| Cohen’s lawyer says senators failed to ask the right ‘follow-up questions’ in collusion probe Posted: 24 Aug 2018 02:10 AM PDT  Michael Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis says that members of the Senate Intelligence Committee failed to ask the right "follow-up questions" when his client appeared before the panel last year and therefore failed to elicit crucial answers about President Trump's prior knowledge of Russian hacking of Democratic emails during the 2016 election.
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| Rep. Duncan Hunter Blames Wife For Campaign Spending Under Inquiry Posted: 24 Aug 2018 05:24 AM PDT  Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), who has been indicted on corruption charges
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| Photos of the week: 8/17 - 8/24 Posted: 24 Aug 2018 01:20 PM PDT  The body of missing college student Mollie Tibbetts was found this week in
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| Hurricane Lane pummels Hawaii Posted: 24 Aug 2018 09:07 AM PDT  Hawaiians brace themselves for more possible flooding and mudslides.
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| Ex-CDC director Frieden accused of groping woman's buttocks Posted: 24 Aug 2018 05:33 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — One of the nation's most respected medical experts, who led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, entered a courtroom on Friday in handcuffs, arrested on sexual-harassment charges after a woman accused him of grabbing her behind late one night last year.
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| Pope to pay tribute to Ireland's 'holy drinker' who may become saint Posted: 24 Aug 2018 02:59 PM PDT  Now, he is on his way to sainthood. On Saturday, Pope Francis will pay tribute to him, but not by raising a glass. Francis will instead pray before the relics of the man sometimes called the "Holy Drinker" and who is known as the patron of those struggling get or stay on the wagon.
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| Majority-Black Georgia County Rejects Plan To Close Nearly All Its Polling Places Posted: 24 Aug 2018 05:18 AM PDT  Officials in a rural southwest Georgia county on Friday voted down a proposal
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| Facebook and Top Tech Companies Are Trying Not to Mess Up Another Election Posted: 24 Aug 2018 10:30 AM PDT  A dozen companies are forging an alliance.
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| Trump tweets at A.G. 'Jeff': Now go after my political foes Posted: 24 Aug 2018 05:16 AM PDT  A day after saying that his attorney general had let him down, President Trump on Friday urged Jeff Sessions to investigate alleged "corruption" by his perceived enemies.
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| Chris Watts Seemed Like a Warm Family Man, Friend Says: 'His Entire Life Was Those Girls' Posted: 25 Aug 2018 05:56 AM PDT  Chris Watts is accused of killing his pregnant wife and daughters.
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| Pope compares Church sexual abuse, corruption to excrement, victims say Posted: 25 Aug 2018 12:45 PM PDT  On the first papal visit to the country in almost four decades, Francis used a speech at a state event that was also attended by some abuse survivors to acknowledge that it was to the Church's shame it had not addressed these "repugnant crimes" and said he sought a greater commitment to eliminating this "scourge". In a statement, the representatives from the Survivors of Mother and Baby Homes group said Francis condemned corruption and cover up within the Church as "caca", an Italian and Spanish word for human excrement. The statement said that after the pope used the word, his translator explained that it meant "literally filth as one sees in a toilet." A Vatican spokesman had no comment on the details of what was said in the meeting.
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| Brett Kavanaugh's Record Sets A Dangerous Precedent On Endangered Species Posted: 24 Aug 2018 02:46 AM PDT  If Judge Brett Kavanaugh becomes Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh, activists
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| Meyer tweets apology to former assistant's ex-wife Posted: 24 Aug 2018 10:29 PM PDT  COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amid withering criticism of his failing to more directly address domestic abuse issues at a news conference earlier this week, suspended Ohio State coach Urban Meyer issued an apology Friday to the ex-wife of a former assistant coach who was suspected of abusing her.
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| The week Trump's own words caught up with him Posted: 24 Aug 2018 09:33 AM PDT  Since before he was elected president, Donald Trump has operated in the belief that he can control his narrative through sheer force of will — and words. But this week, Trump's relentless stream of messages seems to have come back to haunt him.
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| Indicted California Congressman Proposed Raising Retirement Age To 72 Posted: 23 Aug 2018 05:57 PM PDT  In a conversation with constituents earlier this month, an indicted California
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| Prosecutors say boy denied medication at New Mexico compound Posted: 24 Aug 2018 11:42 PM PDT  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Prosecutors on Friday charged the father and stepmother of a 3-year-old boy whose body was found at a ramshackle compound in northern New Mexico with child abuse charges that can carry a penalty of life in prison.
