Twenty states file motion to block Trump border wall funding: N.Y. attorney general

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Twenty U.S. states have filed a motion to block President Donald Trump’s method of funding a border wall by diverting federal funds through a national emergency declaration, the New York state attorney general said on Friday.

“This wall is unnecessary, and an abuse of power that will take away resources that could be used to help Americans across our nation,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said on Twitter.

The states filed a lawsuit in February after Trump declared a national emergency to help build a border wall that was a signature of his 2016 campaign for president. The motion for a preliminary injunction to block Trump’s effort that was filed late Thursday formalized that request. Trump’s order would allow him to spend money on the wall that Congress appropriated for other purposes. Congress declined to fulfill his request for $5.7 billion to help build the wall this year.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-states/twenty-states-file-motion-to-block-trump-border-wall-funding-n-y-attorney-general-idUSKCN1RH1KX?il=0

Amazon Planning Fleet Of Satellites For Broadband Internet Services

Amazon.com (AMZN) is joining the race to launch a constellation of satellites for broadband internet connectivity to underserved areas. Amazon has asked international regulators to provide access to airwaves for a constellation of 3,236 low-Earth orbit satellites, said a report from GeekWire on Thursday. Federal Communications Commission officials presented the satellite plan to the International Telecommunications Union last month, on behalf of Washington, D.C.-based Kuiper Systems, an Amazon venture. The plan is known as Project Kuiper. "This is a long-term project that envisions serving tens of millions of people who lack basic access to broadband internet," according to an Amazon statement. "We look forward to partnering on this initiative with companies that share this common vision." Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos is the founder and owner of Blue Origin, which is building rockets for space tourism and satellite launches. A Blue Origin orbital-class rocket now under construction called New Glen plans its first launch in 2021.

Internet Satellite Space Race Amazon is joining other companies with plans to build out a satellite-based infrastructure for space-based internet communications. SpaceX, run by Tesla (TSLA) Chief Executive Elon Musk, plans to deploy a constellation of 4,425 broadband satellites. The service likely won't be ready until 2020 or 2021. Virginia-based OneWeb is also planning a fleet of satellites for broadband internet access. Its backers include Qualcomm (QCOM), Virgin Group, SoftBank (SFTBY), Coca-Cola (KO) and Airbus (EADSY). Boeing (BA) and Facebook (FB) have also laid out plans for space-based internet access.

Billions Lack Access Billions of people still lack high-speed internet access. That's particularly true in areas that are difficult to reach with fiber-optic cables or wireless infrastructure. The United Nations estimates that about 4 billion people are in underserved areas when it comes to internet access. Details about Amazon's satellite constellation plans are undisclosed, such as the cost, who would build the satellites and what launch vehicles it would use. Designing, manufacturing and deploying thousands of satellites is likely to cost several billion dollars.

https://www.investors.com/news/technology/amazon-satellite-internet-services-space/

>>6060655

Message: Southern Border Wall Safe

Novartis Lawsuit Accuses Amgen Of Trying To Welsh On Migraine Deal

Novartis (NVS) sued its partner Amgen (AMGN) on Thursday, accusing the biotech of trying to renege on their agreement to sell migraine treatment Aimovig. The Swiss pharmaceutical company filed a lawsuit in a Manhattan federal court. Novartis accused Amgen of trying to improperly terminate their collaborative agreements in an effort to keep the profits of migraine treatment Aimovig for itself, Reuters reported. The duo began their collaboration in 2015. But Amgen says Novartis breached their agreement by entering into a contract with rival Alder Biopharmaceuticals (ALDR). Recently, a subsidiary of Novartis agreed to make some eptinezumab for Alder. Eptinezumab is Alder's experimental migraine treatment, and rivals Aimovig. "Amgen asked Novartis to cure the breach," Amgen said in a written statement to Investor's Business Daily. "Novartis refused to do so and entered into an additional agreement with Alder committing to future manufacture of the competing product."

New Method Of Migraine Treatment Aimovig was the first migraine treatment in its class to gain approval. It aims to target a substance in the body associated with migraines in an effort to prevent them. Since then, competitive drugs from Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA) and Eli Lilly (LLY) also have been approved. In February, Alder submitted its application for approval of eptinezumab to the FDA. Eptinezumab is an intravenous migraine treatment. Novartis subsidiary Sandoz recently agreed to make some quantities of the Alder migraine treatment through 2023. That flies in the face of Novartis' agreement with Amgen, Amgen says. "We notified Novartis of our intent to seek legal recourse," Amgen said. "Amgen is seeking to terminate the collaboration agreements with Novartis and to obtain damages. Termination of the agreements would not be effective until litigation is resolved."

Novartis Says Amgen's Notice Is Unjustified Novartis says it received Amgen's notice on Tuesday. Amgen's plan to terminate their agreements is "unjustified and without legal merit," Novartis said in a written statement. "In order to prevent an unjustifiable attempt by Amgen to end the collaboration, Novartis has filed a lawsuit asking the court to confirm that Amgen has no right to terminate the agreements," Novartis said. "The agreements will remain in force until and unless a final and binding court decision is pronounced that terminates the agreements." In Friday's stock action, Amgen stock was up 1.2%, to 194.62. Novartis stock a few cents to 94.19. After plunging Thursday, Alder stock was flat at 13.35. Lilly added 0.4% to 126.09. And Teva stock rose 1.2% to 15.37.

https://www.investors.com/news/technology/novartis-reportedly-sues-amgen-migraine-treatment-aimovig/

>>6060665

Close the border and lose the drugs, and trafficking profits…sure if you match these up with the crime numbers in these areas..it will all make sense.

Kirstjen Nielsen blindsided over ICE nominee Ronald Vitiello's ouster

Top officials at the Department of Homeland Security, including Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, were caught off guard by the White House’s sudden move Thursday night to pull the nomination of Ronald Vitiello as head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to two sources who spoke with the Washington Examiner. Nielsen, who has overseen DHS for 16 months, on Thursday was blindsided and called Vitiello after midnight for more information on what had happened, one source close to Vitiello said. Vitiello got a call from a White House official Thursday night telling him he would not be traveling with President Trump and Nielsen to Southern California the following day because his nomination had just been rescinded.

Both sources, who spoke on background because they were not authorized to speak for the White House or ICE, said Vitiello was told by a second White House official his name was pulled due to a “paperwork” issue. The second official who spoke with the Washington Examiner said it likely came down to Vitiello not being endorsed by ICE union head Chris Crane. Vitiello did not go into the office Friday due to the sudden change. He's now running ICE in an acting capacity. It’s not clear where he is headed as the White House mulls over who to instead install at the agency. The move puts ICE without a leader as the agency deals with the highest number of noncitizens in its custody in over a decade.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/kirstjen-nielsen-blindsided-over-ice-nominee-ronald-vitiellos-ouster

>>6061006

I agree interesting.. I guess we need to dig.

>>6060873

While I agree with what you are saying here there is a more important reason why…follow the money!