Maggie Haberman: Trump Freaked Out at Mueller Comments Because He Never Read Special Counsel’s Report

Maggie Haberman, The New York Times’ White House correspondent, posited Friday morning that President Donald Trump was especially angered this week by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s press conference for one reason: He has never read the report. In what CNN’s New Day co-host Alisyn Camerota jokingly called an “armchair analysis segment,” she asked Haberman why she thought Trump on Thursday “seemed more irritated” following the public statement, in which Mueller confirmed on live television that he didn’t charge the president with any crimes because of Department of Justice policy—not because of the president’s innocence.“You know, there are some days he comes out and he’s sort of playing and sparring with the press,” said Camerota. “Yesterday, he seemed more irritated about some of the—I mean, Mueller didn’t say anything that dramatic that wasn’t in the report, but somehow it seemed to have angered the president.”Haberman responded, “You think the president has read the report? Because I do not.”“I think that when he hears Mueller say that on TV—again, him interpreting everything through this screen that is in front of him, I think that that had much more resonance than almost anything else that has happened,” Haberman added.Haberman, who pointed to Trump’s obsession with TV news as a source for information, is hardly alone in her doubts that the president took the time to read the 448-page report on potential ties between Team Trump and Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election. Furthermore, the report found 10 instances of possible obstruction of justice committed by the president.Haberman also noted that Trump likely read—and was comforted by—the four-page summary of Mueller’s report initially released by Attorney General Bill Barr and watched the press conference about it, in which Barr, according to Haberman, “used the president’s own language.”At the time, Mueller wrote a letter to Barr complaining that his summary did not “fully capture” the results of the probe and alleging that his spin sowed “public confusion” ahead of the report’s public release.“This was essentially the president’s PR language,” Haberman told Camerota. “I think that the president had felt pretty good about that. And then I think he saw Mueller in the box, and I think that spooked him.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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China says U.S. actions on Taiwan, South China Sea threaten stability

The United States' actions on Taiwan and the South China Sea are hardly conducive to maintaining stability in the region, a senior Chinese military official said on Saturday, responding to comments by acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan. "He (Shanahan) has been expressing inaccurate views and repeating old tunes about the issues of Taiwan and the South China Sea," Shao Yuanming, a senior official of the People's Liberation Army, told reporters after Shanahan's speech. Shao added that China would defend its sovereignty at any cost should anyone try to separate Taiwan from its territory.

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Hollywood backlash over Georgia abortion law grows

Big business stays silent over controversy – in contrast to entertainment giantsAbortion rights advocates rally in front of the Georgia state capitol in Atlanta. Photograph: Tami Chappell/AFP/Getty ImagesGeorgia is home to some of the world’s biggest businesses but those corporations are so far avoiding becoming involved in the growing controversy over the state’s new abortion law, in contrast to the growing number of entertainment giants threatening to pull out. Earlier this week, Disney and Netflix said they are considering ending production in the state if it implements a bill that bans abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy – a point when many women will not know they are pregnant.The entertainment giants have sparked a Hollywood backlash against the law, with companies including WarnerMedia, which owns the Game of Thrones maker, HBO, and the Lord of the Rings to Harry Potter film studio, Warner Bros, also threatening to stop making productions in Georgia.WarnerMedia has said it would “reconsider” Georgia as a location for any new productions, putting it in a politically difficult position as all eight series of the global phenomenon Game of Thrones were filmed in Northern Ireland, which has even more restrictive laws on abortion and reproductive rights than Georgia.“We operate and produce work in many states and within several countries at any given time and while that doesn’t mean we agree with every position taken by a state or a country and their leaders, we do respect due process,” the company said in a statement.“We will watch the situation closely and if the new law holds we will reconsider Georgia as the home to any new productions. As is always the case, we will work closely with our production partners and talent to determine how and where to shoot any given project.”Sophie Turner, who played Sansa Stark in the series, told Sky News she had signed a public pledge to no longer work in US states with strict abortion laws. When it was pointed out she had filmed eight series of Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland, she said “luckily we’re moving on”. The state has built a reputation as being one of the most business-friendly in the south and its largest employers include Coca-Cola, Delta, Home Depot, UPS and a host of other blue-chip companies. However, so far none are prepared to follow the media and entertainment giants.“We think it’s a very personal issue to the individual, so we don’t see it as our place to weigh in on this,” a spokeswoman for Home Depot said.“The question of abortion is deeply personal and there are many strongly held beliefs. We believe each employee has the right to express their own views and for this reason the company does not make a policy statement for, or against, the bill,” a UPS spokesman said.“UPS aligns its policies with the law. We encourage our employees to be involved in the political process so that their interests and beliefs are reflected in the laws enacted by their elected representatives.”Delta and Coca-Cola did not respond to requests for comment. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce also declined to comment on the bill, which is being challenged and is likely to end up before the supreme court.While global corporates remain silent on the matter, the opposition from Hollywood has continued to swell.NBC Universal, owner of the Jurassic World and Fast and Furious maker Universal Studios, said that if the law were to come into effect it would “strongly impact our decision-making on where we produce out content in the future”.Viacom – which owns Channel 5 in the UK and Paramount, the Hollywood studio behind franchises including Mission: Impossible and Transformers – said that if the law were to be introduced “we will assess whether we will continue to produce projects” in the state.AMC Networks, which is currently shooting the 10th season of The Walking Dead in Georgia, said: “If this highly restrictive legislation goes in to effect, we will re-evaluate our activity in Georgia.” The muted business reaction in Georgia stands in marked contrast to the outpouring of corporate criticism that followed North Carolina’s so-called “bathroom bill”. That bill would have required transgender people to use restrooms in many public buildings that corresponded to their sex at birth.Companies including Apple, Coca-Cola and PayPal attacked the bill and threatened not to create new jobs in the state. Hugh McColl, retired chief executive of Bank of America, one of the state’s largest employers, called the bill “inappropriate, unnecessary legislation that will hurt North Carolina”.The legislation, which was partially repealed, cost the state $3.76bn in lost business, according to Associated Press.

