Sandusky

Fathers becoming fathers: The Vatican's secret rules

From a Stonehenge mystery to Bernie Sanders running for president, here’s Tuesday’s top news.

The Latest: Aid group says 62 die fleeing IS fighting

BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on the Syria conflict (all times local):

Man punches and throws hot coffee on Sikh 7-Eleven clerk because he 'hates Muslims'

A man has been charged with a hate crime after allegedly attacking a Sikh employee of a California 7-Eleven convenience store. The man can allegedly be seen on surveillance footage punching the employee, and throwing coffee on him after he attempted to leave without paying for coffee. The man, identified by police as John Crain, was arrested by the Marysville Police Department.

China data leak exposes mass surveillance in Xinjiang

A Chinese technology firm has compiled a range of personal information on 2.6 million people in Xinjiang -- from their ethnicity to locations -- according to a data leak highlighting the wide extent of surveillance in the restive region. Xinjiang is home to most of China's Uighur ethnic minority lives and has been under heavy police surveillance in recent years after violent inter-ethnic tensions. Nearly one million Uighurs and other Turkic language-speaking minorities in Xinjiang are reportedly held in re-education camps, according to a UN panel of experts.

Poland Demands Israeli Response Over ‘Racist’ Holocaust Comments

Morawiecki canceled sending a delegation to Jerusalem, where he was slated to meet his counterparts from the Visegrad Group of eastern European nations Monday, after Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu was reported as saying last week that the Polish nation cooperated with Nazi occupiers during World War II. While Israel clarified that Netanyahu had been talking about “individuals, and not the whole nation” collaborating with the Nazis, the comments drew swift reaction from the government in Warsaw, which has passed laws criminalizing the act of blaming Poland or its people for wartime crimes committed against Jews and other minorities.

Huawei founder says Huawei CFO arrest was politically motivated - BBC

"Firstly, I object to what the U.S. has done. This kind of politically motivated act is not acceptable," Ren told the BBC in an interview. Canada arrested Meng on Dec. 1 at the request of the United States.

Jussie Smollett attack: Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx recuses herself from investigation

Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx has recused herself from the investigation surrounding the alleged attack on "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, her office told ABC News on Tuesday.

Roger Stone deletes Instagram photo of judge presiding over his case ‘in crosshairs’

Days after a federal judge imposed a limited gag order on him, Trump confidant Roger Stone posted a photograph of that judge to his Instagram page and included her name, a close-up of her face and what appeared to be the crosshairs of a gun sight near her head. Mr Stone deleted the picture soon after, then reposted it without the crosshairs before deleting the second post. US district judge Amy Berman Jackson is presiding over Mr Stone's criminal trial in which he has pleaded not guilty to charges of lying about his efforts to gather information about hacked 2016 Democratic Party emails that were published by WikiLeaks.

