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Flynn Associate Kian Pleads Not Guilty to Lobbying Charges

Bijan Rafiekian, also known as Bijan Kian, entered his plea Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, where U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga also set a Feb. 11 trial date. Kian and a Turkish businessman were indicted this month, accused of helping President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government secretly influence public opinion and politicians during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

Migrant family who fled tear gas at U.S. border seeks asylum

The family appeared in a widely circulated photograph taken by Reuters as they fled tear gas thrown by U.S. authorities during a protest at the border last month when some migrants rushed the U.S. fence. Sandra Cordero, from advocacy group Families Belong Together, which accompanied the migrants, said eight unaccompanied minors were being processed for asylum. A system dubbed "metering" limits how many can ask for asylum each day at U.S. ports of entry, leading to months-long waits in Mexico for thousands of migrants fleeing violence in Central America.

Chili's Weighs In On North Carolina Election Fraud And Immediately Regrets Decision

Chili's social media department is getting ribbed after it weighed in on North

Girl's death shows communication issues on US-Mexico border

Shortly before a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl died in U.S. custody, her father signed a form stating that his daughter was in good health. But it's unclear how much the man understood on the form, which was written in English and read to him in Spanish by Border Patrol agents.

Russia slashes Syria military flights

Russia has cut its military flights in Syria from more than 100 per day to fewer than four a week, the defence minister said Tuesday, in another sign the country's conflict is winding down. Russia launched air strikes in Syria in support of long-term ally President Bashar al-Assad in September 2015. Russian support helped Assad's forces reclaim swathes of territory once in the hands of opposition fighters and Islamic extremists.

1000mph Bloodhound SSC record car saved

British entrepreneur Ian Warhurst has saved the Bloodhound SSC land speed record project after no other investors came forward

More People Have Gotten a Flu Shot Than This Time Last Year, CDC Says

It's a promising sign

The best and worst times to travel for Christmas

AAA predicts that more than one-third of Americans will travel this holiday season, so knowing the best and worst times for traffic and weather can cut down your trip time.

Search For Missing Colorado Mom Leads Investigators To Fiance's Ranch

Dozens of state and federal law enforcement officers descended on a rural

U.S. Intelligence officials frustrated by White House response to Khashoggi killing

And it’s not just the White House that may make it tough to act on the intelligence community’s findings — the longstanding ties between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia complicate efforts to hold the kingdom accountable.

Carnival Says a Passenger Is Missing From a Ship Currently in Mexico

Authorities are searching for a man who went missing from a cruise ship bound for Mexico.

Elon Musk bores tunnel to revolutionize city driving

Elon Musk on Tuesday took a break from futuristic electric cars and private space travel to unveil a low-cost tunnel he sees as a godsend for city traffic. The billionaire behind Tesla and SpaceX late Tuesday put the spotlight on the a 1.14 mile (1.8 kilometer) tunnel created by his Boring Company for about $10 million. The sample tunnel is part of Musk's vision to have an underground network that cars, preferably Teslas, can be lowered to by lifts then slotted into tracks and propelled along at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kmh).

Martha McSally to fill McCain Senate seat after losing race

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona's governor on Tuesday appointed U.S. Rep. Martha McSally to replace Sen. Jon Kyl in the seat that belonged to the late John McCain, sending the GOP congresswoman back to Washington just a month after she lost a tight race for the state's other spot in the Senate.

Cher ditches Facebook, Google for 'conspiring with Russia to destroy our democracy'

Cher, 72, vowed to boycott the two tech giants Tuesday because she says Facebook and Google's alleged love of money trumps their "(love) of country."

Britain, Switzerland reach post-Brexit aviation deal

Switzerland and Britain signed an agreement Monday guaranteeing that flights between the two countries can continue uninterrupted even if London opts to leave the European Union without a deal with Brussels. "We have managed to ensure a flawless transition, which is in the interest of both of our countries," Swiss Transportation Minister Doris Leuthard said in a statement after signing the deal in Zurich with her British counterpart Chris Grayling. Switzerland is not a member of the EU, but its relations with Britain are based on a long line of bilateral agreements between Bern and the bloc.

Nissan CEO calls on Renault to listen to detail of Ghosn allegations

Renault's interim chairman Philippe Lagayette said on Friday that its board had not considered replacing Ghosn, who was ousted by Nissan days after his arrest in Japan in November, as head of the French carmaker. Ghosn has denied wrongdoing, media reports say, although he has not made any public statements since his arrest. "We hope the board will listen to our explanation," Nissan Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa told reporters after a board meeting of the Japanese carmaker at which it confirmed plans to strengthen corporate governance following the Ghosn crisis.

