| 6 Officers Shot in Florida and Pennsylvania, 2 Killed and 4 Wounded Posted: 19 Aug 2017 08:39 AM PDT  Three police departments are reeling from a violent night that has left two officers dead.
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| Watts: When Leaders are Silent, They Are Agreeing With KKK Posted: 19 Aug 2017 11:11 PM PDT  Former Congressman J.C. Watts (R-Okla) tells Chuck Todd that now "is not a time for us to be afraid to be tweeted" by the president.
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| Lost WWII USS Indianapolis Wreckage Finally Uncovered Posted: 19 Aug 2017 01:59 PM PDT  It was 18,000 feet under the water's surface.
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| The Latest: About 20 protesters linger near Dallas cemetery Posted: 19 Aug 2017 09:01 PM PDT  DALLAS (AP) — The Latest on a conservative rally and counterdemonstration in Boston and around the country (all times local):
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| Thousands Protest White Supremacy In New Orleans Posted: 19 Aug 2017 07:43 PM PDT  Suber told HuffPost the rally was organized for two reasons. "This is our solidarity with the people in Charlottesville, Virginia, as well as a notice to our local leaders that we want all statues dedicated to white supremacists taken down," he said. Watch Suber speak during Saturday's protest in New Orleans, below.
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| Man charged with using drone to smuggle drugs into the US Posted: 19 Aug 2017 07:35 PM PDT  A man has been charged with using a drone to smuggle more than 13 pounds of methamphetamine into the US from Mexico. Jorge Edwin Rivera, 25, told the US authorities that he was paid to deliver the drugs to an accomplice at a filling station in San Diego. Rivera, who is a US citizen, admitted smuggling the drugs five or six times since March. Border agents spotted the flying drone on August 8 and tracked it back to Rivera who was about 2,000 yards from the border. He was found with the methamphetamine in a lunchbox and a drone was hidden in a nearby bush. Drones have not normally been the mode of choice for smuggling narcotics into the America, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration. This is because they are only capable of carrying small amounts and are regarded as less cost-effective than using boats or hidden vehicle compartments. In 2015 two people admitted using a drone to deliver 28 pounds of heroin to Calexico, a border town in California. Border agents in Arizona spotted a drone being used to drop 30-pound bundles of marijuana in the same year. Rivera has been remanded in custody and his next hearing is scheduled for September 7.
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| 'Embarrassed' Voters in Midwest States Rate President's Conduct Posted: 19 Aug 2017 11:56 PM PDT  In Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, a majority of registered voters give President Trump's job approval a negative number and say they are "embarrassed" by his conduct.
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| Flying dogs caught in action Posted: 20 Aug 2017 08:30 AM PDT ![Flying dogs caught in action]( "Flying dogs caught in action") These excited pooches are flying without wings in this series of hilarious images. Taken in July by photographer Peter Mueller, Each photo shows the canines' exuberant facial expressions, as they appear to be leaping through the air.
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| Who's Selling Solar Eclipse Glasses? Here's a Complete List Posted: 19 Aug 2017 01:20 PM PDT  You'd better hurry.
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| Couple Who Engaged In Sexual Act Aboard Southwest Airlines Flight Questioned Posted: 20 Aug 2017 09:24 AM PDT  The airline said the incident occurred on a flight from Atlanta to Las Vegas and apologized to other passengers aboard the flight.
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| White House lawyer Cobb predicts quick end to Mueller probe Posted: 18 Aug 2017 06:38 PM PDT ![White House lawyer Cobb predicts quick end to Mueller probe]( "White House lawyer Cobb predicts quick end to Mueller probe") By Karen Freifeld WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House special counsel Ty Cobb predicts the cloud of an investigation into Russian meddling in the U.S. election will soon be lifted from President Donald Trump and says he would be "embarrassed" if it still hangs over the president in 2018. Cobb told Reuters this week that he talks to Trump on an almost daily basis and has been in contact with the team of Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Mueller is investigating possible collusion between Trump's campaign team and Russia, as well as possible money laundering by at least one former aide.
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| The Latest: Wildfire forces evacuation of 440 Oregon homes Posted: 18 Aug 2017 06:25 PM PDT ![The Latest: Wildfire forces evacuation of 440 Oregon homes]( "The Latest: Wildfire forces evacuation of 440 Oregon homes") PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Latest on wildfires in the West (all times local):
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| Charlottesville: Student who attended neo-Nazi rally forced to leave university after backlash Posted: 19 Aug 2017 07:43 AM PDT  A student who took part in the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville has said he is leaving Boston University because of the violent threats he has received since the event. "It's becoming very dangerous," Nicholas Fuentes told the Boston Globe. "Massachusetts, and Boston in particular, are among the most left-wing states and cities," he said.
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| Former Obama DHS Secretary: 'Confederate monuments are a threat to public safety' Posted: 20 Aug 2017 05:00 AM PDT  Former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said Confederate monuments are "becoming symbols and rallying points for white nationalism, for neo-Nazis, for the KKK."
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| Oxford University employee and US academic brought to Chicago to face murder charges Posted: 19 Aug 2017 04:11 PM PDT  Two employees of elite universities charged in the fatal stabbing of a 26-year-old hair stylist were returned to Chicago early Saturday to face charges of first-degree murder in the brutal killing. Chicago police escorted fired Northwestern University professor Wyndham Lathem, 43, and Oxford University financial officer Andrew Warren, 56, from Northern California, where they surrendered peacefully on Aug. 4 after an eight-day, nationwide manhunt. Detectives were questioning the men Saturday. They could appear in court as early as Sunday. The men are accused of killing Trenton James Cornell-Duranleau, a Michigan native who had been living in Chicago, last month in Lathem's high-rise Chicago condo. Chicago police have said Cornell-Duranleau suffered more than 40 stab wounds, including "mutilations," to his upper body. Authorities say the attack was so violent the blade of the knife they believe was used was broken. They found Cornell-Duranleau's body July 27 after the building's front desk received an anonymous call that a crime had occurred on the 10th floor. He had been dead more than 12 hours. By then, authorities say Lathem and Warren had fled the city. According to autopsy results released Friday by the Cook County medical examiner's office, Cornell-Duranleau had methamphetamine in his system at the time of his death. Wyndham Lathem Credit: Chicago Police Department/PA Police say Lathem and Cornell-Duranleau, who moved to Chicago from the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area about a year ago, had a personal relationship, though they have not described the nature of it or a motive for the attack. It's unclear what the relationship was between Lathem, Cornell-Duranleau and Warren, who's British. He arrived in the U.S. three days before the killing, after being reported missing in Great Britain. Lathem, a microbiologist who's been on Northwestern's faculty since 2007 but was not teaching at the time of the attack, was terminated by the university for fleeing from police when there was an arrest warrant out for him. Investigators said the day after the crime was committed Lathem and Warren drove about 80 miles (128 kilometers) northwest of Chicago to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. One of the men made a $1,000 donation to a local library in Cornell-Duranleau's name. Lake Geneva authorities said the man making the donation didn't give his name. Trenton James Cornell-Duranleau Credit: Facebook At another point after the killing, Lathem sent a video to friends and relatives apologizing for his involvement in the crime, which he called the "biggest mistake of my life." The video raised concern among investigators that Lathem might kill himself. Lathem and Warren both appeared in court in California last week, where they agreed to return to Illinois to face charges. An attorney for Lathem, Kenneth H. Wine, called him a "gentle soul" and said "what he is accused of is totally contrary to the way he has lived his entire life." Wine said Lathem intends to plead not guilty to the charges. Warren was represented by a public defender during a brief appearance in a San Francisco court. She said he is "presumed innocent," but declined to comment further.