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| Airbnb sues New York over 'government overreach' Posted: 24 Aug 2018 05:10 PM PDT  Airbnb sued the city of New York on Friday, denouncing as "an extraordinary act of government overreach" a new law forcing home-sharing platforms to disclose data about hosts. It was a dramatic escalation in the battle between the $30 billion company and authorities in America's most populous city, amid a global backlash against "sharing economy" startups disrupting traditional industries. The law, which comes into effect on February 2, 2019, requires home-sharing platforms such as Airbnb to disclose information about hosts and imposes hefty fines for non-compliance.
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| Woman Says She Was Mom-Shamed for Letting 8-Year-Old Daughter Walk Dog Alone Posted: 24 Aug 2018 11:49 AM PDT  A neighbor called the police after spotting the girl, Corey Widen said.
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| Hurricane Lane lashes Hawaii with torrential rains, flash floods Posted: 23 Aug 2018 10:06 PM PDT  Amateur video shows choppy waters in the Wailuku River as well as the heavily flooded streets of Hilo in Hawaii, as Hurricane Lane makes it way across the island. No reporter narration.
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| Elon Musk Emailed Tesla Employees His Reasons for Staying Public Posted: 25 Aug 2018 04:22 PM PDT  It took some convincing.
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| Taliban launch attacks on approaches to Afghan city of Ghazni Posted: 24 Aug 2018 06:00 AM PDT ![Taliban launch attacks on approaches to Afghan city of Ghazni]( "Taliban launch attacks on approaches to Afghan city of Ghazni") The Taliban raided three villages on the outskirts of Ghazni late on Thursday, destroying some newly built checkpoints and cutting off power to some parts of the city. Provincial police chief Farid Mashal said government forces counter-attacked to block the insurgents from approaching the city. "We were swift to push the Taliban out of the villages, but many civilians fled to neighboring villages fearing the fighters could kill them," said Mashal.
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| Irish abuse survivor demands accountability even at Vatican Posted: 24 Aug 2018 04:04 AM PDT  DUBLIN (AP) — A prominent Irish survivor of priestly sexual abuse told a Vatican-sponsored conference Friday that the Holy See must put in place "robust structures" and strong sanctions to hold accountable bishops and Vatican officials who fail protect children from predator priests.
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| Fox News' Neil Cavuto Shreds Donald Trump: 'The Problem Is You' Posted: 23 Aug 2018 06:56 PM PDT  Fox News host Neil Cavuto issued one of his searing monologues on Thursday,
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| John McCain Will Not Continue Treatment For Brain Cancer, Family Says Posted: 24 Aug 2018 08:20 AM PDT  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has chosen to discontinue medical treatment for
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| Tech giants aim to coordinate fight on misinformation: report Posted: 24 Aug 2018 07:06 AM PDT  Major technology firms including Facebook, Google and Twitter were set to meet Friday as part of an effort to coordinate the battle against misinformation campaigns by foreign agents, a media report said. The report by BuzzFeed based on a leaked email said the companies were set to meet at Twitter's headquarters in San Francisco. Microsoft, Snapchat and other tech firms were expected to participate in the gathering called by Facebook cybersecurity head Nathaniel Gleicher.
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| 12 Non-Alcoholic Summer Drinks That'll Get Any Party Started Posted: 24 Aug 2018 03:11 PM PDT |
| Smith & Wesson's M&P 2.0 Compact Handgun: Better Than Glock? Posted: 25 Aug 2018 06:00 AM PDT  In the crowded field of compact semi-automatic handguns, the M&P 2.0 Compact appears as close to the ideal as possible. A concealable handgun with a sixteen round capacity and absolute reliability, Smith & Wesson's new pistol improves on an already solid platform.
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| Judge enters not guilty plea for suspect in Walmart killings Posted: 24 Aug 2018 03:53 PM PDT  BRIGHTON, Colo. (AP) — A judge on Friday entered a not guilty plea on behalf of a man charged with opening fire and killing three people at a crowded suburban Denver Walmart.
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| Trump Calls Off Pompeo's North Korea Trip Posted: 24 Aug 2018 11:50 AM PDT  President Donald Trump on Friday canceled Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's
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| Scott 'Stop the boats' Morrison: Australia's latest PM Posted: 24 Aug 2018 01:03 AM PDT  Evangelical Christian Scott Morrison, who emerged as prime minister Friday after a ruling party bun fight, is a key architect of Australia's controversial "stop the boats" policy to halt the arrival of seaborne asylum-seekers. Morrison, an ambitious man who has always dreamed of the top job, snatched the leadership from the hands of hardline conservatives who had engineered the ouster of incumbent moderate Malcolm Turnbull. Morrison, who was immigration minister before becoming treasurer, was reportedly quietly canvassing support among his colleagues as Turnbull feuded with his rivals during the week.
