| Isil claims Sri Lanka attack as prime minister says there are militants with explosives on the run Posted: 23 Apr 2019 08:35 AM PDT  Sri Lanka's prime minister has warned there are more explosives and militants "out there" after the Easter suicide bombings that killed 321 people. Ranil Wickremesinghe made the comment Tuesday at a news conference, and said some officials will likely lose their jobs over intelligence lapses surrounding the attack. His warning came as Islamic State claimed responsibility for the terror attack on its official Amaq news agency. The group posted an image of seven masked attackers and the unmasked ringleader, Zahran Hashim, in front of its black flag. In a statement the men were named as Abu Ubaida - thought to refer to Hashim - Abu Khalil, Abu Hamza, Abu al-Baraa, Abu Muhammad, Abu Abdulla and Abu al-Mukhtar. Isis's official news agency, Amaq, posted this image of eight attackers, including the previously identified Zahran Hashim (centre) Sri Lanka's defence minister on Tuesday declared the attacks were retaliation for a recent attack on mosques in New Zealand, adding that two domestic Islamist groups were believed to be responsible. Ruwan Wijewardene's comments were made as the South Asian island held its first mass funeral for about 30 of the victims of Sunday's serial suicide bombings in three high profile churches and three luxury hotels. Sri Lankan intelligence has named the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks as Moulvi Zahran Hashim, an extremist local cleric who incited his followers to violence with fiery sermons on his social media channels. CCTV video shows suspected suicide bomber entering St Sebastian's Church in Negombo Isil's brief statement said they targeted "nationals of the Crusader alliance and Christians", but made no specific reference to the New Zealand mosque attacks. At the same time, AFP agency reported that two Muslim brothers carried out two of the hotel suicide blasts. The brothers, sons of a wealthy Colombo spice trader, blew themselves up as guests queued for breakfast at the Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand hotels in the capital Colombo. The brothers, whose names have not been revealed, were in their late twenties and operated their own "family cell", an investigation officer said. A suspected suicide bomber carries a backpack on a street in Negombo, Sri Lanka The Sri Lankan government revealed in 2016 that 32 Sri Lanka Muslims had travelled to Syria to join Isil. "All these (Muslims) are not from ordinary families. These people are from the families which are considered as well-educated and elite," Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, the country's Justice Minister told parliament. said, adding that the government was aware of some foreigners coming to Sri Lanka to spread what he called Islamic extremism. A Syrian national was also arrested on Tuesday. It was not yet clear if he played a role in the attacks. Read more | Sri Lanka attacks Mr Wijewardene told the Sri Lankan parliament the massacre was carried out by the obscure local National Thawheed Jamaath group along with another group called the JMI, an apparent reference to a little-known radical Islamist group in India called the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen. Some experts have pointed out that the sophisticated nature of the attacks suggest that they would have required preparation that began before the Christchurch atrocity. Little is known about JMI, other than reports it was established last year and is affiliated to a similarly named group in Bangladesh. "The preliminary investigations have revealed that what happened in Sri Lanka was in retaliation for the attack against Muslims in Christchurch," said Mr Wijewardene. A suspected suicide bomber carries a backpack on a street in Negombo, Sri Lanka Fifty people were killed in shooting attacks on two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch on March 15, and horrific footage of the bloodbath was livestreamed on social media channels. The Sri Lankan authorities are still investigating how local militants gained the training and equipment to carry out an assault that is now considered to be one of the worst global terrorist atrocities since the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. One theory is that Sri Lankan extremists could have been assisted by returning fighters from Iraq and Syria. It also emerged on Tuesday that Sri Lankan police are holding a Syrian national in custody for questioning over the Easter Sunday attacks. "The terrorist investigation division of the police arrested a Syrian national following the attacks for interrogation," a source told Reuters. Two other officials with knowledge of the investigation confirmed the detention. "He was arrested after interrogation of local suspects," a second source said. Police have now detained 40 suspects in connection with the attack. Sri Lanka attacks - Locator map The first mass funeral took place at St Sebastian church in Negombo, north of Colombo, which was one of the places targeted in Sunday's blasts. A moment of silence was observed at 08:30, to mark the timing of the first bomb on Sunday morning. Flags were lowered to half-mast and people, many of them in tears, bowed their heads in respect.
