| Sen. Leahy: Withheld Emails Show Brett Kavanaugh May Have Perjured Himself Posted: 05 Sep 2018 12:55 PM PDT  Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said Wednesday that emails being withheld by Senate
|
| GOP Senator Slams Trump On Sessions: 'The U.S. Is Not Some Banana Republic' Posted: 03 Sep 2018 06:18 PM PDT  Nebraska Republican Sen. Ben Sasse accused President Donald Trump on Monday of
|
| Body Found in Search for 4 Missing Boaters After Head-On Crash in Colorado River Posted: 04 Sep 2018 08:41 AM PDT  The body of Christine Lewis, 51, of Visalia, Calif., was found at about 7:30 a.m. Monday, the Mohave County Sheriff's Office said.
|
| 14 Cars That Are Better Without a Manual Gearbox Posted: 05 Sep 2018 08:00 AM PDT |
| Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte Calls Hitler 'Insane' During Visit to Israel's Holocaust Memorial Posted: 03 Sep 2018 09:52 PM PDT  Duterte has previously favorably compared himself to the Führer
|
| US blood-testing startup Theranos to fold: WSJ Posted: 04 Sep 2018 11:46 PM PDT  The once high flying blood-testing start-up Theranos, accused with cheating investors, will dissolve, the Wall Street Journal reported.
|
| Elon Musk Is Now Baselessly Accusing Thailand Cave Diver Of Being A ‘Child Rapist’ Posted: 05 Sep 2018 03:40 AM PDT  Tesla founder Elon Musk has ramped up his attacks on Vernon Unsworth, labeling the diver a "child rapist" without providing any evidence.
|
| Unscheduled departure: China's legal reach extends to Hong Kong rail station Posted: 04 Sep 2018 02:47 AM PDT  Hong Kong was handed back from British to Chinese rule in 1997 with constitutional guarantees it would continue to enjoy rights and freedoms not granted in mainland China, including an independent legal system. Chinese and Hong Kong officials argue the so-called "co-location" arrangement, including a joint immigration checkpoint, is necessary for passengers' convenience, shrinking rail travel times to mainland cities. Hong Kong and mainland Chinese officials shook hands inside the new station in West Kowloon district on Monday night to mark the new arrangement, which will mean that anyone who commits a crime in the "mainland port area" or onboard trains will be subject to mainland laws, that could include the death penalty for serious crimes.
|
| Turkey looks for diplomatic solution to avoid 'massacre' in Syria's Idlib Posted: 05 Sep 2018 06:44 AM PDT  Turkey and the US said they were racing find a diplomatic solution to avoid "a serious massacre" in Syria's Idlib province ahead of a critical summit on Friday which is likely to decide the fate of the rebel stronghold. The world had been bracing for weeks for Assad regime forces to attack Idlib, where around 2.5 million civilians are living in opposition-held territory with no clear route of escape if fighting escalates. Regime troops shelled rebel positions on Wednesday, a day after Russian warplanes ended weeks of calm with a barrage of airstrikes. At least 13 civilians were killed in the Russian bombing, according to monitors. The future of Idlib is likely to be determined at a summit on Friday, when the leaders of Russia, Iran and Turkey will gather in Tehran to discuss the future of Syria. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, said Wednesday that he hoped to use the meeting to reach a deal and prevent an all-out attack on the border province. "God willing we will succeed in averting the extreme actions of the regime there by getting a positive result from the Tehran summit," Mr Erdogan said. Turkey is worried that an attack on Idlib will trigger a mass exodus of refugees fleeing towards the Turkish border. Turkey already shelters 3.5 million Syrians and Mr Erdogan is under domestic pressure not to take in anymore. Erdogan is concerned about a new influx of refugees heading to Syria Credit: AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis "3.5 million people live there. God forbid, it is again Turkey where those people will flee in case of a disaster," Mr Erdogan said. Activists in Idlib said Turkey had increased its forces at a number of small outposts in the province. Civilians have gathered near the outposts in the hope that Russia will avoid bombing them. Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, also said he was pushing for a diplomatic solution. "We are hoping that this can be resolved diplomatically," he said. Mr Pompeo said he shared Russia's worries about al-Qaeda-linked terrorist groups based in Idlib but said that a full-scale attack was not the way to deal with the situation. "We share their concern about terrorism emanating from northern, northwest Syria," he said. "It is not the way to do that to put the lives of all these innocent civilians at risk and create a humanitarian crisis." Russia has so far made no commitment not to launch an all-out attack but has also pointed to the Friday summit as critical for deciding the future of Idlib. Syrian regime and Russian jets have been striking Idlib but an all-out assault has not yet begun Credit: JALAA MAREY/AFP/Getty Images "I think the situation from a military point of view will become clearer after, among other things, the leaders of the three guarantor states hold talks on Friday," said Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister. A Syrian regime source said Damascus was open "until the very last moment" to a compromise that would avoid the need for an attack. Conquering Idlib would be a major victory for Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad on his quest to take back all of Syria's territory and crush the rebellion which broke out against him in 2011. The US has repeatedly warned the Syrian regime not to use chemical weapons during its attack on Idlib, saying that any use of chemical weapons will lead to Western strikes. Western government believe Assad could be tempted to use nerve agent to try to break the morale of rebel and jihadist fighters in Idlib as well as the civilian population there. Russia has countered by claiming that Syrian rebel groups might "stage" a chemical weapons attack and blame it on the regime, in order to induce Western strikes against Assad's forces. James Mattis, the US defence secretary, said the US has "zero intelligence" that indicated any of the rebel factions have the ability to carry out a chemical attack.