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Missouri abortion clinic to stay open for now after court order

Missouri's only abortion clinic will stay open at least a few more days after a judge on Friday granted a request by Planned Parenthood for a temporary restraining order, allowing the facility to keep operating until a hearing on Tuesday. Planned Parenthood sued Missouri this week after state health officials said the license for Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood in St. Louis was in jeopardy, meaning the clinic could have closed at midnight unless the judge granted the request for a temporary restraining order.

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Kim Jong Un’s Reported Purges Spell Disaster for Trump

Mikhail Svetlov/GettySo far, the most important conclusion we can draw from reports North Korea’s senior nuclear negotiator and four foreign ministry officials were executed in March is this: Kim Jong Un is not the reliable, trustworthy negotiator President Trump has made him out to be.According to the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo, a senior aide to leader Kim Jong Un was “sent to a labor and reeducation camp,” and two lower-level officials were imprisoned.The detention of aide Kim Yong Chol, who led Pyonyang’s outreach to Washington for two Trump-Kim summits, had been known for more than a month, but many are questioning whether Kim Hyok Chol, the nuclear negotiator, was in fact put to death by a firing squad at an airport in the North. Whatever the accuracy of the Chosun Ilbo reporting—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said he was looking into the matter—there is evidence of severe turmoil in Pyongyang political circles, and it appears Kim Jong Un’s grip on power has been weakening in recent months.This increasingly evident turmoil undercuts the notion, advanced by Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, that Kim can negotiate in good faith on a range of issues from denuclearization to inter-Korean reconciliation.The Chosun Ilbo article is based on a single “source” who was not identified in any way, and this has led many to suggest the stunning news is not accurate. Previous South Korean reports of executions in the North, including a 2013 Chosun Ilbo report, have in fact proven to be untrue. Moreover, the Friday article carried by the conservative-leaning paper may have been intended to embarrass the South’s “progressive” president, Moon.Reuters, referring to the five individuals, cites an unidentified “diplomatic source” saying, in the words of the news organization, that “there was no evidence they were executed.”“Seems like fake news to me,” a “White House official” was quoted as telling Harry Kazianis of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for the National Interest about the execution report.Although there should be skepticism, the story is nonetheless plausible given the rhetoric used by Rodong Sinmun, the official paper of the North’s Workers’ Party, in a commentary on Thursday warning about “anti-party” and “anti-revolutionary” elements, harsh language typically reserved for enemies of the regime.The Chosun Ilbo reported that these words last appeared in 2013, at the time of the execution of Jang Song Thaek, the power-broker married to Kim Jong Un’s aunt.Yet skepticism over one news story misses a larger point about the Pyongyang regime. Kim Hyok Chol has disappeared from sight as has, more significantly, Kim Yong Chol, described as Kim Jong Un’s “right-hand man.” Kim Yong Chol hand-delivered a letter from Kim to Trump in the Oval Office during a two-hour meeting just days before the June summit in Singapore, and Trump then called him “the second most powerful man in North Korea.”The disappearances of senior figures fly in the face of claims that the North Korean system is now sturdy. There have been indications that the historic first summit between Trump and Kim last June raised expectations among both the North Korean elite and common folk that positive change was coming to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.Will Trump Pull U.S. Out of South Korea for Kim Jong Un?Trump’s four-minute video about the North’s bright future, showed to Kim in Singapore, may have had more effect than observers once suggested. By now it’s clear that rich and poor North Koreans were sorely disappointed by the breakdown in talks with Trump.The Chosun Ilbo reported Friday—and this feels credible—that Kim Jong Un ordered the purges “to contain internal unrest and mounting public dissatisfaction over the failed summit.”Even in advance of Hanoi, there were hints of anti-Kim feeling. On February 22, a few days before that meeting, activists intruded on the North’s embassy in Madrid, and there are suspicions that the raiders, members of activist group Free Joseon, had inside help, perhaps officials in Pyongyang. If the group had secret supporters, anti-regime elements are stronger than many believe. Kim Hyok Chol served as ambassador to Spain before becoming nuclear negotiator, by the way.Kim Jong Un executed perhaps as many as 180 senior officials—and maybe 500 juniors—as he consolidated power after the surprise death of his father and predecessor, Kim Jong Il, in December 2011. Some, therefore, may argue that the killing of only five diplomats at this point cannot be a destabilizing factor.Trump Doubles Down on Indulgent—and Failing—North Korea PolicyYet purges and killings at the beginning of a Kim ruler’s reign are expected, as he throws out old figures and replaces them with ones considered loyal. These executions, at a time of rising expectations and after a period of supposed political consolidation, therefore look different.Purges—and especially killings—create enemies. Among other things, they can motivate regime figures to act. David Maxwell, who served five tours of duty with the U.S. Army in Korea and is now with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, noted Friday morning that U.S. Forces Korea was always concerned about a “Mr. X scenario”: some insider assassinating a Kim leader because he felt threatened by purges and believed he could be “next on the list.”Kim Hyok Chol was charged with “spying for the United States for poorly reporting on the negotiations without properly grasping U.S. intentions.” Kim rulers are notorious for killing others to divert blame for their own mistakes, but Kim Jong Un has in recent years refrained from mass bloodletting. Now, whether the five poor officials are dead or merely languishing in detention, Kim has started a potentially dangerous dynamic, and that is a sure sign he felt particularly insecure.And when Kim leaders feel insecure, nothing good ever happens.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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Critics blast Attorney General William Barr after statement by former special counsel Robert Mueller

