Breaking: Suspect in connection with the mail bombs identified as 56-year old Cesar Sayoc Jr., of Aventura, Florida. The suspect had a criminal record dating back to 1991 including 3rd degree theft and battery, Domestic violence, Controlled substance charges, and petty theft.
Suspect identified in mail bombings: report
The suspect arrested on Friday in connection with the series of suspected explosive packages mailed to prominent Democrats has been identified by law enforcement officials as Cesar Sayoc Jr., according to media reports.
New York Times identified Sayoc as a 56-year-old male from Aventura, Fla., north of Miami.
He is a registered Republican with a criminal record that includes felony theft, drug and fraud charges dating back to 1991.
Public records show he was also once arrested and accused of threatening to use a bomb.
He was born in New York and public records list his occupation as “manager,” The Times reported.
The suspect was arrested on Friday near Plantation, Fla., in the district represented by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D), whose office was listed as a return address on several of the packages.
FBI agents were seen nearby covering up a white van that appeared to be covered in political stickers and decals honoring President Trump and Vice President Pence.
MSNBC reported that stickers also read “CNN SUCKS” and depicting former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others shown with gun sight targets on their faces.
It is unclear whether the van belongs to Sayoc.
No formal charges have been filed as of yet but a spokeswoman with the Justice Department announced that a press conference will be held in the afternoon.
Potential pipe bombs and suspicious packages were sent to prominent Democrats, Trump critics and the CNN offices in New York this week in what appeared to be a coordinated effort.
Packages were intercepted addressed to the residences of the Clintons, former President Obama and former Vice President Biden.
Other packages were addressed to Wasserman Schultz, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif), Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif), former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan.
None of the devices have detonated, and no injuries from them have been reported.
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news-campaigns/413348-suspect-identified-in-mail-bombings-report
Trump hails quick arrest of pipe bomb suspect, vows 'swift and certain justice'
"We must show the world we are united in peace and harmony," Trump said at a White House event held shortly after an arrest was made.
President Donald Trump on Friday praised law enforcement for the quick arrest of pipe bomb suspect Cesar Sayoc Jr. and vowed that he and anyone else possibly involved would be prosecuted to the "fullest extent of the law."
Trump, speaking at the 2018 Young Black Leadership Summit at the White House, called the sending of the bombs a “despicable” act that has “no place in our country” and vowed that “swift and certain justice” would be delivered.
“We must never allow political violence to take root in America. We cannot let it happen. I am committed to do everything in my power as president to stop it and stop it now,” he said, adding that “we must show the world we are united in peace and harmony.”
Trump’s comments came less than an hour after authorities said they had taken Sayoc into custody and would charge him in connection with the series of bombs found this week addressed to critics of the president.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-hails-quick-arrest-pipe-bomb-suspect-vows-swift-certain-n924871
Immigration Expert: ‘A Wall Would Stop’ Caravan Crisis from Happening
https://www.cnsnews.com/blog/michael-morris/immigration-expert-wall-would-stop-caravan-crisis-happening-we-need-more
Iraq to halt Kirkuk exports to Iran, may resume them to Turkey -sources
BAGHDAD, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Iraq will stop trucking crude oil from its northern Kirkuk oil field to Iran in November in order to comply with sanctions imposed on its neighbour by the United States, two sources familiar with Iraqi oil export operations said on Friday.
Currently, Iraq is exporting less than 30,000 barrels per day (bpd) to Iran via trucks, the sources told Reuters.
The former Iraqi federal government agreed a deal in mid-October with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to resume exporting crude to Turkey’s Ceyhan port via the KRG, the sources said. The deal is subject to final approval from the newly-appointed Iraqi prime minister and oil minister, they added. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by John Davison)
https://uk.reuters.com/article/iraq-oil/iraq-to-halt-kirkuk-exports-to-iran-may-resume-them-to-turkey-sources-idUKB2N1SF02B
After consecutive failures, Navy has successful SM-3 missile intercept
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon intercepted a test ballistic missile with the Standard Missile 3 Block IIA system, the second time that weapon has been successfully tested — a major relief for the department following two consecutive test failures.
The SM-3 Block IIA is a co-development between the U.S. and Japan, and is expected to be equipped on both the U.S. Aegis Ashore stations in Romania and Poland and the future Aegis Ashore stations in Japan — making it a keystone to America’s short- and intermediate-range missile defense strategies, and a system watched closely by the defense community.
The system can be launched from sea or land via the AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense system. The IIA variant comes with enlarged rocket motors and a bigger kinetic warhead, according to industry lead Raytheon.
The intercept occurred off the west coast of Hawaii, when an SM-3 launched by the USS John Finn (DDG-113) destroyed a target launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Kauai.
“This was a superb accomplishment and key milestone for the SM-3 Block IIA return to flight," Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves said in a statement. "My congratulations to the entire team, including our sailors, industry partners, and allies who helped achieve this milestone."
