The European Union and Japan will be able to keep their domestic ivory trades open despite a push to end the market globally at this year’s international wildlife trafficking meeting in Geneva.

The decision, concluded Wednesday at the 18th meeting of the Conference of the Parties’s (CoP18) discussion of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), will allow the two regions to continue sales of ivory within their borders. 

Nevertheless, environmentalists are seeing the outcome of the meeting as a positive. Countries confirmed a commitment to eventually close all domestic ivory markets and agreed on a consensus to focus their scrutiny on any remaining open markets.

ADVERTISEMENT

Domestic ivory markets such as the EU and Japan will be subjected to more stringent record keeping, including regularly reporting on measures they are taking to make sure their domestic trade does not contribute to poaching or a black market.

“This is a great outcome for elephants,” said Tanya Sanerib, international legal director for the Center for Biological Diversity. 

“Many countries have closed their markets since CoP17 but countries like Japan still need to take action. The Decision today will help ensure that markets are closed and elephants are protected,” Sanerib said.

The proposed call to close domestic markets was brought forward by a coalition of states including Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia and Kenya. It contrasted with arguments from five other African nations including Zambia, which pushed to reopen ivory trade within their borders.

While the ivory trade was effectively banned through CITES in 1989, rising elephant numbers in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe led to downgrading of protections in 1997 and 2000, which allowed sales to restart and ivory to be stockpiled internationally, largely in Japan and China.

More recently, a clear link between the ivory trade and illegal poaching of African elephants has placed pressure on countries to shut down their markets. China, the largest market for elephant ivory, banned its domestic trade in 2017. Singapore announced this year it will ban its ivory market by 2021.

Israel announced the recent closure of its own ivory market during discussions and Australia announced it intends to follow suit soon.

A near total ban on the trade of ivory went into effect in the U.S. in 2016. Imports of elephant hunting trophies are also heavily regulated, based largely off population reports conducted by CITES.

Wildlife advocates say the spotlight will continue to rest on Japan, which experts believe has the strongest ivory trade.

Between 2011 and 2016, about 2.4 tons of illegal Japanese ivory exports were seized, with the majority found in China, according to a report by TRAFFIC, a wildlife nongovernmental organization.

“The big question now is whether Japan will close its domestic ivory market,” said Sanerib. “Given recent seizures, it is clear Japan is contributing to illegal ivory trade and we hope they will close their market.” 

Click Here: New Zealand rugby store

A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday evening that Colorado’s presidential electors do not have to back the candidate who wins the state’s popular vote.

The decision could have significant consequences for future presidential contests and is likely headed to the Supreme Court. 

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver ruled in a 2-1 decision against the Colorado secretary of state in a case stemming from the 2016 presidential race.

At the time, three of the Centennial State’s nine electors tried to vote for candidates other than Democrat Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonThe Memo: Polls flash warning signs for Trump Polls suggest Sanders may be underestimated 10 declassified Russia collusion revelations that could rock Washington this fall MORE, who had won the state’s popular vote.

ADVERTISEMENT

The appeals court ruled that the Constitution provides “presidential electors the right to cast a vote for president and vice president with discretion. And the state does not possess countervailing authority to remove an elector and to cancel his vote in response to the exercise of that Constitutional right.”

The decision was written by U.S. Circuit Judge Carolyn Baldwin McHugh. 

The case before the appeals court revolved around a dispute over the decision of then-Secretary of State Wayne Williams to order the three electors to back Clinton. 

Michael Baca, one of the electors, declined, instead opting to back then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) as part of an attempt to deny Donald TrumpDonald John Trump Former US ambassador: ‘Denmark is not a big fan of Donald Trump and his politics’ Senate Democrats push for arms control language in defense policy bill Detroit county sheriff endorses Booker for president MORE a victory. He was later removed and replaced with another elector who voted for Clinton. The two other electors also wanted to vote for Kasich but chose to vote for Clinton instead of being replaced.

“Secretary Williams impermissibly interfered with Mr. Baca’s exercise of his right to vote as a presidential elector,” the court said. “Specifically, Secretary Williams acted unconstitutionally by removing Mr. Baca and nullifying his vote for failing to comply with the vote binding provision.”

U.S. Circuit Judge Mary Beck Briscoe wrote in her dissenting opinion that the legal challenge was moot since no damages could be rewarded.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D) told The Colorado Sun Wednesday that the ruling “sets an extremely dangerous precedent.”

“Our nation stands on the principle of one person, one vote,” she said in a statement. “We are reviewing this decision with our attorneys and will vigorously protect Colorado voters.”

Lawrence Lessig, the Harvard University law professor who heads the group Equal Citizens and argued in front of the court on behalf of the three electors, hailed the ruling as a “landmark opinion.”

“We know Electoral College contests are going to be closer in the future than they have been in the past; and as they get closer and closer, even a small number of electors could change the results of an election. Whether you think that’s a good system or not, we believe it is critical to resolve it before it would decide an election,” he told the Sun.

Lessig added on Twitter that he believes the case is headed to the Supreme Court.

Click Here: Italy Football Shop

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).

 

Click Here: Italy Football Shop

ICE RE-UPS WITH PALANTIR: Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is signaling it will renew its contract with Palantir Technologies, a software company co-founded by a top adviser to President TrumpDonald John Trump Former US ambassador: ‘Denmark is not a big fan of Donald Trump and his politics’ Senate Democrats push for arms control language in defense policy bill Detroit county sheriff endorses Booker for president MORE, amid ongoing protests of the tech firm’s role in the U.S. immigration system.