Reaction from Jon Sale, former assistant Watergate prosecutor.

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Mexico won't panic over Trump trade threats, president says

Mexico's president has said his country will not panic over Donald Trump’s threat to impose punitive tariffs in a row over migrants crossing the US border.Andrés Manuel López Obrador urged “great prudence” as he sent his top diplomat to Washington for talks to head off the 5 per cent tax on Mexican goods scheduled for 10 June.“I tell all Mexicans to have faith, we will overcome this attitude of the US government, they will make rectifications because the Mexican people don’t deserve to be treated in the way being attempted,” he said. Mr Trump has claimed that the tariff will increase by another five per cent every month up to 25 per cent “unless and until Mexico substantially stops the illegal inflow of aliens coming through its territory.”He said that they were “about stopping drugs as well as illegals”.However, Mr Lopez Obrador said Mexico was already “carryout out our responsibility in immigration policy”. Last month authorities arrested hundreds of people travelling in a migrant caravan through the southern state of Chiapas.“We have to help so that they don’t enter the United States illegally, but we also have to do it respecting human rights,” the president added. ”Nothing authoritarian. They’re human beings.” Mr Lopez Obrador rejected suggestions Mexico should complain to an international trade body. ”We want to have a good relationship with the United States government," he said. His comments ca ame after he sent a letter to Mr Trump saying he did not want a “confrontation”. He said: “The peoples and nations that we represent deserve that, in the face of any conflict in our relationships, no matter how serious, we will resort to dialogue and act with prudence and responsibility.”Mr Lopez Obrado said that the “America First” slogan was a “fallacy” because “until the end of time universal justice and fraternity prevail over national borders”.The threat of tariffs on Mexico sparked an outcry from business groups and political figures.Republicans said it jeopardised the new North American trade agreement, which was negotiated last year but has not yet been approved by lawmakers.“Let’s focus on solving the crisis at the border but not hurt our economy and endanger an important POTUS goal – a better trade deal w/ Canada & Mexico,” said Senator Rob Portman of Ohio.Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said the president’s threat was a “misuse of presidential tariff authority”.“Imposing tariffs on goods from Mexico is exactly the wrong move,” said Neil Bradley, executive vice president of the US Chamber of Commercs. “These tariffs will be paid by American families and businesses without doing a thing to solve the very real problems at the border. Instead, Congress and the president need to work together to address the serious problems at the border.” “It’s very hard to see the USMCA going forward after this,” said Philip Levy, who was a White House economist under President George W Bush and is now a senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. “The president has essentially told the Mexicans that the deal offers them no guarantees against trade protectionism. It asks them to jump through hoops with no reward.” Stock markets plunged on Friday, with the Dow Jones industrial average losing around 355 points, or 1.4 per cent, after the news of Mr Trump's threat broke.Economists forecast that tariffs of 25 per cent would cut US growth by at least 0.7 per cent to around 1 per cent in 2020. Meanwhile Mexico could slide into recession.If Mexico retaliates with its own tariffs they could also damage the US auto and farm industries. Last year Mexico bought $300bn of US goods and services, while the US imported $378bn from Mexico.The US is already involved in a trade war with China following the president’s decision to impose 25 per cent tariffs on $250bn of imports.