|
| Read Live Updates From Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Confirmation Hearing Posted: 04 Sep 2018 06:35 AM PDT  Judge Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate
|
| Jordan Belliveau Case: Missing Florida 2-Year-Old Found Dead in Wooded Area, Authorities Say Posted: 04 Sep 2018 02:21 PM PDT  Jordan Belliveau's 21-year-old mother reported the 2-year-old boy missing early Sunday.
|
| All-Electric 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC Latest Challenge to Tesla Posted: 04 Sep 2018 05:06 PM PDT  Mercedes-Benz unveiled its new electric-focused EQ sub-brand and showcased its first model, the EQC SUV, at an event in Stockholm. The EQC is the latest European luxury-branded electric vehicle s...
|
| Google A No-Show As Facebook, Twitter Executives Testify To Senate Panel Posted: 05 Sep 2018 09:30 AM PDT  Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg appeared at a Senate
|
| Friendly Lion Invades Safari, Nuzzling Up to Driver and Even Licking a Tourist Posted: 05 Sep 2018 10:40 AM PDT  The bizarre situation took place at the Taigan Safari Park in Crimea.
|
| An 'Insurmountable' Loss: Here's What to Know About Brazil's National Museum Fire Posted: 04 Sep 2018 12:19 AM PDT  One of Latin America's most important museums was gutted by the Sunday night blaze
|
| CDC Reports 100 Sick Passengers On Emirates Flight Posted: 05 Sep 2018 07:50 AM PDT  An investigation is underway after an international flight out of Dubai landed
|
| Tehran summit expected to seal fate of Syria's Idlib Posted: 04 Sep 2018 07:38 PM PDT  The presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey meet Friday in Tehran for a summit expected to shape the future of Idlib province, home to Syria's last major rebel bastion. The summit comes as Syrian forces look poised to launch a major assault that is raising fears of a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale not yet seen in the seven-year-old conflict. Damascus and its main backer Moscow have vowed to root out the jihadist groups that dominate Idlib province but the outcome of Friday's meeting could determine the scope and the timing of an offensive.
|
| Senate Hearings Set To Begin For The ‘Forrest Gump Of Republican Politics’ Posted: 04 Sep 2018 02:45 AM PDT  When Brett Kavanaugh goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee, he will do so
|
| Japan begins clean-up after typhoon kills 11; major airport closed Posted: 05 Sep 2018 03:34 AM PDT  About 3,000 tourists were stuck overnight at Kansai Airport in western Japan.
|
| Salisbury poisoning: Two men charged over Novichok attack are 'Russian military intelligence officers' Posted: 05 Sep 2018 08:12 AM PDT  Two Russian nationals accused of carrying out Salisbury attack Enough evidence to charge Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov Theresa May: Pair members of GRU, Russia's military spy service Step-by-step: CCTV timeline reveals suspects' 54 hours in the UK Novichok found at two-star London hotel where suspects stayed Jeremy Corbyn accused of 'weaselly' response to naming suspects Russia's GRU: Murky spy agency accused of being behind attack Two Russian men charged over the Salisbury poisonings are officers of Vladimir Putin's military spy agency, Theresa May has told the House of Commons. Prosecutors said there is enough evidence to charge Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov with offences including conspiracy to murder in the Novichok attack on ex-Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March. In a statement that will deepen the diplomatic crisis between the two countries, the Prime Minister told MPs on Wednesday afternoon that intelligence provided by UK agencies indicates the two Russians responsible for the Salisbury attack are officers of Russia's GRU military intelligence service. "This was not a rogue operation," Mrs May said. "It was almost certainly also approved outside the GRU at a senior level of the Russian state." The Crown Prosecution Service now faces a battle to bring the case as Russia does not allow the extradition of its own nationals. A European arrest warrant for the two men - who police think were travelling under aliases and are now back in Russia - has been obtained. Video: Prime Minister addresses Commons over Salisbury Scotland Yard said the military-grade nerve agent was brought into the UK in a fake bottle of Ninna Ricci Premier Jour perfume, which had been designed as a specially-made poison applicator. It is believed that it was later found by Charlie Rowley before he and his girlfriend, Dawn Sturgess, became indirect casualties of the poisoning. Ms Sturgess died just over a week later. The fake perfume bottle had been designed as a poison applicator Credit: Metropolitan Police Neil Basu, Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said it is likely the suspects were travelling under aliases and that Petrov and Boshirov are not their real names. He said the pair, who are believed to be aged around 40, had been to the UK before on the same passports and had "travelled extensively on them in the past". Detectives believe the front door of Mr Skripal's Salisbury home was contaminated with the military-grade substance on Sunday, March 4. Mr Basu said CCTV shows the two suspects in the vicinity of the property on that date. Hours later, the men left the UK on a flight from Heathrow to Moscow - two days after they had arrived at Gatwick. Releasing a series of CCTV images of the men in Britain, Mr Basu asked witnesses to come forward to establish their real identities. The suspects head back towards Salisbury station; the Skripals were found slumped on a bench in the town centre three hours later Credit: Metropolitan Police Russian media reports suggest