“This second intercept for the SM-3 Block IIA is a success we share with the Missile Defense Agency and the country of Japan, our cooperative development partners,” Taylor Lawrence, Raytheon Missile Systems president, said in a statement. “Together, we are building the most advanced solutions for ballistic missile defense.”
Tests have not always gone smoothly for the new SM-3 system. While the first system test in Feb. 2017 was successful, a second test in June 2017 was washed out after a sailor accidentally triggered the missile’s self-destruct feature by misidentifying it as a friendly target. A third test, held in January 2018, ended in a failure that cost taxpayers $130 million.
Speaking to reporters in March, Greaves emphasized that even in an intercept failure. MDA gains a wealth of knowledge from each test launch. As he put it then, “ “If North Korea is learning as much as I’m learning from these failures, we all ought to be concerned.”
Along those lines, it is notable that the MDA statement says “Based on observations and initial data review, the test met its objectives. Program officials will continue to evaluate system performance.”
https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2018/10/26/after-consecutive-failures-navy-has-successful-sm-3-missile-intercept/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=Socialflow+DFN
Shelling in Syria's Idlib kills seven, largest death toll since mid-August
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Shelling in Syria’s Idlib province killed at least seven civilians on Friday, the largest one-day loss of life there since Russian air strikes stopped in mid-August, a war monitor said.
Idlib province is part of the Syrian opposition’s last big foothold in the country and is effectively a zone of Turkish influence under de-escalation agreements reached between opposition-backer Turkey and Damascus-ally Russia.
A Russia-Turkey deal in mid-September also created a demilitarized zone on the region’s frontline with Syrian government forces, from which rebel groups had to withdraw heavy weaponry.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported regular exchanges of shelling since then in south-east Idlib province and the western outskirts of Aleppo city which have caused a few deaths in both rebel- and opposition-held sides of the frontline, but Friday marked an escalation.
The war monitor said seven people, including three women and three children, died in Rafa village in southeast Idlib province on Friday. Shelling by Syrian government forces also hit other areas nearby, the Observatory said.
The U.N. says around 3 million people live in rebel-held Idlib and adjacent areas and has warned that a battle to restore Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s control over the zone could be the worst of the seven-year-old war.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-idlib/shelling-in-syrias-idlib-kills-seven-largest-death-toll-since-mid-august-idUSKCN1N02DZ?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29
Facebook removes fake accounts tied to Iran that lured over 1 million followers
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Facebook Inc (FB.O) said on Friday it had deleted more accounts originating in Iran that attracted more than 1 million U.S. and British followers its latest effort to combat disinformation activity on its platform.
The social media company removed 82 pages, groups and accounts on Facebook and Instagram that represented themselves as being from American or British citizens, then posted on “politically charged” topics such as race relations, opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump and immigration, Facebook’s head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, said in a blog post.
In total, the removed accounts attracted more than 1 million followers. The Iran-linked posts were amplified through less than $100 in advertising on Facebook and Instagram, Facebook said.
While the accounts originated in Iran, it was unclear if they were linked to the Tehran government, according to Facebook, which shared the information with researchers, other technology companies and the British and U.S. governments.
The action follows takedowns of hundreds of accounts linked to Iranian propaganda efforts by Facebook, Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) and Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O).
Social media companies have increasingly targeted foreign interference on their platforms following criticism that they did not do enough to detect, halt and disclose Russian efforts to use their platforms to influence the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential race.
Iran and Russia have denied allegations that they have used social media platforms to launch disinformation campaigns.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-iran/facebook-removes-fake-accounts-tied-to-iran-that-lured-over-1-million-followers-idUSKCN1N021B?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=twitter
Microsoft overtakes Amazon as second most valuable U.S. company
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) regained its spot as the second most valuable U.S. company on Friday after a disappointing quarterly report from Amazon.com (AMZN.O) wiped $65 billion off the online retailer’s market capitalization.
Apple Inc (AAPL.O) tops the list at over $1 trillion after crossing that threshold in September. Microsoft’s market capitalization was Wall Street’s highest in late 1998 through early 2000 before the dot-com bubble burst.
Amazon’s shares dropped 7 percent, the most in nearly three years after its holiday season sales outlook missed targets, fanning concerns that Wall Street’s tech darlings are finally starting to face stronger competition.
Microsoft fell a more modest 2 percent in a broad technology sell-off that was also driven by a weaker-than-expected report from Google-parent Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O), leaving the Nasdaq down 2.1 percent at midday….
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-stocks-microsoft-amazon-com/microsoft-overtakes-amazon-as-second-most-valuable-u-s-company-idUSKCN1N02FQ?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social
Turkey seeks extradition of 18 Saudi suspects over the killing of Jamal #Khashoggi.
Saudi Arabia has admitted Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Khashoggi - a Saudi writer, US resident, and Washington Post columnist - entered the building on October 2 to obtain documentation certifying he had divorced his ex-wife so he could remarry.