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| Expert: Arkansas may have reliable source of execution drug Posted: 18 Aug 2017 06:03 PM PDT  LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A death penalty expert says Arkansas' recent purchase of a lethal injection drug — in a small amount and at a cheap price — suggests the state has found a reliable supplier to help it move 30 inmates from death row to the execution chamber.
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| How Long Will the Total Solar Eclipse Last? Posted: 20 Aug 2017 04:00 AM PDT  Americans in some states will only witness seconds of it
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| Indian woman wins divorce over lack of toilet Posted: 19 Aug 2017 05:54 PM PDT  An Indian court has given a woman permission to divorce her husband because their home did not have a toilet, forcing her to seek relief outdoors. Justice Rajendra Kumar Sharma said women in villages often endured physical pain waiting until darkness to relieve themselves outdoors. The judge labelled open defecation -- a major health problem in India -- disgraceful and deemed it torture to deny women a safe environment for relief, the woman's lawyer Rajesh Sharma told AFP.
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| Elderly Swiss couple found murdered in Kenya's Mombasa city Posted: 20 Aug 2017 10:46 AM PDT ![Elderly Swiss couple found murdered in Kenya's Mombasa city]( "Elderly Swiss couple found murdered in Kenya's Mombasa city") By Joseph Akwiri MOMBASA (Reuters) - The bodies of an elderly Swiss couple were found dumped by a country road in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa with severe injuries on Sunday, police said, and the caretaker of a property where they had been due to stay was being sought for questioning. Regional police chief Larry Kiyeng identified them by name and said they had flown into Kenya on Saturday and had planned to stay at a private residence in Nyali, an upmarket estate in Mombasa. The couple, who appeared to be between 60 and 70 years old, were found wrapped in a blanket near a local nightclub on the outskirts of Mombasa, area police chief Christopher Rotich said. "They have severe injuries.
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| Young Taiwanese choose China jobs over politics Posted: 19 Aug 2017 07:55 PM PDT  Taiwan has long seen its international allies switching allegiance to an ascendant Beijing, but now there are also fears of a brain drain of the island's youth as they pursue careers in rival China. Cross-strait tensions have soared since China-sceptic Tsai Ing-wen took power last year, with Beijing cutting all official communication. China still sees the self-ruling island as part of its territory to be reunified, but young people in particular have increasingly developed a sense of pride in their Taiwanese identity.
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| Serena Williams' Fiancé Is A Little Shocked By Her Pregnancy Cravings Posted: 19 Aug 2017 08:38 AM PDT  He knew there would be cravings, but not quite like this.
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| How the Republican party quietly does the bidding of white supremacists | Russ Feingold Posted: 19 Aug 2017 03:00 AM PDT  Let us finally rip off the veneer that Trump's affinity for white supremacy is distinct from the Republican agenda. The phony claimed outrage becomes dangerous if it convinces anyone that there is a distinction between Trump's abhorrent comments and the Republican Party agenda. It is the unmasking of the Republican party leadership.
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| Barcelona attack: Police confirm Moussa Oukabir shot dead amid fears terror suspects fled across border to France Posted: 18 Aug 2017 11:19 PM PDT  Coverage continues Saturday Aug 19th A huge manhunt was underway across Europe last night for at least one jihadist feared to be still at large after plotting the Barcelona terrorist attacks. Police and security services were hunting for the remaining members of a Moroccan-born terror cell, amid fears that they could be preparing further attacks at popular tourist areas. The 17-year-old key suspect of the Barcelona van outrage, Moussa Oukabir, was one of five terrorists shot dead by Spanish police during an attack on the coastal resort of Cambrils in the early hours of yesterday, authorities confirmed last night. Cambrils suspect taunts police before being shot 00:52 They also named Said Aalla, 18 and Mohamed Hychami, 24 as among those shot dead. Four other suspects were taken into custody. But police were last night continuing to appeal for information on Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22. There were also reports that two further suspects were being sought. A French security official said last night that Spanish police were looking for a Renault Kangoo van rented on Thursday in Spain by the suspects that may have crossed into France. Security officials believe the attacks on Barcelona and Cambrils were the work of a terror cell of at least 12 people, who may have been inspired by the London Bridge outrage in June. On Thursday afternoon, Oukabir and his associates drove a van along Barcelona's crowded Las Ramblas thoroughfare, ploughing into tourists leaving 13 dead and more than 100 injured. Moussa Oukabir, 18, is being hunted as the suspected van driver Among those thought to have been killed was a seven-year-old British boy, who had been visiting Barcelona for a family wedding. Julian Cadman, who was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, but later moved to Australia, had been strolling along Las Ramblas with his mother, Jumarie, when they were both mown down. Mrs Cadman was last night understood to be still in hospital in an induced coma, unaware that her son was missing, feared dead. Her husband, Andrew Cadman, who had been unable to attend the Catalonian wedding and had stayed at home in Sydney, boarded a flight to Barcelona and was due to land late last night. Among the other victims was an Italian tourist, Luca Rosso, who was hit as he walked through the streets with his fiancée. Another Italian, Bruno Gulotta, 35, a father of two, was also killed in front of his wife and children. After carrying out the attack, Oukabir is believed to have fled on foot, before hijacking a Ford Focus car, stabbing the driver, and jumping a checkpoint, in order to make his escape. It is then believed he travelled to the coastal resort of Cambrils, where he met up with four fellow jihadists. Driving an Audi A3, they travelled at speed along the town's promenade but crashed and flipped the car. Barcelona terror attack The jihadists then got out of the vehicle and started to attack the terrified onlookers with knives and axes. All of the jihadists were shot dead by police who were on the scene as part of a heightened security operation following the Barcelona attack. Despite his role as ringleader in the attacks it was not thought that Oukabir had been known previously to the security services. But social media accounts reputed to be linked to him contained a series of Islamist comments. In one post, when asked what he would do on his first day as absolute ruler of the world, Moussa replied: "Kill all infidels and only allow Muslims to continue the religion." His older brother, Driss, 28, was among four men in custody, who were being held on suspicion of involvement in the atrocities. Police officers by the upturned car used to target civilians in a second terrorist attack in Cambrils early on Friday Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP A huge explosion at a house in the town of Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, in which one man died, was connected with the attacks. Police who searched the remains of the property discovered a large number of gas canisters which they believe were intended to be packed into a vehicle and driven into crowds. Police chief Josep Lluis Trapero said they were planning "a much bigger atrocity" than the one that took place. Yesterday, Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, King Felipe VI and Carles Puigdemont, the president of Catalonia – where both attacks took place – held a minute of silence in Barcelona. It was followed by the crowd shouting "not afraid". Mapped: Barcelona van attack 5:09AM Malcolm Turnbull urges Australians to pray for missing boy Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has asked people to pray for a young Australian boy who is missing after a vehicle attack on a popular Barcelona promenade that killed 13 people. Mr Turnbull said on Saturday that the boy's mother was badly injured and is in a hospital following Friday's attack at the Las Ramblas promenade. Mr Turnbull says the boy's family is searching for him. He did not release the boy's name. He added: "All of us as parents know the anguish his father is going through, and his whole family is going through, as they rush to seek to find him in Barcelona." 