Roger Stone to Trump: Don’t fire Mueller
By PIERRE THOMAS ALI DUKAKIS Apr 11, 2018, 7:04 PM ET
President Donald Trump's longtime friend Roger Stone says the president should resist any urge to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the probe into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign during the U.S. presidential election in 2016.
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“I actually think from a political point of view that the termination of Mr. Mueller would probably give the Democrats the firestorm they're looking for,” Stone told ABC News in an interview Wednesday. “I would not recommend that,” he added.
Stone, a self-described “dirty trickster” and controversial figure in American politics, did say he believes the President should fire both Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is overseeing Mueller’s probe.
“I'm not recommending the firing of Mr. Mueller, but I am recommending a housecleaning at his Justice Department,” Stone said.
Roger Stone speaks at the Pasadena Convention Center on July 30, 2017 in Pasadena, Calif.
A decades-long friend of Trump, Stone is a veteran GOP political operative who worked with Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan and partnered with embattled former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort at the outside political consultant firm Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly throughout the 1980s.
The youngest person to testify in the Senate Watergate hearings, Stone is known - for among other things - the tattoo of Nixon's face on his back.
Stone served as an adviser to Trump’s 2016 campaign but left amid controversy in 2015. He currently serves as a key contributor to alt-right Alex Jones' radio and YouTube media platform InfoWars. The notorious political provocateur's life was recently documented in a 2016 Netflix documentary, "Get Me Roger Stone," which focused on Stone's eccentric political career.
Asked if he thought Trump could survive in Washington’s current political climate if he fired both his attorney general and deputy attorney general, Stone told ABC News he thought the sound economy and positive movement in relations with North Korea would protect the president.
“America is back and I think that increases the president's leverage,” Stone said. “And I also think it makes the American people recognize this for the partisan witch hunt that it is.”
Stone's comments come amid renewed scrutiny about the political strategist’s alleged contact with Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange in the summer of 2016 after Stone had left the Trump campaign – which is believed to be of interest in the special counsel’s investigation.
Stone has said he had no prior knowledge about the hacking of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta's email or the release of those emails by WikiLeaks, despite tweeting about Podesta's "time in the barrel" in late August of 2016 before the messages appeared online two months later.
In September, Stone spoke to the House Intelligence Committee for more than three hours as part of the panel's probe into Russian interference in the election. Afterward, he told reporters that the majority of lawmakers' questions focused on his communications with Guccifer 2.0, the unnamed hacker who has taken credit for breaking into Democratic National Committee email servers. He said questions also focused on communications he had through an intermediary with Assange.
Last month, Stone told ABC News that reports he met with WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange during the U.S. presidential election in 2016 are “provably false," Stone told ABC News in March.
On Wednesday, Stone stood by his earlier claim that he’s had no contact with the WikiLeaks publisher, telling ABC News he has not met with, spoken with, texted or emailed with Assange.
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Mike Pompeo, Trump's pick for secretary of state, to tell senators years of soft US policy toward Russia 'now over' - Fox News
April 11, 2018
Mike Pompeo, Trump's pick for secretary of state, to tell senators years of soft US policy toward Russia 'now over'
By Frank Miles | Fox News
Mike Pompeo: Russian aggression enabled by soft policy
Fox News obtained excerpts of Mike Pompeo's opening remarks to be delivered at his confirmation hearing to be secretary of state; Rich Edson reports from the State Department.
Mike Pompeo, whom President Trump chose for his next secretary of state, is expected to tell the Senate during his confirmation hearing Thursday that years of soft policy toward Russian aggression are “now over.”
According to his prepared remarks obtained Wednesday by Fox News from a senior Trump administration official, Pompeo will chastise Russia for acting “aggressively” and emphasize that the national security strategy of the Trump administration considers Russia “a danger to our country.”
He also will say that diplomatic efforts with Moscow, while challenging, “must continue.”
Pompeo, currently the CIA director, will vow to promote democracy and human rights while stressing America’s “duty to lead,” according to the remarks, despite Trump’s vows to put “America first.”
“If we do not lead the calls for democracy, prosperity and human rights around the world, who will?” Pompeo plans to say. “No other nation is equipped with the same blend of power and principle.”
Pompeo’s remarks Thursday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will be the first chance for lawmakers and the public to hear directly from the former Kansas congressman about his approach to diplomacy and the role of the State Department, should he be confirmed to replace Rex Tillerson.
Pompeo likely to face a tough confirmation hearing for secretary of state. Rich Edson reports from the State Department.
Pompeo’s views on global issues are well known — he was questioned extensively by senators for his confirmation to run the CIA — but Democratic senators have raised questions about his fitness to be the top American diplomat, given some of his past comments.
“When journalists, most of whom have never met me, label me — or any of you — as ‘hawks,’ ‘war hardliners,’ or worse, I shake my head,” the former Army officer is expected to say. “There are few who dread war more than those of us who have served in uniform.”
The remarks continue, “War is always the last resort.”
GEN. ZINNI, ADM. STAVRIDIS: WHAT POMPEO MUST DO FIRST IF CONFIRMED
Pompeo’s chief goal Thursday is said to be convincing senators that he intends to strengthen the State Department.
Pompeo wants to ensure the State Department is a relevant player in national security policy, a source close to him told Fox News. The source, who wasn’t authorized to comment by name and requested anonymity, said Pompeo promises a relevant State Department that will find “its swagger once again.”
Pompeo is expected to say that as he met with State Department workers recently, they all said they wanted to be “empowered in their roles” and clear about Trump’s mission.
“They also shared how demoralizing it is to have so many vacancies and frankly, not to feel relevant. I’ll do my part to end the vacancies, but I’ll need your help.”
Since being nominated last month, Pompeo has spent much of his time at the State Department immersing himself in briefing books and undergoing mock hearings and prep meetings on key issues like Iran, Syria and North Korea, as well as the inner workings of the State Department, a person close to Pompeo said.
He’s also spoken to all eight living former secretaries — including Hillary Clinton, whom he famously criticized over the deadly 2012 attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya.
Rep. Mike Gallagher: Kim is 'a rouge dictator and maniac.'
Pompeo’s questioning by senators comes amid spiraling tensions with Russia over Syria and China over trade; concerns about the planned summit between Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un; and uncertainty over the administration’s international agenda.
He’ll tell the Senate that he’s read CIA histories of past talks with North Korea and is confident that Trump won’t repeat past mistakes, according to the remarks.
“President Trump isn’t one to play games at the negotiating table, and I won’t be either,” he plans to say.
The Republican also is expected to pledge to make it “an immediate personal priority” to work with U.S. allies to try to “fix” the Iran nuclear deal.
Pompeo plans to say: “The stakes are high for everyone, but especially Tehran. If confirmed in time, I look forward to engaging key Allies on this crucial and time-sensitive topic at the G7 Ministerial Meeting on April 22, and the NATO Ministerial Meeting later that week.”
Trump has vowed to withdraw from the accord if agreement with European allies to revamp the deal can’t be reached by May 12.
Trump announced Pompeo’s nomination to become the 70th secretary of state in the same March 13 tweet in which he dumped Tillerson. “He will do a fantastic job,” Trump said at the time, confirming months of speculation that the largely sidelined Tillerson was out of a job and would be replaced by Pompeo, who is known to have the president’s ear and respect and shares his opposition to the Iran nuclear deal.
Pompeo, who was confirmed for the CIA job by a 66-32 vote, developed a reputation for being more outwardly political than many past directors of the traditionally apolitical agency. He developed a visibly close relationship with the president, traveling to the White House on most days to deliver the highly classified President’s Daily Brief in person rather than leaving the task to other intelligence officials. Often Trump would have the CIA director stay in the West Wing after the briefing to accompany him to other meetings.
Fox News’ Rich Edson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mike Pompeo, Trump's pick for secretary of state, to tell senators years of soft US policy toward Russia 'now over'
By Frank Miles | Fox News
Mike Pompeo: Russian aggression enabled by soft policy
Fox News obtained excerpts of Mike Pompeo's opening remarks to be delivered at his confirmation hearing to be secretary of state; Rich Edson reports from the State Department.
Mike Pompeo, whom President Trump chose for his next secretary of state, is expected to tell the Senate during his confirmation hearing Thursday that years of soft policy toward Russian aggression are “now over.”
