For years, I had the same routine every time spring rolled around. I'd frantically "prepare" for summer by signing up for intense fitness classes and nutrition programs in order to meet my body goals achieve the perfect "summer body." It was always some kind of high-intensity interval crash course coupled with a "healthy lifestyle" nutrition program. My fellow dietitian friends were on the same page, too. We were more active on MyFitnessPal then we were on Facebook. But the calorie counting always became exhausting which is why I could never keep it up for more than a month at a time. To make matters worse, the fitness programs left me completely burned out. Wasn't working out supposed to make you feel better and not worse? The kicker was that my body never really changed. Maybe I lost a couple pounds. But that six-pack that all of these programs promised? It never came. I also never got Michelle Obama arms, nor was I able to "build a booty." But about five years ago, everything changed. As a registered dietitian, I pay close attention to the conversations that others in my field are having about dieting and weight loss and healthy eating. I started hearing more and more about intuitive eating, and seeing more concerning evidence that dieting for weight loss wasn't an effective solution for many people. I learned about how, as SELF has reported, it's common for people who embark on weight loss diets to gain weight back (and sometimes even more than they lost in the first place). I also noticed that my patients who wanted to lose weight were locked into ways of thinking about food that were punishing and exhausting to be "good" was to rigidly follow a set of norms, and to be "bad" was to "cheat" or "fail" at following those impossibly high standards. Intuitive eating , on the other hand, is the exact opposite of dieting. There are no external rules to follow no time of day after which you shouldn't eat, no foods which are "bad" or off limits. The only guidelines eating intuitively requires are the ones that come from inside you, from your own body, mind, and feelings. Eating intuitively means making peace with food and taking care of yourself in a complex and comprehensive way. Around this time, I decided to take Evelyn Tribole's Intuitive Eating Pro Skills Training for dietitians, which completely changed the way I practice nutrition. Tribole is the author of the groundbreaking book on Intuitive Eating , which basically sparked this movement within the dietetics community. Through Tribole's course, I learned about the concept of joyful movement, which is the idea that working out shouldn't be a miserable chore, but rather something you look forward to because it makes you feel good. In her book, Body Kindness , registered dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield, writes, "The most beneficial exercise is the one you do consistently." And in my experience, and from what I have observed with my patients, you only do something consistently if you really enjoy it. There's no one miracle workout we should all be doing. The key is to focus on what movement lifts you up versus tears you down. This all brings me back to the idea of "summer body" goals. My biggest issue with this "summer body" imperative is that it implies that our bodies are not good enough as they are. Think about it: The average dress size in America is a 16. A 16. Not a 2, not a 4, not even a 6. Yet so many women (and men) I work with are terrified to step foot on a beach in a bathing suit in their current body, convinced that the skin they're in isn't good enough as-is. The truth is, the $70 billion diet industry makes a profit by selling you the idea that you are just one supplement, fitness program, or diet plan from your ideal self. These days, when my patients come in looking for help achieving their body goals, I push them to dig a little deeper. Who benefits from your pursuit of the "perfect body?," I ask. What would happen if you decided to shift your focus from changing your body to changing how you feel about your body? (Which, I'll be the first to admit, is hard and doesn't happen overnight). Perhaps the most liberating question that I ask patients is what would balanced eating look like if we put weight loss the back burner for now? This gives them space to decide what taking care of themselves means for them , by them. Not according to any outside influence. The bottom line is that if it's summer and you have a body, you have a summer body. And so instead of working towards changing your body this summer, I now help my clients focus on taking care of themselves from the inside using these seven strategies: 1. Learn to listen to your body. Most of my patients use external rules to dictate when/what/how much to eat because they don't trust themselves. The hunger scale is a good guide to help you start eating when you're hungry and stop when you feel comfortably full. For those not familiar with this concept, it's a scale that rates your hunger/fullness on a scale from 1-10: 1 meaning famished, 5 meaning neither hungry nor full, and 10 meaning so full you feel sick. I always recommend that my patients try to begin eating when they're at about a 3 or 4 and stop eating at a 6 or 7. Having said that, it's important to not put yourself on a hunger fullness diet, which means you can only eat when you are hungry and must stop at the exact point of comfortable fullness. There will be times when you over or undershoot and that's OK! 2. Remember that eating food is a form of pleasure. People often think that they should always and exclusively view food as "fuel" or "nutrition," but that's not the case. It's important to remember that food is a source of pleasure, too. The trick, however, is to find your unique balance between food as pleasure and food as energy. For example, if you only ate "fun foods" you would likely not feel your best physically. And if you only focused on "nutritious" foods, you will likely feel deprived emotionally. Spend time striking a balance that works for you, and, for the love of god, don't worry about what anyone else is doing. Your wellness path doesn't have to mirror that of your friends, family, social media community, etc. 3. If intuitive eating feels too overwhelming, consider the MyPlate method as a transitional tool. I know I said no more external rules, but this is a really helpful tool, especially for people who are just starting to make the move from dieting and food rules to intuitive eating. For people who need a little more guidance when it comes to constructing nourishing and satisfying meals, I recommend using the MyPlate method . This means making half your plate non-starchy vegetables, one quarter protein, and one quarter carbohydrates. It's important not to turn this into a diet or a be-all and end-all. There will be meals (or days) when vegetables don't make it onto your plate, and that's OK. 4. Know that sometimes you just need outside help. And if you find yourself unable to let go of food rules or feel particularly anxious about food and eating, consider consulting with a registered dietitian who can help you out or refer you to another professional who can. 5. Focus on joyful movement. Instead of viewing fitness as a means to control the shape of your body, think about all of the other amazing benefits that you get from working out. I find that joyful movement boosts my mood, makes my bowel movements more regular, helps my back/neck and shoulders ache less, and helps to keep me metabolically healthy. Joyful movement can include gardening, bike riding, walking, rock climbing basically anything that you get excited about that also gets your heart rate up and/or works your muscles. 6. Get adequate sleep. Wellness isn't just about healthy eating and exercise. Sleep plays a critical role, too. Many of my patients are busy professionals or students, and they often sacrifice sleep in order to "get the job done." The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults ages 26-64 get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Are you meeting that goal? Some of the foundation's tips for improving sleep include sticking to a schedule (weekends included), creating a bedtime ritual, turning off electronics before bed and checking in on the bedroom temperature. 7. Don't forget that healthy eating involves your mental and social health, too. I recently wrote this article for SELF about how healthy eating involves mental and social health. For example: skipping a beach trip with friends because you are unhappy with your body (or can't control the menu) can lead to social isolation. It sounds extreme but I see it all of the time. For many folks, it can be really helpful to meet with a licensed therapist who can guide you on a path to peace, self-compassion, and acceptance. Finally, while I consider myself to be a curvy person, I still have to acknowledge that I do benefit from thin privilege. Fat discrimination is real and living in a body that isn't deemed "socially acceptable" by some makes a lot of these concepts easier said than done. At the end of the day, your body is your business, and you have the right to do whatever is best for you. My only ask is for one summer this summer consider what it would be like if you viewed your body as perfectly acceptable as is. Jessica Jones, R.D.N., C.D.E., is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who helps people improve their health while healing their relationship with food. (VIDEO) 9 small but impactful health habits to lock down in your 20s (Self)