3:53AM Security stepped up at sporting events Security is being stepped up at major sporting events in Spain. The country's main football competition, La Liga, returns this weekend following its three-month summer break. Barcelona's opening match against Real Betis will go ahead as planned at the Camp Nou stadium on Sunday. Additional police will be on duty at all major sporting venues. In addition, the Vuelta, one of cycling's three Grand Tours, enters Spain on Tuesday, with thousands of spectators expected to line the route. The stage will finish at Tarragon, which is is only 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) along the Mediterranean coast from Cambrils. 2:13AM Former head of anti-terrorism expert says vehicular terror attacks are difficult to stop Former head of anti-terrorism expert says vehicular terror attacks are difficult to stop 01:33 11:36PM Watch how large Barcelona's Las Ramblas memorial grows over time Watch how large Barcelona's Las Ramblas memorial grows over time 00:55 10:07PM Police confirm Moussa Oukabir shot dead by police in Cambrils Spanish police on Friday released the names of three Moroccan suspects in the deadly attacks in Spain's Catalonia region, shot dead overnight by security forces in the seaside resort of Cambrils. Catalonia's regional police identified them as Moussa Oukabir, 17, Said Aallaa, 18, and Mohamed Hychami, 24. Police said they were searching for a fourth suspect, Younes Abouyaaqoub, aged 22. 9:21PM American Daniel Tucker confirmed among the dead as family pays tribute A man says his son, a California resident, is among the dead in a truck attack in Barcelona, Spain. Daniel Tucker tells The Daily News of New York that his son Jared Tucker's body was identified by his wife at the morgue on Friday. Tucker says, "It's just something we really just don't understand." The couple, celebrating their first wedding anniversary, posed for this photograph just an hour before the attack Jared Tucker and his wife, Heidi Nunes, were visiting Barcelona for their first wedding anniversary. Tucker and his father worked together installing swimming pools. The elder Tucker tells the newspaper that "everybody loved him." 7:32PM Spanish police 'looking for a rented Kangoo utility vehicle that may have crossed into France' A French security official says Spanish police are looking for a Kangoo utility vehicle rented by suspects in the Barcelona attacks that may have crossed into France, AP reports. The official said Spanish police alerted French authorities to the vehicle, rented on Thursday in Spain. The official said French police nationwide are on the lookout for the car, and were given information from Spain about four suspects believed to be on the run. A Renault Kangoo The official was not authorised to be publicly named speaking of an ongoing manhunt. After two deadly vehicle attacks in Barcelona and a nearby resort, France's interior minister said his country reinforced police surveillance on Friday of what is normally an open border between Spain and France. French officials said on Friday evening that no one has been detained so far in the Spanish investigation. 6:37PM Riot police seal off section of Las Ramblas amid protest Riot police have cordoned off a section of Las Ramblas as a group of people, some with masks over their faces, began shouting and bottles were thrown, Hayley Dixon reports. The group were shouting anti fascist slogans and clapping. 4:56PM Witness tells of hiding in restaurant amid terror attack A 22-year-old eyewitness, Raquel Doval, who was holidaying with her family at the time of the attack in Cambrils, describes how she had to hide in a restaurant to escape the terror. Cambrils eyewitness: we had to hide in restaurant, we were frightened 00:52 4:23PM Are holidaymakers covered by insurance if they refuse to fly to Spain in wake of terror attacks? Holidaymakers worried about terror attacks in Spain might not be covered if they refuse to fly, insurers have warned, reports Laura Hughes. A tour operator is only legally obliged to offer travellers a full refund or an alternative holiday if the Foreign Office advises against visiting a destination. Spain has not been put on the Foreign Office's "no-go" list following the two terror attacks in Cambrils and Barcelona. Malcolm Tarling, from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), told the Telegraph: "While some travel insurance policies may cover cancellation if the Government advise against it, you may not be covered if you decide against travelling to your destination when there is no advice not to do so. "Travel insurance will cover the costs of any emergency medical treatment needed if you are caught up in a terrorist attack. "If you are in, or are planning to visit, an area where an attack has occurred, you should follow any advice from the UK Government and, where necessary, talk to your travel agent, tour operator, airline or other transport provider. "If you change your travel arrangements, then your travel insurance can usually be transferred to cover the new destination." 3:56PM Friend of arrested suspect 'very surprised' by his arrest Pablo Romeres, a waiter at the el Punt restaurant in Ripoll, told The Telegraph that he was good friends with Driss Oukabir, and that he had been "very surprised" by his arrest last night, reports Harry Yorke. "My friend, Driss, he is first to be accused," he added. "He lives close to the station here, I know him well. I do not know the others, apart from Moussa, his brother. "He was here when it happened I think, so I don't think it was him. They are talking about Moussa, so maybe he is connected, who knows. "Do I think he would do something like this? No, definitely not." 3:37PM Donald Trump uses Barcelona tweets to have a dig at US Democrats President Donald Trump set out to reassure Americans this morning, as they wake up to the latest news from Barcelona, Harriet Alexander in New York writes. He said that the homeland security and law enforcement teams were "on alert and closely watching for any sign of trouble". He then followed up with a dig at the Democrats, accusing them of threatening the country's security by their refusal to back his travel ban and their resistance to his plans to give police a free rein. He said he is travelling from his New Jersey golf course to Camp David today to discuss "national security, the border and the military" - his favourite topics. Homeland Security and law enforcement are on alert & closely watching for any sign of trouble. Our borders are far tougher than ever before!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2017 The Obstructionist Democrats make Security for our country very difficult. They use the courts and associated delay at all times. Must stop!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2017 Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary! The courts must give us back our protective rights. Have to be tough!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2017 Heading to Camp David for major meeting on National Security, the Border and the Military (which we are rapidly building to strongest ever).— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2017 3:26PM How the Barcelona attack showed all the hallmarks of new jihadi tactics The terror attack in Barcelona that left 14 dead bore an eerie similarity to other recent attacks, showing all the hallmarks of new jihadi methods, writes Jacob Burns. It echoed recent attacks in Nice, Berlin and London. In each of those instances, an attacker drove a vehicle into crowds at high profile locations in the city, with deadly effect. The July 2016 Nice attack involving a lorry killed dozens Credit: ERIC GAILLARD/Reuters In each case, Isil also claimed responsibility, saying that the attackers had answered their call to attack nations who are participating in the anti-Isil coalition. Click here to read more. 3:20PM One American killed in Barcelona attack The US state department has confirmed that one American citizen died in the Barcelona attack and another has suffered minor injuries, reports Harriet Alexander. A spokesman said: "The US consulate general in Barcelona continues to work with local authorities to identify and provide assistance to US citizens affected by the terrorist attacks in Las Ramblas and Cambrils. "At this time we can confirm that one US citizen was killed. We can also confirm that one US citizen sustained minor injuries. "Out of respects for the family's privacy in their time of grief, we have no further comment. Spanish authorities report that there are still several casualties that are not yet identified." Sec. Tillerson confirms death of US citizen in terrorist attacks in #Spain; expresses sympathies & offers thoughts and prayers. #Barcelonapic.twitter.com/Qslz4gKKd2— Department of State (@StateDept) August 18, 2017 Click here to read more about the victims. 