Palm Desert

Sean Spicer resigns as White House press secretary

WH press secretary Sean Spicer resigned on Friday amid changes to President Trump’s communications shop. Anthony Scaramucci was named communications director.

Ex-CIA Director Hayden: Russia election meddling was ‘most successful covert operation in history’

Michael Hayden, former head of the NSA and CIA, called Russia’s interference in the 2016 election the “most successful covert influence operation in history.”

Illinois man charged with Chinese scholar kidnapping pleads not guilty

An Illinois man charged with kidnapping a female Chinese scholar who has been missing for more than a month pleaded not guilty during an appearance in a U.S. court on Thursday. Brendt Christensen, 28, is accused of abducting Yingying Zhang, a 26-year-old visiting scholar at the University of Illinois from southeastern China, who disappeared on June 9. Zhang, who had been studying photosynthesis and crop productivity, was last seen when a security camera recorded her getting into a black car that authorities linked to Christensen, according to court records.

USS Fitzgerald crash that killed seven American sailors 'was navy's own fault'

A deadly crash between a US warship and a Philippine cargo vessel is believed to have been the fault of the US navy, according to CNN citing preliminary investigations into the incident which claimed the lives of seven American sailors. The network said that two officials from the Department of Defence said that there were multiple errors by the crew of the USS Fitzgerald that led to the collision in June. The crash between the Fitzgerald, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and the ACX Crystal on 17 June claimed the lives of seven US sailors.

In surrealist twist, Dali exhumed in paternity lawsuit

FIGUERES, Spain (AP) — Salvador Dali's eccentric artistic and personal history has taken yet another bizarre turn with the exhumation of his embalmed remains in order to find genetic samples that could settle whether one of the founding figures of surrealism fathered a girl decades ago.

Ohio treasurer and Senate candidate takes on Anti-Defamation League over far-right ‘witch hunt’

Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, a candidate in next year’s Republican Senate primary, sided Thursday with two prominent right-wing nationalist commentators over the Anti-Defamation League, which put them on a watch list of what it called “alt-lite” figures.

Great White Shark Gets Shockingly Close To Paddle Boarders Near California

Paddle boarders came dangerously close to a great white shark in Califonia waters.

Man Fatally Stabs Dog That Sided With Girlfriend in Arguments: Cops

Cops in Florida say Mike Lado was angry the dog, Blue, showed favoritism toward his live-in girlfriend.

Why Spicer's Resignation Is Bad News for Reince Priebus

NBC’s Kristen Welker reports on how Sean Spicer’s resignation will affect White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.

The many indignities of Sean Spicer

White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigned his post Friday after six months and one half day on the job, surviving almost weekly predictions of his imminent departure at the hands of one or another of the president’s aides and advisers. The final indignity appeared to be Trump’s hiring of Anthony Scaramucci as the new White House communications director, which became public shortly before.

Teenagers who filmed and laughed as disabled man drowned had no legal duty to save him, experts say

Teenagers who laughed while filming a disabled man as he drowned instead of rescuing him had no legal obligation to help, according to experts. Police are pursuing misdemeanour charges against the five minors, aged between 14 and 16, for failing to report the death of Jamie Dunn. As the 31-year-old drowned in a Florida pond on 9 July, the five teenagers mocked, laughed at and recorded him dying before posting the video online.

Visa issues take spotlight after Burundi teens exit event

WASHINGTON (AP) — The big controversy leading up to the FIRST Global international robotics competition in Washington was whether a team of girls from Afghanistan would be able to participate, after their initial visa applications were denied.

Abbas freezes Israel contact over holy site dispute

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Friday he was freezing contacts with Israel over new security measures at a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site, after deadly clashes erupted earlier in the day. Abbas said in a speech that the freeze would stay in place until Israel lifted the measures at the Haram al-Sharif mosque compound, which Jews refer to as the Temple Mount. "I, on behalf of the Palestinian leadership, announce... a freeze of all contacts with the occupation state on all levels until Israel commits to cancelling all the measures against our Palestinian people in general and Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa mosque in particular," Abbas said to applause from Palestinian officials.

