| Trump Attacked McConnell on Russia Probe: NYT Posted: 22 Aug 2017 11:00 AM PDT  Rachel Maddow shares a new report from the New York Times about the strained relationship between Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell and notes that the intensifying Trump Russia investigation may be wearing on Trump.
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| Some anchors throw shade at eclipse Posted: 22 Aug 2017 08:14 AM PDT  Monday's total solar eclipse captivated the nation and dominated news coverage, but not every anchor was as delighted, or even interested, as their audience.
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| Cross-burning victims to priest: Apology is not enough Posted: 23 Aug 2017 04:24 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — Phillip and Barbara Butler hadn't given much thought to the man who burned a cross on their front lawn 40 years ago.
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| ExxonMobil: Oil and gas giant ‘misled’ the public about climate change, say Harvard experts Posted: 23 Aug 2017 05:53 AM PDT  Fossil fuel giant ExxonMobil "misled the public" about the risks posed by climate change, an analysis of its public and private announcements on the subject by two Harvard University academics has concluded. While the company's scientists and senior executive largely accepted the scientific consensus that global warming is real and poses significant risks, it spent thousands of dollars on regular advertorials in The New York Times (NYT) and other newspapers, in which it sought to cast doubt on the science. In some cases, the firm, led by the current US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, from 2006 to 2016, even contradicted itself.
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| Charlottesville Shrouds Its Confederate Statues In Black To Mourn Heather Heyer Posted: 23 Aug 2017 12:22 PM PDT  The city of Charlottesville, Virginia, began draping its Confederate monuments in large black fabric on Wednesday to honor the woman killed while counter-protesting a white nationalist rally in the city earlier this month. The city covered the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Wednesday afternoon along with the statue of Confederate Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson at another nearby park.
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| Remains of US sailors found on warship that collided off Singapore Posted: 22 Aug 2017 07:19 AM PDT  Divers have found the remains of some of the 10 sailors who went missing when a US destroyer collided with a tanker off Singapore, the navy said Tuesday, the latest deadly accident involving an American warship. The US Navy has announced a fleet-wide global investigation after the incident Monday involving the USS John S. McCain and the merchant vessel, which left a gaping gash in the destroyer's hull.
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| Brags to Riches: Treasury Secretary's Wife Blasted After Posting Tagging Designer Duds on Instagram Posted: 22 Aug 2017 02:22 PM PDT  Louise Linton hit back at an Instagram user who chided her after she tagged her designer wardrobe.
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| Pakistan rejects role of 'scapegoat for U.S. failures' in Afghanistan Posted: 23 Aug 2017 07:23 AM PDT  By Syed Raza Hassan KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan has rejected U.S. criticism of its efforts to fight terrorism, saying it should not be made a scapegoat for the failure of the U.S. military to win the war in Afghanistan. U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his policy for Afghanistan on Monday, stepping up the military campaign against Taliban insurgents and singling out Pakistan for harboring them. U.S. officials later warned that aid to Pakistan might be cut and Washington might downgrade nuclear-armed Pakistan's status as a major non-NATO ally, in order to pressure it to do more to help bring about an end to America's longest-running war.
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| Woman Claims 'False Imprisonment' On 'Burning Hot' Plane: 'We Were Melting' Posted: 23 Aug 2017 11:23 AM PDT  "It was burning hot," she said. "We were melting."
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| Fleeing Maduro critic says Venezuela now lawless Posted: 23 Aug 2017 01:12 PM PDT  Brasília (AFP) - Venezuela's fugitive former top prosecutor resurfaced in Brazil on Wednesday claiming to possess "a lot" of proof of President Nicolas Maduro's corruption and warning that her life remains in danger. Days after a dramatic escape from chaotic Venezuela, Luisa Ortega, 59, turned up the heat on Maduro, who has asked Interpol to issue a "red notice" warrant for the arrest of his critic. Ortega -- speaking at a crime-fighting conference in the Brazilian capital with representatives from the Latin American regional trading alliance Mercosur -- said Maduro enriched himself in a massive corruption scheme uncovered at Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht.