US election 2020: The Democrat candidates who are running for president

The Democratic Party still has a long way to go to have any chance of wrestling back power from Donald Trump in 2020. There will be no coronation for a Democrat champion to take on Trump. Instead, the party's nomination is wide open and the field of candidates is expected to be one of the biggest ever assembled. It ranges from septuagenarian veterans of Washington to young pretenders barely known yet on the national stage. The party will have to decide whether to go with experience, or to skip a generation and try new blood. Here are all the Democrats who have announced they will be running.  Elizabeth Warren The US Senator of Massachusetts announced on December 31 she had formed an exploratory committee for a presidential run in 2020. The following week, Ms Warren informally kicked off the nominating fight on a visit to Iowa, condemning the corrupting influence of money on politics and lamenting lost economic opportunities for working families. Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks during an organising event at Curate event space in Des Moines, Iowa Credit: AP After weeks of  criticism over her claims of Native American heritage, Ms Warren formally launched her 2020 presidential campaign in February, saying she is fighting for all Americans. Warren, 69, has made workers’ rights, fair wages and access to healthcare central to her campaign. “This is the fight of our lives. The fight to build an America where dreams are possible, an America that works for everyone,” Warren said. “And that is why I stand here today: to declare that I am a candidate for President of the United States of America.” Her ancestry drew fresh scrutiny in early February with the discovery that she described her race as American Indian on a form to join the Texas legal bar in the 1980s. Warren has repeatedly apologized, saying the claim was based on “family lore”, and she now understands tribal sovereignty dictates membership. Read the full profile of Elizabeth Warren.  Bernie Sanders The Independent senator for Vermont announced on February 19 2019 that he was taking a second shot at the Democratic nomination.  He blindsided Hillary Clinton with an insurgent campaign from the Left in 2016 which energised young voters in a surge that drew comparisons with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, but ultimately fell short.  Bernie Sanders pushed Hillary Clinton harder than expected for the 2016 Democrat nomination but fell short Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa Mr Sanders’s age – he would be 79 on inauguration day if he won – is a concern. But he also has a loyal and established network of activists who could be remobilised.  One key lesson Mr Sanders learned from 2016 was that not enough groundwork had been done in the southern states, where Mrs Clinton won easily. His other weakness was foreign policy and in recent months he has been speaking to experts to widen his knowledge. He has also been assiduously visiting Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states to vote in the 2020 primaries. Millions of viewers have been watching events about healthcare that he streams live on Facebook. There are podcasts too. Should he win the Democratic nomination and take on Mr Trump there would undoubtedly be fireworks. As for what nickname Mr Trump would give him, we already know. The president has christened him "Crazy Bernie".   Read the full profile of Bernie Sanders. Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor has been widely tipped as a rising star in the Democratic Party for years and announced his presidential campaign on January 12.  “I’m running for president because it’s time for new leadership. Because it’s time for new energy,” the 44-year-old said. “And it’s time for a new commitment to make sure that the opportunities I’ve had are available for every American.” Mr Castro is the grandson of a Mexican immigrant and would be the first Hispanic elected president. He served as housing and urban development secretary during Barack Obama’s presidency.  Julian Castro, former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, speaks at the Netroots Nation annual conference for political progressives in New Orleans Credit: Reuters Mr Castro has sought to use his family’s personal story to challenge Mr Trump’s border policies – including criticising the president by name in his launch speech. “Yes, we must have border security, but there is a smart and humane way to do it. And there is no way in hell that caging children is keeping us safe,” Mr Castro said.  Read the full profile of Julian Castro.  John Delaney The Democrat congressman from Maryland was the first to throw his hat into the ring when he made his announcement in September, 2017. The 55-year-old said he was not seeking a fourth term in Congress, instead devoting time and money to his White House campaign.  Representative John Delaney, a Democrat from Maryland, was the first to throw his hat in the ring Credit: Bloomberg Mr Delaney launched a pre-emptive strike to win some name recognition. “I think am the right person for the job, but not enough people know that,” he told the Telegraph at the time at a gathering of around 40 Democratic activists held in a suburban home in southern New Hampshire. “So the way I solve that problem is by getting in early and spending more time.” Mr Delaney’s pitch is unashamedly moderate. This could prove a weakness at a time when some Democrats have buyer’s remorse at having opted for Hillary Clinton rather than Bernie Sanders, whose campaign captured the public imagination. Read the full profile of John Delaney. Tulsi Gabbard Gabbard, an Iraq War veteran who is the first Hindu elected to Congress and the first member born in the US territory of American Samoa, said “the issue of war and peace” would be the main focus of her campaign.  The 37-year-old’s run would not be without controversy. In 2016, she alarmed fellow Democrats when she met with Donald Trump during his transition to president and later when she took a secret trip to Syria and met with President Bashar Assad, who has been accused of war crimes and genocide. She questioned whether he was responsible for a chemical attack on civilians that killed dozens and led the U.S. to attack a Syrian air base. Representative Gabbard delivers a nomination speech for Sanders on the second day at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia Credit: Reuters She said she doesn’t regret the trip and considers it important to meet with adversaries if “you are serious about pursuing peace”. She also noted that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was based on faulty intelligence and said that she wanted to understand the evidence behind the Syria attack. Gabbard was one of the most prominent lawmakers to back Sanders over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary. Her endorsement came in dramatic fashion, with her resigning as a vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee to express her support. Read the full profile of Tulsi Gabbard. Kirsten Gillibrand Democratic US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, an outspoken Donald Trump critic and champion of women’s issues including the MeToo movement, has announced she is running for president. “I’m going to run for president of the United States, because as a young mom I’m going to fight for other people’s kids as hard as I would fight for my own – which is why I believe that healthcare should be a right and not a privilege,” the senator told Stephen Colbert on his CBS television late night talk show. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert in New York Credit: Reuters Her goals will include putting gender at the fore of her campaign, combating “institutional racism”, taking on special interests and entrenched systems of power in Washington, and fighting against political “corruption and greed.” “I know that I have the compassion, the courage, and the fearless determination to get that done,” she added. The 52-year-old from upstate New York said she was forming an exploratory committee, a crucial legal step for a candidate to run for president, just days before travelling to the early voting state of Iowa. Read the full profile of Kirsten Gillibrand. Kamala Harris Kamala Harris, a first-term senator for California, chose Martin Luther King Day to launch her presidential campaign, in a nod to the historic nature of her candidacy. Born to an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, the 54-year-old former prosecutor would break several barriers if elected president. Kamala Harris chose MLK day to announce her bid for the presidency Credit: AFP An aide on her campaign said the announcement was also timed to mark 47 years since Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress, became the first black woman to seek the Democratic nomination for president. Announcing her bid on ABC’s Good Morning America programme, Ms Harris said: “The future of our country depends on you and millions of others lifting our voices to fight for our American values. That’s why I’m running for president of the United States.” Her supporters believe she has a broad enough appeal to gain traction with a Democratic Party that is increasingly non-white and fuelled by women who feel alienated by President Donald Trump’s policies.  Ms Harris has also chosen to hold her first campaign event in South Carolina, a state where black voters are the dominant force in the Democratic primary, rather than the traditional first stops of Iowa and New Hampshire, the two predominantly white states that open the primary vote.  Read the full profile of Kamala Harris. Pete Buttigieg Pete Buttigieg, a little known 37-year-old mayor, has also thrown his hat into the ring saying America needs a “new generation” of leaders. Seen as a rank outsider, he would become the country’s first openly gay president if he managed to win his party’s nomination and then defeat Donald Trump. Pete Buttigieg Credit: AP The two-term mayor of South Bend, a city of 100,000 people in Indiana, was named by former president Barack Obama on a list of gifted young Democrats, in an interview published in November 2016.  In a short speech and campaign advert, Mr Buttigieg framed the White House bid around his youth as he called for a clean break with the leaders of the past.  Mr Buttigieg is a Harvard University graduate, Rhodes scholar and former McKinsey consultant who has held no national political office. He turned 37 on Saturday – just two years older than the age minimum to run for president dictated by the US Constitution – and would be the youngest-ever Oval Office occupant if he got there.   Read the full profile of Pete Buttigieg.  Amy Klobuchar Amy Klobuchar joined the 2020 White House race on February 10, adding a pragmatic voice from the heartland state of Minnesota. The Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar has positioned herself as the most prominent Midwestern candidate in the field, as her party tries to win back voters in a region that helped put Donald Trump in the White House. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar declares her candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination in Minneapolis, Minnesota Credit: Reuters In a speech that was almost a point-by-point rejection of the president’s policies and the country’s toxic divides, she told supporters: “We are tired of the shutdowns and the showdowns, of the gridlock and the grandstanding.” “Enough is enough. Our nation must be governed not from chaos but from opportunity,” she added. Ms Klobuchar, the 58-year-old granddaughter of an iron miner, made the announcement before a heavily bundled-up crowd under gray and snowy skies in a park along the Mississippi River, as volunteers passed out handwarmers. In a year when many Democrats say their top priority in a candidate is an ability to defeat Trump, Ms Klobuchar’s words seemed – time after time, issue by issue – to target the president. She said that if elected she would return to the international climate treaty on “Day One”. She promised more stringent gun laws and set a target of universal health care, while calling for America to support its troops, diplomats and intelligence officers. “They deserve better than foreign policy by tweet,” she said. Likely contenders Joe Biden Barack Obama’s vice president continues to top polls when voters are asked who they want as the Democrat 2020 candidate – though that does not mean too much at this early stage.  Joe Biden, the former US vice president, has been out campaigning for the 2018 midterms Credit: David McNew/Getty Images Mr Biden is actively considering a bid and explained in his autobiography last year that he would have probably challenged Hillary Clinton in 2016 but for the death of his son Beau. Strengths would include Mr Biden’s potential for winning back Trump voters and his track record at the top of government. Weaknesses? He is 75 – older than the president – and could be framed as too establishment.            Cory Booker The junior US senator from New Jersey has styled himself a "street fighter" and there is little doubt he would love to take on Mr Trump. Cory Booker is one of only three black US senators Credit: Cory Booker Mr Booker, a 6ft 4in former star college athlete, is clearly a major contender. He said recently: "I am so determined to fight and stop Donald Trump." Mr Booker is 48, teetotal, vegan and engages in intermittent fasting, a fad diet. He is one of only three black US senators. Underlying all his convictions is an unshakable Baptist faith. His academic CV is impeccable - political science at Stanford, a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford, going on to study law at Yale.   Eric Holder Barack Obama's attorney general for six years has not been shy about suggesting he could run. Eric Holder could take up the Obama mantle  Credit: Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP There have been a flurry of public speeches and media appearances already, and he is an ideal candidate to take up the Obama mantle. Mr Holder, 67, stirred up controversy recently when he said of Republicans: "When they go low, we kick them." As attorney general he led a legal defence of drone strikes, and moved terrorist prosecutions to civilian courts. He has also been a high profile advocate for voting rights.   Michael Bloomberg The 76-year-old billionaire has flirted with a White House run several times before, but this may well be the time. Michael Bloomberg: former New York mayor Credit: Roslan RAHMAN/AFP In October, Mr Bloomberg registered as a Democrat, 17 years after he left the party to run for New York mayor as a Republican. On the eve of the midterm elections he spent $5 million on a TV advert backing Democrats. The advert featured himself saying: "We must send a signal to Republicans in Washington that they have failed to lead."   Michael Avenatti The California lawyer has been propelled to prominence by representing Stormy Daniels, the porn star who claims she had an affair with Donald Trump over a decade ago. Michael Avenatti, speaking at a 'How to Beat Trump' discussion in October Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images Mr Avenatti's indication that he could run for the Democratic nomination was initially treated with scepticism, but he is clearly serious. He has a long background in politics, working on campaigns and conducting  opposition research, and has been making exploratory trips to the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire. Mr Avenatti, 47, is a consummate TV performer and has argued that the Democrats need someone like him who can "fight fire with fire".   Beto O'Rourke Regardless of the result of his Senate race against Ted Cruz in Texas, Mr O'Rourke is being widely talked up as a White House contender. Beto O'Rourke pumps his fist for a cheering crowd before departing a campaign rally at the Alamo City Music Hall  Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images He has been a US congressman for six years, which is enough of a legislative record for him to run. In the Texas campaign the 46-year-old proved an ability to raise prodigious amounts of money across America. Matt Angle, a Democrat strategist, said: "Talent and charisma translate and the notion of waiting in line is going away. There is a vacuum at the top for somebody to really step into a leadership role."

