- PoliticsUSA TODAY
What the Mueller report on the Russia investigation says about Vice President Mike Pence
WASHINGTON – The long-awaited report from special counsel Robert Mueller provides new details from former national security adviser Michael Flynn about his lies to Vice President Mike Pence. Flynn also lied to President Donald Trump about lying to Pence. Confronted by the president on Air Force One about whether he falsely described to Pence his conversation with Russia's ambassador, Flynn told Trump that he may have forgotten details of his calls, but he did not think he lied, according to the report.
- 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.
WorldAFPBee-wildering! Hives of Notre-Dame in miraculous survival
Some 200,000 bees inhabiting hives in Notre-Dame cathedral survived the inferno that engulfed the heritage landmark in a miraculous escape, their beekeeper said Thursday. Until this morning, I had had no news," said beekeeper Nicolas Geant who looks after the hives which are kept on top of a sacristry that adjoins the cathedral. It has become increasingly customary in the French capital for bee hives to be introduced at seemingly unlikely locations, including also at the Paris Opera.
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.
WorldUSA TODAYAir France-KLM offering free flights to those helping rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral
Air France-KLM is doing its part to assist with the reconstruction of the Notre Dame Cathedral following the devastating fire on Monday. "All Air France and Air France-KLM teams around the world have been deeply affected and saddened since (Monday)," the airline said in a Tuesday statement. "Moreover, in the days ahead, the Air France-KLM group will set up a voluntary donations fund for its customers to help finance the reconstruction work," the airline added.
- 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
WorldAFPNotre-Dame esplanade to get 'ephemeral' wooden cathedral during rebuild
Catholic worshippers feeling orphaned by the fire that ravaged part of Notre-Dame will be welcomed in an "ephemeral cathedral" of wood in front of the Paris monument until it reopens, Notre-Dame's chief priest said Thursday. Speaking to France's CNews television channel Monsignor Patrick Chauvet said: We mustn't say 'the cathedral is closed for five years and that's it'. To give the faithful somewhere to congregate next to Notre-Dame, he suggested: "Can I not build an ephemeral cathedral on the esplanade (in front of Notre-Dame)?"
BusinessAssociated PressAlibaba head's remarks spark debate over China working hours
Chinese e-commerce tycoon Jack Ma has long been an example of how the power of big dreams, strong leadership and sheer elbow grease can create massive fortunes in China's go-go economy. Yet, recent remarks by the head of Chinese online business giant Alibaba that young people should be prepared to work 12-hour days, six days a week have prompted a public debate over work-life balance in the country. Ma is one of China's richest men and his comments brought both condemnation and support as China's maturing economy enters a period of slower growth — and young people look to escape the drudgery their parents often had to endure.
- 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.
- PoliticsYahoo News
Full text: The Mueller report
On Thursday, Attorney General William Barr released special counsel Robert Mueller's redacted report on Russian interference in the 2016 election — and whether President Trump obstructed his probe. Read the full text below. Due to its large size, it may take a minute to load.
WorldReutersThousands of Peruvians say goodbye to ex-president following suicide
Thousand of Peruvians said goodbye on Thursday in Lima to ex-president Alan Garcia -- who killed himself this week - in the second of three days of national mourning declared by President Martin Vizcarra. Garcia shot himself in the head on Wednesday to avoid arrest in connection with alleged bribes from Brazilian builder Odebrecht, in the most dramatic turn yet in Latin America's largest graft scandal. Friends, allies and leaders across the political spectrum paid homage to Garcia at the headquarters of his APRA party, one of Latin America's oldest political parties, and one which twice helped usher Garcia to the presidency.
- 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.
WorldAFP Relax NewsFrance salutes 'exemplary' firefighters for saving Notre-Dame
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday hailed as "exemplary" hundreds of firefighters who saved Notre-Dame in the devastating blaze, as efforts intensified to shore up the still fragile cathedral. Some 600 firefighters worked throughout the night Monday to put out the fire at the Paris landmark and prevent an even worse disaster, in a blaze that felled the spire and destroyed two-thirds of its roof. A prayer vigil was held at another of Paris's landmark churches, the Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart), on Thursday which was due to remain open all night.
- 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.
WorldReutersSporadic violence as millions vote in second phase of India's mammoth election
Millions of voters across swathes of southern India cast ballots on Thursday in the second phase of a mammoth, staggered general election, as sporadic violence flared in the east and the insurgency-wracked state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Election Commission said 66 percent of more than 155 million eligible Indians had voted, as per provisional data, in 95 constituencies in 12 states. Results of the election to India's 545-member parliament are expected on May 23.
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.
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.
- TechnologyBGR News
Microsoft's new Surface Hub 2 is $9,000, or you can turn any TV into a giant touchscreen for $272
The new Surface Hub 2 from Microsoft was announced well over a year ago, and now it finally has pricing and a release date. The Surface Hub 2 is awesome, don't get us wrong, but is it really worth $9 grand even if you're spending your company's money? Whether you're working with your company's budget or your own, we've got another option for you that costs a minuscule fraction of the price of the new Surface Hub.
- PoliticsMashable
The Mueller report is here and so are the 'Harm to Ongoing Matter' memes
Robert Mueller's highly anticipated report is finally public, but it's littered with redactions from Attorney General William Barr that are unexpectedly labeled, "Harm to Ongoing Matter." People anticipated there could be some heavy redactions, but after the lengthy report was published, it became apparent that dozens of lines, and even entire pages, were blacked out with the words "Harm to Ongoing Matter" or HOM for short. After scrolling through the report and seeing the phrase used over and over again, people couldn't resist calling out the overuse, and Twitter turned into a trove of "HOM" jokes.
- 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.
- 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.
- WorldBloomberg
Putin to Meet North Korea's Kim in Russia This Month, Kremlin Says
Confirmation of the visit follows speculation that Kim would soon reach out to a long-time ally after failing to get sanctions relief during his last nuclear talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in February. The Kremlin statement gave no date or location for the meeting, though there have been reports it could take place next week as Putin travels to China. The visit will be the North Korean leader's first to Russia since taking power in 2011 and comes after Kim gave a lengthy speech in which he said he would give the U.S to the end of this year to come up with new proposals for future talks.
CelebrityFOX News VideosWhat do Kim Foxx's text messages about the Jussie Smollett case reveal about our criminal justice system?
Reaction and analysis on 'Fox & Friends First.
- BusinessReuters
UPDATE 2-Sears sues Lampert, claiming he looted assets and drove it into bankruptcy
Sears Holdings Corp sued longtime former Chairman Eddie Lampert, his hedge fund ESL Investments and others like Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, claiming they illegally siphoned billions of dollars of assets from the retailer before it went bankrupt. The lawsuit, made public on Thursday, was filed by the restructuring team winding down Sears' bankruptcy estate and suing on behalf of creditors, many of whom blame Lampert for the retailer's downfall. The complaint seeks the repayment of "billions of dollars of value looted from Sears," including while it was in what Lampert would later call a "death spiral" where it sold core assets to meet daily expenses with no real plan for becoming profitable.
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.
