Sir Richard Branson freezes Saudi business ties over disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi

Billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson has ratcheted up pressure on Saudi Arabia over the disappearance of a prominent journalist by freezing several business links to the Gulf kingdom. The Virgin Group founder joined a mounting chorus of international concern about the fate of Jamal Khashoggi, who vanished last week. The journalist has not been seen since visiting the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul, sparking claims he was killed in the building. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and US President Donald Trump are among the political figures who have demanded answers from Saudi Arabia over the case. On Thursday evening, Sir Richard said he would be suspending his directorship of two tourism projects in the country, while Virgin would halt discussions with the Saudis over investment in its space projects. Sir Richard Branson  Credit:  James D. Morgan/Getty He warned that, if fears are confirmed, the West would struggle to continue doing business with the Gulf kingdom. His statement said: "I had high hopes for the current government in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and it is why I was delighted to accept two directorships in the tourism projects around the Red Sea. "I felt that I could give practical development advice and also help protect the precious environment around the coastline and islands. "What has reportedly happened in Turkey around the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, if proved true, would clearly change the ability of any of us in the West to do business with the Saudi Government. "We have asked for more information from the authorities in Saudi and to clarify their position in relation to Mr Khashoggi. "While those investigations are ongoing and Mr Khashoggi's presence is not known, I will suspend my directorships of the two tourism projects. Virgin will also suspend its discussions with the Public Investment Fund over the proposed investment in our space companies Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit." Police CCTV allegedly shows suspects in the case of missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi  Credit: AFP His interventions comes after a Turkish newspaper published the names and photographs of 15 Saudi nationals who allegedly arrived in Istanbul on two private jets the day Mr Khashoggi went missing. The Sabah newspaper, which is close to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, revealed the identities of what it called a "mysterious" 15-member "assassination squad" who were allegedly involved in the disappearance. A critic of the kingdom's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Mr Khashoggi was living in self-imposed exile in the US and writing opinion pieces for the Washington Post before he vanished. He visited the consulate last Tuesday to obtain a document confirming he had divorced his ex-wife, in order to allow him to remarry. Turkish officials have said he was killed on the premises and his body removed. On Tuesday, Jeremy Hunt met the Saudi ambassador and spoke by telephone to his counterpart in the state to voice the UK's concerns about the case. Mr Hunt said that if reports of Mr Khashoggi's death proved correct, the UK would regard the situation as "serious", adding: "Friendships depend on shared values." Mr Hunt urged the Saudi Government to co-operate fully with the Turkish investigation into the case, and to provide further information as soon as possible. The Turkish authorities are set to conduct a search of the Istanbul consulate building after announcing that Saudi Arabia had declared itself "open to co-operation" in the investigation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not confirmed the alleged killing, saying he would await the result of an investigation. Saudi officials have denied the allegations as baseless.

Freed pastor Brunson leaves Turkey, due in U.S. Saturday

Pastor Andrew Brunson was expected to land at Joint Base Andrews near Washington at around noon EDT (1600 GMT) on Saturday after a stop in Germany for a medical check-up. Brunson was jailed two years ago and had been under house arrest since July. The Turkish court sentenced Brunson to three years and 1-1/2 months in prison on terrorism charges, but said he would not serve any further jail time and freed him.

Trump: I could see campaigning with Kanye

President Trump lavished praise on Kanye West hours before a meeting at the White House with the rapper who has become one of his most outspoken supporters.

Jamie Dimon, Steve Mnuchin And Wall Street CEOs Set To Attend Saudi Conference Despite Journalist’s Disappearance

Even amid reports that agents for Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin

Hurricane Michael: An aerial view of destruction

Footage capture by drone shows the damage in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Hurricane Michael brings new threat to Florida's victims: toxic red tide

Damage from Hurricane Michael is seen in Mexico Beach, Florida. If destroyed homes, lost livelihoods and mass power outages were not enough to be dealing with, Florida’s victims of Hurricane Michael are facing another potential problem – the state’s toxic red tide. In the days leading up to the monster storm’s landfall on Wednesday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) found cells of the Karenia brevis organism that causes red tide at two water sampling points close to Panama City and Mexico Beach where the storm swept ashore.

