Loretta Lynch, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, speaks during a news conference in New York, Monday, April 28, 2014. Lynch Image: Seth Wenig/Associated Press UPDATE, Nov. 7, 6:15 p.m. ET: On Friday evening, the White House announced President Barack Obama’s intent to nominate U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch to be the Attorney General of the United States on Saturday. “Ms. Lynch is a strong, independent prosecutor who has twice led one of the most important U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the country,” said the statement from the White House press office. Obama is set to make the announcement in the Roosevelt Room at the White House alongside Attorney General Eric Holder and Lynch, who is the U.S. attorney for Eastern New York. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio urged the Senate to confirm Lynch’s nomination in a statement released after the White House announcement. “President Obama has chosen a great New Yorker as the country’s highest-ranking law enforcement official,” de Blasio said. “The nation is about to meet Loretta Lynch for the first time—but in the five boroughs, she is already known for her character, toughness and uncompromising sense of justice.” Lynch, had emerged before the announcement as Obama’s top choice. While some had said Obama was not ready to announce a nomination, unnamed sources with knowledge of his thinking had told multiple news outlets that Lynch was his leading candidate. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest emphasized during a press briefing earlier Friday, however, that Obama had not yet decided on his nominee. Outside of legal circles, Lynch has flown under the radar for quite some time, despite having handled major cases in the U.S. Here are five key things to know about the intended nominee: 1. Lynch would be the first female African-American attorney general. United States Attorney Loretta E. Lynch speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Attorney’s office, on Monday, June 17, 2013, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Image: John Minchillo/Associated Press The milestone nomination would make Lynch the first African-American woman to hold the job if she is actually is nominated by Obama, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Lynch was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1959, and is the daughter of a pastor. She graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, has been a federal prosecutor and also worked at several private law firms. Lynch, 55, would be Obama’s second trailblazing pick for the post after Eric Holder served as the nation’s first African-American attorney general. 2. She successfully prosecuted police in the Abner Louima case. Image: Todd Plitt/Associated Press During her first tenure in the Eastern District, Lynch helped prosecute police officers who severely beat and sexually assaulted Haitian immigrant Abner Louima with a broken broom handle. The high-profile case led to the conviction of New York City police officer Justin Volpe and others. As the U.S. attorney for Eastern New York, Lynch covers Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island. 3. Lynch prosecuted a Republican […]
Don’t look for any help on net neutrality here.Image: Khue Bui/Associated Press Alternate headline: powerless bill doomed to fail. Two Democratic members of Congress — Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Rep. Doris Matsui of California — will propose legislation that will push the Federal Communications Commission to do whatever it can to ensure net neutrality, according to The Washington Post. The proposal comes amid the growing realization that the laws Congress has enacted may be too narrow to provide for net neutrality, forcing the FCC to plod forward in hopes that it can write regulation that keeps the Internet a level playing field while staying within the legal bounds it has already twice exceeded. The bill gives no new power to the FCC, instead adding only political support. It will likely die in the Republican-led House of Representatives. Net neutrality and the FCC are both already highly politicized. The two Republican FCC commissioners voted against opening comment on the commission’s recently proposed net neutrality rules, and GOP politicians have warned they will try to thwart new regulation seen as overly intrusive. Keep in mind, the FCC enforces rules written by Congress. Congress theoretically could pass a bill giving new, legitimate power to the FCC to enforce net neutrality. Instead, Democrats are writing a bill that would essentially cheerlead the commission, and it will likely never see a vote. As President Barack Obama recently noted, the current slate of legislators is on track to be the least productive Congress in modern history with 23 public laws adopted in its second session. The idea that politicians, whose job it is to propose new laws to be enforced by regulators like the FCC, would pen such a toothless bill, coupled with the reality that it almost certainly won’t pass, highlights just how broken the system is. Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/06/17/democrats-net-neutrality-congress/
