Broken Arrow

Trump says he does not mind if public sees Mueller's Russia probe report

"Let it come out, let people see it, that's up to the attorney general ... and we'll see what happens," Trump told reporters at the White House. Mueller is preparing to submit a report to U.S. Attorney General William Barr on his findings, including Russia's role in the election and whether Trump unlawfully sought to obstruct the probe. Trump has denied collusion and obstruction.

The Latest: NZ police error in murder charge against suspect

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — The Latest on the mosque attacks in New Zealand (all times local):

The bread crumb papers: Why Cohen document dump should worry Donald Trump and others

Redactions can be used to avoid alerting a defendant before he's charged or tipping off suspects in a pending investigation. Who might that apply to?

Erdogan remarks on N. Zealand massacre taken 'out of context': presidency 

Comments by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the massacre in New Zealand that sparked protest by Australia were taken "out of context", a senior aide said on Wednesday, after Canberra summoned Turkey's envoy over the remarks. "President #Erdogan's words were unfortunately taken out of context," Fahrettin Altun, communications director for the Turkish presidency, wrote on Twitter. Erdogan angered Australia after he warned anti-Muslim Australians -- like the suspected gunman -- would be "sent back in coffins" like their grandfathers at Gallipoli, which was the scene of a blood-drenched WWI battle.

I got into 39 colleges without cheating: What applying to schools looks like in 2019

Jordan Nixon got into 39 colleges without any celebrity parents or $500,000 bribes. But that doesn't mean it wasn't "stressful to say the least."

New Zealand bans all assault weapons after mosque shootings, prime minister says

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says New Zealand is immediately banning assault rifles, high-capacity magazines and "military style semi-automatic rifles" like the weapons used in last Friday's attacks on two Christchurch mosques.

Lion Air Pilots Were Checking the 737 Max 8's Handbook Right Before the Plane Crashed

The pilots of Lion Air Flight 610 looked to a handbook for guidance as the plane plummeted.

Islamic State on brink of defeat as Western-backed forces corner fighters on river bank

Western-backed forces look on the brink of defeating Islamic State in its final holdout in eastern Syria after seizing control of all but a tiny sliver of land on a river bank. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) made major gains on Tuesday after more than 150 “experienced” Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) militants became the latest to surrender. Hundreds of fighters, most of them foreign, have abandoned the fight in recent days. The SDF had offered those left in the pocket a safe corridor through which to flee. The sick and wounded among them were evacuated to nearby military hospitals for treatment, according to a spokesman for the SDF. A US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter prays after returning from the front line in their fight against Islamic State militants in Baghouz, Syria Credit: AP The advance brought a months-old operation to wipe out the last vestige of Isil's once-sprawling "caliphate" closer to its inevitable outcome but the SDF stopped short of declaring the battle over. "This is not a victory announcement, but a significant progress in the fight against Daesh," Mustafa Bali, SDF spokesman, said, using an Arabic acronym for Isil. The SDF continued to clash with a very small band of fighters - thought to be in the dozens - who were now cornered on the banks of the Euphrates. An SDF statement said the forces managed to kill 24 fighters, while three more were blew themselves up in suicide attacks. Video released by Isil from inside Baghouz shows fighters firing their weapons during clashes with the SDF Credit: Amaq Agency Videos released by Isil in recent days reveals the desperate situation for the jihadist group in Baghuz, showing children who looked to be no older than 12, and women - or possibly men in women’s clothing - fighting on the frontline. “Even the implication of ‘women’ in their official videos shooting guns in a true statement of the current status of the group,” said Devorah Margolin, a senior research analyst at the War Studies Department of Kings College London. Last pocket of Isil territory - Baghuz "The Islamic State has been adamant that women should only be allowed to fight in 'defensive jihad' and only under specific circumstances," she said. "Isil's use of women in an official video confirms that those circumstances have been met, and is a statement about the current state of the group." The Kurdish-led force also said it arrested a number jihadists suspected of involvement in a January attack that killed four American personnel in the northern Syrian city of Manbij - the most deadly for the US since they intervened in the war in 2014.