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| Delphi murders: Here's what we know about unsolved killings of two teen girls in Indiana Posted: 23 Apr 2019 02:16 PM PDT  It's been more than two years since the Delphi murders. Here's what we know now about the unsolved killings of Abigail Williams and Liberty Germany.
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| Armed militia on US border 'training to kill Hillary Clinton, George Soros and Barack Obama' Posted: 22 Apr 2019 10:20 AM PDT  The head of a far-right New Mexico militia group known for detaining undocumented families at gunpoint has been accused of claiming to train a group to assassinate Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and billionaire Democratic donor George Soros.The accusations follow after Larry Mitchell Hopkins, a 69-year-old who lives in a borer town near El Paso, was arrested on charges of possession of firearms and ammunition. He had previously been convicted in 2006 on charges and firearm possession.The FBI now claims that Mr Hopkins told witnesses during a 2017 investigation that his militia was planning to assassinate the three Democratic figures, according to Reuters.Mr Hopkins' militia group is called the United Constitutional Patriots, which has a Facebook page claiming it is composed of "Americans that believe in the constitution and the rights of every American that will stand up for there[sic] rights in unity and help keep America safe".The group detained some 200 migrants as they crossed the US-Mexico border last week seeking asylum. Many of those detained by the militia were reportedly Central Americans, according to the New York Times.The group is said to have detained some 5,600 migrants in the past 60 days alone.The group that Mr Hopkins leads in southern New Mexico is one of many militia groups that have been operating on the US-Mexico border for years, with the stated goal of stopping or slowing illegal US immigration flows.Civil rights groups and immigrant advocates have criticised the tactics, and claim that these militia groups illegally detain migrants and kidnap them by impersonating law enforcement.Allegra Love, the executive director of the Santa Fe Dreamers Project, a group that provides free legal services to immigrants, told the Santa Fe New Mexican that the militias are outrageous."We don't need citizens confronting them at gunpoint," Ms Love said, referring to migrants seeking asylum in the United States and coming from violent nations like Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
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| Twitter reports surprise quarterly user growth, revenue beats Posted: 23 Apr 2019 04:04 AM PDT ![Twitter reports surprise quarterly user growth, revenue beats]( "Twitter reports surprise quarterly user growth, revenue beats") Twitter Inc on Tuesday posted better-than-expected first-quarter revenue and a surprise rise in the number of monthly active users, a sign that the social media platform may be on a sustainable path after a year of stagnant user growth. Twitter, which has been focusing on improving the quality of its platform by removing thousands of spam and suspicious accounts, would no longer disclose MAUs from next quarter. Monetizable daily active users or mDAU rose to 134 million in the first quarter, up 12 percent from a year ago, Twitter said.
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| Iranian parliament labels entire US military as terrorist Posted: 23 Apr 2019 03:26 AM PDT  TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian lawmakers on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that labels all U.S. military forces as terrorist, state TV reported, a day after Washington ratcheted up pressure on Tehran by announcing that no country would any longer be exempt from U.S. sanctions if it continues to buy Iranian oil.
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| NASA probe records first likely 'marsquake' detected on red planet Posted: 23 Apr 2019 02:31 PM PDT  NASA's robotic probe InSight has detected and measured what scientists believe to be a "marsquake," marking the first time a likely seismological tremor has been recorded on another planet, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California reported on Tuesday. The breakthrough came five months after InSight, the first spacecraft designed specifically to study the deep interior of a distant world, touched down on the surface of Mars to begin its two-year seismological mission on the red planet. The faint rumble characterized by JPL scientists as a likely marsquake was recorded on April 6, the lander's 128th Martian day, or sol.