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| El Salvador switches allegiance from Taiwan to China, drawing ire from the US Posted: 23 Aug 2018 08:43 PM PDT  On the face of it, this week's break in diplomatic relations between tiny Taiwan, population 23.5 million, and even tinier El Salvador, population 6.3m, did not herald a dramatic shift in global politics. But the Central American nation's sudden switch in allegiance to China has clearly rattled its US neighbour. Accusing China of destabilising cross-Strait relations, the White House said: "This is a decision that affects not just El Salvador, but also the economic health and security of the entire Americas region." It reiterated that the US would reevaluate its ties with the Central American country as a result. Reacting to the news earlier, high profile US Senators Marco Rubio and Cory Gardner, representing Florida and Colorado respectively, immediately hit out with threats via their Twitter accounts. "El Salvador has made the wrong decision regarding Taiwan, and it will negatively influence US relations with El Salvador. The US government must stand up to China's campaign to bully Taiwan with every tool we have," said Mr Gardner. Mr Rubio told his 3.6 million followers on Twitter: "I have joined @SenCoryGardner in an amendment to end foreign aid to #ElSalvador after their leftist government decided to abandon #Taiwan in favor of #China. I also spoke to @realdonaldtrump about cutting off their aid just a few minutes ago. " They faced immediate charges of hypocrisy. El Salvador's defection has left Taiwan, an island democracy which Beijing claims as its own territory, with only 17 formal diplomatic allies in the world, and the US is not one of them. I have joined @SenCoryGardner in an amendment to end foreign aid to #ElSalvador after their leftist government decided to abandon #Taiwan in favor of #China. I also spoke to @realdonaldtrump about cutting off their aid just a few minutes ago.— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 21, 2018 Washington has not officially recognised Taiwan since 1979, when it shifted its recognition to China's communist government to suit its own strategic and economic interests. But the senators' comments join a narrative of growing concern within the US administration that China is acting in a predatory manner on Washington's doorstep. President Trump's National Security Strategy has described Beijing as seeking "to pull [Latin America] into its orbit through state-led investments and loans," while Rex Tillerson, the former secretary of state, once denounced China as a "new imperial power" in Latin America. Taiwan's foreign ministry offered some candid insights into its own rift with El Salvador late on Tuesday night, revealing that it had faced repeated demands for funds to develop the La Union commercial port which would have held "tremendous debt risks" for both countries. Only last month, Jean Manes, the US ambassador to El Salvador, warned that China had intentions to turn the Pacific-facing port into a "military base," reported the South China Morning Post. "It's a strategic matter, and we all need to keep our eyes open to what is happening," she said. China has previously sparked suspicions about the motivations behind its port investments after opening its first overseas military base in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, last year, and over the possible development of a second in Gwadar Port in Pakistan. Members of the Taiwanese community in Paraguay greet President Tsai during a visit last week Credit: Jorge Adorno/Reuters However, analysts including Bonnie Glaser, senior director for Asia at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in DC, are more sceptical of the view that China is eyeing La Union for its strategic military interests, arguing that Beijing's motives in Latin America are more commercially driven. "I don't think China is looking to turn every port in the world into a Chinese base. It would be strategically stupid in my mind to be building a base in what America has always considered to be its backyard," Ms Glaser told The Telegraph. "The notion that China would like the countries in Latin America to have a good relationship with China and be less dependent on the United States, that could certainly be one of China's objectives," she said. "That's what China has done around the world, certainly closer to home in Southeast Asia. China has used its economic clout to try and pull some countries away from the United States, at least positioning them in a way that they're more neutral, so that's certainly possible." Top 10 | Things you didn't know about Taiwan Speculation is rising as to which of Taiwan's diplomatic allies Beijing may successfully pick off next in its quest to isolate the island nation on the global stage. But aside from the psychological impact on its population, Taiwan has tangibly little to worry about by losing its formal allies, several of whom have demanded funds in exchange for their loyalty, while offering little in return. Taipei already enjoys strong informal relations with more powerful friends including the US and Japan. As China seeks to undermine the legitimacy and global influence of Taiwan, a democratic ally of the West located in a regional flashpoint, it is perhaps Taipei's western friends who should be more concerned. A Pacific island may be next to switch its allegiance from Taiwan to China, which has grand strategic ambitions in the Pacific region. "People talk about the Solomon Islands," said Ms Glaser. "That would be seen as very significant not only by the US but also by Australia and New Zealand, who are very worried about China's growing influence in the region."
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| Matilda Goad's New Collaboration with Liberty of London and Other Great New Products Posted: 24 Aug 2018 05:00 AM PDT |
| Vegas Shooting Survivor Is Inspired to Become Police Officer: 'I Want to Be That Person for Someone Else' Posted: 25 Aug 2018 07:45 AM PDT  "I want them to see me and be like, 'OK, she's going to fix it. She's going to make it better,'" said Lauren Card.