Saudi Arabia calls allegations of orders to kill Jamal Khashoggi 'baseless lies'

Saudi Arabia dismissed on Saturday accusations that Jamal Khashoggi was ordered murdered by a hit squad inside its Istanbul consulate as "lies and baseless allegations", as Riyadh and Ankara spa over the missing journalist's fate. As the controversy intensified, the Washington Post reported Turkish officials had recordings made from inside the building that allegedly proved their claims Khashoggi was tortured and killed at the consulate. A Saudi delegation arrived in Turkey for talks, officials said on Friday, with the case risking fragile relations between the two. In the first Saudi ministerial reaction to the accusations about Khashoggi's killing, Interior Minister Prince Abdel Aziz bin Saud bin Nayef said that "what has been circulating about orders to kill him are lies and baseless allegations". The Kingdom "is committed to its principles, rules and traditions and is in compliance with international laws and conventions", he added according to the official Saudi Press Agency. The case risks damaging the image of the kingdom and its ties to the West as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman promotes a reform drive at home. A security guard walks into the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey Credit:  Lefteris Pitarakis/AP On Friday night, former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind called for Britain to impose sanctions against Saudi Arabia following the disappearance. Sir Malcolm said the UK Government should work with its allies to punish Riyadh. If other countries refuse to take part, Britain should consider taking unilateral action, he added. He told BBC's Newsnight: "If the current Crown Prince remains in power for the indefinite future, then in the first instance the United Kingdom must work with the United States, France and other countries to see if there can be a combined response, a punishment of some kind, of sanctions of some kind. "If the United States was not willing to take part then the United Kingdom has to consider action that it will take in its own name."   Big names from media and business have already cancelled appearances at a major conference in Riyadh this month. Saudi journalist and Washington Post contributor Khashoggi vanished on October 2 after entering the consulate to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. Turkish government sources say police believe he was killed but Riyadh denies that. The Saudi delegation, whose composition was not immediately clear, is expected to meet with Turkish officials in Ankara at the weekend, state media said on Friday. It is likely that they will take part in a joint working group on the case, whose creation was announced Thursday by Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin following a request by Saudi Arabia. A Saudi official source quoted by SPA news agency said it was "a positive move" Turkey had agreed to the creation of what it described as a "joint action team" over Khashoggi's disappearance. Demonstration for missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Washington Credit: Getty The Turkish leadership has so far stopped short of accusing Saudi Arabia, although pro-government media have published sensational claims, including that an "assassination team" was sent to Istanbul to kill Khashoggi. In a rare public comment on the case by a Saudi official, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Britain, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf al Saud, told the BBC that Riyadh was "concerned" about its citizen. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has challenged Saudi Arabia to provide CCTV images to back up its account that Khashoggi left the consulate safely. Khashoggi, a Saudi national living in the US since September 2017 fearing arrest, criticised some policies of Mohammed bin Salman and Riyadh's intervention in the war in Yemen. The Washington Post reported the Turkish government has told US officials it has audio and video recordings which show how Khashoggi was "interrogated, tortured and then murdered" inside the consulate before his body was dismembered. Turkish officials refused to comment on the veracity of the report. Ankara and Riyadh have been on opposing sides in the region on key issues, including the ousting of the Islamist Egyptian government and last year's Saudi-led blockade on Turkey's regional ally Qatar. Yet as key Sunni Muslim powers they have maintained cordial relations. But despite Riyadh's agreement on Tuesday to let Turkish authorities search the Saudi mission, the probe has not yet taken place. The two sides have been in intense contacts to resolve the issue, local media reported. Pro-government Turkish newspaper Sabah said the search of the consulate had not yet happened because Saudi officials would only allow a superficial "visual" probe. The Turkish side did not accept the offer and Sabah said officials wanted to search the building with luminol, a chemical that allows forensic teams to discover blood traces. Officers were looking into sound recordings sent from a smart watch that Khashoggi was wearing when he was inside the consulate to a mobile phone which he gave to his Turkish fiancee waiting outside, Hatice Cengiz. Milliyet daily reported that "arguments and shouting" could be heard on the recordings, but Sozcu newspaper said only "some conversations" could be heard. Bloomberg, the Financial Times, The Economist and The New York Times withdrew as media sponsors from the second Future Investment Initiative to be held between October 23-25 in Riyadh dubbed "Davos in the Desert" after the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort. The CEO of ride-hailing app Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi, said that he will no longer be attending the event unless "a substantially different set of facts emerges". British entrepreneur Richard Branson said he would suspend two directorshipslinked to tourism projects in Saudi Arabia over concerns about the missing journalist. Amnesty International demanded the Saudi authorities reveal what happened to Khashoggi as it said Riyadh was "responsible at a minimum for enforced disappearance".