According to his prepared remarks obtained Wednesday by Fox News from a senior Trump administration official, Pompeo will chastise Russia for acting “aggressively” and emphasize that the national security strategy of the Trump administration considers Russia “a danger to our country.”
He also will say that diplomatic efforts with Moscow, while challenging, “must continue.”
Pompeo, currently the CIA director, will vow to promote democracy and human rights while stressing America’s “duty to lead,” according to the remarks, despite Trump’s vows to put “America first.”
“If we do not lead the calls for democracy, prosperity and human rights around the world, who will?” Pompeo plans to say. “No other nation is equipped with the same blend of power and principle.”
Pompeo’s remarks Thursday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will be the first chance for lawmakers and the public to hear directly from the former Kansas congressman about his approach to diplomacy and the role of the State Department, should he be confirmed to replace Rex Tillerson.
Pompeo likely to face a tough confirmation hearing for secretary of state. Rich Edson reports from the State Department.
Pompeo’s views on global issues are well known — he was questioned extensively by senators for his confirmation to run the CIA — but Democratic senators have raised questions about his fitness to be the top American diplomat, given some of his past comments.
“When journalists, most of whom have never met me, label me — or any of you — as ‘hawks,’ ‘war hardliners,’ or worse, I shake my head,” the former Army officer is expected to say. “There are few who dread war more than those of us who have served in uniform.”
The remarks continue, “War is always the last resort.”
GEN. ZINNI, ADM. STAVRIDIS: WHAT POMPEO MUST DO FIRST IF CONFIRMED
Pompeo’s chief goal Thursday is said to be convincing senators that he intends to strengthen the State Department.
Pompeo wants to ensure the State Department is a relevant player in national security policy, a source close to him told Fox News. The source, who wasn’t authorized to comment by name and requested anonymity, said Pompeo promises a relevant State Department that will find “its swagger once again.”
Pompeo is expected to say that as he met with State Department workers recently, they all said they wanted to be “empowered in their roles” and clear about Trump’s mission.
“They also shared how demoralizing it is to have so many vacancies and frankly, not to feel relevant. I’ll do my part to end the vacancies, but I’ll need your help.”
Since being nominated last month, Pompeo has spent much of his time at the State Department immersing himself in briefing books and undergoing mock hearings and prep meetings on key issues like Iran, Syria and North Korea, as well as the inner workings of the State Department, a person close to Pompeo said.
He’s also spoken to all eight living former secretaries — including Hillary Clinton, whom he famously criticized over the deadly 2012 attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya.
Rep. Mike Gallagher: Kim is 'a rouge dictator and maniac.'
Pompeo’s questioning by senators comes amid spiraling tensions with Russia over Syria and China over trade; concerns about the planned summit between Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un; and uncertainty over the administration’s international agenda.
He’ll tell the Senate that he’s read CIA histories of past talks with North Korea and is confident that Trump won’t repeat past mistakes, according to the remarks.
“President Trump isn’t one to play games at the negotiating table, and I won’t be either,” he plans to say.
The Republican also is expected to pledge to make it “an immediate personal priority” to work with U.S. allies to try to “fix” the Iran nuclear deal.
Pompeo plans to say: “The stakes are high for everyone, but especially Tehran. If confirmed in time, I look forward to engaging key Allies on this crucial and time-sensitive topic at the G7 Ministerial Meeting on April 22, and the NATO Ministerial Meeting later that week.”
Trump has vowed to withdraw from the accord if agreement with European allies to revamp the deal can’t be reached by May 12.
Trump announced Pompeo’s nomination to become the 70th secretary of state in the same March 13 tweet in which he dumped Tillerson. “He will do a fantastic job,” Trump said at the time, confirming months of speculation that the largely sidelined Tillerson was out of a job and would be replaced by Pompeo, who is known to have the president’s ear and respect and shares his opposition to the Iran nuclear deal.
Pompeo, who was confirmed for the CIA job by a 66-32 vote, developed a reputation for being more outwardly political than many past directors of the traditionally apolitical agency. He developed a visibly close relationship with the president, traveling to the White House on most days to deliver the highly classified President’s Daily Brief in person rather than leaving the task to other intelligence officials. Often Trump would have the CIA director stay in the West Wing after the briefing to accompany him to other meetings.
Fox News’ Rich Edson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump tried to call out Obama for going to Syria, now his old tweets are coming back to haunt him - Independent
April 12, 2018
Trump tried to call out Obama for going to Syria, now his old tweets are coming back to haunt him
Posted by Louis Staples in news
UPVOTE
President Donald Trump has turned disagreeing with Barack Obama into an art.
Though after images of children injured by chemical attacks in Syria shocked the world, Trump has responded in a remarkably similar way to his predecessor.
Trump’s warning that US missiles "will be coming" to Syria follows in Obama’s footsteps, after the former US president launched missiles against the Syrian government in 2013.
But there’s just one problem.
As ever, Trump heavily criticised Obama on Twitter for his choice to launch missiles against Syria, despite the fact that he now plans to do virtually the same thing.
In 2013, Trump argued that the US should "stay the hell out of Syria" and criticised the administration for "broadcasting" its strategy.
Trump also wrote:
For the first time in the history of military operations a country has broadcast what, when and where they will be doing in a future attack!
He added:
Who are our generals that are allowing this fiasco to happen right before our eyes. Call it the 'PLENTY OF NOTICE WAR'
Here are some other gems.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
AGAIN, TO OUR VERY FOOLISH LEADER, DO NOT ATTACK SYRIA - IF YOU DO MANY VERY BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN & FROM THAT FIGHT THE U.S. GETS NOTHING!
11:20 PM - Sep 5, 2013
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
The situation with Russia is much more dangerous than most people may think - and could lead to World War III. WE NEED GREAT LEADERSHIP FAST
9:23 PM - Mar 22, 2014
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Replying to @Walaa3ssaf
@walaa_3ssaf No, dopey, I would not go into Syria, but if I did it would be by surprise and not blurted all over the media like fools.
10:09 PM - Aug 29, 2013 · Manhattan, NY
Since becoming president, Trump has frequently relayed US military strategy to the press.
Last year, after another deadly chemical weapons attack on civilians in Syria, he authorised a military strike on a Syrian government airbase. The previous day, Trump suggested that his attitude towards Syria changed after seeing images of the aftermath of the chemical attack.
But he also added:
One of the things I think you've noticed about me is, militarily, I don't like to say where I'm going and what I doing.
Trump tried to call out Obama for going to Syria, now his old tweets are coming back to haunt him
Posted by Louis Staples in news
UPVOTE
President Donald Trump has turned disagreeing with Barack Obama into an art.
Though after images of children injured by chemical attacks in Syria shocked the world, Trump has responded in a remarkably similar way to his predecessor.
Trump’s warning that US missiles "will be coming" to Syria follows in Obama’s footsteps, after the former US president launched missiles against the Syrian government in 2013.
But there’s just one problem.
As ever, Trump heavily criticised Obama on Twitter for his choice to launch missiles against Syria, despite the fact that he now plans to do virtually the same thing.
In 2013, Trump argued that the US should "stay the hell out of Syria" and criticised the administration for "broadcasting" its strategy.
Trump also wrote:
For the first time in the history of military operations a country has broadcast what, when and where they will be doing in a future attack!
He added:
Who are our generals that are allowing this fiasco to happen right before our eyes. Call it the 'PLENTY OF NOTICE WAR'
Here are some other gems.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
AGAIN, TO OUR VERY FOOLISH LEADER, DO NOT ATTACK SYRIA - IF YOU DO MANY VERY BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN & FROM THAT FIGHT THE U.S. GETS NOTHING!
11:20 PM - Sep 5, 2013
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
The situation with Russia is much more dangerous than most people may think - and could lead to World War III. WE NEED GREAT LEADERSHIP FAST
9:23 PM - Mar 22, 2014
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Replying to @Walaa3ssaf
@walaa_3ssaf No, dopey, I would not go into Syria, but if I did it would be by surprise and not blurted all over the media like fools.
10:09 PM - Aug 29, 2013 · Manhattan, NY
Since becoming president, Trump has frequently relayed US military strategy to the press.
Last year, after another deadly chemical weapons attack on civilians in Syria, he authorised a military strike on a Syrian government airbase. The previous day, Trump suggested that his attitude towards Syria changed after seeing images of the aftermath of the chemical attack.
But he also added:
One of the things I think you've noticed about me is, militarily, I don't like to say where I'm going and what I doing.