Fleeing home alone: the migrant children blocked at Mexican border

Guatemalan children caught in Mexico while trying to migrate into the US, queue before climbing into a minibus at Aurora international airport in Guatemala City. For years, Dora waited impatiently to turn 15, the age her mother had agreed she would be old enough to leave their home in El Salvador – where she suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her grandfather – and head to the US, in search of a new life. “Seeing them leave together … that gave me hope and gave me the courage to finally leave,” said Dora, who is now living at a children’s shelter in Tijuana, on the border with California.

Donald Trump moves to ban bump stocks used in America's worst mass shooting

Donald Trump has officially moved to to ban bump stocks, the controversial devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire rapidly like automatic firearms. Bump stocks were used by gunman Stephen Paddock who killed 58 people at a music festival in Las Vegas in October last year,  the worst mass shooting in modern US history. A senior Justice Department official said bump stocks will be banned from late March next year. Following the Las Vegas shooting the devices became a focal point in the national gun control debate. Paddock rained a hail of bullets from his 32nd-floor Las Vegas hotel room, killing 58 people at a concert.  Following the shooting Mr Trump said he would ban the devices. However, opposition from the National Rifle Association prevented a law being passed by Congress. Instead, a regulation was signed by Matthew Whitaker, the acting attorney general, on Tuesday. It will go into effect 90 days after being formally published, which is expected to happen on Friday, the Justice Department official said. In March, Mr Trump said his administration would "ban" the devices, which he said "turn legal weapons into illegal machines." Shortly after his comments the justice department announced it had started the process to amend firearms regulations to define bump stocks as machine guns. That reversed a decision in 2010 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives[ATF]  that bump stocks were not machine guns. Since the Las Vegas shooting at least 10 US states have introduced their own restrictions on the devices. Under the new regulation owners of bump stocks will have to surrender them to the ATF, or destroy them, by late March. Paddock was armed with  assault weapons, 14 of them fitted with bump stocks which increased their rate of fire. After killing the concert-goers Paddock shot himself dead. The largest maker of bump stocks, Slide Fire Solutions, announced in April that it was going to stop taking orders and shutting down its website.

Women are harassed every 30 seconds on Twitter, major study finds

If you're a woman with an opinion on Twitter, chances are you've been harassed, abused, or even threatened. “We found that, although abuse is targeted at women across the political spectrum, women of colour were much more likely to be impacted, and black women are disproportionately targeted.

How To Make Edible Cookie Dough, The Ultimate Holiday Food Gift

Sneaking a bite of raw cookie dough is undoubtedly one of the best parts of

British Airways to resume Pakistan flights after a decade

British Airways will resume flights to Pakistan next year after a 10-year absence following an Islamist militant truck bomb that killed more than 50 people at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad. As Pascale Davies reports, BA will be the first Western carrier to restart flying to Pakistan.

Congressman to appeal ruling on Maine's new voting system

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin on Monday announced he's continuing his effort to have Maine's new election system used for the first time in a congressional race declared unconstitutional.

Milwaukee airport adds unlimited free Wi-Fi service

Milwaukee County executive says free Wi-Fi has been one the of the most requested passenger amenities at Mitchell International.

New Zealand warns Google over naming murder accused

New Zealand warned Google to "take responsibility" for its news content Wednesday, after the internet giant broke a court order suppressing the name of a man charged with murdering a British backpacker. An Auckland court granted the man interim name suppression this month but Google revealed his identity in an email to subscribers of its "what's trending in New Zealand?" service. Justice Minister Andrew Little said the breach was unacceptable and he had made his views known to Google executives at a meeting in parliament on Tuesday night.

A Suspected Gas Explosion Has Injured More Than 40 People at a Busy Restaurant in Japan

The explosion happened Sunday night in Sapporo, on Japan's northern island

U.S. border agents will not speak to lawmakers about girl's death

Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Tuesday plan to visit the New Mexico patrol station where Jakelin Caal and her father were taken on Dec. 7 to learn more about why she died the next day. Caal's death fueled criticism of President Donald Trump's immigration policies from Democrats and migrant advocates. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said it showed the dangers of her journey and the family's decision to cross the border illegally.

Weekly Standard Co-Founder Calls Rep. Steve King 'Foul, Disgusting Liar'

White supremacist congressman Steve King (R-Iowa) tweeted over the weekend

U.S., Taliban Meet in U.A.E. to Discuss Afghanistan Peace

Representatives from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the U.A.E. will also attend the meeting, Zabihullah Mujahed, a spokesman for the militant group, said in a statement released on late Sunday evening. Pakistan has also confirmed that talks will be taking place and hopes the meeting “will end bloodshed in Afghanistan and bring peace to the region,” Mohammad Faisal, a foreign ministry spokesman in Islamabad, said on Twitter.