Even as the President Donald Trump's trade war with China ramps up, some manufacturers and retailers are not moving their factories out of China. Instead, some are taking advantage of a little-known tax law called the "first sale rule" that allows companies to significantly undercut how much they pay in tariffs. Other e-commerce players are directly shipping to US homes from Mexican warehouses, where they can evade tariffs on goods that cost less than $800. That's prompted some companies to set up warehouses in Hong Kong and in Tijuana, Mexico. Insiders say retailers and manufacturers have crowded into the border town, directly south of San Diego, in recent months to set up warehouses that will allow them to mitigate how much they're paying in tariffs. "You buy things from China, you import them into Mexico," Manuel Diaz, the managing director of SEKO Logistics México, a Chicago-based global logistics firm, told Business Insider. "Sometimes, you ship your goods to Tijuana, they're very safe and you maintain your storage there. So, it's becoming a very popular market." This 31-year-old tariff rule helps retailers pay less money in tariffs - but few know about it and some find it "taboo" The first sale doctrine was quietly established in a 1988 court case. Lawyers from international trade law firm Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg argued that, if goods were purchased in one country for one price before going to their final destination and being sold for a higher price, tariffs levied on the good should reflect the first, cheaper amount. The case was groundbreaking, but the law isn't widely known. Others believe the first sale rule is taboo despite its total legality. Just 2.4% of all US imports use the first sale doctrine, according to the most recent US International Trade Commission report . "It's interesting, when we talk to companies about it they're like, 'What? I've never heard about this. How come I've never heard about it?'," Nicole Bivens Collinson, who heads Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg's international trade and government relations practice, told Business Insider. "It's because a lot of the products that have been imported in the United States are what we call a nuisance tariff - 2%, 3%, 4% or they're duty free," said Collinson, who is also the managing principal of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg's Washington, D.C., office. "Now, suddenly they have a 25% tariff on them and people are freaking out." Related video: How Trump's tariffs, trade wars affect the US (provided by USA Today) The first sale doctrine works like this: let's say you have a blouse to produce in China. Rather than directly importing that blouse from your manufacturer in China, you can arrange for an importer who is located elsewhere, like in Mexico or Hong Kong, to buy the blouse for less money, say $7. Then, you buy that blouse for $10 from your middle man and import it into the US. If that blouse has, say, a 25% tariff on it, you'd normally pay a $2.50 tariff for it. But thanks to the first sale doctrine, the tariff charge is only $1.75. That's because you're paying the tariff on the first, lower-priced sale of the item - between yourself and your middle man, for example. For the economics to work out, your company needs to have huge amounts of product and already be using a variety of importers to coordinate your supply chain, the South China Morning Post reported . Otherwise, companies are hiring - and paying for - an importer in a country where they didn't already have one. For that reason, it's mostly large apparel companies that have seen the greatest savings from implementing the first sale doctrine. One prominent luxury brand is required to pay 15% in tariffs company-wide, but they scored a 10% reduction in duties using first sale. That led to $1.5 million in savings, according to a report from supply-chain management company GT Nexus. Another Fortune 500 clothing company saved $40 million in duties spent . The first sale doctrine strategy is also complicated to pull off without an accounting, law, logistics, or another sort of firm to broker these transactions and ensure trust on all sides. "This requires cooperation and trust between the buyers and the manufacturers because you don't want to get in a situation where now the buyers know, 'Hey, that's really only $7 and I'm paying $10,'" Collinson said. "So, there has to be a level of trust ... You try to create these walls that protect each other, protecting both the manufacturer, protecting the buyer." The US International Trade Commission says that it's mostly apparel companies that have been using first sale. And as Trump's trade war intensifies, the rest of the economy is picking up on how much they can save with the first sale doctrine. Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg says the use of the first sale "has increased dramatically over the past several months as companies seek to lessen the impact of the additional Section 301 tariffs on imports from China." Diaz said Tijuana is "getting popular" among those using the first sale doctrine. Retailers can also get around tariffs if they ship in piecemeal Another mitigation tactic to get around tariffs doesn't require a legal degree to understand - most travelers take advantage of it every time they come back to the US. Travelers bringing goods to the US don't have to pay duties, as long as what they're bringing in has a value of less than $800. And under section 321 of the Code of Federal Regulations , companies based in the US can send individual packages valued under $800 from countries like Mexico or Canada - with no duties at all. It just must be a direct shipment to one person's house, and no more than one shipment a day to their home. "There's additional costs associated with that obviously because you're not able to truck over a 25-foot container for all these," Collinson said. "You've got to box them up and then you have to pay for UPS or whomever to ship the individual boxes." E-commerce players, in particular, are starting to ramp up usage of that law, said Collinson and Diaz. "It's become popular to move your shipments from China to Tijuana and then truck them to the US duty- and tax-free," Diaz of SEKO said. "People are filling orders from Mexico, from Canada, from China to be duty-free as long as they keep the value under $800," Rick Helfenbein, the president and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association, told Business Insider. "I'm not sure that's a mitigation strategy as much as it is a loophole in customs law." But it's not a particularly cost-effective way to ship goods unless you're an e-commerce company shipping lots of low-value packages every day. Major manufacturers aren't using this tactic. "I have heard discussions that you could use these warehouses just south of the border to break up the packages and ship them over," Ken Roberts, president and founder of import-export firm WorldCity, told Business Insider. "But it's a relatively inefficient way to do business ... I would be surprised if you can do it efficiently." Tijuana is the perfect setting for both methods Mexico has long been a hub for US companies, thanks to cheap labor costs, its proximity to populous California and Texas, and robust manufacturing infrastructure. It's also growing as a US importer more generally, according to US Census Bureau data. Imports from Mexico have jumped 15.2% since Trump took office, compared to an increase of 0.7% from Canada and a decrease of 2.1% from China. Even before Trump's trade war, logistics in Mexico were more cost-effective than in China or Hong Kong, according to an IVEMSA report . The cost of shipping a container from China to the US was roughly $7,000 in 2014, compared to $2,800 from Mexico. Industrial leases in China cost three times that of Mexico's. "Tijuana has become - I'm going to say this in a good way - it's become like the backyard, the very positive and good backyard, of American business," Diaz said. Now Tijuana is taking off in particular as American retailers and manufacturers look to mitigate tariff payoffs. Whether the company specializes in steel or sweatshirts, goods must be warehoused when they're being moved from China to Mexico before their final destination in US homes and stores. "It's just amazing to see that it's a logistics city," Ohad Axelrod, CEO of Fr8Hub, a Laredo, Texas-based digital freight startup specializing in US-Mexico trade, told Business Insider, referring to Tijuana and Laredo. "It's just thousands of trucks and hundreds of warehouses. Every time I go there, there is something new building. The demand is increasing." Warehouse workers in Tijuana cost $2 to $4 an hour instead of $18 to $24 in neighboring California, Diaz said. Real estate is much cheaper, too; storing a pallet costs $6 to $8 in Tijuana rather than $15 to $22 north of the border. Trump's trade war is creating jobs after all - but they appear to be in Tijuana warehouses. Diaz emphasized that Americans still win in the end. "The most important thing is that that doesn't mean that you're taking jobs to Mexico, because the real revenue is still distribution, it's still the patents and the trading brands and the royalties of the brands," Diaz said. "So, you take your cheapest cost, which is the warehousing and logistics, you do it in Mexico and you save a lot of money. It makes a lot of sense." Are you a logistics professional who works with cross-border trade in Mexico? Share your insights with me at rpremack@businessinsider.com .


The U.S. pulled off a thrilling 2-1 win against England in the semifinals of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup as the Americans advance to the finals. In front of a sold-out crowd of 53,512 fans packed into Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Lyon, France, the Americans put on a dominant showing as they made their case to become defending champions. Both teams played at a high level of physicality, but the U.S. proved to be the stronger team as its depth was tested in the absence of Megan Rapinoe. The U.S. will face the winner of Wednesday's semifinal match between Sweden and Netherlands, while England will play the loser in the third-place game. Here are three takeaways from the USWNT's win: No Megan Rapinoe? No problem U.S. coach Jill Ellis shocked everyone when she announced her starting XI and it was revealed Megan Rapinoe would start on the bench. While it's not exactly clear why Ellis made this decision, the speculation ranged from a purely tactical choice to questions around the veteran's health because she didn't warm up at all and was seen with tape on her hamstring. Fox Sports reported during halftime that Rapinoe would be out with a hamstring injury. Rapinoe at the bottom of the picture. No shin guards on, not warming up pic.twitter.com/INAJcqDX5m   Seth Vertelney (@svertelney) July 2, 2019 Christen Press replaced Rapinoe and didn't waste anytime getting on the board as she scored USA's first goal in the 10th minute. It gave the U.S. six goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches, which is more than 14 teams had total at the tournament this year. It was her first goal of this tournament and second-ever World Cup goal. While many were worried about how Press would handle the pressure of playing on such a big stage, she is considered among the fastest and fittest players on the U.S. side and offered a good matchup against England's Lucy Bronze. As good as Rapinoe is, she doesn't contribute a lot defensively, which is why Press made sense as a replacement. Sure, Rapinoe could have capitalized on a few of the Americans' missed opportunities   but the U.S. held its own without her. Defense was the name of the game Tuesday's semifinal came down to defense. Both England and the U.S. were strong on attack, forcing both sides to play with a high level of defense that tested both goalies at times. It became Alyssa Naeher's time to shine as she made three big saves. She did have one defensive letdown, which resulted in Ellen White scoring for England, but, other than that, she allowed the U.S. to be in control of the game. What's more is the defending by the forwards was strong, which put England's defense under pressure to get the ball back. Arguably the biggest defensive play of the tournament? Naeher's huge save on Steph Houghton's penalty kick that will define her World Cup performance. NAEHER SAVES!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/h4JqFFLylY   FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 2, 2019 England's defense was strong, as well, with Carly Telford in goal, but she allowed the Lionesses to concede its first goal after 380 minutes of play. She made two big saves and there was strong communication between her and England's back line. Had that not been the case, the U.S. might have found the back of the net even more. The U.S. had a bit of luck on its side The Americans made it to the finals with a bit of luck. Yes, it was a hard-fought match, but one call in the 65th minute changed the course of the game. It looked like England's White scored as she sent the ball past Naeher in open play, but after a VAR check, the goal was reversed following video review. She was one step offside on the goal. Had she scored, it would have evened the score at 2-2. Phew Ellen White scores for England but VAR rules she was offside. Still 2-1 USA. #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/BdDPTcYTTY   FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 2, 2019 MORE : Women's World Cup 2019: Christen Press says USWNT is confident, not arrogant | Women's World Cup 2019: Sue Bird blasts President Trump for comments against girlfriend Megan Rapinoe The mistake by White gave the U.S. a chance to advance to the finals and defend its title. Related slideshow: Best Photos of the Women's World Cup (Provided by imagn)


Dak Prescott didn't need long to hit it off with Amari Cooper . The receiver arrived in Dallas at the trade deadline in October and caught 53 passes for 725 yards and six touchdowns in nine games. Prescott has had more time to get to know free agent signee Randall Cobb , but he hasn't needed it. Prescott and Cobb have formed a quick connection. "The biggest thing for me is just continuing to build chemistry with him," Cobb said. "We're both very open about talking through things. The more communication we have, the more we'll be on the same page." If Cobb can stay healthy   he hasn't played a full, 16-game schedule since 2015   he could lead the Cowboys in receptions. The team's former slot receiver, Cole Beasley , led the Cowboys in receptions in 2016 and ranked second last season only to running back Ezekiel Elliott . "That's a very fortunate add there," Prescott said. "He's been great, honestly. An ex-quarterback, knows the game up and down, knows every aspect of it; knows when he's in the read what progression he is, and when you have a guy like that, he's going to get open; he knows how to get open. He's had a lot of success in this league already so just to have him be a part of this corps, a part of this team and this offense means a lot. "We've had a fast connection. You take something, approach something, go out there and he does it right the first time. When you have a guy like that, it allows you to cut the ball loose; it allows you to anticipate. It allows you to trust he's going to be in the right spot, and he hasn't failed in doing that. The moment he does and even sometimes he does it's always a consistent feedback and we're going to talk about it. What we could've done, what we should've done and, like I said, it serves you well."


PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland   Of the myriad mistakes Rory McIlroy made during his stunning 79 to start this Open Championship, he was most disappointed with his shortest miscue . After beginning the opening round with a quadruple-bogey 8, McIlroy battled back with two birdies and was only seven shots off the lead as he played the closing stretch. On the par-3 16th, he left his lag putt from the front of the green about 6 feet short. "In normal conditions, with not a lot of wind, it was probably a ball on the left," he explained. "But the wind was hard off the right, so I'm thinking, Is the wind going to affect this or not? " McIlroy decided not to factor in the wind, and his putt missed left. Full-field scores from the 148th Open Championship Full coverage of the 148th Open Championship Here's Rory McIlroy's absolutely brutal three-putt for double bogey from close range at 16. Don't try this at home. #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/Mk5bCI8Kyc   Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 18, 2019 "As I'm walking up to hit the next one, I'm saying to myself, I should have trusted the wind ," he said. "I'm berating myself about the putt I just hit, went to tap it in and didn't." His 1-foot comebacker spun out for a crushing double bogey, negating all of the fine work he'd done over the previous 13 holes. "That was inexcusable," he said. "Lapses of concentration like that, I feel like I've done a really good job over the last few years of being more with it and realizing, OK, just keep a cool head . And there I didn't. I hit it on the run and missed it. "If I look back at today, it's probably the shot I'm disappointed about the most."


SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP)   A Confederate monument recently vandalized with red paint and the word "racists" has been removed from a Southern California cemetery. The 9-foot-tall (2.7-meter) granite marker was placed at Santa Ana Cemetery by the Sons of Confederate Veterans in 2004. The Orange County Cemetery District, which operates the cemetery, said the monument had become "an unsightly public nuisance" after the vandalism, and the district wanted to remove it quickly. A crane was used to remove the monument Thursday. The marker drew scrutiny after confrontations between white supremacist groups and protesters resulted in the death of a woman in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. The district said it began to look into records to prove who owned the burial plots where the monument stood and verify that it was approved by the board, The Orange County Register reported Friday. Cemetery District General Manager Tim Deutsch said last month that the district had contacted the Orange County chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans to discuss altering the monument but had stopped hearing from the group after several attempts. The district's board then ordered the monument's removal. Robert Williams, who leads the Orange County chapter and statewide division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, told the newspaper that the chapter has a different perspective of the dispute. "Nobody put it there in the middle of the night - there was a huge public ceremony," said Williams. He said there are plenty of records of the monument's addition to the cemetery and that cemetery district leaders had chosen the monument's location. He said he believes the district's actions of seizing and removing the marker were illegal. Deutsch said it's costing the district an estimated $15,000 to remove and store the granite pillar, and Williams' group would have to reimburse the district to place it back. The California Sons Of Confederate Veterans responded on Facebook after seeing the removal, writing "Santa Ana spits on its own History." The monument had honored some of Orange County's founding fathers who fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Information from: The Orange County Register, http://www.ocregister.com


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. No one knows how to play Donald Trump better than Nancy Pelosi . Pelosi once again proved she lives rent-free in Trump's head last week when the president responded to her remarks that he was conducting a "cover-up." That one comment led to a 48-hour verbal demolition derby that Pelosi won . LIZ CHENEY: STRZOK-PAGE TEXTS SOUND 'LIKE A COUP,' COULD BE 'TREASON' Following Pelosi's remark, Trump launched a Twitter storm about the Mueller investigation. He followed that with a staged a walk-out from a congressional leadership meeting that included Pelosi. He went straight from that to a Rose Garden press conference   complete with a sign affixed to the presidential podium proclaiming his innocence   where he stated that unless Congress stops their investigations he won't work with them. Pelosi's response to Trump was to hold her own press conference the next day, baiting him again by stating that Trump: Had a temper tantrum Is conducting a cover-up Is cracking under the pressure Is not in charge Needs an intervention And that set Trump off. Again. He proclaimed himself an "extremely stable genius." Then he held another press conference (using farmers decimated by his tariffs as props) to publicly ask his senior staff about his temperament. This is a staple of dictators like Putin in the Kremlin, not the leader of the free world in the White House. Then he launched into yet another series of tweets about the Mueller investigation, even retweeting a doctored video of Pelosi to make it look as though she was behaving erratically (she wasn't). But, to understand just how much control Pelosi has over Trump, look no further than impeachment. While Trump careens out of control, Pelosi remains firmly in control. She's keeping the Democratic caucus in line about impeaching Trump, insisting it will only occur when the evidence is public and the public supports it. Pelosi is letting members who want to impeach Trump   or who represent districts that do   have their say. She's letting members who don't want to impeach Trump   or at least not yet   have their say. She's letting the chairs of the committees involved in the investigation of Trump do their jobs. And she's managed at the same time to lead the House to pass 100 bills in only five months, addressing health care, shoring up ObamaCare, lowering prescription drug prices, gun safety, securing our elections, and more. Furthermore, when Pelosi states Trump wants impeachment now, she's right. Trump knows there's even more damaging information to come   from the 14 cases Mueller referred for criminal prosecution plus one investigation he referred as well. The sooner impeachment proceedings start, the better it is for Trump politically, before any of the remaining evidence is made public. The Senate is also unlikely to impeach him without further evidence. All of which renders undertaking impeachment now useless   and Pelosi knows it. Pelosi is smart to be taking her time, because the more Americans know about the Mueller Report and Trump's conduct, the more they will support efforts to hold Trump accountable. That's what we are starting to see in the polls: the latest CBS poll shows 44 percent of Independents believe Trump should cooperate with the investigations and be held accountable. This is a nine-point increase among the very voters who change elections and who helped Democrats win the House in 2018. A recent series of court decisions also proves Pelosi's strategy to take her time is on the mark. One decision last week provided the Judiciary Committee with Trump's financial records from TD Bank and Wells Fargo, with Deutsche Bank's records soon to follow. These records have been sought for months, and Trump has fought to hide them. Why? Because they could likely provide information as to whom he is in debt, and whether that might be driving his actions as president, rather than what is in America's best interest. This release of Trump's financial records pushed him to his latest act of desperation, one that should concern every American: giving Attorney General William Barr the unilateral and extraordinary authority to declassify intelligence material, rather than allowing the intelligence agencies to do it themselves. This action was accompanied by Trump railing that there had been a coup attempt against him, and making allegations of treason along the way. Mind you, the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election started in the spring of 2015   before Trump announced his campaign for president. It is notable that Trump introduced the use of the words "coup" and "treason," as it follows a pattern of him pre-emptively defining the debate in ways that help him. Trump's executive order proves he is willing to destroy our intelligence assets in a search for his "enemies" that will compromise every U.S. intelligence agency and asset, as well as our national security. In retrospect, it also explains his visit to the CIA only hours after taking the oath of office in 2017. Trump was delivering a message: you're either on my team or you're my enemy. Trump now sees the CIA and FBI as his enemies and is treating them as such. Clearly, Trump's claim that he's an "extremely stable genius" is betrayed by his behavior. That's because Trump knows Pelosi controls his fate and has out-maneuvered him at every turn   further fueling his fear. And if Pelosi does end up initiating impeachment proceedings, that will be the end of Trump   and he knows that, too. As I have said before and will say again: Never underestimate Nancy Pelosi. Ever.


You know to come to a full stop at stop signs and to use your turn signal, but there are some wacky rules of the road you may not know about. Here are 11 crazy driving laws that may surprise you. Keep Tires Clean Before you visit Minnetonka, Minnesota, you better make sure your car is clean. Dirty tires that "deposit mud, dirt, stick substances, litter or other material on the street or highway" could lead to a hefty fine, according to Minnesota Fun Facts. Are you forgetting about these 10 traffic rules? No Driving While Blindfolded Keeping your eyes on the road seems obvious when driving, right? Well, according to DMV.org , a website dedicated to creating safer roads, Alabama officials have made it illegal to drive when blindfolded. You need these 10 hands-free driving devices in your car. Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? This one made us laugh. In Pennsylvania, there is a law that states that while on a country road at night, you must stop each mile and shoot off a rocket in an attempt to clear out livestock from the roads and allow them 10 minutes to disperse. If you live in these states, warming up your car is illegal. No Disrobing Don't even think about changing your clothes in the car in Long Island's South Fork. According to the blog on esurance.com , it's illegal to disrobe in your car. If you're doing these 12 things in your car, you should stop. Is That Your Dead Deer? Did you hit a deer while driving? If you hit and kill a deer on an Illinois road , you can claim the road kill under two conditions if you don't owe child support and if you haven't had your wildlife privileges suspended anywhere in the United States. Could you pass the driver's test again? Find out. Honk Before Passing When driving in New Jersey, you better hope your horn works. DMV.org reports New Jersey residents are required by law to honk before passing. Learn how to fix a faulty car horn. No Honking at Sandwich Shops While some states require you to honk in certain scenarios, others forbid it. It's illegal to honk after 9 p.m. near a sandwich shop or beverage stand in Little Rock, Arkansas. These 20 car hacks make driving so much better. Improper Opening of a Car Door Don't get stuck with your car door open for too long in Oregon. It doesn't matter if you're loading or unloading cargo or people from your vehicle, you can be fined for leaving the door open for too long. Increase your driving comfort with these eight ideas. Don't Store Trash in a Vehicle Don't forget to take the trash out of your car when you're in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports it's against the law to store trash in your vehicle. Learn how to handle these 11 scary driving scenarios. No Swearing Watch your mouth when driving in Rockville, Maryland. No profanity is allowed  it's considered a misdemeanor. These 11 driving mistakes drive other drivers nuts. Want Doughnuts? Watch Where You Park If you're craving a doughnut, you may have to walk a bit to get one. It's illegal to park in front of a Dunkin' Donuts in South Berwick, Maine. You'll need to be 25 feet south from the intersection of Goodwin Street to the intersection of Jewett Avenue. Here are 13 winter driving mistakes that could put you in danger.