Google's New App Speeds Up the Internet in Places Where It's the Slowest - Fortune
April 11, 2018
Google's New App Speeds Up the Internet in Places Where It's the Slowest
By BLOOMBERG 6:39 AM EDT
Google (GOOGL, -1.22%) is releasing an app in Africa that will help internet users overcome obstacles such as the lack of high-speed connectivity and the cost of data on the continent.
The release of Google Go is the U.S. technology giant’s latest attempt to extend its reach into emerging markets such as sub-Saharan Africa, where Facebook (FB, +0.91%) is also making inroads. The Alphabet unit has laid fiber-optic cable on the continent, eased access to cheaper Android phones and trained a workforce in digital skills.
The new app reduces the amount of data needed to display search results by 40% and allows previous searches to be accessed offline. The internet giant has also adapted the voice function to work better on slow connections, and has partnered with pan-African wireless carriers MTN Group and Vodacom Group to make it work on even basic 2G connections, according to Google Africa Chief Marketing Officer Mzamo Masito.
“Weak data connectivity, high data costs and low storage space often make it hard for people to get the most out of the internet,” he told reporters on Thursday. “Google Go is built to handle these challenges.”
U.S. tech giants see Africa as a relatively untapped market for smartphones and services such as web search and social media. Younger consumers in sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly demanding quicker internet speeds and cheaper phones to go about their business, while MTN and Vodacom see the digital space as their fastest-growing market.
The new app will be available in 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and will be pre-installed on all Android Oreo devices. The company also plans to make it available in other emerging markets, including India, Brazil and Indonesia, Masito said in an interview.
Google's New App Speeds Up the Internet in Places Where It's the Slowest
By BLOOMBERG 6:39 AM EDT
Google (GOOGL, -1.22%) is releasing an app in Africa that will help internet users overcome obstacles such as the lack of high-speed connectivity and the cost of data on the continent.
The release of Google Go is the U.S. technology giant’s latest attempt to extend its reach into emerging markets such as sub-Saharan Africa, where Facebook (FB, +0.91%) is also making inroads. The Alphabet unit has laid fiber-optic cable on the continent, eased access to cheaper Android phones and trained a workforce in digital skills.
The new app reduces the amount of data needed to display search results by 40% and allows previous searches to be accessed offline. The internet giant has also adapted the voice function to work better on slow connections, and has partnered with pan-African wireless carriers MTN Group and Vodacom Group to make it work on even basic 2G connections, according to Google Africa Chief Marketing Officer Mzamo Masito.
“Weak data connectivity, high data costs and low storage space often make it hard for people to get the most out of the internet,” he told reporters on Thursday. “Google Go is built to handle these challenges.”
U.S. tech giants see Africa as a relatively untapped market for smartphones and services such as web search and social media. Younger consumers in sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly demanding quicker internet speeds and cheaper phones to go about their business, while MTN and Vodacom see the digital space as their fastest-growing market.
The new app will be available in 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and will be pre-installed on all Android Oreo devices. The company also plans to make it available in other emerging markets, including India, Brazil and Indonesia, Masito said in an interview.
This Is the Richest ZIP Code in America—and the Average Income Is $2.5 Million - TIME Business
This Is the Richest ZIP Code in America—and the Average Income Is $2.5 Million
Posted: 10 Apr 2018 07:20 AM PDT
The richest ZIP code in America is just as exclusive and elite as the people who live there. Fisher Island, located just off the coast of Miami, is accessible only by ferry or water taxi and is a haven for the world’s richest.
The 216-acre island has diverse residents, representing over 50 nationalities and professions ranging from professional athletes and supermodels to executives and lawyers.
The average income in Fisher Island, ZIP code 33109, was $2.5 million in 2015, according to a Bloomberg analysis of 2015 Internal Revenue Service data. That’s $1 million more than the second-place spot, held by ZIP code 94027 in Silicon Valley, also known as the City of Atherton on the San Francisco Peninsula. The area’s neighbors include Stanford University and Menlo Park, home to Facebook and various tech companies. While the IRS data only provide the averages of tax returns, which can be skewed by outliers, Fisher Island is the only ZIP code in the Bloomberg analysis where more than half of all tax returns showed an income of over $200,000.
To no one’s surprise, neighborhoods in California and the New York tri-state area comprise a majority of the top 20 richest U.S. ZIP codes. States with favorable tax structures like Florida and Wyoming are drawing the wealthy, too.
Bloomberg evaluated IRS data for ZIP codes with more than 200 tax returns as of the 2015 filing season, and with 500 residential households according to the latest Census tally. More than 22,000 ZIP codes met the criteria.
This is America's richest zip code https://t.co/uUSu8Qc130 pic.twitter.com/LeQviOZ8A1
— Bloomberg Economics (@economics) April 10, 2018
Who didn’t make the top 20? Any of the ZIP codes in Manhattan. However, several Manhattan neighborhoods made the top 50, starting with the venerable ZIP code of 10005 at No. 21 on the list. This one is home to the New York Stock Exchange and sits at the edge of the iconic “Charging Bull” sculpture.
Two other ZIP codes in Florida — Palm Beach (home of President Trump’s private club) and Naples — made the top 20. Suburbs of Seattle, Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston also landed in the highest spots.
Tax Write-Offs
With high incomes come large tax write-offs. Fisher Island had an average of $448,100 in itemized deductions in 2015, according to IRS data.
For many high-net-worth individuals, charitable contributions make up the biggest share of tax deductions, according to Joseph Falanga, managing director of UHY Advisors, an accounting firm in New York.
The ZIP code that took the most advantage of tax deductions in 2015 was 94301 in Palo Alto, California, where the average deduction was $491,600. Fisher Island had smaller average deductions relative to its income size than other ZIP codes and that’s likely because Florida has no income tax, so its residents can’t take deductions from that category. On the other hand, California has a top marginal income tax rate of 13.3 percent, the highest in the country.
But deductions for the very wealthy could look a lot different this year because of the new tax cut legislation, according to Falanga.
Deductions for state and local income tax have been curtailed to a maximum of $10,000. Before the new legislation, these deductions were unlimited. Limits on charitable contribution deductions have increased to 60 percent of gross income from 50 percent. That is just for cash contributions and does not include foundations, stocks, or artwork, which have different hurdles, said Falanga.
Falanga’s clients include ultra-high-net-worth individuals and high-income people. He said he doesn’t know how the recent tax legislation will affect them.
“I haven’t seen them change, but they have been curious about what’s going on,” Falanga said. “And to a certain extent, some of them will be paying more.”
Posted: 10 Apr 2018 07:20 AM PDT
The richest ZIP code in America is just as exclusive and elite as the people who live there. Fisher Island, located just off the coast of Miami, is accessible only by ferry or water taxi and is a haven for the world’s richest.
The 216-acre island has diverse residents, representing over 50 nationalities and professions ranging from professional athletes and supermodels to executives and lawyers.
The average income in Fisher Island, ZIP code 33109, was $2.5 million in 2015, according to a Bloomberg analysis of 2015 Internal Revenue Service data. That’s $1 million more than the second-place spot, held by ZIP code 94027 in Silicon Valley, also known as the City of Atherton on the San Francisco Peninsula. The area’s neighbors include Stanford University and Menlo Park, home to Facebook and various tech companies. While the IRS data only provide the averages of tax returns, which can be skewed by outliers, Fisher Island is the only ZIP code in the Bloomberg analysis where more than half of all tax returns showed an income of over $200,000.
To no one’s surprise, neighborhoods in California and the New York tri-state area comprise a majority of the top 20 richest U.S. ZIP codes. States with favorable tax structures like Florida and Wyoming are drawing the wealthy, too.
Bloomberg evaluated IRS data for ZIP codes with more than 200 tax returns as of the 2015 filing season, and with 500 residential households according to the latest Census tally. More than 22,000 ZIP codes met the criteria.
This is America's richest zip code https://t.co/uUSu8Qc130 pic.twitter.com/LeQviOZ8A1
— Bloomberg Economics (@economics) April 10, 2018
Who didn’t make the top 20? Any of the ZIP codes in Manhattan. However, several Manhattan neighborhoods made the top 50, starting with the venerable ZIP code of 10005 at No. 21 on the list. This one is home to the New York Stock Exchange and sits at the edge of the iconic “Charging Bull” sculpture.
