Alexandria

Trump mistakenly tweets millions dead in Sri Lanka explosions on Easter Sunday

In expressing his condolences, Trump incorrectly said millions more had died in a deadly series of explosions in Sri Lanka

Israeli election may have dimmed hopes for 2-state solution

JERUSALEM (AP) — Is the two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict dead?

In shadow of burned Notre-Dame, Paris Catholics pray for Easter renewal

French Catholics on Sunday celebrated Easter mass in Paris in the shadow of the badly burned Notre-Dame Cathedral, praying that the landmark monument -- and along with it the entire Catholic Church -- can be renewed. The fire at Notre-Dame six days earlier destroyed the cathedral's spire and two-thirds of its roof. Deprived of access to Notre-Dame, regular worshippers instead lined up patiently to celebrate Easter Sunday mass a short walk away, on the Right Bank of the Seine at Saint-Eustache church.

How the U.S. Navy Sank Imperial Japan's Top Secret Aircraft Carrier

“No doubt he intends to act as a decoy at some point to lure away our screening destroyers. That accomplished, his comrades can approach Shinano unopposed. We must guard against any such ploy,” grumbled the thoughtful skipper.The first torpedo struck farthest aft. Over the next 30 seconds three more warheads detonated against the massive aircraft carrier’s hull, working their way forward. The explosions and instant flooding immediately killed scores of men, many asleep in their bunks.As tons of seawater cascaded into the wounded colossus, men below deck could see the extent of the damage, were seized with panic, and stampeded topside. The missiles had hit 10 feet below the water line, and on the bridge and upper levels the commander and his officers were not yet aware of how sorely they were hurt. Many had survived earlier torpedo attacks, and aboard less formidable vessels than this one. Even as their gargantuan ship began to list, they remained optimistic.“Expressing the Flavor of an Ancient Samurai”

Officials: South Carolina school girl died of natural causes

WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina authorities said Friday that the death of a fifth grade girl at school last month was due to natural causes and not a fight with another student, which they described as lasting only seconds. But the family of the girl disagreed, saying she was repeatedly antagonized by the other student.

SpaceX test accident in Florida sends a massive plume of smoke into the sky

A SpaceX Crew Dragon experienced an "anomaly" during ground tests that manifested as a column of smoke rising from the spacecraft's thrusters. The Crew Dragons were expected to fly with astronauts aboard later in the year, and it is currently unclear whether recent tests could delay that.> Smoke seen for miles as SpaceX Crew Dragon suffers anomaly at Cape Canaveral https://t.co/W4Cj2bcN6y via @Florida_Today> > -- Code Tripping (@Code_Tripping) April 21, 2019Though few details are available, SpaceX did release a statement to SpaceNews confirming the incident."Earlier today, SpaceX conducted a series of engine tests on a Crew Dragon test vehicle on our test stand at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral, Florida," a spokesperson told SpaceNews. "The initial tests completed successfully but the final test resulted in an anomaly on the test stand."Images from Cape Canaveral show a column of smoke visible from local beaches. The ground test anomaly came from an engine test, specifically the SuperDraco engines which provide power for astronauts to get to safety during an aborted launch. Beyond fire and smoke, the anomaly even showed up on radar:> Dragon's static fire anomaly was big enough to show up on radar! ☁️SpaceX CrewDragon FLwx LowCC (Non-meteorological radar signature) pic.twitter.com/WpebHEo6Az> > -- Jabes (@GISRockstar) April 20, 2019NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine also shared a statement to Twitter:> NASA has been notified about the results of the @SpaceX Static Fire Test and the anomaly that occurred during the final test. We will work closely to ensure we safely move forward with our Commercial Crew Program. pic.twitter.com/yE2J5yGzA7> > -- Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) April 21, 2019 WATCH: NASA's Administrator Jim Bridenstine warns India's anti-satellite test could be dangerous for the ISS

A call for impeachment exposes Democratic divisions

A growing number of Democrats are calling President Trump to be impeached, but House leadership and some of the 2020 presidential candidates oppose the push.

