PoliticsAFPTrump slams Russia probe but says report should be public
President Donald Trump on Wednesday launched a prolonged attack on the integrity of a huge probe into whether he or his election campaign colluded with Russia or obstructed justice -- but did say that the final report should be released. "If you want to let them see it, let them see it," Trump said of the report, which independent special prosecutor Robert Mueller is believed to be close to finishing. Trump has been investigated for almost two years, following suspicions that he or his team had improper ties to Moscow.
WorldAssociated PressThe Latest: New Zealanders to observe Muslim call to prayer
People across New Zealand will listen to the Muslim call to prayer on Friday as the nation marks one week since a gunman attacked two mosques and killed 50 people. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and thousands of other people plan to congregate in Hagley Park opposite the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch to observe the call to prayer at 1:30 p.m. Many radio and television stations plan to broadcast the event live. At least 42 people died at the Al Noor mosque and at least seven at the nearby Linwood mosque in last Friday's attack.
WorldReutersCitigroup to sell Venezuelan gold in setback to President Maduro: sources
Maduro's government has since 2014 used financial operations known as gold swaps to use its international reserves to gain access to cash after a slump in oil revenues left it struggling to obtain hard currency. Under the terms of the 2015 deal with Citigroup's Citibank, Venezuela was due to repay $1.1 billion of the loan on March 11, according to four sources familiar with the situation. Citibank plans to sell the gold held as a guarantee - which has a market value of roughly $1.358 billion - to recover the first tranche of the loan and will deposit the excess of roughly $258 million in a bank account in New York, two of the sources said.
- BusinessUSA TODAY
FBI joins criminal probe into Boeing 737 Max 8 safety certification in wake of crashes
The FBI has joined the widening criminal probe into how Boeing's 737 Max 8 jets were deemed as safe in the months before two of them crashed in Indonesia and Ethiopia, leading to a worldwide grounding of the vaunted planes amid scrutiny of U.S. certification standards. A person familiar with the inquiry told USA TODAY on Wednesday that the FBI is assisting federal transportation authorities in their investigation into the jet's certification process, which has come under criticism for possible cozy relationships between Boeing and FAA inspectors. The two crashes killed more than 300 people since October. Transportation Department officials are leading the investigation into the Federal Aviation Administration approval of the passenger jet, while the FBI is providing needed resources, said the person, who is not authorized to comment publicly.
- BusinessMashable
Brew craft beer at home with the PicoBrew brewing machine — on sale for $150 off at Best Buy
From now until March 23, get the PicoBrew Pico Model C brewing machine for $150 off at Best Buy, bringing the price down to $249. Pico Model C brings the taproom to your home by equipping you to brew award-winning beers from more than 170 breweries around the world without needing complex equipment and supplies. Sort of like a meal kit delivery service, PicoBrew pre-packages all the ingredients you'll need to create the brew of your choosing.
EntertainmentYahoo NewsOcasio-Cortez fires back at Fox News for 'Latina thing' segment
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fired back against Laura Ingraham on Wednesday after the Fox News host and a guest mocked the freshman New York Democrat for the way in which she pronounces her name. On her primetime show Tuesday night, Ingraham asked conservative lawyer Joe diGenova if he had noticed the way Ocasio-Cortez introduces herself with a “put on” accent. Ocasio-Cortez responded on Twitter.
- BusinessThe National Interest
Bringing the Sting: The U.S. Navy Is Getting New F/A-18E/F Super Hornets
David Axe Security, The Super Hornets would be the first new-build examples of the Block III variant of the F/A-18E/F. The Block III flies farther and carries more weapons than an older F/A-18E/F can do and also is stealthier than earlier Super Hornet models are. The U.S. Navy in mid-March 2019 awarded Chicago plane-maker Boeing a $4-billion contract to build 78 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets for the U.S. Navy. The Super Hornets would be the first new-build examples of the Block III variant of the F/A-18E/F. The Block III flies farther and carries more weapons than an older F/A-18E/F can do and also is stealthier than earlier Super Hornet models are.
- NewsUSA TODAY
Who was Renty? The story of the slave whose racist photos have triggered a lawsuit against Harvard
Lanier describes Renty, born in the Congo in central Africa and a slave in South Carolina, as "larger than life" – someone respected in his community, who taught other slaves how to read despite laws against it and was proud of his African roots. The photos of Renty and his daughter Delia, taken in the nude in March 1850 against their will for a Harvard University professor, are now the subject of a lawsuit that Lanier, 54, filed against Harvard this week. Lanier, a Connecticut resident who says she's Renty's great-great-great granddaughter, has accused Harvard of the wrongful seizure of the photos, profiting from them and failing to recognize that she's Renty's direct descendant.
