Wallace: Trump conditioning public with pardon of Scooter Libby

Nicolle Wallace talks with Rachel Maddow about breaking news that Donald Trump intends to pardon former Dick Cheney chief of staff, Scooter Libby, and her belief that Trump and his media cohorts are conditioning the public for more pardons to come.

Israel in 'direct combat' with Iran after Syria raid: Hezbollah

Israel's strike on a Syrian airbase this week has put it in direct confrontation with regional foe Iran, the head of Lebanon's Tehran-backed Hezbollah movement said on Friday. "The Israelis committed a historic mistake... and put themselves in direct combat with Iran," Hassan Nasrallah warned in a televised address. Seven Iranian personnel were killed in Monday's early-morning strike on the T-4 airbase in Syria, but Tehran had not specified which units the fighters belonged to.

Black teen who wanted directions shot at by white man

DETROIT (AP) — A black 14-year-old boy who got lost in a Detroit suburban neighborhood while trying to get to school was shot at by a white homeowner after knocking on a door to ask directions, prosecutors said Friday, citing home security video and the account of the boy.

Teen who died after being crushed by minivan seat called 911 twice

The dispatcher who received 16-year-old Kyle Plush’s second call never conveyed the detailed information to officers who may have believed the call was a prank.

California SUV crash victim said her moms were 'racist': records

The girl's 15-year-old brother also begged neighbors in March not to tell police his mothers were depriving the children of food as punishment because he feared the family would be split up, according to the records of allegations by the neighbors to the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. On March 26, Jennifer Hart, 38, is thought to have intentionally driven a sports utility vehicle carrying her partner Sarah and their six adopted black children off a California coastal cliff. The Washington records show the mothers were under investigation for at least a third time in the last seven years for potential child abuse when they bolted from their Woodland, Washington State home on March 23.

Man Accused of Impregnating Daughter Killed Her, Their Baby After Breakup: 911 Call

A North Carolina man accused of marrying and impregnating his biological daughter allegedly killed her, their child, and her adoptive father before killing himself.

Mueller report on Trump obstruction takes shape ahead of schedule

Rachel Maddow shares new NBC News reporting that because Donald Trump has backed out of the idea submitting to an interview with Robert Mueller, the investigation can procede to the next phase, closing the obstruction part of their inquiry.

Former China political star who sought to ‘usurp’ Xi Jinping admits to graft

A former Chinese political high-flyer who was once tipped for leadership before being accused of seeking to 'usurp' Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, has pleaded guilty to accepting huge bribes. Sun Zhengcai's fall from grace saw seen him being named as a co-conspirator who sought to topple the president by the chairman of China's securities regulator last October. Sun was a former party leader of the western megacity of Chongqing, and a member of the Communist Party's elite 25-member Politburo. He was also seen as a candidate to be elevated to the Politburo Standing Committee, several officials who represent the apex of political power in China. However, he is now the latest senior official be ensnared in a wide-ranging corruption clampdown launched by Mr Xi when he assumed power five years ago. Sun Zhengcai's bribery trial opened on Thursday Credit: Ng Han Guan/AP On the first day of his bribery trial on Thursday, Sun was accused of taking advantage of his position to seek profits for others and illegally accepting money, according to the Weibo account of the No.1 Intermediate People's Court in the northern city of Tianjin. Sun and his alleged associates were also charged with accepting money and goods worth 170 million yuan (£19 million) in return for providing help to unspecified organisations and individuals with engineering contracts, business operations and other matters. Sun pleaded guilty and "expressed penitence", the court said, adding that it would make a ruling at a later date.  Mr Xi’s drive against graft has been criticised for lacking transparency and is seen by some as a means to sideline opponents.

Trump's Strike Won't Serve Syrians Or The U.S.

WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump's decision to strike Syrian facilities in

Scott Pruitt Uses Multiple 'Secret' Email Accounts, Senators Say

Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt has used four government

Ryan, Republicans and the Republic

By BRET STEPHENS from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/2qvh0lW

When Liberals Become Progressives, Much Is Lost

By GREG WEINER from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/2EKpDx5

How Sky Diving Cured My Depression

By JARED LINDZON from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/2qv1aa5

Tim O’Connor, Complex Resident of ‘Peyton Place,’ Dies at 90

By DANIEL E. SLOTNIK from NYT Obituaries https://ift.tt/2GWND63

Expressions of Affection

By CAITLIN LOVINGER from NYT Crosswords & Games https://ift.tt/2HD3Quw

GOP Leaders Fine With Trump Bombing Syria Without Congress' Sign-Off

WASHINGTON ― At a time when President Donald Trump tweets about potentially

Man Accused Of Raping Teen Who Later Turned Up Dead Now Accused Of Her Murder

A Michigan teen, Mujey Dumbuya, was scheduled to testify against her alleged

Why a record number of GOP lawmakers are not seeking re-election

House Speaker Paul Ryan is only the latest Republican lawmaker to announce he will not seek re-election. Take a look at why so many members of congress are bowing out of the midterm elections this year.

