PoliticsYahoo NewsIn his report, Mueller invites Congress to investigate Trump obstruction
Special counsel Robert Mueller wrote in his report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign that although he lacked sufficient evidence to clear or charge President Trump on possible obstruction of justice, Congress could take up the issue. “We concluded that Congress has authority to prohibit a president's corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice,” Mueller wrote in his 448-page report, a redacted version of which was released by the Justice Department Thursday. Mueller made clear in his report that he did not believe his investigation cleared the president of much.
WorldAssociated PressPolice official: Short-circuit likely caused Notre Dame fire
Paris police investigators think an electrical short-circuit most likely caused the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, a police official said Thursday, as France paid a daylong tribute to the firefighters who saved the world-renowned landmark. A judicial police official told The Associated Press that investigators made an initial assessment of the cathedral Wednesday but don't have a green light to search Notre Dame's charred interior because of ongoing safety hazards. The cathedral's fragile walls were being shored up with wooden planks, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak by name about an ongoing investigation.
- PoliticsThe Independent
Sarah Sanders said her untruths over FBI were told in 'heat of moment'
Sarah Huckabee Sanders has defended herself against accusations of lying to the American public after Robert Mueller's report refuted several statements she previously made to the media. The White House press secretary joined Good Morning America a day after the report was released, where she was grilled about her previous claims that “countless” members of the FBI told her they were dissatisfied with James Comey's leadership at the agency before he was fired by Donald Trump. The report said those comments were “not founded on anything” and that Ms Sanders told investigators they were a “slip of the tongue.
WorldReutersTime-lapse shots of Notre-Dame spire may yield clues on blaze
A time lapse camera installed just hours before Monday's devastating blaze at Notre-Dame de Paris may contain vital clues as to what caused the inferno, a French scaffolding company working at the cathedral said on Thursday. Europe Echafaudage was one of five companies contracted to restore Notre-Dame's 90-metre (295-foot) spire, which collapsed in the blaze, crashing through the cathedral's vaulted ceiling. Footage from the camera, which was placed on the northern belltower and is now in the hands of investigators, shows the first smoke coming out of the spire's base, Marc Eskenazi, a representative for Europe Echafaudage, told Reuters.
- U.S.WTVD – Raleigh/Durham
Driver with STAYUMBL license plate, notorious for cutting people off around Durham, charged in incident with bus
The STAYUMBL license plate is notorious on the road and social media. Folks say the driver behind the wheel will speed up, cut people off and then slam on her brakes, sometimes causing a crash.
- LifestylePopular Mechanics
How to Get Rid of Lawn Weeds
The best way to eradicate weeds is to use a two-prong approach of applying fertilizer and herbicide at different times of the year. A regular application of fertilizer produces strong, healthy grass plants that have a better chance of fighting off weeds. And herbicides have been proven to be effective at killing existing weeds and deterring the growth of new weeds.
- NewsThe Daily Beast
Measles Crisis: Judge Dismisses Parents' Suit Against NYC
A New York judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit brought against the city's Department of Health by five parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. In addition to mandating the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for children in zip codes affected by the crisis, it threatened parents with fines of up to $1,000. There have been 329 confirmed cases of the viral illness, mostly among observant Jews in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn.
WorldAFPAssad urges progress on Idlib deal ahead of Syria talks
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday called for progress on a stalled buffer zone deal around jihadist-dominated Idlib region ahead of fresh talks aimed at ending his country's eight-year war. Assad met envoy Alexander Lavrentiev from key ally Russia in Damascus to discuss the negotiations due April 25-26 in Kazakhstan. Iran and Russia are the major supporters of the Syrian regime, and along with rebel backer Turkey have sponsored repeated rounds of talks in the Central Asian nation.
- LifestyleUSA TODAY
Best destinations for a cheap summer vacation
Best time to fly There's no getting around the fact that June, July and August are generally way more expensive than other months because this is when people want to fly. However, there are ways to push back against peak-season prices. Fly in June or August.
- PoliticsUSA TODAY Opinion
Russian interference, confirmed by the Mueller report, has been going on since Cold War
In 2016, Russia launched the latest volley in a cyber cold war that spread cracks through the bedrock foundation of American democracy. In addition to influencing potentially millions of Americans, Russia's activities led to an almost two-year special counsel investigation into our newly seated president that reached its climax in the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report Thursday. Russia created a tectonic widening of the political divide — a divide that has only increased in the wake of Mueller's conclusion that the president did not coordinate with Russia to influence the election.