- BusinessNational Review
Fed Says It Won't Hike Rates in 2019, Citing Economic Slowdown
The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged Wednesday and predicted that it will not raise them again for the entirety of the coming year due to a recent slowdown in economic growth. In a widely anticipated move, the central bank's policy-making Federal Open Market Committee abandoned its previous prediction, made just three-months ago, of continued strong economic growth that would necessitate two rate hikes this year. After predicting in December that the economy would continue to grow at 2.3 percent on the year, officials revised their assessment to 2.1 percent.
- BusinessCar and Driver
See Photos of the New 2020 Porsche Cayenne Coupe
Porsche joins competitors Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz with a coupe version of its Cayenne SUV at a modest price premium over the standard Cayenne and Cayenne Turbo. From Car and Driver
NewsAFPCatholic Church in US state failed to disclose 200 accused clergy: law firm
The Catholic Church has failed to disclose more than 200 names of clergy accused of abuse in the US state of Illinois, a law firm claimed Wednesday. The firm Jeff Anderson & Associates has previously released names of accused clergy in other parts of the country based on information it compiled from public sources such as lawsuits. Its latest report outlined 395 Catholic clergy and laypersons in Illinois who have been accused of sexually assaulting children.
PoliticsReutersBiden building 2020 White House campaign ahead of expected bid: sources
Biden has told supporters and former staff that he will run, according to one source who has knowledge of discussions. Biden and his aides also have reached out to donors and potential bundlers - people who volunteer to raise money on behalf of the candidate - to assess support, according to another source. A third source with direct knowledge of Biden's plans offered a caveat, saying the former vice president was very close to running, but "it's not 100 percent." “We're leaning into that moment” when Biden gives the green light, the source said.
NewsAssociated PressThe Latest: Minnesota to help Nebraska flood fight
The order came after Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts requested Minnesota Army National Guard helicopter support. Minnesota sent one CH-47 Chinook helicopter with 10 personnel to support flood response operations in Nebraska on Wednesday morning. Minnesota Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen says in a statement that the emergency executive order will remain in effect until the emergency flood conditions in Nebraska ease.
PoliticsFOX News VideosSamantha Bee skewers Democratic 2020 hopefuls on late-night talk show
Late-night TV host Samantha Bee ripped into the growing field of Democratic 2020 presidential hopefuls Wednesday night. The 'Full Frontal' host commented on everything from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's campaign slogan, to former Vice President Joe Biden not making a decision on his third potential presidential run. The TBS star also went after former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke, Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
- WorldThe Independent
Trump says US will recognise Israel's sovereignty over Golan Heights
President Donald Trump on Thursday recognised Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, in an abrupt reversal of longstanding US policy on the contested area. In a tweet on Thursday, Mr Trump said that after 52 years it was important for the United States to fully recognise Israel's control over what he said is an area of “critical strategic and security importance to ... Israel and regional stability”. The recognition of the disputed area marks a major shift in US policy, a week before Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in Washington to meet with Mr Trump and address the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
BusinessAFPIndonesia's Garuda says to cancel 49-jet Boeing 737 deal after crashes
Indonesia's national carrier Garuda has told Boeing it will cancel a multi-billion-dollar order for 49 Boeing 737 Max 8 jets after two fatal crashes involving the plane, in what is thought to be the first formal cancellation for the model. "We have sent a letter to Boeing requesting that the order be cancelled," Garuda spokesman Ikhsan Rosan said. "The reason is that Garuda passengers in Indonesia have lost trust and no longer have the confidence" in the plane, he said, adding that the airline was awaiting a response from Boeing.
- NewsTime
USC Just Named a New President. Here's What She Said About the Admissions Scandal
As the University of Southern California (USC) grapples with the fallout from a sweeping college admissions scandal, officials announced the appointment of a new president who vowed to bring lasting change to a campus that has been plagued by controversy. Carol Folt, who stepped down in January as chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), will take over as USC president on July 1, becoming the first permanent female president at the school. USC was one of several schools named in last week's indictment of wealthy parents who are accused of bribing athletic coaches and facilitating cheating on standardized tests to get their children into elite colleges, including Georgetown, Yale, Stanford and USC.