Two other ZIP codes in Florida — Palm Beach (home of President Trump’s private club) and Naples — made the top 20. Suburbs of Seattle, Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston also landed in the highest spots.
Tax Write-Offs
With high incomes come large tax write-offs. Fisher Island had an average of $448,100 in itemized deductions in 2015, according to IRS data.
For many high-net-worth individuals, charitable contributions make up the biggest share of tax deductions, according to Joseph Falanga, managing director of UHY Advisors, an accounting firm in New York.
The ZIP code that took the most advantage of tax deductions in 2015 was 94301 in Palo Alto, California, where the average deduction was $491,600. Fisher Island had smaller average deductions relative to its income size than other ZIP codes and that’s likely because Florida has no income tax, so its residents can’t take deductions from that category. On the other hand, California has a top marginal income tax rate of 13.3 percent, the highest in the country.
But deductions for the very wealthy could look a lot different this year because of the new tax cut legislation, according to Falanga.
Deductions for state and local income tax have been curtailed to a maximum of $10,000. Before the new legislation, these deductions were unlimited. Limits on charitable contribution deductions have increased to 60 percent of gross income from 50 percent. That is just for cash contributions and does not include foundations, stocks, or artwork, which have different hurdles, said Falanga.
Falanga’s clients include ultra-high-net-worth individuals and high-income people. He said he doesn’t know how the recent tax legislation will affect them.
“I haven’t seen them change, but they have been curious about what’s going on,” Falanga said. “And to a certain extent, some of them will be paying more.”
Bank of America Says It Will Stop Lending to Military-Style Gunmakers - TIME Business
Bank of America Says It Will Stop Lending to Military-Style Gunmakers
Posted: 10 Apr 2018 04:06 PM PDT
Bank of America Corp. plans to stop lending to companies that make assault-style guns used for non-military purposes.
“It’s our intention not to finance these military-style firearms for civilian use,” Anne Finucane, a vice chairman at Bank of America, said Tuesday in a Bloomberg Television interview. The firm has had “intense conversations over the last few months” with those kinds of gun manufacturers to tell them it won’t finance their operations in the future, she said.
Her comments mark the first time an executive at the nation’s second-largest bank has publicly laid out how it will deal with gun-industry clients following Feb. 14 shootings at a high school in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead. The massacre set off a wave of pressure on banks, payments processors and other firms to cut services to the firearms industry and on money managers to stop investing in gunmakers. The response has varied.
Citigroup Inc., the nation’s fourth-largest bank, said in March it plans to prohibit retail chains that are its customers from offering bump stocks or selling guns to anyone who hasn’t passed a background check or is younger than 21. Investors including BlackRock Inc. and State Street Corp. are engaging with companies in their portfolios over firearms policies.
Finucane said Bank of America also won’t underwrite securities issued by manufacturers of military-style guns used by civilians.
Reaction to the firm’s plans has been “mixed” among gun companies, she said. “There are those that will reduce their portfolios, and we’ll work with them, and others that will do something else,” she said, speaking on the sidelines of the Future of Energy Global Summit in New York hosted by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
At least a half-dozen of the nation’s major gun manufacturers produce military-style firearms, including Remington Outdoor Co., Sturm Ruger & Co., SIG Sauer, Vista Outdoor Inc., O.F. Mossberg & Sons and American Outdoor Brands Corp. The National Shooting Sports Foundation, a firearms industry lobby, puts the economic impact of the gun and ammunition industry at $51.1 billion nationwide in 2017.
Bank of America has helped finance Vista Outdoor Inc., an outdoor goods and shooting industry brand, and Remington, a bankrupt firearms maker.
Posted: 10 Apr 2018 04:06 PM PDT
Bank of America Corp. plans to stop lending to companies that make assault-style guns used for non-military purposes.
“It’s our intention not to finance these military-style firearms for civilian use,” Anne Finucane, a vice chairman at Bank of America, said Tuesday in a Bloomberg Television interview. The firm has had “intense conversations over the last few months” with those kinds of gun manufacturers to tell them it won’t finance their operations in the future, she said.
Her comments mark the first time an executive at the nation’s second-largest bank has publicly laid out how it will deal with gun-industry clients following Feb. 14 shootings at a high school in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead. The massacre set off a wave of pressure on banks, payments processors and other firms to cut services to the firearms industry and on money managers to stop investing in gunmakers. The response has varied.
Citigroup Inc., the nation’s fourth-largest bank, said in March it plans to prohibit retail chains that are its customers from offering bump stocks or selling guns to anyone who hasn’t passed a background check or is younger than 21. Investors including BlackRock Inc. and State Street Corp. are engaging with companies in their portfolios over firearms policies.
Finucane said Bank of America also won’t underwrite securities issued by manufacturers of military-style guns used by civilians.
Reaction to the firm’s plans has been “mixed” among gun companies, she said. “There are those that will reduce their portfolios, and we’ll work with them, and others that will do something else,” she said, speaking on the sidelines of the Future of Energy Global Summit in New York hosted by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
At least a half-dozen of the nation’s major gun manufacturers produce military-style firearms, including Remington Outdoor Co., Sturm Ruger & Co., SIG Sauer, Vista Outdoor Inc., O.F. Mossberg & Sons and American Outdoor Brands Corp. The National Shooting Sports Foundation, a firearms industry lobby, puts the economic impact of the gun and ammunition industry at $51.1 billion nationwide in 2017.
Bank of America has helped finance Vista Outdoor Inc., an outdoor goods and shooting industry brand, and Remington, a bankrupt firearms maker.
Toys R Us receives multiple $1bn bids for Asia business - Independent
April 12, 2018
Toys R Us receives multiple $1bn bids for Asia business
The collapsed retailer looks for a glimmer of hope in Asia
Shafi Musaddique
Profitable stores will continue in Europe and Asia Getty
Toys R Us has received several $1bn (£706m) bids for a majority stake in its Asia arm, a lawyer for the company said.
The US company plans to sell some of its global operations after collapsing in September due to piling debt and strong competition from discount online retailers.
Lawyer Joshua Sussberg said that the company will attempt to continue running profitable stores in Europe and Asia while it folds its UK and US stores.
Mothercare sales drop even further as fewer people visit its stores
Mr Sussberg told a US court hearing that sales and estate auctions were generating some money to repay creditors.
Toys R Us is also expecting to finalise a deal to sell its operations in Central Europe.
The retailer had almost 1,600 stores before it filed for bankruptcy protection, many of them characteristically located in out-of-town areas with large stores.
The rise of online shopping and the dominance of e-retailers such as Amazon made life difficult for Toys R Us as it never completely took hold of online sales.
Toys R Us in the UK has yet to find a buyer for 100 closed stores.
"We are working closely with the 2,000 employees affected by the closures to ensure they receive the support they need for redundancy and other compensatory payments," said Stephen Thomas, lawyer at Moorfields.
“The stores across the county will be open as usual until the last day of trading and we would encourage shoppers to make the most of the great deals on offer".
