Lafayette

Girl dies after being detained by U.S. Border Patrol: Washington Post

The girl and her father had been detained by immigration authorities on Dec. 6 in New Mexico, the Post reported.

As sentencing looms, Flynn is upbeat, has adoring fans

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Days away from being sentenced in the Russia probe, former national security adviser Michael Flynn is not exactly hiding his face in shame.

Man who sexually assaulted woman on flight while she slept is jailed for nine years

Prabhu Ramamoorthy, 34, was also sitting next to his wife on the overnight flight in January. Ramamoorthy had molested the victim while unbuttoning her blouse and unzipping her trousers as she slept. US attorney Matthew Schneider said: “Everyone has the right to be secure and safe when they travel on aeroplanes.

Isil defeated in its last Syrian town as jihadists mount final stand

The last Syrian town under the control of Islamic State fell on Friday, marking a defeat for the jihadists which will prove difficult to come back from. The flag of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the US and UK-backed fighters battling Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), was erected in the central square in Hajin, eastern Deir Ezzor province. The Kurdish-dominated SDF faced one of their toughest battles in the war against Isil in Hajin, a nondescript town which had become the site of Isil’s last major stand in Syria. “Just about every Daesh we came across had a suicide belt,” said one commander involved in the battle, using the Arabic acronym for the group. “They saw it as end of days and were using every weapon they had.” Isil is thought to now only have a few hundred militants left holding out in villages around Hajin and in the small sliver of land left between Syria and Iraq. A Syrian displaced woman carries her child inside a refugee camp of al-Hol in Hasakeh governorate in northeastern Syria  Credit: AFP Most of Isil’s remaining senior leaders had been in the town in recent months, but it is not clear whether they have been killed or managed to escape to desert land along the border before the SDF established its chokehold. All recent US intelligence also suggests Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Isil’s leader, is alive and hiding out among the group’s final vestiges. “This was always going to be a fight to the death,” Nouri Mahmoud, spokesman of the Syrian Kurdish militia known as People's Protection Units or YPG - the main component of SDF, told the Telegraph during a visit trip to northern Syria. “A lot of senior fighters and commanders had spent months preparing for this fight and were not about to give up.” The operation on Hajin was launched on September 10 and took a heavy toll, according to figures collected by the UK-based monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which show at least 900 jihadists and 500 SDF fighters were killed in the fighting. Isil launched a particularly deadly counterattack in early November, which saw the jihadists use the cover of a sandstorm to overrun an SDF base and capture dozens. #SDF flag in #Hajin bazaar place, center of the town. via @ciyager_rojavapic.twitter.com/OVn4ffdAMf— zana amed (@zana_med) December 13, 2018 The battle was then briefly paused after Turkey, which considers the YPG a terrorist group because of its organisational links to the insurgent Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), began shelling Kurdish troops over the border. Fresh Turkish threats could jeopardise the last stage of the SDF offensive. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s president, this week warned it is planning a new assault on the Kurds - this time east of the Euphrates river. A spokesman for the Turkish-backed opposition National Army said up to 15,000 Syrian rebels were ready to join Turkey's forces. The US, which has warned Turkey against such a move, will have to decide whether to back the Kurds and risk confrontation with a Nato ally, or effectively give Turkey a green light. The Kurds have warned that any attack from Turkey would distract the SDF from the battle against Isil, which could risk giving the group the oxygen to regroup in Deir Ezzor. Brett McGurk, the US anti-Isil envoy, also cautioned earlier this week that the “battle against (Isil) in the Middle Euphrates Valley” was not over yet. “It’s going to take time, but it will get done,” McGurk continued. “It’s a very difficult campaign.” The Trump administration has said it will remain in Syria for as long as it takes to defeat Isil, but it remains uncertain if the SDF has the manpower and resources to keep control of the vast territory it has captured once their ally is gone.

Egypt unearths tomb of ancient high priest 

Egyptian archaeologists have discovered the tomb of a priest dating back more than 4,400 years in the pyramid complex of Saqqara south of the capital Cairo, authorities said Saturday. "Today we are announcing the last discovery of the year 2018, it's a new discovery, it's a private tomb," Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Enany told an audience of invited guests including reporters. "It is exceptionally well preserved, coloured, with sculpture inside. It belongs to a high official priest... (and) is more than 4,400 years old," he said. The tomb belongs to "Wahtye", a high priest who served during the fifth dynasty reign of King Neferirkare, the antiquities ministry said. A view of the newly-discovered tomb of 'Wahtye' Credit: Reuters His tomb is decorated with scenes showing the royal priest alongside his mother, wife and other members of his family, the ministry said in a statement. It also contains more than a dozen niches and 24 colourful statues of the cleric and members of his family, it said. In November archaeology officials announced the discovery in Saqqara of seven sarcophagi, some dating back more than 6,000 years, during excavation work started in April by the same archaeological mission. An external view of the site Credit: Anadolu Three of those tombs contained mummified cats and scarabs. The Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo is home to the famous Djoser pyramid, a more than 4,600-year-old construction which dominates the site and was Egypt's first stone monument. The tomb, built by the master architect Imhotep for the Pharoah Djoser, stood 62 metres tall originally and is considered the oldest building in the world built entirely of stone.