WASHINGTON   Conservative lightning rod Roy Moore of Alabama, narrow loser of a turbulent special election for Senate in 2017, is considering a fresh run next year. National Republican leaders are signaling they'll again try preventing their party from nominating the twice-removed state jurist whose campaign was battered by allegations of long-ago sexual harassment of teenagers. Moore's defeat for the same seat two years ago made him the first Republican in reliably red Alabama to lose a Senate race in a quarter century. National party leaders say a Moore nomination would endanger what they view as a strong shot at defeating Sen. Doug Jones , the Democrat and former federal prosecutor who upset Moore two years ago. Moore's nomination could also have national repercussions, allowing Democrats to accuse the GOP of ignoring the #MeToo movement and coddling a man accused of sexual misconduct , allegations he's denied. Moore says he expects to announce a decision in mid-June. "I'm still praying about it and talking to people, my family, my wife and I'm strongly considering it," Moore, 72, told The Associated Press on Wednesday. In a separate AP interview last week, he said 2020 "could be a touchpoint in our nation, not only for the presidency but for the House and Congress." Moore said he had many reasons for considering another campaign but declined to elaborate. Republicans control the Senate 53-47 and view defeating Jones as a top priority. Jones, 65, is considered the most endangered Democratic incumbent facing re-election in 2020, a year when several GOP senators are vulnerable and control of the chamber will be at stake. Alabama's deep conservative leanings were demonstrated anew this week with a new law criminalizing nearly every abortion in the state, which Jones called an "extreme" attack on women. With abortion potentially a driving 2020 issue and President Donald Trump certain to carry Alabama easily in next year's elections, Republicans have little interest in fumbling a chance to recapture Jones' seat. Establishment Republicans also have no taste for revisiting the chaos that was Moore's 2017 Senate race. His campaign and his refusal to abandon it after the sexual harassment charges emerged a month before Election Day divided the party, with President Donald Trump giving Moore his eleventh-hour endorsement while other leaders remained opposed or distanced themselves from the contest. Jones defeated Moore by 22,000 votes out of 1.3 million cast. "The people of Alabama rejected Roy Moore not too long ago," Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., who leads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP's campaign arm, told the AP this week. "I with my Republican colleagues always want to be supportive of the most conservative candidate who can actually win a race, and I don't see that anything has changed in the state of Alabama since the last election." Asked if he would try to head off Moore, Young said, "We'll actively work to make sure that the most conservative, electable Republican is our nominee." Sending a similar signal was Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who tried unsuccessfully to derail Moore in 2017. Asked whether he'd oppose a renewed run by Moore, McConnell told a reporter, "I think you know the answer to that." Alabama GOP leaders, who resisted pressure from Washington Republicans to hinder Moore's path to the 2017 nomination, are showing no signs of thwarting him this time. "The voters will make these decisions," state party Chairman Terry Lathan said in an email. She said she didn't know Moore's plans because "he rarely communicates with the Party." McConnell's and other party leaders' preferred 2017 nominee was GOP Sen. Luther Strange, appointed months earlier to fill a vacancy. They feared that moderate voters would abandon Moore if he was nominated because of his hard-right views against gay marriage and for a larger role of religion in government, plus his use of racially insensitive language. The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with McConnell, spent $6.9 million in the primary against Moore and for Strange, according to Federal Election Commission figures. The Republican senatorial committee spent another $400,000 to help Strange. Moore defeated Strange in a runoff. McConnell began intervening in GOP primaries earlier this decade after some quirky contenders won nominations but lost winnable general elections. After winning the nomination, Moore's campaign was further roiled when The Washington Post reported claims by several women that he pursued inappropriate relationships with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s. McConnell and others unsuccessfully called for Moore to step aside. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, parried a question about whether the sexual misconduct allegations would make Moore a weak candidate in 2020, saying, "You've already answered your own question." Moore said Washington Republicans' complaints that he couldn't win another election were unfounded since he was elected twice as the state's chief justice. He was removed both times, for publicly displaying the Ten Commandments and telling lower court judges to refuse to marry gay couples. "Should I qualify I'll run for Senate in the state of Alabama, not Washington, D.C.," said Moore, who's been strongly supported by evangelical voters. Moore said he's not reached out to Trump or White House officials this time. "It's not because I'm adverse to President Trump at all," he said. "I support his policies and what he stands for. I'm not running for anybody else, I'm running for the state of Alabama." A White House spokesperson declined to answer questions. Trump presidential campaign aides didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment. Rep. Bradley Byrne, former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville are among those who've already announced bids for the GOP nomination. Strange filled the vacancy left by Sen. Republican Jeff Sessions, who became Trump's first attorney general. ___ Chandler reported from Montgomery, Alabama.