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| `Easter Bunnies` Need Homes After Holiday Returns Posted: 22 Apr 2019 06:57 PM PDT  A Muskegon Animal Rescue shelter says they have seen a rise in bunnies returned in the days following Easter.
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| Turkish police hold ruling party member, five others after opposition chief attack Posted: 22 Apr 2019 09:52 AM PDT  Turkish police on Monday were holding six people, including a member of the ruling AKP party, after a mob attack on opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu that sparked widespread criticism. Kilicdaroglu, 70, of the Republican People's Party (CHP) was assaulted on Sunday in a crowd as he attended a funeral in Ankara for a soldier killed fighting Kurdish militants in the southeast. The attack came days after the opposition CHP won Ankara and Istanbul from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP in March 31 local elections, seen as a major setback for the ruling party after a decade-and-a-half in power.
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| Easter Bunny hops into all-out brawl in Florida Posted: 22 Apr 2019 10:42 AM PDT  A Bad Bunny was on the loose in Florida this weekend — and we're not talkingabout the Latin singer
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| US STOCKS-Futures pull back ahead of earnings; oil stocks jump Posted: 22 Apr 2019 04:56 AM PDT ![US STOCKS-Futures pull back ahead of earnings; oil stocks jump]( "US STOCKS-Futures pull back ahead of earnings; oil stocks jump") U.S. stock index futures dipped on Monday as investors returned from their Easter break and took a cautious stance at the beginning of what is expected to be the busiest week of the first-quarter earnings season. The S&P 500 closed slightly lower last week, ending its three-week winning streak, but hovered about 1% away from a record high hit in September on U.S.-China trade hopes and a largely upbeat earnings season. More than a third of the S&P 500 companies, including Boeing Co, Amazon.com Inc and Facebook Inc, will report this week determining whether investors should be concerned about the start of an earnings recession or whether back-to-back quarters of negative growth can be avoided.
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| Ukrainian TV Comic Scores Landslide Win to Clinch Presidency Posted: 22 Apr 2019 03:24 AM PDT  Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a 41-year-old TV comic who's tapped into fury at the political class, got 73 percent of ballots after almost 99 percent of votes were counted. Incumbent Petro Poroshenko, who conceded defeat after exit polls showed his loss, garnered 25 percent as of Monday morning. Zelenskiy's triumph owes a lot to his newcomer status and comes despite a campaign that's been heavy on style with only a sprinkling of policy proposals.
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| Google self-driving unit Waymo picks Detroit factory site Posted: 23 Apr 2019 09:28 AM PDT  DETROIT (AP) — Google's self-driving car spinoff Waymo says it will reopen an axle plant in Detroit to convert conventional vehicles so they can drive autonomously.
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| Trump 'not even a little bit' worried about impeachment. Should he be? Posted: 22 Apr 2019 10:02 AM PDT  President Trump says he's "not even a little bit" worried about being impeached. But the history of the presidency suggests his unconcern might be premature.
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| Investigation underway in plane crash that killed 2 people near Austin Posted: 21 Apr 2019 05:43 PM PDT  According to DPS, the plane crashed and caught fire at a private air strip near Austin.
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| Kim woos Putin as N. Korean labourers toil in Russia Posted: 22 Apr 2019 07:36 PM PDT  While North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is wined and dined with Vladimir Putin in Russia this week, around 10,000 of his citizens will be labouring around the country to earn money for his government. Analysts say Kim is looking to strengthen economic links with Moscow with his nuclear negotiations with Washington deadlocked -- and as he seeks a counterbalance to Beijing, currently Pyongyang's key major ally and vital economic lifeline. The pair are expected to meet in the eastern Russian port of Vladivostok, possibly on Wednesday or Thursday, in the first summit between the leaders of North Korea and Russia since Kim Jong Il met with Dmitry Medvedev eight years ago.
