," according to the FDOT.
"From a safety perspective we don't see that there's any issue there, so we're not concerned about it from that perspective," the engineer said according to the transcript, "although obviously the cracking is not good and something's going to have to be, ya know, done to repair that."
The state employee who the message was intended did not listen to it when it was sent because he "was out of office on assignment," the FDOT said. The employee "was able to listen to the voicemail" on Friday.
An FDOT consultant also attended a midday meeting on Thursday "shortly before" the bridge's 1:30 p.m. collapse, but he was "not notified of any life-safety issues, need for additional road closures or request for any other assistance from FDOT," the agency said.
Engineers also had a permit that allowed them to close the road under the bridge, the Tamiami Trail, but FDOT said the design team never made the request.
Dick Kane, communications director for FDOT, said that the state agency was not culpable for the possible oversight.
"The responsibility to identify and address life-safety issues and properly communicate them is the sole responsibility of the FIU design build team," Kane said in the FDOT's statement. "At no point during any of the communications above did FIGG or any member of the FIU design build team ever communicate a life-safety issue."
In an emailed statement Friday night, the company said:
“FIGG Bridge Engineers, Inc., continues to work diligently with the construction team to help determine the cause of the collapse of the pedestrian bridge that was under construction at Florida International University. We are heartbroken by the loss of life and injuries, and are carefully examining the steps that our team has taken in the interest of our overarching concern for public safety. The evaluation was based on the best available information at that time and indicated that there were no safety issues. We will pursue answers to find out what factors led to this tragic situation, but it is important that the agencies responsible for investigating this devastating situation are given the appropriate time in order to accurately identify what factors led to the accident during construction. We are committed to working with all appropriate authorities throughout this process.”
Meanwhile, National Transportation Safety Board Chief Investigator Robert Accetta said at a news conference Friday night that it was too early to conclude whether the cracks were related to the incident.
"I would have to say that a crack in the bridge does not necessarily mean it's unsafe," he said, though NTSB investigators made it clear that they had not confirmed whether there were cracks. "That's still too early in the investigation for us to determine."
NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt said at the press conference Friday evening that "I don’t think we know at this point, factually, that there was a crack in the bridge," and "we have not confirmed that."
Play FIU student Alexa Duran identified as victim of Florida bridge collapse
FIU student Alexa Duran identified as victim of Florida bridge collapse 2:16
The bridge section that collapsed was designed to hold its own weight until the entire span is assembled into place, experts told NBC News. It was built under a method called accelerated bridge construction, which FIU helped to popularize beginning in 2010 but has been around in some form for about 30 years.
With accelerated bridge construction, prefabricated bridge elements are made in a factory, then shipped to the site and put together at the scene.
Engineers saw cracks in Miami bridge days before collapse
by PHIL MCCAUSLAND
Engineers working on the bridge that fell on to a Florida highway Thursday had attempted to warn state officials about cracks on the walkway just two days before the deadly collapse, according to a voicemail transcript released Friday night by the Florida Department of Transportation.
The lead engineer of FIGG Bridge Engineers, the company that led the design of the walkway, left a voicemail with FDOT Tuesday that said cracks had appeared on the bridge and were in need of repair.
But the message, left on a landline, was not listened to until Friday because the employee it was intended for was out of the office on assignment, the department said.
Collapsed Florida bridge was built using 'accelerated' technology
The engineer said in the voicemail: "Calling to, uh, share with you some information about the FIU pedestrian bridge and some cracking that's been observed on the north end of the span, the pylon end of that span we moved this weekend," according to the FDOT.
"From a safety perspective we don't see that there's any issue there, so we're not concerned about it from that perspective," the engineer said according to the transcript, "although obviously the cracking is not good and something's going to have to be, ya know, done to repair that."
The state employee who the message was intended did not listen to it when it was sent because he "was out of office on assignment," the FDOT said. The employee "was able to listen to the voicemail" on Friday.
An FDOT consultant also attended a midday meeting on Thursday "shortly before" the bridge's 1:30 p.m. collapse, but he was "not notified of any life-safety issues, need for additional road closures or request for any other assistance from FDOT," the agency said.
Engineers also had a permit that allowed them to close the road under the bridge, the Tamiami Trail, but FDOT said the design team never made the request.
Dick Kane, communications director for FDOT, said that the state agency was not culpable for the possible oversight.
"The responsibility to identify and address life-safety issues and properly communicate them is the sole responsibility of the FIU design build team," Kane said in the FDOT's statement. "At no point during any of the communications above did FIGG or any member of the FIU design build team ever communicate a life-safety issue."
In an emailed statement Friday night, the company said:
“FIGG Bridge Engineers, Inc., continues to work diligently with the construction team to help determine the cause of the collapse of the pedestrian bridge that was under construction at Florida International University. We are heartbroken by the loss of life and injuries, and are carefully examining the steps that our team has taken in the interest of our overarching concern for public safety. The evaluation was based on the best available information at that time and indicated that there were no safety issues. We will pursue answers to find out what factors led to this tragic situation, but it is important that the agencies responsible for investigating this devastating situation are given the appropriate time in order to accurately identify what factors led to the accident during construction. We are committed to working with all appropriate authorities throughout this process.”
Meanwhile, National Transportation Safety Board Chief Investigator Robert Accetta said at a news conference Friday night that it was too early to conclude whether the cracks were related to the incident.
"I would have to say that a crack in the bridge does not necessarily mean it's unsafe," he said, though NTSB investigators made it clear that they had not confirmed whether there were cracks. "That's still too early in the investigation for us to determine."
NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt said at the press conference Friday evening that "I don’t think we know at this point, factually, that there was a crack in the bridge," and "we have not confirmed that."