It was once written that "to whom much is given, much will be required." Whether it's through draft picks or contracts, the Baltimore Ravens have given quite a bit to the tight ends currently on their roster. Now, much is certainly expected. Baltimore has invested quite a bit in their tight ends. Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews were first and third-round picks in the 2018 NFL draft respectively. Nick Boyle was just handed a three-year, $18 million contract extension this offseason. The Ravens love their tight ends and have committed to creating one of the best units in the league through draft equity or outright cap space. But all that investment has to pay some dividends. With training camp on the horizon (rookies report on July 17, veterans report on July 24 ), it's important to look at what this unit should be expected to do this season. To do that, we have to first look at what happened last year, new offensive coordinator Greg Roman and the offense around the tight ends. Ravens' 2018 season: The Ravens saw a switch in the middle of the season from quarterback Joe Flacco to then-rookie Lamar Jackson at Week 11. With the change in quarterback came a change in the scheme to a run-heavy offense that utilized Jackson's talents on the ground. From Week 11 onwards, the Ravens' run: pass ratio was nearly 2:1 while producing 1,607 rushing yards to just 1,093 passing yards. Hurst missed the first four games of the season with a foot injury that required surgery to insert a screw. Even though Hurst returned to the lineup in Week 5, he clearly never fully healed from the injury. Hurst finished the season strong but ultimately didn't have the stat sheet many predicted because of the injury. Boyle is the veteran of the group and remained the team's primary blocking tight end. He was also lined up in the backfield in certain situations to act as a fullback. But once again, Boyle showed he's an underrated receiving option as well when utilized there. The big star was Andrews, who steadily improved as the season wore on. Andrews isn't much of a blocker but with a good combination of size and speed, he creates mismatches as a receiver. Baltimore used him most often as a big-bodied slot receiver to really great effect. In fact, Andrews' rookie season compares pretty favorably to many of the league's great receiving tight ends. Player Targets Receptions Yards Average Touchdowns Hayden Hurst 23 13 163 12.5 1 Mark Andrews 50 34 552 16.2 3 Nick Boyle 37 23 213 9.4 0 At the end of the season, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg was fired and replaced with Greg Roman. The change in coordinator will undoubtedly change everything for the unit moving forward, which is what we'll discuss on the next page. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman: Offensive consultant Greg Roman is now the offensive coordinator and he brings with him a long-established commitment to the ground game. In his six seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator, his teams have never finished higher than 29th in pass attempts, while never ranking lower than ninth in rushing attempts. And Roman's love of tight ends fits in well with Baltimore's past usage of the position. The Ravens have been among the league leaders in terms of looking to their tight ends in the passing game ever since they won the Super Bowl following the 2012 season. In the last six seasons, Ravens tight ends have gobbled up 533 receptions. Only three teams saw their tight ends catch more passes in this span. When Roman was with the 49ers between 2011-2014, they sent the 20th most targets the way of their tight ends and garnered the 24th most receptions. Roman was fortunate to have Vernon Davis at his disposal during that time span. Davis was a good enough player that he was worth his place as either a pass-catcher or a run blocker, averaging nearly 17% of the 49ers targets in the three seasons between 2011-14. But it wasn't just Davis doing the heavy lifting on those teams. The 49ers tight ends commanded an average of 24.31% of the offense's targets in each season. Davis saw plenty of playing time but he was frequently joined on the field by another tight end. This is something that we should factor into our expectations for the Ravens' tight ends in the coming year. Davis played 91.3% of the snaps in 2012 while Delanie Walker (another do-it-all tight end) also played on 56.8% of them. Blocking specialist Garrett Celek was in on 10.3% as well. A year later, Davis was down to 81.7%, and while Celek had increased to 12.4%, the 49ers deployed another dual-threat tight in Vance McDonald on 48.4% of their snaps. Even with a stud at his disposal, we can see that Roman has prepared to deploy more than one tight end on a good chunk of his offensive plays. This should suit the players already on the roster, considering that the Ravens were one of the league leaders in terms of how often they used multiple tight ends on offense last season. According to Sharp Football Stats , the Ravens had two or more tight ends on the field on 42% of their offensive snaps last season. Given Roman's history with using tight ends, Baltimore's love of the position and the talent there, it should mean ample playing time for Boyle, Hurst and Andrews this season. Hayden Hurst's projected 2019 stats: Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images As I mentioned above, Hurst was limited last year due to a foot injury. He'd finish his rookie season with just 29.6% of the offensive snaps and pretty lackluster stats accordingly. That makes predicting his second year a big question mark because we haven't really seen what he can do yet. This offseason, Hurst says he's healthy. He's had the screw removed, added 20 pounds of muscle and has quite the chip on his shoulder to prove folks wrong. That's a positive for a guy that rightfully earned being a first-round draft pick by being a well-round tight end. Hurst is really the most well-rounded tight end on the roster. He's a solid blocker, finding himself blocking 152 snaps while allowing just one pressure, according to PFF . But he's also well known as a sure-handed receiver that can create mismatches down the seam thanks to his size and speed combination. He might not be quite the receiver as Andrews or as good of a blocker as Boyle but he's a solid combination of the two. By being able to block and catch the football well, Hurst has a real shot at seeing a huge uptick in his playing time in 2019. Keeping him on the field isn't the same liability it might be for either Andrews or Boyle in certain situations and it doesn't tip off defenses to what Baltimore plans on doing. However, Hurst still needs to prove he can stay healthy and produce when he is on the field to earn those snaps. It's difficult not seeing Hurst improve over last year. He's healthy now and should have developed a little more chemistry with Jackson over last season and this offseason. If we look at the final three regular-season games last year, I think we have a better taste at what Hurst will do in the Ravens' run-heavy offense. Extrapolating that out and adjusting for what I hope is an all-around improved offense, Hurst does alright for himself in his second season. Player Targets Receptions Yards Average Touchdowns Hayden Hurst 52 35 473 13.5 4 Nick Boyle's projected 2019 stats: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports Nick Boyle led the Ravens tight ends in terms of playing time last season, playing on 54.75% of the snaps. Boyle is among the league's best-run blockers at his position and it would not surprise anyone if he were to pace the group in terms of snaps again this season. The Ravens extended Boyle this past offseason, locking him up to a three-year, $18 million contract . He is not a complete zero in the passing game and indeed set new career highs in receiving yards (213) and yards per reception (9.3) in 2018. However, he averages a mere 1.6 catches per game in his career. Boyle will earn his stripes helping the likes of Mark Ingram and Justice Hill rack up the yards on the ground in the coming year, rather than padding his own stats. It's not a hard projection to imagine him trailing both Hurst and Andrews in offensive production and probably by quite a long way. Player Targets Receptions Yards Average Touchdowns Nick Boyle 20 15 150 10 1 Mark Andrews' projected 2019 stats: Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images The player who is most likely to be the Vernon Davis of this group is going to be Mark Andrews. The second-year player enjoyed a successful rookie season, which is by no means an easy feat at his position. Andrews set team rookie records with 34 receptions, 552 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2018. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes that Andrews looks bigger, stronger and faster than he did last season. Those are all traits that'll help him continue to improve as a run blocker and grow as a receiver. Which will be impressive considering his rookie season compares favorably to the league's top tight ends. He showed great chemistry with Jackson, with the quarterback posting an adjusted yards-per-attempt mark of 16.4 when targeting Andrews. In comparison, Joe Flacco averaged 9.4 whenever he looked for Andrews. This number is likely to go down over time, especially if Andrews commands a healthy share of the team's targets moving forward. But anything around or over 10 adjusted yards-per-attempt for a quarterback when targeting a tight end is excellent. By comparison, Tom Brady averaged 11.1 AYA whenever he sent a pass the way of Rob Gronkowski. Travis Kelce got Patrick Mahomes an average of 9.34 AYA in 2018. He was a big-play machine on the Ravens' offense, ranking second among all tight ends with 16.2 yards-per-reception and 11 yards-per-target. Andrews was one of 19 tight ends to see at least 50 targets last season, and of this group, he was fifth in average yards-after-the-catch per target with 3.8. Travis Kelce, the consensus best tight end in the NFL right now, averaged 4. YAC isn't a particularly consistent stat from year to year, but Andrews showed enough as a rookie to suggest that he could be a huge part of the Ravens passing game in year two. He should easily exceed his production from a season ago. But the teams' run-first approach may prevent him from challenging Dennis Pitta's franchise record for single-season tight end receptions (86 in 2016), or Todd Heap's single-season yardage record (855 in 2005). Player Targets Receptions Yards Average Touchdowns Mark Andrews 70 50 700 14 5 MORE: The Twins pulled off a beautiful triple play against the Yankees and fans loved it Stephen A. Smith Is Hearing a Potential Uncle Dennis-Kawhi Leonard Bombshell Could Drop Tim Duncan is returning to the NBA, Warriors coach Steve Kerr is here for the jokes Lakers' Quinn Cook Q&A: 'It feels like this team has been together a while' PFF views Aaron Jones as one of NFL's top 10 running backs


Presidential pardons are spelled out in the Constitution. Article II, Section 2 says the president "shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment." It's pretty clear to most legal scholars that the president has nearly limitless power to pardon those facing or convicted of a federal crime. An 1866 case before the Supreme Court clarified presidential pardon power   President Andrew Johnson wanted to pardon a former Confederate soldier and that decision was challenged   by saying the power " extends to every offence [sic], and is intended to relieve the party who may have committed it or who may be charged with its commission from all the punishments of every description that the law, at the time of the pardon, imposes," caselaw.findlaw.com said. So what is the state of New York trying to do with legislation passed by both the Senate and the Assembly that allows the state to prosecute people pardoned for federal crimes? The law, which is waiting for the signature of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who supports the legislation, is aimed at chipping away at President Donald Trump's ability to shield his associates from being tried at the state level. The bill allows state-level prosecution of anyone employed by or who served in the executive branch, who served in a Senate-confirmed job or who worked in a presidential campaign or transition, CNN.com said. It would also include presidential relatives. New York Attorney General Letitia James said the law would eliminate a loophole to the state's "double jeopardy" law, meaning that one cannot be prosecuted twice for the same crime. James, who is a Democrat, said that presidential pardons should not be used as a "get-out-of-jail-free card," Time.com said. While Democrats said the bill isn't targeting one particular president, Assemblyman Andy Goodell, a Republican from Jamestown, countered that the majority part is just expressing a political statement about the current president. Among the president's associates who are facing criminal penalties or currently serving sentences are former campaign manager Paul Manafort, former national security advisor Michael Flynn, Manafort business partner Rick Gates and former foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, who already completed his stint in prison. Nassau Democratic Sen. Todd Kaminsky explained that the bill would cover pardons that are clearly conflicts of interest. He said that the state will join about 24 others whose laws say that a presidential pardon cannot keep them from pursuing crimes that happen within their borders, nydailynews.com said.


Williamsburg investigators with the Criminal Investigations Bureau are asking for the public's help in finding Evan Anthony Cole. Cole, 29, is accused of abducting two victims and forcing them into prostitution. On Friday at 9:30 a.m., officers responded to the 300 block of York Street in reference to a suspicious incident call. When officers arrived, they found two victims who accused Cole of abducting them and forcing them into prostitution. An investigation revealed that Cole strangled, assaulted and robbed the two victims of personal items. Both victims were treated for non-life threatening injuries at the scene. The 29-year-old is charged with two felony counts of: Sex Trafficking Abduction Robbery He's also charged with one felony count of strangulation and two misdemeanor counts of assault and battery. Cole is described as 6'2", around 190 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He also has tattoos on his face, neck and hands. Anyone with information about the case or Cole's whereabouts is asked to call Investigator Nichols at 757-220-6238 or the Peninsula Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.


Here's what you need to know about what's happening in Philadelphia. World War II vet granted honorable discharge from Army to correct 'injustice,' nearly 75 years later Nearly 75 years later, the Army has granted an honorable discharge to a World War II veteran from Philadelphia who was kicked out of the military in 1945 and given a "blue discharge" because he was black. Read the full story on Philadelphia Inquirer . Video: Illegal dumpers shove construction debris, trash, right onto Philly roadways, sidewalks In an attempt to crackdown on illegal dumping, Philadelphia officials have released video of people caught on newly installed cameras shoving trash from trucks onto alleys, roadways and sidewalks. Read the full story on Philadelphia Inquirer . Free Library of Philadelphia hosts 'Drag Queen Story Time' to celebrate Pride Month "Drag Queen Story Time" allows children and their families to hear drag queens share stories about diversity and self-love. Read the full story on CBS Philly . Philadelphia couple tired of urine bottles being thrown at home A Philadelphia couple is trying to catch the person responsible for throwing bottles of urine onto their property. Read the full story on ABC Philadelphia, WPVI . 'Everything is caving in': Northeast Philadelphia residents demand city fix sinking sidewalks after years of neglect Residents say that until the problems are fixed in the street, they're going to continue dealing with sinking sidewalks. Read the full story on CBS Philadelphia . This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