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| NASA spacecraft captures first images of the asteroid it will soon land on Posted: 24 Aug 2018 01:46 PM PDT  A NASA probe speeding through the solar system has captured its first image of the asteroid Bennu, which the space agency will try to land on in 2020. Once that happens, the spacecraft OSIRIS-REx is designed to collect up to 4.4 pounds of ancient space rock, seal the minerals in a capsule, and blast the capsule back to Earth. If all goes as planned, the canister will drop down into the Utah desert in 2023. SEE ALSO: A 12-mile, underground lake may have been found on Mars. What could live there? The space probe captured its first image of Bennu from 1.4 million miles away, which is pretty close as far as space distances go (this is about six times the distance between the Earth and moon). But as shown below, the asteroid is still too distant to make out any features or details. It looks like a fuzzy, spinning white dot. Asteroid Bennu speeds through space.Image: nasaIn early December, the probe will begin to orbit quite close to the small asteroid, 4.5 miles (7 kilometers) from the surface. As the craft slowly circles Bennu at just 0.1 mph, NASA scientists will map its rocky surface, scouring the terrain for a suitable landing spot Why is NASA visiting this small asteroid? Compared to many of the 780,000 known asteroids in our solar system, Bennu is pretty small. But it's quite interesting. For one, Bennu might contain valuable resources that can be used for future deep space exploration, Dante Lauretta, the OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, Tucson, said in a press call. A conception of the probe collecting samples from BennuImage: nasaLauretta is interested in whether Bennu holds clay deposits, because embedded in clay is water. And water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen, two necessary components for rocket fuel. One day, perhaps, Bennu may serve as a "fuel depot" in space, said Lauretta. Bennu is also believed to be a well-preserved, ancient asteroid, containing cosmic fragments older than our solar system. Understanding how Bennu formed, and the mish-mash of space materials it's made of, will likely improve astronomers' understanding of how the solar system came to be some four billion years ago. Bennu, at center, compared in size to other solar system asteroidsImage: nasaFinally, Bennu has the slight potential to travel dangerously close to Earth in 2175 and 2195. "Bennu is one of the ones we are watching," said Lauretta, noting that it has a 1 in 2,700 chance of coming too close for comfort. Knowing what Bennu is composed of gives NASA better information about how to potentially deflect the large space rock, should it ever veer toward our humble blue planet. WATCH: Ever wonder how the universe might end?
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| Nicki Minaj Gave a Shout Out to Margaret Thatcher and People Are Really Confused Posted: 24 Aug 2018 08:15 AM PDT  Fans quickly voiced their concerns about Thatcher
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| Former Head of the CDC Arrested, Accused of Sexual Abuse Posted: 25 Aug 2018 09:48 AM PDT  Tom Frieden, the former head of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been taken into custody for allegedly forcibly touching at least one woman.
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| Doctor accused of killing family with gas-filled yoga ball Posted: 24 Aug 2018 03:01 AM PDT  HONG KONG (AP) — An anesthesiologist is on trial in Hong Kong charged with killing his wife and daughter by placing a leaking yoga ball filled with carbon monoxide in their car.
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| Italy's far-right interior minister faces probe over stranded migrants Posted: 25 Aug 2018 02:06 PM PDT  Prosecutors in Sicily on Saturday opened an inquiry into Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini for "illegal confinement, illegal arrest and abuse of power", reports said, over his refusal to allow over 100 rescued migrants off a coastguard ship. Authorities earlier allowed a dozen migrants to leave the Diciotti where they have been stranded for days, as it also hailed Albania for offering to accept some of those on board. Rome has blocked most of the migrants from stepping off the boat which docked at the port of Catania in Sicily on Monday night, leaving them trapped as Italy pushes other EU nations to take them in.
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| Waymo sets up subsidiary in Shanghai as Google plans China push Posted: 23 Aug 2018 10:58 PM PDT ![Waymo sets up subsidiary in Shanghai as Google plans China push]( "Waymo sets up subsidiary in Shanghai as Google plans China push") BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's self-driving unit Waymo has set up a subsidiary in Shanghai, according to a business registration filing, the latest sign that the U.S. internet giant is attempting to make new inroads into China. Waymo established a wholly-owned company called Huimo Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co on May 22 in Shanghai's free trade zone with registered capital of 3.5 million yuan ($509,165), according to China's National Enterprise Information Publicity System. Waymo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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| Scott Morrison Chosen as Australia's New Prime Minister Following a Leadership Crisis Posted: 23 Aug 2018 08:32 PM PDT  Australia's ruling party has chosen Treasurer Scott Morrison to become the next prime minister replacing Malcom Turnbull
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