Putin's Soccer Ball for Trump Had Transmitter Chip, Logo Indicates (bloomberg.com)

Russian President Vladimir Putin's gift of a soccer ball to U.S. President Donald Trump last week set off a chorus of warnings -- some of them only half in jest -- that the World Cup souvenir could be bugged. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham even tweeted, "I'd check the soccer ball for listening devices and never allow it in the White House." It turns out they weren't entirely wrong. From a report: Markings on the ball indicate that it contained a chip with a tiny antenna that transmits to nearby phones. But rather than a spy device, the chip is an advertised feature of the Adidas AG ball. Photographs from the news conference in Helsinki, where Putin handed the ball to Trump, show it bore a logo for a near-field communication tag. During manufacturing, the NFC chip is placed inside the ball under that logo, which resembles the icon for a WiFi signal, according to the Adidas website. The chip allows fans to access player videos, competitions and other content by bringing their mobile devices close to the ball. The feature is included in the 2018 FIFA World Cup match ball that's sold on the Adidas website for $165 (reduced to $83 in the past week).

Comments

#HerTurnAgain2020

[Train0987]

Now that we know Putin stole the election from Hillary Clinton it goes without saying that she must be given the Democratic nomination again in 2020. All potential challengers need to step aside. If it weren't for the Russian meddling she would've clearly won so she has to run again.

Re:#HerTurnAgain2020

[Train0987]

I'm not sure why this is being modded as funny. She has to be the nominee again because of what The Russians! did to her. To deny her the 2020 nomination would refute the entire notion that the 2016 election was interfered with. Only one of Putin's trolls could be against this.

Re:Nostalgia

[Anonymous Coward]

I love Snopes.

The Hill also reported receiving documents and eyewitness testimony “indicating Russian nuclear officials had routed millions of dollars to the U.S. designed to benefit former President Bill Clinton’s charitable foundation during the time Secretary of State Hillary Clinton served on a government body that provided a favorable decision to Moscow,” although no specifics about who those Russian nuclear officials were or how the money was allegedly routed to the Clinton Foundation were given. In any case, none of these revelations prove that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton participated in a quid pro quo agreement to accept payment for approval of the Uranium One deal.

"We now know that the Clinton Foundation received money from Russia specifically for the purpose of influencing Hillary Clinton's decisions as Secretary of State, but there may not have been an official quid pro quo agreement, so we rank this false."

Re:You joke, I'd love to see her run

[Train0987]

How can she not win this time if she would've won last time without The Russians! meddling? If not for Putin she'd be running for re-election in 2020. Right?

Re:It will be great when Trump hangs.

[BronsCon]

Not sure if trolling or lacking reading comprehension...