- WorldNational Review
Sanders: 'We Must Follow New Zealand's Lead' on Assault-Rifle Ban
Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) on Thursday praised New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern for immediately banning military-style semi-automatic weapons in response to the Christchurch mosque shootings, and suggested the executive action should serve as a blueprint for the U.S. This is what real action to stop gun violence looks like. The ban, which applies to semi-automatic rifles and shotguns that can be equipped with detachable magazines capable of holding more than five rounds, went into immediate effect Thursday to prevent stockpiling, and legislation codifying it is expected to pass Parliament in the coming days.
WorldBloombergBrexit End Likely to Be Based on a Customs Union, JPMorgan Says
The realities of the Brexit situation indicate that the U.K. is going to end up with “something that's founded on a customs union” with the European Union, according to Karen Ward, chief market strategist for Europe, Middle East and Africa at JPMorgan Asset Management. There are two realities to Brexit,” Ward said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Thursday. One is: there is a border between northern and southern Ireland.
NewsAssociated PressThe Latest: Justices seem troubled by Mississippi conviction
The Supreme Court is likely to throw out the death sentence and conviction of a black Mississippi man because the prosecutor improperly excluded African-American jurors. The court's arguments Wednesday were enlivened at the end by questions from Justice Clarence Thomas. A clear majority of the court was troubled by the actions of District Attorney Doug Evans in the prosecution of inmate Curtis Flowers.
PoliticsUSA TODAYWho is running for president? Here's a list of the candidates so far
Fast facts: The grandson of a Mexican immigrant and son of a Latina activist, Castro's twin brother, Joaquin Castro, is a Democratic congressman from Texas. Campaign site: https://www.julianforthefuture.com/ John Delaney Age: 55 Experience: U.S. House representative from Maryland, 2013-2019; entrepreneur Quote: "Trump wants this campaign to be about socialism and we shouldn't give him what he wants. We need to update our social programs to better fit today's world, and we need to make capitalism more just and inclusive."
NewsReutersMissouri River towns face deluge as floods move downstream
A string of small Missouri towns prepared for the next deluge along the raging Missouri River on Wednesday after flooding wreaked nearly $1.5 billion in damage in Nebraska, killing at least four people and leaving another man missing. High water unleashed by last week's late-winter storm and melting snow has already inundated a large swath of Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa along the Missouri River, North America's longest river. The Missouri River's next major flood crest was forecast to hit St. Joseph, Missouri, at 6 a.m. on Friday and Kansas City, Missouri, 55 miles (88 km) to the south, about 24 hours later, said Mike Glasch of the Omaha District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- BusinessBGR News
T-Mobile unveils home broadband service that could expand after Sprint merger
T-Mobile on Thursday unveiled a limited home internet service that it plans to pilot for 50,000 mobile customers at $50 a month, with the company promising it could build on that, and eventually offer a lot more once its $26.5 billion merger with Sprint finally goes through. For now, the new invitation-only service will focus on areas where the carrier can deliver high-speed internet access to connect up to 50,000 homes in rural and underserved parts of the country. Once it merges with Sprint, however, T-Mobile says it should be able to cover more than half of the US with broadband service by 2024.
PoliticsYahoo NewsPresident Trump's latest executive order is a shot in the campus free speech wars
President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday afternoon that the White House has billed as an effort to “improve Transparency and Promote Free Speech In Higher Ed.” The move comes after years of complaints from conservative activists that college campuses are hostile to right-leaning views and speakers. “In America, the very heart of universities' mission is preparing students for life as citizens in a free society, Trump said at the signing ceremony. Trump in his speech referenced some of the cultural buzzwords that have emerged in recent years during debates about speech at universities, such as “safe spaces” and “trigger warnings,” but it's unclear under what circumstances universities would face repercussions based on this new order.
WorldAFPPound rises on Brexit delay; economic gloom hits European stocks
Sterling rose further Friday after Brussels gave Britain a Brexit deadline extension, but stocks dived as fresh economic gloom gripped trading floors. European equities tanked and the euro sank under $1.13 as poor eurozone manufacturing data rekindled fears over the state of the world economy, dealers said. The pound however pushed higher one day after European Union leaders agreed at a crucial summit to delay Brexit following a request from Prime Minister Theresa May.