ICE likely will continue to use Palantir’s software until 2022, according to a filing posted publicly on Monday, despite outcry from tech employees and immigration groups over the company’s immigration database system, referred to as the Investigative Case Management System.

In the contract, ICE said it has not found another company to provide comparable services, though it has put out inquiries soliciting support from other firms.

“As a result of the market research conducted, the Contracting Officer has confirmed that Palantir, the software developer, is the only firm able to ensure the continued effectiveness of the ICM system,” the document reads.

There had been some speculation that ICE might cut ties with Palantir after the law enforcement agency solicited proposals from other tech companies.

Palantir’s current contract with ICE, which is set to expire in September, was worth $41 million at first and now costs around $51 million, according to government records. Though the documents posted Monday redact the new contract’s value, copying and pasting the redacted section reveals an amount around $49 million.

Read more here.

 

 

NEW POLLING ON TECH REGULATION: Americans are divided over government regulation of big tech firms, according to a Gallup poll released Wednesday, as concerns grow over users’ privacy and whether tech giants have formed monopolies.

Forty-eight percent of survey respondents said the government should boost its regulation of technology companies like Amazon, Facebook and Google, while 40 percent said regulation of these firms shouldn’t change. Ten percent said the companies should face less oversight.

Hispanics and non-college graduates were the only two groups mostly in favor of not changing regulations, while roughly 60 percent each of self-identified liberals, union members, college graduates and Democrats support increased oversight.

Adults under the age of 30 were evenly split over whether to increase regulations or keep them the same, with 44 percent voicing support for each position.

Fears over users’ privacy on major platforms have been fueled by headlines about information being collected either by third parties or the platforms themselves for advertising purposes.

The issue was in the spotlight two years ago after it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica harvested data from millions of Facebook profiles and used it for political advertising purposes.

Lawmakers have also voiced concerns over some tech giants’ market power, with the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee opening a probe into major Silicon Valley players.

Read more here.

 

THERE GO ALL MY ENDORSEMENTS: LinkedIn announced this week that it had blocked or removed 21.6 million fake accounts on its platform between January and June of this year.

The professional networking platform, which has about 645 million users, wrote in a Tuesday blog post that 95 percent of the face accounts were blocked from being created during the registration process and never went live.

Another 2 million fake accounts were restricted by LinkedIn before a user reported them, while 67,000 accounts were taken down after being flagged by users.

LinkedIn emphasized that spotting the fake accounts was possible through using both artificial intelligence and human review, but that artificial intelligence and machine learning defense processes were responsible for taking down or blocking 98 percent of the fake accounts.

“We want to make sure our community continues to be a valuable resource for you; one that creates opportunities to find jobs, make connections and grow careers,” LinkedIn wrote. “When we stop fake accounts, we start more chances for economic opportunity.”

Read more here.

 

PLEASE, TAKE YOUR TIME: A congressionally mandated commission plans to issue its recommendations for protecting the U.S. against cyberattacks early next year, a former top official at the Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday.

The Cyberspace Solarium Commission — made up of bipartisan members of Congress, former government officials and industry representatives — is working toward formulating a comprehensive, strategic approach, commission member Suzanne Spaulding said at the Digital Government Institute’s 930gov conference.

“I think we’re trying to cover everything, frankly, short of war,” said Spaulding, a former under secretary of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Protection and Programs Directorate, now known as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

“To have a strategic approach, you’ve got to make sure that you’re thinking about all of the tools that you have at your disposal, all of the resources, all of the levers that both you and the private sector can contribute and bring to bear,” she added.

The commission was created by the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and was named after President Eisenhower’s 1953 Solarium Project, which was tasked with developing a strategy to defend the U.S. against threats from the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Read more here.

 

SANDERS TARGETS UBER, LYFT: Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersSenate Democrats push for arms control language in defense policy bill Top adviser on Sanders: ‘He’s always been underestimated’ ‘The Simpsons’ pokes fun at Trump’s feud with ‘the squad’ MORE (I-Vt.) took a shot at companies like Uber and Lyft on Wednesday with a new plan that would make it harder for them to rely on gig workers.

Sanders, a presidential candidate, unveiled a wide-ranging “Workplace Democracy” plan to promote workers’ rights and expand unions.

As part of the platform, the Vermont senator promised to crack down on the gig economy, which critics say has allowed companies to exploit workers by treating them as contractors instead of offering them the full benefits that come with being an employee.

Under the plan, “companies will no longer be able to ruthlessly exploit workers by misclassifying them as independent contractors or deny them overtime by falsely calling them a ‘supervisor,’ ” it reads. “When Bernie is president, his administration will end the ability of corporations to misclassify workers as ‘independent contractors’ or label them as a ‘supervisor.’ “

Neither Uber or Lyft immediately responded to a request for comment.

The companies have faced an uphill fight in California, where the state legislature is considering a bill that would make it harder for them to classify gig workers as contractors instead of employees.

Uber and Lyft have argued that the law would make it harder for them to offer the flexibility that they believe makes their services attractive to drivers.

Read more here.

 

WILL THE BOOMERS EVER LEARN? Instagram on Wednesday debunked a widely shared meme claiming the social media platform was poised to allow old messages and private photos TO be used in court.

“Heads up! If you’re seeing a meme claiming that Instagram is changing its rules tomorrow, it’s not true,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote in a public Instagram “story.”

Mosseri noted the same thing on Twitter, linking to a story on the fashion news site WWD debunking the rumor.