Image: Scott James Murphy via Facebook SYDNEY — Thousands of Australians fled their homes, as wildfires raged across the nation’s south on Saturday, with firefighters struggling to contain the blazes fanned by strong winds. Six homes were destroyed by the fires in South Australia and Victoria states, officials said, though no serious injuries have been reported. Dry conditions and temperatures in the upper 30s Celsius (around 100 degrees Fahrenheit) were causing headaches for firefighters battling the blazes. Officials said it would likely take days to get the fires under control. ‘Fire Cloud’ Thankful that the fire hasn’t gone in our direction but feeling for all those friends who had to evacuate and for the towns in the firing line. Have spent a lot of time in Kersbrook, Cudlee Creek etc and it’s just horrible to think what they are facing today. A photo posted by Ben Goode (@benjamingoode) on Jan 1, 2015 at 2:38pm PST The worst of the fires was in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, where the flames had destroyed five homes, and put hundreds of others at risk, state Country Fire Service spokesperson Daniel Hamilton said. Residents of 19 communities had been asked to evacuate, as a predicted shift in the winds later Saturday prompted fears the flames could worsen. Here are some more photos of the fire damage at my grandparents’ property in Lower Hermitage. #SAFires pic.twitter.com/9oovJnC6wz — AliciaMelville-Smith (@alicia_ms) January 3, 2015 The forecast was also calling for increased humidity, which could slow the fire’s progress Saturday night, Hamilton said. “There should be no sense of relief because the temperatures are somewhat lower, or that there are spots of rain about,” South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill told reporters in Adelaide. “The situation remains extremely dangerous, and our warnings that were issued earlier today must be heeded.” South Australia Police also urged people near out-of-control bushfires to “implement their survival plans,” after the state declared an emergency. Flew in to #Adelaide over the #SAFires today. Huge fire front out window, hope all r ok. pic.twitter.com/Sd98ubBeY8 — Guy Tunbridge (@Guy_Tunbridge) January 3, 2015 Up to 2,000 firefighters were battling the blazes across the state from the ground and the air, with more than a dozen aircraft dumping water onto the flames. A photo posted by Morne Saffieboy de Klerk (@photolifemorne) on Jan 1, 2015 at 2:47am PST Six firefighters were treated for minor conditions, mainly smoke inhalation, Country Fire Service Chief Officer Greg Nettleton said. Post by Scott James Murphy. In neighboring Victoria state, firefighters had controlled more than 300 fires since Friday, with only one still considered a danger. One home was destroyed in the blaze in the western Victoria town of Moyston, state Country Fire Service spokesperson Mario Xuereb said. Humbug Scrub fire Adelaide Hills. Still not in control at 2105hrs pic.twitter.com/Gou4lMpY2H — Stan Jezioranski (@Stanjez) January 2, 2015 A shift in the weather Saturday afternoon was expected to bring light rain, wind and lightning to the area, which could exacerbate the blaze. The […]
You don’t have to travel to New York City this weekend to experience the NYC Pride March. On Sunday, June 29, the city streets will welcome the march, and Mashable has your front-row seats. We’ll be providing coverage, commentary and interviews live from the march route. Tune in right here on Mashable or via the livestream on the Mashable YouTube page beginning Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET for interviews with Orange Is The New Black‘s Laverne Cox, Frozen‘s Jonathan Groff, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Rea Carey and Kinky Boots‘ Natalie Joy Johnson, among many others attending the march. Influencers and advocacy groups around the world will also join the event remotely through the power of Google+ Hangouts on Air to share their inspiring stories and efforts. The month of June commemorates the Stonewall riots, which took place in New York City in June 1969. Now 45 years later, Pride Month is often observed and celebrated across the U.S. through LGBT Pride marches. To follow the march through social media, keep up with all the action with the #PrideCast hashtag. BONUS: 5 LGBT Influencers Share Their Proudest Moments Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/06/27/nyc-pride-march-livestream/