UK's May urges lawmakers to back her Brexit deal now

Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday she deeply regretted her decision to seek a Brexit extension from the European Union and she urged lawmakers, who have twice previously rejected her plan, to back her now. "I passionately hope that (lawmakers) will find a way to back the deal I have negotiated with the EU, a deal that delivers on the referendum and is the very best deal negotiable, and I will continue to work night and day to secure the support" for the deal. Earlier on Wednesday, May asked the EU to allow Britain to delay its departure date by three months to June 30, and EU leaders are expected to discuss the matter at a summit on Thursday.

Correction: Mob Shooting story

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — In some versions of a story March 18 about a court hearing over the killing of a reputed Gambino crime boss, The Associated Press erroneously reported where the victim was born. Francesco Cali was born in New York City, not in Sicily.

New Zealand attacks unite government on gun control. America stands divided.

The Second Amendment, as Justice Antonin Scalia wrote, is 'not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever': Our view

Trump is 'looking into' Facebook 'bias' as aide melts down over suspension

A Facebook spokesperson told Yahoo News that a system intended to stop bots had temporarily halted Dan Scavino’s ability to post comments, and that the company had apologized and restored his account.

Glyphosate under fire from San Francisco to Sri Lanka

Glyphosate, the world's most widely used herbicide and the active ingredient in Monsanto's weedkiller Roundup, is the subject of fierce controversy across the globe and is classified by the World Health Organization as "probably" being carcinogenic. A California court on Tuesday found that Roundup was a "substantial factor" in Edwin Hardeman, 70, getting non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after spraying the weedkiller on his garden for decades.

Beto O'Rourke campaign: Bernie Sanders' supporters fuel misinformation about Texas Democrat's record-breaking fundraising haul

Beto O’Rourke's record-breaking fundraising haul has appeared to upset supporters of Bernie Sanders, who began spreading misinformation about how the Texas Democrat’s campaign managed to top that of the Vermont senator’s in its first 24 hours. A tweet claiming the former congressman’s 2020 campaign was part of a supposed financial kickback with the Texas Democratic Party went viral after Mr O'Rourke released his fundraising figures from his first day on the campaign trail earlier this week.

Aggressive Instagramming is ruining Southern California's super bloom

People trampled California's poppies for the 'gram, and ruined it for the rest of us. Fields of fiery "super bloom" poppies are lighting up the hills of Walker Canyon in Lake Elsinore, a city about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego. Thanks to uncommonly heavy rains this winter, much of Southern California is seeing a massive burst of wildflower blooms across the state. The poppies in Walker Canyon are so lush, they can be seen from space. > Superbloom visible from space - California poppies (orange) near Lake Elsinore, CA > > [15 March 2019; Sentinel-2 satellite; https://t.co/fy8NaGcTwN] pic.twitter.com/ZdSqCvjbuY> > -- Zack Labe (@ZLabe) March 18, 2019With the bloom came hordes of influencers, mommy bloggers, and YouTubers, all eager to snap a few photos of themselves sitting among the flowers.But it's making life absolute hell for Lake Elsinore, which has a population of 60,000. On Sunday, about 100,000 visited Walker Canyon, overwhelming Lake Elsinore and creating the traffic of nightmares. Since the poppies went viral -- even getting their own Twitter moment --the city has tried to cope with the flood of visitors by closing, then reopening, then closing the fields. SEE ALSO: Death Valley, the driest place in North America, is now a sea of yellow flowersIn a Facebook post over the weekend, the city of Lake Elsinore closed Walker Canyon because "the situation has escalated beyond our available resources." The city also closed the highway ramps leading to the canyon because traffic was so bad. By Monday, Walker Canyon was open to the public again, albeit with "extremely limited" parking. Explaining that it is "not feasible" to keep visitors out, the city stated that "this is something unlike anything we have ever experienced in our city and may never again." "Lake Elsinore is the destination for so many unique and incredible features," the Facebook post said. "And this attraction has brought thousands of people from around the world to not only see our city, but to shop in our stores and dine in our restaurants."But by noon, Mayor Steve Manos asked people to come another time because the fields were so full. "As you can see behind me, there are a large number of people here again," Manos said in an Instagram video recorded in front of the blooms. "We've expended lots of resources over the weekend ... But we are full." He added that the city just didn't have the resources to keep Walker Canyon closed because of the sheer amount of people sneaking in and parking on the freeway. Never underestimate the tenacity of an Instagram devotee.> View this post on Instagram> > SuperBloom Update: Steve Manos, Lake Elsinore Mayor provides update regarding why City was forced to reopen Walker Canyon and encourages visitors to choose other options. Walker Canyon is full. City is evaluating all options. We must remain flexible to this once in a lifetime opportunity and crisis facing our city.> > A post shared by City of Lake Elsinore (@cityoflakeelsinore) on Mar 18, 2019 at 12:02pm PDTManos is hopeful that the city will figure out a solution, though. "We've gone through fires and floods, we'll get through the flowers," he told CBS This Morning. By Tuesday afternoon, Lake Elsinore once again closed the freeway ramps in both directions. In a Facebook post citing "severe congestion," the city said that the decision was made by California Highway Patrol, not the city. In the meantime, here are some photos of the super bloom if you can't (or consciously won't) see them in person. > View this post on Instagram> > A post shared by Momo Twins ~ Leia & Lauren (@leialauren) on Mar 18, 2019 at 10:20pm PDT> View this post on Instagram> > A post shared by ⠀ ⠀⠀J i m e n a R e n o (@renosaurio) on Mar 18, 2019 at 8:04am PDT> View this post on Instagram> > A post shared by Gerd Ludwig (@gerdludwig) on Mar 19, 2019 at 12:51pm PDT> View this post on Instagram> > A post shared by J E S S (@jess.wandering) on Mar 14, 2019 at 8:30am PDT> View this post on Instagram> > A post shared by Lil' Sawyer the Labradoodle (@sawyertheminidood) on Mar 19, 2019 at 7:26am PDTAnd don't forget that if you do end up visiting, stick to the wildflower etiquette guide.   WATCH: Elon Musk did it - Tesla's $35,000 Model 3 is finally finally finally here

