Sandusky

Sarah Sanders invented story about FBI agents' reaction to Comey firing, Mueller report says

The then-deputy press secretary told reporters that Trump had heard from "countless" members of the FBI who had lost confidence in Comey. But in her testimony to federal investigators, Sanders admitted she made that up.

Denver schools closed as police hunt 'armed and dangerous' girl obsessed with Columbine massacre

Denver-area public schools were closed on Wednesday as authorities searched for a young Florida woman who flew to the city and bought a gun after becoming "infatuated" with the mass shooting at Columbine High School. The FBI said Sol Pais, 18, was "considered to be extremely dangerous" and "made threats to commit an act of violence in the Denver metropolitan area" just days before the 20th anniversary of the attack that killed 13 people. All schools in the Denver area were urged to tighten security because the threat was deemed "credible and general," said Patricia Billinger, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Public Safety. Columbine and more than 20 other schools outside Denver locked their doors for nearly three hours on Tuesday afternoon before Wednesday's complete closures were announced. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and the FBI say Ms Pais travelled to Colorado from Miami on Monday night and bought a pump-action shotgun and ammunition. Denver Public Schools said that all facilities and programmes would be closed Wednesday, and there would be no afternoon activities or athletic competitions. The district said the decision to close campuses was in collaboration with other Denver metro-area school districts due to the ongoing safety concern. On Tuesday, some schools released their students after additional security was called in and canceled evening activities or moved them inside. "We always have heightened awareness close to high-profile anniversaries like this," Ms Billinger said. Authorities said Ms Pais was last seen near Columbine - in the Jefferson County foothills outside Denver - wearing a black T-shirt, camouflage pants and black boots. They appealed for anyone seeing her to call an FBI tip line at 303 630-6227, and said she is too dangerous to be approached by civilians. The alert also said police who come into contact with her should detain her and evaluate her mental health. Ms Pais was last seen near Columbine High School, which was put on lockdown after the threats Credit: David Zalubowski/AP "This has become a massive manhunt ... and every law enforcement agency is participating and helping in this effort," Dean Phillips, special agent in charge of the FBI in Denver, said late Tuesday night. The FBI's Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force issued a notice Tuesday describing Pais as "infatuated with (the) Columbine school shooting." Sheriff's spokesman Mike Taplin said the threats she made were general and not specific to any school. The Denver Post reported that a call to a phone number listed for Ms Pais' parents in Surfside, Florida, was interrupted by a man who identified himself as an FBI agent and said he was interviewing them. Surfside Police Sgt. Marian Cruz confirmed that her parents last saw her on Sunday and reported her missing on Monday. The Miami Herald and WTVJ are reporting that neighbours say the teenager is a senior at Miami Beach High School. The Associated Press left messages at two numbers listed for Ms Pais' relatives in Florida, while another number was disconnected. Two teenage gunmen attacked Columbine on April 20, 1999, killing 12 classmates and a teacher.

Donations 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.

Notre Dame: Could America's historic landmarks be devastated by such a catastrophic fire?

From Independence Hall to the National Cathedral, key U.S. sites are protected by sophisticated fire and safety systems.

Notre 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.

Pilots Say American Airlines Plane Rolled on Its Own and Hit a Sign During Takeoff

American Airlines pilots flying an Airbus A321 say it banked on its own during takeoff, causing a strike to the plane's left wing. The incident is now under investigation.

Canada says considering options after U.S. decision on Cuba

Canada is considering its options after a U.S. decision to lift a long-standing ban against U.S. citizens filing lawsuits against foreign companies that use properties seized by Cuba’s Communist government since the 1959 revolution, Canada's foreign minister said on Wednesday. "Canada is deeply disappointed with today's (U.S.) announcement.

