The World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday that an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus rampaging through two countries in Central Africa is not yet an international health emergency.

The decision came days after the virus spread across international boundaries for the first time. For 10 months, the Ebola virus had been contained within two provinces of Congo. But this week, at least two cases have emerged in neighboring Uganda.

In a statement, a WHO emergency committee said they were concerned by the virus’s spread across boundaries, but concluded that the virus was unlikely to spread farther.

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They said international responders still need an additional $54 million to fight the virus.

This is the third time the WHO committee has declined to call the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The WHO has made such a declaration only four times before, to highlight the spread of swine flu in 2009, polio and the Ebola virus in 2014 and the Zika virus in 2016.

The outbreak has infected 2,108 people in Congo so far, the health ministry said Thursday. An estimated 1,411 people have died, though that number is likely lower than the actual number of victims, experts have said.

There had been some cause for hope in recent days as the number of Ebola cases discovered on a daily basis declined. But on Thursday, Congo’s health ministry said it had identified 24 new cases, one of the worst days of the entire epidemic. Six people died, including three who had not sought treatment — a worrying sign that impacted communities are still not seeking treatment for those who begin to show symptoms.

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The virus spread to Uganda when six members of a family fled a treatment facility near the border and crossed through remote tracks to evade border control. The family sought treatment at a hospital in Uganda, where they were isolated. A 5-year-old boy became Uganda’s first victim. His 50-year-old grandmother also died.

The remaining members of the family and a nanny were taken back to a health facility in Congo, where treatment facilities are better equipped to care for patients, the health ministry said. By Friday, there were no more identified cases in Uganda. 

Donor countries and nonprofit groups have already contributed or pledged tens of millions of dollars to the response. WHO alone has more than 700 responders in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, the two areas that have experienced the brunt of the outbreak. Groups like UNICEF and the Red Cross and Red Crescent have hundreds more people in the field. 

But rampant violence against health responders has caused problems and delays that have allowed the virus to spread. Doctors Without Borders pulled its personnel out of the most impacted areas after several attacks on medical facilities. A World Health Organization epidemiologist was killed in one attack on a facility in the city of Butembo in April.

The security situation has delayed American involvement. Responders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Agency for International Development have been limited to preparing neighboring countries and organizing the response from Goma and Kinshasa after the State Department decided the region presented too great a security risk.

Neighboring countries have been preparing for the possibility that the virus might jump borders in a region where the population is highly mobile and where more than a million people are displaced from their homes because of decades of ethnic conflict. 

Thousands of medical personnel in Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan have already received a vaccine to protect themselves, and border guards have screened more than 65 million people crossing through 80 ports of entry and operational health checkpoints.

 

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the outbreak had been declared an international emergency due to an editing error.

President TrumpDonald John TrumpNew York activists go on hunger strike to advocate for ending solitary confinement Sanders says he would inform FBI about offers of foreign intel Sanders says he would inform FBI about offers of foreign intel MORE is directing all agencies to cut their advisory boards by “at least” one third.

The executive order issued Friday evening directs all federal agencies to “evaluate the need” for each of their current advisory committees.

The order gives agencies until Sept. 30 to terminate, at a minimum, one-third of their committees.

Committees that qualify for the chopping block include those that have completed their objective, had their work taken up by other panels or where the subject matter has “become obsolete.”

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Another defining factor listed includes whether the agency itself has determined that the cost of operating the agency is “excessive in relation to the benefits to the Federal Government.”

Critics say the order is another administration attack on experts who provide scientific advice.

“For the past two years they have been shrinking and restricting the role of federal science advisory committees,” Gretchen Goldman, the research director with the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union for Concerned Scientists, said in a statement. “Now they’re removing the possibility of even making decisions based on robust science advice. It’s no longer death by a thousand cuts. It’s taking a knife to the jugular.”

There are an average of 1,000 advisory committees with more than 60,000 members, according to data from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), that cover topics like disposal of high-level nuclear waste, the depletion of atmospheric ozone, addressing AIDS, and improving schools.

They are often filled by people considered to be at the top of their fields who can provide important technical advice, and GSA said the boards and committees “have played an important role in shaping programs and policies of the federal government from the earliest days of the Republic.”

Friday’s order is the most dramatic step in the Trump administration’s escalating pushback to the advisory committees.  

Previously, science advisory boards in particular under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Interior Department have faced numerous instances of resistance and position cuts.

Former EPA head Scott PruittEdward (Scott) Scott PruittOvernight Energy: Former EPA chiefs say Trump has abandoned agency’s mission | Trump in Iowa touts ethanol and knocks Biden | Greens sue Trump over drilling safety rollbacks | FDA downplays worries over ‘forever chemicals’ Overnight Energy: Former EPA chiefs say Trump has abandoned agency’s mission | Trump in Iowa touts ethanol and knocks Biden | Greens sue Trump over drilling safety rollbacks | FDA downplays worries over ‘forever chemicals’ Bipartisan former EPA chiefs say Trump administration has abandoned agency’s mission MORE in October 2017 issued a directive that barred scientists who received federal grants for studies from also sitting on advisory boards and committees, arguing it was a conflict of interest.

The move was widely viewed as a way to tilt the voices represented on the boards, increasing the number of members who came from industry groups.

“It’s clearly a political maneuver to change the composition of these advisory committees,” Genna Reed, lead science and policy analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists, recently told The Hill after the EPA’s Science Advisory Board meeting.

Despite the actions, viewed as a muzzling of science by critics, many science advisory boards continued to make critical requests and recommendations. In May 2018, EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB), recommended a review of the agency’s decision to roll back a controversial Obama-era policy on auto emissions.

Questions the group posed to EPA included asking what the repercussions to deploying the new fuel standard may be and how they could best be mitigated, and what the current barriers to consumer acceptance of “redesigned or advanced technology vehicles” are and how those could be overcome.

The board also met last week to discuss the EPA’s regulation of a cancer-linked chemical known as PFAS, as well as the agency’s controversial proposal to bar consideration of studies that don’t make their underlying data public.