Our Plastic Addiction Has Reached A New Crisis Level

This is not a good look. Humans are using more oil-based plastic than ever,

EU's Tusk says no more Brexit negotiations

By Gabriela Baczynska and Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Council President Donald Tusk said on Friday he had no mandate to reopen Brexit negotiations with Britain, while the head of the bloc's executive, Jean-Claude Juncker, said he "admired" Prime Minister Theresa May. Tusk and Juncker were speaking at a news conference after two days of talks at an EU summit that were dominated by the issue of Brexit and saw the other 27 national leaders of the bloc offer May only vague assurances over their Brexit deal. "I have no mandate to organize any further negotiations. ...

Death row inmate seeks execution; judge to decide competency

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi judge will decide whether a death row inmate who says he wants to be executed is mentally competent to waive all his appeals.

Photos of the week: 12/7 - 12/14

Donald Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen was sentenced this week.

Angry protests after Somalia arrests jihadist-politician

Demonstrators took to the streets of Baidoa in southwest Somalia for a second day Friday protesting the arrest of a former Islamist militant leader who was vying for the regional presidency. Tyres burned, roads were blocked and shots fired as police tried to break up crowds of hundreds of angry protesters in the city where regional presidential elections are due to be held on 19 December. Muktar Robow, who defected from the jihadist Shabaab movement last year, was detained by the government on Thursday, accused of "organising a militia" and seeking to "undermine stability", and flown to the capital Mogadishu.

First new Mustang Shelby GT500 to be sold by Barrett-Jackson

The buyer gets to pick the color and the options for their special muscle car

Investigators Call Missing Colorado Mom`s Disappearance `Suspicious,` Search Fiance`s Property

Authorities in Woodland Park searched the property of Kelsey Berreth`s fiance, Patrick Frazee, Friday morning. The 29-year-old mom was last seen shopping at a Safeway on Thanksgiving Day.

Johnson & Johnson 'kept secret' that its Baby Powder contained asbestos 

Johnson & Johnson knew that its talcum powder contained asbestos but failed to tell customers for over three decades, an investigation has found.  Shares in the company plunged  12 per cent following the release of the report by news agency Reuters, wiping £37bn ($47bn) off the company's value.  The investigation also found that the pharmaceutical company had employed a range of tactics to shape research into the problem and protect its Baby Powder brand. In one case, the company commissioned and paid for a study, told the researchers their desired results and then hired a ghostwriter to redraft the article presenting the findings. The investigation centres on a cache of documents released by Johnson & Johnson relating to the 11,700 plaintiffs claiming that the company’s talc caused their cancers. The documents show that from at least 1971 to the early 2000s, the company’s raw talc and finished powders sometimes tested positive for small amounts of asbestos, and that company executives, mine managers, scientists, doctors and lawyers fretted over the problem and how to address it while failing to disclose it to regulators or the public. A case in July, in which a judge ordered the company to pay $4.69bn in damages to 22 parties, was the first to succeed with a claim that the talc caused ovarian cancer.  Johnson and Johnson said it will appeal the recent verdicts against it and maintains that its talc is safe, adding that the recently divulged court papers show its commitment to ensuring its products are asbestos-free.  has been required to divulge in recent litigation shows the care the company takes to ensure its products are asbestos-free

EU to Step Up Plans for No-Deal Brexit as Bloc Plays Hardball With May

May had come to Brussels hoping to secure some additional "assurances" on the most controversial part of her Brexit deal -- the so-called Irish border backstop. “Theresa May has led a courageous fight but unfortunately we are not seeing the results," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters.

Indiana State University group to honor Jamal Khashoggi

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — A journalism group at Indiana State University is taking steps to honor alumnus and slain Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

CBS Pledges $20M From Les Moonves' Severance To Combat Sexual Harassment

Scandal-ridden CBS is shelling out $20 million to more than a dozen

Now playing: Trump's latest defense — I never said 'to break the law'

The president keeps revising his explanation of hush-money payments made to two women who claimed to have had extramarital affairs with him.

Florida tale of infidelity and homicide ends with conviction

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — After a spellbinding five-day trial that featured tales of infidelity and a multimillion dollar insurance payout, a jury on Friday convicted a Florida woman of helping mastermind the killing of her husband nearly two decades ago.