Play FIU student Alexa Duran identified as victim of Florida bridge collapse
FIU student Alexa Duran identified as victim of Florida bridge collapse 2:16
The bridge section that collapsed was designed to hold its own weight until the entire span is assembled into place, experts told NBC News. It was built under a method called accelerated bridge construction, which FIU helped to popularize beginning in 2010 but has been around in some form for about 30 years.
With accelerated bridge construction, prefabricated bridge elements are made in a factory, then shipped to the site and put together at the scene.
Stormy Daniels Could Owe $20 Million in Damages, Trump Lawyer Says - TIME
Stormy Daniels Could Owe $20 Million in Damages, Trump Lawyer Says
In this Feb. 11, 2007, file photo, adult film actress Stormy Daniels arrives for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Matt Sayles—AP
By ASSOCIATED PRESS 7:37 AM EDT
Donald Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, wants a lawsuit brought by porn actress Stormy Daniels moved to federal court, and claims the woman could owe $20 million in damages for violating a non-disclosure agreement.
The Friday court filing seeks to move Daniels’ case from a state-level court to federal court in Los Angeles.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is seeking to invalidate the non-disclosure agreement. She has offered to return the $130,000 she was paid.
The filing accuses Clifford of violating the agreement more than 20 times.
A separate filing says Trump would join a request to have the case heard by an arbitrator.
Clifford’s lawyer says it’s an attempt to have the matter decided in private arbitration, “thus hiding the truth from the public.”
In this Feb. 11, 2007, file photo, adult film actress Stormy Daniels arrives for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Matt Sayles—AP
By ASSOCIATED PRESS 7:37 AM EDT
Donald Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, wants a lawsuit brought by porn actress Stormy Daniels moved to federal court, and claims the woman could owe $20 million in damages for violating a non-disclosure agreement.
The Friday court filing seeks to move Daniels’ case from a state-level court to federal court in Los Angeles.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is seeking to invalidate the non-disclosure agreement. She has offered to return the $130,000 she was paid.
The filing accuses Clifford of violating the agreement more than 20 times.
A separate filing says Trump would join a request to have the case heard by an arbitrator.
Clifford’s lawyer says it’s an attempt to have the matter decided in private arbitration, “thus hiding the truth from the public.”
Small toy makers: Death of Toys 'R' Us leaves a 'big hole' - CNN Money
Small toy makers: Death of Toys 'R' Us leaves a 'big hole'
by Parija Kavilanz and Aaron Smith @CNNMoney
March 16, 2018: 12:16 PM ET
Your video will play in 00:09
For many toy makers, Toys "R" Us wasn't just a store, it was a lifeline.
The national toy retailer, which announced earlier this week plans to close or sell all of its US stores, acted as the main -- and sometimes only -- distributor for companies large and small.
"I am devastated that we have reached this point," said Toys "R" Us Chief Executive Officer Dave Brandon, in a speech to employees on Wednesday. "We have vendors and suppliers out there who are also going to experience disruption and in some cases the same risks of insolvency based on the level of penetration they have with our company."
It's a big blow to Gary Atkinson, CEO of The Singing Machine Company, which makes karaoke products.
"Toys "R" Us was our second biggest customer after Walmart," said Atkinson, who did $10 million in business with Toys "R" Us in 2017. He said the two companies shared a special relationship.
When the company launched a new kid's karaoke line last year, it was first showcased at Toys "R" Us. So when Toys "R" Us filed for bankruptcy last September, it was a difficult pill to swallow for Atkinson.
"We had already shipped $4.5 million worth of products to Toys "R" Us in September for the holiday season. We've since recouped some of that back, but it was less than half," he said.
inRead invented by Teads
What's even harder now, he said, is losing worldwide distribution for its karaoke products after the toy retailer said it was closing all its US stores and potentially most of its international operations.
"This will leave a big hole in the marketplace for smaller toymakers like us," said Atkinson.
gary atkinson
The Singing Machine CEO Gary Atkinson says the closure of Toys "R" Us will leave a "big hole" in the marketplace for small suppliers.
The impact will be lighter for the toy maker Zuru Inc., which only does 5% of its sales through Toys "R" Us, according to CEO Nick Mowbray. But he said the impact on the toy industry cannot be overstated.
"It's a huge loss for the industry," he said. "The impact with vendors is going to be far reaching. A lot of smaller vendors are not going to have an outlet to get shelf space. Overall, it's very sad."
Related: The death of the big toy store
Instead, toy makers will have to compete for more shelf space at big box stores like Walmart (WMT) and Target (TGT). Toys "R" Us suppliers include big players like Mattel, Hasbro Inc. (HAS), Lego, Graco Children's Products, Spin Master, Playmobil and Pacific Cycle. But there were smaller companies too, like Munchkin Inc., Skyrocket Toys and Wowwee.
"Toys "R" Us has always been an outstanding partner to Wowwee over the years, and played an integral role in the success of many of our products, including most recently the launch and ongoing popularity of Fingerlings," said Wowwee president Richard Yanofsky, in a statement.
The closing of a major retailer like Toys "R" Us could have another impact on the industry: it could stifle toy innovation.
"What drove innovation in the industry was knowing Toys "R" Us has the shelf space and the square footage to support new concepts year round," said Atkinson.
By contrast, Walmart and Target devote more space to toys mostly in the fourth quarter, the biggest sales period of the year for the industry when shoppers pick up toys for the year-end holiday season, and then shrink it down substantially for rest of the year.
"Without Toys "R" Us, everyone is going to play it safe," he said. "Toy makers will just make toys with mass appeal that are more of a fit for Walmart and Target. That's the saddest part."