Both committees would qualify for cutting under the new executive order.

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment.

An EPA spokesperson said the agency “will review its FACA obligations in line with the President’s executive order,” referring to the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

An Interior spokesperson said the agency “looks forward to another opportunity to review” their committees, in order to “improve the utility of these advisory committees.”

The Interior currently has over 100 federal advisory committees. According to a 2017 internal review, Interior’s committees incurred over $10 million in direct and indirect costs annually, the spokesperson said.

The review also found agency found that at the time of review, 41 committees had submitted fewer than 20 recommendations to Interior.

“We will work diligently to implement President Trump’s Executive Order on FACAs to eliminate wasteful spending and ensure these advisory committees benefit the American people,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

Updated: 7 p.m.

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The Navy named its first female president of the U.S. Naval War College, the college announced Friday.

Rear Adm. Shoshana Chatfield will take over as the new president of the college, which was established in 1884. She’ll replace Rear Adm. Jeffrey Harley, Navy Secretary Richard Spencer wrote in an online release.

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Harley was removed from the position on Monday after being investigated for alleged improper workplace conduct. Multiple complaints against Harley claimed that he took part in improper hiring practices and other inappropriate actions, including having a margarita machine in his office.

“Rear Admiral Chatfield is a historic choice for the Naval War College,” Spencer wrote in the release. “She is the embodiment of the type of warrior-scholar we need now to lead this storied institution as it educates our next generation of leaders.”

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Chatfield, a naval aviator who has served in Afghanistan, is currently leading a military command in Guam.

Over 20 House Democrats in a letter on Friday pressed the Department of Homeland Security over Border Patrol’s use of facial recognition technology on U.S. citizens in airports, arguing the rapidly expanding program has not been enabled by any congressional mandate.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which has been rolling out the face-scanning program in a growing number of airports across the U.S., has argued that it is operating under a congressional mandate and executive order from the president. But those orders ask CBP to roll out a biometrics program for “foreign nationals,” not U.S. citizens, the lawmakers say.

“We write to express concerns about reports that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is using facial recognition technology to scan American citizens under the Biometric Exit Program,” the group of progressive lawmakers, who sit on multiple committees, wrote, referring to CBP’s facial recognition tech program.  

“This is an unprecedented and unauthorized expansion of the agency’s authority,” they wrote. “As such, we urge the agency to allow for public input and establish privacy safeguards.” 

A CBP spokeswoman confirmed to The Hill that it has received the letter. 

The group of Democrats behind the letter are led by Reps. Susan WildSusan WildLawmakers congratulate US women’s soccer team on winning opening World Cup match Lawmakers congratulate US women’s soccer team on winning opening World Cup match Republicans attempt to amend retirement savings bill to include anti-BDS language MORE (D-Pa.), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) and Yvette ClarkeYvette Diane ClarkeDem lawmakers urge FCC to scrutinize broadcast workforce diversity Hillicon Valley: House votes to reinstate net neutrality rules | GOP lawmakers lay into Twitter, Facebook over censorship claims | Amazon workers push company on climate | Bill targets algorithmic bias | Yahoo to pay 7M in breach settlement Dems introduce bill targeting bias in algorithms MORE (D-N.Y.). The group includes progressives such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezNew York activists go on hunger strike to advocate for ending solitary confinement New York activists go on hunger strike to advocate for ending solitary confinement Overnight Health Care: Democratic bill would require insurance to cover OTC birth control | House Dems vote to overturn ban on fetal tissue research | New rule aims to expand health choices for small businesses MORE (D-N.Y.), Rashida TlaibRashida Harbi TlaibHillicon Valley: Tim Cook visits White House | House hearing grapples with deepfake threat | Bill, Melinda Gates launch lobbying group | Tech turns to K-Street in antitrust fight | Lawsuit poses major threat to T-Mobile, Sprint merger New lawsuit poses major threat to T-Mobile, Sprint merger New lawsuit poses major threat to T-Mobile, Sprint merger MORE (D-Mich.) and Ilhan OmarIlhan OmarOvernight Health Care: Pelosi to change drug-pricing plan after complaints | 2020 Democrats to attend Planned Parenthood abortion forum | House holds first major ‘Medicare for All’ hearing Overnight Health Care: Pelosi to change drug-pricing plan after complaints | 2020 Democrats to attend Planned Parenthood abortion forum | House holds first major ‘Medicare for All’ hearing First major ‘Medicare for All’ hearing sharpens attacks on both sides MORE (D-Minn.). 

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in recent weeks have dramatically intensified their scrutiny of facial recognition technology, particularly by CBP and the FBI, saying the technology poses privacy and civil rights issues that have not been resolved. At a pair of House Oversight and Reform Committee hearings over the past month, Republicans and Democrats raised concerns that the government has implemented programs around facial recognition tech without any congressional regulation or oversight. 

House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah CummingsElijah Eugene CummingsDemocrats lash out at Trump’s bombshell remarks Democrats lash out at Trump’s bombshell remarks House Oversight to hold hearing on Conway’s Hatch Act violations MORE (D-Md.) said there will be a third hearing on the issue, after which the lawmakers will be compiling potential legislative solutions.

The Democrats in the letter asked acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan to respond to four questions about CBP’s facial scanning program. They questioned which laws give CBP the authority to use the technology on American citizens, what efforts CBP has made to provide passengers with the ability to opt out ahead of time, and for more information on the nature of the contracts between CBP, airports and airlines. 

CBP’s program hit the headlines again after the agency last week confirmed that photos of U.S travelers and license plate images were recently stolen from a database maintained by CBP. 

Lawmakers have been demanding answers about the breach, including how the agency is protecting photos of U.S. citizens in its expansive photo database.

DHS this year said it plans to use facial recognition technology on nearly all departing air passengers within the next four years as part of its “Biometric Entry/Exit” program, which scans the faces of people coming into and out of the U.S. CBP has said the program is aimed at identifying people flouting laws about who can come into the country, including those overstaying their visas, and airlines have argued that it makes traveling more efficient. 