Authorities say investigation into murder of two Indiana schoolgirls is going in 'new direction'

Indiana State Police say they will announce new information about the deaths of Abigail Williams and Liberty German who were found dead on a hiking trail in Delphi, Indiana in 2017.

Church apologizes after video shows cleric inviting kids to spit, slap and cut him for Easter lesson

An associate pastor at Impact City Church in Pataskala, Ohio, invited abuse from youths, including spitting, slapping, and allegedly cutting.

Suicide bombers in deadly attack on Afghan ministry

Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the communications ministry in central Kabul on Saturday, officials said, in a deadly, hours-long assault that destroyed weeks of relative calm in the capital. The Taliban said it had "nothing to do" with the attack, which left some 2,000 people stranded in the tall office building for hours at the start of the Afghan work week. "As a result of today's explosion/attack in Kabul city, two people have been martyred (killed) and 6 others are wounded," the health ministry spokesman wrote in a tweet, adding 3 of the injured were women.

The Army Passed on This Glock Gun (And It Could Be Your Gain)

The ultimate Glock? The Army may have chosen Sig Sauer’s P320 for its Modular Handgun System program over Glock’s offerings, but that doesn’t mean you have to: Glock plans on releasing a civilian variant of its 9mm Glock 19 pistol to civilian buyers this month, the company announced today.(This article by Jared Keller originally appeared at Task & Purpose. Follow Task & Purpose on Twitter. This article first appeared in 2018.)Glock’s commercial pistol, dubbed the 19X, is the company’s first stab at a crossover model, combining the Glock 17 frame with a Glock 19 barrel. With a “marksman barrel” and ambidextrous slide-stop levers, the pistol is designed to be as versatile as it is powerful, “almost like a [1911] Commander-style situation where you’ve got the shorter barrel with the full-sized grip frame,” as national sales manager Bob Radecki told Army Times on Jan. 2.The new 9mm Glock 19X from Glock

Columbine honors 13 lost with community service, ceremony

LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) — Community members in suburban Denver marked the 20th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting Saturday with a remembrance ceremony that celebrated the school's survival and by volunteering at shelters, doing neighborhood cleanup projects and laying flowers and cards at a memorial to the 13 people killed.