WorldAssociated PressFire-ravaged Notre Dame now stabilized, firefighters leave
Architects and construction workers have stabilized the damaged structure of Notre Dame cathedral, four days after a fast-spreading fire ravaged the iconic Paris building, and firefighters were leaving the site Friday night, a fire service official said. The promising development came as Notre Dame's parishioners celebrated Good Friday in a nearby church, praying for the damaged monument and celebrating its rescued relics such as the Crown of Thorns believed to have been worn by Jesus at his crucifixion. "There is no more risk the edifice's walls could fall down," Lt. Col. Gabriel Plus, chief spokesman for the Paris fire service, told The Associated Press.
- NewsThe Independent
Man arrested with petrol tanks entering New York cathedral was philosophy teacher who booked one-way ticket to Rome
Marc Lamparello's story seemed off from the start. It was nearly 8pm on Wednesday when Mr Lamparello, a 37-year-old graduate student and lecturer on philosophy, entered St Patrick's Cathedral in midtown Manhattan toting two gasoline cans, lighter fluid and lighters, police said. Mr Lamparello was about 20 feet into the church when ushers approached him and said he could not be inside the building with the cans of gasoline, police said.
WorldReutersNorth Korea urges Trump to drop Pompeo from talks; U.S. plays down weapons test
North Korea's state news agency said Kwon Jong Gun, in charge of U.S. affairs at the foreign ministry, had warned that no one could predict what would happen if Washington did not abandon the "root cause" that compelled Pyongyang to develop nuclear weapons. The statement came shortly after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test of a new tactical guided weapon, North Korea's first weapon test since a summit between him and Trump broke down in late February. U.S. officials appeared to play down both developments, with acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan telling reporters at the Pentagon that while there had been a test, it was "not a ballistic missile." A spokeswoman for the State Department said it was aware of the report about Pompeo and added: "The United States remains ready to engage North Korea in a constructive negotiation." Despite the summit breakdown, North Korea had maintained a freeze in nuclear and ballistic missile testing in place since 2017,and Trump has repeatedly pointed to that as an important outcome from a year of engagement with Pyongyang.
- WorldThe National Interest
How the U.S. Navy Sunk Imperial Japan's Top Secret Aircraft Carrier
Warfare History Network Security, Asia The first torpedo struck farthest aft. Over the next 30 seconds three more warheads detonated against the massive aircraft carrier's hull, working their way forward. The explosions and instant flooding immediately killed scores of men, many asleep in their bunks.
- BusinessCar and Driver
100 Stolen Mercedes-Benz and Smart Cars Missing in Chicago after Thieves Nab Them Using Car2Go App
Car-sharing app Car2Go has been temporarily shut down in Chicago while an investigation into theft of some 100 of its vehicles is pursued. Over 100 Mercedes-Benz and Smart brand vehicles have been stolen using the app, and some reportedly were used to commit other crimes. The car-sharing service Car2Go has halted all activity in Chicago after it was discovered that thieves abused the platform to steal more than 100 high-end vehicles, some of which were then used to commit other crimes.
- LifestylePopular Mechanics
8 Things We Learned Driving the Roush Ford F-150 SC, a Pickup Truck on Steroids
Eight things you should know about this beast, which is what happens when you turn a Ford truck into an off-road monster. From Popular Mechanics
NewsAFPAppeals court upholds California 'sanctuary state' bill
A US appeals court on Thursday upheld a California "sanctuary state" bill that blocks state and local law enforcement from working with federal immigration authorities. The three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, headquartered in San Francisco, unanimously ruled to uphold Senate Bill 54, which prohibits police and sheriffs from collaborating with immigration authorities. "SB 54 may well frustrate the federal government's immigration enforcement efforts," said Judge Milan Smith in the ruling.
- BusinessUSA TODAY
Some Microsoft employees allege policies 'discriminate' against Asians, white men
SAN FRANCISCO — The backlash against the tech industry-wide push to hire more women and minorities has flared again — this time at Microsoft. Some employees on an internal message board questioned the tech giant's efforts to shift the demographics of its largely white and Asian male workforce, asking for evidence that a diverse workforce benefits Microsoft. Eighty-seven percent of Microsoft employees are white or Asian and more than 73 percent are men, according to the company's most recent diversity report.