Boshirov is a 40-year-old Moscow State University graduate who was living in the capital. He was born in Dushanbe - the capital city of Tajikistan - before moving to Russia where he studied hydrology of the land in the geography department of the university, completing his degree in 2004, according to Fontanka, citing a Facebook profile matching his details. Boshirov's latest listed address is said to be in Moscow, but less is known about Petrov, other than he is 39. The Russian site reported a person matching his name and date of birth was on the employees list of an immunobiological manufacturer with links to Russia's Ministry of Health. Together, the pair are said to have travelled to Milan, Geneva, Amsterdam and Paris several times since September 2016, when Fontanka claims their fake passports were created. They also travelled to London from between February 28 and March 5 last year, according to the Russian site, 12 months exactly before the Skripals were found poisoned in Salisbury. They stayed in the two-star City Stay Hotel, in Bow, east London, during their stay in the UK. Officers searching their room on May 4 discovered traces of Novichok, but Scotland Yard said there is no risk to other guests. Yulia and Sergei Skripal were discovered slumped on a bench in March after being poisoned with Novichok Credit: pixel8000 The announcement of criminal charges will deepen the rift between Britain and Russia, after the nerve agent attack sparked a wave of diplomatic expulsions by the UK and its allies. As the news broke, the Russian foreign ministry tweeted a video mocking Mrs May's dancing in South Africa. It later said that the names released by Britain "do not mean anything to us". British authorities believe that several Russians are thought to have been involved in the attempted murders - which also led to 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess becoming an indirect casualty of the poisoning. It is understood that the suspected perpetrators were identified through CCTV footage that was cross-checked with border entry data. Ms Sturgess died in July, with authorities believing she and boyfriend Charlie Rowley picked up a discarded vial containing the substance. Police officers wearing protective suits and breathing equipment at work in Salisbury close to the bench where the Skripals were found slumped in March Credit: Jack Taylor /Getty The pair fell ill on June 30 in Amesbury, near Salisbury. Mr Rowley remains seriously ill in hospital. Police believe it is linked to the poisoning of the Skripals, who were discovered slumped on a bench on March 4 and have since been discharged from hospital. Theresa May: 'This was not a rogue operation' Prime Minister Theresa May told the Commons that CCTV evidence "clearly" places the two Russians in the vicinity of the Skripals' house shortly before the attack on them. She said: "This hard evidence has enabled the independent Crown Prosecution Service to conclude they have a sufficient basis on which to bring charges." Mrs May told MPs that investigations have concluded the two suspects are members of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence service. Mrs May said: "The GRU is a highly-disciplined organisation with a well-established chain of command. So this was not a rogue operation. It was almost certainly also approved outside the GRU at a senior level of the Russian state." The actions of the GRU are a threat to all our allies and all our citizensTheresa May Mrs May said Russia had replied with "obfuscation and lies" when asked to account for what happened, including claiming she had invented Novichok. She added: "Their attempts to hide the truth by pushing out a deluge of disinformation simply reinforces their culpability." Mrs May said: "The actions of the GRU are a threat to all our allies and all our citizens. "On the basis of what we have learnt in the Salisbury investigation and what we know about this organisation more broadly, we must now step up our collective efforts specifically against the GRU. "We are increasing our understanding of what the GRU is doing in our countries, shining a light on their activities, exposing their methods and sharing them with our allies, just as we have done with Salisbury. "Together with our allies we will deploy the full range of tools from across our national security apparatus in order to counter the threat posed by the GRU." Theresa May leaves Downing Street to deliver her statement to the House of Commons Credit: HANNAH MCKAY /Reuters Mrs May told MPs that the CPS did not have a policy of requesting extradition from nations who had constitutions barring the possibility. She added: "If these two individuals step outside Russia then we will take every step possible to ensure that they are detained and brought to face justice here." The Prime Minister, in response to calls for a stepping up of sanctions, said: "We will indeed be stepping up our activity across the broad range of our capabilities and what is available to us across our national security apparatus." Mrs May added that around 250 detectives had trawled through 11,000 hours of CCTV footage to identify the attackers and had taken more than 1,400 statements. "Working around the clock, they have carried out painstaking and methodical work to ascertain exactly which individuals were responsible and the methods they used to carry out the attack," she told MPs. Caught on camera: The 48-hour 'mission to kill' When passengers left the Aeroflot SU2588 flight from Moscow to London Gatwick on the afternoon of March 2 2018, little did they know they were in the company of two men police believe were sent to the UK to kill. Here is a timeline of the suspects' movements, released by Scotland Yard, during their brief trip to the UK: Friday, March 2 1500: Suspects Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov arrive at Gatwick Airport, having flown from Moscow on Aeroflot flight SU2588. Suspect Ruslan Boshirov at Gatwick airport at 3pm on March 2 Credit: Metropolitan Police The same CCTV camera captured Alexander Petrov after the pair got off an Aeroflot flight Credit: Metropolitan Police 1740: The pair arrive at London Victoria station by train from Gatwick. 