The meme, which attributes its information to “Channel 13 News” with no further details, claimed “Everything you’ve ever posted becomes public from today. Even messages that have been deleted.”

Read more here.

 

 

A LIGHTER CLICK: Threats from the bark web.

 

AN OP-ED TO CHEW ON: In debate over internet speech law, pay attention to whose voices are ignored.

 

NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB:

States’ biometric privacy push could threaten big tech in US. (S&P Global) 

T-Mobile ‘put my life in danger,’ says woman stalked with black market location data. (Motherboard)

Why are there so many weird tech patents? (Slate)

How Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth Ann WarrenSenate Democrats push for arms control language in defense policy bill Top adviser on Sanders: ‘He’s always been underestimated’ ‘The Simpsons’ pokes fun at Trump’s feud with ‘the squad’ MORE came up with a plan to break up big tech. (The New Yorker)

Iowa farmers are pushing back after President TrumpDonald John Trump Former US ambassador: ‘Denmark is not a big fan of Donald Trump and his politics’ Senate Democrats push for arms control language in defense policy bill Detroit county sheriff endorses Booker for president MORE reneged on a promise to review a national program that gives waivers to small refineries that don’t add ethanol to their gasoline. 

The president had promised corn farmers he would review the exemption program after a June trip to Iowa, but a recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision to issue new waivers to fuel producers signaled an end to the administration’s study.

Rep. Cindy AxneCindy AxneAnti-Trump vets join Steyer group in pressing Democrats to impeach Trump Assault weapons ban picks up steam in Congress GOP scores procedural win by securing more funding to enforce Iran sanctions MORE (D-Iowa) has requested an EPA Office of Inspector General investigation of the program and whether it violates renewable fuel laws, but at a press conference in Iowa on Wednesday, farmers directed their anger more at Trump than the EPA.

Delayne D. Johnson, CEO of Quad County Corn Processors, said he was proud he voted for Trump after the president announced earlier this summer that he would allow ethanol to be added to gasoline year-round, ending a summertime ban designed to reduce smog. 

“I was equally shocked when I learned that there were 31 small refinery exemptions” issued to plants owned by major companies, Johnson said.

Trump’s call came just two months after a meeting with some of the very same farm groups. It was a decision directly from Trump to go ahead and issue the waiver on Aug. 9.

“The president has heard from all sides and in the end he has had enough of it. He called [EPA Administrator Andrew] Wheeler and gave him the green light,” a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

But the decision creates tension between two groups Trump views as supporters and may threaten the patience of farmers who have already been hit hard by the tariffs of Trump’s trade war.

Jeff Jorgenson, a board member of the Iowa Soybean Association, described the ethanol requirement as an opportunity to help farmers who face hardship, as the government “has played a role in market instability.”

In her request for an investigation, Axne said EPA’s waivers go against congressional intent to increase blending of renewable fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

“Right now what we’re seeing from this administration is a dogged approach to allow the biggest fossil fuel players an opportunity to put more money in the back pockets of their large shareholders and take that money out of the pockets of hardworking farmers right here in Iowa,” she said. 

An EPA spokesperson said the agency is following the process for giving waivers to refineries that would face an economic hardship by adding ethanol to their fuel.

“EPA, with our federal partners, including USDA and the Department of Energy, continues to implement the Renewable Fuel Standard program in accordance with the Clean Air Act, taking into consideration additional direction from Congress, and relevant court decisions,” the agency said in a statement to The Hill. 

“There is zero evidence that EPA’s congressionally mandated small refinery exemption program, which provides regulatory relief to small refineries around the country, has had any negative impact on domestic corn ethanol producers,” it added.

Click Here: NRL Telstra Premiership

President TrumpDonald John Trump Former US ambassador: ‘Denmark is not a big fan of Donald Trump and his politics’ Senate Democrats push for arms control language in defense policy bill Detroit county sheriff endorses Booker for president MORE on Wednesday rejected concerns that his trade war with China could slow the global economy into a recession, telling reporters he believes he is “the chosen one” to fight against decades of trade cheating from Beijing.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, the president sought to distance himself from the mounting economic damage of his battle with China, arguing that he is simply cleaning up messes left for him by his predecessors. 

“Somebody said this is Trump’s trade war. It’s not my trade war. This is a trade war that should have taken place a long time ago by a lot of other presidents,” Trump said, criticizing former Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Somebody had to do it. I am the chosen one,” Trump continued, glancing over his shoulder to gaze at the sky. “Somebody had to do it, so I took on China. I took on China on trade, and you know what? We’re winning.”

 

 

Trump comments are his latest effort to downplay the looming threat a recession and the rising damage of his trade battles with China and the European Union. 

Recent turmoil in the U.S. bond market, retractions in the U.K and Germany, stalling growth in China and a sharp decline in American business investment have raised fears that a record stretch of economic expansion could soon grind to a halt.

Economists across the ideological spectrum have increased the odds of a U.S. recession by end of 2020, due in part to the high costs and destabilizing uncertainty driven by Trump’s trade battles.

A recession of any magnitude could cause severe pain for U.S. households, likely leading to job losses, stagnant wages and limited opportunities for career advancement. But a retraction would also pose a major political threat to Trump, who is depending on a strong economy to woo swing voters in crucial purple states as he seeks reelection.

Trump and his top aides have dismissed fears of a recession by attacking the news media, blaming the Federal Reserve for slowing the economy, and accusing elected Democrats of rooting for a slowdown without evidence to back up that claim.

“The fake news, of which many of you are members, is trying to convince the public to have a recession,” Trump said Wednesday.

