- PoliticsThe Independent
Mueller report: Democratic leadership slams Barr's 'indefensible partisan spin' and demands testimony
Democratic leadership in Congress has slammed attorney general William Barr for his “irresponsible” and “partisan” handling of the Mueller report, and has demanded public testimony regarding the investigation into Donald Trump as soon as possible. In a joint statement ahead of Mr Barr's planned press conference and the report's expected release on Thursday, speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer demanded that the attorney speak truth to the American people. “Attorney general Barr's regrettably partisan handling of the Mueller report, including his slanted March 24th summary letter, his irresponsible testimony before Congress last week, and his indefensible plan to spin the report in a press conference later this morning — hours before he allows the public or Congress to see it — have resulted in a crisis of confidence in his independence and impartiality,” the statement read.
WorldAssociated PressNotre Dame fire raises fears for UK's crumbling Parliament
For some Britons who watched Notre Dame burn so fiercely in Paris, the horror was mixed with apprehension. What happened to the French landmark this week could easily befall the Houses of Parliament in London. The seat of Britain's government is a crumbling, leaky, rodent-infested fire trap that fire wardens must patrol around the clock to avoid an inferno.
- Businessmotorious
This 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Restomod Is A Showstopper
Enhanced and ready for a new home, this 300-mile restomod is an exercise in tasteful modification Restomod cars are a great way for their creators to take an existing classic and really build something unique. While the world is filling up with restored examples of various models, these automotive artworks certainly stand out amongst their surviving siblings. Case and point, this 1957 Cadillac Eldorado SeVille restomod currently listed by Streetside Classics.
- WorldThe Telegraph
Billionaires face 'yellow vest' scorn over Notre-Dame pledges
Billionaire French tycoons faced a mounting backlash on Wednesday over tax breaks on their huge donations to restore Notre-Dame, as Yellow Vest protestors said the hundreds of millions of euros should be spent on tackling France's social problems. The contributions to the cathedral's renovation approached €900 million (£780m) on Wednesday as the owners of Chanel and Dior stepped forward with donations along with Disney and the technology giant Apple. However, the outpouring of cash has angered supporters of France's Yellow Vest movement, which noted that President Emmanuel Macron's "rich friends" stood to receive major tax breaks linked to donations in support of the public good and restorin...
WorldReutersNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversees test of new tactical guided weapon: KCNA
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the testing of a new type of tactical guided weapon on Wednesday, state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Thursday. It is North Korea's first public weapons test since the second U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi ended with no agreement in February. KCNA did not describe exactly what the weapon is, including whether it was a missile or another type of weapon, but "tactical" implies a short-range weapon, as opposed to the long-range ballistic missiles that have been seen as a threat to the United States.
- 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
WorldAFP Relax NewsDonations for gutted Brazil museum a fraction of Notre-Dame's
As donations for the restoration of the Notre-Dame cathedral top $900,000, the director of Brazil's devastated National Museum can only hope for such deep pockets in his own country. Nearly eight months after a faulty air conditioning system sparked a fire that gutted Latin America's main natural history museum and destroyed most of its collection, just $280,000 or so has been raised for its reconstruction. "We are very happy for the extremely positive reaction of French society and we hope that following this example Brazilian businesses and millionaires will start to send us their donations," Alexander Kellner, director of the Rio de Janeiro-based museum, told AFP.
- 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.
NewsAssociated PressOfficials: South Carolina school girl died of natural causes
South Carolina authorities said Friday that the death of a fifth grade girl at school last month was due to natural causes and not a fight with another student, which they described as lasting only seconds. Solicitor Duffie Stone said at a press conference that 10-year-old Raniya Wright died of a congenital condition called an arteriovenous malformation, a tangle of abnormal blood vessels in the brain. Raniya had been taken to the doctor after complaining of headaches about two weeks before she died.
- NewsThe Daily Beast
Lou Dobbs Wonders Who Ilhan Omar Represents 'Because It Isn't America'
Fox Business Network host Lou Dobbs continued right-wing media's weeklong outrage cycle over Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar's comment about 9/11 by accusing her on Wednesday night of not representing America. For days now, Fox opinion hosts and Republican politicians have taken aim at the Muslim-American lawmaker for remarks she made last month, claiming she minimized the 9/11 terror attacks when she said Muslim-Americans were treated as second-class citizens because “some people did something.” This resulted in President Trump tweeting out an inflammatory video targeting the freshman congresswoman—a video Omar says sparked new death threats against her. Speaking to Republican strategist Amy Tarkanian on Lou Dobbs Tonight, Dobbs blasted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not stripping Omar of her committee assignments over her remarks.
- U.S.WPIX - New York
Sentencing of Man in Killing of NYC Jogger Postponed Amid Jury Misconduct Allegations
The sentencing of Chanel Lewis, who is convicted in the killing and sexual assault Queens jogger Karina Vetrano, was postponed Wednesday amid allegations of jury misconduct.
WorldAFPIsraeli tank, aircraft hit Gaza after cross-border fire: army
Israel on Friday struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip with tank and aircraft fire after troops were shot at on the Israeli side of the border, the army said. The Israeli military said in a statement that "no injuries to soldiers were reported" after its troops came under fire. Palestinian security sources in Hamas-ruled Gaza told AFP that the Israeli strikes hit Hamas military observation posts at three locations along the frontier.