Farrakhan Praises Omar’s Anti-Semitic Remarks: ‘Shake Up That Corrupt House’

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan on Sunday praised Representative Ilhan Omar's (D., Minn.) recent endorsement of an anti-Semitic trope and urged the freshman lawmaker not to bow to pressure from critics.“Ms. Omar from Somalia – she started talking about ‘the Benjamins' and they are trying to make her apologize. Sweetheart, don't do that. Pardon me for calling you sweetheart, but you do have a sweet heart. You sure are using it to shake the government up, but you have nothing to apologize for,” Farrakhan said during his annual Saviour's Day address in Chicago, in comments first reported by the Washington Free Beacon.“Israel and AIPAC pays off senators and congressmen to do their bidding, so you're not lying. So if you're not lying, stop laying down. You were sent there by the people to shake up that corrupt House,” he added.Farrakhan, who has long engaged in anti-Semitic conspiracy-mongering, went on to mock Omar's Democratic allies, who have defended her remarks as the result of inexperience and lack of knowledge regarding the historic plight of the Jewish people.“‘Oh she's just young. She just got here. Don't be so hard on her,’” he said, mocking Omar's defenders. “My beautiful sisters, you were sent there to shake that House up. Your people voted you in, but God is the overseer.”Omar argued in a series of tweets sent last week that the pro-Israel stance held by many of her colleagues can be attributed to the nefarious influence of jewish donors and organizations, such as the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). She subsequently apologized after being publicly urged to do so by Democratic leadership.Since being elected in November, Omar has been confronted with allegations of anti-Semitism by critics who cite both her past tweets, one of which accused Israel of "hypnotizing the world," and her more-recent statements and associations with noted anti-Semitic pro-Palestinian activists.Farrakhan has managed to maintain ties with a number of prominent Democratic lawmakers and activists despite his extensive record of bigotry. Women's March co-chair Tamikah Mallory was roundly criticized for praising Farrakhan as the "GOAT” or “greatest of all time" on social media following his 2018 Saviour's Day address, during which he labeled Jews “satanic.”“I didn’t call him the greatest of all time because of his rhetoric. I called him the greatest of all time because of what he’s done in black communities,” Mallory said during an appearance on ABC's The View last month when asked about the Instagram post.