Apple CEO announces AirPods II with meme

One day after Apple announced updated iMacs and two days after a new iPad Air and refreshed iPad mini were launched, the highly-anticipated second-generation AirPods finally made their debut with a complementary wireless charging case. Apple CEO Tim Cook appealed to the internet meme community this morning when he announced via Twitter the AirPods II with an image of him wearing the long-awaited earbuds. Furthermore and just as anticipated as the AirPods II, Apple has launched a Wireless Charging Case for the earbuds that hold an entire day's listening capacity.

Outrage over Pope's decision to reject resignation of archbishop convicted of protecting predator priest

Catholic campaigners condemned as “shocking” a decision by Pope Francis not to accept the resignation of a French archbishop who was given a suspended prison sentence this month for failing to report the sexual abuse of boy scouts by a known predatory priest.   Tuesday's surprise decision came just a month after the Vatican convened an unprecedented conference of cardinals in which it pledged to get tough on priests who abuse children and the bishops who cover up for them. French cardinal Philippe Barbarin travelled to Rome on Monday and offered his resignation to Pope Francis. But on Tuesday the Vatican announced that the Argentinian pontiff had decided to reject the resignation. While the Vatican offered no explanation, it seems likely that the Pope wants to wait to see the outcome of an appeal that the 68-year-old archbishop intends to launch against his six-month sentence. But the decision was condemned by groups representing survivors of clerical sex abuse from around the world. Pope Francis receives Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon, at the Vatican Credit: Reuters “I’m stunned by this decision. It is shocking and depressing,” Anne Barrett Doyle, the head of the US-based organisation Bishop Accountability, told The Telegraph. “It reveals the Pope’s very narrow concept of accountability. It is a reminder to bishops that they have nothing to fear from this Pope. It is a profound and disastrous misreading of what is required to address this crisis.” Just last month, during a four-day conference at the Vatican attended by bishops and archbishops from around the world, the Pope said that “no abuse must ever be covered up, as has happened in the past". In a statement, Barbarin, the most senior French Catholic to have been swept up in the Church’s sex abuse scandal, said: “On Monday I handed over my mission to the Holy Father. He spoke of the presumption of innocence and did not accept this resignation." Barbarin said that he would step back from his role as archbishop of Lyon "for a little while", allowing his deputy to stand in for him. Even the Bishops' Conference of France – the country’s most senior Catholic body - said it was surprised by the decision, which it described as "unheard of". Barbarin was convicted earlier this month of failing to act against Bernard Preynat, a priest who has confessed to abusing boy scouts in the 1980s and 1990s. Preynat is expected to be put on trial later this year. Barbarin became archbishop of Lyon in 2002 and learned of Preynat’s abuse of boys but let him remain in ministry until 2015, said Bishop Accountability. French victims of clerical abuse also reacted with outrage to the papal decision. "I think that man (the Pope) is going to manage to kill off the church. It's a mistake too many,” said Francois Devaux, a co-founder of a victims' organisation. Faith in the Catholic Church has plunged as a result of its failure over two decades to address sex abuse perpetrated by clergy. Last week George Pell, the Australian cardinal who was once the third most powerful figure in the Vatican, was sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of abusing two altar boys in Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral in the 1990s. He also intends to appeal and remains a cardinal, despite being behind bars. Campaign groups were profoundly disappointed when last month’s Vatican conference on combating sexual abuse failed to come up with any new, concrete initiatives to address the crisis.