CBP has been implementing its “biometric exit” program for years, expanding to 15 major airports with plans to reach five more.

A CBP spokesperson in a statement to The Hill argued that CBP’s program is “solving a security challenge while adding a convenience for travelers.” 

The spokesperson said CBP has processed 19 million travelers using facial recognition technology with a match rate of 97 percent since the program began. Of those millions, CBP said, it has intercepted six “imposters” who were denied admission to the United States at airports.

“CBP is committed to protecting the privacy of all travelers and has issued several Privacy Impact Assessments related to Entry/Exit, employed strong technical security safeguards, and has limited the amount of personally identifiable information used in the transaction,” the spokesperson said.

Currently, CBP says passengers are welcome to decline to participate in the program. But according to the airlines partnering with the agency, very few passengers do so.

Updated: 3:18 p.m.

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Mohammed Amin, the chairman of the British Conservative Muslim Forum, threatened to resign from the Conservative Party if Boris Johnson becomes the party’s leader.

Amin told the BBC that Johnson was not “sufficiently moral” to be prime minister, citing his comments comparing women wearing burkas to “letter boxes” and “bank robbers” and mentioning Turkey’s possible joining of the European Union when campaigning for Brexit.

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“I have been a Conservative Party member for over 36 years. We don’t expect our politicians, our prime ministers, to be saints, but we do require a basic level of morality and integrity,” Amin said.

“And of all of the candidates in the Conservative Party leadership election, Boris Johnson is the only one that I believe fails that test. And I’m not prepared to be a member of a party that chooses him as its leader.” 

Johnson is the front-runner in the race to replace Theresa MayTheresa Mary MayTrump’s empty rhetoric is no match for the dollar’s steady rise Overnight Energy: Trump officials propose overhaul of environmental rule for federal forests | GOP pollster warns party over climate stance | Roundup ingredient found in cereals Overnight Energy: Trump officials propose overhaul of environmental rule for federal forests | GOP pollster warns party over climate stance | Roundup ingredient found in cereals MORE as prime minister after she announced her resignation last month. He recently topped the first round of voting to be prime minister, far outpacing nine other candidates.

Voting will continue until only two contenders remain, at which point a party-wide vote will be held.
Click Here: bape jacket cheap“A lot Germans thought that Hitler was the right man for them,” Amin said when asked about Johnson’s popularity among party members. 

Former cabinet minister Priti Patel, who is supporting Johnson, said the comments were being twisted to derail the leadership bid. 

Jonson “was certainly not mocking women in the way in which was asserted,” she told the BBC. “Language can be misused, taken out of context. But Boris himself … he believes in equality of the sexes.” 

“I’m deeply disappointed that anyone would want to leave the Conservative Party. There’s nothing more divisive than a Conservative Party leadership election,” MP Andrew Bridgen, who is also backing Johnson, added.

THE TOPLINE: U.S. Central Command (Centcom) released video overnight it said backed up the Trump administration’s claim that Iran is responsible for Thursday’s attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

But the debate about what happened is still raging. Here’s the latest…

Centcom’s evidence: Late Thursday, Centcom released pictures and video it says shows the Iranians removing a naval mine from one of the tankers.

The two photos show the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous at different angles with a hole in the hull, as well as an object protruding from the hull. The hole is labeled “damage,” while the object is labeled “likely mine.”

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The video, meanwhile, shows a small boat approaching the Courageous and then those aboard the boat removing the object from the side of tanker. Centcom described the video as showing an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Gashti Class patrol boat “removing the unexploded limpet mine.”

Trump cites video: In an interview on “Fox and Friends” on Friday morning, Trump cited the video in blaming Iran for the attack, suggesting Iran was trying to cover up its involvement.

“Iran did do it, and you know they did it because you saw the boat,” Trump said. “I guess one of the mines didn’t explode, and it has probably got essentially Iran written all over it, and you saw the boat at night trying to take the mine off and successfully took the mine off the boat and that was exposed and that was their boat, that was them and they didn’t want the evidence left behind.”

Iran pushes back: Iran pushed back after the video was released, saying it proved nothing.

“These accusations are alarming,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Friday, adding that blaming Iran for Thursday’s attacks was “the simplest and the most convenient way for Pompeo and other U.S. officials.”

Germany skeptical, too: U.S. ally Germany also was not convinced by the video.

“The video is not enough. We can understand what is being shown, sure, but to make a final assessment, this is not enough for me,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters in Oslo.

And the operator: The operator of the Courageous also contradicted the idea that a limpet mine caused the damage to the tanker.

Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo, Kokuka Sangyo Co. president Yutaka Katada said those aboard the ship reported seeing “flying objects” just before the attack.

He said he believes those objects could have been bullets.

“I do not think there was a time bomb or an object attached to the side of the ship,” he said.

 

DEFENSE BILL WATCH: If you thought National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) action would take a pause after this week’s House Armed Services Committee markup, you were wrong.

The action moves back to the Senate next week, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellLouise Linton, wife of Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, addresses past controversies in new interview Senate rejects effort to block Trump’s Qatar, Bahrain arms sales Senate rejects effort to block Trump’s Qatar, Bahrain arms sales MORE (R-Ky.) on Thursday evening filing a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed. In other words, the first procedural vote on the bill will be one day next week, with consideration of the bill expected to extend into the following week.

The full bill text and report were released this week. If you need some weekend reading, the 998-page bill is here and the 643-page report is here.

In the House: Meanwhile, the House is expected to debate and vote on amendments to the defense spending bill next week.

The fiscal 2020 defense appropriations bill was folded into the minibus the House began debate on this week, but the chamber hasn’t gotten to the defense amendments yet.

Several interesting defense amendments are expected to be debated on the floor, including preventing the Pentagon from using funds to implement the transgender ban. All the amendments that the Rules Committee made in order for floor debate are here.