After IS, ammunition among the IV drips at Syria clinic

At a clinic in eastern Syria, the Islamic State group have fled leaving a floor strewn with medical supplies -- but also explosives and a foreign passport. US-backed fighters took the three-storey building in the village of Baghouz in recent days, and now use its roof to survey the frontline against the jihadists. Under three mounds of earth, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces had buried a woman and two IS fighters found wearing ammunition jackets.

The Mysterious RBG returns, alive, to Supreme Court bench, refuting conspiracy theories

Ruth Bader Ginsburg returned to the Supreme Court bench Tuesday to hear oral arguments for the first time since undergoing cancer surgery in December.

Indian journalist condemns Twitter for blocking account after abuse online

Dutt said some people had posted and circulated her phone number on Twitter, enabling the harassment, which she said included threats of rape and images of genitalia being sent to her phone. Dutt tweeted some of the threats and images on Monday, and she included phone numbers and names of the men who allegedly threatened her, after which her account was suspended. "I would like to place on record my absolute horror and disgust at Twitter's encouragement of sexual abuse and gender inequality," said Dutt, a former managing editor at news channel NDTV and a regular columnist with the Washington Post.

China's Silicon Valley Blueprint Has Plenty of Holes

Late Monday, the official Xinhua News Agency released details of the State Council's Greater Bay Area plan – a project to knit together Hong Kong and Macau with nine mainland cities into a global innovation hub to rival California’s Silicon Valley. Hong Kong residents struggling with high housing prices will have the opportunity to move across the border and work in state-owned companies while people moving the other way will gain access to the city’s education and health systems.

Amazon announces plans to make half of shipments carbon neutral by 2030

Online retail giant Amazon has announced plans to make alf if its shipments carbon neutral by the year 2030. The company, which ships millions of packages a year to shoppers, said that it will achieve that goal by switching to renewable energy sources and by asking suppliers to reimagine their packaging. “It won’t be easy to achieve this goal, but it’s worth being focused and stubborn on this vision and we’re committed to seeing it through,” Dave Clark, Amazon senior vice president of worldwide operations, said.

Cuba denies military in Venezuela, charges U.S. readies intervention

U.S. President Donald Trump and members of the administration have charged that Cuba’s security forces and military control Venezuela’s and that troops are also on the ground there. “Our government categorically and energetically rejects this slander,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said at a Havana press conference, adding all of the some 20,000 Cubans in Venezuela were civilians, most health professionals. Communist-run Cuba has been a key backer of the Venezuelan government since the Bolivarian Revolution that began under former leader Hugo Chavez in 1998.

Sex abuse survivors to meet with Vatican summit organizers

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The organizers of Pope Francis' summit on preventing clergy sex abuse will meet this week with a dozen abuse victims who have descended on Rome to protest the Catholic Church's response to the crisis and demand an end to decades of cover-up by church leaders, officials said Monday.

Iran arrests 3 'terrorists' over suicide bomb attack

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards said Monday it has arrested three "terrorists" involved in last week's deadly suicide bomb attack on security forces in a region bordering Pakistan. "Safe houses in (the cities of) Saravan and Khash were identified and eliminated, and the terrorists based in them were arrested," the force said on its official Sepah news agency. The Guards said the three arrested had "produced, guided and supported" the vehicle used in Wednesday's suicide bombing.