'No more woe is me': Senator McCain vows quick return to Washington

By Richard Cowan and David Schwartz WASHINGTON/PHOENIX, Ariz. (Reuters) - U.S. Senator John McCain promised on Thursday he would return rapidly to Washington despite his newly diagnosed brain cancer, flashing the fighting spirit that has defined him since he was held in captivity as a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War. McCain, a veteran senator and former Republican presidential candidate known as a strong and sometimes fiercely independent voice on defense and security issues, was found to have an aggressive form of brain tumor, glioblastoma, after surgery last week for a blood clot above his left eye. The news, issued by his office late on Wednesday, drew a wave of support from across the political spectrum, and raised questions about how long McCain would be absent from the Senate, where Republicans have a narrow majority and are eager to notch up some legislative successes for President Donald Trump.

FTC Investigating Claims Of Amazon's Deceptive Bargain Prices

The FTC is probing claims made in a nonprofit report that says Amazon is misleading consumers about price bargains. Could this put the Amazon acquisition of Whole Foods in question?

NY Times reporter criticized for penning 'attack on white women' in essay about racism

An African-American New York Times reporter is being criticized for his essay about the potentially racist challenges he faces from white women while navigating the city's sidewalks, notes The Hill.

Freshen up: the best water-based moisturizers for summer

Along with warmer weather, summer brings with it the ideal opportunity to switch up your beauty regime. Trade in heavier creams and lotions for one of these innovative water- or gel-based formulas, which are designed to cool and soothe the skin while also providing long-lasting hydration. Having already sold out twice at Sephora since it launched in April this year, Tatcha's The Water Cream is one of the beauty emporium's best-selling moisturizers ever.

5-Year-Old Girl Fined Nearly $200 for Holding Lemonade Stand

"Have I done a bad thing?"

Donald Trump's immigration crackdown encapsulated in poignant images of father being deported

A man said goodbye to his wife and four children as he was deported from the US to Mexico after 16 years. Campaigners, lawyers and politicians arrived at Cleveland airport to denounce Jesus Lara Lopez’s removal as one of “the darkest times in our nation”. Mr Lara Lopez comforted his children, who will now grow up without a father present.

The Latest: Venezuela UN diplomat calls on Maduro to resign

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The Latest on Venezuela's political crisis and the opposition's general strike (all times local):

Trump warns Iran over detained Americans: White House

U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face "new and serious consequences" unless all unjustly detained American citizens were released and returned, the White House said in a statement on Friday. Trump urged Iran to return Robert Levinson, an American former law enforcement officer who disappeared more than 10 years ago in Iran, and demanded that Tehran release businessman Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer. The statement capped a week of rhetoric against Tehran.

After Woman’s Mysterious Death At Mexico Resort, Tourists Report Similar Incidents

Twenty-year-old Abbey Conner died after drowning in chest-high water at a luxury Mexican resort this year.

Audi voluntarily recalls up to 850,000 diesel vehicles

German luxury carmaker Audi, a Volkswagen subsidiary, issued a voluntary recall of up to 850,000 diesel vehicles Friday, saying it would help reduce engine emissions. "Audi aims to maintain the future viability of diesel engines for its customers and to make a contribution towards improving air quality," the Bavaria-based manufacturer said in a statement. Vehicles with affected engines would receive a free software upgrade that "will further improve their emissions in real driving conditions beyond the current legal requirements," Audi added.

BBQ Power Bowls Are The Perfect Healthy Summer Lunch

All the best parts of barbecue in one bowl!

This Mercedes G-Wagen/E-Class mash-up is the off-roader we've always wanted

No, this is not some sham or gimmick of a rendering—this Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain 4x4² is very real and it comes straight from the brilliantly twisted mind of a Mercedes-Benz engineer. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain was revealed last year as the brand's answer to the Audi and Volvo soft-roading wagons of the world. It's currently sold exclusively in Europe with a choice of diesel engines.

New York Couple Pleads Guilty to Enslaving Korean Children for 6 Years

The children have been reunited with their parents

Arizona Senate Candidate: John McCain Should 'Step Away as Quickly as Possible' After Cancer Diagnosis

"I hope that Senator McCain is going to look long and hard at this"

Kentucky told to pay attorney fees in same-sex marriage case

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A federal judge has ordered Kentucky taxpayers to pay more than $220,000 in attorneys' fees for an elected county clerk who caused a national uproar by refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2016.