My editor, Michelle, was at a birthday party for her son's friend recently, when the mom mentioned a company she liked called Joymode. Minutes later, an ad for Joymode appeared on Michelle's Facebook news feed. When she told me about it, we both wondered whether the urban legend could be true. Does Facebook really listen to our conversations to serve us ads? "I swear I think you guys are listening." That's how CBS This Morning host Gayle King put it just this week when she spoke with Adam Mosseri who heads up Instagram, which is owned by Facebook. "Can you help me understand how I can be having a private conversation with someone about something I'm interested in seeing or buying, and an advertisement for that will pop up on my Instagram feed," King asked. "I haven't searched for it, I haven't talked to anybody about it." Well, Mosseri and the company deny that persistent perception every which way to Tuesday. "[W]e don't look at your messages, we don't listen in on your microphone, doing so would be super problematic for a lot of different reasons," Mosseri insisted in the CBS interview. "But I recognize you're not gonna really believe me." Video by CBS News So why do these ads keep appearing there with regularity, and why are so many people convinced Facebook isn't telling the truth? "Facebook is eavesdropping on you," says Jamie Court, the president of Los Angeles-based Consumer Watchdog nonprofit. "It's just in a different way." The truth is, Facebook tracks us in ways many of us don't even realize and is so good at it, we think it's monitoring our conversations. Instead, it uses sophisticated demographic and location data to serve up ads. "It's like they're stalking you," says Court. "They put all sorts of circumstantial evidence together, and you're marketed to as if they're listening to your conversations." Google knows: Check your settings if you don't want your every move tracked How to stop it: Amazon is watching, listening and tracking you In the case of Michelle's Joymode ad, we asked Facebook point blank to help us decipher how this happened, and it sent us to the "Why you're seeing this ad," feature that's included in the menu of all Facebook ads. (Three dots at the top right of the page.) The answer was written in marketing speak. Michelle saw the ad because Joymode wanted to reach "people who may be similar to their customers," and people over 18 who live in Los Angeles. That offers no real clarity on why it showed up when it did. However, here's our translation, with an assist from Court. Facebook's algorithm figured, since she was with her friend of a similar age and both had children, that Michelle would be equally interested in a brand the mom had liked once it deduced that both were in the same geographic location together   where the friend's Joymode subscription was actively in use. And if she had posted photos from the party on Instagram, more data clues could have been collected to solidify the interest connection. "The FB AI engine can determine intent from textual and visual material you provide," notes tech industry veteran Phil Lieberman. "With intent, they can find product and services that you might be interested in. This is all about 'recommender systems' similar to what Amazon offers, but FB has more information on an ongoing basis to determine what you might be interested in buying." Tracking vs. listening Atlanta-based Facebook user Lily Leiva came up with a similar explanation for the Finnish Baby Box, briefly mentioned at a dinner with a friend. The ad for the $500 maternity box appeared in her News Feed the next day. "I found it so unnerving," she said. "Facebook was trying to predict my behavior." Her theory was that Facebook pushed the ad to her because she had been with her friend, who had liked the product. "Facebook says they don't listen to our conversations," she said. "But they don't say they don't track you." In fact, the social network actually is quite open about the tracking. Most of us know that every time we like a post, leave a comment and tag a friend, that gives Facebook even more ammunition to serve us ads. Every check-in, every hashtag, every comment is more grist for the mill. But wait, there's more... The social network admits that it collects the "content, communications and other information," including photographs and videos, accounts, hashtags and groups we are connected to. It notes what posts, videos and other content we view and even collects our payment information, including credit or debit card number, billing and shipping info. "There are many other ways for Facebook to target you with ads based on data they've collected and put through algorithms," affirms privacy advocate Paul Bischoff. "Remember that Facebook can track what you do on other websites and apps that use Facebook plugins, login, and widgets." Facebook's single sign-on offers another door to your data. If you've used your Facebook account to sign in on a website, to subscribe to an email, make a purchase or snag a coupon, Facebook can collect data of what you do like view a webpage or add a product to an online shopping cart. Tired of #$%& passwords? Single Sign-on could be savior The social network tracks us on mobile phones if we give permission, meaning the social network knows where you are, even with the app closed. It leaves "cookie" data on our devices for tracking, "to create personalized products that are unique and relevant to you." On permissions, Facebook doesn't entice you to allow non-stop tracking even with the app closed. Instead, as it did to this reporter recently, a post on Facebook-owned Instagram was about to go live, when a pop-up window urged him to "Turn on Location Services," to automatically select the city tag. There are steps we can take to limit Facebook's tracking, but face it   if you're using the Facebook app and interacting with people, Facebook can get most of everything they need. "We may still understand your location using things like check-ins, events, and information about your internet connection," Facebook says in its FAQ on how its Location Settings work. In fact, Aleksandra Korolova, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California, did a study of Facebook's location tracking and says that even if you opt-out, Facebook will still keep tabs on you. "Even when we explicitly exercise all location controls," she said, "Facebook still learns the locations we visit and exploits it for ads." In a widely read Medium post published in December 2018, Korolova noted the downside of being tracked. "The locations that a person visits and lives in reveal a great deal about them," she writes. "Their surreptitious collection and use in ad targeting can pave way to ads that are harmful, target people when they are vulnerable, or enable harassment and discrimination." The issue of privacy can become particularly acute when there's the presumption or wish for confidentiality   say, during a therapist visit or at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. What to do? Security expert Will Strafach is launching a new smartphone app, Guardian Firewall, in July, to stop companies from tracking. "The electronic devices you bought and own should not be snitching on you," he says. The app costs $9.99 monthly, and he says will stop Facebook and others from peering into your data most of the time. "These companies are stealing data from your pocket, from the phones you paid for," he says. "They are wasting your battery life, and most people don't even realize it's happening." HOW TO CHANGE PRIVACY SETTINGS ON FACEBOOK Location tracking There are steps you can take to dial back Facebook's interest in your activities. Start by refusing access to location data. On Apple iOS devices, go to Settings and open Facebook in the Apps section. Location access has three options: Always, While Using the App and Never. On Android devices, open the Facebook app, go to Manage Settings, and put location tracking on Never. Ad tracking Click the button at the top right to access the Facebook settings, and look for Ads. Here you can fine-tune what information Facebook gives advertisers. Facebook has four categories to mull over: Interests, Advertising and Business, Your Information and Ad Settings. The sub-categories you'll want to click are "Ads based on data from partners," "Ads based on your activities" and "Ads that include your social actions." But even if you opt for "Never" on all of them, as Facebook notes, "you'll still see ads, but they won't be as relevant to you." And you'll still see ads for other reasons, such as your age, gender or location, the content in the app or website you're using and your activity in and around Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Other options? Quit. Facebook can't track you if you close your membership and delete the app. Asked if she's ready to do that, Leiva says, "That's the dilemma. Where else do I go?" Facebook declined to offer executives for comment. Readers: Have questions about privacy? We're here to help. Join the conversation on Twitter, @jeffersongraham. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Facebook listening to me? Why those ads appear after you talk about things


A woman was killed Thursday after she was struck by a bullet intended for someone else during an altercation at Lansdowne Shopping Center between at least two men that she had nothing to do with, Baltimore County police officials said. Police identified her in a tweet shortly before midnight as 78-year-old Isabel Villalobos V De Vasquez of Halethorpe. "She was outside on a sidewalk area near the shopping center. ... She was in the wrong place at the wrong time," officer Jennifer Peach, Baltimore County police spokeswoman, said. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said she had been struck "in the upper body." Police were still looking for at least two men involved in the altercation as of 6 p.m. Thursday. Both fled in opposite directions. Peach said she did not have a subject description. At least one of the two people involved in the altercation fired the fatal shot, police said. A police helicopter hovered above the area searching for suspects. As of 6 p.m., Peach said, there were no suspects in custody. The shooting occurred around 4:25 p.m. in the 3900 block of Hollins Ferry Road. Police blocked off Hollins Ferry Road from Fifth Avenue to just before Lansdowne Avenue. Third Avenue, near Lansdowne High school, was temporarily shut down while police investigated but was reopened around 6:30 p.m. Lansdowne High School is located directly across the street from the crime scene. A Baltimore County Public Schools spokesman said dismissal and after-school activities had not been affected by the incident. Lansdowne High, Lansdowne Middle and Riverview Elementary were on alert status as of 5:18 p.m., according to Brandon Oland, a county schools spokesman. Parents were notified and allowed to take their students home. Peach said more information would likely be available Friday.


Right before Monday night's 2019 NBA Awards show on TNT, Oklahoma City Thunder fans may have gotten a sneak peek at their team's 2019-20 alternate jersey. Academy Sports + Outdoors' website featured a Russell Westbrook alternate swingman jersey with a similar design to their 2018-19 navy jerseys, though in orange. The images for the new jersey were up for some time on Monday, but have since been taken down. Though, not before a few people captured a screenshot, with Reddit user big__dawg being the first to post the new, bright alternate Thunder jerseys, followed by OKC CBS Sports 105.3 FM's Twitter account during the 2019 NBA Awards show. Currently up on the Academy Sports website. New alternate jerseys? from Thunder A potential leak for the Thunder's new alternate jersey #Thunder #NBA pic.twitter.com/nKiOSZWTJr - OKC CBS Sports 105.3FM (@OKCCBSSPORTS105) June 25, 2019 This was perhaps the best news to come out of Monday night for Thunder fans with Paul George losing out on both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year , with Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo and Utah's Rudy Gobert taking home the awards, respectively. George finished third in the voting for both awards. Additionally, Steven Adams finished fourth in the voting for two sportsmanship-related awards . MORE: This perfect Shaq impersonation at the NBA Awards show had fans in tears How the Nets can sign Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Deandre Jordan Roundup: Donald Trump on Iran; Bernie Sanders' Proposal; Jussie Smollett; Coffee and Fat Loss Play speed fuels standout offseason for Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling Los Angeles Lakers 'think they have a strong shot' at signing Kawhi Leonard according to report


Video by Yahoo! Entertainment Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Tuesday night called white supremacy a "hoax," comparing it to the investigation of Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election and saying it is being used to divide the country. "This is a hoax, just like the Russian hoax," Carlson said during a segment on his program. "It's a conspiracy theory used to divide the country and keep a hold on power." Tucker Carlson: White supremacy is "actually not a real problem in America." Calling white supremacy and issue is "a hoax" and "a conspiracy theory used to divide the country" pic.twitter.com/ydzmJ0L7UI - Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) August 7, 2019 Carlson added that white supremacy is "not a real problem in America" and that the case against white supremacy was a made-up "talking point" used by Democrats to "help them in this election cycle." "If you were to assemble a list, a hierarchy of concerns, of problems this country faces, where would white supremacy be on the list? Right up there with Russia, probably," he said. "The combined membership of every white supremacist organization in this country would be able to fit inside a college football stadium." Political leaders from both parties have offered new warnings about white supremacy since the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, that left 22 people dead. The suspect in the shooting allegedly wrote a manifesto speaking of an "invasion" of immigrants. President Trump on Monday called on the nation to condemn white supremacy. "In one voice, our nation must condemn bigotry, hatred and white supremacy," Trump said. "These sinister ideologies must be defeated." Former President Obama also warned in a statement released Monday of the dangers of white supremacy. While the motivations of the shooter in El Paso might not be fully known, Obama wrote that there were indications it followed a disturbing trend of "troubled individuals who embrace racist ideologies and see themselves obligated to act violently to preserve white supremacy." His statement did not mention Trump by name, but called on Americans to "reject language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders that feeds a climate of fear and hatred and normalizes racist sentiment." The FBI has also warned of the dangers of white supremacy. FBI Director Christopher Wray said last month that the agency has made about 100 domestic terrorism-related arrests since October, and the majority were tied to white supremacy .