Give Notre Dame a Modern Roof the Alt-Right Will Hate

Photo Illustration by Lyne Lucien/The Daily Beast/Photos from GettyWhen the most famous Gothic cathedral in the world burned this week—smoke and flames billowing out from the spire—I took to Twitter to join the chorus of voices who expressed their heartfelt loss. As a historian, I am all too aware of how vulnerable the remains of the Middle Ages are, and a seemingly eternal building such as Notre Dame is no exception.Once the fire was under control, and eventually extinguished, the extent of the damage became clear. The outer roof was destroyed, and the spire had collapsed, crushing the inner medieval mason vault as it fell. But apart from where the spire came crashing through, the medieval structures seem to have held, as have the cathedral’s rose windows.The challenge that now lies ahead is restoring what was lost, and the debate about how this should be done has already started. Should the spire be reconstructed? What materials should be used? Should it look like something from the Middle Ages, or not?If you ask me, in honor of Notre Dame’s history, the new roof needs to be a brand new design, representative of today and not of the past. Why? Well, the restoration and preservation of historical buildings is based on an idea that there is an original state of things that can be reached if later additions and influences are done away with.The idea of there being an ‘original state of things’ is also what dominates the worldview of the far right, who use their interpretation of the Middle Ages as a template for how they believe society should be.While Notre Dame was burning, conspiracy theories began to surface, and declarations were made of the fire portending the end of Western civilization and its Judeo-Christian values. Instead, what was happening was the destruction of a medieval past that has, in all honesty, never existed.Western civilization is a term that grew out of the creation of history as a topic of study at the universities in England, Germany, and France in the 19th century. In her book History. Why It Matters, historian Lynn Hunt states that “history grew as an academic discipline in tandem with nationalism and a growing conviction of European superiority over the rest of the world.” This conviction led to the West “being portrayed as the source of technical innovation and cultural advancement,” also known as “modernity.”The origins of “modernity” were found in a distorted interpretation of the Middle Ages, which medievalist Dorothy Kim traces to the German Völkisch movement, also in the 19th century. According to Kim, this movement “rewrote history, drawing from folklore such as that of Brothers Grimm, medieval epics and a dedication to racial white supremacy.”From these two developments, the term “Western civilization” emerged in the 1890s, but it didn’t come into everyday use until the 20th century was well underway. According to philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah, the term “West” is used in contrast to something else. During the age of Imperialism it was used in contrast to Asia; during the Cold War in contrast to Communist Europe and the Soviet Union; and today to Latin America, Africa, and Asia (also known as “the Global South”), and the Muslim world. Looking at the world from this point of view, “West” and “Western civilization” come to mean the United States, Europe, and Christianity.This brings us to the notion of Judeo-Christian values, where once again the Middle Ages are used to make an argument that actually misrepresents the time period. In the eyes of those who promote the ideas of Western civilization and so-called Judeo-Christian values, the Middle Ages stand out as the ideal time period when Europe was a white society united in a homogenous Christian culture led by one single Christian institution.Such a view of the Middle Ages is inaccurate. In fact, what is considered to be European culture, in the past and today, is an amalgamation of impulses from all over the world. During the Middle Ages, Europe communicated closely with Africa, Asia, and the Middle East using networks that were several thousand years old. Important to keep in mind is that at this point in time, Europe was located at the periphery of the world economic system, whose center lay in the civilizations surrounding the Indian Ocean.Even though the Catholic Church was the dominating religious institution in the Middle Ages, it did not have monopoly on religion. Medieval Europe was the home of Orthodox Christians, Jews, pagans, and Muslims. The idea of a shared Judeo-Christian medieval origin is immediately contradicted by what we know of the church’s persecution of the Jews living in medieval Europe, perhaps best illustrated by the two sculptures known as Ecclesia and Sinagoga, visible on the façade of Notre Dame itself. These two sculptures represent Christianity’s triumph over Judaism and were a common sight during the 12th and 13th centuries.History is an ongoing process of human activity. Notre Dame is an example of history being a living, breathing thing. History is not static, and neither is Notre Dame. Or as medievalist Lisa Fagin Davis puts it, “Nothing makes it from the Middle Ages to the 21st century without being transformed along the way.”Within Notre Dame, we find the accumulation of nine centuries of history. The art, the relics, and the religious objects, whose fate concerned so many while the fire was raging, represent every century of the cathedral’s existence. The spire that fell into a sea of flames on April 16 was a 19th-century addition by Gothic revivalist architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc after the roof had been without a spire for 50 years.As a historian who works with material culture, I am well aware of the challenges that come with working on historical buildings, especially those that have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Nevertheless, Notre Dame’s new roof should be a representation of the architecture of the first decades of the 21st century, more in the spirit of the pyramid at the Louvre than the spire that no longer defines the Paris city silhouette.An acknowledgement of Notre Dame as the result of worldwide impulses across the centuries can be found in the French government’s decision to put out a global call for architects to participate in a competition to rebuild Notre Dame. In the words of French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, the new roof of the cathedral needs to be “adapted to the techniques and challenges of our era,” and is called for by “the evolution of heritage.”A roof of that kind would be a reflection of an event that has added a new scar to an already battle-hardened building.Read more at The Daily Beast.