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| U.S. Warns Cancun Travelers of Rise in Homicides at Resorts Posted: 23 Aug 2017 10:39 AM PDT  Quintana Roo alone has seen 169 murders this year
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| Exclusive: U.S. to withhold up to $290 million in Egypt aid Posted: 22 Aug 2017 12:12 PM PDT  By Arshad Mohammed and Warren Strobel WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has decided to deny Egypt $95.7 million in aid and to delay a further $195 million because of its failure to make progress on respecting human rights and democratic norms, two sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The decision reflects a U.S. desire to continue security cooperation as well as frustration with Cairo's stance on civil liberties, notably a new law that regulates non-governmental organizations that is widely seen as part a growing crackdown on dissent, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. U.S. officials were especially unhappy that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in May allowed the NGO law to go into effect.
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| When is the next total solar eclipse? 2024 'will be even better' Posted: 21 Aug 2017 05:44 PM PDT  The 'Great American Eclipse' captivated millions around the world - it was the most-observed and most-photographed eclipse in history. However, if you misssed it, do not despair: the next eclipse takes place on July 2, 2019 - crossing Chile and Argentina. Great American eclipse, in pictures And Americans won't have to wait long for the next US eclipse - an event that many scientists believe will be even more impressive than Monday's natural wonder. Britons will have to wait somewhat longer. Great American eclipse, in pictures Chile and Argentina are next An eclipse on July 2, 2019 will span a huge arc across the southern Pacific, before crossing South America. The moon is expected to block out the sun for up to 4 minutes and 33 seconds over Chile and Argentina - far longer than Monday's 'Great American Eclipse', which lasted a little more than two minutes in the path of totality. Chile and Argentina also have the good fortune of being under the path of a total eclipse the following year, in 2020. The Second Great American Eclipse Americans will have to wait less than seven years for the next total solar eclipse - an event that scientists predict will top the August 21 2017 event. The path of the total eclipse will travel through Mexico, Texas and up across the highly-populated north-east of the US. The April 8, 2024 eclipse will pass over cities such as Austin, Dallas, Cleveland, New York, and Montreal. It will hit Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, which also witnessed the total eclipse on Monday. The university has branded itself "The Eclipse Crossroads of America". The last total eclipse in the US was 38 years ago. How about the UK? It's a long time before there'll be another total solar eclipse in the UK - 73 years to be precise. There have been just eight total eclipses in Britain across the past five centuries. 1999 was the last one, which was visible in Devon and Cornwall. There won't be another until September 23, 2090. Other notable forthcoming eclipses 2021: Antarctica 2026: the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Spain 2027: Morocco, Spain, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia 2028: Australia, New Zealand 2030: Botswana, South Africa, Australia To keep updated, Nasa keeps a record of every solar eclipse that will take place over the next 1,000 years.
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| Whale Spotted Swimming In Shallow Waters Off Cape Cod Coast Posted: 22 Aug 2017 04:09 AM PDT  The baby whale spotted swimming close to the shore was emaciated and very skinny, authorities said.
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| Duo Charged With Killing 2 Victims Whose Bodies Were Found in Tubs of Chemicals Posted: 23 Aug 2017 08:49 AM PDT  Tiffanie Pierce, 23, and Augustus Standingrock, 26, were arrested last week after bodies were found in plastic tubs in her basement, cops say.
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| 22 million Americans support neo-Nazis, new poll indicates Posted: 22 Aug 2017 08:53 AM PDT  Nine per cent of Americans say holding neo-Nazi or white supremacist views is acceptable, according to a new poll. The Washington Post ABC poll was carried out in the wake of the deadly racially-charged violence which erupted at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville earlier this month. According to the survey, 83 per cent of Americans think holding neo-Nazi views is unacceptable.
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| France's Charlie Hebdo publishes provocative Islam cartoon Posted: 23 Aug 2017 07:44 AM PDT  French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo published a provocative front-page cartoon about Islam and the recent terror attacks in Spain on Wednesday, sparking fears that it could encourage Islamophobia. Critics of Charlie Hebdo saw its front-page cartoon as tarring an entire religion, practised by around 1.5 billion people worldwide, by implying it is inherently violent. As the cartoon became one of the top trending topics on Twitter in France -- with more than 15,000 tweets praising or criticising it -- prominent Socialist MP and former minister Stephane Le Foll called it "extremely dangerous".
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| President's spiritual adviser: When you oppose Trump, you are 'fighting against the hand of God' Posted: 23 Aug 2017 01:28 PM PDT  Paula White, a televangelist and spiritual adviser to Donald Trump, appeared on television Tuesday to defend the president amid recent controversy using an unlikely Biblical comparison.