Here is a comprehensive list of closing dates for UK Toys R Us stores;
Banbury, Friday-20-April
Bayswater, Saturday-21-April
Bedford, Saturday-21-April
Belfast Castle Court, Tuesday-24-April
Brent Cross, Tuesday-24-April
Brighton, Thursday-19-April
Bristol Friday-20-April
Bromley, Thursday-19-April
Carlisle The Lanes, Thursday-19-April
Southampton,Tuesday-24-April
Chester, Tuesday-24-April
Northampton, Monday-23-April
Chester Broughton, Wed-18-April
Preston, Monday-23-April
Chesterfield, Sun-22-April
Stevenage, Thursday-19-April
Colliers Wood, Sun-22-April
Glasgow The Forge, Saturday-21-April
Coventry, Tuesday-24-April
Wakefield, Saturday-21-April
Craigleith, Friday-20-April
Croydon, Tuesday-24-April
Glasgow Helen St, Monday-23-April
Derby, Tuesday-24-April
Basildon, Saturday-21-April
Enfield Monday-23-April
Manchester, Saturday-21-April
Harlow, Sunday 22 April
High Wycombe, Saturday-21-April
Blackburn, Thursday-19-April
Ilford, Sunday-22-April
Liverpool, Friday-20-April
Lincoln, Monday-23-April
Thurrock, Friday-20-April
Luton, Monday-23-April
Doncaster Frenchgate, Friday-20-April
Mansfield, Saturday-21-April
Dundee, Tuesday-24-April
Medway, Monday-23-April
Stirling, Sun-22-April
Merry Hill, Friday-20-April
Leicester Highcross, Friday-13-April
Metro Saturday-21-April
Milton Keynes Sun-22-April
Nottingham Tuesday-24-April
Norwich Tuesday-24-April
Oldbury Monday-23-April
Peterborough Sun-22-April
Portsmouth Friday-20-April
Leeds Monday-23-April
Reading Saturday-21-April
Sheffield Tuesday-24-April
Solihull Sun-22-April
Northampton Weston Favell Saturday-21-April
Sprucefields Monday-23-April
Oxford Saturday-21-April
Stafford Thursday-19-April
Warrington Tuesday-24-April
Staines Elmsleigh Friday-20-April
Stockport Sun-22-April
Swindon Tuesday-24-April
Stoke Saturday-21-April
Nottingham Victoria Centre Friday-20-April
Sunderland Wed-18-April
Swansea Sun-22-April
Poole Monday-23-April
Sydenham Friday-20-April
Aberdeen Union Square Thursday-19-April
Teesside Friday-20-April
Cardiff Queen Street Thursday-19-April
Uxbridge Thursday-19-April
Gloucester Monday-23-April
Woking Sun-22-April
Toys R Us receives multiple $1bn bids for Asia business
The collapsed retailer looks for a glimmer of hope in Asia
Shafi Musaddique
Profitable stores will continue in Europe and Asia Getty
Toys R Us has received several $1bn (£706m) bids for a majority stake in its Asia arm, a lawyer for the company said.
The US company plans to sell some of its global operations after collapsing in September due to piling debt and strong competition from discount online retailers.
Lawyer Joshua Sussberg said that the company will attempt to continue running profitable stores in Europe and Asia while it folds its UK and US stores.
Mothercare sales drop even further as fewer people visit its stores
Mr Sussberg told a US court hearing that sales and estate auctions were generating some money to repay creditors.
Toys R Us is also expecting to finalise a deal to sell its operations in Central Europe.
The retailer had almost 1,600 stores before it filed for bankruptcy protection, many of them characteristically located in out-of-town areas with large stores.
The rise of online shopping and the dominance of e-retailers such as Amazon made life difficult for Toys R Us as it never completely took hold of online sales.
Toys R Us in the UK has yet to find a buyer for 100 closed stores.
"We are working closely with the 2,000 employees affected by the closures to ensure they receive the support they need for redundancy and other compensatory payments," said Stephen Thomas, lawyer at Moorfields.
“The stores across the county will be open as usual until the last day of trading and we would encourage shoppers to make the most of the great deals on offer".
Here is a comprehensive list of closing dates for UK Toys R Us stores;
Banbury, Friday-20-April
Bayswater, Saturday-21-April
Bedford, Saturday-21-April
Belfast Castle Court, Tuesday-24-April
Brent Cross, Tuesday-24-April
Brighton, Thursday-19-April
Bristol Friday-20-April
Bromley, Thursday-19-April
Carlisle The Lanes, Thursday-19-April
Southampton,Tuesday-24-April
Chester, Tuesday-24-April
Northampton, Monday-23-April
Chester Broughton, Wed-18-April
Preston, Monday-23-April
Chesterfield, Sun-22-April
Stevenage, Thursday-19-April
Colliers Wood, Sun-22-April
Glasgow The Forge, Saturday-21-April
Coventry, Tuesday-24-April
Wakefield, Saturday-21-April
Craigleith, Friday-20-April
Croydon, Tuesday-24-April
Glasgow Helen St, Monday-23-April
Derby, Tuesday-24-April
Basildon, Saturday-21-April
Enfield Monday-23-April
Manchester, Saturday-21-April
Harlow, Sunday 22 April
High Wycombe, Saturday-21-April
Blackburn, Thursday-19-April
Ilford, Sunday-22-April
Liverpool, Friday-20-April
Lincoln, Monday-23-April
Thurrock, Friday-20-April
Luton, Monday-23-April
Doncaster Frenchgate, Friday-20-April
Mansfield, Saturday-21-April
Dundee, Tuesday-24-April
Medway, Monday-23-April
Stirling, Sun-22-April
Merry Hill, Friday-20-April
Leicester Highcross, Friday-13-April
Metro Saturday-21-April
Milton Keynes Sun-22-April
Nottingham Tuesday-24-April
Norwich Tuesday-24-April
Oldbury Monday-23-April
Peterborough Sun-22-April
Portsmouth Friday-20-April
Leeds Monday-23-April
Reading Saturday-21-April
Sheffield Tuesday-24-April
Solihull Sun-22-April
Northampton Weston Favell Saturday-21-April
Sprucefields Monday-23-April
Oxford Saturday-21-April
Stafford Thursday-19-April
Warrington Tuesday-24-April
Staines Elmsleigh Friday-20-April
Stockport Sun-22-April
Swindon Tuesday-24-April
Stoke Saturday-21-April
Nottingham Victoria Centre Friday-20-April
Sunderland Wed-18-April
Swansea Sun-22-April
Poole Monday-23-April
Sydenham Friday-20-April
Aberdeen Union Square Thursday-19-April
Teesside Friday-20-April
Cardiff Queen Street Thursday-19-April
Uxbridge Thursday-19-April
Gloucester Monday-23-April
Woking Sun-22-April
During Facebook’s Senate Hearing, Reddit Reveals It Banned Almost 1,000 Russian Trolls - TIME
During Facebook’s Senate Hearing, Reddit Reveals It Banned Almost 1,000 Russian Trolls
Posted: 10 Apr 2018 06:23 PM PDT
Discussion forum company Reddit issued its transparency report for 2017 during Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s Senate appearance, saying it had found and banned 944 suspicious accounts associated with Russia’s Internet Research Agency.
Reddit CEO Steve Huffman says in a post that the company is cooperating with Congress and informed lawmakers of its findings Tuesday.
Sen. Mark Warner welcomed the announcement in a statement, saying all technology platforms have a responsibility to prevent foreign adversaries from interfering in U.S. elections.
Statement from @MarkWarner following news that @reddit took action against "944 suspicious accounts" controlled/potentially controlled by Russia-based Internet Research Agency:https://t.co/DgYxyojamn pic.twitter.com/lkdtvbIaEE
— Edward Graham (@EdwardJGraham1) April 10, 2018
The update went out during Zuckerberg’s five-hour appearance before a joint U.S. Senate committee hearing. Senators grilled him about privacy in the wake of pro-Trump data mining firm Cambridge Analytica’s collection of Facebook data on millions of Americans without their knowledge.
President Trump Is ‘Very Thankful’ for Xi Jinping’s Conciliatory Talk on Trade - TIME
President Trump Is ‘Very Thankful’ for Xi Jinping’s Conciliatory Talk on Trade
Posted: 10 Apr 2018 07:00 PM PDT
President Donald Trump has welcomed remarks made by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference that seemed intended to deescalate a brewing trade war.
Trump said he was “very thankful” for his Chinese counterpart and hailed “great progress” to be made by the jousting superpowers.
In a tweet Wednesday, the U.S. president said he appreciated Xi’s “kind words on tariffs and automobile barriers” as well as his “enlightenment on intellectual property and technology transfers,” a key sticking point of U.S.-Chinese trade disputes.
Very thankful for President Xi of China’s kind words on tariffs and automobile barriers…also, his enlightenment on intellectual property and technology transfers. We will make great progress together!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 10, 2018
The U.S. contends that China pressures American companies into handing over valuable technologies in exchange for the right to access Chinese markets.
Those concerns, as well as the administration’s anxiety about America’s trade deficit with China, drove Trump to raise tariffs 25% last week on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to respond in kind, targeting agriculture products like pork, wine, and soybeans.
Global markets teetered with uncertainty as Trump threatened to impose tariffs on another $100 billion of goods last week, but have rallied in the wake of Xi’s remarks.
At the Boao Forum, dubbed “Asia’s Davos,” he cautioned against the return of a “Cold War mentality” and criticized the “zero-sum” posture of the trade dispute.
“We should act on the vision of common, cooperative, and sustainable security and firmly uphold the international order and system underpinned by the principles in the U.N. charter,” Xi told conference attendees in Boao, China.