Ask the Captain: Do planes have quirks like cars?

Pilots fly many different airplanes of the same model within a fleet. While there are some differences, they fly pretty much the same.

Correction: Vatican-Bulgaria-Macedonia story

VATICAN CITY (AP) — In a story Dec. 13 about the pope's May travel schedule, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Bulgaria is a former Soviet republic. During the Cold War, Bulgaria was one of the Soviet allies that formed the Warsaw Pact.

One of Norwegian Cruise Line's biggest ships to move to Florida's Port Canaveral

Norwegian Cruise Line on Tuesday announced that one of its biggest ships, Norwegian Escape, would move to Port Canaveral, Florida.

East Coast storm to strike during peak of Christmas travel; Northwest to stay stormy

Storms with the greatest potential to disrupt travel will focus on the East and the Northwest in the days leading up to Christmas.

US accepts Assad staying in Syria -- but won't give aid

James Jeffrey, the US special representative in Syria, said that Assad needed to compromise as he had not yet won the brutal seven-year civil war, estimating that some 100,000 armed opposition fighters remained in Syria. It's not regime change -- we're not trying to get rid of Assad," Jeffrey said at the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank.

J&J announces $5 billion share buyback after shares extend losses

Johnson & Johnson said on Monday it plans to buy back up to $5 billion of its stock, after a Reuters report on Friday that the company knew for decades that its Baby Powder contained cancer-causing asbestos wiped about $40 billion from its market value. J&J knew about the presence of small amounts of asbestos in its products as early as 1971, a Reuters examination of company memos, internal reports and other confidential documents showed. The share repurchase was just the latest effort the healthcare conglomerate has made to boost investor confidence.

Chris Matthews Predicts Trump Could Resign ‘In The Coming Weeks’

MSNBC's Chris Matthews said Monday that President Donald Trump could resign as

Corbyn Proposes No-Confidence Motion in PM May: Brexit Update

After his office said first that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn would propose a no-confidence motion in May -- and then said that he didn’t need to because she’d announced a date for a vote -- he has now said he’ll propose such a motion immediately. This is a motion of no confidence in May, not in her government, so it’s not the type that could potentially trigger a general election. For that reason it has a greater chance of passing, as some Conservatives opposed to May’s Brexit strategy might vote for it.

Terror charges issued in France's Christmas market attack

PARIS (AP) — A man suspected of supplying the gun used in the Christmas market shooting attack that killed five people in Strasbourg has been handed preliminary terror charges, according to a French judicial official close to the investigation.

'I Don't Know Where My Fish Is At.' Airline Bans Student's Pet From Flight

Here's what you need to know

White Christmas 2018 forecast: Who has the best shot at snow?

Following far-reaching snowstorms from November and early December, a lack of Arctic air will generally limit the chances of a white Christmas to the northern tier states and the mountains of the West for Dec. 25, 2018.

Facebook kicks Myanmar military-linked pages off platform

Facebook has removed hundreds of pages and accounts in Myanmar with hidden links to the military, the platform said Wednesday, as the company scrambles to respond to criticism over failures to control hate speech and misinformation. The social media giant -- Myanmar's most popular and influential site -- has been lambasted for years for its ineffective response to malicious posts, particularly against the country's Rohingya Muslims. The problem reached new levels of urgency last year as Myanmar's military drove more than 720,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh, while dehumanising material about the stateless group spread on the site.

Dispute Between Bus Drivers Leaves One Stabbed; Perp Takes Off in Tour Bus: Police

Police are searching for a bus driver who took off in a tour bus after stabbing another bus driver in Lower Manhattan, police said Sunday.

Sanders Lashes Comey For 'Corruption' After He Slams Spineless GOP On 'Lying' Trump

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders launched a scathing,

General Dynamics Warns Trudeau Over Exit Penalties in Saudi Deal

In a television interview Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government was looking for a way to halt the sale of armored vehicles manufactured by a unit of U.S.-based General Dynamics Corp. “We are engaged with the export permits to try and see if there is a way of no longer exporting these vehicles to Saudi Arabia,” Trudeau told CTV, without elaborating. The company’s Canadian unit, in a written statement Monday, warned that doing so could leave the government on the hook for penalties.

Putin: Nothing to stop new states joining nuclear pact with U.S. and Russia

President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that there was nothing to stop Russia and the United States holding talks with other countries about the possibility of them joining a landmark arms control treaty that is at risk of unraveling. The United States delivered Russia a 60-day ultimatum earlier this month to come clean about what Washington says is a violation of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty between Moscow and Washington.