FBI arrests member of rightwing militia accused of detaining migrants

Larry Mitchell Hopkins accused of illegal weapons possession after videos apparently showed men stopping migrants in New MexicoMen including Jim Benvie, a spokesman for the militia calling itself the United Constitutional Patriots, share cigarettes while patrolling the US-Mexico border in Sunland Park, New Mexico last month. Photograph: Paul Ratje/AFP/Getty ImagesA member of an armed rightwing militia group accused of illegally detaining migrants at the US-Mexico border has been arrested, officials said on Saturday.The FBI arrested Larry Mitchell Hopkins, 69, for alleged unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition , days after his group posted videos that appeared to show armed men stopping migrants at the border in New Mexico, ordering them to sit on the ground and coordinating with US border patrol agents to have them taken into custody.“Today’s arrest by the FBI indicates clearly that the rule of law should be in the hands of trained law enforcement officials, not armed vigilantes,” the New Mexico attorney general, Hector Balderas, said in a statement.On Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called for an investigation into the pro-Trump, anti-immigrant men who have been patrolling the border and calling themselves the United Constitutional Patriots (UCP).The ACLU in New Mexico described the group as “an armed fascist militia organization” made up of “vigilantes”, saying they were working to “kidnap and detain people seeking asylum” and had directly made illegal arrests and held migrants at gunpoint.Hopkins’ role in the group was unclear, and it was also not clear if he was facing any charges directly related to the videos of the men stopping migrants. The New Mexico attorney general’s office described Hopkins as a “dangerous felon who should not have weapons around children and families” and labeled him an “armed individual detaining migrants at the border”.An FBI statement on the arrest did not mention the militia group or the detention of migrants, but noted that Hopkins has also gone by the name Johnny Horton Jr and that he was due to appear in court on Monday.In one video posted last Monday night by Jim Benvie, a member of the armed group, it appeared the men were ordering around dozens of migrants, including many children, and telling them to sit. Benvie narrated: “There’s no border patrol here. This is us.”The men appeared to call border patrol agents, who later were seen. The ACLU, in a letter to state officials, said the group had targeted nearly 300 migrants in Sunland Park, New Mexico, which is along the Mexico border and adjacent to El Paso, Texas.The militia members advocated for Trump’s proposed border wall on the video streams and echoed the president’s anti-migrant rhetoric, warning of an “invasion”.There have also been concerns that the men, who wear military-style clothes, could be misrepresenting themselves as border patrol agents. In another video, Benvie filmed himself stopping a group of four adults and three children and said “border patrol” as he approached, before calling for another member of his group to join him. In an apparent call to border patrol, one man said: “Hello, I’ve got seven over here.”The UCP has previously presented itself as a group of “volunteers” aiding border patrol and supporting Trump. In recent years, there have been numerous reports of an increase in paramilitary groups and xenophobic activists surveilling the border, working with US agents and targeting undocumented people.The UCP has not responded to the Guardian’s requests for comment.On Thursday, a Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said border patrol “welcomes assistance from the community” but “does not endorse private groups or organizations taking enforcement matters into their own hands”.The Daily Beast reported that Hopkins has a history of pushing far-right conspiracies and has a conviction for impersonating an officer and felony firearm possession. He could not be reached on Saturday and it was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer.Stephanie Corte, an immigrant rights campaign strategist with the ACLU in New Mexico, said her group was still trying to make contact with the detained migrants and was uncertain if any had been released.“Our next focus is to try to get their story and making sure they feel safe to tell their story of being held at gunpoint,” she told the Guardian, adding that the ACLU would explore legal options.She said she hoped authorities would work to make sure this does not happen again.“We absolutely believe that this was completely unlawful,” she said. “We’re hoping those involved will be brought to justice.”

This tiny RC car could absolutely destroy your car in a race

A 0-to-60 mph time of under three seconds is something that all but the most wealthy supercar owners are ever likely to enjoy. A 0-to-100 mph time of just over five seconds? Well now we're in territory that few production automobiles have ever dared tread, but it's all in a day's work for RC enthusiasts who seek to achieve the most ludicrous speeds with their high-tech toys.A recent video posted by YouTuber Innovation RC clearly demonstrates just how insane RC cars can be, with one of the pint-sized speed demons hitting an absolutely absurd speed of 124 mph in less than eight seconds, all while hauling a not-super-light action camera and traveling over what seems to be a fairly rough surface.Radio-controlled vehicles used to be near the top of every kid's wishlist, and perhaps some of them still are, but these aren't your grandfather's RC toys. These tiny cars are built with performance in mind, and enthusiasts regularly modify them in an effort to push the hardware to its absolute limit. They can set you back several hundreds of dollars, and that's without any additional tuning or upgrades. But they're fast... really, really fast.Just check this out:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpdRrPYcEVsThat's 124 mph while hauling a camera that, if I had to guess, doesn't look like the most aerodynamic thing in the world. Not to mention the fact that the pavement being raced on here appears to be anything but smooth. It's easy to imagine this little car topping out at much higher speeds under ideal conditions, but it's still an incredibly impressive run considering the circumstances.In fact, in a subsequent video the same car can be seen hitting a top speed of 133 mph, though without a GoPro on board it's a little bit less interesting to watch:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo_oCzCHCxMI want one. No, no. I need one.