Lou Dobbs Wonders Who Ilhan Omar Represents ‘Because It Isn’t America’

Chip Somodevilla/GettyFox 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.“She won’t remove Congresswoman Omar from the foreign relations committee because why?” Dobbs wondered. “Because she thinks so little of America?!”The Trump-loving host—who occasionally gets patched into Oval Office meetings—went on to question the Minnesota lawmaker’s loyalty to the United States.“Who is she representing?!” Dobbs exclaimed. “Because it isn’t America with her thoughts and her regrettable remarks about September 11th and 3,000 victims who lost their lives that day.”Dobbs’ accusation that Omar doesn’t represent America comes on the heels of Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade saying last week that “you have to wonder if she is an American first,” remarks he somewhat walked back later. And last month, during another Omar-related controversy, Fox News host Jeanine Pirro found herself suspended for two weeks and “strongly” condemned by the network for suggesting on air that Omar didn’t believe in the Constitution because she wears a hijab. Read more at The Daily Beast.

Lori Loughlin 'very afraid' of one thing in college admissions scandal

The prospect of actually going to trial in connection to the collegeadmissions scandal is "terrifying" for actress Lori Loughlin, and the scandalhas "destroyed" her family

North Korea test-fires new tactical guided weapon as it tells US to replace Mike Pompeo in nuclear talks

North Korea announced on Thursday that it had test-fired a new type of tactical guided weapon, in its first public weapons test since February’s failed summit with the US in Hanoi.  Shortly after the test, North Korea demanded that Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, be removed from nuclear disarmament talks in another sign of deteriorating diplomatic relations with Washington since the failure of their second summit in Hanoi in February.  Pyongyang wanted a replacement for Mr Pompeo who would be “more careful and mature,” the North’s state media reported on Thursday, accusing the senior US official of undermining negotiations.  Adding to the stand-off, the Kremlin yesterday announced that Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this month, an apparent attempt to insert Russia into the delicate talks. The firing of the unspecified weapon, which was personally overseen by Kim from an observation post, was a possible attempt to express dissatisfaction with Washington’s refusal to budge over sanctions, without jeopardising the future of the currently deadlocked diplomatic talks.  It is not believed to have been a banned ballistic missile test, a provocative move which could have torpedoed negotiations with South Korea and the US over North Korea’s disarmament.  One South Korean analyst told the AP that the North’s state media report indicated it could have been a test of a new type of cruise missile. Pak Jong-chon, an artillery official, was also reportedly at the site.  Kim Jong-un and Mike Pompeo meeting in Pyongyang Credit: Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File Vipin Narang, a North Korea expert and associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told The Telegraph that it might have been an anti-tank guided missile, a multiple launch rocket system or another system related to coastal or air defence.  If it was, “it would seem to be consistent with Kim potentially reminding both the US and ROK [South Korea] - in a calibrated way - where things could go if the US especially doesn’t moderate its negotiating position,” he said.  The test is part of a broader pattern of events since talks collapsed between Kim and Donald Trump, the US President, over mismatched demands from North Korea over sanctions relief and from the US over the speed of Pyongyang’s nuclear disarmament.  The weapons test followed a visit by Kim to the North Korean Air and Anti-aircraft Force on Tuesday to express “great satisfaction” at their combat readiness. Pyongyang's request to remove Mr Pompeo from negotiations presents Donald Trump, the US president, with the dilemma of whether to cave in to North Korea’s rejection of his lead negotiator or to stand firm and risk the total collapse of talks to persuade Kim to give up his nuclear weapons.  The stinging rebuke was conveyed to the state-run Korean Central News Agency by Kwon Jong-gun, a senior foreign ministry official, who claimed that the summit showed that when Mr Pompeo “pokes his nose in, talks between the two countries go wrong without any results.”  "I am afraid that, if Pompeo engages in the talks again, the table will be lousy once again and the talks will become entangled," Mr Kwon, director general of the ministry's American affairs department, said, in remarks translated by South Korea’s Yonhap agency.  The Hanoi summit made a promising start but collapsed over a disagreement about sanctions relief Credit: Evan Vucci/AP "Therefore, even in the case of possible resumption of the dialogue with the US, I wish our dialogue counterpart would not be Pompeo but another person who is more careful and mature in communicating with us," he added. The sudden cold shoulder treatment of Mr Pompeo, who has travelled to Pyongyang several times over the past year to personally meet with the North Korean leader, is being viewed as part of Kim’s strategy to project his strength to Washington and his domestic audience.  The North Koreans have accused Mr Pompeo of playing down the significance of comments by Kim during a meeting of his rubber-stamp parliament last week when he gave Washington an end of year deadline to offer mutually acceptable terms to salvage deadlocked nuclear talks.  Meanwhile, recent satellite images obtained by the US-based Centre for Strategic Studies show movement at the North’s main nuclear site of Yongbyon that could be associated with the reprocessing of radioactive material into bomb fuel.   Just days after the end of the summit, satellite images also suggested increased activity at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station at Tongchang-ri, which Pyongyang had previously pledged to dismantle.  “With rebuilding Sohae, continued activity at ballistic missile facilities and Yongbyon, and this, Kim seems to be suggesting ‘I’ve loaded my gun, but I am not going to fire... just yet’,” said Mr Narang.  The state-controlled Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not give an exact description of the new weapon but reported that Kim said "the development of the weapon system serves as an event of very weighty significance in increasing the combat power of the People’s Army." It added that it had a “peculiar mode of guiding flight” and “a powerful warhead.” In November, Kim oversaw the test of another unidentified “tactical weapon” which could protect North Korea like a “steel wall”, which experts said was part of his initiative to shift to high-tech weapons.  A man watches a TV news programme reporting about North Korea's test-fire of a "new-type tactical guided weapon"  Credit: AP However, he has not breached his pledge in April 2018 to stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles, which he said at the time was because Pyongyang’s nuclear capabilities had been “verified.”  Mintaro Oba, a former state department official who focusses on Korea, said North Korea was unlikely to take action that would be perceived as a very serious escalation.  During a speech at his rubber-stamp parliament on Friday, Kim set an end of year deadline for Washington to offer mutually acceptable terms for a deal, suggesting he is willing to continue along a diplomatic route.  “There are two possibilities here. One, that North Korea did this as a calculated escalation of tension to put pressure on the United States,” said Mr Oba.  “Or two, Kim Jong-un needed to demonstrate strength domestically given the lack of diplomatic progress. It's always tempting to view everything North Korea does as tactical, but we always have to consider whether there are internal factors at play as well.” The White House and the Pentagon said they were aware of the report but had no further comment.  Patrick Cronin, Asia-Pacific security chair for the Hudson Institute, said the US might react with tough statements and the tightening of sanctions, but only in a “cosmetic” way.  He suggested that Kim might be trying to tap into the US domestic political agenda as Washington gears up for the Thursday disclosure of Robert Mueller’s report on Russian election meddling and obstruction of justice.  “In a strange way you could say that he is maybe reaching out to the president at a time when the Mueller report is going to be released and he is offering the president a mini-crisis to resolve,” said Mr Cronin.

Notre Dame Cathedral: What you need to know if you're planning to visit Paris

The Notre Dame Cathedral fire is finally out − but the impact on tourism to the church, and Paris itself, remains to be seen.

Instagram accounts of Iran Guards commanders blocked

The Instagram accounts of several Iranian Revolutionary Guards commanders have been blocked, the Tabnak news website reported Tuesday, with the photo-sharing website saying it was complying with US sanctions. The United States announced on April 8 that it has placed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the ideological army of the Islamic republic, on their list of "foreign terrorist organisations". Tabnak, a site close to Iranian conservatives, said Instagram blocked the accounts of Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, Major General Mohammad Bagheri and Major General Ghassem Soleimani.

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.> I didn't know Roger Stone's nickname was "Harm to Ongoing Matter"> > -- Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) April 18, 2019> HARM TO ONGOING MATTER: the poem > > HARM TO ONGOING MATTER: the book > > HARM TO ONGOING MATTER: the band > > HARM TO ONGOING MATTER: the musical > > HARM TO ONGOING MATTER: the existential philosophy > > HARM TO ONGOING MATTER: the Guy Fieri restaurant> > -- Matt Gallagher (@MattGallagher0) April 18, 2019> Kazimir Malevich's "Harm to Ongoing Matter," 2019 pic.twitter.com/yOxeDKmNCj> > -- uɐɯlǝıɥ⊥ ɯɐS (@samthielman) April 18, 2019> "Harm to Ongoing Matter" should be the name of the report pic.twitter.com/HoVnBGgHls> > -- Phillip Pyle, II (@pippyle2) April 18, 2019> Harm To Ongoing Matter better be the name of a political punk band by the end of the month.> > -- Ben Greenman (@bengreenman) April 18, 2019> "Harm to Ongoing Matter" is my new band name. pic.twitter.com/Oahh4G36VV> > -- Patrick Tucker (@DefTechPat) April 18, 2019> All haters will now be referred to as a harm to an ongoing matter pic.twitter.com/e0S9XTVJvk> > -- Alexis Benveniste (@apbenven) April 18, 2019> These redactions are tempting me to harm some ongoing matter. pic.twitter.com/jJyQmqz5bj> > -- Mike Pesca (@pescami) April 18, 2019> 2016: MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! > > 2020: HARM TO ONGOING MATTER! pic.twitter.com/CtYLl7TUJE> > -- david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) April 18, 2019> Me when someone asks to hang out but I'm too stressed pic.twitter.com/qsUEFcmsAQ> > -- Nicole Gallucci (@nicolemichele5) April 18, 2019> Harm to Ongoing Matter seems like a pretty good summary of the world right now> > -- Joe Bernstein (@Bernstein) April 18, 2019> tag urself i'm harm to ongoing matter> > -- AJ (@ajchavar) April 18, 2019You can read the full report -- in all its "Harm to Ongoing Matter" glory here. WATCH: Rep. Ilhan Omar says she's receiving more death threats

Banks ordered to disclose bondholder information to Puerto Rico board

A judge on Thursday ordered banks to comply with a request from Puerto Rico's federally created financial oversight board to disclose customer information related to certain debt issued by the bankrupt U.S. commonwealth. The ruling boosts a potential effort by the board to recover billions of dollars in payments made to bondholders should a federal court hearing Puerto Rico's bankruptcy cases choose to invalidate disputed debt issued by the government and its agencies. U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith Gail Dein's order said "good cause exists" to grant the board's motion, which seeks to compel banks to submit bondholder names and addresses along with Puerto Rico debt payments the bondholders received between 2013 and 2017.

Boeing conducts final test flight of 737 MAX with software fix

Boeing has conducted a final test flight of a 737 MAX model with an updated anti-stall system prior to its certification by aviation authorities, the aerospace manufacturer said Wednesday. CEO Dennis Muilenberg tweeted a video where he said the test flight was carried out on Tuesday, adding that test pilots have completed 120 flights totaling more than 203 hours of airtime with the software fix for the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). Investigators have zeroed in on the system as a factor behind the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes in October and in March respectively, killing nearly 350 people in total.

Porsche Collection Destroyed in Explosion

A large explosion rocked Durham, North Carolina on 10 April 2019, something that sadly claimed the life of one individual and injured 15. The building itself also contained one of America’s largest Porsche collections according to the Charlotte Observer. The rather unassuming red brick building didn’t boast about the treasures within, but video from the Charlotte Observer revealed a huge hole in the roof and the charred remains of what appears to be a 550 Spyder amongst other less identifiable wreckage.

Why closing the U.S.-Mexico border would be 'catastrophic' for this Texas city

Trump's threat to seal the border has sent jolts of alarm across the U.S.-Mexico border, but few places feel it more acutely than Laredo, Texas.

The Latest: FBI says armed woman 'infatuated' with Columbine

LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) — The Latest on lockdowns at Columbine High School and other Denver-area schools (all times local):

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.