How many nukes are in the world and what could they destroy?

Tensions over nuclear weapons have been raised further after North Korea claimed to have successfully test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile.  This latest move comes amid increasing concern over North Korea's military capabilities, with the new US administration upping its rhetoric in response.  While the Pyongyang regime increases the frequency with which it is conducting missile tests, Donald Trump's defence secretary Jim 'Mad Dog' Mattis has warned North Korea of an "effective and overwhelming" response if Pyongyang used nuclear weapons. Elsewhere, rhetoric hints at a return of the expansion of nuclear arsenals across the world. In December, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a meeting of defence chiefs that strengthening nuclear capability should be a key objective for 2017. Donald Trump then took to Twitter to respond, vowing to do the same. The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016 Such rhetoric has led to concerns about the world's nuclear capacity and the unpredictability of those in charge of the warheads. It seems the world is a long way from "coming to its senses" - with millions of kilotons already in military service around the world. Between them, the world's nuclear-armed states have around 15,000 warheads - the majority of which belong to the US and Russia. It is estimated that just under 10,000 of these are in military service, with the rest awaiting dismantlement, according to the Arms Control Association.  Putin says Russia should strengthen its nuclear arsenal 00:51 Which countries have nuclear weapons? There are five nuclear-weapon states in the world: China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States. These are officially recognised as possessing such weapons by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This treaty acknowledges and legitimises their arsenals, but they are not supposed to build or maintain them forever. Indeed, they have committed to eliminate them.  There are also four other countries that have nuclear weapons: Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea. These countries didn't sign the Treaty, and together possess an estimated 340 nuclear weapons.  But it's Russia and the US that have by far the most in the world - dominating all other countries by collectively sharing 88 per cent of the world's arsenal of stockpiled nukes. This figure increases to 93 per cent when we consider retired nukes.  How the world's 15,000 nukes are divided How deadly could these nuclear weapons be? The world's current collection of 14,900 nuclear weapons possesses enough power to kill millions of people and flatten dozens of cities.  According to Telegraph research, it is estimated that the US and Russian arsenals combined have power equating to 6,600 megatons. This is a tenth of the total solar energy received by Earth every minute. According to the NukeMap website, the dropping of the B-83, the largest bomb in the current US arsenal, would kill 1.4m people in the first 24 hours. A further 3.7m people would be injured, as the thermal radiation radius reached 13.km.  Likewise, the "Tsar Bomba" is the largest USSR bomb tested. If this bomb was dropped on New York, it is estimated that it could kill 7.6m people and injure 4.2m more. The nuclear fallout could reach an approximate area of 7,880km on a 15mph wind, impacting millions more people.  Both America and Russia's arsenals are regulated by several treaties that place limits on the numbers and kinds of warheads and delivery systems they have.   If either country were to expand their nuclear capacity even further, as Trump and Putin have hinted at, it could shatter these agreements and plunge the world into a new Cold War. North Korean missile ranges Our figures on nuclear weapons, based on statistics from the Arms Control Association, are mainly estimates because of the secretive nature with which most governments treat information about their arsenals. 

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Release Date Confirmed; Aug. 23 Unpacked Event Invites Sent

Samsung will host a launch event in August, confirming weeks of rumors.

NASA's Next Great X-Plane Will Try to Revolutionize Electric Flight

The X-57 Maxwell is a whole new way of thinking about efficient aviation.

Berlin reviews Turkish arms requests as crisis deepens

By Orhan Coskun and Michelle Martin ANKARA/BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany said on Friday it was reviewing applications for arms projects from Turkey, accusing its NATO ally of ramping up covert operations as an attempt by a Turkish minister to calm a deepening bilateral crisis fell flat. While one minister in Berlin compared Ankara's behavior over the detention of six rights activists to the authoritarian former communist East Germany, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Germany to "pull itself together". Bilateral tensions were already high after bitter recriminations during a referendum in April on extending Erdogan's powers and a pullout of German troops from a Turkish air base that began this month.

Police Dispatcher Asks Cops to Help Him Propose During Traffic Stop

A Texas woman was shocked when a police officer pulled her over.