The Colts signed free agent linebacker Drew Lewis, the team announced Friday. They waived linebacker Tre Thomas in a corresponding move. Lewis participated in the Texans' 2019 offseason program before the team waived him July 23. He was originally signed by the Texans as an undrafted free agent on May 10. Lewis played 36 games, with 18 starts, in three seasons at Colorado and made 198 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, an interception and seven pass breakups. He spent 2015 at Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College after a redshirt season at Washington. The Colts signed Thomas as an undrafted free agent on May 5. He played 51 games, with 24 starts, at Colorado State and made 218 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, an interception, six passes defensed and one fumble recovery.


It's rare that a candidate interviewing for a first-time general manager job has any leverage during contract negotiations. In most cases, candidates who are offered the chance to run a team jump at the opportunity and never look back. Joe Douglas was not the typical candidate, though. With an extensive football background and the reputation as a budding NFL executive, Douglas was bound to become a hot commodity sooner or later. He discovered too many diamonds in the rough in his time with the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles not to eventually be considered for a general manager position at some point. When the Jets parted ways with Mike Maccagnan, Douglas' time came earlier than expected. Throughout New York's search for a new GM, Douglas seemed like the ideal candidate for the job given his familiarity with Adam Gase and reputation as an elite talent evaluator. As expected, the Jets offered Douglas the job, but it was not before he used his leverage in negotiations to perfection before the two sides settled on a deal. Douglas had the advantage when negotiating with the Jets in a variety of ways. With the Houston Texans firing their general manager on Friday, New York brass knew it had to move quickly in order to lock up its top target. The Texans had shown interest in Douglas before, only to be rebuffed by the Eagles. Odds are Houston would've come calling again and Douglas would've been allowed to interview for the job. That would've put the Jets in a tough spot, as the Texans could've stolen him away in the blink of an eye. There's also the current state of New York's infrastructure. Recent reports have not painted Christopher Johnson in a positive light and the organization has come across as one that is out of sorts and tough to work in given its dysfunction. Knowing this, and the uncertainty surrounding Woody Johnson after the 2020 election, Douglas worked the Jets to get everything he possibly could out of them. Not only did Douglas secure complete control of the team's 53-man roster, but his six-year contract gives him the kind of job security that is not offered to most first-time general managers. If Gase does not work out as head coach, Douglas has extra security. He would be able to hire his own head coach and continue molding the roster without much of a concern about his status with the team. Give Douglas credit for recognizing the situation and using it to his advantage. Instead of jumping into an uncertain situation with a cloudy future, Douglas got the job on his terms. In his first major contract negotiation, he came out a winner. Hopefully, that success continues when it comes to luring free agents to the Big Apple in the future. MORE: Why Kevin Durant is doing the right thing by not watching Finals games from the bench Report: New Orleans likely to trade Anthony Davis to Celtics Giants' Daniel Jones quickly destroying critical narratives Packers seeing flashes in young TE Robert Tonyan Goldberg, Undertaker Nearly Killed Each Other With Botched Moves At Super ShowDown


Utah has been one of the most aggressive teams this off-season   and is going to be a real threat in the West next season because of it. They upgraded at the point guard spot with the trade for Mike Conley out of Memphis. Now they have added Indiana's 6'8″ sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanovic . That was rumored before , and now Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN is reporting it as an agreed to deal. Indiana's Bojan Bogdanovic has agreed to a four-year, $73M deal with the Utah Jazz, league sources tells EPN.   Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019 To make this move the Jazz need to either trade or just not pick up the option on Derrick Favors and his $16.9 million contract. He was a favorite in Utah, and he played well as a backup to Rudy Gobert , but Bogdanovic brings the kind of floor-spacing shooting   and some wing defense   that the Jazz could use. Bogdanovic is the kind of player front office and NBA junkies know and love, but he has slid under the radar of casual fans. This is a good pickup. Yes, he has a similar style of game to Joe Ingles , but can a team have too many of those kinds of shooters/smart players on the wing? Bogdanovic averaged 18 points a game for Indiana last season and shot 42.5 percent from three. Fans might remember him as the guy the Pacers put on LeBron James a couple of years ago in the playoffs (and he did a respectable job, considering). Utah may roll out a starting lineup of Conley, Donovan Mitchell , Ingles, Bogdanovic, and Gobert. That's a four-out lineup that is going to put up some points, something Jazz have struggled with in recent seasons.


A pregnant woman from Honduras delivered a stillborn baby at a hospital after being apprehended at the border in Texas, Customs and Border Protection said in a statement Wednesday. The woman, who was unidentified, was apprehended by Border Patrol agents on Monday morning near McAllen, Texas, according to the CBP statement, which cited initial reports. The woman was medically screened at the McAllen Central Processing Center and authorities determined she was in need of medical attention, the statement said. She was then transported to a local hospital "where hospital medical staff were unable to detect a fetal heartbeat," the statement said. The woman gave birth to a stillborn baby shortly after. CBP said further details about the stillbirth were not available pending a review and results from the medical examiner. In February, a Honduran woman delivered a stillborn baby at an immigration detention center after going into premature labor. In the last nine months, six children have died in U.S. immigration custody or shortly after being released.


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Cleveland police and the FBI are still searching for a man who robbed a local bank Monday morning, but they already know who they're looking for thanks to an unforced error on behalf of the robber. Police said 54-year-old Michael Harrell walked into the U.S. Bank in the 7900 block of Euclid Avenue around 11:10 a.m. and handed the teller a note. The teller complied and handed over an undisclosed amount of cash. Harrell probably didn't realize at the time that the note the passed to the teller also included his name and address, which led to a quicker than usual identification. Law enforcement is now asking the public for help to locate Harrell, a 5-foot-7 black male with a thin build. He was last seen wearing a black T-shirt, baseball cap, long camouflage shorts and dark sneakers. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cleveland Division of Police, the Cleveland FBI or Crimestopppers. Copyright 2019 WOIO. All rights reserved.


Falcons assistant GM Scott Pioli has decided to step down from his position. The team is aware of - and fully respects - his decision, as discussions about this have been ongoing for some time. - Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 16, 2019 Atlanta Falcons assistant general manager Scott Pioli has stepped down, according to a report by Field Yates at ESPN. This was not unexpected for the team and there have been ongoing discussions for a while, Yates added. Pioli had previously worked with several other teams, including the Browns, Ravens, Jets and Patriots. In 2009, he joined the Chiefs as general manager, a post he held until 2012. After sitting out a year, he came to Atlanta as assistant general manager in 2014. Pioli has been instrumental to the Falcons front office during the draft process over the years, so this could be a significant loss. It's possible he has his eye on another opportunity: the Jets have an opening for a GM after firing Mike Maccagnan . Update: The team has confirmed the news. Thomas Dimitroff had this to say about Pioli's decision, per the official team website: "Over the last five years Scott has not only provided tremendous value to me, but to the entire the Falcons organization. He is a dear friend and will be missed within our organization. We are continuing to assess the structure within our organization and move forward with our next steps." MORE: Report: Browns rookie RB LJ Scott decides to quit NFL after just 2 days The 12 worst ceremonial first pitches of all time, ranked (UPDATED) Five potential Jimmy Butler landing spots in free agency Jamie Collins' return to Patriots is complicated on many levels Cowboys News: Prescott's circle of trust questioned, Kris Richard RKGs


Mesa is due to turn hot this coming week, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Temperatures will get even hotter from Thursday to Tuesday, with a high of 98 degrees on Tuesday. The immediate forecast also has clear skies in store for today. Some clouds will appear on Thursday. Winds will remain calm throughout the week, with only a light breeze of 7 mph on Sunday. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Philadelphia Eagles head coach Jeffrey Lurie returned to his Alma Mater on Sunday to talk society, technology and leadership. Lurie gave the commencement address at Clark University on Sunday and the Eagles owner urged graduates to remember what makes them human when they leave campus. Lurie, who graduated from the university in 1973, did his best to remind undergraduate and graduate degree recipients of the importance of unconditional love, resilience, empathy, and gratitude, and a "radical kind of open-mindedness." All smiles with @ClarkUniversity President David Angel! #Eagles Chairman & CEO Jeffrey Lurie will be giving today's commencement speech. pic.twitter.com/UaSj54CbrF - Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 19, 2019 pic.twitter.com/B4ja15Ww6W - Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 19, 2019 pic.twitter.com/0sUezeVbNZ - Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 19, 2019 pic.twitter.com/XVgabBoBG0 - Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 19, 2019 Lurie spoke to 1,081 graduates in total on the campus green next to the Jefferson Academic Center on Sunday afternoon and the Eagles owner also received an honorary degree from his alma mater to go with the bachelor's degree he originally earned from Clark. MORE: This photo of Kyler Murray led to more speculation about his height Patriots will prove Super Bowl LIII shutdown defense was no fluke Phil Simms: Daniel Jones 'fits what Pat Shurmur wants' NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Colts' Andrew Luck, Parris Campbell a top veteran-rookie duo