How Pete Buttigieg handled anti-gay protesters shouting about Sodom and Gomorrah at Iowa rally

"The good news is, the condition of my soul is in the hands of God, but the Iowa caucuses are up to you," Buttigieg responded, pointing at the crowd.

Debate rages on over no-kill policy at Long Beach animal shelter

A heartfelt fight in Long Beach to save as many animals as possible at the city's animal shelter continued at a special city council meeting Tuesday.

Verizon just made it more expensive to activate or upgrade a phone in-store

Verizon appears to be incentivizing consumers to make purchases online rather than at one of its brick-and-mortar retail stores, as CNET reports that the mobile carrier is lowering activation and upgrade fees on its site and in its My Verizon app from $30 to $20 starting this Thursday. Alternatively, if you prefer a "full-service experience" at a Verizon store, you'll now have to pay $40 to activate a line or upgrade to a new device.CNET's report doesn't include many details about this new policy, and as The Verge points out, Verizon's fees often go up or down depending on a variety of factors, such as if you're on a prepaid or monthly plan, or if you're activating a new line or just upgrading to a new phone. Unless Verizon sends out a news release ahead of this purported price change, we'll have to wait until later this week to see how it will be implemented.Provided that you are willing to go through with the process of activating a line or upgrading to a new device on the Verizon website or on the My Verizon app, the price is actually lower at Verizon than at its competitors. AT&T charges $25 to bring a new phone over to its network (or $45 for a two-year plan, which only applies to certain phones), Sprint charges $30, and T-Mobile claims that it doesn't have an activation fee at all, but will still make you pay $25 for a SIM starter kit (which you will need to activate your phone on their network).So, while charging an addition $10 for a "full-service experience" at a brick-and-mortar store might be ludicrous, the price cut of the activation and upgrade fee for online customers is a welcome one.

India 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.

66 minutes: The frantic race to save Notre Dame

PARIS (AP) — Fueled by a lattice of centuries-old timbers, the fire moved hungrily across Notre Dame's rooftop toward the cathedral's iconic spire. It belched yellow smoke, spitting out gritty particles of wood, stone, lead and iron and wanted more. Far below, their vision obscured by fumes and tears, firefighters, priests and municipal workers passed treasures hand-to-hand, hoping the speed of desperation could outrun the flames.

Blackout: 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.

20-year-old college student falls 100 feet off cliff to her death

A 20-year-old college student plummeted 100 feet to her death off a cliffduring a school trip last weekend

North Korea sends hit squads after defectors from its secret police

North Korea has dispatched teams to neighbouring China to track down and kill, if necessary, as many as seven members of the Ministry of State Security who have fled in a snowballing series of defections, according to dissident media.  The crisis in the ranks of North Korea’s secret police agency can be traced back to immediately after the failure of the Hanoi summit between Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator, and US President Donald Trump in late February, reported the Daily NK, citing reports from its network of undercover “citizen reporters” in North Korea and China.  In early March, three MSS officials based in the Chinese city of Shenyang concluded that the secret bank accounts that they were using under fake Chinese names had been compromised and they were under surveillance.  The three men emptied the accounts of “significant amounts of money” that they were reportedly charged with using to procure technology and other items that are banned under United Nations sanctions and disappeared.  A number of other agents of the MSS - widely considered the most brutal unit in the North and responsible for ensuring that defectors are caught and punished, as well as operating the regime’s network of concentration camps - have also since disappeared in China, according to officials of South Korea’s intelligence agencies.  North Korea stepped up its search for the men in mid-March after a senior MSS official based in Pyongyang fled with his family through the Chinese border city of Dandong. The official apparently had little choice but to escape out of concern that he would be held responsible for the defections of his subordinates in China.  The MSS has put together a team from its headquarters in Pyongyang and dispatched it to Liaoning Province, along with agents from the Reconnaissance General Bureau and operatives already in China.  “The Reconnaissance General Bureau agents were ordered ‘not to return’ until the defectors are caught and the agents should ‘kill them if they can’t be caught’ “, the media outlet quoted one of its sources in Pyongyang as saying.  The disappearance of officials widely considered to be the trusted elite in North Korean society, along with the defection of a number of diplomats in recent months, hints at growing disaffection with those charged with propping up Mr Kim’s regime.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: I invited Barr to the Bronx to talk climate change. He said no.