Infiniti's Next Concept Car Previews a New All-Electric Crossover

It will pay homage to the pioneering FX45 while looking to Infiniti’s electrified future.

Fiat 500 earns place in New York's Museum of Modern Art

Fiat's iconic 500 F city car has been selected by the Museum of Modern Art as a primary exhibit for its The Value of Good Design exhibit next year

Want your gifts by Christmas? Order by these dates

Order your gifts from retailers like Nordstrom, Target, Amazon, Sephora and more by these dates to ensure they arrive by Christmas.

Wisconsin, Michigan Republicans enact lame-duck limits

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republicans in Wisconsin and Michigan enacted last-minute limits on Democratic power Friday, with outgoing GOP governors in both Upper Midwest states signing measures protecting their priorities before leaving office in less than a month.

Gun Deaths in the U.S. Are at Their Highest Rates in Decades, CDC Says

The problem is driven in part by suicides

Huawei case must remain apolitical: Freeland

Canada and the United States agreed on Friday that politics should be kept out of the process to extradite senior Huawei Technologies Co executive Meng Wanzhou, who is being held on a U.S. extradition warrant, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

Mueller investigation: Probes involving Trump associates are becoming difficult for the president to ignore

Cohen said that he was “done being loyal” to the president having been sentenced over a number of charges, including campaign finance violations for arranging payments during the 2016 election to silence women who have claimed to have affairs with Trump. “I’m done with the lying,” the president’s former lawyer said. “I’m done being loyal to President Trump.

The Latest: Italian journalist among the dead in Strasbourg

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — The Latest on France attack aftermath and death of suspect (all times local):

You Can Now Build Your Own 2020 Jeep Gladiator without Any Regard to Price

We don't know how much the new Jeep pickup costs, which makes the online configurator even more fun to play with.

What the New Court Ruling Striking Down the ACA Means for Your Health Insurance

Just as the sign-up window for individual health insurance for 2019 is closing, a legal ruling is creating new uncertainty about the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and could potentially ...

Brazil take first step in program to join nuclear-powered sub club

President Michel Temer and his right-wing successor, President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, both pressed the button that lowered into the sea the 1,700-ton submarine named Riachuelo at a Rio de Janeiro naval base. Temer's wife, Marcela, had christened the vessel, by smashing a champagne bottle against its hull. The submarines being built by the Brazilian Navy in partnership with France's defense company Naval Group, formerly known as DCNS, are a modified version of the Scorpene class diesel-powered submarine.

Delaying Brexit Beyond March Is Easier Than You Might Think

(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Theresa May is struggling to save her Brexit deal and the danger of the U.K. crashing out of the European Union is on the rise. How hard would it be to delay Britain’s departure date?

The Latest: Palestinian police end Hamas' West Bank protest

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Latest on the violence in the West Bank (all times local):

NY sues Walmart, Target for selling toys with high lead levels

New York state authorities on Thursday announced a lawsuit against retail giants Walmart and Target for selling Chinese-made toys that had up to 10 times the legal limit of lead. The lawsuit seeks up to $6,000 in penalties for each of the thousands of Cra-Z-Jewelz jewelry kits the retailers and importer LaRose Industries sold from 2015 to 2016 before they were recalled. Authorities also are asking the three companies to take steps to prevent dangerous toys from reaching store shelves.

White House says probe of inauguration funding has 'nothing to do with the president'

The White House is brushing off reports that federal prosecutors are investigating the over $100 million that was raised from donors for President Trump’s inauguration last year.

4 people shot inside barbershop in Logan

Philadelphia police are investigating a shooting that left four people shot in the Logan neighborhood.

The 2019 BMW X5 Is the Brand's Most Accomplished SUV Yet

Its G05 codename may never rank with E46 or E39, but the latest X5 is still plenty good.

Best Air Fryers of 2018

Crispy fries without all the oil? That's the golden promise of air fryers, and it probably explains why roughly 4 million were sold over a recent 12-month period in the U.S. That represents a ten...

Remains of sailor killed at Pearl Harbor identified

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Full military honors will be given to a Louisiana sailor whose remains have been identified more than 75 years after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

US Senate votes to end support for Saudi-led Yemen war, blasts MBS

The US Senate dealt President Donald Trump a double blow over Saudi Arabia on Thursday, approving a resolution to end US military support for Riyadh's war in Yemen, and another holding the Saudi crown prince responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. On the Yemen measure, which more broadly attacks the president's prerogative to launch military actions, 49 Democrats or their allies voted in favor, along with seven Republicans, while another three Republicans abstained.

Orrin Hatch Walks Back Saying He Doesn’t Care About Trump’s Connection To Cohen Crimes

Outgoing Republican senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) is walking back comments he