Syria says Western attack 'doomed to fail'

Syrian state media slammed Western strikes on Saturday as illegal and "doomed to fail," after the US, France, and Britain launched a joint operation against the Damascus government. "The aggression is a flagrant violation of international law, a breach of the international community's will, and it is doomed to fail," said state news agency SANA.

Pompeo: 'I cooperated' with the Mueller investigation

CIA Director Mike Pompeo, President Trump’s pick for secretary of state, confirmed on Thursday that he has been interviewed by Robert Mueller in the special counsel's investigation into the Trump campaign's contacts with Russia.

Four things to know about Telegram messenger

The popular messaging app Telegram has been blocked in Russia after refusing to give state security services access to private conversations. Known as Russia's Mark Zuckerberg after the Facebook boss, Pavel Durov has amassed a fortune of $1.7 billion (1.4 billion euros) at 33, according to Forbes magazine.

3 Reasons Assad May Have Chosen Another Chemical-Weapon Attack

At the same time the Trump administration is discussing military strike options and deliberating over the extent of the retaliation for the Assad regime’s latest chemical-weapons attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma, the U.S. intelligence community is very likely at work trying to figure out why Bashar al-Assad would use his chemical arsenal at this point in the conflict. The attack, in addition to being barbaric and inhumane, was also puzzling.

The Funniest Tweets From Parents This Week

Kids may say the darndest things, but parents tweet about them in the funniest

Israeli air force gives Tel Aviv a scare as Syria tensions flare

Israeli police emergency lines lit up on Thursday after warplanes roared over the Tel Aviv coast, dropping anti-missile flares and performing aerobatics at a time of tension along the border with Syria. It was just a rehearsal - practice flights are held every year - for the Israeli Air Force's annual Independence Day national flypast on April 19, but no prior announcement was made. "Many calls were received from worried citizens about noise from a squadron of planes in the Tel Aviv area," police said in statement.

Russian forces move into Douma, site of suspected chemical attack

Russian troops moved into the Syrian town of Douma, where the suspected chemical attack took place. Now the new concern - what happens if a US strike on Syria accidentally hits Russian forces?

Trump responds to Comey's book by calling him an 'untruthful slime ball'

President Trump tore into James Comey on Friday in a pair of tweets aimed at discrediting his former FBI director’s explosive new book that details Comey’s interactions with the president before his firing last year.

Erdogan worried by world powers' 'arm wrestling' on Syria

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday said Turkey was worried by the "arm wrestling" of world powers over Syria, adding he will discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin how to stop chemical attacks in the country. "We are extremely worried that some countries confident of their military power are turning Syria into a scene for arm wrestling," Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara after an unprecedented upsurge of tensions between Washington and Moscow.

Southern Pines police arrest man accused of killing teen, unborn daughter

Southern Pines police have arrested a man accused of killing a pregnant 18-year-old woman.

The 20 Funniest Tweets From Women This Week

The ladies of Twitter never fail to brighten our days with their brilliant ―

What's in James Comey's book?

Former FBI director James Comey’s account of his turbulent career in law enforcement, “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership,” is officially out next week, but reviews and excerpts began appearing Thursday. The book is scathing about Comey’s interactions with President Trump, who fired Comey last year over his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and its possible links to the Trump campaign.

Audi, BMW, Mercedes large electric luxury sedans to aim above Tesla Model S?

The Tesla Model S occupies an interesting position among "luxury" sedans and hatchbacks. It's far from the best-equipped vehicle compared to mid-size and full-size competitors from Audi, BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz, but that doesn't seem to matter to its 200,000 or so buyers to date. It was clear more than three years ago the world's luxury automakers were preparing to take on Tesla, and now their plans are considerably more visible.

Syria strikes: Russia warns of 'consequences' in wake of US-led attack over chemical weapon use

Russia has warned of “consequences” for the US-led military strikes on its ally Syria, saying the strikes on chemical weapons assets were an insult to Vladimir Putin. “A pre-designed scenario is being implemented,” Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said on Twitter.

Former doorman says he got hush money over Trump love-child story

The doorman, Dino Sajudin, reportedly signed a contract with American Media that carried a $1 million penalty for disclosing details of the explosive story.

Trump's Strike Won't Serve Syrians Or The U.S.

WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump's decision to strike Syrian facilities in

Teen who died after being crushed by minivan seat called 911 twice

The dispatcher who received 16-year-old Kyle Plush’s second call never conveyed the detailed information to officers who may have believed the call was a prank.

Russia deputy PM says international relations should not depend on one person's mood

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said on Friday international relations should not depend on the mood of one person when he wakes up in the morning, in apparent reference to U.S. President Donald Trump, RIA news agency reported. In an early-morning tweet on Wednesday, Trump warned that missiles "will be coming" in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack by Syrian government forces. Russia is Syria's most important military ally in the country's civil war.