Ocasio-Cortez continued to tease a Kentucky Republican lawmaker for backpedaling on his invitation for her to visit the Bluegrass State.

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. According to a report from Reuters, Apple is currently looking into advanced lidar sensor technology that "would be smaller, cheaper and more easily mass produced than current technology."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. This may come as something of a surprise given the series of layoffs Apple's Project Titan has endured over the past few years.Just about three months ago, for instance, word surfaced that Apple cut upwards of 200 employees from the Project Titan team. Far more than a rumor, Apple at the time confirmed the cuts and issued the following statement to various media outlets:> We have an incredibly talented team working on autonomous systems and associated technologies at Apple. As the team focuses their work on several key areas for 2019, some groups are being moved to projects in other parts of the company, where they will support machine learning and other initiatives, across all of Apple.> > We continue to believe there is a huge opportunity with autonomous systems, that Apple has unique capabilities to contribute, and that this is the most ambitious machine learning project ever.At this point, it will be fascinating to see what, if anything, ever comes out of Project Titan. As far as we can tell, Apple has abandoned any desire to design and release a car from the ground-up and has instead opted to focus on self-driving car technologies.To this end, Tim Cook himself acknowledged this nearly two years ago when he told Bloomberg: "We're focusing on autonomous systems. It's a core technology that we view as very important. It's probably one of the most difficult A.I. projects actually to work on."

Ukraine says it captured Russian military intelligence hit squad

Ukraine's security service SBU said on Wednesday it had captured a Russian military intelligence hit squad responsible for the attempted murder of a Ukrainian military spy in the run-up to a presidential election on Sunday. The issue of how to deal with Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014 and backs pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, is prominent ahead of the vote, with incumbent Petro Poroshenko casting himself as the commander-in-chief Ukraine needs to defend the country.

Warnings, watches issued as strong storms enter Southeast

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Forecasters warned about tornadoes and other violent weather Thursday as a front that unleashed twisters and hail in the lower Midwest moved into the storm-weary Southeast.

Amber Alert issued for 15-year-old girl last seen with mother wanted for Carson murder

MISSING GIRL: Authorities are looking for a 15-year-old girl who was last seen with her mother and another man who are wanted suspects in a Southern California murder investigation.

William Barr Just Ensured He'll Stay Front and Center in the Mueller Report Debate

Attorney General William Barr used his Mueller report press conference to give an emphatic defense of President Donald Trump. Here's what it will mean for Barr.

Holiday island mourns after bus crash kills 29 German tourists

Caniço (Portugal) (AFP) - Portugal and Germany mourned on Thursday after 29 German tourists died when their bus tumbled down a slope and crashed into a house on the tourist island of Madeira. Frankfurt-based tour operator Trendtours said 51 of its customers were involved in the accident.

New York Auto Show: Here's what Lincoln's new Corsair SUV offers luxury drivers

Debuting at the New York auto show, the 2020 Lincoln Corsair compact SUV is aimed at young and female buyers.