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| Samsung delays Galaxy Fold indefinitely as it tries to fix multiple severe problems Posted: 22 Apr 2019 11:02 AM PDT  Samsung today officially acknowledged its intention to delay the launch of its highly-anticipated Galaxy Fold smartphone. The news shouldn't come as much of a surprise given that a number of early review units handed out to prominent tech publications suffered from broken displays, a turn of events that can appropriately be categorized as an unabashed PR disaster.The Galaxy Fold is undoubtedly an ambitious device, and while it's always exciting to see companies take measures to raise the bar for innovation higher, it's hard to see the Galaxy Fold, at this point, as anything more than a prototype that was poised for release well before it was ready for prime time.Addressing the Galaxy Fold fiasco for the first time, Samsung today relayed that it needs a bit more time to ensure that the Galaxy Fold user experience is up to snuff. A new release date will be forthcoming soon, the company added.Samsung's full statement, provided to Axios, reads as follows:> We recently unveiled a completely new mobile category: a smartphone using multiple new technologies and materials to create a display that is flexible enough to fold. We are encouraged by the excitement around the Galaxy Fold.> > While many reviewers shared with us the vast potential they see, some also showed us how the device needs further improvements that could ensure the best possible user experience.> > To fully evaluate this feedback and run further internal tests, we have decided to delay the release of the Galaxy Fold. We plan to announce the release date in the coming weeks.> > Initial findings from the inspection of reported issues on the display showed that they could be associated with impact on the top and bottom exposed areas of the hinge. There was also an instance where substances found inside the device affected the display performance.> > We will take measures to strengthen the display protection. We will also enhance the guidance on care and use of the display including the protective layer so that our customers get the most out of their Galaxy Fold.> > We value the trust our customers place in us and they are always our top priority. Samsung is committed to working closely with customers and partners to move the industry forward. We want to thank them for their patience and understanding.All in all, the entire Galaxy Fold saga has been nothing short of an embarrassment for Samsung. That said, it's nice to see Samsung take ownership of the issue in a relatively quick and transparent manner. And who knows, perhaps Samsung will defy the odds and actually get the Galaxy Fold out into consumer hands sooner rather than later.
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| Islamic State Says Its Fighters Carried Out Sri Lanka Attacks Posted: 23 Apr 2019 06:34 AM PDT  "Those who carried out the attack that targeted citizens belonging to the alliance countries and Christians in Sri Lanka are fighters with the Islamic State," according to a statement on IS news agency Amaq carried by SITE, which tracks jihadist groups. 'Alliance countries' refers to those involved in the U.S.-led military coalition against the Islamic State in Syria, which includes 79 nations from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, although Sri Lanka is not among them. Just last month the U.S. declared the last swath of territory once held by Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been liberated.
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| Google, Facebook, Twitter have to do more to fight fake news: EU Posted: 23 Apr 2019 03:13 AM PDT  The monthly reports follow a pledge made by the tech giants and advertising trade bodies in October last year to combat the spread of fake news and avoid more heavy-handed regulations. The EU has warned of foreign interference during campaigning for the European Parliament elections and national elections in Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine in recent and coming months. "Further technical improvements as well as sharing of methodology and data sets for fake accounts are necessary to allow third-party experts, fact-checkers and researchers to carry out independent evaluation," the EU executive said.
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| Johnson & Johnson Heirs List Hudson Valley Estate with Helipad for $13 Million Posted: 22 Apr 2019 02:12 PM PDT  The property is a subdivision of the family's 600-acre estate called Lightning Tree Farm
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| Here's the biggest news you missed this weekend Posted: 21 Apr 2019 07:47 PM PDT  From the Sri Lanka Easter attacks to impeachment talk, here's the weekend news to know.
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| Oil prices jump as Trump cracks down on Iranian exports Posted: 22 Apr 2019 02:52 PM PDT  Oil prices jumped to near six-month highs on Monday as the Trump administration cracked down on Iranian oil exports, announcing it would no longer grant waivers from US sanctions.