3:17PM Police 'do not rule out' other members of terror cell in Cambrils The woman who died following the attack in Cambrils was part of a family visiting from Zaragoza, two other members of which have also been hospitalised, reports Hannah Strange. The victim has not yet been named. Police in Cambrils said they could not be certain if the attackers had come from outside the beach town or had a base there. Asked by The Telegraph if they believed there could still be members of a cell in the resort, an officer who declined to be named said: "I would not rule it out". Police chiefs in the town were huddled in meetings as along the promenade tourists began to return to bars and beach chairs, some nervous, others in disbelief at the tragedy that had unfolded while many were sleeping. Spanish police in Cambrils after the attack Credit: Cambrils /EFE Raquel Doval, a 22-year-old student from Navarra on holiday with her family, was having dinner at a restaurant terrace on the promenade when they heard shots, which they initially mistook for fireworks. Suddenly, the staff told them to run inside and hide, and they saw people fleeing and screaming. "We just arrived yesterday. It was our first night," she told The Telegraph, describing the terror she felt barricaded inside the restaurant and later, as the family edged their way back to the hotel, sticking to areas off limits to vehicles for fear of further attack. Nevertheless, her family planned to stay and finish their holiday, she said. "We do not want to let them think we are afraid. You have to go on." 2:50PM Motorways leading out of Barcelona gridlocked due to police checks Motorways leading out of Barcelona were gridlocked due to police checkpoints on Friday afternoon, reports James Rothwell. Officers armed with shotguns were scrutinising every passenger in every vehicle leaving Barcelona via the C32 road, slowing the pace of traffic to a crawl. French police officers control vehicles coming across the border from Spain Credit: RAYMOND ROIG/AFP The road runs south along the coastline towards the small town of Alcanar, where a huge explosion took place on Wednesday. Police say they found canisters of gas inside the house and believe it is linked to the attacks. 2:27PM Queen condemns 'deeply upsetting' attacks in message to Spain's king The Queen has sent a message of support to the King of Spain describing the terrorist attacks in his country as "terrible" and commenting how it is "deeply upsetting" when innocent people are put at risk. The Queen said in her message: "Prince Philip and I send our sincere condolences to Your Majesty, and the people of Spain, following the terrible terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils which killed and seriously injured many. "It is deeply upsetting when innocent people are put at risk in this way when going about their daily lives. "Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and the people who are recovering in hospital. "Please convey our heartfelt sympathies to all who have been affected by these appalling incidents." 2:03PM Police confirm Barcelona van driver is still not 'identified' A police chief has told a press conference that the driver of the van used in the Barcelona attack has still not been "identified". Josep Luis Trapero told reporters that investigators are linking the attacks on La Rambla, Cambrils and the explosion in Alcanar. While suspect Moussa Oukabir, who remains on the run, has been named by sources as the suspected van driver, news website La Vanguardia reported that police sources said they have not ruled out the driver is one of those killed in Cambrils. The hired van used in the Las Ramblas attack Four of the dead men in Cambrils have been identified. They were aged 21, 27, 28 and 34. Three were Moroccan and one was Spanish and police said none of them were previously known to the security services for terror-related reasons. But Mr Trapero, a Catalan regional police official, told reporters the fifth man had not yet been identified. He also revealed that police had yet to identify the Barcelona driver and said: "It could be one of the people shot in Cambrils, but we don't know yet." Mr Trapero said the suspects had been preparing even bigger attacks "for some time". He also confirmed: the same officer killed four of the five terrorists in Cambrils: "To kill four people, even if you are a professional, is not easy to digest" that three Moroccans and one Spaniard had been arrested "We work with the hypothesis that the authors were preparing for some time in this building of Alcanar both attacks. It was a group, we do not know the specific number, but we do not rule out having other attacks in mind. They are all identified." 1:42PM Spanish prime minister: Terrorism is Europe's main problem Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish Prime Minister, has said that terrorism is "Europe's main problem right now". He said: "What makes us most effective is that we are all united. These attacks are not only against us, but against all countries that defend freedom and democratic values." He added: "It is very important to work together and exchange everything that has to be exchanged. It is the first problem in Europe right now." 1:39PM How to explain the horrors of terrorism to children With terror attacks becoming an increasingly regular occurrence, who should parents explain what they are seeing on their TV screens to children. Experts from the Royal College of Psychiatrists have advised that parents should be honest with their children about terror attacks. Click here for the full advice. 1:21PM Floral tributes laid in Barcelona for terror attack victims As Spain begins three days of mourning, well-wishers have laid flowers and lit candles in memory of the victims in Barcelona. Dozens lay flowers for Barcelona terror attack victims 00:55 1:11PM UK 'urgently looking into reports' of British child missing in Spain UK authorities are "urgently looking into reports" of a British dual-nationality child believed to be missing in Spain following the terror attacks, Prime Minister Theresa May said. This is believed to be seven-year-old Julian Cadman, who father is from Sydney, who has lived in England and has been pictured wearing a jumper from a nursery school in Kent. Julian Cadman, seven, pictured in a UK nursery school jumper Mrs May, who spoke to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Friday morning, added: "We must work together if we are to confront this evil of terrorism, and also to confront and deal with the perverted extremist ideology which drives it - ridding the internet of poisonous material, and ensuring that our police and security services have the powers that they need. Terrorism is the great threat that we all face, but together we will defeat it." British dual national child missing after Spain terror attacks, says May 01:46 12:59PM Spanish flags in Madrid fly at half-mast In Madrid, the Spanish capital, flags are flying at half-mast to honour those who were killed and injured in the terror attacks. Flags in Madrid fly at half mast 00:32 12:49PM Fourth person arrested over terror attacks A fourth person has been arrested in connection with the Spanish terror attacks, police in Catalonia say. The suspect, whose identity has not been revealed, was held in Ripoll, where two others had previously been arrested. 12:48PM France strengthening border controls with Spain France is strengthening controls on its border with Spain, the French interior minister says - amid fears that terrorist may try to enter France or has already done so, reports David Chazan. 12:44PM Scotland Yard liaising with Spanish police over attack Britain's most senior counter-terrorism police officer has said UK officers are liaising with their Spanish counterparts. Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said: "Officers are at UK ports today ready to meet British holidaymakers returning to the UK from the region in order to take any witness accounts. "Anyone who has returned from Spain can also call the confidential hotline with information on 0800 789 321. "We are also urging people who have images or footage that may assist investigators to upload them to Ukpoliceimageappeal.com." 12:29PM Hero police officer killed four of five terrorists in Cambrills One Catalan police officer killed four of the five terrorists who used an Audi A3 to plough through pedestrians in the seaside city of Cambrills last night, reports James Crisp. The officer was carrying out a spot check on a roundabout near the seafront of Cambrils, when the Audi hit four people before ramming into the police car. One officer suffered a broken tibia and a heavy blow to the head in the collision. One of the five terrorists charges towards police with a knife in Cambrils Credit: Sky News The terrorists' car overturned in the crash. Seeing the terrorists getting out of the car and advancing towards him with machetes and axes, the hero officer shot four of the terrorists. A fifth fled in the direction of a park, stabbing a passerby in the face with a knife before being gunned down by a police sergeant with a submachine gun, according to La Vanguardia. 12:10PM Dead and wounded made up of 34 different nationalities The dead and wounded from the attacks include 34 different nationalities, Catalan authorities have said. A total of 130 people were wounded in the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils. 11:40AM 'Small number' of Britons injured in Spanish terror attacks A "small number" of Britons were injured in the terror attacks in Spain and additional staff have been sent to Barcelona to help, the Foreign Office said. 11:31AM British skateboarder: 'Van was right next to me... just hitting people' British witness describes horror of Las Ramblas car attack 00:49 11:27AM Death toll rises to 14 as woman injured in Cambrils dies The death toll after the Spanish attacks has risen to 14, emergency services have said. A woman who was critically injured in the town of Cambrils has died. Six other civilians, including a police officer, were also injured in that attack early today. 