After weeks of repeated denials that it had anything to do with his disappearance, the kingdom eventually acknowledged that the murder was premeditated. The whereabouts of his body are still unknown.
Here are the latest developments: …
Jamal Khashoggi case: All the latest updates
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/jamal-khashoggi-case-latest-updates-181010133542286.html?__twitter_impression=true
DJT Tweet
I would like to begin today’s remarks by providing an update on the packages and devices that have been mailed to high-profile figures throughout our Country, and a media org. I am pleased to inform you that law enforcement has apprehended the suspect and taken him into custody.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1055872564386398209
DOJ CONFIRMS ARREST MADE IN CONNECTION WITH BOMB SCARES
A Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed Friday that federal authorities have arrested a man in connection to the suspicious packages containing suspected explosive devices sent to various high-profile persons across the country.
Police discovered a 12th package on Friday that was addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper at CNN. Thus far, packages have been sent to the Clintons, former President Barack Obama, former CIA Director John Brennan, left-wing billionaire George Soros, former Vice President Joe Biden and several others. (RELATED: Joe Biden Becomes 9th Bomb Target)
DOJ spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores tweeted on Friday that “one person is in custody.” The DOJ will hold a press conference Friday at 2:30 p.m. EST…
https://dailycaller.com/2018/10/26/report-man-arrested-bomb-scares/?utm_campaign=atdailycaller&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter&__twitter_impression=true
Israel PM makes secret Oman visit
Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made the first visit to Oman by an Israeli premier in over 20 years, officials said Friday, in an apparent sign of growing regional ties.
The surprise meeting with Oman´s Sultan Qaboos late Thursday, which was kept secret until Netanyahu´s return home, comes despite the two nations having no diplomatic ties.
The trip is a major coup for Netanyahu, who has said he wants to bolster ties with the Arab world despite a stalemate on the Palestinian front.
"A special visit in Oman – we´re making history!" Netanyahu wrote on Twitter, posting a video of his reception and meeting.
Netanyahu and Sultan Qaboos discussed the Middle East peace process "and other issues of shared interest", the Israeli premier´s office said in a statement.
Netanyahu was accompanied by his wife Sara and his delegation included Mossad intelligence chief Yossi Cohen and National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat.
The visit came at the invitation of Sultan Qaboos and followed "lengthy contacts between the two countries", the Israeli statement said.
It formed part of "the policy outlined by Prime Minister Netanyahu on deepening relations with the states of the region", it said.
Oman´s state broadcaster showed Netanyahu and his delegation walking alongside Sultan Qaboos – who is rarely seen in pictures anymore – and Omani officials in traditional garb.
In 1994, then-Israeli premier Yitzhak Rabin visited Oman, and acting prime minister Shimon Peres also made a visit in 1996 when the two countries agreed to open trade representative offices.
In October 2000, Oman closed the offices after the outbreak of the second Palestinian intifada.
Israel currently has full diplomatic relations with only two Arab states, Egypt and Jordan.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/385886-israel-pm-makes-secret-oman-visit
https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wh
A new Harvard Law course will examine ways to “push back against” President Trump’s policies.
https://twitter.com/FoxFriendsFirst/status/1055875203874598912
FORMER BISHOP OF MEMPHIS ACCUSES CARDINAL WUERL OF ORCHESTRATING HIS FIRING AS REVENGE
https://dailycaller.com/2018/10/26/memphis-bishop-vatican-firing/
Billionaire activist Tom Steyer is reportedly preparing to drop one final money bomb before the midterm elections as he attempts to boot as many Republicans from office as possible.
Steyer, together with his wife, has given over $42 million this midterm election cycle to Democrats and other progressive causes, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. That sum makes him the most prolific Democratic donor by far, and the second highest political donor across the partisan spectrum, behind Republican booster Sheldon Adelson. Beyond supporting various Democratic campaigns and initiatives, Steyer has used his millions to spearhead two of his own campaigns: NextGen Climate Action and Need to Impeach.
However, Steyer isn’t finished yet.
Steyer is reportedly set to spend another $16 million in a last-minute campaign push before the Nov. 6 elections, according to a Steyer aide who spoke with CNBC. A large chunk of Steyer’s donations also have gone toward an enormous get-out-the-vote effort. His GOTV campaign is largely targeted toward young adults, a demographic group that typically doesn’t show up to the polls in large numbers.
“We have 4 million people who we’re in contact with every day,” he said to a local California news outlet Thursday. “We’re going to send out over 1.5 million hand-written letters to them asking them to vote.”
“We strongly believe this is a group of people who are passionate, knowledgeable, engaged, don’t trust the system and haven’t felt that their vote mattered. Our whole goal is to engage them so that they realize that it’s not their vote, but it’s their generation’s vote that will change everything,” the California Democrat said….
https://dailycaller.com/2018/10/26/tom-steyer-midterm-spending/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=atdailycaller