The liquidation of Toys "R" Us proves that small businesses should think differently about distribution, said Linda Parry Murphy, CEO and founder of Product Launchers, which helps companies launch and market products and get them onto store shelves. She said she's been changing her strategy, with to rely less on big box retailers, and diversify more into online retail.
"I think at one time there was a lot of excitement about getting in with these big retailers," she said. "It was exciting to get your foot in the door. [But] I think we've been let down by a lot of these retailers and that's why there's been some reflection on our side."
She coaches her suppliers to conduct much of their sales online, where they have more control over pricing and marketing. In this way, she said, Amazon (AMZN) has become the new Toys "R" Us.
She advises small companies to "not put all your eggs in one basket."
"These big retailers, they can go out of business overnight, and really there's not much we can do to protect ourselves against it."
CNNMoney (New York)
First published March 16, 2018: 12:06 PM ET
by Parija Kavilanz and Aaron Smith @CNNMoney
March 16, 2018: 12:16 PM ET
Your video will play in 00:09
For many toy makers, Toys "R" Us wasn't just a store, it was a lifeline.
The national toy retailer, which announced earlier this week plans to close or sell all of its US stores, acted as the main -- and sometimes only -- distributor for companies large and small.
"I am devastated that we have reached this point," said Toys "R" Us Chief Executive Officer Dave Brandon, in a speech to employees on Wednesday. "We have vendors and suppliers out there who are also going to experience disruption and in some cases the same risks of insolvency based on the level of penetration they have with our company."
It's a big blow to Gary Atkinson, CEO of The Singing Machine Company, which makes karaoke products.
"Toys "R" Us was our second biggest customer after Walmart," said Atkinson, who did $10 million in business with Toys "R" Us in 2017. He said the two companies shared a special relationship.
When the company launched a new kid's karaoke line last year, it was first showcased at Toys "R" Us. So when Toys "R" Us filed for bankruptcy last September, it was a difficult pill to swallow for Atkinson.
"We had already shipped $4.5 million worth of products to Toys "R" Us in September for the holiday season. We've since recouped some of that back, but it was less than half," he said.
inRead invented by Teads
What's even harder now, he said, is losing worldwide distribution for its karaoke products after the toy retailer said it was closing all its US stores and potentially most of its international operations.
"This will leave a big hole in the marketplace for smaller toymakers like us," said Atkinson.
gary atkinson
The Singing Machine CEO Gary Atkinson says the closure of Toys "R" Us will leave a "big hole" in the marketplace for small suppliers.
The impact will be lighter for the toy maker Zuru Inc., which only does 5% of its sales through Toys "R" Us, according to CEO Nick Mowbray. But he said the impact on the toy industry cannot be overstated.
"It's a huge loss for the industry," he said. "The impact with vendors is going to be far reaching. A lot of smaller vendors are not going to have an outlet to get shelf space. Overall, it's very sad."
Related: The death of the big toy store
Instead, toy makers will have to compete for more shelf space at big box stores like Walmart (WMT) and Target (TGT). Toys "R" Us suppliers include big players like Mattel, Hasbro Inc. (HAS), Lego, Graco Children's Products, Spin Master, Playmobil and Pacific Cycle. But there were smaller companies too, like Munchkin Inc., Skyrocket Toys and Wowwee.
"Toys "R" Us has always been an outstanding partner to Wowwee over the years, and played an integral role in the success of many of our products, including most recently the launch and ongoing popularity of Fingerlings," said Wowwee president Richard Yanofsky, in a statement.
The closing of a major retailer like Toys "R" Us could have another impact on the industry: it could stifle toy innovation.
"What drove innovation in the industry was knowing Toys "R" Us has the shelf space and the square footage to support new concepts year round," said Atkinson.
By contrast, Walmart and Target devote more space to toys mostly in the fourth quarter, the biggest sales period of the year for the industry when shoppers pick up toys for the year-end holiday season, and then shrink it down substantially for rest of the year.
"Without Toys "R" Us, everyone is going to play it safe," he said. "Toy makers will just make toys with mass appeal that are more of a fit for Walmart and Target. That's the saddest part."
The liquidation of Toys "R" Us proves that small businesses should think differently about distribution, said Linda Parry Murphy, CEO and founder of Product Launchers, which helps companies launch and market products and get them onto store shelves. She said she's been changing her strategy, with to rely less on big box retailers, and diversify more into online retail.
"I think at one time there was a lot of excitement about getting in with these big retailers," she said. "It was exciting to get your foot in the door. [But] I think we've been let down by a lot of these retailers and that's why there's been some reflection on our side."
She coaches her suppliers to conduct much of their sales online, where they have more control over pricing and marketing. In this way, she said, Amazon (AMZN) has become the new Toys "R" Us.
She advises small companies to "not put all your eggs in one basket."
"These big retailers, they can go out of business overnight, and really there's not much we can do to protect ourselves against it."
CNNMoney (New York)
First published March 16, 2018: 12:06 PM ET
How Stephen Hawking became the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Indepedent
17/3/2018
How Stephen Hawking became the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Posted by Greg Evans in news
UPVOTE
Stephen Hawking, who passed away early this week aged 76, was a seriously cool guy.
Not only was he a scientific genius and one of the smartest people on Earth, he was also capable of offering some pretty sound advice.
His sage words on depression and warning about boasting about one's IQ are pieces of wisdom that everyone should take to heart.
However, let's not forget that Hawking had a playful side and appeared in numerous TV shows such as The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory.
One of his final cameos in the world of entertainment was a performance in the newest addition to the comedy sci-fi epic Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which debuted on BBC Radio 4 last week.
In the first episode of the sixth season of the show, based on Douglas Adams famed novel, Hawking literally features as the voice of the guide to the galaxy, identifying himself as Guide Mark II.