Kanye calls himself a 'crazy motherf***er' in Oval Office meeting with Trump

In perhaps the most surreal moment of the Trump White House to date, Kanye West launched into an extended Oval Office speech that touched on such topics as crime, mental health, slavery, aerospace technology and the Unabomber.

AP Photos: Hurricane leaves Florida's Mexico Beach in shreds

MEXICO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Michael all but erased the tiny community of Mexico Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast, reducing some homes to mere concrete slabs and leaving others in shreds.

Brunson: pastor at centre of Turkey-US row and market turmoil

It could seem fanciful to draw a link between the fate of an American pastor in Turkey, a crisis between two NATO allies and turmoil on global financial markets. A court Friday convicted Brunson on terror-related charges, sentenced him to over three years jail but allowed him to walk free and leave Turkey, potentially ending one of the worst bilateral disputes between the NATO allies in years.

Kim Jong-un's new Rolls-Royce shows North Korean sanctions are 'a bit of a joke'

Kim Jong-un attended his recent meeting with Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, in what appeared to be a new Rolls-Royce, in defiance of international sanctions as world powers fracture over restrictions against nuclear-armed North Korea. Images of Kim arriving show a jet black Rolls-Royce with darkened windows and a distinctive logo on its wheel hubs. It is unclear how the vehicle would have been transported to Pyongyang given United Nations sanctions that ban items including luxury automobiles and motor vehicles. "The sanctions regime has become a bit of a joke," said Robert Dujarric, a professor of international relations at the Japan campus of Temple University.  China and Russia have become increasingly vocal about loosening sanctions, splitting with the US on the issue. At three-way talks in Moscow, vice foreign ministers from North Korea, China and Russia agreed "it is necessary to consider adjusting sanctions...at an appropriate time," according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement. China and Russia first made the call to ease sanctions at the UN General Assembly meeting in New York late September. China argued they should be relaxed in view of the “positive development of the past few months", while Russia said the start of negotiations needed to be followed by lifting of restrictions. South Korea this week also said it was considering easing sanctions, but backed off the proposal after the US rejected the idea. The US has held strong on its views that sanctions should only disappear once North Korea has irreversibly denuclearised.  Inside North Korea: fascinating images of the world's most secretive state North Korea, sanctioned under multiple UN Security Council resolutions for its nuclear weapons programme, has repeatedly called for them to be rolled back after it halted nuclear and missile tests. Pyongyang has also agreed to allow international inspectors into those sites once US and North Korea officials agreen on logistics. Even with sanctions in place Mr Dujarric said getting around them for some items could be fairly simple. For instance, a North Korean operative could could easily buy a car from Rolls-Royce in London and ship it to China, where it could be trucked over the land border, said Mr Dujarric. The Phantom, which starts at £318,120, is not military-grade technology and would not have raised eyebrows.  “The Chinese authorities are not going to make a fuss over a car, even if they know it is going to Mr Kim himself”, Mr Dujarric told The Telegraph. China is North Korea's main ally. “In any case, it is quite clear that the sanctions are beginning to fade and neither China nor Russia are doing the US any favours on that front for their own reasons," he added. 

These Photos Show The Catastrophic Wind Damage From Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael brought destruction to northern Florida this week, toppling

Trump lawyers 'preparing written answers' to Mueller questions on Russian collusion

Donald Trump’s attorneys have reportedly begun preparing a written response to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s questions surrounding the president’s alleged collusion with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. The president’s lawyers have negotiated the terms of his cooperation with the Special Counsel’s investigation for several months. “It seems ridiculous that I'd have to do it when everybody says there's no collusion, but I'll do what is necessary to get it over with,” the president said in a Fox News interview this week, when asked about answering the Special Counsel questions.

The Battle Over Brett Kavanaugh Has Ended. But the Pain His Hearing Triggered Has Not

Why the pain remains, according to experts and survivors

Hurricane Michael: An aerial view of destruction

Footage capture by drone shows the damage in Panama City Beach, Florida.