Egyptians vote for second day in referendum on keeping Sisi in power

Egyptians voted on Sunday for a second day on whether to back constitutional amendments that could see President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stay in power until 2030. The three-day referendum was called last week, a day after Egypt's parliament overwhelmingly endorsed the proposals, which would also bolster the role of the military and expand the president's power over judicial appointments. Sisi's supporters argue that he has stabilized Egypt and needs more time to reform the economy, but critics say they fear that the changes will stifle debate.

Converse introduces trans-themed shoes for Pride and Twitter is happy for once

Brands sometimes go too hard during Pride season. Every once in a while, however, they get it right.The year 2019 has already brought us one *actually good* example. Converse recently introduced its LGBTQ Pride sneaker line, which now includes sneakers modeled after the Transgender Pride flag.This is the first time Converse has ever had a trans-specific sneaker.SEE ALSO: Mapping state-by-state tech trends: Most popular dating appsThe trans-specific sneakers currently retail for $80. Customers can also customize their own rainbow Pride shoes and add Trans Pride flair.Regardless of how you feel about corporate participation during gay Pride, this is a huge symbolic step forward. Advocates for the trans community have long complained that gay and lesbian people dominate the LGBTQ movement. Recognizing the trans community as a separate -- though equally sneaker-worthy community -- is emblematic of a larger cultural shift. Trans people are clearly moving into the public spotlight, and they can show that (if Converse is their thing) on their feet.Twitter was largely enthusiastic about the move.> TransIsBeautiful > Thank you @Converse for making a trans PRIDE shoe this year! > My 11 year-old-son is ECSTATIC! ️‍ pic.twitter.com/E6lcqIEvfA> > -- Rachel Q. Lyons (@RachelQLyons) April 15, 2019> CONVERSE HAS A NEW PRIDE COLLECTION THAT INCLUDES TRANS PRIDE SNEAKERS FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!!!!!! > > SHOP HERE: https://t.co/afn0Gc9nwy (affiliate link) pic.twitter.com/TptVcjY87E> > -- Alysse Dalessandro (@readytostare) April 19, 2019> I thought "which of my trans friends would rock Converse decked out in the colors of the trans flag," and then immediately realized the answer was "all of them." pic.twitter.com/E5NPDfPgMY> > -- Aram Vartian (@vartian) April 19, 2019> Me, looking at the chuck taylor pride collection for this year: *not super impressed* > Converse: we have trans shoes now > Me, out loud: DAMMIT pic.twitter.com/oqzpDUqaOD> > -- Rowan Adventurezone (@politebotanist) April 20, 2019> Y'all let me know when @converse lets me put trans flags on these (and they come in my size). pic.twitter.com/3ZOq9Y6rss> > -- Xan (@AlexandriaDVine) April 20, 2019> Look! You can make them with the pride base but then add trans pride touches. I'm in love! pic.twitter.com/bGtajM2QjF> > -- We'll Have A Gay Old Time (@IssaMeBrianO) April 19, 2019This Twitter user perhaps said it best.> Fuckin converse put the Trans flag on some shoes like.....yes fine I will buy them you stupid brand, ill bow to capitalism just this once> > -- Thank you gay dad (@Darius_lives) April 19, 2019Happy incredibly early Pride, everyone! WATCH: Meet the 10-year-old drag kid shaping the future of drag youth

Assad urges progress on Idlib deal ahead of Syria talks

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday called for progress on a stalled buffer zone deal around jihadist-dominated Idlib region ahead of fresh talks aimed at ending his country's eight-year war. Assad met envoy Alexander Lavrentiev from key ally Russia in Damascus to discuss the negotiations due April 25-26 in Kazakhstan. Iran and Russia are the major supporters of the Syrian regime, and along with rebel backer Turkey have sponsored repeated rounds of talks in the Central Asian nation.