We won't go into the exact details of what is happening in this scene, but you have to love that the guide decided to take the form of Hawking and even referenced his fame and the acknowledgement he received through his books.
He says:
Others knew me in different forms.
I have been quite popular in my time.
Some even read my books.
Speaking to the Radio Times, the series producer David Morley explained how they managed to get Hawking onboard.
When we were thinking of cameos for the new series I suddenly thought of Professor Stephen Hawking.
It turned out that he was a huge fan of Hitchhiker’s and was keen to see the script.
He very quickly came back with a resounding ‘yes’ and Dirk Maggs (co-producer) and I were jumping up and down with joy.
His part blends perfectly with the actors. The results are fantastic.
In addition to his appearance on the show, the BBC have also released a 45-minute extended version of that particular episode, which is available for download now.
As a man who spent most of his life trying to explain "The Theory of Everything" there seems no more fitting way to remember Hawking as "pan-dimensional bio-hybrid organism" who knew the answer to the meaning of life.
HT Mashable
How Stephen Hawking became the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Posted by Greg Evans in news
UPVOTE
Stephen Hawking, who passed away early this week aged 76, was a seriously cool guy.
Not only was he a scientific genius and one of the smartest people on Earth, he was also capable of offering some pretty sound advice.
His sage words on depression and warning about boasting about one's IQ are pieces of wisdom that everyone should take to heart.
However, let's not forget that Hawking had a playful side and appeared in numerous TV shows such as The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory.
One of his final cameos in the world of entertainment was a performance in the newest addition to the comedy sci-fi epic Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which debuted on BBC Radio 4 last week.
In the first episode of the sixth season of the show, based on Douglas Adams famed novel, Hawking literally features as the voice of the guide to the galaxy, identifying himself as Guide Mark II.
We won't go into the exact details of what is happening in this scene, but you have to love that the guide decided to take the form of Hawking and even referenced his fame and the acknowledgement he received through his books.
He says:
Others knew me in different forms.
I have been quite popular in my time.
Some even read my books.
Speaking to the Radio Times, the series producer David Morley explained how they managed to get Hawking onboard.
When we were thinking of cameos for the new series I suddenly thought of Professor Stephen Hawking.
It turned out that he was a huge fan of Hitchhiker’s and was keen to see the script.
He very quickly came back with a resounding ‘yes’ and Dirk Maggs (co-producer) and I were jumping up and down with joy.
His part blends perfectly with the actors. The results are fantastic.
In addition to his appearance on the show, the BBC have also released a 45-minute extended version of that particular episode, which is available for download now.
As a man who spent most of his life trying to explain "The Theory of Everything" there seems no more fitting way to remember Hawking as "pan-dimensional bio-hybrid organism" who knew the answer to the meaning of life.
HT Mashable
Vladimir Putin is expected to win a fourth term in office with 69 per cent of the vote - Independent ( source : Reuters )
16/3/2018
Russian election 2018: some want change, but Putin still cert to win
Vladimir Putin is expected to win a fourth term in office with 69 per cent of the vote
Polina Ivanova
Nothing in Russia contradicts the expectation of an emphatic Putin victory Reuters
Most Russians intending to vote for Vladimir Putin in Sunday’s election say stability is at the root of their faith in their candidate – though many young voters believe it’s time for a change of leader.
Putin, 65, is expected to win a fourth term in office with 69 per cent of the vote, according to the latest survey by a state-run pollster.
Reuters correspondents and photographers who travelled around the country talking to voters ahead of the 18 March election found nothing to contradict expectation of an emphatic Putin victory.
In Crimea, participating in a Russian presidential election for the first time since the territory was annexed from Ukraine in 2014, engineer Andrei Lukinykh says Putin is the only candidate who can provide stability in tough times.
Putin has 24 hours to explain how nerve agent used in UK, says May
“As the saying goes, you don’t change your horses mid-stream. Unlike the others, my candidate can provide the stability that’s needed,” Lukinykh says.
For Muscovite student Yulia Dyuzheva, economic progress during Putin’s 17 years in office won him her vote.
“As a representative of the younger generation, I can say that for us, young Russians, all the doors are open. Everyone is able to grab the opportunities presented and make the most of themselves, in whatever town or region,” she says.
But others believe Russia is ready for a change.
Accountant Natalia Dementieva, also from Moscow, says she is casting a vote for TV personality Ksenia Sobchak – one of seven other candidates – because she supported more freedoms.
“Speaks the truth, openly,” Dementieva explains. “She doesn’t lie. She raises issues which are taboo under our government.
“The next generation to rule this country were born between 1982 and 1987. There’s a lot of them and they don’t remember what it was like in the Soviet Union. So they’re less afraid.”
Sobchak is expected to garner 2 per cent of the vote, according to a 9 March poll by the state-run Russian Public Opinion Research Centre.
That’s less than the 3 per cent who plan to stay at home, some of whom may be heeding opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s call to boycott the vote after he was barred from being on the ballot.
From the Communist Party, wealthy farm boss Pavel Grudinin, 57, is set for a stronger showing, at 7 per cent.
For Alexei Gruk, a mechanic from St Petersburg, voting for the Communist Party sends the signal that things need to change at home, but he wants Russia’s foreign policy to stay the same.
“To hell with the sanctions,” Gruk says. “So what if they don’t bring foreign stuff here anymore? As if that means we have to give in. I don’t care.”
Nationalist firebrand Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a veteran lawmaker, is expected to garner 5 per cent of votes, according to latest polls, while liberal economist Grigory Yavlinsky should receive 1 per cent.