EU's Tusk sees short Brexit delay if UK backs divorce deal

European Council President Donald Tusk said on Wednesday that granting Britain a short postponement of Brexit was possible on condition that Britain's parliament votes in favor of the stalled divorce agreement next week. Should that happen, Tusk said no extraordinary EU leaders' summit would be needed next week before the current Brexit date of March 29.

Woman pleads guilty to sneaking aboard international flight

CHICAGO (AP) — A woman who's been dubbed a serial stowaway was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months of probation after pleading guilty to sneaking past Chicago airport security last year, boarding a plane and flying to London without a ticket.

'Our Darkest of Days.' New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Reflects on How The Country Can Move Forward

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has garnered international praise for her empathetic but defiant response in the wake of the terror attacks on two…

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Trump 'not worth' the 'divisive' costs of impeachment

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told The Washington Post she is "not for impeachment" of President Donald Trump. "He's just not worth it," she said.

The Latest: Minnesota to help Nebraska flood fight

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on Midwest flooding (all times local):

Fox News hires former DNC chair Donna Brazile who left CNN after tipping off Clinton about 2016 debate questions

Fox News' newest pundit is one CNN rejected after she colluded with Hillary Clinton's campaign before campaign events in 2016. Fox said on Monday that it has hired Donna Brazile, the former interim Democratic National Committee chair and a long-time CNN commentator before she became embroiled in controversy in 2016. CNN forced Ms Brazile to resign as an on-air contributor in October 2016 after emails revealed that she had tipped off Ms Clinton's aides about questions likely to be asked by CNN moderators during the debates and town hall meetings carried by CNN.

Google slapped with massive $1.7 billion antitrust fine – its third in three years

Reports a few days ago said that Google would receive a new massive fine in Europe, and the EU on Wednesday delivered its latest ruling against the tech giant. This time around we're looking at a €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) antitrust fine as a result of illegal practices in Google's AdSense business.The EU says that Google abused its dominant position again, this time concerning its AdSense business. The company did it for more than a decade, the European Commission explained, preventing AdSense customers from inking advertising deals with rivals. Commissioner Margrethe Vestager had this to say alongside the judgement:> Today the Commission has fined Google €1.49 billion for illegal misuse of its dominant position in the market for the brokering of online search adverts. Google has cemented its dominance in online search adverts and shielded itself from competitive pressure by imposing anti-competitive contractual restrictions on third-party websites. This is illegal under EU antitrust rules. The misconduct lasted over 10 years and denied other companies the possibility to compete on the merits and to innovate - and consumers the benefits of competition.Google was slapped with a €4.3 billion ($4.88 billion) antitrust fine last year related to Android, and a €2.4 billion ($2.73 billion) fine the year before for its search business. In total, Google is looking at fines totalling €8.2 billion ($9.31 billion) from the EU in just the last three years. The company has appealed the previous two rulings, and it's likely to do it again with this new fine.What's interesting is that Google earlier this week announced a massive change for Android in Europe that's meant to appease an earlier ruling by the Commission. Users will soon see prompts that will allow them to select the default Internet browser and search engine on their Android devices. That doesn't mean the previous fine relating to Google's Android platform will go away, of course.The EU's full ruling on the AdSense antitrust case is available at this link.