11:08AM Minute's silence held in Barcelona's main square Thousands of people have held a minute's silence in Barcelona's main square for victims of yesterday's attack. It was attended by Spain's king and premier. Applause breaks out after minute's silence for Barcelona attack victims 00:50 The minute's silence on Plaza Catalunya ended in applause and with calls of I am not afraid" in Catalan and in Spanish. 11:04AM First named victim is a father of two from Italy The first named victim of the Barcelona attack is Bruno Gulotta, an Italian father of two young children, reports Helena Horton. He was on holiday with his partner and two children - one of whom is about to start school and the other is seven months old. Mr Gulotta was crushed to death on the Ramblas by the lorry while walking hand in hand with his 5-year-old son who his wife Martina managed to snatch to safety in the nick of time, she was quoted as telling friends. Martina was following her husband carrying their seven-month-old baby girl Aria in a rucksack she was wearing on her chest when Bruno was run down, la Repubblica newspaper quoted her telling his workmates. Bruno Gulotta died in the attack in Barcelona Credit: TOM'S HARDWARE Martina grabbed their son Alessandro, aged 5, and rushed both children to safety but Mr Gulotta, 35, was killed instantly. Mr Gulotta worked as a salesman in a computer shop in Legnano in northern Italy. 10:46AM Witness: Terrorist shot by police 'got up again like a horror film' A man caught in the panic of the terrorist attack in Cambrils described the scenes as like watching a "horror film". Fitzroy Davies, who earlier told how one of the attackers smiled at police, was visiting the town for a judo camp. He told Sky News he saw one of the attackers get back on his feet, despite suffering police gunshots. He said: "He came running up, he had silver stuff on him, he had a thing in his hand, and then somebody shouted 'police' and then within 30 seconds the police came. "Next thing you know, they've drawn their guns and they were shouting at the guy and then shots were fired. "He then fell down and then within two seconds he stood back up. He then stepped over the fence, charged the police again and the police then gave some more shots and then he fell down again. "I couldn't understand what he was saying but he was just shouting something and he was going up and down the street and the police were saying 'stop', it must have been 'stop, stop', or whatever, and he kept charging until, in the end, they shot him." Mr Davies said the crazed attacker was behaving "like somebody who was on drugs". He said: "He was just going up and down the street, like ranting, raving and he was - I don't know if he was all the ticket, I don't know because he was just going up and down. "And then when he took the first round of shots he fell on the floor, and then within two seconds, I thought I was watching a film, one of them horror films, the guy just stood up. "Just stood up, got back up, walked over the fence and started laughing at the police. "And as he started laughing at the police, he was walking to them and the police started to step backwards and then they shot him again. And that's when he went down." Mr Davies said the terrorist appeared to be holding some kind of device, later thought to have been a mock trigger for a fake suicide vest. "I think it did it's job," he said. "It made everyone fearful. And I think that's what they were looking for. "He had something in his hand and at first everybody kept on thinking he's got something. And that's why everybody was running." Eyewitness accounts of Cambrils shooting 00:58 10:23AM Police seek teenager as suspected Barcelona van driver Spanish police have named the man they are seeking as the suspected Barcelona van driver. He is 18-year-old Moussa Oukabir, according to local media. He is the brother of Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old Moroccan who is alleged to have rented the vehicle. 10:20AM 'Defiant' Las Ramblas reopens as Barcelona unites Less than 24 hours after the Barcelona attack, Las Ramblas reopened this morning in a show of "defiance" as Barcelona residents united to help those affected. Las Ramblas reopens for business following the terror attack Credit: Getty Stallholders opened for business as usual along the main artery of the city. Click here for more reaction. Placards with black ribbons hang on a kiosk in the area where a van crashed into pedestrians at Las Ramblas Credit: Reuters 10:04AM 12-strong terror cell behind attacks, police believe Police in Spain have said that a terror cell of 12 people is believed to have been behind the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils as well as the explosion in Alcanar, according to local media. 9:53AM How is the Alcanar house explosion linked to the attacks? A gas explosion at a house in Alcanar that killed one person on Wednesday is being linked to the attacks. The blast that killed one person and injured seven others happened at a property in the village 130 miles from Barcelona. Firefighters found an estimated 20 gas cylinders in the property. The house that collapsed after a gas explosion in the village of Alcanar on Wednesday Credit: JAUME SELLART/EPA Documents found in the rubble of the house established a connection with the Barcelona massacre, investigators believe. Investigators have revealed that they believe an eight-strong terror cell could have been planning a gas canister attack. 9:35AM At least one more terrorist still being sought after van attack At least one more terrorist is still being sought over the Barcelona van attack, Catalan's regional president has said. Carles Puigdemont told local radio there was at least one "terrorist still out there", but that "we don't have information regarding the capacity to do more harm". This is thought to be the van driver, who is believed to still be on the run after fleeing unarmed. 9:31AM Spanish and EU flags fly at half-mast in Brussels After the twin terror attacks in Spain, both the Spanish and European Union flags are flying at half-mast outside the European Parliament in Brussels this morning. La bandera de España y de la Unión Europea a media asta en la sede del Parlamento Europeo. Europa de luto junto a España. pic.twitter.com/Nr7lSletvA— EP President Tajani (@EP_President) August 18, 2017 9:20AM British boy, seven, missing after Barcelona attack The family of a seven-year-old boy believed to be British has posted on Facebook begging for his safe return after he was separated from his injured mother in the Barcelona attack, reports Helena Horton. Julian Cadman was in the Spanish city with his mother when the van struck where they were walking. The two were reportedly there to attend a wedding. Julian Cadman is pictured wearing a jumper from a British nursery Credit: JOM CADMAN It appears Julian is British. Although his aunt and uncle who are searching for him live in Sydney, Julian is pictured wearing a jumper from a nursery in the UK. He also has relatives who live in the UK. Jumarie 'Jom' Cadman, the mother of Julian, was found in hospital and is in a serious but stable condition. Click here for more details on those missing after the attack. 9:00AM Third suspect arrested is 34-year-old Moroccan national The Catalan police have confirmed the third person to be arrested is a 34-year-old Moroccan national who was living in Ripoll. He is believed to be an associate of Oukabir and the driver of the van remains on the run. 8:45AM Terror cell of eight 'planning attack with gas canisters' Authorities investigating that attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils believe that a cell of eight people might have been involved and had been planning an attack with gas canisters, according to a judicial source. 8:44AM Man arrested in Ripoll could be driver of car that drove into police checkpoint, official says Joaquim Form, the Catalan interior secretary, told RAC1 radio that initial indications were that the man arrested in Ripoll could be the driver of the car that yesterday drove into a police checkpoint on Avenida Diagonal before abandoning the vehicle in Sant Just Desvern, reports Hannah Strange. The person killed in Sant Just Desvern was apparently the owner of the vehicle, who was found dead from knife wounds inside; it had previously been reported that the driver had died in a police operation. 