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| Neo-Nazi linked to group who said Prince Harry was a race traitor for marrying Meghan pleads guilty Posted: 23 Apr 2019 12:41 PM PDT  Two teenage neo-Nazis, linked to a group that called Prince Harry a "race traitor" for marrying Mehgan Markle, are facing jail after admitting terror charges. Polish national, Michal Szewczuk, 19, admitted two counts of encouraging terrorism and five of possessing documents that could be useful to a terrorist, when he appeared at the Old Bailey. His co-defendant, Oskar Dunn-Koczorowski, 18, had previously pleaded guilty to encouraging terrorism. The charges relate to a neo-Nazi group called the Sonnenkrieg Division, which posted extreme racist material on the GAB social media platform. In one post, a picture of the Duke of Sussex was set against a swastika with a gun pointing at his head and the slogan: "See ya later, race traitor!" The group is an off shoot of the American Atomwaffen Division, which encourages terrorism and worships Adolf Hitler and Charles Manson. Szewczuk, who used an online pseudonym, posted comments that called for the "systematic slaughter" of women. He also pleaded guilty to five charges relating to the possession of bomb making documents and other extremist terrorist material. At an earlier hearing, prosecutor Jessica Hart described how Szewczuk and Dunn-Koczorowski had shared the Sonnenkrieg Gab account, with both posting from the same account at different times. Judge Rebecca Poulet QC warned both teenagers they could face custody when they return to court for sentencing on 17 June.
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| How Does the Geely Geometry A Measure Up to the Tesla Model 3? Posted: 23 Apr 2019 07:40 AM PDT  Is the Chinese automaker capable of making a Tesla Model 3 fighter? We do the math.
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| Last Chance to Earn 100k Marriott Points With Bonvoy Amex Cards Posted: 23 Apr 2019 06:47 AM PDT  The final day to take advantage of 100,000-point offers on the newly christened Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card is coming up fast, with new card owners only having until Apr. 24 to earn 100k points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. If you can meet the minimum-spending requirement, now is the time to apply for one of the cards -- especially since we don't know how much lower the welcome bonuses will be after April 24. As a reminder, the introduction of the Bonvoy card branding (which led to new offers like this one) is a result of Marriott combining and retiring its old Marriott Rewards, Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest branding. That combination included merging points and status levels, unifying all the co-branded cards under the Marriott Bonvoy umbrella.Based on a valuation from The Points Guy, 100,000 Marriott points are worth $800 (or 0.8 cents for each point). To get an idea of how far 100,000 points can take you, you could use them for more than 15 nights at a Category 1 hotel, one night at a top-tier Category 8 property like the St. Regis Maldives or transfer your points to one of more than 40 airline partners, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant AmexThe Bonvoy Brilliant is the top-of-the-line personal credit card in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, with a $450 annual fee. It comes with plenty of perks, including: * Up to $300 in Marriott Bonvoy statement credit for each year you're a cardmember year. That credit can be put toward eligible Marriott Bonvoy purchases, including room rates. * You also get a free night award, for properties that cost up to 50,000 points (It's awarded each year after your account anniversary). * Also included is complimentary Marriott Gold elite status, which is the status level that gets you benefits including a 25% points bonus, priority late checkout and upgrades to enhanced rooms. * And you can earn 6x points on Marriott stays; 3x at US restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines (2x points on everything else).The Bonvoy Brilliant Amex is a great option for Marriott loyalists and even infrequent Marriott guests (and you can read a review summarizing the other highlights about the card here). Marriott Bonvoy Business AmexThe Bonvoy Business Amex, which includes a $125 annual fee, is great for anyone needing a business credit card and who could use some Marriott points. It also offers the following perks: * One free night award, for properties that cost up to 35,000 points, which is awarded each year after your account anniversary. * Complimentary Marriott Silver elite status. And you can earn Gold status after spending $35,000 in a calendar year. * You can also earn 6x points on Marriott stays; 4x at US restaurants, US gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from US service providers and US purchases for shipping (2x points on everything else).Check out this earlier review of the Bonvoy Business Amex for more info. Bottom LineApr. 24 is the date to keep in mind if you're looking for more Marriott points and have been eying the Bonvoy Brilliant or Bonvoy Business cards. Don't forget, the cards' benefits include a windfall of points via the welcome bonuses, plus free night awards and lots more that make them a solid deal for almost anyone who wants to sign up.