Syria 'chemical attack': US weighs up military response - BBC News
April 12, 2018
Syria 'chemical attack': US weighs up military response
The US Navy guided-missile destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, is in the Mediterranean
The US says "all options are on the table" in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, as Western leaders continue to weigh up military action.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters that a final decision on military strikes had not been taken.
But she said the US holds Russia and Syria responsible for the incident.
The US National Security Council is to meet on Thursday, while UK PM Theresa May has called a cabinet meeting.
Western leaders appear to be gearing up for air strikes, but Russian figures have said they will retaliate against any strikes on their ally Syria.
On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was "very necessary to avoid any steps which could increase tensions in Syria".
Syria 'chemical attack': What we know
WHO demands 'chemical attack site' access
Viewpoint: Chemical weapons ‘threat to West’
At the UN Security Council, Russia and the US blocked each other's proposals for investigating claims of a chemical attack, as they disagreed over who should have the right to apportion blame.
The international Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has said it will go to Douma "shortly", but it is unclear when it would arrive and how much evidence of any chemical attack might remain.
Unverified video shows children being treated after the alleged gas attack
The town is being evacuated through a humanitarian corridor, under terms of an agreement between Russia and the rebels.
The main leaders of the rebel group Jaish al-Islam have left the town, and the group's weapons have been surrendered, according to UK-based monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Russian claims that the town had been taken over by Syrian forces and a government flag raised on a building could not be independently verified.
Major General Yury Yevtushenko said it was a "significant event in the history of Syria", and meant the whole Eastern Ghouta area was in government control.
What has the US said?
"The president has a number of options at his disposal and a number remain on the table," Ms Sanders said during a briefing on Wednesday evening.
"We haven't laid out any specific actions we plan to take," she added.
The comments appear to row back on President Donald Trump's earlier warning to Russia that it should "get ready" for missile strikes in Syria.
"Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!'" Mr Trump said in an early morning tweet on Wednesday.
He also called the Syrian leader a "gas killing animal".
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!
8:57 PM - Apr 11, 2018
Then on Thursday, he tweeted that any attack could be "very soon or not so soon at all".
Skip Twitter post 2 by @realDonaldTrump
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at all! In any event, the United States, under my Administration, has done a great job of ridding the region of ISIS. Where is our “Thank you America?”
8:15 PM - Apr 12, 2018
What happens next?
The US, UK and France have agreed to work together and are believed to be preparing for a military strike in response to the alleged chemical attack last Saturday.
Defence Secretary James Mattis said the US was still assessing the chemical attack, but added that the military stood ready "to provide military options if they are appropriate as the president determines".
The White House said the president had not laid down a specific timetable for when military strikes may take place. But a senior source has told the BBC's North America editor Jon Sopel that any military action is likely to happen at the weekend.
Are we heading for a third world war?
A US Navy guided-missile destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, is in the Mediterranean Sea.
In the UK, sources told the BBC that Prime Minister Theresa May looked ready to join military action in Syria without seeking parliamentary consent first, as she is understood to be reluctant to ask the US to hold off any action while she consults MPs.
French President Emmanuel Macron will reportedly decide on a response in the coming days.
He has said any strikes would target the Syrian government's "chemical capabilities".
Other key figures have been showing signs that they anticipate strikes to happen soon. Senior US military sources say President Assad's forces have already moved some aircraft in an attempt to protect them from attacks. The New York Times reports Syrian planes have been taken to a Russian base near Latakia on the country's coast, and that some Russian personnel and equipment have also been moved.
Airlines have also taken note of the situation, and no planes are visible over Syria on the commercial flight-tracking website FlightRadar24.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has warned of the need to avoid the situation "spiralling out of control".
What happened in Douma?
Activists, rescue workers and medics say dozens of people died when government aircraft dropped bombs filled with toxic chemicals on the formerly rebel-held town of Douma on Saturday.
But President Bashar al-Assad's government - which receives military backing from Russia - denies being behind any chemical attack.
The Syrian-American Medical Society (Sams), which operates in rebel-held areas, said more than 500 people had been treated for symptoms "indicative of exposure to a chemical agent".
On Wednesday, the UN's World Health Organization demanded access to verify reports from its partners, which include Sams, that 70 people had died - including 43 who showed "symptoms consistent with exposure to highly toxic chemicals".
What is Russia's position?
It has described the reports of the chemical attack as a "provocation" designed to justify Western intervention against its ally, and accused militant rebels of fabricating it.
The US president has said "nothing's off the table" - so what options are on the table?
It said on Wednesday that samples taken from the site had not revealed any chemical substances.
Senior Russian figures have warned of a Russian response to a US attack.
On Wednesday Alexander Zasypkin, Moscow's ambassador to Lebanon, repeated a warning by the head of the military that missiles would be shot down and their launch sites targeted if they threatened the lives of Russian personnel.
And Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova asked whether the aim of Western strikes might be "to quickly remove the traces of the provocation... [so] international inspectors will have nothing to look for in terms of evidence".
Addressing new ambassadors in Moscow, President Vladimir Putin said he hoped common sense would prevail and that the situation would stabilise.
Mr Putin said Russia would "keep all its international obligations in full".
Syria 'chemical attack': US weighs up military response
The US Navy guided-missile destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, is in the Mediterranean
The US says "all options are on the table" in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, as Western leaders continue to weigh up military action.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters that a final decision on military strikes had not been taken.
But she said the US holds Russia and Syria responsible for the incident.
The US National Security Council is to meet on Thursday, while UK PM Theresa May has called a cabinet meeting.
Western leaders appear to be gearing up for air strikes, but Russian figures have said they will retaliate against any strikes on their ally Syria.
On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was "very necessary to avoid any steps which could increase tensions in Syria".
Syria 'chemical attack': What we know
WHO demands 'chemical attack site' access
Viewpoint: Chemical weapons ‘threat to West’
At the UN Security Council, Russia and the US blocked each other's proposals for investigating claims of a chemical attack, as they disagreed over who should have the right to apportion blame.
The international Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has said it will go to Douma "shortly", but it is unclear when it would arrive and how much evidence of any chemical attack might remain.
Unverified video shows children being treated after the alleged gas attack
The town is being evacuated through a humanitarian corridor, under terms of an agreement between Russia and the rebels.
The main leaders of the rebel group Jaish al-Islam have left the town, and the group's weapons have been surrendered, according to UK-based monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Russian claims that the town had been taken over by Syrian forces and a government flag raised on a building could not be independently verified.
Major General Yury Yevtushenko said it was a "significant event in the history of Syria", and meant the whole Eastern Ghouta area was in government control.
What has the US said?
"The president has a number of options at his disposal and a number remain on the table," Ms Sanders said during a briefing on Wednesday evening.
"We haven't laid out any specific actions we plan to take," she added.
The comments appear to row back on President Donald Trump's earlier warning to Russia that it should "get ready" for missile strikes in Syria.
"Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!'" Mr Trump said in an early morning tweet on Wednesday.
He also called the Syrian leader a "gas killing animal".
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!
8:57 PM - Apr 11, 2018
Then on Thursday, he tweeted that any attack could be "very soon or not so soon at all".
Skip Twitter post 2 by @realDonaldTrump
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at all! In any event, the United States, under my Administration, has done a great job of ridding the region of ISIS. Where is our “Thank you America?”
8:15 PM - Apr 12, 2018
What happens next?
The US, UK and France have agreed to work together and are believed to be preparing for a military strike in response to the alleged chemical attack last Saturday.
Defence Secretary James Mattis said the US was still assessing the chemical attack, but added that the military stood ready "to provide military options if they are appropriate as the president determines".
The White House said the president had not laid down a specific timetable for when military strikes may take place. But a senior source has told the BBC's North America editor Jon Sopel that any military action is likely to happen at the weekend.
Are we heading for a third world war?
A US Navy guided-missile destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, is in the Mediterranean Sea.
In the UK, sources told the BBC that Prime Minister Theresa May looked ready to join military action in Syria without seeking parliamentary consent first, as she is understood to be reluctant to ask the US to hold off any action while she consults MPs.
French President Emmanuel Macron will reportedly decide on a response in the coming days.
He has said any strikes would target the Syrian government's "chemical capabilities".
Other key figures have been showing signs that they anticipate strikes to happen soon. Senior US military sources say President Assad's forces have already moved some aircraft in an attempt to protect them from attacks. The New York Times reports Syrian planes have been taken to a Russian base near Latakia on the country's coast, and that some Russian personnel and equipment have also been moved.
Airlines have also taken note of the situation, and no planes are visible over Syria on the commercial flight-tracking website FlightRadar24.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has warned of the need to avoid the situation "spiralling out of control".
What happened in Douma?
Activists, rescue workers and medics say dozens of people died when government aircraft dropped bombs filled with toxic chemicals on the formerly rebel-held town of Douma on Saturday.
But President Bashar al-Assad's government - which receives military backing from Russia - denies being behind any chemical attack.
The Syrian-American Medical Society (Sams), which operates in rebel-held areas, said more than 500 people had been treated for symptoms "indicative of exposure to a chemical agent".
On Wednesday, the UN's World Health Organization demanded access to verify reports from its partners, which include Sams, that 70 people had died - including 43 who showed "symptoms consistent with exposure to highly toxic chemicals".
What is Russia's position?
It has described the reports of the chemical attack as a "provocation" designed to justify Western intervention against its ally, and accused militant rebels of fabricating it.
The US president has said "nothing's off the table" - so what options are on the table?
It said on Wednesday that samples taken from the site had not revealed any chemical substances.
Senior Russian figures have warned of a Russian response to a US attack.
On Wednesday Alexander Zasypkin, Moscow's ambassador to Lebanon, repeated a warning by the head of the military that missiles would be shot down and their launch sites targeted if they threatened the lives of Russian personnel.
And Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova asked whether the aim of Western strikes might be "to quickly remove the traces of the provocation... [so] international inspectors will have nothing to look for in terms of evidence".
Addressing new ambassadors in Moscow, President Vladimir Putin said he hoped common sense would prevail and that the situation would stabilise.
Mr Putin said Russia would "keep all its international obligations in full".
UK launched cyber-attack on Islamic State - BBC News
April 12, 2018
UK launched cyber-attack on Islamic State
Jeremy Fleming gave a speech in Manchester
The UK has conducted a "major offensive cyber-campaign" against the Islamic State group, the director of the intelligence agency GCHQ has revealed.
The operation hindered the group's ability to co-ordinate attacks and suppressed their propaganda, former MI5 agent Jeremy Fleming said.
It is the first time the UK has systematically degraded an adversary's online efforts in a military campaign.
Mr Fleming made the remarks in his first public speech as GCHQ director.
"The outcomes of these operations are wide-ranging," he told the Cyber UK conference in Manchester.
"In 2017 there were times when Daesh [an alternative name for Islamic State] found it almost impossible to spread their hate online, to use their normal channels to spread their rhetoric, or trust their publications."
Islamic State conflict
The rise and fall of Islamic State's propaganda machine
IS wife: 'I want to stay in Syria'
Mr Fleming said much of the cyber-operation was "too sensitive to talk about", but had disrupted the group's online activities and even destroyed equipment and networks.
"This campaign shows how targeted and effective offensive cyber can be," he added.
But Mr Fleming said the fight against IS is not over, as the group continues to "seek to carry out or inspire further attacks in the UK" and find new "ungoverned spaces to base their operations".
'Blurring boundaries'
Mr Fleming also criticised Russia over what he called "unacceptable cyber-behaviour" which is a "growing threat" to the UK and its allies.
He recalled the NotPetya ransomware attack on Ukraine last year, which eventually spread across the world. The UK and US later said the Russian military were behind the attack, a claim that Moscow denied.
"They're not playing to the same rules," Mr Fleming said. "They're blurring the boundaries between criminal and state activity."
He said the use of a nerve agent on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury was "stark and shocking", and demonstrated "how reckless Russia is prepared to be".
The UK has said Moscow was "culpable" for the attack, but Russia denies any any involvement.
"The robust response from the UK and from the international community shows the Kremlin that illegal acts have consequences. And it looks like our expertise on Russia will be in increasing demand," he said.
He went on to describe some of GCHQ's other goals, which include tracking down people who use the dark web to distribute child sex abuse images.
Cyber has created a new landscape for attackers and defenders, he said, and the challenges were "vast" but were being met by a strong and lawful GCHQ.
On Wednesday, Mr Fleming announced a new GCHQ base is to open in Manchester, hoping to draw "tech savvy recruits".
UK launched cyber-attack on Islamic State
Jeremy Fleming gave a speech in Manchester
The UK has conducted a "major offensive cyber-campaign" against the Islamic State group, the director of the intelligence agency GCHQ has revealed.
The operation hindered the group's ability to co-ordinate attacks and suppressed their propaganda, former MI5 agent Jeremy Fleming said.
It is the first time the UK has systematically degraded an adversary's online efforts in a military campaign.
Mr Fleming made the remarks in his first public speech as GCHQ director.
"The outcomes of these operations are wide-ranging," he told the Cyber UK conference in Manchester.
"In 2017 there were times when Daesh [an alternative name for Islamic State] found it almost impossible to spread their hate online, to use their normal channels to spread their rhetoric, or trust their publications."
Islamic State conflict
The rise and fall of Islamic State's propaganda machine
IS wife: 'I want to stay in Syria'
Mr Fleming said much of the cyber-operation was "too sensitive to talk about", but had disrupted the group's online activities and even destroyed equipment and networks.
"This campaign shows how targeted and effective offensive cyber can be," he added.
But Mr Fleming said the fight against IS is not over, as the group continues to "seek to carry out or inspire further attacks in the UK" and find new "ungoverned spaces to base their operations".
'Blurring boundaries'
Mr Fleming also criticised Russia over what he called "unacceptable cyber-behaviour" which is a "growing threat" to the UK and its allies.
He recalled the NotPetya ransomware attack on Ukraine last year, which eventually spread across the world. The UK and US later said the Russian military were behind the attack, a claim that Moscow denied.
"They're not playing to the same rules," Mr Fleming said. "They're blurring the boundaries between criminal and state activity."
He said the use of a nerve agent on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury was "stark and shocking", and demonstrated "how reckless Russia is prepared to be".
The UK has said Moscow was "culpable" for the attack, but Russia denies any any involvement.
"The robust response from the UK and from the international community shows the Kremlin that illegal acts have consequences. And it looks like our expertise on Russia will be in increasing demand," he said.
He went on to describe some of GCHQ's other goals, which include tracking down people who use the dark web to distribute child sex abuse images.
Cyber has created a new landscape for attackers and defenders, he said, and the challenges were "vast" but were being met by a strong and lawful GCHQ.
On Wednesday, Mr Fleming announced a new GCHQ base is to open in Manchester, hoping to draw "tech savvy recruits".
Trump Denies Reports That He Wanted to Fire Mueller Last Year - Bloomberg
Trump Denies Reports That He Wanted to Fire Mueller Last Year
By Terence Dopp
April 12, 2018, 8:38 PM GMT+10
President Donald Trump denied reports that he wanted to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller late last year, a day after he is said to have discussed terminating Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein with White House aides.
"If I wanted to fire Robert Mueller in December, as reported by the Failing New York Times, I would have fired him," Trump said in a Twitter posting early Thursday. "Just more Fake News from a biased newspaper!"
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
If I wanted to fire Robert Mueller in December, as reported by the Failing New York Times, I would have fired him. Just more Fake News from a biased newspaper!
8:03 PM - Apr 12, 2018
A roster of Trump advisers and allies have urged him to thwart the investigation of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump has grown increasingly combative toward Mueller’s investigation after FBI agents descended on the office and home of his lawyer Michael Cohen on Monday. A person familiar with the matter said Trump on Wednesday discussed firing Rosenstein with White House aides.
By Terence Dopp
April 12, 2018, 8:38 PM GMT+10
President Donald Trump denied reports that he wanted to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller late last year, a day after he is said to have discussed terminating Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein with White House aides.
"If I wanted to fire Robert Mueller in December, as reported by the Failing New York Times, I would have fired him," Trump said in a Twitter posting early Thursday. "Just more Fake News from a biased newspaper!"
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
If I wanted to fire Robert Mueller in December, as reported by the Failing New York Times, I would have fired him. Just more Fake News from a biased newspaper!
8:03 PM - Apr 12, 2018
A roster of Trump advisers and allies have urged him to thwart the investigation of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump has grown increasingly combative toward Mueller’s investigation after FBI agents descended on the office and home of his lawyer Michael Cohen on Monday. A person familiar with the matter said Trump on Wednesday discussed firing Rosenstein with White House aides.