8:25AM Suicide belts worn by Cambrils attackers were fake, police say The explosive belts worn by attackers killed by police in Cambrils were fake, the Spanish region's head Carles Puigdemont told local radio station RAC1. He said bomb experts had confirmed the explosive belts were duds. 8:04AM Cambrils terrorist taunted and smiled at police as they shot him, says British witness Fitzroy Davies, from Wolverhampton, was caught up in the second attack in Cambrils and described how police shot dead one of the attackers. He told the BBC he was in Spain for a judo camp and was in a meeting with the coaches when the incident unfolded. "These girls ran into the bar off the street and then people were running up the road. One of our guys stood up, looked and just said 'run', so we all ran. "This guy came running up the road and was shouting something. I didn't know what it was, so we said call the police." A policeman stands by the car used in a terrorist attack in Cambrils early on Friday Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP "Within 30 seconds the police was already there, jumped out of the car, started shouting at the guy, the guy was then saying something else again. "And then they 'pop, pop', did a couple of shots and he fell down. "He stood back up and then he stepped over the fence and he started, he was taunting, smiling and he carried on walking to the police, and then they gave it to him again, a couple more shots and then he fell to the ground." 7:51AM Third arrest in connection with Barcelona attack A third person has been arrested in the Spanish city of Ripoll following the van attack in Barcelona, police and the Catalonia Interior Minister have said. It is unclear if this is the driver of the van that killed 13 people. 7:37AM Recap: How terror returned to streets of Europe If you are just joining our live coverage here's a recap: Terror returned to the streets of Europe on Thursday when a van ploughed into a crowd of people in Barcelona, killing at least 13 and injuring more than 100 others. Footage of the scene showed dozens of bodies sprawled across the pavement in Las Ramblas, a street popular with tourists. Two men, one Spanish and one Moroccan, were arrested but police said the driver of the van was still at large. In the early hours of Friday morning, in the town of Cambrils, 70 miles away, at least six people were hurt when "alleged terrorists" drove into pedestrians before being shot dead by security forces. Police officers help the injured after the van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas Credit: David Armengou/EPA The five attackers in the Audi A3, who were wearing bomb belts, were shot dead, police said. The bomb belts were detonated by the force's bomb squad. Two of the injured in Cambrils were in critical condition, emergency services said. Police say the attacks were linked. Police at the scene in Cambrils where five terrorists were killed Credit: JAUME SELLART/EPA Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) claimed responsibility for the Barcelona attack as Joaquim Forn, Catalonia's police chief, warned: "Unfortunately the number of fatalities will likely rise." On Thursday night it was confirmed that a three-year-old child was among the victims and 15 people people were in a critical condition. Police detain a possible suspect after the Barcelona attack Credit: Jason Yu/Twitter Liam Searle, 22, from Chichester, West Sussex, said he was skateboarding along the road at around 5.15pm with his headphones on when he heard "massive bangs and thuds" which he thought were gunshots. "I realised it was the van next to me hitting people." he said. "The van had stopped right next to me. That's when two men got out and I ran for my life." Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old of Moroccan origin, was suspected of having rented the van used in the assault. Spanish reports later said he had handed himself in to police, who were investigating whether his brother had stolen his documentation. A handout photo made available by Spanish National Police shows Driss Oukabir, alleged to have rented the van which was used to crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas Credit: Spanish National Police/ HANDOUT Two explosions at a house in the town of Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, on Wednesday night were last night linked by police to the attack. Officers said the residents had been preparing explosives. At least one person died and more than 16 were injured in what was initially thought to be a gas explosion. Theresa May, the Prime Minister, condemned the "terrible" Las Ramblas assault and said Britain stood firmly with Spain against terrorism. Pictured: the van reportedly used in the attack Donald Trump, the US president, tweeted that the US "will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!." The Spanish royal family described the attackers as "assassins, criminals who won't terrorise us", while Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, said the attack was "jihadist terrorism" requiring a global response. Victims of the Barcelona attack Credit: David Armengou/EFE This was the eighth terror attack using a vehicle in Europe in the past three years, following the Nice assault in July 2016 that killed 86 and attacks on Westminster Bridge and London Bridge earlier this year that left four and eight people dead. Earlier this year, jihadists warned that they would be seeking to take their campaign of death and destruction to popular areas in the Mediterranean. Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain The CIA warned Spanish police two months ago that Las Ramblas was a potential target, reports said. Stay with us for the latest updates throughout the day. Terror timeline - Ramming attacks involving vehicles
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| The Latest: No bond for suspect in officers' death in Fla. Posted: 20 Aug 2017 08:36 AM PDT  KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — The Latest on police officers fatally shot in Florida (all times local):
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| Solar Eclipse Safety Tips Posted: 18 Aug 2017 07:40 PM PDT  Many areas of the United States will experience a total eclipse of the sun on Monday, August 21, 2017, but there are some important safety concerns when it comes to experiencing an eclipse. A total solar eclipse will start in Oregon and stretch across the country all the way to South Carolina -- find out if you are in the eclipse's path of totality HERE -- with most people getting to see a partial eclipse. According to NASA, the only safe way to look at the sun during this event with special-purpose solar filters, commonly called "eclipse glasses" or a hand-held solar viewer.
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| 'Catching' a U-2 fresh back from America's air wars Posted: 20 Aug 2017 01:04 PM PDT  By Phil Stewart AL DHAFRA AIR BASE, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) - It may not sound possible to "catch" an American spy plane while driving a Dodge Charger. The plane itself was designed in the 1950s to grip the lightest parts of the atmosphere some 70,000 feet above the Earth, so, in the words of one of the U-2 pilots, "it really doesn't want to stop flying." Enter the Dodge Charger, which along with another so-called "chase car" helped guide the spy plane down to the runway, speeding at about 90 miles per hour - an operation perfected over the many years of the famed U-2 Dragon Lady's operations.
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| Crowds rally in Hong Kong after activists jailed Posted: 20 Aug 2017 08:29 AM PDT  Thousands of supporters of three jailed young democracy activists took to the streets in Hong Kong Sunday to protest their sentences. Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow, leaders of the 2014 Umbrella Movement rallies, were sentenced to six to eight months in jail Thursday for their role in a protest that sparked the months-long demonstrations calling for democratic reforms. People took on the scorching summer heat to stream from the district of Wan Chai to the Court of Final Appeal in the heart of Hong Kong Island, protesting the jail terms.
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| 11 Unique Pulled Pork Recipes That Aren’t Sandwiches Posted: 20 Aug 2017 07:00 AM PDT  Since pulled pork is so tasty and versatile, it'd be a shame to waste it on the same old barbecue sandwich recipe you've been using for generations. Since the sky is essentially the limit, make it into a chili or a soup, add some spices for a Mexican-style meal, or throw it into your favorite comfort food. Get our Pulled Pork Nachos recipe.
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| Bannon leaves White House -- but vows to fight on for Trump Posted: 18 Aug 2017 06:47 PM PDT  Donald Trump parted ways with his controversial chief strategist Steve Bannon on Friday as the White House reeled from the fallout over the president's much-criticized response to a violent white supremacist rally. "If there's any confusion out there, let me clear it up: I'm leaving the White House and going to war for Trump against his opponents -- on Capitol Hill, in the media, and in corporate America," the hero of the so-called "alt right" told Bloomberg News within hours of leaving the White House. Bannon's departure amounts to a nod to members of Trump's government and Republican Party who grew increasingly frustrated with the anti-establishment firebrand.