Take a Look at the SW1911 Gun: Smith & Wesson’s Very Own 1911 Pistol

One of the oldest gun companies in America produces its own take on one of the most exemplary handgun designs in U.S. history.Smith & Wesson’s series of handguns based on the 1911 platform stays true to the gun’s roots while adding in a number of features desirable to modern firearms enthusiasts. The company produces a full line of 1911s, from traditional to contemporary, catering to collectors and duty carriers, in a full range of sizes.The 1911 pistol was invented by prolific small arms designer John Moses Browning in the early twentieth century. Browning paired the pistol with his new .45 Automatic Colt Pistol cartridge, a large, heavy subsonic cartridge that delivered upwards of 400 foot-pounds of energy on target. The pairing of a semi-automatic pistol capable of holding eight rounds with the .45 ACP manstopper round was in response to reports that U.S.-issue revolvers in .38 Long Colt often failed to stop Filipino insurgents in close quarters combat.Although the 1911 missed the Philippine Insurrection, it was well positioned to enter World War I on the side of the U.S. military. The American Expeditionary Force issued the 1911 in large numbers where they fought in the trenches of World War I. Minor changes in the design resulted in the 1911A1 designation during the 1920s. More than a million pistols were produced for U.S. and allied forces during World War II, enough that the armed services kept the 1911 in frontline service well into the 1980s.

Cardi B rejects plea deal in strip club brawl case, facing up to one year in jail

Cardi B rejected a deal to plead guilty to one misdemeanor count in strip club brawl, even though it would keep her out of jail.

Illinois police officer helps teenager land a job

An Illinois police officer pulled over a teenager for an expired tag, but instead of writing him a ticket, he took the teen to a job interview.

Protesters punch Turkish opposition leader at funeral

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Protesters assaulted the leader of Turkey's main opposition party during a funeral held Sunday for a soldier who was slain during clashes with Kurdish rebels. The politician was not hurt, party officials said.