“The United States is doing phenomenally well, but one thing I have to do is economically take on China, because China has been ripping us off for many years,” he added.

Click Here: kenzo online españa

Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) Swan MuellerMueller report fades from political conversation Trump calls for probe of Obama book deal Democrats express private disappointment with Mueller testimony MORE’s Russia report has largely faded from the airwaves less than a month after the former special counsel’s high-profile congressional testimony, a possible warning sign to Democrats that most voters have lost interest in the probe.

Even President TrumpDonald John TrumpFacebook releases audit on conservative bias claims Harry Reid: ‘Decriminalizing border crossings is not something that should be at the top of the list’ Recessions happen when presidents overlook key problems MORE has made fewer mentions recently of the investigation that spanned 22 months of his presidency.

During a campaign-style rally in New Hampshire on Thursday, the president did not launch into his once-regular diatribes decrying the Mueller probe as a partisan “witch hunt.” Instead, Trump focused his ire on two Muslim congresswomen — Democratic Reps. Ilhan OmarIlhan OmarScaramucci calls on GOP to save country from Trump ‘depredations’ The Hill’s Morning Report – Trump searches for backstops amid recession worries Mueller report fades from political conversation MORE (Minn.) and Rashida TlaibRashida Harbi TlaibScaramucci calls on GOP to save country from Trump ‘depredations’ The Hill’s Morning Report – Trump searches for backstops amid recession worries Mueller report fades from political conversation MORE (Mich.) — and their thwarted attempt to visit Israel.

ADVERTISEMENT

Trump is not the only one shifting focus away from the probe, which until recently dominated cable news.

In late July, discussion of Mueller’s investigation and possible impeachment were largely absent as the crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates debated each other on issues like health care and who is best positioned to beat Trump in the general election.

Fading public interest in the Mueller probe would be an unwelcome development for House Democrats, particularly as the House Judiciary Committee presses forward with its investigation into possible obstruction and potential abuses of power by the president.

And while Mueller’s day of testimony on Capitol Hill fell flat in terms of providing a marketable moment for Democrats, in part because it didn’t yield any new information outside the report, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold NadlerJerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerGOP memo deflects some gun questions to ‘violence from the left’ House Democrats urge Trump to end deportations of Iraqis after diabetic man’s death French officials call for investigation of Epstein ‘links with France’ MORE (D-N.Y.) has vowed to move forward with his committee’s probe by holding public hearings with other key witnesses on the nearly dozen episodes of possible obstruction by Trump as examined in the 448-page Mueller report.

Democratic strategist Basil Smikle says there are two primary factors contributing to public disinterest: The lack of a fiery moment from Mueller’s testimony and voters no longer asking Democratic candidates on the campaign trail about the Russia probe.

“When you put those together, this is a broader retreat from conversations about impeachment, even while Nadler and the House are steadily conducting these hearings in the background,” said Smikle, former executive director of the New York Democratic Party.

ADVERTISEMENT

Some Democratic strategists, however, argue this lull is temporary.

“While it may seem quiet in the nation’s capital during August recess, the criminal wrongdoing revealed in the Mueller report is a hot topic at town halls across the country,” said Zac Petkanas, a Democratic strategist and vocal advocate of impeachment.

Petkanas pointed to three recent town hall meetings in which three freshman Democrats — Reps. Elissa SlotkinElissa SlotkinMueller report fades from political conversation House Democrats urge Trump to end deportations of Iraqis after diabetic man’s death Hillicon Valley: Capital One faces investigation over massive breach | DHS warns of cyber vulnerability in small aircraft | Senate bill would ban ‘addictive’ social media features MORE (Mich.), Andy Kim (N.J.) and Antonio DelgadoAntonio Ramon DelgadoMueller report fades from political conversation Assault weapons ban picks up steam in Congress The 11 House Dems from Trump districts who support assault weapons ban MORE (N.Y.) — were asked about impeachment by constituents. All three flipped their congressional seats from red to blue during the 2018 midterm elections. 

“That’s why virtually every day another member of Congress comes out in support of launching an impeachment inquiry,” Petkanas said.

Republican strategists say they also see evidence the president and Democrats are moving away from the Russia probe, arguing that neither party wants to run on the Mueller probe next year.

“Both sides at this juncture think that they don’t gain anything electorally from talking about Russia. The Democrats would prefer to put all of their energy into the idea of cultural issues that Trump may be a white supremacist, that’s the reason why they’re moving off of it,” said Ford O’Connell, a Republican strategist.

“Trump’s moving off of it because he realizes, too, he gains nothing by talking about it. Because the second that Bill Barr and Mueller and everyone basically said he wasn’t an agent of Russia, then pretty much the whole storyline ended,” O’Connell added.

The White House has prevented House Democrats from harnessing momentum by blocking former and current White House officials from testifying about the comments they provided in the Mueller probe, a move Democrats acknowledge has been both effective and frustrating.

“The refusal of the White House to obey subpoenas has contributed to this impasse that a lot of observers believe puts us no closer to impeachment than we were over a year ago, and therefore some of the conversation around it has fallen,” Smikle told The Hill.

“It appears the White House is winning because even though refusing to obey subpoenas may be an impeachable offense … little new information is being gleaned since the Mueller hearing came to a close,” he added.

The president’s lawyers have argued that under the standard of immunity, confidential protections offered to the executive branch apply to current and former aides, effectively preventing them from disclosing what took place during their time in the administration.

While both Republican and Democratic administrations have invoked the immunity concept, legal experts say there is virtually no case law on the subject, with some predicting the White House is likely to lose if it’s challenged in court.