Former China political star who sought to ‘usurp’ Xi Jinping admits to graft

A former Chinese political high-flyer who was once tipped for leadership before being accused of seeking to 'usurp' Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, has pleaded guilty to accepting huge bribes. Sun Zhengcai's fall from grace saw seen him being named as a co-conspirator who sought to topple the president by the chairman of China's securities regulator last October. Sun was a former party leader of the western megacity of Chongqing, and a member of the Communist Party's elite 25-member Politburo. He was also seen as a candidate to be elevated to the Politburo Standing Committee, several officials who represent the apex of political power in China. However, he is now the latest senior official be ensnared in a wide-ranging corruption clampdown launched by Mr Xi when he assumed power five years ago. Sun Zhengcai's bribery trial opened on Thursday Credit: Ng Han Guan/AP On the first day of his bribery trial on Thursday, Sun was accused of taking advantage of his position to seek profits for others and illegally accepting money, according to the Weibo account of the No.1 Intermediate People's Court in the northern city of Tianjin. Sun and his alleged associates were also charged with accepting money and goods worth 170 million yuan (£19 million) in return for providing help to unspecified organisations and individuals with engineering contracts, business operations and other matters. Sun pleaded guilty and "expressed penitence", the court said, adding that it would make a ruling at a later date.  Mr Xi’s drive against graft has been criticised for lacking transparency and is seen by some as a means to sideline opponents.

Israeli troops kill Palestinian at Gaza border: ministry

Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian man during clashes at the Gaza border on Thursday evening, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said. It named him as Abdullah al-Shahari, 28, and said he was shot east of the southern Gaza town of Khan Yunis. The Israeli military told AFP it was not aware of such an incident.

Scott Pruitt Uses Multiple 'Secret' Email Accounts, Senators Say

Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt has used four government

Trump backs off tweet warning Russia of 'coming' Syria strike

“Never said when an attack on Syria would take place,” Trump tweeted early Thursday. “Could be very soon or not so soon at all!"

Teacher who accidentally fired gun in class resigns

SEASIDE, Calif. (AP) — A teacher who accidentally fired a gun inside a Northern California classroom while teaching firearm safety resigned his administration of justice teaching job, school officials said.

Syria strikes: what we know

The United States, Britain and France launched strikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack after mulling military action for nearly a week. The strikes were aimed at "chemical weapons infrastructure" in what the US billed as a warning against Assad employing such weapons in the future -- a warning he has not heeded in the past.

Mattis says U.S. "looking for the actual evidence" of chemical attack in Syria

In testimony before Congress, Defense Secretary James Mattis said the investigation into a possible chemical attack in Syria is ongoing. His testimony comes before an international team of experts is set to arrive in the country. CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports.

Erdogan worried by world powers' 'arm wrestling' on Syria

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday said Turkey was worried by the "arm wrestling" of world powers over Syria, adding he will discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin how to stop chemical attacks in the country. "We are extremely worried that some countries confident of their military power are turning Syria into a scene for arm wrestling," Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara after an unprecedented upsurge of tensions between Washington and Moscow.

Could the F-35 Go to War in Syria?

If Trump decides to strike Syria, teh F-35 may see action. With the U.S. Marine Corps set to deploy its F-35B Joint Strike Fighter to U.S. Central Command’s (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR), Lockheed Martin’s stealthy new jump jet could make its combat debut over the Middle East as tensions ratchet up over Syria. Over the coming days, the United States could initiate hostilities with the Assad regime over a chemical weapons attack Damascus allegedly perpetuated in Douma earlier this month.

Senator slams bank gun policies, threatens consumer complaint

By Katanga Johnson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. senator on Thursday criticized Citigroup Inc and Bank of America Corp's restrictions on lending to firearm makers and sellers, saying the new policies were wrongly politicizing banking services. Speaking during a hearing on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Republican Senator John Kennedy said he planned to personally file complaints with the U.S. consumer watchdog regarding the firearm policies.

Man Accused Of Raping Teen Who Later Turned Up Dead Now Accused Of Her Murder

A Michigan teen, Mujey Dumbuya, was scheduled to testify against her alleged

What's in James Comey's book?

Former FBI director James Comey’s account of his turbulent career in law enforcement, “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership,” is officially out next week, but reviews and excerpts began appearing Thursday. The book is scathing about Comey’s interactions with President Trump, who fired Comey last year over his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and its possible links to the Trump campaign.

Inside the USS Donald Cook: The Navy's Missile Destroyer That Could Strike Syria

The Trump administration is weighing whether to launch a second punitive strike on Syria in response to an apparent chemical weapons attack on April 4 by the Syrian military targeting the rebel enclave of Douma in eastern Damascus. If a strike is carried out, there is every reason to believe that destroyer USS Donald Cook may be its executor, as it is the only U.S. warship currently deployed nearby in the Mediterranean that is equipped with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. The Donald Cook, commissioned in December 4, 1998 as DDG 75, is one of sixty-five Arleigh Burke–class guided-missile destroyers actively serving in the U.S. Navy.

Four things to know about Telegram messenger

The popular messaging app Telegram has been blocked in Russia after refusing to give state security services access to private conversations. Known as Russia's Mark Zuckerberg after the Facebook boss, Pavel Durov has amassed a fortune of $1.7 billion (1.4 billion euros) at 33, according to Forbes magazine.