 

TOP NUCLEAR OFFICIAL QUIETLY LEFT PENTAGON IN APRIL: The Pentagon’s top civilian in charge of nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs left the post to little fanfare in early April, adding to a growing number of Pentagon departures since late last year.

Assistant Secretary Guy Roberts resigned effective April 2, according to a Defense official who asked to remain anonymous.

Roberts resigned a day before he had been scheduled to go before a House Armed Services Committee subpanel to testify on the Department of Defense (DOD) strategy, policy and programs for countering weapons of mass destruction. Deputy Assistant Secretary Christian Hassell appeared instead for the April 3 hearing, and no reason was given at the time for the change.

Foreign Policy on Thursday was the first to report on the resignation.

The details: Roberts was in charge of the Pentagon office meant to “sustain and modernize the U.S. nuclear deterrent,” including missiles, submarines, and bomber aircraft, and “develop capabilities to detect, protect against and respond to” weapons of mass destruction threats. He was also responsible for ensuring “DOD compliance with nuclear, chemical, and biological treaties and agreements,” according to the department’s description of the office.

Roberts, who entered the position on Nov. 30, 2017, was still listed on the website as the assistant secretary as of Friday.

Why this matters: The position faces heightened attention with the Trump administration announcing in February that it would withdraw from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a decades-old arms control pact between the United States and Russia, as well as a signaled desire to expand arms control pacts to include other countries, like China.

Congress is also currently debating nuclear issues, with the House Armed Services Committee earlier this week moving forward a bill that cuts millions from U.S. nuclear programs and blocks the deployment of the new submarine-launched, low-yield nuclear warhead.

Timing: Roberts’s departure adds to an already high amount of turnover at the Pentagon, which has been led by acting Defense Secretary Patrick ShanahanPatrick Michael ShanahanShanahan: ‘No concerns’ about FBI background check for nomination Shanahan: ‘No concerns’ about FBI background check for nomination Overnight Defense: Latest on House defense bill markup | Air Force One, low-yield nukes spark debate | House Dems introduce resolutions blocking Saudi arms sales | Trump to send 1,000 troops to Poland MORE since the beginning of January, making him the department’s longest acting secretary in its history.

Owen West, assistant secretary of Defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, is stepping down June 22, citing a desire for more time with his family, Task & Purpose reported earlier this week.

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson left at the end of May to become president of the University of Texas at El Paso.

Other senior DOD leaders who have recently left their positions include Robert Daigle, the director of DOD’s Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office, who packed up in May to rejoin the private sector, as well as the Navy’s assistant secretary for energy, installations and environment, Phyllis Bayer, who in March submitted her resignation to “pursue other opportunities.”

Mattis announced his resignation in December following Trump’s surprise announcement that the administration would withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, and Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White, a top Mattis ally, left shortly thereafter.

 

PELOSI: CONGRESS WILL BLOCK TRUMP’S ARMS SALE TO SAUDI ARABIA: Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiTrump’s acting budget chief accuses Pelosi of holding debt ceiling increase ‘hostage’ Trump’s acting budget chief accuses Pelosi of holding debt ceiling increase ‘hostage’ On The Money: Pelosi says no debt ceiling hike until deal on spending caps | McConnell pressures White House to strike budget deal | Warren bill would wipe out billions in student debt | Senate passes IRS reform bill MORE (D-Calif.) on Thursday vowed that President TrumpDonald John TrumpNew York activists go on hunger strike to advocate for ending solitary confinement Sanders says he would inform FBI about offers of foreign intel Sanders says he would inform FBI about offers of foreign intel MORE would have a fight on his hands as he presses to realize a sweeping arms sale to Saudi Arabia.

Speaking at a forum in New York, the Speaker said the House would soon vote to block the transfer of weapons to Riyadh, which the administration says is vital to protecting U.S. interests in the region amid escalating tensions with Iran.

“There will be a vote to remove any authority to make those sales to Saudi Arabia,” Pelosi said Thursday night during an interview with Fareed Zakaria hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. “This is something that we will fight, and we’ll have bipartisan support to fight.”

Context: The comments came a day after Senate opponents of the deal secured the 51 votes needed to block the transfer in the upper chamber, after four Republican lawmakers went against the president on the measure. But it’s unlikely that either chamber could find the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto, as was the case last month when the Senate failed to override Trump’s veto of increased military assistance to Yemen.

The State Department last month invoked an emergency provision under the Arms Export Control Act to push through 22 arms sales to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and other countries. The tactic allows the administration to sidestep Congress in finalizing a deal, worth roughly $8 billion, that includes Patriot missiles, drones, precision-guided bombs and other military support.

The opposition: In the House, Rep. Ted LieuTed W. LieuDemocrats lash out at Trump’s bombshell remarks Democrats lash out at Trump’s bombshell remarks Trump hit with fierce backlash over interference remarks MORE (D-Calif.) introduced legislation Wednesday to block the entirety of Trump’s wish list of 22 arms sales. Another slimmer measure, targeting precision-guided bombs, was introduced by Reps. David CicillineDavid Nicola CicillineOvernight Defense: Latest on House defense bill markup | Air Force One, low-yield nukes spark debate | House Dems introduce resolutions blocking Saudi arms sales | Trump to send 1,000 troops to Poland Overnight Defense: Latest on House defense bill markup | Air Force One, low-yield nukes spark debate | House Dems introduce resolutions blocking Saudi arms sales | Trump to send 1,000 troops to Poland House Dems introduce resolutions to block Trump’s Saudi arms sales MORE (D-R.I.), Abigail SpanbergerAbigail Davis SpanbergerOvernight Defense: Latest on House defense bill markup | Air Force One, low-yield nukes spark debate | House Dems introduce resolutions blocking Saudi arms sales | Trump to send 1,000 troops to Poland Overnight Defense: Latest on House defense bill markup | Air Force One, low-yield nukes spark debate | House Dems introduce resolutions blocking Saudi arms sales | Trump to send 1,000 troops to Poland House Dems introduce resolutions to block Trump’s Saudi arms sales MORE (D-Va.) and Tom MalinowskiThomas (Tom) MalinowskiOvernight Defense: Latest on House defense bill markup | Air Force One, low-yield nukes spark debate | House Dems introduce resolutions blocking Saudi arms sales | Trump to send 1,000 troops to Poland Overnight Defense: Latest on House defense bill markup | Air Force One, low-yield nukes spark debate | House Dems introduce resolutions blocking Saudi arms sales | Trump to send 1,000 troops to Poland House Dems introduce resolutions to block Trump’s Saudi arms sales MORE (D-N.J.).

