- 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.
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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
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.
- BusinessCar and Driver
View Photos of the Volkswagen I.D. Buggy
VW's I.D. Buggy, one of its ambitious lineup of EV concepts, will owe much to the classic Sixties beach-lifestyle icon if it ever makes it to production. From Car and Driver
- 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.
PoliticsYahoo NewsMueller report: How we got here and where we're going
The Mueller report is almost here. The 448-page document will cover the two parts of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation: Russian interference with the 2016 election and possible collusion by President Trump's campaign; and possible obstruction of justice by the president. But before the redacted report is released, following Attorney General William Barr's Thursday-morning press conference, here are the moments that brought us to the Mueller report: 'Russia, if you're listening' and the 2016 election Months before election night, Russian hackers worked to steal emails and documents from Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
NewsAssociated PressAppeals court backs California laws to protect immigrants
A federal appeals court on Thursday kept in place three California laws intended to protect immigrants, continuing the state's efforts to be a national leader in opposing Trump administration policies. The court upheld lower court rulings denying the Trump administration's request to block law enforcement from providing release dates and personal information of people in jail, as well as to throw out a law barring employers from allowing immigration officials on their premises unless the officials have a warrant. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected U.S. District Judge John Mendez's reasoning last year for denying a portion of the third law, which requires the state to review detention facilities where immigrants are held.
- 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.
BusinessReutersNew Apple lab uses robots to rip apart devices for recycling materials
Apple said Thursday that it will open a "Material Recovery" lab to investigate new techniques using robotics and machine learning to rip apart its devices and recover valuable materials such as copper, aluminum and cobalt. The 9,000-square-foot lab will be at the same Austin facility as "Daisy," an Apple-built robot that can now tear apart iPhones at the rate of 1.2 million per year. The lab is part of Apple's broader goal to make all of its products from recycled or renewable materials.
WorldAFPIndia holds new vote amid violence and protests
Millions of voters across India cast ballots in the second round of the world's biggest election Thursday amid violence and protests that highlighted the intensity of animosity in the campaign. With more than a month to go before the marathon ends, Prime Minister Narendra Modi kept up a punishing schedule of rallies as he seeks a second term, while opposition leader Rahul Gandhi maintained attacks on the right wing Hindu nationalist government. Voting went ahead in 95 of India's 543 constituencies, most of it peacefully, but with noticeable blackspots.
- 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.
- PoliticsTime
Why the Mueller Report Shouldn't Be the Final Word on Trump, Russia and Obstruction of Justice
In “The Special Counsel's Charging Decisions” section of Volume I of the Mueller Report, the Special Counsel reveals some of the frustration that prosecutors can face in the course of an investigation. Because such a decision relates to the available and admissible evidence at the time it's made, it is not always final. Indeed, in his later discussion of obstruction of justice, Mueller tells us that he would not hesitate to say if that were so.
PoliticsAssociated PressFake news? Mueller isn't buying it
President Donald Trump and his team love to deride unfavorable stories as "fake news," but it's clear from Robert Mueller's report that the special counsel isn't buying it. While there are a few exceptions, Mueller's investigation repeatedly supports news reporting that was done on the Russia probe over the last two years and details several instances where the president and his team sought to mislead the public. Trump's supporters believe that Mueller's determination that there was not enough evidence to show that the president or his team worked with the Russians to influence the 2016 election delegitimizes the attention given to the story.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