Apple rumored to launch a refreshed iPhone 8 with upgraded specs next March

Apple is expected to launch three new "iPhone 11" models this fall, which will be the successors to the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. But new reports claim that Apple could also unveil additional devices meant to court smartphone buyers who are either looking for cheaper iPhones or want smaller phones.A report a few days ago said that an iPhone SE successor is in the works \-- a device that would feature an iPhone XS-like design. A new report out of Asia, meanwhile, describes a more familiar smartphone design, one that Apple is expected to recycle come March 2020: An iPhone 8 refresh.We'll call it iPhone 8s, as the Economic Daily News doesn't mention an actual product name. The report, however, provides several details about the upcoming iPhone 8 refresh.The iPhone 8s would apparently have the same design as the iPhone 8, complete with Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the front and single-lens camera on the back. But the device will have the same hardware as the upcoming 2019 iPhone flagships, including an A13 processor. Other specs include 128GB of base memory, a Full HD 4.7-inch display, and a new PCB design.The new handset would sell for $649, the report notes, targeting a price point that Apple ignored in recent years.By refreshing the iPhone 8, Apple would be in a position where it could still sell phones featuring a classic design to customers who are interested in compact iPhone designs featuring fingerprint sensors instead of Face ID. The iPhone 8 is as big as the iPhone X and XS in terms of overall size, but it has a smaller screen (4.7-inch vs. 5.8-inch) due to its bezels. Also, a $650 iPhone could help Apple compete better against Chinese smartphone makers in several Asian markets, where it's becoming increasingly difficult to sell expensive flagships (like the iPhone XS).If all these new reports turn out to be accurate, Apple may end up selling up to five new iPhones in the span of a few months, including the 2019 iPhone XS and XR models, the rumored iPhone SE 2, and this iPhone 8 refresh.

Fossil hunter tries to sell baby T-Rex skeleton on eBay for £2.25m, enraging scientists

A fossil hunter’s attempt to sell a young Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton on eBay for $2.95 million (£2.25 million) set off a furore among scientists who warned that it needed to be studied, not sold to the highest bidder.The skeleton’s owner, Alan Detrich, defended his decision to try to sell the 15-foot fossil to a wealthy private collector, arguing that it could still be subject to research.“It’s very hard to reach a billionaire,” he said Wednesday, noting that he hoped a wealthy bidder from Europe or Asia would emerge. “Putting it on eBay is one way to do it.”That outlook has angered scientists who have questioned why Mr Detrich lent the skeleton to the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum two years ago, saying that putting it on public view was part of a strategy to sell the specimen to a rich investor.“Mr Detrich has tried to capitalise on the museum’s good faith by using the exhibition and scientific attention as selling points” on eBay, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology said in a letter last week.It added: “These events undermine the scientific process for studying past life as well as the prospect for future generations to share the natural heritage of our planet.”The skeleton, believed to be a four-year-old T-Rex, was displayed at the museum until recently and has been returned to Mr Detrich.The museum asked that Mr Detrich remove all references to the museum from the original eBay listing, which advertises the fossil’s 21-inch skull and 12 teeth in the lower jaw. The fossil hunter complied.“Most Likely the Only BABY T-Rex in the World!” the ad reads. “It’s a RARE opportunity indeed to ever see a baby REX.”Mr Detrich, who lives in Overbrook, Kansas, said he hoped the exposure from the eBay sale would attract a billionaire wealthy enough to pay his $2.95 million price tag. He did not inform the museum of the sale, he said, but did offer to give it a cast of the specimen.He said he agreed to lend the fossil to the museum two years ago after he and his brother, Robert, unearthed it in 2013 on property he leased near Jordan, Montana, where he hunts for fossils.Mr Detrich said it was not the first time he had received pushback from the scientific community for selling fossils.In 1999, he sought to sell a T-Rex skeleton on eBay for $5.8 million (£4.5 million) and was unsuccessful after pranksters flooded the auction with fake bids. He said he wanted the juvenile skeleton to be studied even if it ended up with a wealthy collector.Mr Detrich, who said he is in his 70s, began hunting fossils three decades ago.He is also a sculptor who creates religious iconography and other works from dinosaur bones, petrified wood and steel. During the interview, he pointed out that he was voted one of People magazine’s “Top Bachelors” in 2001.Leonard Krishtalka, the director of the museum, declined to be interviewed.But Anne Tangeman, a spokeswoman for the museum, said in an email: “Our intent was to keep the specimen in the museum sphere to be enjoyed by visitors until it was sold to a museum.”She added, “We learned early last week that the owner had abruptly listed the specimen for sale on eBay without prior warning or checking with us.”Mr Detrich said he had recently tried to find a museum to buy the skeleton but had no luck.That caused a rift with the Kansas museum, he said, because the original eBay listing made it appear as if the museum was promoting the sale to a wealthy investor. It was not.Early this month, Mr Detrich said, he received an email from Krishtalka balking at the eBay sale.“He said, ‘What are you doing?’” Mr Detrich recalled.“Well, I own this thing,” Mr Detrich said of the T-Rex. “It is mine. I can do whatever I want.” So far, he has not received any bids.The New York TImes