These are the best haunted houses in America

A new list of America's most terrifying haunted houses in the US has been released, featuring names like "Field of Screams" and "Terror in the Corn." 

Turkey 'has recordings of Jamal Khashoggi's torture and murder in Saudi consulate'

Turkish intelligence reportedly have audio and video recordings from inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul where Jamal Khashoggi’s Saudi captors can be heard interrogating, torturing, and ultimately murdering him.  US officials have been told by their Turkish counterparts that the recordings prove beyond doubt that the Saudi journalist was killed and dismembered by a team of Saudi operatives, according to the Washington Post.     Turkey has not released the recordings nor officially confirmed that they exist, although pro-government Turkish media has alluded to them several times in recent days. Saudi Arabia has vehemently denied that it was involved in Mr Khashoggi’s disappearance on October 2 and has insisted that he left the consulate safely after filing paperwork related to his upcoming marriage.  However, as anger towards Riyadh mounted in Washington and Turkish officials claimed to have comprehensive evidence of Saudi guilt, there were some indications the Saudi position may be shifting.  Turkey announced on Thursday that it had accepted a Saudi offer to form a joint investigation into the case, a sign of a possible thaw between the two sides after more than a week of standoff.  The Saudi ambassador to Washington, Khalid bin Salman, also abruptly returned home for consultations. “We expect some information when he gets back,” said Heather Nauert, spokeswoman for the US State Department.  The consul-general's residence, where police suspect the body may have been disposed of Credit: AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis On the recordings, the Saudi men can reportedly be heard questioning Mr Khashoggi in Arabic.   “You can hear how he was interrogated, tortured and then murdered,” one person told the Post.  The recordings also reportedly show that members of the 15-man squad went from the Saudi consulate building to the nearby residence of the Saudi consul-general.  Turkish investigators believe that Mr Khashoggi’s body may have been disposed of at the residence.  Turkish media reported that police were also interested in a Saudi diplomatic van which went for a long drive on the eastern side of Istanbul, where there is less CCTV coverage, on the day of the disappearance.   The fallout from the journalist’s disappearance continued to batter the reformist image of Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, who has presented himself as a modernising force in the conservative kingdom.  Turkey has leaked CCTV footage of the Saudi team in Istanbul Credit: Sabah Newspaper / AFP Sir Richard Branson said he was suspending business dealings with the Saudi government until Mr Khashoggi’s fate is known.  “What has reportedly happened in Turkey around the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, if proved true, would clearly change the ability of any of us in the West to do business with the Saudi Government,” he said in a statement.  A number of high-profile media figures have pulled out of Crown Prince Mohammed’s annual conference, nicknamed “Davos in the Desert”, amid the allegations.  A tech executive and a former US energy secretary both stepped back from an advisory board on a new high-tech city Crown Prince Mohammed is building. 

Michelle Obama Reveals What Really Happened During Her Sweet Exchange With George W. Bush

Remember the candy George W. Bush gave to Michelle Obama at John McCain's funeral? There's more. She shares the hilarious story.

AP Photos: Hurricane leaves Florida's Mexico Beach in shreds

MEXICO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Michael all but erased the tiny community of Mexico Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast, reducing some homes to mere concrete slabs and leaving others in shreds.

Jamie Dimon, Steve Mnuchin And Wall Street CEOs Set To Attend Saudi Conference Despite Journalist’s Disappearance

Even amid reports that agents for Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin

Modern-Day Witches Plan Ritual To Hex Brett Kavanaugh

Dozens of witches say they plan to gather in New York City this month to hex

Soyuz emergency landing could result in major payout for insurer Soglasie - Interfax

The Soyuz spacecraft's emergency landing on Thursday could become one of the biggest payouts for Russian insurance firm Soglasie in decades if it turns out to be an insurance case, Soglasie was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency. The insurer said it was looking into the incident to see whether it was liable, Interfax reported. The spacecraft made an emergency landing near the city of Zhezkazgan in central Kazakhstan after its booster rockets failed in mid-air en route to the International Space Station.

Retailers up their game after Toys R Us closures

NEW YORK (AP) — When Toys R Us closed its doors, customers mourned the loss of a beloved brand that conjured memories of their own childhood.