Canada to assess Boeing 737 MAX airworthiness without US

Canada said Tuesday it will make its own assessment of Boeing's modifications to its 737 MAX airliners before allowing them to fly again in its airspace, after two crashes in less than five months. "Of course, when that software change is ready, which is in a number of weeks, we will, in Canada, even if it's certified by the FAA, we will do our own certification," Transportation Minister Marc Garneau said. Garneau's comments marked a break from protocol, with Canada traditionally working closely with the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates the US commercial airline industry.

`Concerning` Photo of Student with Gun Outside High School Prompts Investigation

An image of a Glen Allen High School student holding what appeared to be a gun outside the school has alarmed parents and students.

Biden building 2020 White House campaign ahead of expected bid: sources

Biden has told supporters and former staff that he will run, according to one source who has knowledge of discussions. Biden and his aides also have reached out to donors and potential bundlers - people who volunteer to raise money on behalf of the candidate - to assess support, according to another source. A third source with direct knowledge of Biden's plans offered a caveat, saying the former vice president was very close to running, but "it’s not 100 percent." “We’re leaning into that moment” when Biden gives the green light, the source said.

Utrecht gunman left letter in getaway car signalling possible terrorism motive

Dutch authorities said Tuesday they were "seriously" investigating a possible terrorist motive for the Utrecht tram attack because of evidence including a letter found in the gunman's getaway car. Police were questioning Turkish-born main suspect Gokmen Tanis, 37, and two other men over Monday's rampage in which three people were killed and seven injured, three seriously. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte had earlier said they "cannot exclude" other motives including a family dispute, but police and prosecutors said on Tuesday that the probe was leaning towards terrorism. "So far, a terrorist motive is seriously being taken into account. This is based on a letter found in the getaway car among other things and the nature of the facts," police and prosecutors said in a joint statement. "Our investigation has established no link between the main suspect and the victims." Flowers have been set up in tribute to victims at the site of the shooting in a tram Credit: JOHN THYS/ AFP The three people who died in the shooting were a 19-year-old woman from Vianen, south of Utrecht, and two men aged 28 and 49 from Utrecht itself, the statement said. Armed police captured Tanis after an eight-hour manhunt that virtually shut down the Netherlands' fourth largest city and triggered a nationwide increase in security at airports and key sites. Police said they had found a red Renault Clio used as a getaway car after the attack. They had also found a firearm after his arrest, they added. Tanis and two other men aged 23 and 27 are still being interrogated, police said. A stream of mourners laid flowers on Tuesday at the site of the attack near the 24 Oktoberplein square. "One of the victims was my friend's girlfriend. So coming here today was the least I could do," Marco van Rooijen, 43, told AFP. "I am here to pay homage to the victims and to support their families," added local resident Yvette Koetjeloozekoot, 29. Flags were flying half-mast on many buildings around the Netherlands. Public transport was running again after forensic police finished their investigations at the scene and removed the tram on which the shooting erupted. Rutte was chairing a cabinet meeting on the attack, which has raised security fears a day before provincial elections in the Netherlands. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country's intelligence agency was "looking into" the attack. "Some say it is a family matter, some say it is a terror attack ... Our intelligence agency is looking into the matter", Erdogan told Ulke TV late Monday. Dutch media have reported that the suspect had a long rap sheet and was only released from jail two weeks ago on a number of charges. Broadcaster NOS reported that some people close to him had links to fundamentalist Islamic groups, but also that he had divorced his wife two years ago. Police and witnesses said gunfire broke out on the tram on Monday morning, sending people fleeing and triggering a huge police response. Mosques and schools were closed across Utrecht following the bloodshed, before heavily armed officers surrounded a building and arrested Tanis. Support for the Netherlands poured in from around the world including the United States, the EU and Russia. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: "America stands with you. We will continue to do all we can to help you in this terrible time of tragedy."

Trump administration plays favorites with faith-based media

According to one account, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised that “people of all faiths will have ‘something to say’ about the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan the White House is expected to announce after Israel’s elections in two weeks.”

Floodwaters threaten millions in crop and livestock losses

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Farmer Jeff Jorgenson looks out over 750 acres of cropland submerged beneath the swollen Missouri River, and he knows he probably won't plant this year.