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'Don't say we didn't warn you!'

R. Kelly sex abuse charges. A phallic image in the sky. Thursday’s top news.

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President says Iran will not be 'bullied' into US talks

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani stressed Saturday that Tehran will not be "bullied" into negotiations with the United States and laid down the Islamic republic's conditions. "We are men of reason and negotiation ... if one sits at the negotiating table with total respect and in the framework of international law," Rouhani said, quoted by the government's website. Rouhani has repeatedly ruled out negotiations unless Washington lifts sanctions against the Islamic republic and returns to the 2015 nuclear deal signed by Tehran and world powers.

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NASA’s Spitzer telescope snaps ‘family portrait’ of epic proportions

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has a habit of providing us with some downright gorgeous views of deep space, but its latest snapshot might actually be its best yet. The image, which NASA is showcasing in a new blog post, is absolutely packed with things to see, but we'll need NASA's help to actually explain it all.The image of a mosaic of two regions of space known as Cepheus B and Cepheus C. The massive green cloud that dominates the frame is a nebula, which is a collection of loose material such as dust and gas that may eventually clump together to form other objects like stars.Along with the original image, NASA has been kind enough to provide us all with a labeled version that points out a handful of neat sights:Near the left center of the image, you'll spot the colossal star known as V374 Ceph, which astronomers theorize is surrounded by a ring of debris that allows it to cast the cone-shaped shadows off of its sides.Some of the newer features of the image, like the young nebula taking shape near the bottom right of the frame, are just babies in comparison to the larger nebula and star clusters. The image contains both new and very, very old stars and collections of objects which, NASA suggests, makes it a "family portrait" of sorts.As time passes, older star-forming regions fizzle out and new ones form from the material ejected from dying stars.https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLTiv_XWHnOZrcv46P6T4-u3v53VgGWKkh&v=p7YQ-KvGbJQAlong with the image, NASA produced a very cool video to provide additional context. It's only a couple of minutes long but does a great job of covering all the interesting features we can see in the Spitzer image.Spitzer is currently nearing its 16th year of service, which is significantly longer than the planned five-year primary mission timeline. The spacecraft is clearly still capable of delivering gorgeous views of space, so we're glad it's still around.

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Virginia beach shooting: 12 dead and six wounded after gunman opens fire in government building, police say

Twelve people have been killed and six others wounded after a “disgruntled” employee opened fire at a municipal centre in Virginia Beach, the city’s police chief has said.Police said the suspect, a long-term and current employee at Virginia Beach Municipal Centre fired “indiscriminately” and was killed when officers responded to the incident.Virginia Beach police chief James Cervera told reporters an officer was among the six wounded, adding that he was ”basically saved by his bulletproof vest”.“There’s no way to describe an incident such as this,” said Mr Cervera. At the same conference, Virginia Beach mayor Robert Dyer said: “This is the most devastating day in the history of Virginia Beach.”The shooting happened at the Virginia Beach Municipal Centre, a campus of city offices and agencies, which includes the police department. The shooting happened in Building Number 2, which includes offices for planning and public works.“This day will not define Virginia Beach,” said Virginia Beach councilman Aaron Rouse at the press conference. “We will come together. We show the strength of our city.”Officials told WAVY that one patient was taken to Sentara Pincess Anne hospital. They were brought by a helicopter reserved for severe injures. Five other patients were taken to Virginia Beach General, seemingly with lesser injuries. “This is a tragic day for Virginia Beach and our entire Commonwealth,” wrote Virginia governor Ralph Northam on Twitter. “My heart breaks for the victims of this devastating shooting, their families, and all who loved them. I am on my way to Virginia Beach now and will be there within the hour.”

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President Trump Played a Key Role in the Central Park Five Case. Here’s the Real History Behind When They See Us

Like the rest of the new series, President Trump's role in 'When They See Us' is taken from the real story of the Central Park jogger case

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India's new government signals Hindu and India-first goals

NEW DELHI (AP) — India's newly sworn-in Prime Minister Narendra Modi named a Cabinet on Friday, handing the powerful home affairs portfolio to the president of his Hindu nationalist party credited with delivering him a thunderous reelection and appointing a former diplomat to signal the government's focus on foreign policy.

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