Mark Zuckerberg's dreaded homework assignments - BBC News
April12, 2018
Mark Zuckerberg's dreaded homework assignments
Dave Lee
North America technology reporter
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been facing questions from US senators
Over two days, almost 10 hours.
If you watched every moment of Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony in front of Congress this week, you’ll know he rolled out one phrase an awful lot: “I’ll have my team get back to you.”
Now some of these were bits of data Mr Zuckerberg simply didn’t have to hand - such as why a specific advertisement for a political candidate in Michigan didn’t get approved.
Other follow ups, though, will require some hard graft from his team. What they produce could provide even more negative headlines for the company, as it is forced to divulge more of its inner workings than it has ever felt comfortable with.
Looking through the transcripts, I’ve counted more than 20 instances where Mr Zuckerberg promised to get back to representatives with more information. But these are the assignments I think could cause the company the most headaches - and provide some revealing answers.
1) Data on non-users
Set by: Congressman Ben Lujan (Democrat, New Mexico)
"You’ve said everyone controls their data, but you’re collecting data on people who are not even Facebook users who have never signed a consent, a privacy agreement.”
Dubbed “shadow” profiles, details of exactly what Facebook gathers on people who haven’t even signed up to the service has been always been a bit of mystery.
Even, apparently, to Mr Zuckerberg himself. He testified that he didn’t know the term, but acknowledged the firm did monitor non-users for “security” purposes.
Mr Zuckerberg promised to share more details on what data is gathered on people who don’t sign up for Facebook, as well as a full breakdown of how many data points it has on those who do.
In a related request, Mr Zuckerberg will provide details on how users are tracked (on all their devices) when they are logged out of Facebook.
2) Moving to opt-in, not opt-out
Set by: Congressman Frank Pallone (Democrat, New Jersey)
"I think you should make that commitment.”
Creating new regulation will be an arduous, flawed process. But one thing Facebook could do right now? Move to an opt-in model, one which requires users to decide to make something public, as is the default (and most popular) option for posting content now.
In a similar vein, Mr Zuckerberg was asked to get back to Congressman Frank Pallone on how the company might consider collecting less information on its users.
Media captionWhat Facebook protesters want from Zuckerberg
3) Repercussions for censorship mistakes
Set by: Congressman Steve Scalise (Republican, Louisiana)
"Was there a directive to put a bias in [the algorithms]? And, first, are you aware of this bias that many people have looked at and analysed and seen?”
One surprising admission made by Mr Zuckerberg before these hearings was that despite acknowledging the company made big mistakes, nobody has been fired over the Cambridge Analytica affair.
Representative Steve Scalise wants to take questions on accountability a step further.
In cases where Facebook reverses a decision to remove content - i.e. admitting it over-moderated - what kind of repercussions did those responsible face? If someone created an algorithm that unfairly filtered certain political views, was there any kind of punishment?
4) Specific rules for minors
Set by: Senator Ed Markey (Democrat, Massachusetts)
"We're leaving these children to the most rapacious commercial predators in the country who will exploit these children unless we absolutely have a law on the books.”
On Facebook the minimum age of users is 13, not counting the company’s Messenger for Kids app (which doesn’t collect the type of data Facebook’s main app does).
But for those aged 13-18, or maybe 21, what happens in those oh-so-delicate years should be protected by tighter rules, Senator Ed Markey suggested.
Mr Zuckerberg said the idea “deserved a lot of discussion”, but maybe not a new law. He promised to get his team to “flesh out the details”.
Media captionHighlights from Mark Zuckerberg's day on Capitol Hill
5) How many ‘like’ and ‘share’ buttons are out there?
Set by: Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (Democrat, Michigan)
“It doesn't matter whether you have a Facebook account. Through those tools, Facebook is able to collect information from all of us."
It seems like everywhere you look there is a button prompting you to “like” or share things on Facebook - indeed, there’s one on the page you’re reading right now.
A request to at least estimate how many of Facebook’s buttons are out there might at first seem like an abstract demand - but the response could be quite something.
The “like" buttons enable Facebook to track users on pages that are not part of Facebook itself, providing more data for advertisers.
If it’s even possible to tot up how many buttons are out there on the web, expect a number in the hundreds of millions - that’s hundreds of millions of pages with which Facebook is tracking your activity beyond its own borders.
Mark Zuckerberg's dreaded homework assignments
Dave Lee
North America technology reporter
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been facing questions from US senators
Over two days, almost 10 hours.
If you watched every moment of Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony in front of Congress this week, you’ll know he rolled out one phrase an awful lot: “I’ll have my team get back to you.”
Now some of these were bits of data Mr Zuckerberg simply didn’t have to hand - such as why a specific advertisement for a political candidate in Michigan didn’t get approved.
Other follow ups, though, will require some hard graft from his team. What they produce could provide even more negative headlines for the company, as it is forced to divulge more of its inner workings than it has ever felt comfortable with.
Looking through the transcripts, I’ve counted more than 20 instances where Mr Zuckerberg promised to get back to representatives with more information. But these are the assignments I think could cause the company the most headaches - and provide some revealing answers.
1) Data on non-users
Set by: Congressman Ben Lujan (Democrat, New Mexico)
"You’ve said everyone controls their data, but you’re collecting data on people who are not even Facebook users who have never signed a consent, a privacy agreement.”
Dubbed “shadow” profiles, details of exactly what Facebook gathers on people who haven’t even signed up to the service has been always been a bit of mystery.
Even, apparently, to Mr Zuckerberg himself. He testified that he didn’t know the term, but acknowledged the firm did monitor non-users for “security” purposes.
Mr Zuckerberg promised to share more details on what data is gathered on people who don’t sign up for Facebook, as well as a full breakdown of how many data points it has on those who do.
In a related request, Mr Zuckerberg will provide details on how users are tracked (on all their devices) when they are logged out of Facebook.
2) Moving to opt-in, not opt-out
Set by: Congressman Frank Pallone (Democrat, New Jersey)
"I think you should make that commitment.”
Creating new regulation will be an arduous, flawed process. But one thing Facebook could do right now? Move to an opt-in model, one which requires users to decide to make something public, as is the default (and most popular) option for posting content now.
In a similar vein, Mr Zuckerberg was asked to get back to Congressman Frank Pallone on how the company might consider collecting less information on its users.
Media captionWhat Facebook protesters want from Zuckerberg
3) Repercussions for censorship mistakes
Set by: Congressman Steve Scalise (Republican, Louisiana)
"Was there a directive to put a bias in [the algorithms]? And, first, are you aware of this bias that many people have looked at and analysed and seen?”
One surprising admission made by Mr Zuckerberg before these hearings was that despite acknowledging the company made big mistakes, nobody has been fired over the Cambridge Analytica affair.
Representative Steve Scalise wants to take questions on accountability a step further.
In cases where Facebook reverses a decision to remove content - i.e. admitting it over-moderated - what kind of repercussions did those responsible face? If someone created an algorithm that unfairly filtered certain political views, was there any kind of punishment?
4) Specific rules for minors
Set by: Senator Ed Markey (Democrat, Massachusetts)
"We're leaving these children to the most rapacious commercial predators in the country who will exploit these children unless we absolutely have a law on the books.”
On Facebook the minimum age of users is 13, not counting the company’s Messenger for Kids app (which doesn’t collect the type of data Facebook’s main app does).
But for those aged 13-18, or maybe 21, what happens in those oh-so-delicate years should be protected by tighter rules, Senator Ed Markey suggested.
Mr Zuckerberg said the idea “deserved a lot of discussion”, but maybe not a new law. He promised to get his team to “flesh out the details”.
Media captionHighlights from Mark Zuckerberg's day on Capitol Hill
5) How many ‘like’ and ‘share’ buttons are out there?
Set by: Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (Democrat, Michigan)
“It doesn't matter whether you have a Facebook account. Through those tools, Facebook is able to collect information from all of us."
It seems like everywhere you look there is a button prompting you to “like” or share things on Facebook - indeed, there’s one on the page you’re reading right now.
A request to at least estimate how many of Facebook’s buttons are out there might at first seem like an abstract demand - but the response could be quite something.
The “like" buttons enable Facebook to track users on pages that are not part of Facebook itself, providing more data for advertisers.
If it’s even possible to tot up how many buttons are out there on the web, expect a number in the hundreds of millions - that’s hundreds of millions of pages with which Facebook is tracking your activity beyond its own borders.
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