Jacinda Ardern leads New Zealand in aftermath of killings police say could have been worse

Suspect in last week's terror attack on mosques in New Zealand that killed 50 people was likely on his way to carry out a third shooting, police said.

Top US court troubled by case of black man tried six times

Flowers, 48, was convicted in 2010 and sentenced to death for the July 1996 murders of four people in a furniture store in Winona, Mississippi, where he had briefly worked until being fired. Flowers was tried five separate times for the crime before his 2010 conviction and has spent nearly half his life behind bars. The Supreme Court is not examining the guilt or innocence of Flowers but whether the district attorney deliberately sought to keep black people off the jury in his most recent trial.

AT&T CEO says China's Huawei hinders carriers from shifting suppliers for 5G

AT&T Inc Chief Executive Randall Stephenson said Wednesday that China’s Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is making it very difficult for European carriers to drop the company from its supply chain for next-generation 5G wireless service. "If you have deployed Huawei as your 4G network, Huawei is not allowing interoperability to 5G -- meaning if you are 4G, you are stuck with Huawei for 5G," said Stephenson at a speech in Washington. The United States has been pressuring other countries to drop Huawei from their networks.

iOS 12.2 beta suggests AirPower release may be right around the corner

It's been an interesting and unusually busy week thus far for Apple. In the span of a few days, Apple unveiled a brand new iPad Air and iPad Mini along with a revamped iMac lineup. What's more, there are now rumblings that Apple may release a refreshed iPod Touch later in the week. With Apple seemingly on a hardware release binge, there's a good chance the company is getting some of its relatively minor hardware announcements out of the way before its special event next week.Though Apple's special media event -- which will kick off next Monday -- will reportedly focus on media related endeavors, there is also a chance we might see some new hardware in the form of AirPods 2 and, believe it or not, the long-delayed AirPower charging mat Apple originally unveiled all the way back in September of 2018.With rumors of an AirPower release swirling about, the latest tidbit comes to us courtesy of Guilherme Rambo of 9to5Mac who, upon diving into the latest iOS 12.2 beta, unearthed some data strings which suggest AirPower may become a shipping product sooner rather than later.Specifically, Rambo notes that there have been "significant changes" to the iOS code responsible for wireless charging duties."These changes," Rambo notes, "strongly suggest Apple is getting ready to finally ship AirPower to consumers."As exciting as that is, it's worth noting that we've seen quite a bit of conflicting information regarding the release of AirPower. Though we've seen reports pointing to a release sometime during the first half of the year, a recent report from Digitimes (which has a somewhat spotty record when it comes to Apple rumors) claims that AirPower might not ship until the latter half of 2019.All in all, the upside to all of this AirPower speculation is that Apple hasn't cancelled the product as previously rumored. If you recall, Apple encountered a number of challenging technical hurdles as it sought to bring AirPower to market and reportedly contemplated axing the product altogether. Currently, it stands to reason that the release of AirPower is an inevitability, with the only question centering on when as opposed to if.

Trump rejects idea of expanding U.S. Supreme Court

Trump said he "wouldn't entertain that," when asked about expanding the size of the court at a news conference. "The only reason they're doing that is they want to try to catch up, so if they can't catch up through the ballot box by winning an election they want to try doing it in a different way," the Republican president added, referring to Democrats. Trump has appointed conservative Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch to the court since taking office in 2017, cementing its 5-4 conservative majority.