On Thursday, Mars’s Gale Crater was treated to a fantastic sight: a partial solar eclipse. An eclipse very similar to the kind we’re used to seeing from here on Earth, but with the sun blocked, in this case, by a different moon: Phobos, one of the two moons that orbit Mars. Fortunately for us, Curiosity was there to take a picture of Phobos’s transit. Also fortunately for us, as well, Curiosity took precautions to protect its vision as the transit took place. (As NBC’s Alan Boyle put it: “You wouldn’t want Curiosity to blow out its camera on Mars.”) So, to capture the image above, the rover’s Mastcam used a neutral density filter that protected Curiosity’s imaging system in the same way that can be seen from some point on Mars pretty much every day. And it will be only be a year before a transit can be seen again from the Gale Crater. But the relative commonality of the Martian eclipse doesn’t compromise its splendor. And Curiosity isn’t the first rover to capture that view. Below, via Bad Astronomy, is amazing video sent back by Opportunity in November 2010: the sun, eclipsed by one of Mars’s meandering moons. In Defense of Waze, Which Doesn’t Put Police in Danger Introducing the Supertweet Beware the Drone Laws The App Economy Is Now ‘Bigger Than Hollywood’ This article originally published at The Atlantic here Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/09/17/mars-solar-eclipse/
Tuesday’s town hall-style presidential debate at Hofstra University was a slug fest. President Obama and Governor Romney escaped the podiums of the previous round and danced all over the stage, trading jabs and interrupting each other and the moderator, CNN political correspondent Candy Crowley. If you were watching your social medias simultaneously, there was plenty of fun to be had. As they’ve done with the previous two debates, our friends at Hark.com have collected the night’s best audio moments into the graphic below. Click your favorite quotes and share them with your friends on the web. This time, we’ve got some fun surprises in the audience, as well. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/17/hofstra-debate-sound-bites/
Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons stars in a new digital short for “Battle For Your Ballot,” a non-partisan grassroots movement raising awareness about voter suppression. The video is the first in a series of PSA-style YouTube clips from The BRPR Group. The movement’s website, BattleForYourBallot.com, will house the videos, inform viewers about their voting rights and let people report voter irregularities by submitting audio, videos or photos. “We want to utilize the followings of celebrities and high-profile individuals with fans who are most effected by voter suppression tactics — younger voters and minority voters,” BRPR Group’s agency director Christopher Renz tells Mashable. He says the next figures in the movement will be a politician and Hispanic celebrity. The website also details state-by-state information for voters, including rights as an employee on Election Day and a list of necessary documents to bring to the polls. “This is not about a red or a blue state, Republican or Democrat,” says Gerard Bush, co-founder and chief creative director of The BRPR Group, who also has a prominent role in the video. “It’s actually not partisan at all; it is about the most valued right of every American citizen to have our voices heard at the ballot box.” Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/01/battle-for-your-ballot/
A pilot practices flying his "quadcopter" drone while wearing goggles connected to the small camera seen at the bottom center of the craft.Image: Mel Evans/Associated Press An unidentified drone flew dangerously close the flightpath at Vancouver’s international airport on Monday, prompting a search by police. The drone was flying over a runway when someone at air traffic control spotted it, according to local reports. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police searched the area, setting up road blocks, but were unable to find the pilot of the drone. The police said they might press charges for mischief and criminal negligence, if they do. “It puts people in danger and puts them at risk, puts the community at risk,” RCMP Sgt. Cam Kowalski said, according to CBC. “It’s incredibly dangerous and incredibly stupid, so we will investigate this every way that we possibly can.” This is the second time in less than a year that a drone has flown close to Vancouver’s airport. Last November, someone posted a video of a landing airplane shot from a drone, which prompted an investigation by Canada’s transportation agency. Canada has relatively lax rules concerning the use of drones. If the flying robot is under 77 pounds, its pilot can fly it freely as long as he or she keeps it within line of sight and doesn’t fly it too close to populated areas or restricted airspace. In the U.S., on the other hand, drones can’t be flown closer than 5 miles from an airport. Despite this rule, similar incidents have happened in the United States. Last year, an airline pilot spotted a drone a few miles from New York City’s JFK airport. More recently, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration revealed that a drone and an American Airlines jet came very close to crashing into each other 2,300 feet above the ground near the Tallahassee Regional Airport in Florida. For more on Mashable‘s coverage of unmanned aerial vehicles, check out Drone Beat. Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/07/02/drone-flies-dangerously-close-to-planes-at-canadian-airport/