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| Libya PM Says Foreigners Are Arming Strongman’s Tripoli Push Posted: 22 Apr 2019 10:14 PM PDT ![Libya PM Says Foreigners Are Arming Strongman's Tripoli Push]( "Libya PM Says Foreigners Are Arming Strongman's Tripoli Push") Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj declined to identify the countries. Sarraj says he won't negotiate until Haftar withdraws his forces, and that he's disappointed by the muted international reaction to the assault. U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to Haftar last week, recognizing his role in combating terrorism, as Washington and Russia stymied a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire.
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| Incoming Japanese emperor's life filled with breaks from tradition Posted: 21 Apr 2019 07:31 PM PDT  Naruhito, 59, will not only be the first Japanese emperor born after World War Two and the first to be raised solely by his parents, but also the first to graduate from a university and pursue advanced studies overseas. SELFIES WITH BYSTANDERS Naruhito, the eldest of three children, was cared for by his mother, Empress Michiko, instead of being raised by wet nurses and tutors. FAMILY DEVOTION Naruhito defied palace officials to marry Masako Owada, now 55, after she caught his eye at a concert, prompting a years-long courtship during which she rejected his early proposals.
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| Demoted and sidelined: Google walkout organizers say company retaliated Posted: 22 Apr 2019 03:25 PM PDT  Staff who organized mass protests say in internal letter their roles were changed after November 2018 demonstration Workers protest against Google on 1 November 2019 in Mountain View, California. Photograph: Noah Berger/AP They helped to organize an unprecedented global protest that saw tens of thousands of Google employees walk off the job in November 2018. Now two Google employees, Meredith Whittaker and Claire Stapleton, are alleging that Google is retaliating against them and other employee activists. "Google has a culture of retaliation, which too often works to silence women, people of color, and gender minorities," reads a letter from Whittaker, Stapleton and 10 other employees that was published internally on Monday and seen by the Guardian. "Retaliation isn't always obvious. It's often confusing and drawn out, consisting of icy conversations, gaslighting, project cancellations, transition rejections, or demotions. Behavior that tells someone the problem isn't that they stood up to the company, it's that they're not good enough and don't belong." Stapleton, a nearly 12-year veteran at Google, wrote that two months after the walkout, she was demoted, had a previously approved project cancelled, and was "told to go on medical leave, even though I'm not sick". "Only after I hired a lawyer and had her contact Google did management conduct an investigation and walked back my demotion, at least on paper," she wrote. "While my work has been restored, the environment remains hostile and I consider quitting nearly every day." Whittaker, who co-founded the AI Now Institute, wrote that after Google decided to scrap its AI ethics council, she was told that her "role would be changed dramatically". "I'm told that to remain at the company, I will have to abandon my work on AI ethics and the AI Now Institute," she wrote. Neither Whittaker nor Stapleton responded immediately to a request for comment. The letter was first reported by Wired. A Google spokeswoman said that the company has already investigated these cases and determined there was no retaliation. "We prohibit retaliation in the workplace, and investigate all allegations," the spokeswoman said in a statement. "Employees and teams are regularly and commonly given new assignments, or reorganized, to keep pace with evolving business needs. There has been no retaliation here." Google employees have been at the forefront of a wave of tech worker activism that has swept the industry over the past year. Employee-organized protests have taken aim both at the company's business decisions – such as its work for a Department of Defense drone project or plans to build a censored search engine for China – and its treatment of employees and contractors. The November walkout was sparked by a New York Times report that revealed that a former executive, Andy Rubin, had received a $90m severance package despite being forced out over an allegation that he had forced a female employee to perform oral sex. The report unleashed a flood of anger and frustration among Google employees who had faced harassment or discrimination. In Monday's letter, the organizers say that they "collected over 350 stories" during the walkout, and discovered a "sad pattern": "People who stand up and report discrimination, abuse, and unethical conduct are punished, sidelined, and pushed out. Perpetrators often go unimpeded, or are even rewarded." The organizers are planning to host a Retaliation Town Hall for workers on Friday. They have reserved conference rooms and plan to live stream the discussion internally. Have you experienced retaliation for workplace activism in the tech industry? Contact the author: julia.wong@theguardian.com or julia.carrie.wong@protonmail.com