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| 800-Year-Old Coffin Breaks After Some Genius Tries To Put A Kid Inside It Posted: 23 Aug 2017 02:44 PM PDT  An 800-year-old coffin was smashed to the floor of a U.K. museum last week after someone reportedly tried to put a child inside it for a photo.
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| As Syria war tightens, U.S. and Russia military hotlines humming Posted: 23 Aug 2017 05:00 PM PDT  By Phil Stewart AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar (Reuters) - Even as tensions between the United States and Russia fester, there is one surprising place where their military-to-military contacts are quietly weathering the storm: Syria. It has been four months since U.S. President Donald Trump ordered cruise missile strikes against a Syrian airfield after an alleged chemical weapons attack. In June, the U.S. military shot down a Syrian fighter aircraft, the first U.S. downing of a manned jet since 1999, and also shot down two Iranian-made drones that threatened U.S.-led coalition forces.
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| Typhoon Hato hits Hong Kong and southern China Posted: 23 Aug 2017 12:55 PM PDT ![Typhoon Hato hits Hong Kong and southern China]( "Typhoon Hato hits Hong Kong and southern China") Typhoon Hato, a maximum category 10 storm, slammed into Hong Kong, Macau and China's Guangdong province. Thousands of residents along the Chinese coast were evacuated.
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| Casey Anthony Apparently Abandons Caylee’s Gravesite Posted: 23 Aug 2017 09:16 AM PDT  The memorial is covered in dirt and overgrown.
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| 'Tired of Flesh,' Cannibal Hands Himself In Posted: 22 Aug 2017 05:30 AM PDT  When questioned, he produced parts of a human leg and a hand.
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| Donald Trump accused by CNN Don Lemon of lying 'directly to the American people' at Phoenix rally Posted: 23 Aug 2017 03:47 AM PDT  Donald Trump has been accused of lying "directly to the American people" at a rally in Arizona by a CNN anchor. One of those counter protesters, Heather Heyer, 32, was killed when a car drove into a crowd of them. Mr Trump claimed the media had distorted their reporting of his response to the which saw him as he blame "many sides" for the violence and stop short of explicitly condemning the far right.
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| Confederate flags in NYC window met with rocks, suit, tarp Posted: 22 Aug 2017 09:00 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — The Confederate flags had been in a Manhattan apartment's windows for over a year. And then, in a matter of days last week, they were met with hurled rocks, a punched-out window, a tarp hung over them and legal action.
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| Firefighters BBQ Sausages Made of Pigs They Rescued From Fire, Then Land in Hot Water Posted: 23 Aug 2017 03:15 PM PDT  The fire department apologized and took down the offending sausage images.
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| Panera's New Cups Show You How Much Sugar You're Drinking, And It's Terrifying Posted: 23 Aug 2017 03:00 PM PDT  These facts aren't so sweet.
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| Spain suspect says terror cell planned big attack on monuments Posted: 22 Aug 2017 03:14 PM PDT  A suspected member of the terror cell that unleashed carnage in Spain last week admitted to a judge on Tuesday that the jihadists had planned to hit monuments in an even bigger attack. Mohamed Houli Chemlal, 21, said he knew of the plans two months ago, as he, and three other suspects, appeared in court for the first time since twin attacks killed 15 people and wounded more than 100. The four are the only surviving suspects from what was believed to be a 12-man terror cell that rammed a van into pedestrians on a tourist-packed boulevard in Barcelona on Thursday.
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| Nigeria's Buhari resumes old habits in days since return Posted: 23 Aug 2017 09:42 AM PDT  Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has kept a low profile since his grand return from sick leave on Saturday. Buhari disembarked his plane in Abuja on Saturday to a military salute and was cheered by hundreds of people who lined the streets as his motorcade drove to the presidential villa. The refusal to disclose details of Buhari's illness has caused speculation about whether the 74-year-old is well enough to run Africa's most populous country and biggest economy.
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| NASA releases stunning image of the total solar eclipse from space Posted: 23 Aug 2017 02:46 PM PDT  NASA offered extensive coverage of the August 21 total solar eclipse and the space agency isn't done sharing.
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| WATCH: 'Demon Goat' In India Has Human-Like Face Posted: 22 Aug 2017 04:50 PM PDT  The goat's human-like face scared villagers.