Nadler is seeking to challenge the White House claims in court, filing a civil lawsuit earlier this month that seeks to enforce a subpoena for testimony from former White House counsel Don McGahn.

Democrats believe if they win the McGahn case, other former and current White House aides would also be compelled to appear on Capitol Hill, creating a possible domino effect that they hope will also usher in a new wave of energy for impeachment.

Some strategists say that while the impeachment window may be closing, getting a key witness like McGahn to testify could breathe new life into Democrats’ investigations, particularly since the former White House counsel was involved in Trump’s efforts to remove the special counsel amid news Mueller was investigating possible obstruction.

“I imagine winning the lawsuit and bringing McGahn to testify can create some cracks in the armor of the administration and might fuel more dialogue around impeachment,” Smikle said, while cautioning that such a hearing likely won’t get “as much attention as it needs to, given the proximity to the first primary.”

Petkanas is more confident that impeachment fervor will pick up after the August recess ends.

“This will only heat up when members return to Washington after Labor Day and get an update on the progress of the Judiciary Committee’s court cases to compel fact witness testimony,” he told The Hill.

In the meantime, the Mueller report has not fully escaped the president’s broadsides.

Trump went after The New York Times on Sunday, accusing the paper of seeking to spread the “phony Russian collusion narrative” after a leaked recording reportedly quoted Executive Editor Dean Baquet describing how his outlet was “a little tiny bit flat-footed” after the sudden retreat in Mueller intrigue.

“The Failing New York Times, in one of the most devastating portrayals of bad journalism in history, got caught by a leaker that they are shifting from their Phony Russian Collusion Narrative (the Mueller Report & his testimony were a total disaster), to a Racism Witch Hunt,” Trump tweeted in what appeared to be a reference to the leaked audio from a staff meeting at the newspaper.

Baquet also reportedly said there was a loss of interest from readers once they realized Mueller was not recommending charges against the president.

“Our readers who want Donald Trump to go away suddenly thought, ‘Holy shit, Bob Mueller is not going to do it.’ And Donald Trump got a little emboldened politically,” Baquet said, according to Slate’s transcript of the meeting held last week. “And I think that the story changed. A lot of the stuff we’re talking about started to emerge like six or seven weeks ago.”

While Mueller said his investigation did not find sufficient evidence to conclude that the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia, he did not make a determination as to whether the president obstructed justice. Attorney General William BarrWilliam Pelham BarrThe Hill’s Morning Report – Trump searches for backstops amid recession worries Mueller report fades from political conversation Barr removes prisons chief after Epstein death MORE and other Justice Department officials ultimately decided that the evidence laid out in the Mueller report did not reach the threshold to charge Trump with obstruction.

Democrats maintain it was not Barr’s choice to make and that the decision to do so falls on the House.

But while a majority of House Democrats have voiced support to open impeachment proceedings against the president, including most recently the No. 4 Democrat in the House, Rep. Ben Ray Luján (N.M.), Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiJohnson eyes Irish border in Brexit negotiations Mueller report fades from political conversation Five key players in Trump’s trade battles MORE (D-Calif.) has opposed those efforts. Instead, she has directed Democrats to focus on their investigations into Trump as a way of building up their evidence against him.

Click Here: liverpool mens jersey

Nadler, who has privately pushed Pelosi to open an impeachment inquiry, has projected confidence that Democrats will shift public sentiment toward favoring impeachment as a result of his investigation, despite polls indicating a majority of voters do not favor such a move.

“We will hold these hearings. We will get the support of the American people or we won’t. I suspect we will,” Nadler said on MSNBC earlier this month.

With or without public support, Smikle says, Democrats may feel they don’t have a choice if 2020 doesn’t play out in their favor.

“I think there’s this nagging question that hangs over their heads: What happens if Donald Trump wins the election and we did not impeach?” Smikle said.

U.S. immigration authorities do not vaccinate migrants in custody against the flu virus, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) does not have any plans to do so ahead of the upcoming flu season.

“In general, due to the short term nature of CBP holding and the complexities of operating vaccination programs, neither CBP nor its medical contractors administer vaccinations to those in our custody,” an agency spokeswoman told The Hill in an emailed statement.  

Earlier this month, two top House Democrats wrote to CBP as well as to the Department of Health and Human Services, raising concerns over the spread of influenza in detention centers after at least three children died in U.S. custody, in part, as a result of the flu.

ADVERTISEMENT

Reps. Rosa DeLauroRosa Luisa DeLauroLawmakers point to entitlements when asked about deficits House bill would make World Cup funds contingent on equal pay Trump faces new hit on deficit MORE (D-Conn.) and Lucille Roybal-AllardLucille Roybal-AllardDHS wants to shift money to immigration enforcement: report Latina leaders: ‘It’s a women’s world more than anything’ Here are the 95 Democrats who voted to support impeachment MORE (D-Calif.) sent the agencies a letter from several Harvard and Johns Hopkins doctors, who asked for a congressional investigation into health conditions at border patrol facilities.

“These tragic deaths appear to represent more than half of child deaths in the last year in these immigration facilities and to reflect a rate of influenza death substantially higher than that in the general population,” the doctors wrote. “Another influenza season is around the corner. … Timely action is critical.”

The vaccination policy was first reported by CNBC. 

DeLauro and Roybal-Allard said they agreed with the doctors’ concerns, and asked for responses from the agencies to specific questions by Aug. 30

Once children leave CBP detention centers and are transferred to HHS, they are given full medical screenings upon arrival, as well as any needed vaccinations, including the seasonal flu vaccine, an agency spokesperson said.