BusinessConsumer Reports2020 Lincoln Corsair Preview
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Lincoln unveiled its all-new Corsair at the New York International Auto Show this week, replacing the MKC luxury compact SUV. But this is far more than a name change: The vehicle has been completely redesigned, using the same platform as the all-new 2020 Ford Escape.
NewsReutersYoung woman obsessed with Columbine found dead after frantic manhunt
An 18-year-old Florida woman infatuated with the Columbine massacre was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in Colorado on Wednesday after she touched off an extensive manhunt by making a "pilgrimage" to the state days before the 20th anniversary of the 1999 school shooting. The body of Sol Pais, a student from Surfside, Florida, was found by authorities about 40 miles (64 km) west of Columbine High School, at about 10:30 a.m. local time, said Dean Phillips, special agent in charge of the Denver office of the FBI.
- NewsUSA TODAY
How Pete Buttigieg handled anti-gay protesters shouting about Sodom and Gomorrah at Iowa rally
Protesters shouting about "Sodom and Gomorrah" interrupted South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg on Tuesday at an Iowa campaign rally. One of the men who shouted about the biblical cities destroyed by God's wrath for their sinful ways was Randall Terry, a Christian activist who founded the anti-abortion rights group Operation Rescue. "The good news is, the condition of my soul is in the hands of God, but the Iowa caucuses are up to you," an unshaken Buttigieg responded, pointing at the crowd.
WorldAssociated PressThe Latest: Portugal confirms 29 Germans killed on Madeira
Portugal's foreign ministry has confirmed that all 29 people killed in a tour bus crash on Madeira Island were German. Authorities previously said they were still working to identify the victims of Wednesday evening's crash, which saw the bus veer off a road and roll down a steep hill. The statement says Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva will join his German counterpart Heiko Maas later Thursday on the Portuguese island off northwest Africa.
- NewsTime
A Flight Attendant Is Reportedly In a 'Deep Coma' After Contracting Measles
A flight attendant has reportedly fallen into a “deep coma” after contracting measles, according to health authorities. The 43-year-old female El Al Airlines flight attendant was admitted to a hospital after coming down with a fever on March 31, CBS News reports. Her condition has worsened since then, and she now has encephalitis, or brain inflammation, and is breathing with the assistance of a respirator at Israel's Meir Medical Center, according to CNN.
- WorldThe Independent
Three renowned climbers feared killed in major avalanche in Canada
Three renowned mountain climbers are feared to have died after an avalanche in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. American Jess Roskelley and Austrians David Lama and Hansjorg Auer were attempting to scale a challenging route up the east face of Howse Peak in Alberta's Banff National Park, Canadian officials said. The group was last heard from on Tuesday morning, when Mr Roskelley spoke to his father, John Roskelley, himself a world-renowned climber.
PoliticsAFPBlackout: much of the Mueller report could be redacted
The final report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation on Thursday could leave much of the public unsatisfied because it could be heavily redacted, stripped of significant evidence and testimony that the investigators gathered. Attorney General Bill Barr made clear he will edit out large parts of Mueller's 400-page final report on his investigation of President Donald Trump and Russian election meddling. Removed elements will include information from US intelligence used in the probe, information on ongoing investigations, and information on targets of Mueller's team that never gelled and, if made public, could unfairly hurt them.
- WorldUSA TODAY
Report: Likely cause of Notre Dame Cathedral fire an electrical short-circuit
The official, who spoke anonymously because of the ongoing probe, said investigators made an initial assessment Wednesday but have not been given the OK to work through the rubble because of safety reasons. Officials said early on that it was possible the blaze was linked to a $6.8 million renovation project at the 850-year-old landmark. The blaze collapsed the cathedral's iconic spire, most of the roof was ravaged, and the damage to the 12th-century building elsewhere was extensive. But its twin bell towers, rose windows, 18-century organ and precious artworks were saved.
- WorldReuters
North 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.
- BusinessBGR News
Apple is still interested in self-driving cars as it explores 'revolutionary' LIDAR sensor design
Apple's automotive initiative, unofficially dubbed Project Titan, appears to still be alive and kicking. What's more, the report relays that Apple, in addition to exploring third-party solutions, also has a team of engineers working on developing an Apple-branded lidar sensor. While it remains to be seen if anything comes of Apple's exploration, the larger point here is that Apple still has grand ambitions in the automotive space.
- 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.
WorldReutersErdogan says to keep up election challenge but Turkey must move on
President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday his AK Party would keep up its challenge to the Istanbul election results after the main opposition candidate became mayor, but Turkey needed to end debate on the issue and focus on issues like the economy. After 17 days of objections and recounts, the secularist opposition Republican People's Party new mayor Ekrem Imamoglu took office on Wednesday, despite a pending request by the AKP to annul and repeat mayoral elections in Istanbul. When the YSK (High Election Board) says the last word, the matter will be closed for us," Erdogan said a speech at a union confederation event.
WorldAssociated PressPortugal says all 29 dead in bus crash were German
All the 29 people killed in a tour bus crash on Portugal's Madeira Island were German, Portugal's foreign ministry confirmed Thursday. The bus carrying 55 people, all German tourists except a Portuguese driver and guide, rolled down a steep hill after veering off the road on a bend east of Madeira's capital, Funchal, on Wednesday evening when it was still light and in fine weather. The crash injured 28 others.