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| British tourist held in Turkish prison after being arrested at airport with coins he found while snorkelling Posted: 23 Aug 2017 01:39 AM PDT  A British father was arrested in front of his family at a Turkish airport after trying to bring home 13 historic bronze coins he found while snorkelling on holiday. Toby Robyns, 52, was arrested at Bodrun airport on Turkey's Aegean coast and could face up to five years in prison if convicted of trying to take artifacts out of the country. Mr Robyns, an ambulance driver from Southwick, West Sussex, told police he had no idea it was against the law to take the coins. "We were on a daily tour. When our boat stopped I took my goggles and dove into the water. There were broken ceramics in the sea. When I cleaned the sand off with my hand I saw the coins. I never thought that carrying them would be a crime," he said, according to a Turkish police statement. Gold coins found on the ocean floor in Turkey by divers. File picture Credit: Rex Features Police said the coins were 800 years old and were found when Mr Robyns put his luggage through an X-ray machine at the airport. Mr Robyns' wife, Heidi, and two young sons returned to the UK while he was reportedly taken to a prison in Milas, around 30 miles away. Mrs Robyns declined to comment when reached at the family home near Brighton. The family had been on a two-week summer holiday in Bodrun Mr Robyns has not been charged with a crime but is likely to be held in prison until prosecutors make a decision. Turkey's judicial system is on an August break, meaning that Mr Robyns could face several weeks in prison before any decision is made. He appeared before a magistrate's court the day after his arrest but will need to appear before a higher court if he is charged. He could face between three and five years in prison if convicted of smuggling historical artifacts, according to the BirGun newspaper. Milas Prison in Turkey, where Toby Robyns is being held Credit: Google Street View Mr Robyns was snorkelling near the island of Yassi Ada off of Bodrun. The island is sometimes called "a ship's graveyard" because of the number of wrecks that litter the waters around it. Of the dozens of sunken ships the most famous is a 4th century Roman wreck that ran into a reef near the island. Jugs, dishes and lamps were all found onboard. The area was rocked by a 5.3 magnitude earthquake on August 8 and it is possible that the coins found in shallow waters by Mr Robyns had been dislodged the tremors. The Foreign Office said it was helping in the case. "We are assisting a British man following his arrest in Bodrum, and remain in contact with his family and the Turkish authorities." Tim Loughton, the MP for East Worthing & Shoreham he was "helping with the case of Toby Robyns and liaising with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office". James Stoneham, a family friend, told The Sun: "They are accusing him of taking Turkish artefacts which he was obviously unaware of. "It was a huge shock for everybody. This was harmless fun on a holiday you've enjoyed — and now he has been put in prison. He's going to have to be held for possibly a month." Mr Stoneham added: "He found a number of coins among the rocks and sand. When he went to get his flight home they dragged him off and searched his hand luggage."
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| Republican leader Mitch McConnell 'doubts whether Trump can salvage his administration' Posted: 22 Aug 2017 02:07 PM PDT  The top Republican in the Senate is said to be privately questioning whether Donald Trump can "salvage" his administration and has reportedly not spoken to the President for weeks. The cold relationship between Mr Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell could threaten the Republican legislative agenda, which is already months behind schedule. Members of the party face several urgent deadlines when they return to Washington next month, and Mr Trump has still not secured a major legislative victory since being inaugurated in January.
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| Violence in Charlottesville leads to soul-searching at ACLU Posted: 23 Aug 2017 03:12 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — Faced with an angry backlash for defending white supremacists' right to march in Charlottesville, the American Civil Liberties Union is confronting a feeling among some of its members that was once considered heresy: Maybe some speech isn't worth defending.
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| Woman Lost In Woods For Month Was High On Meth, Police Say Posted: 23 Aug 2017 10:02 AM PDT  "Me, personally, I think she was on meth," said Bullock County Sherrif Raymond Rodgers.
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| U.S. erred in declining protections for remote grizzly bears: judge Posted: 23 Aug 2017 04:08 PM PDT  By Laura Zuckerman SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - U.S. wildlife managers erred when they declined to list as endangered a small population of grizzly bears in the remote reaches of Idaho and northwest Montana, a federal judge has ruled in what conservationists on Wednesday hailed as a huge victory. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2014 determined the fewer than 50 grizzlies that roam the Cabinet Mountains and Yaak River drainage in the Northern Rockies were not in danger of extinction and did not warrant re-classifying as endangered or threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
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| Dozens reported dead in US-led strikes as battle nears Raqa heart Posted: 22 Aug 2017 12:24 PM PDT  Dozens of civilians have died in two days of intense US-led strikes on Raqa, a monitor said Tuesday, as fighting to retake the Syrian city from jihadists approaches its densely populated centre. The coalition acknowledges it has pounded the city and surrounding area with more than 250 air strikes over the past week alone, in support of the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance battling the Islamic State group. The SDF has so far captured just under 60 percent of Raqa, monitors say, leaving IS with about 10 square kilometres (four square miles) in the heart of the city.