The CDC recommends annual flu shots for everyone more than 6 months old.

Click Here: liverpool mens jersey

But the transfers out of CBP custody may not happen immediately, and children have been held in overcrowded conditions that make it easy for infectious diseases to spread quickly among those who are not vaccinated. 

A recent Homeland Security watchdog report warned against “dangerous overcrowding” and “prolonged detention” at border detention facilities in the Rio Grande Valley.

Border Patrol was holding about 8,000 detainees in custody, with 3,400 held longer than the three days generally permitted under law. Of those 3,400 detainees, Border Patrol held 1,500 for more than 10 days, the report found. 

According to the CBP spokeswoman, the agency has expanded its medical staff and now has approximately 200 medical personnel engaged along the southwestern border. In addition, the spokeswoman said most of the facilities in the highest volume sectors (like the Rio Grande Valley) have “24/7 medical support available on site.”

According to CBP, those in agency custody who require vaccinations “are referred to the local health system and may receive vaccinations by medical personnel at a local medical facility, if determined necessary” during an initial assessment. Children receive more detailed assessments.  

However, the doctors who sent the letter to DeLauro and Roybal-Allard said an increase in medical staff is not enough, and CBP needs to provide vaccinations. 

“Some of the children stayed in CBP custody for much more than a few days,” Joshua Sharfstein, a professor in the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, said in an email. “More generally, CBP should give necessary care to children to protect them as quickly as possible.  The vaccine takes up to a couple weeks to be effective. That’s why the sooner it is given, the better.”

Il tour di arrampicata invernale in Scozia di Francesco Filippone, Mauro Rossi, Marcello Sanguineti e Christian Türk. La quinta ed ultima puntata: Ben Nevis e Creag Meagaidh.

Durante precedenti viaggi in Scozia, sia Christian sia io “abbiamo già dato” sul Ben Nevis, ma concludere la nostra “Scotland Climbing Trip” con una via sul Ben è un’idea che ci solletica. Detto fatto!

Mentre Mauro e Francesco puntano al Creag Meagaidh, iniziamo la nostra lunga giornata sul Ben. L’obiettivo è Gargoyle Wall, sul Number Three Gully Buttress. Dopo quasi due ore per arrivare tranquillamente alla CIC Hut, un’altra oretta su pendii nevosi sempre più ripidi ci porta all’attacco della parete. In questi giorni c’è il “Fort William Mountain Festival” (www.mountainfestival.co.uk/) e le classiche del Ben sono affollate. Sulla “nostra” Gargoyle Wall, invece, siamo soli soletti.

La via prende il nome dalla struttura rocciosa a destra della sosta del secondo tiro, simile a una di quelle figure mostruose – chiamate “gargolle” o “garguglie” – che in certe chiese ornano la parte terminale degli scarichi dei canali di gronda. Percorsa in parte da Carrington e Nicolson nel 1977, nella sua versione integrale fu aperta solo una ventina d’anni più tardi, nel 1998, da Richardson e Cartwright. Viene definita come “one of the finest mixed routes on the Ben” ed è sicuramente all’altezza della fama!

Il secondo tiro è un piccolo capolavoro, lungo un camino che può essere secco o corazzato di ghiaccio. Nel primo caso è più facilmente proteggibile, mentre in condizioni secche, come lo troviamo noi, è agevolata la progressione. In compenso, lo strato di ghiaccio di pochi centimetri, appena sufficiente per battere molto dolcemente piccozze e ramponi, è perfetto per nascondere le fessure in cui ci si dovrebbe proteggere… Quanto alle viti da ghiaccio, sono in pratica inesistenti e faccio prima a dimenticarle… Proseguo con la dovuta cautela, assaporando ogni passaggio. La quarta lunghezza, che rappresenta il tiro chiave, supera in dry le “Gargoyle Wall Cracks”. Si tratta veramente di un “memorable crux” – come descrivono Nisbet, Anderson & Richardson nella loro guida ”Scottish Winter Climbs” – e mi vede arrampicare mentre alterno i movimenti a esclamazioni di puro godimento. La cordata che ci sta osservando dalla Number Three Gully si sarà chiesta più volte cos’ha da gridare quel tipo che sta scalando sopra di loro…!

Faccio sosta nel più puro “stile scozzese”: un torque nut e due cliffs da ghiaccio. Con un’esteticissima lunghezza in un diedro impestato di ghiaccio Christian esce dalla Gargoyle Wall. Partiamo subito alla ricerca della cornice della Number Three Gully, per percorrere in discesa questa goulotte, rientrare alla CIC Hut e poi a Fort William. Mauro e Francesco, che sono stati sul Ben Nevis un paio di giorni prima, hanno puntato al Creag Meagaidh per l’ultima salita del nostro “Scotland Climbing Trip”. Passo la parola a Francesco, che ci racconta le loro salite sul Ben e sul Creag.

Marcello Sanguineti (CAAI)

Mentre Marcello e Christian sono impegnati sullo Stob Coire nan Lochan, in Glen Coe (Scotland Climbing Trip – Part 2), Mauro ed io imbocchiamo il sentiero per la parete nord del Ben Nevis. Qualche giorno prima di partire per la Scozia, curiosando nel sito UKClimbing, avevo scovato un tizio che offriva due posti alla CIC Hut, il rifugio ai piedi della mitica parete nord del Ben, in seguito alla rinuncia di un amico. Incredibile, proprio nel periodo di nostro interesse! Non ci avevo pensato un attimo, così dopo qualche email e una curiosa telefonata avevamo i nostri due posti assicurati!