Teenage cheerleader accused of killing newborn baby and burying it in garden

An 18-year-old cheerleader has been arrested after her child’s remains were found buried in her backyard, with investigators revealing the baby was alive at the time of birth. Brooke Skylar Richardson was charged with reckless homicide in the US state of Ohio on Friday after evidence emerged that the child “was not a stillborn baby”, according to the Dayton Daily News. Authorities determined the infant died more than two months ago and only found the child's remains because of a tip from a doctor's office.

Republicans Bashed This Budget Scorekeeper. Now Every Former Director Is Speaking Up

Every former director of the Congressional Budget Office has signed a letter urging Congress to "respect" CBO.

Sprint is just straight-up trolling Verizon now

In absence of actually having a good network, Sprint is relying on some top-notch PR to bother Verizon. Sprint already stole away Verizon's signature spokesperson -- Mr "Can You Hear Me Now?" -- and it's now hitting on Verizon's pricing with a savage stunt. For one day only, Sprint has opened up a "Twice the Price" shop next to a Verizon store in Queens, NY. The concept is a store filled with regular things that are twice the price, just like Verizon's plans are twice the price of Sprint. It's an incredibly brazen attempt to hit Verizon where it hurts most, and it is kinda funny. Verizon has arguably the best network around: it comes joint-top in most speed tests with T-Mobile, and its coverage is hands-down the best in rural areas and indoors. But Verizon's pricing is undeniably high. Even the new Unlimited plan, which was meant to be Verizon's answer to T-Mobile One, is $80 a month for the first line. Now, you can argue that Verizon's plans are still value for money. The Unlimited plan comes with good perks like 10GB of hotspot data, which you pay extra for on T-Mobile (or anyone else), and Verizon does get you more consistent coverage. But for the average user, Sprint's betting that paying half the price makes up for any shortcomings in service. Sprint doesn't have the money to build out its network to compete with Verizon, so the "Twice the Price" store is going to have to do as a competitive strategy for now.

A tenderloin gets an assist from dark brown sugar, paprika

As its name implies, the tenderloin is one of the most tender cuts of pork, and comes from the full loin. It's mild in flavor and takes well to rubs, marinades and sauces. Tenderloins range in weight from 10 ounces to 1 1/2 pounds. I prefer the smaller 10-12 ounce tenderloins and look for those when I am shopping for meat.

US special ops chief confirms CIA ending support for Syria rebels

The head of the US military's special operations confirmed Friday that the Central Intelligence Agency is shutting down its program to support rebels fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. General Tony Thomas denied that the four-year-old operation was brought to an end as a way to placate Russia and earn its support for a ceasefire in southwestern Syria. It was a "tough, tough decision" but "absolutely not a sop to the Russians," Thomas said at a forum in Aspen, Colorado.

Warren Buffet Blames ‘Stupidity’ For Not Investing In Amazon

Here's what the famed billionaire had to say about the e-commerce giant.

Mercedes-Benz Builds 300,000th G-Class

After 38 years in production, Mercedes' hand-built luxury SUV has just seen the 300,000th unit roll off the production line at the Magna Steyr facility in Graz, Austria, where it's been built throughout its entire lifespan. While some vehicles that have been in the market for several decades have sold tens of millions of units, there are other models with equally long and illustrious histories that are altogether more exclusive. One that certainly falls into that latter category is the iconic Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen, or G-Wagen as it's more commonly known.

Saudi king overhauls security services following royal shakeup

By Hadeel Al Sayegh DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi King Salman on Thursday decreed the consolidation of counter-terrorism and domestic intelligence under a new body, in a major overhaul of the security apparatus weeks after the interior minister was ousted from the royal succession. The string of late night royal decrees also ordered a shakeup of senior personnel, replacing the head of the elite royal guard and elevating the head of the newly created Presidency of State Security, Abdulaziz bin Mohammed al-Howairini, and his deputy to the rank of ministers. The moves inside the world's biggest oil exporting nation centralizes authority in security matters to the king and his young son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has made a rapid rise to the pinnacle of power at the expense of his cousin, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef.

California parents trying to control kids can lose custody

The state can take wayward children away from their parents even when they are doing their best to control their kids and the kids aren't delinquents, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday.