Lake Charles

Team Trump plots revenge on Mueller amid calls to 'investigate the investigators'

Donald Trump and his allies are attempting to turn his two-year Russia investigation saga into a political boost for the 2020 presidential election in the wake of the Mueller report.  The president’s Justice Department is looking into the inquiry’s origins to see if US intelligence over-stepped the line, cheered on by supporters who want to “investigate the investigators”.  The Trump re-election campaign is fundraising off the report, attempting to raise $1 million with emails titled “EXONERATED (again)” and “CONFIRMED: NO COLLUSION”.  Figures close to the White House have also told The Sunday Telegraph that they believe Mr Trump could benefit from any impeachment move, triggering a backlash from US voters who see it as rushed.  The emerging strategy suggests that far from drawing a line under the report by special counsel Robert Mueller, Mr Trump is preparing to use it as a rallying cry for his support base.  In tweets late on Friday night, Mr Trump dubbed Mr Mueller’s investigation a “big, fat, waste of time, energy and money” and signposted his determination to scrutinise how it begun.  “It is now finally time to turn the tables and bring justice to some very sick and dangerous people who have committed very serious crimes, perhaps even spying or treason,” he tweeted. “This should never happen again!” Mr Mueller’s findings, published on Thursday after a 22-month investigation, found there was no conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin in the 2016 US election.  It also did not recommend an obstruction of justice charge against Mr Trump. He pointedly refused to say no crime had been committed by the president but handed the decision to the Justice Department, who brought no charges.  Those two top-line outcomes have allowed the president to declare “no collusion, no obstruction” and his legal team to announce “total victory”.  pic.twitter.com/222atp7wuB— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2019 The 448-report itself paints a more complex picture, one where Mr Trump repeatedly attempted to thwart the Mueller investigation and both lie himself or make subordinates do likewise. The president urged his legal counsel to say he was not ordered to fire Mr Mueller when he was, the report found. Mr Trump also issued misleading statements to the press to deny reports now confirmed.  The Democrats have attempted to force the spotlight on this “unethical” behavior but are split on how to proceed – whether to begin impeachment proceedings now or wait until the 2020 election to remove him from office.  William Barr, Mr Trump’s newly installed US attorney general, announced shortly before the Mueller report’s release that he would look into how US government officials begun the Russia investigation before the 2016 election.  William Barr, Donald Trump's recently appointed US attorney general, oversaw the handling of the Mueller report Credit:  MANDEL NGAN / AFP The president’s allies see political advantage, framing the investigation as a deep state ploy to thwart Mr Trump – despite the insistence of those involved that they were acting in the public interest.  Sebastian Gorka, a former deputy assistant in the White House, told this newspaper: “It’s clear that what we’ve seen in the last two years is an attempt to use the American intelligence community in a politically motivated spying scandal.” Emails sent out by the Trump campaign in the 24 hours after the report to supporters also used the findings to generate a new wave of funds.  “Sorry haters: NO COLLUSION & EXONERATION AGAIN! How many times do I have to be exonerated before they stop? WHAT A JOKE!” read one line in a fund-raising email, sent in Mr Trump's name on Friday.  “The attacks and lies will keep coming because Democrats know they don’t stand a chance in 2020. That’s why we need to fight back BIGGER and STRONGER than ever before.”  It went on: “Let's send a HUGE message to all of the Trump Haters by raising $1,000,000 in the NEXT 24 HOURS.”  The email ended by saying that Mr Trump would be handed a list naming everyone who had contributed before the 24-hour deadline. The Trump campaign has since confirmed it hit the $1 million mark within 24 hours.

The Latest: Crown of Thorns presented at Paris service

PARIS (AP) — The Latest on the fire that ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (all times local):

Israel destroys family apartments of accused Palestinian killer

Israeli forces destroyed two apartments in the occupied West Bank on Friday that housed the family of a Palestinian accused of killing an Israeli woman in February, the army said. Some clashes broke out between Palestinian residents and Israeli forces during the operation, AFP journalists reported.

Thousands of Peruvians say goodbye to ex-president following suicide

Garcia shot himself in the head on Wednesday to avoid arrest in connection with alleged bribes from Brazilian builder Odebrecht, in the most dramatic turn yet in Latin America's largest graft scandal. Friends, allies and leaders across the political spectrum paid homage to Garcia at the headquarters of his APRA party, one of Latin America's oldest political parties, and one which twice helped usher Garcia to the presidency. Vizcarra ordered flags to be flown at half mast at the country's Congress and other public buildings to honor the ex-President and former lawmaker.

France salutes 'exemplary' firefighters for saving Notre-Dame

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday hailed as "exemplary" hundreds of firefighters who saved Notre-Dame in the devastating blaze, as efforts intensified to shore up the still fragile cathedral. Some 600 firefighters worked throughout the night Monday to put out the fire at the Paris landmark and prevent an even worse disaster, in a blaze that felled the spire and destroyed two-thirds of its roof. A prayer vigil was held at another of Paris's landmark churches, the Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart), on Thursday which was due to remain open all night.

Google is making it easier for Android users in Europe to pick a new browser

We've known for a while now that Google offered Android users in Europe a different experience than international customers, and that's because the European Union really wants Google to behave a lot less like a monopoly than before. Google lost three major anti-trust cases in the region, including one that concerns Android.The European Commission slapped Google with three multi-billion fines in each case, which Google has contested. But the company agreed to make changes to its business models, and the changes also concern its mobile operating system. We know now what changes are in place for Android in Europe.Google explained in a new blog post on the matter that Android users in Europe will get search app and browser options, and showed the world what those prompts will look like.The new screens will be shown the first time a user opens Google Play after receiving an update. We're looking at two screens, one for search and one for browsers, as follows below.Each screen will present the user five apps, including the ones that are installed. The apps that are not installed will show up based on their popularity, but they'll show up in a randomized order.A third screen will be shown to users when they install a search app. Google will ask whether they want to change Chrome's default search engine the next time they open the browser.These screens will show up on both existing and new Android phones in Europe in the coming weeks, Google explained, and their implementation will "evolve" over time.

Drunk on smoke: Notre Dame's bees survive cathedral blaze

PARIS (AP) — Hunkered down in their hives and drunk on smoke, Notre Dame's smallest official residents — some 180,000 bees — somehow managed to survive the inferno that consumed the cathedral's ancient wooden roof.

4/20 specials: 'High' priority list of munchie deals at Pizza Hut, Carl's Jr., Lyft, more

Saturday Is 4/20, aka Weed Day, and that means specials for cannabis fans across the country. Pizza Hut, Wing Zone, Lyft and Boston Market have deals.

How the U.S. Navy Sunk Imperial Japan's Top Secret Aircraft Carrier

“No doubt he intends to act as a decoy at some point to lure away our screening destroyers. That accomplished, his comrades can approach Shinano unopposed. We must guard against any such ploy,” grumbled the thoughtful skipper.The first torpedo struck farthest aft. Over the next 30 seconds three more warheads detonated against the massive aircraft carrier’s hull, working their way forward. The explosions and instant flooding immediately killed scores of men, many asleep in their bunks.As tons of seawater cascaded into the wounded colossus, men below deck could see the extent of the damage, were seized with panic, and stampeded topside. The missiles had hit 10 feet below the water line, and on the bridge and upper levels the commander and his officers were not yet aware of how sorely they were hurt. Many had survived earlier torpedo attacks, and aboard less formidable vessels than this one. Even as their gargantuan ship began to list, they remained optimistic.“Expressing the Flavor of an Ancient Samurai”

Mueller Report’s Unwritten Chapter: Why Russians Were Courting Trump World

Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/GettyThe Mueller report answers lots of questions but leaves one big one lingering: Why were so many Russians so eager to ingratiate themselves with Trump World?The report is in one sense a story of meetings, pitches, and introductions that were entertained but ultimately unfulfilled. “In some instances, the Campaign was receptive to the offers” of Russian help, “while in other instances the Campaign officials shied away," the report says. In any case, no one broke the law with a criminal conspiracy. Special counsel Robert Mueller reaffirmed the intelligence community’s conclusions that the Russian government directed an online campaign of hacking and trolling to help Donald Trump in 2016. What’s less clear are the intentions of the many Russians who reached out to the Trump campaign offline and whether they were well-connected covert emissaries of the Kremlin or just hucksters trying to latch onto the coattails of a potential president.  Parsing the motivations of the various Russian supplicants is difficult in part because many of them were a mirror image of their counterparts in Trump World: D-listers in their own political hierarchy for whom the line between state policy and personal gain is unclear. In previous court filings and in the special counsel’s final report, prosecutors wrote that the FBI believes Konstantin Kilimnik, a former partner in Paul Manafort’s consulting business in Ukraine who had worked for the Soviet army as a translator in the 1980s, has “ties to Russian intelligence.” Kilimnik held a Russian diplomatic passport as recently as 1997, and a number of his former associates relayed their belief that the dual Russian-Ukrainian national was, at least at some point, a spy.Kilimnik, the report reveals, received not just a single briefing from Manafort on Trump campaign polling and messaging strategy in August 2016 but continuous updates via text messages from Manafort’s aide Rick Gates. In turn, Kilimnik passed along a peace plan for Ukraine that Manafort himself recognized as a “backdoor” to recognizing Russia’s de facto annexation of rebel-held parts of the country. Prosecutors concluded they could “not reliably determine” why Manafort passed along the polling data. Viewed in one light, it certainly can appear as though Kilimnik, a former intelligence officer, was a mere cutout for Manafort to pass Trump campaign information to the Russian government. But prosecutors couldn’t determine what Kilimnik did with the information, and both Manafort and Gates suggested an alternate explanation for the exchange: money.Manafort had run afoul of Oleg Deripaska, a wealthy Russian oligarch, when an investment fund  he tanked lost Deripaska millions and prompted a lawsuit. The report says Manafort had been trying to get back in his good graces ever since he’d taken a job at the Trump campaign. At the Aug. 2, 2016, meeting where Manafort had raised polling and fielded a peace plan, he also discussed the possibility that Deripaska could drop the lawsuit filed after the collapse of the investment fund. Kilimnik, in that sense, was Manafort’s way to kiss up to Deripaska again.Deripaska’s deep pockets and litigiousness may have drawn Manafort’s focus, but he’s more than just a money man. The Trump administration sanctioned him in 2018 for acting as a representative of the Russian government. His aide, Victor Boyarkin, who the report says ferried messages to Manafort via Kilimnik, is a former GRU officer whom the Treasury Department sanctioned for “providing Russian financial support to a Montenegrin political party ahead of Montenegro’s 2016 elections” shortly before Russia allegedly tried to pull off a coup in the country. Deripaska’s interest in Manafort may have not been just money either. In January 2017, the report says Manafort traveled to Madrid to meet a Deripaska aide and discuss “recreating [the] old friendship” between the two men but also “global politics.” Manafort sent an email to Trump’s incoming deputy national security adviser, K.T. McFarland, when he got back to the U.S. three days later about “important information” he had picked up “on my travels over the last month.” Manafort claimed it was about Cuba; the special counsel’s office couldn’t say whether that was true. In any case, no one appears to have followed up.Not all of the Russians pitching the Trump campaign had sinister backgrounds in the spy world.When the special counsel’s office charged Michael Cohen with lying to Congress, it offered the tantalizing detail that he had met with someone who promised “political synergy” from the Russian government and the ability to set up a meeting with President Vladimir Putin and then candidate Trump. Stripped of his anonymity, synergy man seems a far less impressive operator. Mueller’s final report identifies him as Dmitry Klokov, the director of public relations for a Russian electrical transmission company who had once been a spokesperson for a former Russian energy minister. If he could’ve set up a Putin meeting, he didn’t try very hard—Cohen dumped him after a few phone calls.  Or Natalia Veselnitskaya, the lawyer at the center of the infamous Trump Tower meeting in 2016. The Trump side of that meeting’s intentions were obvious enough from Donald Trump Jr.’s exclamation of “I love it” when Veselnitskaya claimed that she had dirt on the Clintons compliments of the Russian government. Her hints at government sources have since been borne out by an indictment in New York that alleges that she lied about ghostwriting correspondence for Russian officials to send to their American counterparts. And her clients—wealthy Russians who’ve had money seized on corruption charges—have interests that dovetail directly with one of Moscow’s most pressing foreign policy priorities: the removal of sanctions against Russian nationals and companies. So was she representing her clients at that meeting or the broader interests of the Kremlin? Mueller doesn’t say, but the bait she offered—unsupported allegations about money laundering she couldn’t connect to Hillary Clinton—was far short of tempting. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here

Relatives of German bus crash victims arrive in Madeira

FUNCHAL, Portugal (AP) — Relatives of some of the 29 German tourists who died in a bus crash in Madeira arrived on the Portuguese island on Friday as investigators pushed on with the task of finding out why the bus veered off the road and plunged down a slope.

Assad urges progress on Idlib deal ahead of Syria talks

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday called for progress on a stalled buffer zone deal around jihadist-dominated Idlib region ahead of fresh talks aimed at ending his country's eight-year war. Assad met envoy Alexander Lavrentiev from key ally Russia in Damascus to discuss the negotiations due April 25-26 in Kazakhstan. Iran and Russia are the major supporters of the Syrian regime, and along with rebel backer Turkey have sponsored repeated rounds of talks in the Central Asian nation.

2020 Lincoln Corsair Preview

All-New 2020 Lincoln Corsair Gains Interior Glamour and Tech Lincoln unveiled its all-new Corsair at the New York International Auto Show this week, replacing the MKC luxury compact SUV. But thi...

Macron's polls rise to highest level since yellow vest revolt as French approve his handling of Notre-Dame fire

Emmanuel Macron’s approval ratings have risen to levels not seen since before the “yellow vest” revolt erupted last autumn with most French feeling he “rose to the occasion” over the Notre-Dame fire, a poll out on Friday suggests. President Macron's popularity plummeted last September following a tax rise on pensioners and a backlash over plans to raise fuel taxes. According to BVA, Mr Macron has clawed back three points in the past month and is now on 32 per cent with six out of ten French feeling he did a good job handling the Notre-Dame inferno. Mr Macron had been due to broadcast a key televised address on Monday night to address ”yellow vest” concerns in the wake two months of debates around the country. Leaked details of the speech suggest he was going to announce tax cuts for poor households and a boost to small pensions, among other measures. Instead, he rushed to the famed Gothic building in central Paris and later promised to rebuild the cathedral within five years.  A poll out yesterday suggested most of the measures Mr Macron was due to announce “answered” yellow vest demands, although the vast majority were angry at his refusal to instantly reinstate a wealth tax. Mr Macron is expected to detail the measures in person next week. The poll also found that 54 per cent of French think “yellow vest” protests should be put on hold in the name of national unity over Notre-Dame. Due to the fragility of the building and the risk of violence, police are to impose a protest ban on the area around the fire-stricken for Saturday's 23rd consecutive “gilets jaunes” protest. Despite this, police fear fresh protests in the French capital on Saturday with the interior minister warning “some people literally want to trash Paris”. A number of high-profile gilets jaunes figures have called for action with some outraged that almost €1billion (£865 million) was donated to rebuilding Notre-Dame while there was no such gesture for the poor. Yesterday the last artworks inside the cathedral were removed with art conservationists confirming none suffered major damage in the fire. In more good news, the 180,000 bees kept in hives on the monument that were thought to have perished in this week's fire were discovered alive.

The Quick Read About… Ukraine’s Run-Off Presidential Elections

Here's what you need to know about the Ukrainian presidential election run-off between insider candidate and a popular comedian.

Church apologizes after video shows cleric inviting kids to spit, slap and cut him for Easter lesson

An associate pastor at Impact City Church in Pataskala, Ohio, invited abuse from youths, including spitting, slapping, and allegedly cutting.

NFL defensive back Ha Ha Clinton-Dix's college degree withheld for $1 debt

Chicago Bears defensive back Ha Ha Clinton-Dix tweeted Thursday that the University of Alabama is holding his degree, which he earned in 2018, over a $1 unpaid debt. It's unclear why Clinton-Dix owes Alabama a single dollar but he should have no problem finding the pocket change as he recently signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Bears in the offseason.

Driver with STAYUMBL license plate, notorious for cutting people off around Durham, charged in incident with bus

The STAYUMBL license plate is notorious on the road and social media. Folks say the driver behind the wheel will speed up, cut people off and then slam on her brakes, sometimes causing a crash.

The Latest: Report shows Trump trying to shut down probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russia and President Donald Trump (all times local):

US authorities arrest man linked to N.Korea embassy raid

US authorities have arrested a former marine in connection with a mysterious February raid on North Korea’s embassy in Spain during which masked assailants roughed-up staff and stole computers, the Washington Post reported Saturday. Citing two sources familiar with the case, the Post said federal authorities arrested Christopher Ahn, a former US Marine and member of a group dedicated to the overthrow of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. A dissident organisation known as the Cheollima Civil Defense (CCD) said it had orchestrated the February 22 embassy raid to highlight illicit activities rampant in North Korea's foreign missions.

Police official: Short-circuit likely caused Notre Dame fire

PARIS (AP) — Paris police investigators think an electrical short-circuit most likely caused the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, a police official said Thursday, as France paid a daylong tribute to the firefighters who saved the world-renowned landmark.

Did Ukraine Just Build a Cruise Missile That Can Stike 1000 Kilometers Away?

As the Ukrainian election heats up in April 2019, the incumbent President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko made a bold claim: Ukraine has made an indigenous cruise missile with a range of 1000 kilometers, capable of carrying a 150-kilogram warhead.The strategic implications of such a weapon might be critical for Ukrainian defense planning. But what is the missile likely based on? How could it be an effective deterrent?Using long-range conventional cruise missiles for deterrence against Russia is not without precedent. The American JASSM long-range aerial-launched cruise missiles are popular exports to countries bordering Russia, with Finland buying regular JASSMs with ranges of around 370 kilometers and Poland buying JASSM-ERs with ranges in excess of 900 kilometers.A common narrative is that these missiles would be used to strike Russian Anti-Access/Area-Denial (A2/AD) weapons, allowing NATO air and sea reinforcements to operate in event of conflict. This too is applicable to Ukraine.However, a more crucial aspect may be delaying Russian reinforcements to a potential conflict. By striking infrastructure and troop concentrations, long-range cruise missiles may hinder reinforcements reaching the front line at critical points during battle.

How to Get Rid of Lawn Weeds

Unless you stop them, weeds are going to grow in your lawn. Here's what you need to do.

Speed test between the US Galaxy S10 and the global version might surprise you

Every year, Samsung releases two versions of its flagship phones: One with a Qualcomm processor, and one with its own Exynos processor. This is once again the case for the Galaxy S10, which comes equipped with the Snapdragon 855 in the United States, and the Exynos 9820 in several other regions around the world.In past years, the Exynos chipset has often outperformed Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon, but there were signs early on that Samsung's new processor might struggle to match Qualcomm's in 2019. As it turns out, the Snapdragon 855's impressive benchmark scores did indeed translate over to real-world usage, as PhoneBuff shows in a video featuring a speed test that pits the Snapdragon Galaxy S10 against the Exynos Galaxy S10.As in his other speed test videos, the self-proclaiming PhoneBuff has both phones open sixteen apps consecutively, while waiting for each of them to load before moving on to the next. Although most of the apps opened at about the same speed on both phones, the Snapdragon S10 was never slower than the Exynos S10. Any time there was a discrepancy, the phone with the Snapdragon processor came out on top:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts6DWsktKxYAgain, due to the benchmarks, this shouldn't surprise anyone, but after lagging behind in previous years, it's nice to know that American Android fans are getting the "better" version of the phone this time around. That said, phones are so ridiculously fast at this point, that the differences between top-of-the-line processors are going to be minuscule (as demonstrated by the twelve second difference above), but at least we know we're not missing out this time.

Robert Mueller report: Key findings from special counsel's Trump investigation

Donald Trump attempted to fire special counsel Robert Mueller after expressing fears the probe would “end” his presidency, according to the newly released Mueller report.  The order, which came just weeks after Mr Mueller had been appointed in May 2017, was among a string of incidents of alleged obstruction of justice recounted in detail by the Mueller report.  Mr Mueller, who was tasked with looking into Russian election meddling in the 2016 campaign, makes clear in the report that he was not exonerating Mr Trump over obstruction of justice.  The 448-page report was released on Thursday. The full findings are still emerging as journalists and congressmen scour the full document.  Here are the key pieces of information that have emerged so far. Russia's carried out "systematic" election meddling but Trump campaign did not cooperate The Kremlin used the Internet Research Agency (IRA) to carry out an operation to undermine the US electoral system which began in 2014. Through the IRA, the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential in “sweeping and systematic fashion” to aid Donald Trump and harm Hillary Clinton, the report states. Tweets from an IRA account was quoted or retweeted by Trump campaign officials and surrogates, including Donald Trump Jnr, Eric Trump, Kellyanne Conway, Brad Parscale and Michael Flynn. However while Mr Mueller found that the Trump campaign “expected" to benefit from Russia's hacking, he did not establish that the Trump campaign "coordinated or conspired with the Russian government". Trump attempted to fire Mueller When Mr Trump learned of Robert Mueller's appointment he told attorney general Jeff Sessions: “Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I’m f---ed.” Mr Trump later attempted to get Mr Mueller fired, the report states. Mr Trump called the White House counsel Don McGahn and directed him to tell Rod Rosenstein, who was overseeing the investigation, to fire the special counsel. On more than one occasion the president told the White House counsel "Mueller must go". Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel after FBI director James Comey was fired Credit: AP Mr McGahn refused, saying he would "rather resign" than trigger a "potential Saturday Night Massacre", a reference to President Richard Nixon's round of firings during the Watergate investigation. Mueller said Trump's answers were "inadequate" but decided not to subpoena him The special counsel said Mr Trump’s written answers, submitted instead of an in-person interview, were considered "inadequate”. But the special counsel decided not to subpoena the president because it would involve a long legal fight and "create a substantial delay" at a late stage in the investigation. Mueller investigated 11 episodes of potential obstruction by Trump Mr Mueller spells out in minute detail 11 episodes involving the president that raised questions when it came to potential obstruction of justice, including Mr Trump ordering the removal of Mr Mueller. Other incidents of alleged obstruction probed in detail included Mr Trump’s firing of James Comey, the FBI director, and his attempts to limit the Russia investigation's remit. The report states: “The President’s efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests.” Mr Mueller eventually decided not to come to a conclusion on whether Mr Trump had obstructed justice, instead handing the decision to the Justice Department, which in turn decided to bring no charge.  Mueller decided not to prosecute president's son The investigation decided not to prosecute the president's son, Donald Jnr, and other members of the campaign for campaign finance violations over their infamous Trump Tower meeting because they couldn't prove they had criminal intent. "Taking into account the high burden to establish a culpable mental state in a campaign-finance prosecution and the difficulty in establishing the required valuation, the Office decided not to pursue criminal campaign-finance charges against Trump Jr. or other campaign officials for the events culminating in the June 9 meeting," Mr Mueller states. Donald Trump Jnr Credit: Getty He added: "A prosecution would encounter difficulties proving that Campaign officials or individuals connected to the Campaign willfully violated the law." The report also notes that when journalists learned that a Russian lawyer had proposed the June meeting and offered damaging information on Hillary Clinton, Mr Trump edited Donald Jnr's response to the reporters admitting those facts. Mr Trump also repeatedly instructed officials, including communications director Hope Hicks, not to make public emails connected to the Trump Tower meeting. However, Mr Trump did not try to conceal the emails from the special counsel. Mueller looked into 'pee tape' claims from Steele dossier Mr Mueller's team looked into rumours that the Russians had taped Mr Trump watching prostitutes urinate in a Moscow hotel room in 2013. The alleged incident was mentioned in a dossier on Mr Trump compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele. Mr Mueller's report states that there were tapes relating to Mr Trump's 2013 trip to Russia but it is unclear whether they refer to the alleged tapes or indeed even feature the president. Christopher Steele, the former MI6 agent who compiled a dossier on Donald Trump Credit: PA The report states: "On October 30, 2016, Michael Cohen received a text from Russian businessman Giorgi Rtskhiladze that said, 'Stopped flow of tapes from Russia but not sure if there’s anything else. Just so you know...' Mr Rtskhiladze said 'tapes' referred to compromising tapes of Trump rumored to be held by persons associated with the Russian real estate conglomerate Crocus Group, which had helped host the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant in Russia. Cohen said he spoke to Trump about the issue after receiving the texts from Rtskhiladze. Rtskhiladze said he was told the tapes were fake, but he did not communicate that to Cohen."

Converse introduces trans-themed shoes for Pride and Twitter is happy for once

Brands sometimes go too hard during Pride season. Every once in a while, however, they get it right.The year 2019 has already brought us one *actually good* example. Converse recently introduced its LGBTQ Pride sneaker line, which now includes sneakers modeled after the Transgender Pride flag.This is the first time Converse has ever had a trans-specific sneaker.SEE ALSO: Mapping state-by-state tech trends: Most popular dating appsThe trans-specific sneakers currently retail for $80. Customers can also customize their own rainbow Pride shoes and add Trans Pride flair.Regardless of how you feel about corporate participation during gay Pride, this is a huge symbolic step forward. Advocates for the trans community have long complained that gay and lesbian people dominate the LGBTQ movement. Recognizing the trans community as a separate -- though equally sneaker-worthy community -- is emblematic of a larger cultural shift. Trans people are clearly moving into the public spotlight, and they can show that (if Converse is their thing) on their feet.Twitter was largely enthusiastic about the move.> TransIsBeautiful > Thank you @Converse for making a trans PRIDE shoe this year! > My 11 year-old-son is ECSTATIC! ️‍ pic.twitter.com/E6lcqIEvfA> > -- Rachel Q. Lyons (@RachelQLyons) April 15, 2019> CONVERSE HAS A NEW PRIDE COLLECTION THAT INCLUDES TRANS PRIDE SNEAKERS FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!!!!!! > > SHOP HERE: https://t.co/afn0Gc9nwy (affiliate link) pic.twitter.com/TptVcjY87E> > -- Alysse Dalessandro (@readytostare) April 19, 2019> I thought "which of my trans friends would rock Converse decked out in the colors of the trans flag," and then immediately realized the answer was "all of them." pic.twitter.com/E5NPDfPgMY> > -- Aram Vartian (@vartian) April 19, 2019> Me, looking at the chuck taylor pride collection for this year: *not super impressed* > Converse: we have trans shoes now > Me, out loud: DAMMIT pic.twitter.com/oqzpDUqaOD> > -- Rowan Adventurezone (@politebotanist) April 20, 2019> Y'all let me know when @converse lets me put trans flags on these (and they come in my size). pic.twitter.com/3ZOq9Y6rss> > -- Xan (@AlexandriaDVine) April 20, 2019> Look! You can make them with the pride base but then add trans pride touches. I'm in love! pic.twitter.com/bGtajM2QjF> > -- We'll Have A Gay Old Time (@IssaMeBrianO) April 19, 2019This Twitter user perhaps said it best.> Fuckin converse put the Trans flag on some shoes like.....yes fine I will buy them you stupid brand, ill bow to capitalism just this once> > -- Thank you gay dad (@Darius_lives) April 19, 2019Happy incredibly early Pride, everyone! WATCH: Meet the 10-year-old drag kid shaping the future of drag youth

Columbine focuses on healing as questions loom after manhunt

LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado community changed forever by the attack that killed 13 people at Columbine High School moved ahead Thursday with ceremonies marking the anniversary of the tragedy while awaiting more details on what led a Florida teen "infatuated" with the shooting to buy a shotgun and kill herself in the snowy foothills nearby.

Ukraine comedian vows to break old system in pre-vote debate

A comedian tipped to take over Ukraine's presidency vowed on Friday to dismantle the old political system as he went head-to-head with his incumbent rival in an extraordinary stadium debate before this weekend's vote. The hour-long debate at Kiev's Olympic Stadium capped a weeks-long sensational campaign in a war-torn country seen as a buffer between the European Union and Russia. "I am not a politician," said Zelensky, opening the first and only policy debate of the presidential race.

Aircraft Carrier Alliance: Will Britain Build India a New Queen Elizabeth-Class Carrier?

Will India’s next aircraft carrier be a British design?British defense contractor BAE Systems is offering a Queen Elizabeth-class design as a contender for India’s third aircraft carrier, which will be built in India.“BAE Systems has begun discussions with India regarding the potential for basing development of the second Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-2) project on the successful Queen Elizabeth Class design,” said a BAE statement. “The design is adaptable to offer either ski jump or catapult launch and can be modified to meet Indian Navy and local industry requirements.”India currently operates one aircraft carrier, the 45,000-ton Vikramaditya, which is actually the former Soviet carrier Admiral Gorshkov. That ship has been plagued by engine problems as well as reliability issues with its MiG-29K fighters.Under construction is India’s first indigenous carrier, the 40,000-ton Vikrant, while is scheduled to go to sea in 2020. But as is often the case with Indian-built defense projects, the vessel has suffered from problems such as massive cost overruns and disputes with Russian contractors who are supplying materials for the Indian-built ship.

Nurse had no idea she had stage 4 esophageal cancer until she was coughing up blood

Fox News’ Dr. Manny Alvarez sits down with a stage 4 esophageal cancer survivor to talk about the rare but deadly disease and what new innovative treatment helped to put her in remission for the last five years.

Trump Draws HBO Rebuke After Tweeting ‘Game of Thrones’ Meme

Trump has previously referenced the hit show in his tweets, including a famous warning that “sanctions are coming” after announcing his plans to increase penalties on Iran. It was advice Trump didn’t always take.

Our first look at the final designs of the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL

As many high-profile Android flagships have still yet to be announced this year -- from Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 to the OnePlus 7 Pro -- one device that has continued to draw interest is the mid-range Pixel 3 successor that Google is supposedly prepping for launch. We've seen all kinds of leaks about the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL in recent weeks, but on Thursday, Android Headlines shared what it claims to be the first official renders of the phones.As Android Headlines notes, several renders have been floating around that were created based on leaks and reports from around the web, but these are the first official renders to make their way online. The Android blog goes as far as to say that it is confident that these renders are representative of the final product.Unfortunately, this isn't the clearest leaked product shot we've ever seen, but you can get a general idea of what the two phones are going to look like from the image. In terms of design, you won't see anything resembling that of other 2018/2019 flagships, such as notches, in-display fingerprint sensors, or a lack of bezels. In fact, at a glance, it's hard to tell the two phones apart, or to tell them from the standard Pixel 3.The one noticeable difference between the two phones is the size of the display. The Pixel 3a is expected to have a 5.6-inch display with 2220 x 1080 resolution, while the Pixel 3a XL should sport a 6.0-inch display with 2160 x 1080 resolution. If you look very closely, you can tell that the phone on the left is slightly thinner than the one on the right. Otherwise, it's honestly difficult to distinguish between the two phones.Other recent leaks suggest that the Pixel 3a could start as low as CAD 549.99 (~ $400 USD), which is significantly cheaper than the Pixel 3. Thankfully, it doesn't look like we'll have to wait long to find out the truth, as Google has hinted at a May 7th reveal date for the new phones (check the date on the renders).

The Latest: Columbine moves ahead with memorial events

LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) — The Latest on the investigation of a woman believed to have posed a threat to schools in Colorado (all times local):

Suicide bombers in deadly attack on Afghan ministry

Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the communications ministry in central Kabul on Saturday, officials said, in a deadly, hours-long assault that destroyed weeks of relative calm in the capital. The Taliban said it had "nothing to do" with the attack, which left some 2,000 people stranded in the tall office building for hours at the start of the Afghan work week. "As a result of today's explosion/attack in Kabul city, two people have been martyred (killed) and 6 others are wounded," the health ministry spokesman wrote in a tweet, adding 3 of the injured were women.

US appeals court rejects Trump administration lawsuit, upholds most of California's sanctuary laws

A federal appeals court upheld California's sanctuary state law, ruling it does not interfere with the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

Nintendo shares jump 17 percent after Tencent wins key China Switch sales approval

Nintendo Co Ltd shares jumped 17 percent in morning Tokyo trade on Friday, a day after China's Tencent Holdings Ltd won a key approval to begin selling Nintendo's Switch console in the world's largest video games market. Friday's jump sent the shares to their highest price since October and pushed the year-to-date gain to 32 percent. Nintendo's U.S.-listed shares rose 12 percent overnight after the Chinese province of Guangdong allowed Tencent to distribute the Switch console with a test version of the "New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe" game.

Score an entire suite of creative design apps for only $40

We're not about to make assumptions here, but we'd wager that the starving artist myth is partially perpetuated by the fact that design programs are so darn expensive. A subscription to a single app alone can sometimes require you to fork out hundreds of dollars you don't have. We don't know about you, but that's plain robbery.You don't have to put yourself in the red just to score apps that will help you perform a variety of design jobs. The Corel Creative Mac Bundle includes an entire creative design app suite from one of the leading software makers with a few surprise bonuses. And you only have to pay $40 to get the whole set.Check out what's in store: Toast 17 TitaniumThe ultimate DVD burning software, Toast 17 Titanium lets you turn videos into professional-looking discs. It comes equipped with a feature-rich digital media suite that includes screen recording, movie editing tools, and media browser. AfterShot Pro 3RAW images aren't the easiest things to edit and manipulate, but this app makes the process feel like a cakewalk. On top of converting RAW files into editable images without inflicting damage, it also boasts a medley of editing tools you can take advantage of to enhance your shots. Painter Essentials 6Create lifelike artworks with this app that features a selection that's chock-full of realistic painting tools and effects. With just a few clicks, it can help you transform a photo into a painting infused with realism. WinZipNobody has the time to wait for hours when sending files. WinZip compresses data with bank-level AES encryption so you can send and receive files faster and more securely. ParticleShopThis powerful brush plugin for Photoshop and AfterShot 3 breathes new life into your masterpieces with fluid, artistic strokes that are a breeze to use. It features 11 different custom brushes, all of which you can incorporate on your creations to take them to the next level.Usually valued at $309.95, grab the Corel Creative Mac Bundle on sale for only $39.99 -- a savings of 87%. Image: Pexels The Corel Creative Mac Bundle  -- $39.99 See Details

AP PHOTOS: Czech believers revive Easter rattling procession

CESKE BUDEJOVICE, Czech Republic (AP) — Participants in black suits with white masks are marching in the southern Czech city of Ceske Budejovice, beating drums and pushing small carts in a revival of an Easter tradition.

Mueller Spells Out Trump’s ‘Multiple Acts’ to Undermine Russia Probe

“We concluded that Congress has authority to prohibit a president’s corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice," he said in his report sent to Congress on Thursday. The 448-page report summarizing Mueller’s 22-month investigation cited actions including Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey and efforts to have former Attorney General Jeff Sessions take control of the investigation.

A backpack with a flexible screen? Sure, Sony, why not

The race among consumer electronics giants to develop all manner of screens that flex and fold -- and to attach them to phones, tablets and more -- is starting to get a bit extreme.We saw over the past 24 hours, for example, the results of Samsung rushing to be the first with a foldable smartphone, with reports from several high-profile reviewers and journalists that their Galaxy Folds easily broke after just a day of usage. We've also covered myriad plans and patents from other tech companies that likewise want to rush into the flexible game, and now along comes Sony with a patent for a flexible display that can be attached to a bag -- like a handbag, or backpack.Ladies and gentleman, we've either reached peak flexible display or are very close to it.The Sony patent, published towards the end of March, was spotted by Dutch tech news blog LetsGoDigital, which reports that it depicts a bag with a flexible display module. The display also uses the same kind of "electronic paper" screen found in e-readers, which tends to require less power and background lighting. It's also thinner and more flexible than a typical LCD display.In terms of other aspects of the design, the bag is shown including a switch that can either be a button or a slider. It would allow the user to change what's shown on the display.The design also calls for both an "automatic" and "manual" mode, which are exactly what those suggest. Those would control what's shown on the display. Additionally, the screen connects to the bag through multiple removable contact points, so you can use the bag for, you know, things that don't involve screens.As the LetsGoDigital report notes, this is not the first example of a bag with a display. Last year, for example, the Pix backpack was released that showed animated patterns on it. Whether or not Sony ever does anything with this patent, meanwhile, it does serve as one more reminder that we're going to start seeing flexible screens pretty much everywhere now, even if manufacturers don't totally know what to do with them yet.

In Bosnia, 'master' blacksmith had to shoe an egg

Kreševo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (AFP) - To be worthy of the title of master, a blacksmith in Kresevo in central Bosnia had to perform a delicate task -- shoe an egg without breaking it. It's an Easter tradition requiring a blacksmith to decorate an egg shell by nailing on it a miniature iron horseshoe. Now Stjepan Biletic wants to have this ancient know-how recognised by UNESCO as part of the world's cultural heritage.