Reuters
Toys ‘R’ Us Is Closing Stores and the Internet Is Having a Hard Time - TIME Business
Toys ‘R’ Us Is Closing Stores and the Internet Is Having a Hard Time
Posted: 15 Mar 2018 12:08 PM PDT
After filing for bankruptcy last fall, Toys ‘R’ Us is reportedly working on a plan to liquidate its business entirely. In the wake of the struggling toy retailer announcing the closure of all its U.K. stores, remaining U.S. locations are now also facing the prospect of total liquidation.
The news of the shutdown has quickly spread across the Internet, prompting some who grew up with the toy giant to wax nostalgic about its peak. “It’s going to be so weird trying to explain Toys ‘R’ Us to future generations,” wrote one Twitter user. “‘Hey, you know those six aisles at Target you spend all your time in? Well, imagine if they were an entire store…’ (Assuming, like, future generations have Target.)”
“One day I will have to explain to my kids what Toys ‘R’ Us was,” added another. “And that’s where it hurts.”
However, others were just there to try and inject some humor into the sad situation. “I want to do my impression of NPR covering Toys ‘R’ Us closing,” tweeted comedian Chelsea Peretti.
It's going to be so weird trying to explain Toys 'R Us to future generations.
"Hey, you know those six aisles at Target you spend all your time in? Well, imagine if they were an entire store…"
(Assuming, like, future generations have Target.) https://t.co/DYQWJJX4p1
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) March 14, 2018
one day i will have to explain to my kids what Toys R Us was.. and that’s where it hurts
— Shafeeq (@Y2SHAF) March 15, 2018
I want to do my impression of NPR covering toys R uS closing
— Chelsea Peretti (@chelseaperetti) March 15, 2018
See some other reactions below.
The reason Toys R Us is dead and we’re still alive is simple. We never invested heavily in a mascot.
— The Last Blockbuster (@loneblockbuster) March 15, 2018
Toys R Us is closing in the U.S- I’m not crying
— Talyn Sunshine (@TalynSunshine) March 15, 2018
Toys R Us was like kids Vegas
— James White (@Flight8) March 15, 2018
I woke up in a place where #ToysRUs no longer exists. I’m going back to bed.
— Will Friedle (@willfriedle) March 15, 2018
all these people sad about toys r us closing,,,,when was the last time you went in a toys r us???
— Jake Bateman (@ybnotv) March 15, 2018
Pretty strong way for Toys R Us to tell us to grow up…
— Jesse Fernandez (@JesseFernandez) March 15, 2018
These kids only need a tablet and the App Store… Toys R Us, we’ll never forget
— Vince Valholla (@VinceValholla) March 14, 2018
R.I.P Toys-R-Us. Gonna miss the fun times. Pouring a Capri Sun out for Geoffrey
— Will Silver (@Willcartoons) March 14, 2018
Posted: 15 Mar 2018 12:08 PM PDT
After filing for bankruptcy last fall, Toys ‘R’ Us is reportedly working on a plan to liquidate its business entirely. In the wake of the struggling toy retailer announcing the closure of all its U.K. stores, remaining U.S. locations are now also facing the prospect of total liquidation.
The news of the shutdown has quickly spread across the Internet, prompting some who grew up with the toy giant to wax nostalgic about its peak. “It’s going to be so weird trying to explain Toys ‘R’ Us to future generations,” wrote one Twitter user. “‘Hey, you know those six aisles at Target you spend all your time in? Well, imagine if they were an entire store…’ (Assuming, like, future generations have Target.)”
“One day I will have to explain to my kids what Toys ‘R’ Us was,” added another. “And that’s where it hurts.”
However, others were just there to try and inject some humor into the sad situation. “I want to do my impression of NPR covering Toys ‘R’ Us closing,” tweeted comedian Chelsea Peretti.
It's going to be so weird trying to explain Toys 'R Us to future generations.
"Hey, you know those six aisles at Target you spend all your time in? Well, imagine if they were an entire store…"
(Assuming, like, future generations have Target.) https://t.co/DYQWJJX4p1
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) March 14, 2018
one day i will have to explain to my kids what Toys R Us was.. and that’s where it hurts
— Shafeeq (@Y2SHAF) March 15, 2018
I want to do my impression of NPR covering toys R uS closing
— Chelsea Peretti (@chelseaperetti) March 15, 2018
See some other reactions below.
The reason Toys R Us is dead and we’re still alive is simple. We never invested heavily in a mascot.
— The Last Blockbuster (@loneblockbuster) March 15, 2018
Toys R Us is closing in the U.S- I’m not crying
— Talyn Sunshine (@TalynSunshine) March 15, 2018
Toys R Us was like kids Vegas
— James White (@Flight8) March 15, 2018
I woke up in a place where #ToysRUs no longer exists. I’m going back to bed.
— Will Friedle (@willfriedle) March 15, 2018
all these people sad about toys r us closing,,,,when was the last time you went in a toys r us???
— Jake Bateman (@ybnotv) March 15, 2018
Pretty strong way for Toys R Us to tell us to grow up…
— Jesse Fernandez (@JesseFernandez) March 15, 2018
These kids only need a tablet and the App Store… Toys R Us, we’ll never forget
— Vince Valholla (@VinceValholla) March 14, 2018
R.I.P Toys-R-Us. Gonna miss the fun times. Pouring a Capri Sun out for Geoffrey
— Will Silver (@Willcartoons) March 14, 2018
Uber’s Biggest Rival Is Experimenting With All-You-Can-Ride Monthly Subscriptions - TIME Business
Uber’s Biggest Rival Is Experimenting With All-You-Can-Ride Monthly Subscriptions
Posted: 16 Mar 2018 05:00 AM PDT
Uber rival Lyft appears to be testing monthly subscriptions for the ride-hailing service.
Some Lyft users are posting on Twitter about receiving subscription offers from Lyft, with pricing varying from $249 for an “all-access plan,” $199 a month for 30 rides, $300 for the same number of rides or $399 for 60 rides, according to The Verge.