Alabama editor who called for lynchings by Klan should quit, senators say

Officials in Alabama are calling for a small-town newspaper editor to resign because of an editorial calling for the Ku Klux Klan to terrorize Washington, D.C.

Florida inmates use criminal skills to rescue baby from car

A group of prisoners in Florida put their criminal skills to good use on Valentine’s Day – breaking into a car, to free a baby locked inside. The prisoners, on work-release, were repairing parking meters in Pasco County, north of Tampa, when they spotted the family in distress. The one-year-old child was trapped inside the car, with the keys inside. The family was unable to afford a locksmith and so, in the 56 degree Fahrenheit heat, the father was preparing to break the window. That is when the prisoners, in their black and white uniforms, offered to help, and worked in a team to pry open the front door just enough for one inmate to use a coat hanger to push a button that unlocked the 4x4’s door. In a video, which has gone viral, police are heard telling the father to "pop his head in the window" so "strange faces" would not scare the baby. Another person in the video, filmed by the baby’s mother Shadow Lantry, can be heard commenting on the "hilarious situation," with police watching the crew unlock the car. The whole endeavour took about two minutes, and ended with the group cheering.  Ms Lantry said the child was "just sitting there happy" throughout the ordeal. The parents thanked the crew, deputies and firefighters for their help.

Trump's 'relentless attack' on FBI prompted memoir by former official: NPR

Former top FBI official Andrew McCabe decried the "relentless attack" he said U.S. President Donald Trump has launched against the agency, according to released excerpts of an interview with NPR's Morning Edition, to be aired early Monday. "I think the FBI has been under a relentless attack in the last two years," said McCabe, who is promoting his new memoir, "The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terrorism and Trump." Trump's attack is one of the reasons he wrote his book, he said in a wide-ranging interview that covered everything from his own firing, the probe into Russia’s alleged role in the 2016 presidential election, and FBI morale.

Buckle up and hunker down: Coast-to-coast storm to bring weather misery to 200 million

A powerful storm will roar across the country over the next 2-3 days, spreading heavy snow, torrential rain, and crippling ice to more than 200 million Americans.

Subaru's Mysterious Concept SUV Will Show Off New e-Boxer Hybrid Tech

The lifted plug-in hybrid from the all-wheel-drive specialist is set to debut at this year's Geneva auto show.

India-Pakistan tensions threaten to derail Saudi prince's Delhi trip

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday, with his business mission under threat of being overshadowed by soaring tensions between India and Pakistan. The crown prince, who wants to persuade the world's fastest growing major economy to consume more Saudi oil, was greeted at the airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave his traditional bear hug for honoured guests. The prince arrived from a two-day stay in Pakistan as it clashed with its giant neighbour over responsibility for a suicide attack in Kashmir last Thursday that left at least 40 members of Indian security forces dead.

An 11-Year-Old Student Was Arrested in Florida After Refusing to Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance

The 11-year-old was charged with disruption and resisting arrest

The Best Thing in IKEA's New Summer Collection Is . . .

Hint: It's going to transform your backyard BBQ setup

American ISIS bride Hoda Muthana, from Alabama, wants to return, face US justice

American Hoda Muthana wants to come home and face the U.S. justice system, her family's lawyer tells USA TODAY.

The wackiest beauty looks from London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week has wrapped up for another season, leaving us with plenty of hair and makeup inspiration for Fall/Winter 2019. Wild hair and sumptuous colors were the underpinning themes of the beauty look at Vivienne Westwood, where the makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench came up with a series of astounding looks involving covering the models' faces with gooey-like pigment.