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| Ben & Jerry's Releases The Most Genius Ice Cream Yet Posted: 20 Aug 2017 07:33 AM PDT  Chocolate lovers are going to freak out.
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| Anti-Isil offensives: Soldiers fighting terror show solidarity with Barcelona victims as Tal Afar assault begins Posted: 20 Aug 2017 10:27 AM PDT  Jubilant Lebanese forces staged a show of solidarity for the victims of the Barcelona terror attack on Sunday, waving the flags of both Spain and Lebanon over captured Isil positions on the Syrian border. The UK and US-backed forces killed 20 militants of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil), capturing a third of their territory from areas on the border with Syria, according to a Lebanese military spokesman. The fighting, which left three Lebanese soldiers dead, has been coordinated with an offensive on the other side of the border against Isil. Fighters from the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) paramilitaries gather as they advance towards the city of Tal Afar Credit: AFP PHOTO / AHMAD AL-RUBAYE The assault in Syria came as the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi launched a new offensive against Isil in the Iraqi city of Tal Afar, one of the extremists' last remaining strongholds. "You either surrender, or die," he warned in a televised eve-of-battle speech. Haider al-Abadi announcing the start of operations in Tal Afar Credit: HANDOUT/AFP/Getty Images The Tal Afar offensive comes just weeks after Isil was ousted from its symbolic stronghold and 'second capital' of Mosul by a brutal campaign from Iraqi forces which left the centre of the city in ruins. Iraqi forces around Tal Afar began attacking Isil positions from three sides at dawn yesterday, while Shia militia fought south of the city and Kurdish Peshmerga troops in the north. Standing in front of the Iraqi flag and wearing military fatigues, Mr al-Abadi announced that "Zero Hour" had arrived for the Islamic State which is rapidly losing its grip over its so-called "caliphate". Iraqi forces pounded the Islamic State group in Tal Afar in a new assault Credit: AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images "We have won all our battles, and Daesh have always lost," he said, using an alternative name for the terror group. "The entire world is with you," Mr al-Abadi told the troops. Several hours after the battle began, the federal police said it had retaken the village of Al-Abra Al-Sghira west of Tal Afar. The US-led coalition fighting Isil in Iraq and Syria welcomed the start of the offensive and pledged support to Iraqi forces involved. An Iraqi forces helicopter is seen flying as forces advance towards the city of Tal Afar Credit: AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, the head of the anti-Isil coalition, said the operation in Tal Afar is "another important fight that must be won to ensure the country and its citizens are finally free of ISIS." "The coalition is strong, and fully committed to supporting our Iraqi partners until ISIS is defeated and the Iraqi people are free." The launch of another round of fighting in the country's north is causing fresh worries for the safety of civilians caught up in the offensive. The United Nations estimates 30,000 people have already fled the city, and it is preparing to receive thousands more displaced persons. It is believed up to 50,000 civilians remain in Tal Afar.
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| White nationalist Richard Spencer, Antifa member Lacy MacAuley confront each other: Part 6 Posted: 18 Aug 2017 08:19 PM PDT  Spencer blames Antifa for most of the violence between the groups, while MacAuley refused to condemn that Spencer was punched in the face.
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| Dashcam video shows white cop punching black man during stop Posted: 18 Aug 2017 06:00 PM PDT  CLEVELAND (AP) — A dashcam video of a traffic stop that led to a white police officer with a history of disciplinary issues repeatedly punching a black man and hitting his head on pavement appears to show a different sequence of events than police had originally described.
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| See the Path of the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse As It Moves Across the U.S. Posted: 20 Aug 2017 07:00 AM PDT  On Aug. 21, skygazers will see a total solar eclipse
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| Anger simmers in Philippines over Duterte's drug war Posted: 20 Aug 2017 01:57 AM PDT  By Romeo Ranoco MANILA (Reuters) - Mourners at the funeral of a Philippine man who police shot dead protested his innocence on Sunday, the latest sign of rising anger over President Rodrigo Duterte's bloody campaign to stamp out drugs. More than 12,500 people, many small-time drug users and dealers, have been killed since Duterte took office in June 2016. On Sunday, dozens of mourners wearing with white T-shirts with the slogan "Kill drugs, not people", bore the coffin of Leover Miranda to his grave in a Manila cemetery.
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| Girl, 11, makes incredible recovery after friend poured boiling water over her during sleepover Posted: 19 Aug 2017 04:43 AM PDT  An 11-year-old girl has made an incredible recovery after a friend poured boiling water over her face at a sleepover. Jamoneisha "Jamoni" Merritt was rushed to hospital with horrific burns after Aniya Grant Stuart, 12, splashed scalding water onto her while she slept at a house in the Bronx, New York, on 7 August. Aniya was charged with felony assault after the incident, which was said to be a "prank" gone horribly wrong.
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| John McCain Just Finished His First Round Of Chemo And Radiation Treatment Posted: 19 Aug 2017 07:46 AM PDT  The Arizona senator marked a major milestone Friday, with the completion of his first round of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
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| US Treasury chief defends Trump after criticism by classmates Posted: 20 Aug 2017 12:58 AM PDT  US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Saturday defended President Donald Trump's response to bloodshed following a rally of white supremacists and neo-Nazis, rejecting calls from former Yale classmates that he resign from the administration in protest. "While I find it hard to believe I should have to defend myself on this, or the President, I feel compelled to let you know that the President in no way, shape or form, believes that neo-Nazi and other hate groups who endorse violence are equivalent to groups that demonstrate in peaceful and lawful ways," Mnuchin, who is Jewish, said in a statement. On August 12 in Charlottesville, Virginia, a 20-year-old suspected Nazi sympathizer plowed his car into a crowd of anti-racism protesters, leaving one woman dead and 19 others injured.
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| You probably think your dog is cool and yet, can it even shop for groceries? Posted: 20 Aug 2017 12:35 PM PDT  There's not much to this post, and yet it is perhaps the most important thing I have ever written. Here is what I know: there is a dog, somewhere (perhaps the Bay Area, California), and that dog is pushing a shopping cart around in a grocery store. The dog appears to be a German Shepherd, and the grocery store appears to be well-stocked. SEE ALSO: Extremely excited pup just can't wait to catch the bus to doggy school You may be thinking, "So what? It's a fluke, the dog just happened to jump up on the cart." Wrong. Exhibit B: Look, that's it, okay? That's all I have for this one. The dog is pushing a shopping cart. It is one of the best things I have ever seen in my life and more than 70,000 people have faved the dog. I wish I had more information to give you about this dog and yet, at the same time, I am happy that there is still some mystery in the world. Have a nice day and remember not to stare directly at the sun. WATCH: How to watch the solar eclipse without burning your eyes out
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| Deadly rocket fire hits near Damascus trade fair Posted: 20 Aug 2017 11:03 AM PDT  Six people were reported dead on Sunday when a rocket hit near an international trade fair in Syria's capital Damascus being held for the first time in five years. The Damascus International Fair was once the leading event on Syria's economic calendar but had not been held since shortly after the outbreak of the country's war in March 2011.