1800: They then travel on public transport to Waterloo station, and then to the City Stay Hotel in Bow Road, east London, where they stay for two nights. Saturday, March 3 1145: The pair arrive at Waterloo station, having left the hotel, bound for Salisbury. It is believed the two are on a reconnaissance mission. 1425: They arrive in Salisbury by train. 1611: Having spent a short time in the city, Petrov and Boshirov leave Salisbury to begin the return journey. Both suspects at Salisbury train station at 4.11pm on March 3 Credit: Metropolitan Police 2005: The pair arrive back in Bow, east London, where they stay at the City Stay Hotel for a second night. Sunday, March 4 0805: The day of the Novichok attack. Petrov and Boshirov use the Underground at Bow to travel to Waterloo, and then on by train to Salisbury. 1148: The pair are caught on CCTV leaving Salisbury railway station. Image of both suspects at Salisbury railway station at 11.48am on March 4 Credit: Metropolitan Police 1158: They are then spotted in Wilton Road in Salisbury, a short distance from Christie Miller Road, Mr Skripal's address. Police say this is moments before the attack. The suspects in Wilton Road, close to Mr Skripal's house Credit: Metropolitan Police 1305: The suspects are caught on CCTV in Fisherton Street, heading back towards the railway station. Both suspects are pictured from behind on Fisherton Road Credit: Metropolitan Police 1350: Petrov and Boshirov begin their journey back to London. Both suspects, left, prepare to board a train in Salisbury Credit: Metropolitan Police 1645: The pair arrive back in London at Waterloo station. 1830: They board the Underground heading to Heathrow Airport. 1928: CCTV catches the pair going through passport control. The two suspects at Heathrow airport security Credit: Metropolitan Police 2230: They depart London for Moscow on the Aeroflot flight SU2585. Police formally link two poisoning cases The announcement on Wednesday relates to the first Salisbury poisoning, but Mr Basu confirmed that officers have now linked the attack on the Skripals to events in Amesbury less than four months later. He said: "We do not believe Dawn and Charlie were deliberately targeted, but became victims as a result of the recklessness in which such a toxic nerve agent was disposed of. "We know that Novichok was applied to the Skripals' front door in an area that is accessible to the public, which also endangered the lives of members of the public and emergency service responders." Video: Met Police and CPS statement on Salisbury He said police continue to liaise with the CPS regarding the poisoning of Ms Sturgess and Mr Rowley. Russia: These names mean nothing to us Russia insisted it did not know the names of the Russian suspects named by British authorities as suspects in the Salisbury attack. "The names published by the media, like their photographs, mean nothing to us," Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry's spokeswoman, told the TASS news agency. The Russian foreign ministry later posted a video mocking Theresa May's dancing on her recent trip to South Africa. Mr Putin's foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters in Moscow that the names of the two Russian men suspected in the poisoning "do not mean anything to me". Mr Ushakov pointed to the fact that British authorities mentioned that they think the men's names are aliases, and wondered "why this has been done and what kind of a message" Britain is trying to send to the Russian government. Jeremy Corbyn faces claims of 'weaselly language' Boris Johnson accused Jeremy Corbyn of using "weaselly language" when responding to the Government's latest claims of Russian involvement in the Salisbury nerve agent attack. The former foreign secretary was among senior Conservative MPs who lined up to criticise the Labour leader after believing he did not go far enough in his remarks to the Commons. Mr Corbyn said the Opposition "utterly condemns the appalling attacks" in the UK, describing the use of military nerve agents on the streets of Britain as an "outrage and beyond reckless". But Mr Johnson, speaking in the Commons, was not satisfied by the remarks and told MPs: "I think the whole House will have noted what I'm afraid was the somewhat weaselly language of the leader of the Opposition in failing to condemn what is now, I think, incontrovertible, in the eyes of all right-thinking people, involvement of the Russian state at the highest level in the Salisbury poisonings." Video: Boris Johnson attacks Labour leader in Commons He also said: "Will the Prime Minister confirm that we will be asking that these two individuals are produced for justice by Russia? "Will she be stepping up our diplomatic activity, our counter measures, our targeted sanctions so that the whole community, the international community, can show their repugnance at what Russia has done, in a way that I'm afraid the leader of the Opposition has signally failed to do today?" Prosecutor's full statement on Salisbury charges This is the full statement from Sue Hemming, CPS Director of Legal Services: "During the weekend of 4 March 2018 in Salisbury the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed by Russia, part of a group of nerve agents known as 'Novichok'. "A police officer, DS Nick