During a talk before the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton let it all out – a jab at Russian President Vladimir Putin, her shock at the on-going situation in Iraq and a reaction to Eric Cantor’s primary loss. While reflecting on her time as Secretary of State, she discussed the difficulty in forging diplomacy with certain foreign leaders, particularly Russian President Vladimir Putin. “There are obvious exceptions — very difficult to build relationships with some people,” Clinton said. “And I’m talking about you, Vladimir,” she said — somewhat — jokingly. Clinton also hinted during the promotion of her new memoir ‘Hard Choices’ that some world leaders, like Putin, “may not be happy” with some of the book’s content. This series of digs come just days after Putin called Clinton “weak” during a sexist rant on French Television. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, meets U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Vladivostok, Russia, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012. Image: Mikhail Metzel/Associated Press It wasn’t just her honesty about Putin that caught attention, but also her reaction to the ISIS in Iraq. “This is not just a Syrian problem anymore. I never thought it was a Syrian problem, I thought it was a regional problem,” she said. “I could not have predicted the extent to which ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) could be effective in seizing cities in Iraq and trying to erase boundaries and create an Islamic state.” On a roll, she also commented on the primary loss of Republican majority leader, Eric Cantor. “I think it shows the continuing conflict within the Republican party over its direction and that will be a challenge. It may not effect necessarily the election in November, we’ll see, but it will certainly have long-term implications for 2016 and maybe beyond,” she said. Needless to say, the former secretary isn’t holding anything back. Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/06/12/hillary-clinton-putin-iraq-cantor/
A bomb in Aleppo, Syria, leveled a hotel that government troops had used as a base on May 8. Image: Anadolu Agency / Contributor/Getty Images An enormous bomb leveled a luxury hotel in Aleppo, Syria that government soldiers were using as a base on Thursday, reportedly causing many casualties, though exact numbers are unknown. The blast demolished the Carlton Hotel, according to the Associated Press. The hotel was located on government-held turf but sat on the dividing line between the area state forces control and territory run by the rebels. A British organization called the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told the AP that at least 14 government soldiers died in the explosion, but Syria’s largest rebel faction, the Islamic Front, claimed responsibility for the blast and said it killed 50 troops. Rebels allegedly carved out tunnels underneath the hotel, packed them with explosives and detonated the bomb remotely. A shorter video of the blast is below. Video: YouTube, The Islamic Front This is the second time the Syrian Islamic Front has used bomb-stuffed tunnels to attack the Carlton. They first had success in February when they caused the building to partially collapse, and they’ve used tunnels in assaults on government positions in other regions of the country. Below is the full video of the Aleppo blast. The blow to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military comes just a day after they had won a major symbolic victory. Rebel forces had evacuated the city of Homs on Wednesday under a case-fire agreement brokered by the United Nations. Homs is just one of several key battlegrounds in the country, but especially significant because it is known as the “capital of the revolution.” Fighting in Syria’s civil war has killed more than 100,000 people and large swaths of several major cities have been reduced to rubble in the three-year-long battle between government forces and several rebel groups. Despite the brief truce in Homs, citizens and fighters in Aleppo are experiencing no such calm. Syria’s largest city, like many others, is split between rebel and government troops and has been that way since rebels first attacked there back in 2012. Huge explosion levels Aleppo hotel used by Syrian forces as base http://t.co/TaDtliTjxg pic.twitter.com/gDPO68ZaTs #Aleppo #Syria — habibti (@ha_bibti) May 8, 2014 Assad’s forces and rebel fighters have bombed and launched mortars at each other over the past few months, according to the AP. Rebels have reportedly killed dozens by setting off car bombs in residential districts. Though the Islamic Front has not been designated a terrorist group by the United States, many Western groups consider it to be an extremist organization. This notion is believed to be why Western nations such as the United States have decided to not support rebel forces. window._msla=window.loadScriptAsync||function(src,id){if(document.getElementById(id))return;var js=document.createElement(‘script’);js.id=id;js.src=src;document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0].parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}; _msla(“//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”,”twitter_jssdk”); Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/05/08/explosion-aleppo-syria-carlton-hotel/