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| How Tough Mudder and its 'adult obstacle courses' became a £100m business Posted: 18 Aug 2017 11:00 PM PDT  One Sunday morning, Will Dean informed his girlfriend Katie: "I am going to electrocute thousands of people." Unfazed, she continued reading her newspaper. But the Sheffield-born founder of Tough Mudder – the now-globally successful obstacle course series which comes to Gloucestershire's Badminton Estate this weekend – was devilishly serious. "I started calling engineering companies, saying: 'Hello, we're Tough Mudder, we want to shock people with electricity,'" explains Dean, 36, who launched his first "weekend obstacle course for adults" in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in May 2010, after studying a MBA at Harvard Business School. "You'd get a pause and then the line would go dead. People thought they were being pranked." In the Tough Mudder innovations lab, human guinea pigs spend their mornings running through hay bales and dipping their extremities in buckets of ice The obstacle called Electroshock Therapy, which involves running through wires fizzing with 10,000 volts (triple the sting of your average electric fence), is now the event's signature challenge. "As CEO, I have a unique role in all this because I am also the majority shareholder. People said: "Will, we can't do this." I was saying: "Yes, we can. We can have a board meeting and get it approved in two seconds. Look, it just happened…'" Dean spent five years working as a UK counter-terrorism officer in the Middle East and Afghanistan until, stifled by bureaucracy, he sought entrepreneurial fulfilment. His Harvard tutors called his business plan "optimistic". At the inaugural edition, he prayed for 500 customers and got 4,500. There are now 130 annual Tough Mudder events in 11 countries with 3 million entrants worldwide so far. This weekend's clientele have paid up to £139 to take on a 10- to 12-mile course littered with tunnels, nets, walls, fire, ice and mud. The company's annual revenues now exceed $100m. Mud Run Electroshock Wire Caught on Neck 00:27 Obstacles are conjured up at an "Innovation Lab" in Pennsylvania where human guinea pigs spend their mornings running through hay bales and dipping their extremities in buckets of ice. Cry Baby, an obstacle which requires people to crawl through eye-watering smoke, was tested by spraying staff with homemade tear gas. Spider Box (a pit full of tarantulas) and Acid Rain (a container of floating acid bubbles) didn't make the cut. "The Innovation Lab is as crazy as it sounds," says Dean. "I joke that you will never get a Nobel Prize unless you test it on yourself. We start by saying: let's think of the unthinkable. We finish by saying: now we have to make this work in Dubai, Germany and Mexico and get several thousand people of all shapes and sizes through in one hour. It is a strange remit." Splashdown: a Tough Mudder comptetitor comes to grief Credit: Ben Birchall /PA Obstacle races have become wildly popular, with 5 million people in 40 countries taking part in events each year. Tough Mudder attracts a mix of couples, families, friends, work colleagues, students and executives. "The mud is a leveller," says Dean. But why pay money to endure manufactured suffering? Dean believes the trend may be in part a reaction to our risk-averse society, with desk-bound workers seeking raw experiences to share on social media and in pub chats. But he insists the benefits are real. "I believe in challenging oneself to take on new things and I believe that is the secret to developing confidence. In a funny way, running through electric wires gives people the confidence to take on other challenges and changes in their life." Tough Mudder's latest obstacles 01:05 He says Tough Mudder's fun values have helped them outsmart rivals like Spartan Race, launched by Joe De Sena, a former Wall Street trader, in 2007. Miss an obstacle at Spartan Race and you have to do 30 burpees. At ToughMudder, nobody cares. Spartan Race times and ranks all contestants (accountability is the real secret to better health, insists De Sena), but Dean refuses, haunted by a 2008 triathlon when time-conscious athletes wouldn't stop to help him unjam the zip of his wetsuit. "My belief came from me saying: I would do this. My friends would do this. I genuinely believe there is a market for a race that is not a race." There are now 130 annual Tough Mudder events in 11 countries, with 3 million entrants worldwide so far Credit: Andrew Crowley Dean now lives in New York with his lawyer wife Katie and their one-year-old daughter, Isobel. He still tackles the courses himself and joins in "Breakfast Club" workouts at the company's Brooklyn HQ. His events deliberately inspire this same sense of community – what he calls his "tribe". He hates seeing runners plodding side-by-side on gym treadmills and never speaking. His event forces you to seek help from strangers to scale walls and nets. "Tough Mudder gives you a sense of personal accomplishment, a sense of a team and being a part of something bigger than yourself, and hopefully a sense of fun." He is not surprised it has proven popular in the UK. "More than any other culture, we believe in not taking ourselves too seriously. In our school sports, we have second and third teams. No American would play in that. It would be an embarrassment. You do get differences around the world. Germans ask six times more customer service questions. Australians sign up last-minute. But it's a bit like kids and ice cream – it's universal in its appeal." Tough Mudder - are you tough enough? Next month, Dean is publishing a new business book, It Takes a Tribe, which analyses the social psychology, corporate theory and personal stories behind his success. It also documents the fierce battles that shaped the company. Dean and De Sena used to fly provocative advertising banners over each other's events. De Sena once declared in an interview: "There's not a person on this planet I despise more than Will Dean." They have since bonded over lunch, but the rivalry bubbles away. "I have a lot of respect for Joe De Sena, as much as I tease him. I have said before when asked if we have anything in common: yes, we both wake up every morning and the first thing we think about is Tough Mudder. But I do think the rival philosophy has meant we ended up creating two companies which superficially may seem similar, but are very different." "Tough Mudder gives you a sense of personal accomplishment, a sense of a team and being a part of something bigger than yourself," says founder Will Dean Credit: Andrew Crowley More troubling was the multimillion dollar lawsuit Dean faced in 2010. Billy Wilson, a former soldier who launched Tough Guy, an obstacle course in Wolverhampton in 1987, had granted Dean access to his company information for his Harvard studies and then accused him of stealing his idea. Dean countersued for defamation. After a vitriolic battle, the pair agreed a confidential settlement in 2011, with Dean reportedly paying $725,000. "There is only so much I can say, but one thing I can say is that we had to literally quadruple our pace. We weren't just fighting for the survival of the company. Suddenly everything was on the line: personal bankruptcy, reputation. It was incredibly stressful. But it is part of the narrative now. I don't think we would be as ambitious were it not for that experience." The Four Phases | Chris Hall's Tough Mudder Workout Prep Aware of the perennial need to innovate, Dean has in recent years added events like Mini-Mudder (for kids) and World's Toughest Mudder (a 24-hour elite event). He has signed television deals with CBS and Sky Sports, and he is now launching Tough Mudder boot camps around the UK, offering high-intensity, 45-minute group workouts. "There are a few things in society right now which are worrying," he explains. "Obesity and diabetes rates are up, loneliness is up, people spend more time on social media and less time with friends. It all comes back to our mission to grow a global tribe. The boot camps are the local community hub and the event is the pilgrimage when the tribe comes together. I don't pretend we are curing cancer. But I do think in our own small way we are making the world a better place." For event details, go to toughmudder.co.uk. Jeep has launched a limited edition Tough Mudder Renegade: jeep.co.uk/tough-mudder
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| Community Helps Man Arrested After Leaving Kids Home Alone to Go to Work Posted: 20 Aug 2017 08:42 AM PDT  His wife reportedly has stage four cancer.
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| SeaWorld: Former trainer says deaths of three killer whales a 'disgrace to humanity' Posted: 20 Aug 2017 04:46 AM PDT  A former killer whale trainer at SeaWorld has spoken out about conditions at the attraction, after the deaths of three orcas there this year. Last week, Kasatka became the third killer whale at the Californian theme park to die. The orca was 41 years old, making her the oldest killer whale at SeaWorld in San Diego.
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