Bailey, who was involved in searching the Skripal's home address after this attack, was also poisoned with the same nerve agent. "The Counter Terrorism Policing Network has conducted a thorough investigation into how this attack happened. They have recently submitted a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service so we could make a decision whether criminal charges could be brought against anyone who was involved in these events. "Prosecutors from CPS Counter Terrorism Division have considered the evidence and have concluded there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and it is clearly in the public interest to charge Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, who are Russian nationals, with the following offences: Conspiracy to murder Sergei Skripal Attempted murder of Sergei Skripal, Yulia Skripal and Nick Bailey Use and possession of Novichok contrary to the Chemical Weapons Act Causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Yulia Skripal and Nick Bailey "A realistic prospect of conviction means the CPS is satisfied on an objective assessment that the evidence can be used in court and that an objective, impartial and reasonable jury hearing the case, properly directed and acting in accordance with the law, is more likely than not to convict these two individuals of the charges. "It is of course for a jury to decide whether the evidence is enough for them to be sure of the suspects' guilt. "We will not be applying to Russia for the extradition of these men as the Russian constitution does not permit extradition of its own nationals. Russia has made this clear following requests for extradition in other cases. Should this position change then an extradition request would be made. "We have, however, obtained a European Arrest Warrant which means that if either man travels to a country where an EAW is valid, they will be arrested and face extradition on these charges for which there is no statute of limitations." Read more | Salisbury Novichok poisoning Same toxic chemical killed Dawn Sturgess Independent investigators have confirmed the nerve agent used to poison Sergei and Yulia Skripal was the same toxic chemical that killed Dawn Sturgess in Amesbury three months later. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OCPW) said its team had confirmed the findings of the UK, which concluded in July that the substance used in Amesbury was Novichok. Ms Sturgess and her partner Charlie Rowley fell ill at his home in Amesbury, near Salisbury, on June 30. Ms Sturgess, a mother-of-three, died in hospital eight days later having never regained consciousness. Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley fell ill in Amesbury in June Credit: AFP/Getty It is believed they were exposed to a military grade nerve agent from a perfume bottle discarded by those responsible for the attack on the Skripals. The OPCW on Tuesday evening said: "The results of the analysis by the OPCW designated laboratories of environmental and biomedical samples collected by the OPCW team confirm the findings of the United Kingdom relating to the identity of the toxic chemical that intoxicated two individuals in Amesbury and resulted in one fatality. "The toxic chemical compound displays the same toxic properties of a nerve agent. "It is also the same toxic chemical that was found in the biomedical and environmental samples relating to the poisoning of Mr Sergei Skripal, Ms Yulia Skripal, and Mr Nicholas Bailey on March 4 in Salisbury." Russia accuses UK of keeping Skripals in 'isolation' Six months on from the nerve agent attack in Salisbury, Russia has reiterated its belief that the UK is flouting international law by apparently keeping the pair from having contact with embassy officials. A statement released by the Russian Embassy on Tuesday referred to the circumstances of the March attack as "obscure" and accused British authorities of keeping the Skripals in isolation ever since their release from hospital. It said: "They remain out of the public eye at an unknown location, unable to communicate freely with their relatives, friends, journalists or Russian officials, deprived of the freedom of movement." Video: Yulia Skripal speaks of how she survived poisoning The statement claimed that authorities in the UK had refused to allow the embassy to have direct contact with the former spy and his daughter "in order to verify their actual health situation, the conditions in which they are held and, most importantly, to ascertain to which extent their isolation is voluntary". The embassy added that it had sent more than 70 notes and letters to the Foreign Office, Home Office and police since the poisoning but had had nearly all of its queries ignored. Following her release from hospital Ms Skripal said she was "grateful for the offers of assistance from the Russian Embassy but at the moment I do not wish to avail myself of their services". The rise of biological and chemical weapons After Salisbury, how ready is the UK? Convulsions, paralysis and respiratory failure: How Novichok attacks nervous system Novichok is a group of nerve agents which are more potent and lethal than VX or sarin. They are made of two separate non-toxic substances that work as a nerve agent when brought together. They work by attacking the nervous system and stopping chemical messages from being transmitted around the body. This causes the heart to slow down and the airways to become constricted, which can lead to suffocation or brain damage. Breathing is disrupted as the muscles struggle to contract normally, while fluid may build up on the lungs. Symptoms can start within seconds or minutes of being exposed and include convulsions, paralysis and respiratory failure. Video: What Novichok