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| The ISS delivers a view of the solar eclipse you just have to see Posted: 22 Aug 2017 10:53 AM PDT  Now that all the eclipse hype has died down you probably think it's time to move on with your boring old non-eclipse life and get back to business. Nope! Now that the celestial event has wrapped up we get to gawk at all the awesome photos taken from all over North America, and even some particularly fantastic shots from the International Space Station. Obviously, viewing the eclipse from space is tricky business. When you're on the ground, all you have to do is look skyward and, assuming you're within an area that the moon's shadow will hit, you'll see what all the fuss is about. For astronauts aboard the ISS, location is equally important, and while the space station's position wasn't ideal for eclipse viewing, the crew still managed to snap some great photos.  That big dark spot is (obviously) the shadow of the moon moving across Earth, blocking out the sun for anyone in its path. The extremely dark center is the spot of totality, where the eclipse is best viewed, while the lighter shadows are experiencing a partial eclipse. It's a great shot, but it actually pales in comparison to the photo captured way back in 1999 from Russia's Mir space station during an eclipse:  The Mir happened to be in the perfect position to capture this glorious shot of the "bruised" Earth, and while the ISS wasn't able to snag quite as nice of a photo, it's still a really cool shot anyway. The next total solar eclipse is slated to occur on July 2nd, 2019. Its path will take it across a huge chunk of the Pacific Ocean as well as a slice of South America, so the ISS will have another opportunity to capture eclipse gold very shortly.
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| Christina El Moussa Swears By These Healthy Brownies Posted: 22 Aug 2017 07:44 AM PDT  "I seriously had them, like, every single day for four months."
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| State Department science envoy's letter of resignation has a hidden message for the president Posted: 23 Aug 2017 08:45 AM PDT  A State Department science envoy's letter of resignation appears to have a hidden message for the president: "IMPEACH." Daniel M. Kammen, one of seven science envoys for the State Department, tweeted a photo of the coded letter of resignation on Wednesday morning. Kammen cited President Donald Trump's "failure to condemn white supremacists and neo-Nazis," and his response to a deadly "alt-right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia as the reason for stepping down. SEE ALSO: Another one of Donald Trump's committees just resigned in protest The letter also alludes to Trump's stances on environmental issues, such as his decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, in his letter. "Your actions to date have, sadly, harmed the quality of life in the United States, our standing abroad, and the sustainability of the planet," he wrote. Perhaps the most interesting part of the letter, however, is the way the first letter of each paragraph forms an acrostic that spells out "impeach." Mr. President, I am resigning as Science Envoy. Your response to Charlottesville enables racism, sexism, & harms our country and planet. pic.twitter.com/eWzDc5Yw6t — Daniel M Kammen (@dan_kammen) August 23, 2017 Science envoys have a number of roles within the government, but above all, they serve a foreign policy function by focusing "on issues of common interest in science, technology, and engineering fields." According to the State Department's website, they generally serve for one year. Kammen's resignation letter with the acrostic highlighted in blue.Image: daniel kammen/mashableKammen is an energy expert at the University of California at Berkeley, who directs the school's Renewable and Appropriate Energy Lab. According to a recent article in the journal Nature, Kammen is among a group of scientists working with California Governor, and prominent Trump antagonist, Jerry Brown to create a major state-based climate and energy research program. He confirmed the letter in an email to Mashable and said he sent it to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and President Trump as well. Past science envoys include Jane Lubchenco, the former head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Ahmed Zewail, winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Trump can't afford to lose any scientists from his administration, considering he lacks a White House science advisor, and has barely staffed the Office of Science and Technology Policy, which exists to advise the Executive Branch on science and engineering issues, among other tasks. Kammen isn't the first to resign with such a flourish. On Aug. 18, the entire humanities and the arts council resigned with an acrostic that said "resist." WATCH: Neil deGrasse Tyson on all things Great American Eclipse
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