DEAUVILLE, France   The United States' first real challenge of the World Cup has arrived. Sweden awaits the U.S. women's national team in the final group stage of the 2019 Women's World Cup at 3 p.m. ET Thursday at Stade Océane. Fox will broadcast the match. The teams will play for first place in Group F, though both automatically will advance to the round of 16 as the top two contenders in the group with six points each. The history between the U.S. and Sweden makes the match intriguing. Sweden knocked the U.S. out of the quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympics by hunkering in on defense and forcing a penalty shootout. Then-goalkeeper Hope Solo controversially called the Swedish players cowards after the match. Various U.S. players have referenced that game over the years as a source of motivation. "Despite the fact that it's been three years, you don't forget the taste in your mouth when you fail and when you lose in a world championship, and I think there's a little bit of that that definitely serves as motivation," U.S. forward Christen Press said Wednesday. The teams have played once since then, June 8, 2017. The U.S. won 1-0 off a Rose Lavelle goal. Before that game, however, the U.S. failed to beat Sweden in its previous four matchups: a 1-0 loss and 1-1 draw in the 2014 and 2013 Algarve Cup, respectively, a scoreless draw during group play of the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics loss. Plus, the last USWNT loss in a World Cup was 2-1 against Sweden in 2011. The U.S. is 3-1-1 against Sweden all-time in World Cup play. "I don't think it's their only goal to put us in our place, but I do think they want to show us they've changed," Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson said during a news conference Wednesday. Sweden is ranked ninth in the world. The United States is No. 1. Gerhardsson said preparing to play the U.S. is difficult because there is no other team that compares, so he has to pull select clips from various games over the years to show his players. "They are very special in the way they play," he said. "They don't look like Canada or France." And one of the biggest U.S. strengths he's wary about is set pieces, calling them "one of their best qualities." "And it's not only that they have players who are good at headers," he said. "They have courage in the whole team, and they're the team that has the most variations as well. If we were to prepare for all the variations they have presented so far   they must have the thickest binder in the world when it comes to set-piece plays   we would do nothing but that." Sweden and the U.S. both had no trouble getting past Thailand and Chile in their opening matches of the World Cup. Sweden beat Thailand 5-1 and Chile 2-0. The U.S. defeated those teams 13-0 and 3-0, respectively. Sweden is captained by Caroline Seger, and its leading scorer through World Cup qualifying and the first two matches of the tournament is Kosovare Asllani. Forward Madelen Janogy, who subbed on late and scored in the 94th minute of Sweden's game against Chile, will miss the U.S. match due to muscle discomfort. U.S. coach Jill Ellis said she expects a very intense, combative game with a lot of transition and fierce competition inside the 18-yard box on both ends of the field. "It's going to be a good game to really work on some of things that we need as we advance into the next round," Ellis said. "Players and coaches are not focused on what was, we're focused on what will be. It's a different team. It's a different time. The past is irrelevant." Related Slideshow: Best of the 2019 Women's World Cup (Provided by imagn)


Attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman have sent tensions soaring between Iran and the United States, and reinforced fears that the two countries could be hurtling toward an unintended war. With no diplomatic relations between the two countries, no serious dialogue underway despite efforts by other countries to mediate, and no let-up in U.S. economic pressure on Iran, former U.S. officials, foreign diplomats and experts said there is a growing risk that a miscalculation, coupled with deep distrust. could trigger a conflict that neither side wants. "In many ways, I feel like this is a 1914 moment for the region, that a single incident could put the entire region on fire," said Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group think tank. "Although this particular incident might not be the one to push the parties over the edge of the abyss of war, each cycle of escalation brings us closer to the brink." Hours after the explosions, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described the incident as a "blatant assault" and said the U.S. had concluded Iran was responsible for targeting the Norwegian-owned and Japanese-owned ships along the vital oil transit route near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Pompeo cited intelligence reporting, recent similar incidents and the sophisticated nature of the attacks. Pompeo said a previous attack against four ships last month off the coast of the United Arab Emirates that Washington blamed on Tehran, a drone attack on a Saudi pipeline, a rocket attack near the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and other strikes were allegedly part of a deliberate pattern of "aggression." "Taken as a whole these unprovoked attacks present a clear threat to international peace and security, a blatant assault on the freedom of navigation and an unacceptable campaign of escalating tension by Iran," Pompeo said. Iran denied any role in the attacks. But Pompeo said Tehran was retaliating because of crippling U.S. economic sanctions that have slashed Iran's oil exports and severely damaged its economy. "Iran is lashing out because the regime wants our successful maximum pressure campaign lifted," he said. The incident coincided with a spate of mixed messages from both countries, which former officials said added to the danger that each country could be misreading the other. Although President Donald Trump has imposed punishing sanctions on Iran since pulling the U.S. out of the nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, he has also repeatedly said he is open to talking to the country's leaders. On Tuesday, Iran released a Lebanese businessman and U.S. legal resident who had been imprisoned since 2015, a move that the Trump administration called a "positive sign." Iran also has so far refrained from entirely abandoning the nuclear agreement it negotiated with world powers, which prohibits the regime from enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels. But despite efforts by Japan, European and other governments to find ways to defuse the stand-off between Iran and the United States, neither side so far has signaled a readiness to back off entrenched positions and make significant concessions. In a bid to broker talks, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid an unusual visit to Tehran Wednesday and said he brought with him "a message" from President Trump. But Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's supreme leader, dismissed the offer. "I do not consider Trump as a person worth exchanging any message with and I have no answer for him, nor will I respond to him in the future," Khamenei said in a statement. The two adversaries are locked in a face-off and the Iranian regime appears reluctant to take any step that would amount to caving in to U.S. pressure, experts said. Retired U.S. Navy admiral James Stavridis, who served as NATO commander, said it was unlikely that Iran or the United States would climb down in the high-stakes showdown. "We're on a collision course here," Stavridis, who is the chief international diplomacy and national security analyst for NBC News, told MSNBC. Further complicating any attempt to find an "off-ramp" to the crisis is the collapse of diplomatic channels that had been forged during the talks that produced the 2015 nuclear deal. Former Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif spoke frequently and defused at least one potential crisis in 2016 when a group of U.S. Navy sailors were captured after straying into Iranian territorial waters. The attacks Thursday on the two oil tankers drove up oil prices and shipping companies braced for a rise in insurance costs. Two oil tanker owners, DHT Holdings and Heidmar, have suspended new bookings for the Persian Gulf, industry media reported. No group claimed responsibility for the incident. But some former U.S. officials and lawmakers agreed with the Trump administration's assessment pointing the finger at Iran, saying Tehran had the necessary guerrilla warfare skills and a strong interest in pushing up oil prices for its own hard-hit economy. Norman Roule, a former CIA officer who focused on Iran, said "the circumstantial evidence is vast and sufficiently significant that Iran was responsible for these attacks." Roule predicted there would be more efforts to disrupt oil shipping routes: "We should be concerned that attacks represent the new normal for the foreseeable future in Iran's campaign to conduct unconventional attacks to pressure the international community to push back on us sanctions." Although Iran had an incentive to drive up oil prices, it did not appear eager for a war with the U.S, said Bruce Riedel, a former career CIA officer now at the Brookings Institution. Some other group or government keen on provoking a conflict had to be considered a potential suspect, he said. "The possibility of a mysterious third force can't be ruled out here." If Iran was indeed behind the attacks in the Gulf of Oman that sent plumes of smoke billowing into the air, it was not surprising given the degree of economic pressure bearing down on the regime, said Ilan Goldenberg, a former senior official in the Obama administration. "This is purely a function of Trump's escalatory 'maximum pressure' campaign. You can't just keep poking someone & expect them to sit around & take it," Goldenberg, now a senior fellow at the Center for New American Security think tank, said in a tweet. Supporters of the Trump administration said that Iran will eventually come to the negotiating table as the sanctions steadily strangle the country's economy. Pompeo vowed that the U.S. would "defend its forces, interests and and stand with our partners and allies to safeguard global commerce and regional stability," though he did not explicitly threaten a U.S. military response. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a staunch supporter of the administration's tough line on Iran, said he wanted to see Trump slap more sanctions on Iran as a result of the attacks that Pompeo blamed on Tehran. "They need to feel pain for this escalation and additional sanctions would be the appropriate response," Graham said. It's not clear whether the relatively small-scale strikes on foreign oil tankers are enough to prompt the president to approve military action. Some more hard-line lawmakers and officials in the Trump administration, including national security adviser John Bolton, believe that the Iranian regime could collapse from the economic pressure caused by the U.S. sanctions, and they have not ruled out limited military action if Iran or its proxies attack Americans in the region. However, U.S. military strikes designed to give Iran a "bloody nose" and force the regime to rein in its proxies could lead to a wider, unintended conflagration, with Tehran mobilizing its vast network of proxies and partners from Beirut to Sanaa, Bruce Reidel, a former CIA officer, and other experts said. Some officials in the administration "have exaggerated expectations of what a bloody nose will lead to," Reidel said.