The offer would include individual rides up to $15 dollars, and seems to target users spending $450 or more a month on Lyft. The offers did not say how rides over $15 would be charged.
Transportation reporters: Lyft just invited me to a $199 per month all access plan… "With an All-Access Plan, you pay $199 each month and your standard Lyft rides are free (up to $15). "
— Janko Roettgers (@jank0) March 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/search?q=lyft%20subscription%20&src=typd
Interesting. Lyft appears to be trialing a subscription offering at $249 per month for free rides up to $15. pic.twitter.com/g2ARP7ju6Q
— KiD💰 (@kidkapital) March 16, 2018
This Lyft subscription plan seems geared only to the most frequent users, folks who’d otherwise spend $450/month on ride-hailing pic.twitter.com/Ngzsl6S6JG
— Greg Bensinger (@GregBensinger) March 15, 2018
Uber tested out a similar subscription service in 2016, The Verge noted, but the feature was never widely released.
TIME reached out to Lyft for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.
China anti-corruption chief Wang Qishan named Xi Jinping's deputy - BBC News
17/3/2018
China anti-corruption chief Wang Qishan named Xi Jinping's deputy
Wang Qishan, left, shakes hands with President Xi Jinping after becoming his deputy
China's parliament has endorsed Xi Jinping for a second term and appointed Wang Qishan as his vice-president.
The ballot at the National People's Congress unanimously approved Mr Xi while Mr Wang received 2,969 votes in favour and only one against.
Wang Qishan was previously in charge of corruption investigations in China.
He is a longstanding ally of President Xi and his elevation is being seen as a further consolidation of the Chinese leader's power.
The recent abolition of term limits for the Chinese presidency extends to the vice-presidency, giving the position greater significance than before.
China's constitution allows the vice-president to "assist" in his superior's work and to carry out presidential duties on his behalf - meaning Wang Qishan, possibly in his role for life, could be far more than the figurehead his predecessors were.
China approves 'president for life' change
What if Xi Jinping is president for life?
Who is Wang Qishan?
Mr Wang, 69, has held a number of prominent positions since starting work for the Chinese Communist Party in the 1980s as a policy researcher.
He became mayor of Beijing during the Sars outbreak there in 2003, and was executive chair of the city's Olympic committee ahead of the 2008 games.
In 2007, he joined China's Politburo and in 2009 became then-president Hu Jintao's chief negotiator in trade talks with the US.
Former US treasury secretary Henry Paulson described him at the time as "decisive and inquisitive", and possessing a "wicked sense of humour".
Wang Qishan has held several posts, most significantly leading China's anti-corruption campaign
However, Mr Wang is best known for his most recent post - leading China's anti-corruption investigation.
The campaign, controlled by Mr Wang as head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, was launched in 2012 under the then newly appointed party leader, Xi Jinping.
Charting China's 'great purge' under Xi
During President Xi's first five years in office, 1.34 million officials at high and low levels - people Mr Xi disparaged as "tigers and flies" - were brought down by corruption and disciplinary charges.
Mr Wang, reportedly a friend of Mr Xi's from their youth, led the charge - becoming a feared enforcer for the Xi administration.
What does his promotion mean?
The end of term limits and the choice of such a prominent party member as Mr Wang could mean a change in what the role represents, analysts say.
Mr Wang's experience negotiating with the US on economics is significant, given US President Donald Trump's plans for tariffs.
China 'won't sit by' in Trump trade war
What could China do in a US trade war?
Hua Po, an independent Chinese political commentator, told AFP news agency his appointment may be to allow Mr Wang and Mr Xi to combat President Trump, adding: "Maybe they'll be able to come up with a solution for this massive brewing storm with America about imbalances and tariffs."
And his closeness to President Xi could mean he will make the position his own.
The pair have reportedly known each other since their youth
Speaking to the New York Times, researcher Wu Qiang who was formerly at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, said Mr Wang is "one of the most important figures" in President Xi's administration.
"Wang Qishan will add substance to the role of vice-president," he said.
"The amendment of the constitution has raised the status of the presidency, and the vice-presidency will also benefit from that."
China anti-corruption chief Wang Qishan named Xi Jinping's deputy
Wang Qishan, left, shakes hands with President Xi Jinping after becoming his deputy
China's parliament has endorsed Xi Jinping for a second term and appointed Wang Qishan as his vice-president.
The ballot at the National People's Congress unanimously approved Mr Xi while Mr Wang received 2,969 votes in favour and only one against.
Wang Qishan was previously in charge of corruption investigations in China.
He is a longstanding ally of President Xi and his elevation is being seen as a further consolidation of the Chinese leader's power.
The recent abolition of term limits for the Chinese presidency extends to the vice-presidency, giving the position greater significance than before.
China's constitution allows the vice-president to "assist" in his superior's work and to carry out presidential duties on his behalf - meaning Wang Qishan, possibly in his role for life, could be far more than the figurehead his predecessors were.
China approves 'president for life' change
What if Xi Jinping is president for life?
Who is Wang Qishan?
Mr Wang, 69, has held a number of prominent positions since starting work for the Chinese Communist Party in the 1980s as a policy researcher.
He became mayor of Beijing during the Sars outbreak there in 2003, and was executive chair of the city's Olympic committee ahead of the 2008 games.
In 2007, he joined China's Politburo and in 2009 became then-president Hu Jintao's chief negotiator in trade talks with the US.
Former US treasury secretary Henry Paulson described him at the time as "decisive and inquisitive", and possessing a "wicked sense of humour".
Wang Qishan has held several posts, most significantly leading China's anti-corruption campaign
However, Mr Wang is best known for his most recent post - leading China's anti-corruption investigation.