- PoliticsThe Guardian
Trump claims 'game over' on Mueller report as Democrats say game on
Donald Trump's claims of vindication after the release of Robert Mueller's report on Thursday were quickly drowned out by furious Democrats, who pointed to a wealth of evidence the president attempted to obstruct justice and demanded fresh hearings into potentially criminal conduct. Republican hopes of drawing a line under the affair were dashed as the bombshell document threatened to reopen debate over Trump's impeachment and raised questions over the futures of William Barr, the attorney general, and Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, both accused of misleading the public. Instead of taking a victory lap, as some had expected, he uncharacteristically ignored questions from reporters as he boarded the Marine One helicopter on the White House south lawn.
- WorldThe Telegraph
Macron's polls rise to highest level since yellow vest revolt as French approve his handling of Notre-Dame fire
Emmanuel Macron's approval ratings have risen to levels not seen since before the “yellow vest” revolt erupted last autumn with most French feeling he “rose to the occasion” over the Notre-Dame fire, a poll out on Friday suggests. President Macron's popularity plummeted last September following a tax rise on pensioners and a backlash over plans to raise fuel taxes. According to BVA, Mr Macron has clawed back three points in the past month and is now on 32 per cent with six out of ten French feeling he did a good job handling the Notre-Dame inferno.
WorldAssociated PressWidows, ace guide to climb Everest to honor Sherpas
Five years after one of the deadliest disasters on Mount Everest, three people from Nepal's ethnic Sherpa community are preparing an ascent to raise awareness about the Nepalese mountain guides who make it possible for hundreds of foreign climbers to scale the mountain and survive. Kami Rita, a renowned climber who lived through the 2014 ice avalanche on Everest's western shoulder that killed 16 fellow Sherpa guides, aims to break his own record by reaching the mountaintop a 23rd time this spring. Furdiki Sherpa, who lost her husband in a mountaineering accident, and Nima Doma, whose husband was killed in the 2014 avalanche, are also attempting to summit Everest, to bring attention to the plight of Sherpa families living in the shadow of the world's highest peak.
PoliticsReutersMueller finds no conspiracy, but extensive Trump-Russia contacts
Ultimately, Mueller determined the various contacts either didn't amount to criminal behavior or would be difficult to prove in court, even if people in Trump's orbit sometimes displayed a willingness to accept Russian help, the report showed. Trump and his allies, who derided the Mueller probe as a political "witch hunt", portrayed the report as vindication. "The bottom line is the president is exonerated and the campaign is exonerated of collusion," said Michael Caputo, a former adviser to Trump's campaign.
- BusinessConsumer Reports
Don't Wait to Book Summer Air Travel | 737 Max
That's because the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max fleet, affecting more than 350 jets worldwide, is now scheduled to last for almost the entire summer season, and is almost certain to have an effect on flight availabilities and ticket prices. Southwest, the world's largest Max operator, says it will cancel 160 flights a day from June 8 through Aug. 5, up from 90 per day, and American will scrub 115 flights daily until Aug. 19. Combined, that means roughly 40,000 seats will be taken out of service every day during the peak travel period.
- NewsThe Independent
Opioid crisis: US doctors accused of trading prescriptions for sex and cash in major scandal
Scores of medical professionals across seven states were charged by federal prosecutors on Wednesday with schemes to illegally distribute millions of pain pills — in some cases exchanging opioid prescriptions for sex, in others for cash with an added “concierge fee”, and in one case routinely prescribing opioids to friends on Facebook. Officials called the case the “single largest prescription opioid law enforcement operation in history”. The indictments, unsealed in federal court in Cincinnati on Wednesday, accuse 60 people, including 31 doctors, seven pharmacists and eight nurses of involvement in the schemes, which included opioid prescriptions issued for gratuitous medical procedures like unnecessary tooth-pulling.
- WorldUSA TODAY
Views of the Notre Dame Cathedral before, after, and during blaze
The structure of the Notre Dame Cathedral has been saved from a massive fire that had threatened to gut the 800-year-old landmark in Paris, fire officials said late Monday. The blaze collapsed the cathedral's spire and spread to one of its rectangular towers. "Two-thirds of the roofing has been ravaged,” and firefighters would work through the night to cool down the building, Gallet said.