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| Democrats subpoena ex-White House counsel Don McGahn in wake of Mueller report findings Posted: 22 Apr 2019 03:22 PM PDT  The chairman of the House judiciary committee has subpoenaed former White House counsel Don McGahn to force him to publicly testify next month, in the latest fallout following the release of the Mueller report.Representative Jerry Nadler, described Mr McGahn as "a critical witness to many of the alleged instances of obstruction of justice and other misconduct described in the special counsel's report".Several other top allies to Donald Trump are expected to be subpoenaed to testify before Congress in addition to Mr McGahn, who stepped down from his post in October."The special counsel's report, even in redacted form, outlines substantial evidence that President Trump engaged in obstruction and other abuses," Mr Nadler said.He continued: "It now falls to Congress to determine for itself the full scope of the misconduct and to decide what steps to take in the exercise of our duties of oversight, legislation and constitutional accountability."Mr Nadler's subpoena requests that Mr McGahn appear before the committee on 21 May, with a deadline of 7 May to provide documents to the judiciary committee related to Mr Mueller's investigation.The subpoena comes as Democrats have wrestled with the fallout of the Mueller report, and whether they should pursue impeachment against the president in light of the multiple concerning details in the report.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is among those in the Democratic caucus who have urged patience in the process, and on Monday wrote to fellow Democrats, suggesting they allow investigations in Congress to establish a factual basis for impeachment before they begin talking on the subject.Mr McGahn's "testimony will help shed further light on the President's attacks on the rule of law, and his attempts to cover up those actions by lying to the American people and requesting others do the same", Mr Nadler said.
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| Maisie Williams could show 'as much or as little' as she wanted in shocking 'Game of Thrones' sex scene Posted: 22 Apr 2019 12:45 PM PDT  Spoiler alert! Maisie Williams, who has portrayed Arya on "Game of Thrones" since she was a young girl, opened up about appearing in her first sex scene in Season 8, Episode 2 of the series.
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| Armed border group's leader said to have assassination plans Posted: 22 Apr 2019 04:14 PM PDT  LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — The leader of an armed group that has been detaining asylum-seeking families from Central America near the Mexican border said two years ago that he was training supporters to assassinate Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and billionaire Democratic supporter George Soros, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.
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| Woman who claims Biden touched her without permission says his jokes are 'disrespectful' Posted: 23 Apr 2019 07:33 AM PDT  A Nevada Democrat who accused Joe Biden of touching her without permission says the former vice president has been "so incredibly disrespectful" by joking about the matter. Lucy Flores leveled her criticism Monday on Fox News as Biden nears an announcement of his 2020 presidential campaign.
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| Erdogan Faces Rare Rebellion Within His Party as Economy Weakens Posted: 22 Apr 2019 05:27 AM PDT ![Erdogan Faces Rare Rebellion Within His Party as Economy Weakens]( "Erdogan Faces Rare Rebellion Within His Party as Economy Weakens") Ahmet Davutoglu, who was once Erdogan's handpicked successor at the helm of the ruling AK Party, said it "must face the reality of decreasing public support" due to "arrogant" policies. The former prime minister's written statement on Monday avoided any personal criticism of Erdogan, though ripped into policies under the president from the management of economy to curbing of basic liberties and the pressure on free speech. "We can't manage the economic crisis that's in play by denying its existence," said Davutoglu, who is still an AKP member, though no longer in parliament.