Pope's credibility 'on the line' as Vatican convenes global meeting on combating child abuse by clergy

Victims of clerical sex abuse have warned Pope Francis that his credibility is on the line as he confronts the biggest challenge of his papacy with a landmark conference on protecting children from rape and molestation. Nearly 200 bishops, archbishops, patriarchs and other senior Catholic figures from around the world will convene in Rome on Thursday for an unprecedented four-day conference that is supposed to tackle the scourge of child abuse by clergy. It is the biggest effort so far to address scandals that have eroded faith in the Catholic Church in the US, Ireland, Australia and elsewhere. “There’s going to be every effort to close whatever loopholes there are,” said Charles Scicluna, an archbishop from Malta who is one of the organisers of the summit. “This is a new day in terms of transparency. Bishops are going to be held accountable. My hope is that people see this as a turning point.” Members of the survivors' group Ending Clergy Abuse in front of St Peter's Square at the Vatican Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP But victims’ groups are furious that it has taken this long for the Church to organise such a high-profile meeting, pointing out that is has been 17 years since the Boston sex abuse scandal, which lifted the lid on the problem in the Church. They accuse Pope Francis of failing to clearly decree that priests, and the bishops who protect them, should be reported to the police, prosecuted and sent to jail if found guilty of abuse. They say the Vatican has had years to set out clear guidelines to every diocese in the world, instructing them to hand over to the civil authorities any priest accused of abusing children. It has not done so. “Pope Francis has been talking about zero tolerance ever since he was elected. It’s time to deliver on that promise,” said Peter Isely, from Ending Clergy Abuse, a victims’ support group. “There needs to be a universal law for the Church around the world – if you are a priest who rapes or sexually assaults a child, then you are going to be removed from the priesthood. And you are going to be turned over to the authorities and prosecuted and imprisoned.” Peter Isely, founding member of Ending Clergy Abuse, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP Survivors of sex abuse are tired of the years of empty rhetoric and lack of action coming from the Vatican. “We’ve been waiting a long time. We’ve waited too long. This is a historic moment. This has never happened before in the history of the Catholic Church. The Pope has acknowledged that this is a global problem in the Church and that’s important. He now has to deliver,” said Mr Isely, speaking in front of St Peter’s Basilica. “They can do something in the next few days that could save a child somewhere in the world from undergoing what we went through as children – these horrible, horrific, terrible crimes.” Peter Saunders, a British victim of sex abuse by priests, said: “This pope is the best public relations pope of our lifetime. He is very media savvy. But his credibility on this issue has been blown away.” The Vatican made Mr Saunders a member of a special commission for the protection of children, but he resigned in protest at how little progress the body made, saying it was “starved of funding”. Around a dozen survivors have been invited to meet the Pope during the conference.  “What we need is action. We need to have a real conversation about this - why is there not zero tolerance for priests who have assaulted children? What’s the hold-up? What’s the problem?” said Mr Isely. The Vatican insists that this time, it means business. Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, is one of the organisers of the summit Credit: AP/Gregorio Borgia “It’s going to be a rallying moment,” said Cardinal Blasé Cupich from Chicago, another organiser of the conference. “We want to make sure that bishops claim ownership of the problem.” Archbishop Scicluna vowed that the days of omerta – the code of silence which normally refers to the mafia – were over. “Whether you call it omerta or a state of denial, it’s a no-go. We need to face the facts. This is not the end game but we are going to do everything possible to make people accountable.” On Saturday, Pope Francis defrocked an American cardinal, Theodore McCarrick, for historical sexual abuse allegations. The 88-year-old, a former archbishop of Washington, is the most senior Catholic figure to be dismissed from the priesthood in modern times.

Supporters defend Green New Deal as 'aspirational' after rocky rollout

After a torrent of criticism over a FAQ posted on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's website, Democrat supports are labeling the document an 'aspiration' to do better; Doug McKelway reports.

Trump warns Venezuela military they are risking their lives and future

MIAMI (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday warned members of Venezuela's military who are helping President Nicolas Maduro to stay in power that they are risking their future and their lives and urged them to allow humanitarian aid into the country. Speaking to a cheering crowd mostly of Venezuelan and Cuban immigrants, Trump said if the Venezuelan military continues supporting Maduro, "you will find no safe harbor, no easy exit and no way out. You’ll lose everything.” He said he wanted a peaceful transition of power in Venezuela but that all options remained open. ...

Pakistan Vows Retaliation If India Launches Military Strikes

“Pakistan will not think of retaliation, Pakistan will retaliate,” Khan said in a televised speech on Tuesday. Tensions between the historic arch-rivals have been high since a militant car bombing, claimed by a Pakistani-based group Jaish-e-Mohammed, on Feb. 14 in Kashmir killed 40 members of India’s security forces -- the deadliest strike in the region in decades.