The campaign, controlled by Mr Wang as head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, was launched in 2012 under the then newly appointed party leader, Xi Jinping.
Charting China's 'great purge' under Xi
During President Xi's first five years in office, 1.34 million officials at high and low levels - people Mr Xi disparaged as "tigers and flies" - were brought down by corruption and disciplinary charges.
Mr Wang, reportedly a friend of Mr Xi's from their youth, led the charge - becoming a feared enforcer for the Xi administration.
What does his promotion mean?
The end of term limits and the choice of such a prominent party member as Mr Wang could mean a change in what the role represents, analysts say.
Mr Wang's experience negotiating with the US on economics is significant, given US President Donald Trump's plans for tariffs.
China 'won't sit by' in Trump trade war
What could China do in a US trade war?
Hua Po, an independent Chinese political commentator, told AFP news agency his appointment may be to allow Mr Wang and Mr Xi to combat President Trump, adding: "Maybe they'll be able to come up with a solution for this massive brewing storm with America about imbalances and tariffs."
And his closeness to President Xi could mean he will make the position his own.
The pair have reportedly known each other since their youth
Speaking to the New York Times, researcher Wu Qiang who was formerly at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, said Mr Wang is "one of the most important figures" in President Xi's administration.
"Wang Qishan will add substance to the role of vice-president," he said.
"The amendment of the constitution has raised the status of the presidency, and the vice-presidency will also benefit from that."
Hacker who gave up Wikileaks source dies - BBC News
Hacker who gave up Wikileaks source dies
Dave Lee
North America technology reporter
17 March 2018
Adrian Lamo was behind hack attacks on Microsoft and the New York Times
Adrian Lamo, a computer hacker best known for passing on information that led to the arrest of Chelsea Manning, has died aged 37.
In online messaging conversations, Manning confided in him, describing confidential military material Manning had sent to Wikileaks.
Wikileaks published the video of a US helicopter strike that killed seven people, including a journalist working for the Reuters news agency.
The cause of Lamo’s death, confirmed to the BBC by the Sedgwick County coroner in Kansas, has not yet been made public.
On Facebook, his father Mario wrote: “With great sadness and a broken heart I have to let know all of Adrian's friends and acquittances [sic] that he is dead. A bright mind and compassionate soul is gone, he was my beloved son.”
Lamo's own record as a hacker included some high-profile targets, such as Microsoft and the New York Times.
'Thrust upon me'
Speaking to the Guardian newspaper in 2011, Lamo described his decision to give up Manning as “not one I decided to make, but was thrust upon me”.
Lamo said he would have "lasting regret" if Manning was handed a long sentence.
Manning, known at the time as Bradley Manning, was eventually sentenced to 35 years in prison. However, President Barack Obama later commuted her sentence and she was released in May 2017.
She is now attempting to become the Senator for Maryland, her home state.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange on Friday described Lamo as a “petty conman and betrayer of basic human decency”.
Dave Lee
North America technology reporter
17 March 2018
Adrian Lamo was behind hack attacks on Microsoft and the New York Times
Adrian Lamo, a computer hacker best known for passing on information that led to the arrest of Chelsea Manning, has died aged 37.
In online messaging conversations, Manning confided in him, describing confidential military material Manning had sent to Wikileaks.
Wikileaks published the video of a US helicopter strike that killed seven people, including a journalist working for the Reuters news agency.
The cause of Lamo’s death, confirmed to the BBC by the Sedgwick County coroner in Kansas, has not yet been made public.
On Facebook, his father Mario wrote: “With great sadness and a broken heart I have to let know all of Adrian's friends and acquittances [sic] that he is dead. A bright mind and compassionate soul is gone, he was my beloved son.”
Lamo's own record as a hacker included some high-profile targets, such as Microsoft and the New York Times.
'Thrust upon me'
Speaking to the Guardian newspaper in 2011, Lamo described his decision to give up Manning as “not one I decided to make, but was thrust upon me”.
Lamo said he would have "lasting regret" if Manning was handed a long sentence.
Manning, known at the time as Bradley Manning, was eventually sentenced to 35 years in prison. However, President Barack Obama later commuted her sentence and she was released in May 2017.
She is now attempting to become the Senator for Maryland, her home state.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange on Friday described Lamo as a “petty conman and betrayer of basic human decency”.
Russia spy poisoning: 23 UK diplomats expelled from Moscow - BBC News
17/3/2018
Russia spy poisoning: 23 UK diplomats expelled from Moscow
Britain's ambassador to Russia, Laurie Bristow, was summoned to Russia's foreign ministry
Russia is to expel 23 British diplomats amid tensions over the nerve agent attack on a former spy and his daughter in the UK.
The Russian foreign ministry said staff from the UK's Moscow embassy would be expelled within a week.
It also said it would close the British Council in Russia, which promotes cultural ties between the nations, and the British Consulate in St Petersburg.
The move comes in response to Britain's decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats.
They were ordered to leave over the incident on 4 March which the UK government has blamed on Russia - but which Russia denies.
The UK Foreign Office said in a statement that it had "anticipated a response of this kind" from Russia and the National Security Council would meet early next week to consider its next steps.
What we know so far
Why does UK think it was Russia?
What are Novichok agents and what do they do?
Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, remain critically ill in hospital, after they were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
The UK government says they were poisoned with a nerve agent of a type developed by Russia called Novichok, and PM Theresa May has said she believes Moscow is "culpable".
Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, are in a critical condition in hospital
On Friday, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was "overwhelmingly likely" that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the nerve agent attack.
Responding, Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the accusations were "shocking and unforgivable".
Media caption"Our quarrel is with Putin's Kremlin," Boris Johnson says.