is - and how it affects the body Nerve agents including Novichok can be inhaled as a fine powder, absorbed through the skin or ingested. Experts said medics would probably have relied on three chemicals to treat the Skripals after they were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury in March. Paramedics are likely to have used diazepam to prevent convulsions, while they worked out what was responsible for the symptoms. Doctors may later have administered atropine, which counteracts the effect of the nerve agent, maintaining heart rate and stopping the secretion from entering the lungs. The Moscow weapons lab that made the deadly Novichok nerve agent An oxime, which pulls the nerve agent off the enzyme, could also have been used to help the acetylcholinesterase enzyme start functioning again. The patient's body itself will also work to reproduce the blocked enzyme and this process will be accelerated if they have received a strong dose of nerve agent. When Mr Skripal and his daughter were discharged, the hospital warned that they may require further treatment in the future. Newsletter promotion - global health security - end of article Skripal 'briefed intelligence officers in Europe' British security services allegedly sent Col Skripal to Eastern Europe to share Russian spy secrets, reports Victoria Ward. The former Russian spy is said to have travelled widely, offering information on Russian espionage to security officers in both Prague and Estonia. Such briefings have been cited as a possible motive for Russia's attempt to kill both Col Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. A visit to Prague in 2012, when he reportedly provided information about Russian espionage methods and the activities of his former colleagues operating in Europe, was described as "beneficial" and his information, although dated, was deemed valuable. Sergei Skripal profile He arrived in the city shortly after his wife, Lyudmila, died. But although he was grieving, he was in "good spirits," drinking with intelligence officers and joking that his doctor had prescribed whiskey for high blood pressure. One agent suggested that although he was in poor health, his mind was sharp. In fact, Col Skripal was so helpful that Czech intelligence officers continued to meet with him, reportedly making several trips to Britain in subsequent years. The former spy is said to have visited Estonia as recently as June 2016, in which "very sensitive information" was discussed with a "select group of intelligence officers". MI6 helped facilitate the meeting, it is claimed.
|
| The Latest: Pelosi congratulates Pressley on beating Capuano Posted: 04 Sep 2018 07:58 PM PDT  BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the primary election in Massachusetts (all times local):
|
| A Florida Mother Has Been Charged With Murdering Her Missing Two-Year-Old Son Posted: 04 Sep 2018 10:16 PM PDT  The mother had told police her two-year-old went missing after they hitchhiked home
|
| US calls for halt to military campaign in Syria's Idlib Posted: 05 Sep 2018 08:59 AM PDT  The United States on Wednesday urged Syria and its backers to halt plans for an all-out military attack against rebel-held Idlib as the UN Security Council prepared to address the crisis. "With millions of civilians at risk, an offensive against Idlib would be a reckless escalation," US Ambassador Nikki Haley said in a statement.
|
| Trump Says Nike Is ‘Getting Absolutely Killed’ Due To Colin Kaepernick Ad Posted: 05 Sep 2018 11:04 AM PDT  It took a few days, but President Donald Trump has finally tweeted about
|
| After demos, far-right AfD overtakes German Social Democrats Posted: 04 Sep 2018 03:05 PM PDT  Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has overtaken the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), a poll showed on Tuesday, days after some of the most violent protests by radical right-wingers the country has seen in decades. Some 6,000 supporters of the AfD and anti-Islam PEGIDA joined protests in the eastern city of Chemnitz on Saturday, following other demonstrations last week, after a fatal stabbing on Aug. 26. An INSA opinion poll on Tuesday put the AfD up half a percentage point at 17 percent, with the SPD, who share power with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, slipping by the same amount to 16 percent.
|
| American and Canadian firefighters share a nice moment while fighting wildfire at the border Posted: 04 Sep 2018 06:52 AM PDT  It's been a tough slog for firefighters battling a the Horns Mountain fire along the United States-Canada border, but it also provided a moment of levity. The Horns Mountain fire is one of many that's been burning in the Pacific Northwest, but it also happens to straddle the border with nearly 5,000 acres burned in the U.S. and a little over 900 acres burned on the Canadian side. SEE ALSO: We have some bad news about the future of the terrible wildfires in the Western U.S. Last week firefighters on both sides met along the border for a fun photo opp, shared by the Bureau of Land Management's Oregon & Washington division, as the they continued to battle the blaze. Canadian (left) and American (right) firefighters meet at the border for a fun photo while fighting the Horns Mountain Fire https://t.co/4uDCWsMn4l �� Johnny Walker, @inciweb pic.twitter.com/iLGKMft4Z7 — BLM Oregon & Washington (@BLMOregon) August 28, 2018 There's some good news, though: as of Monday afternoon, the fire was 94 percent contained. The bad news: there's still plenty more fires to fight as the summer, the heat, and the flames rage on. But, at least for a few moments, the brave men and women who continue to battle the flames had a chance to rest and enjoy some time with their comrades.