Erdogan 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.

The Royal Navy Wants Robotic Submarines (Here's Why That Matters)

The U.K. Ministry of Defense in April 2019 launched a $3.3-million competition to begin developing a large, robotic submarine.The contest could lead to the acquisition of an operational autonomous sub for the Royal Navy -- and could help the British fleet partially to fill the undersea gap resulting from deep cuts to its sub force.The ministry asked industry by June 2019 to submit proposals for an extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle, or XLUUV.“The Royal Navy says that contract will have two stages, a one-year long research, design and refit stage and a testing and trialing stage,” U.K. Defense Journal explained. “In the latter stage it is expected that the system will be tested in representative environments for extended periods; the sea trials in stage two may be up to two years long.”The government’s request for proposals sketched three different operational scenarios for the possible, future robo-sub.In the covert intelligence-gathering role, the XLUUV “is tasked to gather covert intelligence of traffic transiting in a maritime operational area,” according to the RFP.

Teenage girl 'infatuated' with Columbine school massacre found dead from self-inflicted gunshot

An armed 18-year-old girl "infatuated" with the Columbine school massacre was found dead after fears she was seeking to replicate the shooting 20 years on. Sol Pais, a high school pupil, made threats online and then flew from her home in Miami Beach, Florida to Denver, Colorado, where Columbine is located. She then bought a pump-action shotgun and ammunition and was seen near the school wearing camouflage trousers, black boots and a black T-shirt. Columbine and more than 20 other schools in the Denver area were closed on Wednesday, with 500,000 pupils staying at home as the FBI and police searched for her. She was later found dead from what police called an "apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound" in woodland near a camp ground 60 miles southwest of Denver. Police, including a SWAT team, had flooded into the area after hikers reported seeing a naked woman with a gun running through the woods". An FBI spokesman said: "There is no longer a threat to the community." Police at Columbine high school Credit: AFP On April 20,1999 two heavily armed teenage gunmen -  Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold - killed 12 fellow pupils and a teacher before taking their own lives. It set off an era of mass shootings in American schools and other public venues. Police said Pais had "made threats to commit an act of violence" in the Denver area, and had written "deeply disturbed" posts on the internet. She had been "infatuated with the perpetrators of Columbine". She sought advice online on how to buy a gun in Colorado, which she did at a gun shop near Columbine. Local sheriff Jeff Shrader said: "The firearm was purchased legally. I'm sure there will be some ongoing evaluation in that regard." During the massive search police declared her "armed and extremely dangerous". Jared Polis, the Colorado governor, said there had been "a lot of anxiety". Peter Langman, an expert on the psychology of school shooters, said more than 30 other attacks, from California to Germany, have been inspired in some manner by Columbine.

The Latest: Top Democrat says Barr is trying to spin report

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the special counsel's report on Russian election interference and Donald Trump's campaign (all times local):

Iran Rouhani says floods revealed 'vicious' nature of US

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that the United States' reaction to floods that killed dozens of people had revealed Washington's "vicious" nature. At least 76 people have died after torrential rainfall which has also caused billions of dollars worth of damage since March 19. Iran's Red Crescent has repeatedly complained that US banking sanctions re-imposed last year make it impossible to receive donations from outside the country.

NTSB investigating American Airlines JFK flight that 'struck an object' at takeoff

The plane reportedly tipped in strong wind, and a wingtip hit a runway marker during takeoff.