Attraversato un bosco di betulle ricoperte di muschio, il sentiero comincia a salire ripido, spiana e prosegue tra rocce ed erba. In meno di due ore siamo al rifugio. In breve ci accorgiamo che tutti, tranne noi, hanno i sacchi a pelo. Cominciamo a cercare qualche coperta, ma non troviamo nulla. Capiamo che ci aspettano due notti poco confortevoli… Il tipo che ci ha dato la possibilità di stare qui usa un modo molto “britannico” per chiederci i soldi del pernottamento: “Per mantenere i buoni rapporti esistenti tra i nostri due Paesi … sarebbero 15 sterline a testa”.

L’indomani mattina partiamo alla volta di Point Five Gully, un “must” per chi, come noi, è alla prima esperienza sul Ben Nevis! Arriviamo alla base poco prima delle 8 e iniziamo a preparare il materiale. Mi offro di partire. Il primo tiro inizia a 70°, poi la pendenza aumenta. Il secondo si presenta come un camino ghiacciato; parte Mauro, che sale l’entusiasmante lunghezza godendo ad ogni passo. Più che in un camino sembra di essere dentro un toboga; il passaggio è stretto e racchiuso fra rocce completamente rivestite di ghiaccio. Dalla sosta osservo il famoso “Rogue Pitch”. I primi 10 metri sono facili, poi la scalata si fa più impegnativa. Salgo sulla sinistra, piazzo due viti e sono a metà della sezione verticale, piazzo un’altra vite sulla destra e proseguo. In uscita c’è meno ghiaccio, la neve non è durissima e non ci si può proteggere. Pedalo ed esco soddisfattissimo. Salgo il tiro successivo su neve dura a 60°, uno spettacolo!! Finisco la corda senza aver trovato un buon punto di sosta, urlo a Mauro di proseguire 20 metri in conserva e sosto su un blocco di ghiaccio alla base della lunghezza successiva. Parte Mauro, mette una vite dubbia e corre verso l’uscita. Non riesce a piazzare null’altro … supera la cornice ed esce al sole! La vetta è un pianoro dal quale si gode una vista magnifica. Ebbene sì: sembra incredibile, ma c’è perfetta visibilità, cosa rara sulle Highlands! L’occhio spazia a 360° su monti, laghi e, soprattutto, verso il mare.

Rientrati alla CIC hut, per la giornata successiva ci giochiamo a cirulla la scelta fra Green Gully e Tower Ridge. Stravinco io e, pur preferendo la prima, scelgo Tower Ridge, “sponsorizzata” da tutti i presenti – che hanno assistito divertiti alla nostra sfida a carte. L’indomani mattina, però, il forte vento ci fa cambiare obiettivo e puntiamo a Green Gully. Robert, un sudafricano rimasto senza corda e compagni, si unisce a noi. La goulotte è un bel nastro che incide il versante destro di The Comb, sul Coire na Ciste, filando per circa 200 metri. Man mano che saliamo il cielo s’inscurisce, poi entriamo nelle nuvole. L’ambiente si trasforma in qualcosa magico, tutto ovattato. Altro che visibilità: ora sì che sperimentiamo le “true conditions” scozzesi!

Usciamo in vetta nella nebbia più fitta; come ogni cosa, anche noi siamo ricoperti da un velo di ghiaccio. Per scendere mettiamo mano alla bussola, procedendo per 100 metri a 231°. Ci ritroviamo, o almeno lo pensiamo, sulla traccia di discesa; cambiamo azimut e ci dirigiamo verso Number Four Gully. Ci imbattiamo in due tipi con due grossi zaini. Uno di loro ha in mano un martello da carpentiere…! Sono due escursionisti che intendevano trascorrere la notte in vetta al Ben e adesso vorrebbero scendere, ma non sono in grado di farlo. No comment. Robert si offre di accompagnarli lungo la via di discesa, così ci separiamo: Mauro ed io andiamo alla ricerca della Number Four Gully, il nostro canale di discesa. Alle cinque siamo già al lodge in attesa di Marcello e Christian, che rientrano dopo le nove dalla Lost Valley, in Glen Coe (Scotland Climbing Trip – Part 3) e trovano una cena degna di un principe…

L’ultimo giorno della vacanza, mentre Christian e Marcello sono sul Ben Nevis, Mauro ed io puntiamo al Creag Meagaidh, nelle Central Highlands. Avevo “scoperto” questa montagna durante la lettura di “Su Ghiaccio Sottile” di Mick Fowler. Con toni intrisi del miglior humor inglese, Fowler racconta le scorribande scozzesi effettuate con gli amici in lunghi week-end con partenza e rientro a Londra, durante le quali aprirono numerose vie. Ecco, finalmente, l’occasione per fare una visita a questa montagna, il cui nome significa più o meno “la roccia delle terre paludose”. Dal suo grande plateau sommitale si dipartono varie creste, che racchiudono vari “corries”. Fra questi c’è il Coire Ardair, che, con i suoi 3 chilometri di lunghezza e una parete di circa 500 metri, offre vie al livello delle grandi classiche sul Ben Nevis.