Opponents of the deal are wary of granting any new assistance to Saudi Arabia in light of Riyadh’s involvement in the civil war in Yemen, which has killed countless thousands of civilians and created a dire humanitarian crisis. They’re also loath to help the same Saudi leaders who, according to the CIA, ordered the assassination and dismemberment of a vocal critic of their reign, Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi.

Questions posed: Pelosi, noting that Trump’s first trip abroad as president was to Saudi Arabia, wondered what’s driving the president’s desire to strengthen ties with Riyadh, even as he’s sought to punish more traditional allies with tariffs. She’s also warning that Trump’s arms deal “includes nuclear technology that he is transferring to Saudi Arabia.”

“Follow the money. What’s going on here?” she said. “And there’s a question of who is financially benefiting from the nuclear part of the sales to Saudi Arabia. … The case against Saudi Arabia — in terms of Yemen, in terms of Khashoggi, in terms of so much — that they should not be receiving these weapons sales is very strongly bipartisan in the Congress.”

ICYMI

— The Hill: Navy taps first female War College president

— The Hill: Trump taps former ICE director to return as ‘border czar’

— The Hill: Senate rejects effort to block Trump’s Qatar, Bahrain arms sales

— Reuters: Turkey says would retaliate against U.S. sanctions over Russian S-400s

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— The Washington Post: Tulsi GabbardTulsi GabbardDNC announces lineup for first debate DNC announces lineup for first debate Democratic debate deadline: What we know and don’t know MORE knocks ‘war hawks’ and stands by her foreign policy views

— Defense News: The Pentagon is battling the clock to fix serious, unreported F-35 problems

Mailchimp is blocking anti-vaccination content from its platform, calling the spread of misinformation a “serious threat to public health.” 

The marketing service said in a statement Thursday it shut down a number of accounts for anti-vaccination content that violate its terms of use. 

“Spreading misinformation about the safety and efficacy of vaccines poses a serious threat to public health and causes real-world harm. We cannot allow these individuals and groups to use our Marketing Platform to spread harmful messages and expand their audiences,” a Mailchimp spokesman said.

The platform began quietly implementing the change last week, according to NBC News which first reported the policy change.

Mailchimp said it trusts “the world’s leading health authorities,” including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics, when assessing “this type of misuse of our platform.”

The U.S. is currently experiencing a measles outbreak. The CDC announced this week the number of measles cases jumped to 1,022 as of June 6, making it the worst outbreak in more than 25 years. 

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Health officials have been urging parents to vaccinate their children to counter the growth in anti-vaccination messages and the spread of misinformation toward vulnerable groups. 

A federal jury on Thursday found a second militant guilty in the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, The Washington Post reported.

Mustafa al-Imam, 47, was found guilty on one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and one count of destroying government property.

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The jury was reportedly deadlocked on 15 other counts, including more serious charges such as murder and attempted murder.

U.S. District Judge Christopher R. “Casey” Cooper, an Obama appointee, directed the jurors to continue deliberating, according to the Post.

Four Americans, including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, were killed in the terror attack.

Ahmed Abu Khattala, portrayed as the mastermind behind the operation, was sentenced to 22 years in prison in June 2018.

Charges against the Libyan militant included conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists.

Neither Abu Khattala nor al-Imam has been found directly responsible for the deaths of Stevens, State Department communications aide Sean Smith and CIA security contractors Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.

Al-Imam was captured by U.S. Special Operations forces in Misurata, Libya, in October 2017.

 

Updated at 4:25 p.m.

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Welcome to Hillicon Valley, The Hill’s newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. If you don’t already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter with this LINK.Welcome! Follow the cyber team, Olivia Beavers (@olivia_beavers) and Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and the tech team, Harper Neidig (@hneidig) and Emily Birnbaum (@birnbaum_e). ‘TIM APPLE’ AT THE WHITE HOUSE: Apple CEO Tim Cook on Thursday became the latest tech executive to pay a visit to the White House this year.President TrumpDonald John TrumpHouse panel OKs space military branch Harris calls Trump ‘a national security threat’ after he says he’d take information from foreign power Harris calls Trump ‘a national security threat’ after he says he’d take information from foreign power MORE and his eldest daughter, senior adviser Ivanka TrumpIvana (Ivanka) Marie TrumpTrump Jr. on testimony: ‘Glad this is finally over’ Trump Jr. on testimony: ‘Glad this is finally over’ Trump Jr. back for second interview with Intelligence panel MORE, told reporters during a lunch meeting with governors that Cook was at the White House earlier in the day as part of his work with the White House workforce advisory board.”We’ve secured commitments from [the private sector] to do more,” Ivanka Trump told the room of governors, according to a White House transcript. “Tim Cook, from Apple, who was here today, who’s also on the advisory board.”

