Feb 16, 2017

Trump to bring in billionaire pal for intelligence review

Carolyn Kaster / AP

The NYT reports that President Trump is planning to bring Stephen Feinberg, a fellow New York billionaire and member of Trump's economic advisory council, to the White House to lead a review of the nation's intelligence agencies.

Feinberg's national security experience: His hedge fund has stakes in a private security company and two gun manufacturers.

A wrinkle: Trump's pick for director of national intelligence, former Indiana Senator Dan Coats, is still awaiting Senate confirmation. Coats, like CIA Director Mike Pompeo, is a GOP establishment favorite, so Trump's consideration of Feinberg for some new role is viewed as POTUS' way of asserting control over the intelligence community.

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Axios

Updated 39 mins ago - Health

World coronavirus updates

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Axios Visuals

India extended its nationwide lockdown — one of the longest-running in the world — on Saturday, as deaths and infections rise, per Johns Hopkins. The country also moved to allow restaurants, hotels and churches outside of hotspots to begin reopening.

By the numbers: Nearly 6 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 worldwide and over 2.5 million have recovered from the virus. Over 367,000 people have died globally. The U.S. has reported the most cases in the world with over 1.7 million.

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Orion Rummler

Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

In photos: Protesters clash with police nationwide over George Floyd

Police officers grapple with protesters in Atlanta. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Police used tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray as the protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd spread nationwide on Friday evening and continued into Saturday.

The big picture: Police responded over the weekend in force, in cities ranging from Salt Lake City to Atlanta to Des Moines, Houston to Detroit, Milwaukee to Washington, D.C., Denver and Louisville. Large crowds gathered in Minneapolis on Saturday for the fourth day in a row.

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Miriam Kramer

Updated 2 hours ago - Science

Live updates: SpaceX launches NASA astronauts to space station

Photo: NASA TV

SpaceX just launched NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken on an historic ride to the International Space Station.

Why it matters: The launch brings crewed launches back to the U.S. for the first time in nine years, since the end of the space shuttle program.

Follow along below for live updates...

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