Britain's ambassador to Russia, Laurie Bristow, was summoned to Russia's foreign ministry on Saturday and was handed Russia's response to the UK's sanctions.
Mr Bristow, after leaving the meeting, said that the UK had no quarrel with the Russian people and would "always do what is necessary to defend ourselves".
Analysis
By Sarah Rainsford, BBC Moscow correspondent
The British ambassador had been expecting this call for three days.
In the end, he spent just over 10 minutes in the foreign ministry where he was handed Russia's counter-sanctions.
The response from Moscow is robust and does go further than the UK measures. But it doesn't appear calculated to escalate tensions.
The ministry has stuck to 23 for 23 in terms of diplomatic expulsions, no more.
And while it is ordering the closure of the UK consulate in St Petersburg - both Moscow and Ekaterinburg remain open.
Russia's response has also targeted the British Council, which promotes cultural ties.
That will be seen by Britain as a low blow, hurting the Russian people - not the British government. But the UK is unlikely to want to retaliate in kind.
The council's activity here had already been significantly curtailed by Moscow after the last crisis in relations, when Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned.
Meanwhile, the double tactic of denial and distraction here continues, both in comments by officials, and in the mocking, dismissive coverage of the Skripal case on state-run media.
The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement that the British diplomats would be "declared persona non grata", adding that it "reserves the right to introduce other retaliatory measures in case of further unfriendly actions".
It said it was responding to "provocative actions" by Britain - and "unproven accusations" that the Russian state was behind the poisoning.
A look around Porton Down, Britain's military research base in to chemical and biological attacks
A Downing Street spokesman said the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had been invited to come to the UK to take a sample of the nerve agent.
Conspiracy theories and denial in Russia
UK Russia response going to plan so far
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police have launched a murder investigation into the death of businessman and Kremlin critic Nikolai Glushkov - a Russian exile who was found dead in his south-London home on Monday.
A post-mortem examination found the 68-year-old died from "compression to the neck".
Police say there is no evidence at this stage linking his case with the Salisbury attack.
However, they have begun to contact a number of Russian exiles to discuss their safety as they investigate the murder.
Russia has also opened criminal investigations into "the murder" of Nikolai Glushkov, and the "attempted murder" of Ms Skripal and her father.
Russia spy poisoning: 23 UK diplomats expelled from Moscow
Britain's ambassador to Russia, Laurie Bristow, was summoned to Russia's foreign ministry
Russia is to expel 23 British diplomats amid tensions over the nerve agent attack on a former spy and his daughter in the UK.
The Russian foreign ministry said staff from the UK's Moscow embassy would be expelled within a week.
It also said it would close the British Council in Russia, which promotes cultural ties between the nations, and the British Consulate in St Petersburg.
The move comes in response to Britain's decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats.
They were ordered to leave over the incident on 4 March which the UK government has blamed on Russia - but which Russia denies.
The UK Foreign Office said in a statement that it had "anticipated a response of this kind" from Russia and the National Security Council would meet early next week to consider its next steps.
What we know so far
Why does UK think it was Russia?
What are Novichok agents and what do they do?
Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, remain critically ill in hospital, after they were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
The UK government says they were poisoned with a nerve agent of a type developed by Russia called Novichok, and PM Theresa May has said she believes Moscow is "culpable".
Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, are in a critical condition in hospital
On Friday, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was "overwhelmingly likely" that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the nerve agent attack.
Responding, Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the accusations were "shocking and unforgivable".
Media caption"Our quarrel is with Putin's Kremlin," Boris Johnson says.
Britain's ambassador to Russia, Laurie Bristow, was summoned to Russia's foreign ministry on Saturday and was handed Russia's response to the UK's sanctions.
Mr Bristow, after leaving the meeting, said that the UK had no quarrel with the Russian people and would "always do what is necessary to defend ourselves".
Analysis
By Sarah Rainsford, BBC Moscow correspondent
The British ambassador had been expecting this call for three days.
In the end, he spent just over 10 minutes in the foreign ministry where he was handed Russia's counter-sanctions.
The response from Moscow is robust and does go further than the UK measures. But it doesn't appear calculated to escalate tensions.
The ministry has stuck to 23 for 23 in terms of diplomatic expulsions, no more.
And while it is ordering the closure of the UK consulate in St Petersburg - both Moscow and Ekaterinburg remain open.
Russia's response has also targeted the British Council, which promotes cultural ties.
That will be seen by Britain as a low blow, hurting the Russian people - not the British government. But the UK is unlikely to want to retaliate in kind.
The council's activity here had already been significantly curtailed by Moscow after the last crisis in relations, when Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned.
Meanwhile, the double tactic of denial and distraction here continues, both in comments by officials, and in the mocking, dismissive coverage of the Skripal case on state-run media.
The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement that the British diplomats would be "declared persona non grata", adding that it "reserves the right to introduce other retaliatory measures in case of further unfriendly actions".
It said it was responding to "provocative actions" by Britain - and "unproven accusations" that the Russian state was behind the poisoning.
A look around Porton Down, Britain's military research base in to chemical and biological attacks
A Downing Street spokesman said the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had been invited to come to the UK to take a sample of the nerve agent.
Conspiracy theories and denial in Russia
UK Russia response going to plan so far
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police have launched a murder investigation into the death of businessman and Kremlin critic Nikolai Glushkov - a Russian exile who was found dead in his south-London home on Monday.
A post-mortem examination found the 68-year-old died from "compression to the neck".
Police say there is no evidence at this stage linking his case with the Salisbury attack.
However, they have begun to contact a number of Russian exiles to discuss their safety as they investigate the murder.
Russia has also opened criminal investigations into "the murder" of Nikolai Glushkov, and the "attempted murder" of Ms Skripal and her father.
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