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| UPDATE 3-Halliburton sees signs of price recovery, shares dip Posted: 22 Apr 2019 04:10 AM PDT ![UPDATE 3-Halliburton sees signs of price recovery, shares dip]( "UPDATE 3-Halliburton sees signs of price recovery, shares dip") Halliburton Co sought to convince investors on Monday that weak pricing which has undermined oilfield services providers over four years was on the verge of turning a corner. Better-than-expected revenue in North America, along with the company's claim that prices were bottoming out, initially drove shares in the oilfield services giant almost 5 percent higher after it published first quarter results. Shares of Halliburton were flat in midday trade.
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| Trump vents anger over impeachment as congressional leaders deliberate removing him as president Posted: 22 Apr 2019 04:22 AM PDT  Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on Democrats, accusing the party of unspecified illegality following a weekend of talk about his possible impeachment.Democratic leaders have refused to rule out starting proceedings to remove the president from office after a heavily-redacted version of the Mueller report was released on Thursday.Some prominent party figures, including 2020 presidential hopefuls Elizabeth Warren and Julian Castro, have gone further by making outright calls for the impeachment process to begin.Mr Trump has responded to that prospect by claiming the Democrats have orchestrated a criminal conspiracy in order to undermine his administration, while providing no evidence."How do you impeach a Republican President for a crime that was committed by the Democrats?" Mr Trump said on Twitter.The president's accusation followed a day in which several Democrats had raised the possibility of impeachment in interviews. House judiciary committee chairman Jerrold Nadler, whose panel would spearhead any such proceedings, said Democrats would "see where the facts lead us" after completing their own investigation."Obstruction of justice, if proven, would be impeachable," Mr Nadler told NBC's Meet the Press.A redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was issued last week following a 22-month investigation.The findings detailed numerous occasions in which Mr Trump attempted to thwart the probe. While it fell short of concluding he had committed a crime, it failed to exonerate him.Crucially, Mr Mueller also noted congress has the power to address whether the president had broken the law – and Democrats are expected to discuss what action to take in the coming weeks."That's going to be a very consequential decision and one I'm going to reserve judgment on until we have a chance to fully deliberate on it," house intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff told Fox News Sunday.Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, planned a conference call for Monday afternoon to discuss their next steps in response to the Mueller report. Mr Nadler issued a subpoena to the Justice Department to hand over the full, unredacted report and underlying evidence by 1 May. Before drawing any conclusions, he said Democrats wanted to hear from Mr Mueller and attorney general William Barr, who is scheduled to testify in early May. Mr Trump has claimed complete vindication from the Mueller investigation after a summary of findings was released by Mr Barr in March.However, since larger sections of the conclusions have been made public, the president has also attacked the report, describing its authors as "Angry Democrats" and Trump Haters".He has called for an investigation of how the FBI began the probe, and has also tried to blame Democrats, accusing them of spying on his campaign.Additional reporting by Reuters
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| Sri Lanka says militant group National Thowfeek Jamaath is suspected in Easter Sunday bombings Posted: 22 Apr 2019 05:04 AM PDT  The bombing attacks in Sri Lanka killed at least 290 people, including Americans. Who is responsible? National Thowfeek Jamaath, a militant group.
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| Which Chinese Cars Are Coming to the U.S.? The Shanghai Auto Show Offered Strong Hints Posted: 22 Apr 2019 11:30 AM PDT  Increasingly, Chinese brands are eyeing the U.S. market and making serious plans to come here. Which ones? Read on.
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| Modi among tens of millions to vote in India's 'Super Tuesday' polls Posted: 23 Apr 2019 09:06 AM PDT  Tens of millions of Indians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, voted on India's "Super Tuesday" in the latest round of polls when the biggest number of seats are decided in the country's marathon election. Nearly 190 million voters were eligible to vote on 117 seats spread across 15 Indian states, stretching from the Himalayas to the Indian ocean, in the third of the seven phases of the mega polls. Heavy security has been put in place, with violent clashes erupting between rival groups in eastern India's West Bengal state, killing one political worker.
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