Danish MP told her baby not welcome in parliament

A Danish MP said on Tuesday she was ordered to remove her infant daughter from parliament's chamber, sparking surprise in a country often hailed as a pioneer in women's rights. "You are not welcome with your baby in the parliament's chamber," speaker Pia Kjaersgaard, an outspoken former leader of the far-right Danish People's Party, allegedly told MP Mette Abildgaard. "I didn't ask for permission to bring her since I had previously seen another colleague bring a child into the chamber without any problems," Ms Abildgaard, whose Conservative party is part of the ruling centre-right coalition, wrote on Facebook. Ms Abildgaard, who is in her 30s, said she found herself in an exceptional situation with her five-month-old daughter, and had never brought her into the chamber before. But she said the infant was "in a good mood and had a pacifier in her mouth." Mette Abildgaard responded to the incident on Facebook Ms Kjaersgaard passed the message to an assistant, who then asked Ms Abildgaard to remove the baby from the room. Ms Abildgaard handed the child to an assistant and returned to the chamber to vote. "MPs should be in the chamber, not babies or children," insisted Ms Kjaersgaard when questioned by news agency Ritzau. She said clear rules would be issued on the subject. The Scandinavian country is often held up as a champion of gender equality and women's rights, and as a child and family-centred nation with generous parental leave. Ms Abildgaard noted that she was entitled to a year's maternity leave with full pay, but that she had chosen to return to work. Her Facebook post garnered more than 600 comments within the space of a few hours. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern holds her baby after speaking at the UN General Assembly Credit: REUTERS/Carlo Allegri "A chamber that represents mothers, fathers and babies ought to be open to mothers, fathers and babies," one person wrote. In 2016, an Icelandic lawmaker made headlines after breastfeeding her infant while speaking at the podium in parliament. And in September, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became a symbol for working mothers when she brought her baby to the UN General Assembly in New York.

W.Va. suit accuses diocese of knowingly employing pedophiles

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A Catholic diocese and its former bishop in West Virginia knowingly employed pedophiles and failed to conduct adequate background checks on camp and school workers, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the state attorney general.

Trump changes his mind on Electoral College, now wants to keep it

In a not-totally-unexpected reversal of policy, President Trump, who before being elected president called the Electoral College “a disaster for democracy,” now says it’s “far better for the U.S.A.”

Asian shares gain as Fed says it will hold off on rate hikes

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares in Asia were mostly higher on Thursday after the Federal Reserve said it has ruled out interest rate increases for this year.

Fighter Fiasco: The Navy's Version of the Stealth F-35 Is In Trouble

Testing data obtained by the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) indicates that the F-35 variant's "fully mission capable" rate — a key measure of an military aircraft's readiness — collapsed from 12% in October 2016 to zero in December 2017 before remaining flat through 2018.

USC to deny students connected to cheating scheme class registration, transcripts as their status is frozen

USC says it won't let students currently at the school who may be connected to the nation's college admissions bribery scandal to register for class.

Give them a break: Lori Loughlin, Felicity Huffman deserve less anger in admission scandal

Since the college admissions bribery scandal broke, Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman could scarcely be treated worse if they were serial killers.

Trump gets a U.S. Supreme Court victory on immigration detention

The Supreme Court on Tuesday endorsed the U.S. government's authority to detain immigrants awaiting deportation anytime - potentially even years - after they have completed prison terms for criminal convictions, handing President Donald Trump a victory as he pursues hardline immigration policies. The court ruled 5-4 along ideological lines, with its conservative justices in the majority and its liberal justices dissenting, that federal authorities could place such immigrants into indefinite detention anytime without the possibility of bail, not just immediately after they finish prison sentences. The ruling, authored by conservative Justice Samuel Alito, left open the possibility that some immigrants could challenge their detention.

Italian killed fighting IS in Syria: Kurdish-led force

An Italian fighting alongside a Kurdish-led force to expel the Islamic State group from its last pocket of territory in eastern Syria has been killed, the force said Tuesday. Lorenzo Orsetti, 33, was killed in battle on Sunday as he fought diehard jihadists in the village of Baghouz, a spokesman for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces said. "Two days ago... he was at the forefront of the fighting and he died in battle," Mustefa Bali told AFP.

Lawyers release list of Illinois Catholic clergy accused of sexual misconduct

Attorneys for clergy sex abuse victims released a new report Wednesday detailing all the Illinois priests who they say have been publicly accused of sexual abuse.

Social Media Giants Duck for Cover as Washington Gets ‘Fed Up’

Insiders also say it could help stave off any effort by Washington to break up the company. Tech giants are hunkering down in the face of a mounting bipartisan backlash after outrage over the failure of Facebook, YouTube and Twitter Inc. to swiftly remove video of the New Zealand massacre. President Donald Trump slammed Facebook, Google and Twitter on Tuesday for siding with Democrats, while the House’s top antitrust lawmaker called for an investigation of Facebook.

SEC says Musk's contempt defense 'borders on the ridiculous'

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. securities regulators countered Tesla CEO Elon Musk's contempt-of-court defense Monday night, writing in court papers that he brazenly disregarded a federal judge's order and that one of his arguments "borders on the ridiculous."