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“Who just left,” the president chimed in. “He just left our office.”Ivanka Trump praised Cook’s contributions to White House initiatives, saying he has been a “real force on both the advisory board and in his commitment to lifelong learning generally.”Cook in February joined the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, a body tasked with developing a “21st century workforce” plan. The board, which includes other CEOs, is co-chaired by Commerce Secretary Wilbur RossWilbur Louis RossACLU asks Supreme Court to send census case back to lower court over new evidence ACLU asks Supreme Court to send census case back to lower court over new evidence Amash breaks with GOP in Barr, Ross contempt vote MORE and Ivanka Trump.Apple did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on Cook’s Thursday visit to the White House.Read more here.  FAKEOUT: The House Intelligence Committee hosted one of the first congressional hearings specifically focused on examining the threat of so-called deepfake videos manipulated by artificial intelligence to appear strikingly real.The hearing on Thursday morning featured academics and other experts, coming amid warnings that such technology poses a major disinformation threat ahead of the 2020 presidential election.”I think we all have to be much more skeptical consumers of what we see online,” House Intelligence Chairman Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffIntel hearing showcases political divide over Mueller report Intel hearing showcases political divide over Mueller report Trump Jr. on testimony: ‘Glad this is finally over’ MORE (D-Calif.) told The Hill. “By the time you can tell that it’s a fake, the damage has already been done. So we want to try to inform the public about this so that if it does occur, when it does occur, they’ll have some background about the product.”Fear about disinformation follows the 2016 presidential election, when Russia created fake accounts on social media aimed at sowing divisions and stirring tensions.As other actors seek to follow the Kremlin’s playbook, deepfake technology is growing more sophisticated and prevalent. It’s possible an average internet user by the 2020 election could create doctored videos so realistic forensic experts will have to verify whether the content is real.”We aren’t just worried about Twitter bots and fake Facebook accounts anymore,” Rep. John RatcliffeJohn Lee RatcliffeHouse passes bill to establish DHS cyber ‘first responder’ teams House passes bill to establish DHS cyber ‘first responder’ teams 58 GOP lawmakers vote against disaster aid bill MORE (R-Texas), a member of the Intelligence Committee, told The Hill.”It is important for us to recognize that the threat of misinformation campaigns is evolving. And with the development of AI and deepfakes, the effort to insert fake news into our media is more sophisticated than ever.”Top U.S. intelligence officials including Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testified before Congress in January that hostile foreign actors are expected to try to weaponize deepfakes to sow discord and breed doubt.Read more on deepfakes here. OPENING THE (FLOOD)GATES: Bill and Melinda Gates have launched the Gates Policy Initiative to lobby for issues the billionaire couple has been working on through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Hill first reported.The initiative will be focused on global health, global development, U.S. education and outcomes for black, Latino and rural students specifically, and efforts to move people from poverty to employment.Rob Nabors, former White House director of legislative affairs under President Obama, is the executive director of the 501(c)(4) initiative. He currently serves as a director at the Gates Foundation.”Bill and Melinda have been interested in improving the outcome of the poorest in society both here in the United States and abroad for a very long time,” Nabors told The Hill. “I think recently Bill and Melinda have asked the question, ‘Is there more that we can be doing, especially here in the United States?'”  Nabors said the group plans to work in a bipartisan way and avoid political giving.”Bill and Melinda have a long history of engaging the executive branch, the legislative branch, in a bipartisan way, I don’t see that changing,” Nabors said.Bill and Melinda Gates officially launched the initiative, which is fully independent of their foundation, on Thursday.Read more here. K STREET ENLISTED IN ANTITRUST FIGHT: New scrutiny from regulators and Congress over the tech industry’s antitrust issues is putting Silicon Valley’s K Street support to the test.Tech giants such as Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple have been beefing up their lobbying teams, bringing in both in-house talent and outside firms.The threat of an antitrust crackdown on tech companies is sparking a new flurry of activity. For lobbying firms there is a rush to snap up potentially lucrative contracts, but also pressure to deliver as the tech industry faces one of its toughest battles.”Antitrust investigations are fact-intensive by their nature and these are complicated, fast-moving markets. It’s no surprise that the big tech companies are staffing up with people to help answer inquiries from antitrust enforcers,” said Nuala O’Connor, president and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology.Why now: Tech companies are no strangers to K Street and have been boosting their lobbying spending in recent years, attracting some of the top talent in Washington. Tech companies have faced a host of legislative and regulatory questions in recent years, including over data privacy scandals, workforce diversity, encryption, net neutrality and trade. But for Silicon Valley, the prospect of federal regulators looking into their market power could shake up their business models and drastically change their companies.Both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) are weighing probes into the industry’s biggest players, and Congress has opened its own investigation into whether to rewrite the nation’s antitrust laws for the new economy.The increased scrutiny also comes with the industry finding few allies in Washington.Critics, including President Trump and 2020 contender Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth Ann WarrenHarris calls Trump ‘a national security threat’ after he says he’d take information from foreign power Harris calls Trump ‘a national security threat’ after he says he’d take information from foreign power Warren, Gillibrand double down on impeachment after Trump interview MORE (D-Mass.), have even floated breaking up the companies to level the playing field.Gearing up for the fight: Enlisting help from the influence world will be critical to helping fight off that threat, K Street watchers told The Hill.”Washington likes to control anything that’s important, and today that includes online platforms,” Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel at NetChoice, a trade association of e-commerce businesses, said.”Silicon Valley has woken up to this reality and is hiring accordingly. This is the normal path of any business as it grows.”The antitrust fight could be a gold mine for lobbying firms as tech companies beef up their Washington presence. But there are also high stakes for those firms and executives at trade associations, who must now deliver and help the industry fight off the threat.More here on K Street’s role and the numbers at play. YET ANOTHER HURDLE: The $26 billion T-Mobile–Sprint merger is facing a new and potentially devastating obstacle after 10 attorneys general from nine states and Washington, D.C., filed a federal lawsuit to block the deal.The state attorneys general in the lawsuit, filed Tuesday, argue the bid to combine two of the nation’s four top mobile carriers would jack up prices for customers, particularly low-income consumers, and result in unhealthy market concentration.Legal experts who spoke to The Hill said the states have a strong antitrust case, predicting the ensuing legal battle could drag on for months, if not years.”[The case] materially increases the odds that the deal will never close,” Blair Levin, an analyst with New Street Research and a former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) official, said in an interview.What makes this unique: The lawsuit marks one of the first times a group of state attorneys general has sued to block a deal before the federal agencies overseeing the merger have both weighed in. The Republican-controlled FCC last month signaled it will approve the merger, but the Department of Justice (DOJ) has not yet made its decision on the deal.Gigi Sohn, a former adviser at the FCC during the Obama administration, called the states’ move “unprecedented.”What this means for the DOJ: The multistate lawsuit to block the merger ups the ante for the DOJ and could be a way for the states to sway the department against the deal, experts said.”I think it could mean that the deal is dead,” Sohn said. “At a minimum, it’s an opening salvo to [top DOJ antitrust attorney] Makan Delrahim to join in.”The unusual decision to sue at this point could indicate the states have gotten some insight into the DOJ’s plan and are not happy with it, according to John Mark Newman, a former DOJ antitrust official and assistant law professor at the University of Memphis.”It sounds like DOJ has been asking for some pretty significant concessions and if the states are not happy with what DOJ’s doing, that would maybe suggest that they just … want to block the deal outright,” Newman told The Hill.Who is on board: The attorneys general, led by New York’s Letitia James and Xavier BecerraXavier BecerraNew lawsuit poses major threat to T-Mobile, Sprint merger New lawsuit poses major threat to T-Mobile, Sprint merger Overnight Health Care: Major doctors group votes to oppose single-payer | Panel recommends wider use of HIV prevention pill | New lawsuit over Trump ‘conscience protection’ rule MORE of California, filed the federal lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on Tuesday. Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Virginia and Wisconsin have also joined the effort, with more Democratic attorneys general likely to join in.Dems are applauding the effort: Democrats in both chambers on Capitol Hill have pushed hard against the deal, sending letters to the DOJ and FCC urging them to block the merger out of concern for consumers.”I have repeatedly raised serious antitrust concerns about the harmful effects of merging T-Mobile and Sprint, two of the four remaining nationwide wireless carriers,” Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy Jean KlobucharNew lawsuit poses major threat to T-Mobile, Sprint merger New lawsuit poses major threat to T-Mobile, Sprint merger Hillicon Valley: Lawmakers angered over Border Patrol breach | Senate Dems press FBI over Russian hacking response | Emails reportedly show Zuckerberg knew of Facebook’s privacy issues | FCC looks to improve broadband mapping MORE (D-Minn.), who is running for president, said in a statement. “This merger would harm competition and consumers, and I am pleased that action is being taken by state attorneys general to block it.””Now, the Justice Department must take similar action to stop this transaction,” she said.Read more on the lawsuit and the fallout here.  TWITTER OFFERS DATA ON MISINFO: Twitter on Thursday released an archive of tweets and media associated with Iran- and Russia-linked misinformation campaigns that have since been removed from the site, giving researchers a chance to look into the contours of state-backed information operations on one of the top social media platforms in the world.The company said it is adding datasets from 4,779 Iran-linked accounts that were engaged in misinformation campaigns, four accounts associated with a prominent Russian troll farm, 130 accounts tied to the Catalan independence movement in Spain and 33 accounts engaged in manipulative behavior related to Venezuela.Twitter said all of the removed campaigns were “coordinated, state-backed activities” aimed at altering political discourse, spreading disinformation or otherwise misinforming users.”We believe that people and organizations with the advantages of institutional power and which consciously abuse our service are not advancing healthy discourse but are actively working to undermine it,” Twitter’s head of site integrity, Yoel Roth, wrote in a blog post.”By making this data open and accessible, we seek to empower researchers, journalists, governments, and members of the public to deepen their understanding of critical issues impacting the integrity of public conversation online, particularly around elections.”Roth in the post wrote that Twitter is focused on combatting “misleading, deceptive, and spammy behavior,” aiming to differentiate between legitimate political discourse and manipulative misinformation campaigns.”When we have significant evidence to indicate that state-affiliated entities are knowingly trying to manipulate and distort the public conversation, we believe it should be disclosed as a matter of public interest,” he wrote.Read more on the data here. BIDEN TAKES ON AMAZON (SORT OF): Former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenTop Sanders adviser says brokered convention ‘definitely’ possible Top Sanders adviser says brokered convention ‘definitely’ possible Overnight Health Care: Pelosi to change drug-pricing plan after complaints | 2020 Democrats to attend Planned Parenthood abortion forum | House holds first major ‘Medicare for All’ hearing MORE on Thursday criticized online retail giant Amazon for paying nothing in corporate taxes last year, making him the latest presidential candidate to slam one of the most profitable companies over its effective tax rate of below zero.”I have nothing against Amazon, but no company pulling in billions of dollars of profits should pay a lower tax rate than firefighters and teachers,” Biden tweeted. “We need to reward work, not just wealth.”A report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy earlier this year found that 60 Fortune 500 companies, including Amazon, avoided paying any federal income taxes in 2018.Amazon, which had $11.2 billion in profits last year, has become a prime target for Democrats seeking to criticize corporate power, potentially anticompetitive practices and dangerous working conditions.The company has been accused of mistreating warehouse workers, and it’s facing multiple lawsuits from former employees who said they were treated inhumanely at the facilities. Amazon has said it treats its workers fairly.Biden jumped into the fray earlier this week, slamming the company at a campaign stop in Iowa on Tuesday.”I’ve got nothing against Amazon,” Biden said. “But they should pay a few taxes, you know what I mean? What happens? It’s all you guys. No, I’m serious.”Biden’s remark that he has “nothing against Amazon” raised eyebrows, as it comes amid a furious backlash in Washington against the country’s top tech giants. Lawmakers and advocates have accused Amazon of wielding its corporate power to the detriment of other companies and workers.Read more here. CYBERATTACK HITS CHINESE PROTESTERS: The encrypted messaging app Telegram said it was the target of a “powerful” cyberattack originating from China that disrupted service for some users.Pavel Durov, the company’s founder and CEO, said on Twitter on Wednesday night that the distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack coincided with protests in Hong Kong against a bill that would allow the city to extradite people to mainland China.Durov said that every major DDoS attack it has experienced “coincided in time with protests in Hong Kong.””This case was not an exception,” he added.DDoS attacks aim to cripple online services by flooding them with massive amounts of traffic that can slow them to a crawl.A clever analogy: “Imagine that an army of lemmings just jumped the queue at McDonald’s in front of you – and each is ordering a whopper,” Telegram wrote on Twitter. “The server is busy telling the whopper lemmings they came to the wrong place – but there are so many of them that the server can’t even see you to try and take your order.”The company said that while the attacks had disrupted its service, Telegram’s encryption remained intact and user messages were safe.According to The New York Times, the Chinese government denied that it was behind the incident and noted that it has been the target of cyberattacks itself.Read more on the attack here.  BAD BARGAIN?: A bipartisan pair of senators on Thursday warned the Trump administration against using Chinese telecom giant Huawei as a “bargaining chip” in U.S.-China trade talks, calling the federal government’s actions against the company a matter of “national security.”The letter comes after President Trump in recent weeks signaled he might be willing to relax some of the sanctions against Huawei in exchange for concessions from China in the trade negotiations.Sens. Mark WarnerMark Robert WarnerHouse panel advances bill to create cybersecurity standards for government IT devices House panel advances bill to create cybersecurity standards for government IT devices Lawmakers demand answers on Border Patrol data breach MORE (D-Va.) and Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioSenators clinch votes to rebuke Trump on Saudi arms sale Senators clinch votes to rebuke Trump on Saudi arms sale Republicans warn Cuccinelli won’t get confirmed by GOP Senate MORE (R-Fla.), both members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, in letters on Thursday said Huawei should be treated as its own issue rather than being tacked on to the U.S.-China trade war.”Allowing the use of Huawei equipment in U.S. telecommunications infrastructure is harmful to our national security,” Warner, who is the top Democrat on the panel, and Rubio wrote. “In no way should Huawei be used as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations.””Conflating national security concerns with levers in trade negotiations undermines this effort, and endangers American security,” they wrote in the letters addressed to Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoTrump on disputed claim of Russian withdrawal from Venezuela: ‘Ultimately I’m always right’ Trump on disputed claim of Russian withdrawal from Venezuela: ‘Ultimately I’m always right’ Trump wants MLB to pressure Cuba to give up support for Venezuela: report MORE and U.S. Trade Representative Robert LighthizerRobert (Bob) Emmet LighthizerChinese, US negotiators fine-tuning details of trade agreement: report The Trump economy keeps roaring ahead Trump says no discussion of extending deadline in Chinese trade talks MORE.Read more here.  ‘ALEXA, WHAT’S COPPA?’: Two lawsuits against Amazon claim that the company’s Alexa voice assistant illegally records kids without parental consent.The federal lawsuits, both of which were filed on Tuesday and seek class action status, allege that Alexa-enabled devices, such as the Echo and Echo Dot, violate laws in nine states — California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington — by storing recordings of children, according to court documents.One suit was filed in Seattle, while the other was filed in Los Angeles. The plaintiffs are a 10-year-old who lives in Massachusetts and an 8-year who lives in California, respectively.”The privacy interest is all the more powerful in light of modern voice printing technology and the potentially invasive uses of big data by a company the size of Amazon,” the Seattle lawsuit reads. “It takes no great leap of imagination to be concerned that Amazon is developing voiceprints for millions of children” and tracking their use of Alexa-enabled devices “with a vast level of detail about the child’s life.”After Alexa listens to a user’s commands, Amazon allegedly “saves a permanent recording of the user’s voice to its own servers,” one suit reads.”When children say a wake word to an Alexa Device, the device records and transmits the children’s communications in the same manner that it handles adults’ communications. Neither the children nor their parents have consented to the children’s interactions being permanently recorded,” the lawsuit reads.Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.The lawyers are seeking monetary compensation for the plaintiffs as well as an injunction that requires Amazon to get consent before it records minors’ interactions with Alexa. The lawsuit also asks Amazon to delete any existing recordings of children’s voices.Read more here.  AN OP-ED TO CHEW ON: America can take more actions to cut technology supply chain risks.   A LIGHTER CLICK: Story time. NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB: Sex, drugs, and self-harm: Where 20 years of child online protection law went wrong. (The Washington Post)San Francisco says it will use AI to reduce bias when charging people with crimes. (The Verge)House’s planned overhaul of tech antitrust clashes with Trump probes. (National Journal)Digital marketer Mailchimp bans anti-vaccination content. (NBC News)