Israel's first lunar mission to launch this week

Israel is to launch its first moon mission this week, sending an unmanned spacecraft to collect data to be shared with NASA, organisers said Monday. The 585-kilogram (1,290-pound) Beresheet (Genesis) spacecraft is to lift off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida at around 0145 GMT on Friday. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and technology NGO SpaceIL announced the date at a press conference.

Emails show how fake university set up by ICE lured foreign students

Emails obtained by the Detroit Free Press offer a glimpse into how a fake university in Detroit may have convinced students it was real.

China, Iran meet amid efforts to preserve nuclear deal

BEIJING (AP) — The Iranian foreign minister's passionate defense of his country's interests at the Munich Security Conference has made him "a famous person" in China, his Chinese counterpart told him Tuesday, as the sides met amid efforts to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.

GMC Acadia souped up with new engine, trim, and tech

GMC has unveiled the refreshed Acadia for the 2020 model year complete with a new trim, a fresh look, and the latest GMC infotainment system. GMC announced on Monday that the Acadia has gotten its midcycle refresh, and now, the lineup looks more like a group of Sierra pickups from the front than mid-size SUVs. In addition to its new exterior styling, the Acadia has a new powertrain option and an assortment of new technologies including an enhanced infotainment system and heads-up display.

Belgian Jewish museum trial interrupted as juror questioned

The trial of a Frenchman accused of shooting dead four people at the Jewish museum of Belgium was briefly interrupted on Monday as police were summoned to question a juror. "We cannot start the closing arguments under these conditions," judge Laurence Massart said, after recusing the juror for having communicated with outside parties. "This is probably a person in search of attention," said Sebastien Courtoy, the lawyer for the accused Mehdi Nemmouche, referring to the juror's work colleague.

Snow, ice, torrential rain brings weather havoc to 39 states, 200 million people

A powerful storm will roar across the US over the next 2 days, spreading heavy snow, torrential rain, and crippling ice to more than 200 million Americans.

The 2020 McLaren 600LT Spider Is a Windy Version of the 600LT Coupe

Carbon fiber allows McLaren to shave the top from its utterly insane coupes without consequence. We drive the latest deroofed McLaren.

Teenager in Lincoln Memorial protest sues Washington Post for $250 million

A high school student from Covington, Kentucky, sued the Washington Post for defamation on Tuesday, claiming the newspaper falsely accused him of racist acts and instigating a confrontation with a Native American activist in a January videotaped incident at the Lincoln Memorial. The lawsuit, filed in US District Court in Kentucky by Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann, 16, seeks $250 million in damages, the amount that Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com and the world's richest person, paid for the Post in 2013. The lawsuit claims that the newspaper "wrongfully targeted and bullied" the teen to advance its bias against President Donald Trump because Sandmann is a white Catholic who wore a Make America Great Again souvenir cap on a school field trip to the March for Life anti-abortion rally in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 18. The Washington Post's Vice President for Communications Kristine Coratti Kelly said: "We are reviewing a copy of the lawsuit and we plan to mount a vigorous defense." In a photo that went viral from the incident, Sandmann is seen standing face to face with Native American activist Nathan Phillips. Sandmann stares smiling at him while Phillips sings and plays his drum. The incident sparked outrage on social media. In a statement, Sandmann's Atlanta-based lawyer, Lin Wood, said additional similar lawsuits would be filed in the weeks ahead. A private investigation firm retained by Covington Diocese in Park Hills, Kentucky, found in a report released last week no evidence the teenagers provoked a confrontation. The students were met at the Lincoln Memorial by offensive statements from members of the Black Hebrew Israelites, the report said. The investigation also determined that the students did not direct any racist or offensive comments toward Phillips although several performed a "tomahawk chop" to the beat of his drum. Phillips claimed in a separate video that he heard the students chanting "build that wall," during the encounter, a reference to Trump's pledge to build a barrier along the US border with Mexico. The investigators said they found no evidence of such a chant and that Phillips did not respond to multiple attempts to contact him.