|
| Veteran Democratic congressman Michael Capuano beaten by Ayanna Pressley in historic Boston upset Posted: 04 Sep 2018 06:37 PM PDT  A 10-term Democratic congressman has conceded defeat to a Boston city councillor who is now poised to become Massachusetts' first black congresswoman in a race with parallels to a New York upset that rattled the party in June. The Democratic nominating contest fight between US Representative Michael Capuano, 66, and Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley, 44, was his first since 1998. "Clearly the district wanted a lot of change," Mr Capuano told supporters on Tuesday as he conceded. "I'm sorry that this didn't work out." With no Republicans on the ticket in Tuesday's nominating primary, Ms Pressley is all but certain to succeed Mr Capuano in Washington in November's congressional elections. Ms Pressley argued she would bring new energy and awareness of the needs in the state's only congressional district where a majority of residents are not white. Incumbent U.S. Representative Mike Capuano speaks to reporters after voting in the Massachusetts Primary Election in Somerville Credit: Reuters The race echoed the June primary in a safely Democratic New York City congressional district where first-time candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez beat a 10-term incumbent, sparking fresh enthusiasm for progressive candidates across the United States. Within hours of her victory, Ms Ocasio-Cortez, 28, had endorsed Ms Pressley on Twitter, saying, "Vote her in next, Massachusetts." Both candidates had collected high-profile endorsements, with the Boston Globe newspaper backing Ms Pressley and the Congressional Black Caucus supporting Mr Capuano, who is white. Polls and political observers predict the state's nine House seats will remain in Democratic hands, along with the seat held by US Senator Elizabeth Warren, a leading progressive voice often cited as a possible 2020 White House contender. Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican who regularly shows up in polls as one of the United States' most popular governors, is also expected to be re-elected. Democrats need to pick up 23 seats in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate nationwide in the November 6 general election to gain a majority that could allow them to counter Republican President Donald Trump's agenda.
|
| Parents of Penn State hazing victim settle with fraternity Posted: 05 Sep 2018 05:04 AM PDT  The amount for which the parents of the late Tim Piazza settled with Beta Theta Pi is undisclosed, the family attorney said.
|
| 'Game Of Thrones' Star Shares Very Bleak Theory About The Show's Ending Posted: 05 Sep 2018 01:43 AM PDT  How the eighth and final season of "Game of Thrones" ends will likely be one
|
| Father of Parkland Shooting Victim Says Brett Kavanaugh 'Turned His Back' to Him at Confirmation Hearing Posted: 04 Sep 2018 01:21 PM PDT  Fred Guttenberg tried to shake hands with the Supreme Court nominee
|
| From poisoned Russian to EU arrest warrants: the Novichok affair Posted: 05 Sep 2018 08:21 AM PDT  Britain has issued European arrest warrants for two Russians suspected of poisoning a Russian ex-spy and his daughter in March with a nerve agent that later killed a woman in the same area of southwest England. Former double agent Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, are found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury on March 4. Three days later, with the Skripals in critical condition, police say the pair were poisoned with a highly-toxic nerve agent.
|
| The Wildest Things About Trump From Bob Woodward's New Book, 'Fear' Posted: 04 Sep 2018 09:46 AM PDT  President Donald Trump's job is to lead the nation, but Bob Woodward's new
|
| Authorities investigating reports of flight with up to 100 ill people at New York airport Posted: 05 Sep 2018 07:07 AM PDT  An Emirates Airlines flight from Dubai is being isolated at a New York City airport after reports that as many as 100 people on board could be sick, officials said.
|
| Israel says struck Iranian targets in Syria 200 times in last two years Posted: 04 Sep 2018 11:40 AM PDT  According to regional sources, Israel began carrying out military strikes in Syria in 2013 against suspected arms transfers and deployments by Iranian forces and their Lebanese Hezbollah allies, both Damascus's partners in Syria's civil war. On Tuesday, an Israeli military spokeswoman declined to comment after Syria said it shot down rockets fired by Israeli planes at military targets near the city of Hama. "Only just now it was published - in the name of military sources, so I can quote it too - that in the last two years Israel has taken military action more than 200 times within Syria itself," Katz told a conference hosted by the IDC Herzliya college.