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Prosecutors have said they are dismissing all criminal charges against eight people who were charged in the Flint, Mich., water crisis and are restarting their investigation into one of the worst manmade public health crises in U.S. history.

The announcement of the dropped charges comes as prosecutors say they will essentially start from scratch in reviewing the water crisis in order to expand the scope of the investigation. 

Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud took over the case in January and said previous prosecutors had not taken advantage of all available evidence, according to The Associated Press. 

“This week, we completed the transfer into our possession millions of documents and hundreds of new electronic devices, significantly expanding the scope of our investigation,” Hammoud said in a statement.

That expanded search included seizing the cell phone and other records from former Gov. Rick Snyder (R).

Former state health director Nick Lyon was among those whose charges were dropped. Lyon was facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and accused of not quickly alerting the public of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak while Flint used water that was not properly treated.

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The outbreak of Legionnaires’, a form of pneumonia, occurred while the city used lead-contaminated water that also contained other bacteria tied to the disease. Lyon was the top official charged in the probe.

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With the announcement of the dropped charges, Lyon’s attorney, Chip Chamberlain, told the AP they “feel fantastic and vindicated,” but acknowledged that Lyon and others could be charged again.

In April, a federal judge ruled residents of Flint, Mich., can sue the federal government over its response to the city’s drinking water crisis. 

Residents have long blamed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for waiting too long to intervene into state and local management of the city’s water. 

Flint’s water troubles began in 2014 after switching its water source to the Flint River. The city no longer uses the river for its water supply.