Branson suspends Saudi links over missing journalist

British entrepreneur Richard Branson is suspending two directorships linked to tourism projects in Saudi Arabia following the unexplained disappearance in Turkey of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In a statement late Thursday, Branson said also that his Virgin group would suspend discussions with Saudi Arabia over proposed investment in Virgin Galactic, which is set to carry out its first space flight within weeks.

Trump: I could see campaigning with Kanye

President Trump lavished praise on Kanye West hours before a meeting at the White House with the rapper who has become one of his most outspoken supporters.

Four Maldives' election officials flee to Sri Lanka, citing threats

Intimidation and threats drove four members of an election panel in the Maldives to flee the island nation, two officials said on Saturday, a day before its top court hears defeated president Abdulla Yameen's challenge to his election loss last month.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2Px5UaD

Michelle Obama Reveals What George W. Bush Gave Her At John McCain's Funeral

Former first lady Michelle Obama has revealed what former President George W.

Khashoggi friend says journalist angered Saudi government with column during its 'charm campaign'

Jamal Khashoggi's friend Khaled Saffuri tells the Yahoo News podcast "Skullduggery" what the Washington Post columnist may have done to provoke the ire of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Saudi royal family.

Trump on holding rally during hurricane: I couldn't disappoint my fans

The president defended his decision to go ahead with a political rally in Pennsylvania as Hurricane Michael ripped across the southeastern U.S., saying he could not disappoint his many fans.

Twitter Users Mercilessly Mock Melania Trump's 'Most Bullied Person' Comment

Melania Trump isn't just an anti-bullying advocate, she says she's a victim,

These Photos Show The Catastrophic Wind Damage From Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael brought destruction to northern Florida this week, toppling

Steve Mnuchin 'Planning On Going' To Saudi Forum Despite Journalist's Disappearance

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin doesn't want to let a little alleged

Space crew survives plunge to Earth after Russian rocket fails

The two-man crew, Russian cosmonaut Alexei Ovchinin and American Nick Hague, landed unharmed on the Kazakh desert steppe as rescue crews raced to reach them, according to the U.S. space agency NASA and Russia's space agency Roscosmos. The mishap occurred as the first and second stages of a Russian booster rocket separated shortly after the launch from Kazakhstan's Soviet-era cosmodrome of Baikonur. The Soyuz capsule carrying Ovchinin and Hague separated from the malfunctioning Russian rocket and plunged 31 miles (50 km) down to the surface, with parachutes helping to slow its speed, NASA said.

Hurricane Michael leaves cities in ruins

At least 8 people have died and millions in six states are without power. ABC News' Maggie Rulli reports.

Hurricane Michael brings new threat to Florida's victims: toxic red tide

Damage from Hurricane Michael is seen in Mexico Beach, Florida. If destroyed homes, lost livelihoods and mass power outages were not enough to be dealing with, Florida’s victims of Hurricane Michael are facing another potential problem – the state’s toxic red tide. In the days leading up to the monster storm’s landfall on Wednesday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) found cells of the Karenia brevis organism that causes red tide at two water sampling points close to Panama City and Mexico Beach where the storm swept ashore.

Sir Richard Branson freezes Saudi business ties over disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi

Billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson has ratcheted up pressure on Saudi Arabia over the disappearance of a prominent journalist by freezing several business links to the Gulf kingdom. The Virgin Group founder joined a mounting chorus of international concern about the fate of Jamal Khashoggi, who vanished last week. The journalist has not been seen since visiting the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul, sparking claims he was killed in the building. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and US President Donald Trump are among the political figures who have demanded answers from Saudi Arabia over the case. On Thursday evening, Sir Richard said he would be suspending his directorship of two tourism projects in the country, while Virgin would halt discussions with the Saudis over investment in its space projects. Sir Richard Branson  Credit:  James D. Morgan/Getty He warned that, if fears are confirmed, the West would struggle to continue doing business with the Gulf kingdom. His statement said: "I had high hopes for the current government in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and it is why I was delighted to accept two directorships in the tourism projects around the Red Sea. "I felt that I could give practical development advice and also help protect the precious environment around the coastline and islands. "What has reportedly happened in Turkey around the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, if proved true, would clearly change the ability of any of us in the West to do business with the Saudi Government. "We have asked for more information from the authorities in Saudi and to clarify their position in relation to Mr Khashoggi. "While those investigations are ongoing and Mr Khashoggi's presence is not known, I will suspend my directorships of the two tourism projects. Virgin will also suspend its discussions with the Public Investment Fund over the proposed investment in our space companies Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit." Police CCTV allegedly shows suspects in the case of missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi  Credit: AFP His interventions comes after a Turkish newspaper published the names and photographs of 15 Saudi nationals who allegedly arrived in Istanbul on two private jets the day Mr Khashoggi went missing. The Sabah newspaper, which is close to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, revealed the identities of what it called a "mysterious" 15-member "assassination squad" who were allegedly involved in the disappearance. A critic of the kingdom's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Mr Khashoggi was living in self-imposed exile in the US and writing opinion pieces for the Washington Post before he vanished. He visited the consulate last Tuesday to obtain a document confirming he had divorced his ex-wife, in order to allow him to remarry. Turkish officials have said he was killed on the premises and his body removed. On Tuesday, Jeremy Hunt met the Saudi ambassador and spoke by telephone to his counterpart in the state to voice the UK's concerns about the case. Mr Hunt said that if reports of Mr Khashoggi's death proved correct, the UK would regard the situation as "serious", adding: "Friendships depend on shared values." Mr Hunt urged the Saudi Government to co-operate fully with the Turkish investigation into the case, and to provide further information as soon as possible. The Turkish authorities are set to conduct a search of the Istanbul consulate building after announcing that Saudi Arabia had declared itself "open to co-operation" in the investigation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not confirmed the alleged killing, saying he would await the result of an investigation. Saudi officials have denied the allegations as baseless.

AP Photos: Hurricane leaves Florida's Mexico Beach in shreds

MEXICO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Michael all but erased the tiny community of Mexico Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast, reducing some homes to mere concrete slabs and leaving others in shreds.

Stacey Abrams Campaign Calls On Brian Kemp To Resign As Georgia's Election Chief

The campaign of Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate in Georgia's

Modern-Day Witches Plan Ritual To Hex Brett Kavanaugh

Dozens of witches say they plan to gather in New York City this month to hex

Orange teams up with Google on Dunant transatlantic cable

Announced by Google in July, Dunant will be the first new submarine cable connecting the United States to France in more than 15 years and is a response to rapidly increasing demand for connectivity across the Atlantic. "Thanks to this partnership, Orange will be in a stronger position to support the development of new uses for its consumer and enterprise customers in Europe and America," it said in a statement.

Trump Says He Doesn't 'Like' Jamal Khashoggi Disappearance, Won't Stop Saudi Arms Sales

President Donald Trump doesn't "like" that Saudi Arabia may be involved in the

#%*%#$^%*: The ‘Derogatory’ Comments That Got a Lawyer Suspended

By MICHAEL GOLD from NYT New York https://ift.tt/2P0JdP6

'It's gone': Mexico Beach, Fla., left in ruins by Hurricane Michael

CNN’s Brooke Baldwin struggled to find the words to describe the sheer devastation left by Hurricane Michael as she flew in a helicopter above Mexico Beach, Fla., on Thursday morning.

Democrats Agree To Confirm More Of Trump's Judicial Nominees — Again

Democrats on Thursday agreed to expedite votes on 15 of President Donald Trump ’s nominees to lifetime federal court seats.

Andrew Brunson: Turkey releases US pastor after two years in prison

Andrew Brunson is escorted by Turkish officers on 25 July in Izmir, Turkey. The American pastor at the centre of a bitter diplomatic rift between Washington DC and Ankara is flying back to the US after a Turkish court ordered his release following two years in detention. Witnesses in the courtroom in the western town of Izmir said Andrew Brunson wept as the decision was announced on Friday.

Pope accepts resignation of US cardinal over abuse cover-up claim

Pope Francis on Friday accepted the resignation of Washington DC archbishop Donald Wuerl, who has been blamed for not doing enough to deal with paedophile priests. Cardinal Wuerl, 77, had offered to resign on September 21 after facing strong criticism over a report detailing mass sexual abuse cases when he was a bishop in Pennsylvania. Francis finally accepted his resignation on Friday in a letter in which he praised Wuerl's "nobility" and said the cardinal would stay on until his successor is appointed.

These Photos Show The Catastrophic Wind Damage From Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael brought destruction to northern Florida this week, toppling