|
| Newlywed Couple Hit by Rogue Wave While Posing for Wedding Photos Posted: 05 Sep 2018 07:17 AM PDT  The couple is not mad about the experience, which was caught on camera.
|
| Philippine senator defies Duterte's arrest order in standoff Posted: 05 Sep 2018 02:21 AM PDT  MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Philippine senator who is President Rodrigo Duterte's fiercest critic in Congress remained holed up in the Senate on Wednesday to avoid what he considers an illegal arrest after Duterte voided his amnesty for his role in failed coup plots as a former rebel military officer.
|
| Jeep Wrangler Pickup Spied in Gnarly Off-Road Trim Posted: 04 Sep 2018 09:28 AM PDT  A Wrangler pickup prototype with aggressive off-road tires was spotted by our spy. Is this the Scrambler Rubicon?
|
| Is This Yamaha Racing Transmission Coming to the Street? Posted: 04 Sep 2018 10:18 AM PDT ![Is This Yamaha Racing Transmission Coming to the Street?]( "Is This Yamaha Racing Transmission Coming to the Street?") Is This Yamaha Racing Transmission Coming to the Street? A Yamaha patent for a seamless transmission suggests more racing tech for your street bike The seamless transmission is the motorcycle performance utopia. This time-saving system has been exclusive to
|
| Republicans Act Like They're Powerless To Stop Trump's Attacks On The Justice System Posted: 04 Sep 2018 05:08 PM PDT  WASHINGTON ― The president of the United States has, in recent days,
|
| At least 19 on Emirates flight confirmed ill: New York mayor's office Posted: 05 Sep 2018 10:51 AM PDT  At least 19 people aboard an Emirates flight from Dubai to New York were confirmed ill when the aircraft landed on Wednesday at John F. Kennedy International Airport, after as many as 100 passengers and crew reported feeling sick, authorities said. Ten of the 19 people on Emirates airline [EMIRA.UL] Flight 203, which landed with at least 521 passengers around 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT), were taken to hospitals, while the other nine declined treatment, said Raul Contreras, a spokesman for the New York City mayor's office. All passengers aboard the plane were allowed to leave by Wednesday afternoon, according to an Emirates spokeswoman, who said three passengers and seven crew members were being treated at a hospital.
|
| Jaguar C-X75 Spectre stunt car for sale Posted: 04 Sep 2018 03:08 AM PDT  While this supercar never made production, James Bond baddie Mr Hinx drove one in Spectre. One of those very stunt cars has come up for sale…
|
| Haqqani network founder has died, Afghan Taliban says Posted: 03 Sep 2018 08:49 PM PDT  The founder of the Haqqani network who was feted by America as an anti-Soviet Afghan resistance hero in the 1980s only to become one of its most wanted enemies has died. Jalaluddin Haqqani went from young radical and Mujahideen commander to leader of a militant network responsible for some of the bloodiest suicide attacks on civilians and the internationally-backed Afghan government. He died bedridden after years of ill health which have seen control of his grouping pass to his son. Battlefield successes and tight organisation saw him become one of the CIA's prized commanders in the 1980s as America funnelled money and arms into the anti-Soviet resistance through Pakistan. He later turned his military skills against his former patron as he aligned with the Taliban during its insurgency against Hamid Karzai's government and his network was designated a terrorism organisation. Afghan commander Jalaluddin Haqqani (C) with two top guerilla commanders Amin Wardak and Abdul Haq at his Pakistani base in Miranshah Credit: AFP He is believed to have passed control to his son Sirajuddin as early as 2007 as his health failed. A Taliban statement did not say where he died or when. His death has been reported a number of times over recent years. His role had been ideological rather than practical in recent years, said Afghan defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish. "Operationally, his death will not have an impact on the group," he told Reuters. Haqqani first rebelled against the Afghan king in the 1970s and had to flee to Pakistan, but it was in the 1980s when he came to prominence fighting in his tribal heartland of south east Afghanistan as aMujahideen commander after the Soviets invaded to support a Moscow-backed government. The late US Congressman Charlie Wilson who drummed up huge sums of US funding for the Mujaheddin'sguerrilla war once described him as "goodness personified". Jalaluddin Haqqani, the Taliban's Minister for Tribal Affairs, points to a map of Afghanistan during a visit to Islamabad, Pakistan Credit: Reuters He briefly joined the squabbling Mujahideen commanders who ruled over Kabul in the 1990s after the Soviet withdrawal, but then took up with the Taliban and remained allied for the rest of his life. As his network fought the US-backed Kabul government it became notorious for high-profile and often complex attacks on foreign and government targets. America has long accused Pakistan of supporting the network and doing too little to rein it in. Notorious operations have included attacks on the Indian and American embassies in Kabul. A bombing blamed on the network near the city's embassy district last year killed about 150 people.
|