Iniziamo l’avvicinamento in un contesto molto poco alpino, con ampi prati e dolci rilievi che ci portano in breve a domandarci di essere sul sentiero giusto. Improvvisamente, dopo un’ampia svolta a sinistra, spuntano Post Face e Pinnacle Buttress. Su quest’ultimo, del quale Marcello ci aveva parlato entusiasta, individuiamo la Smith’s Gully, capolavoro di Marshall e Tiso, e The Fly Direct, famosa via di Fowler e Saunders. Dopo una breve sosta sotto un grosso masso erratico ci infilammo nella Raeburn’s Gully, ripida quanto basta per farci soffiare, conducendoci alla base della Smith’s Gully, il nostro obiettivo.

Il tiro si presenta subito poco malleabile, con una colata di ghiaccio che riveste un vago diedrino e richiede a Mauro un paziente lavoro. La lunghezza successiva supera uno stretto e spettacolare colatoio, nella cui parte iniziale è presente un classico passaggio di “neve verticale”. Poi il colatoio si stringe, permettendo una salita in opposizione veramente esaltante. Arrivo alla Appolyon Ledge, dove attrezzo una bella e solida sosta utilizzando con soddisfazione i torque nuts freschi di negozio. L’ambiente è eccezionale e la salita si sta rivelando di gran classe. Il tiro successivo è caratterizzato da una corta colata di ghiaccio che conduce a un muro di neve strapiombante: Mauro deve dar fondo a tutte le sue risorse nella posa delle protezioni.

Click Here: liverpool mens jersey

Sul plateau sommitale la nostra soddisfazione è palpabile. Raccolto velocemente il materiale, ci uniamo a tre alpinisti scozzesi nella discesa della Easy Gully.

Francesco Filippone

Thanks to:
Trango World manufacturer of mountain clothing and mountain gear
Karpos/Sportful, abbigliamento per il tempo libero e l’outdoor.
Geoborders Italy, vendita, noleggio e assistenza di dispositivi satellitari
Totem Cams, new high performance cams for climbing

SCOTLAND CLIMBING TRIP 2013

28/02/2013 – Scotland Climbing Trip – part 1 – Coire an Lochain
11/03/2013 – Scotland Climbing Trip – part 2 – Stob Coire nan Lochan
19/03/2013 – Scotland Climbing Trip – part 3 – Coire Gabhail
27/03/2013 – Scotland Climbing Trip – part 4 – Glen Coe Church Door Buttress

Il 10/08/2013 Stefano Codazzi e Daniele Natali hanno aperto Dall’alba al tramonto (6c (6b+ obblig) / S3 / II, 230m), nuova via sulla parete sudest della Presolana Centrale.

Sembra strano scovare nuove opportunità di gioco in Presolana, terreno di esplorazione già da molte generazioni. Eppure basta alzare con un angolazione particolare la testa e socchiudere gli occhi perché la roccia si sveli sotto una luce diversa, mostrando possibilità mai considerate prima e risvegliando nella mente strane fantasie verticali.

Questa breve storia nasce proprio così, da un idea appena accennata, da una visone che ha acquistato pian piano concretezza, dopo che un velo di abitudine si è inaspettatamente sollevato dalla nostra prospettiva : “Ma per te Stefano, partendo da quella placca non si potrebbe… si Daniele poi giriamo a sinistra lungo la fessura… poi su al pilastrino e…”. Ed è così che, mentre ripetevamo la Pegurri-Carrara, scorrendo con lo sguardo e con la giusta angolazione la roccia, è nata l’idea di questa nuova linea.

Pochi giorni dopo, tiro dopo tiro riusciamo a concretizzare Dall’alba al tramonto, una via psicologicamente impegnativa, protetta con rari spit, che percorre placche e fessure incredibilmente lavorate a buchi, che permettono di proteggersi solo con un sapiente uso delle protezioni veloci, utilizzando anche la giusta angolazione per piazzarle…

Click Here: liverpool mens jersey

Dall’alba al tramonto è stata ripetuta in libera da noi il 31 Agosto; la via è protetta con fix inox da 8mm, soste con anello di calata.

Si ringrazia Climbing Technology per il supporto tecnico della salita, Karpos e Wild Climb.

SCHEDA: Dall’alba al tramonto, Presolana

Nel febraio 2013 Matthias Scherer e Tanja Schmitt hanno ripetuto Kjerrskredkvelven, l’enorme cascata di ghiaccio a Gudvangen, Norvegia.

Con più di 500 cascate di ghiaccio già salite, si potrebbe pensare che i tedeschi Matthias Scherer e Tanja Schmitt siano ormai abituati da quello che la natura ci regala nella stagione più fredda. Ma non è affatto così: durante un viaggio in Norvegia i due sono stati letteralmente storditi dalla bellezza di Kjerrskredkvelven, un’enorme lingua di ghiaccio nella valle Gudvangen. Per intenderci, la valle che secondo Scherer ospita "alcuni delle più grandi linee di ghiaccio di questo pianeta." Nel caso di Kjerrskredkvelven, stiamo parlando di 1000m di dislivello di 1300m di via, gradati complessivametne V, WI 6.

Mentre la prima salita di questa via è attribuita a Mario Olsen, la recente ripetizione con tutta probabilità ha una partenza e anche il tiro finale diversi, viste le condizioni del ghiaccio che quest’anno ne permettevano la salita. Scherer & Schmitt hanno seguito le tracce di una cordata russa che aveva salito la via il giorno precedente, ma come dice Scherer, ciò che è importante non è chi ha fatto cosa quando, ma il fatto "che questi 1300m sono stati saliti in uno stile pulito. Semplicemente fantastico!"

Per il report completo di questa ripetizione viisitate www.matthias-scherer.com

Click Here: liverpool mens jersey