Trump’s Right About One Thing: There’s a Double Standard for Him

Photo Illustration by Lyne Lucien/The Daily Beast/Photos from GettyFor two years now, President Trump has promoted the narrative that he has been singled out for persecution by the special counsel and by his political opponents. The Mueller probe, he has vented, is a form of “Presidential Harassment,” a “Witch Hunt” aimed at unseating “your favorite President.” In the president’s apparent view, no other person—and certainly no other president—would have been treated so harshly.In the wake of the Mueller Report, and Trump’s exoneration by Attorney General Barr, it is now clear that the truth is exactly the opposite: No other person—and no other president—could have escaped prosecution for obstruction of justice, or at least impeachment, on facts like these.Let’s start with what separates Donald J. Trump from almost everyone else: He is the president. For Bob Mueller, Trump’s status as president gave Trump a double leg-up: First, under Department of Justice guidance, Mueller could not indict the president so long as he remains in office. To that extent, of course, Trump was treated like any other sitting president elected since the issuance of the original Office of Legal Counsel memo. But Mueller took that immunity a critical (and, in my view, mistaken) step further: He reasoned that, because the president could not be indicted, it would be unfair even to reach a judgment about whether Trump had committed obstruction. As a result, Mueller declined to make a formal obstruction finding and instead handed the case off to Attorney General Barr. Barr, of course, had auditioned for his current job by writing a memo contending that the entire suite of offenses identified by Mueller could never constitute obstruction, given the scope of the president’s Article II powers. Barr has also contended that the absence of an underlying offense—here, the failure to find that Trump actually “colluded” with the Russians in destabilizing the 2016 election—is an important reason to reject any obstruction charge. (That proposition, by the way, would be news to at least two of my former clients—Scooter Libby and David Safavian, both high-ranking officials in Republican Administrations. Both were indicted for obstruction; neither of them was ever alleged, or could have been alleged, to have committed some underlying offense.) Barr, who acknowledged in his press conference (though not in his four-page letter) that he had not relied “solely” on his legal views in making his decision, unsurprisingly dismissed any possible obstruction within 48 hours of receiving the 400-page report.So it’s nice to be president. But Donald J. Trump is not just any president. He’s also a president whose attorney general was, by his own admission, prepared to discount the wealth of evidence of palpably obstructive conduct found by Mueller on the ground that Trump was “angry” and acted as he did in the “sincere belief” that he was the “unprecedented” victim of illegitimate accusations of wrongdoing.Can you imagine Attorney General Reno making the same claim for President Clinton, regarding his false testimony during the Paula Jones deposition (on which Kenneth Starr predicated an impeachment recommendation)? Can you imagine Reno rejecting any perjury or obstruction charges by taking a page from Barr’s playbook: “In assessing the President’s testimony, it is important to bear in mind the context. President Clinton faced an unprecedented situation. Opposing counsel in the Jones deposition was inquiring into the most intimate details of Mr. Clinton’s personal life about which few, if any, of us would wish to be questioned, much less under oath. The President was frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that these questions were undermining his presidency.” Yet in the name of Trump’s supposedly “sincere belief,” all manner of plainly obstructive conduct was exonerated by Attorney General Barr.Or how about President Nixon’s obstructive conduct in Watergate? Can you imagine Attorney General Mitchell or Attorney General Kleindienst defending the president’s conduct by arguing that Nixon “sincerely believed” that his enemies were out to get him? Or arguing that, because there was no evidence that the president planned the underlying Watergate break-in, Nixon could not be lawfully charged with obstructing the investigation of that event? (Actually, one can imagine Mitchell and Kleindienst making those arguments, which is hardly a ringing endorsement of Barr’s defense of Trump). Despite Mr. Trump’s protestations of wrongful persecution, the fact of the matter is this: On the facts found in Volume II of the Mueller Report, any other president would now be facing impeachment, and any non-president would be fitted for an orange jumpsuit.Read more at The Daily Beast.

Galaxy Fold units keep mysteriously breaking, while the iPhone XS survives a shark bite

If you've paid attention to tech industry news to any degree over the past day or two, you're no doubt aware that Samsung is dealing with a bit of unpleasant scrutiny at the moment over reports of early units of its forthcoming Galaxy Fold phone mysteriously breaking. Definitely a bad look for Samsung and suggestive that the company may have rushed its first foldable handset into production, or that there may at least have been some issues around quality control. It was hard not to be reminded of those reports about Galaxy Folds breaking after a day or so of normal usage while watching the behind-the-scenes video that complements Apple's latest "Shot on iPhone" commercial. At one point in the behind-the-scenes footage, which you can watch above, one of the filmmakers is shown basically helpless when a shark snatches up his iPhone. With the phone secure in the shark's jaws, the filmmaker swims after him and ends up successfully retrieving it. And the phone appears to be fine after that. For the new commercial, titled Don't Mess with Mother, Apple hired production company Camp4 Collective to showcase the iPhone XS's video capabilities while capturing scenes from mother nature. The outtakes video includes scenes from a volcano, in the water with sharks and on mountains, the whole thing giving off a thrilling, "you are there" vibe. At one point, we see a monkey playing with and scrutinizing an iPhone. The idea is apparently that iPhones can capture images and video of stunning quality in nature, with the inadvertent reminder that they can withstand some tough elements too. Just something to think about as we get closer to the April 26 launch date that Samsung has decided to stick to for its ridiculously expensive foldable phone that it's still hoping people will take a chance on, despite the easy breakage some reviewers have experienced.

FAA sets multi-nation review of Boeing's troubled Max planes

The US Federal Aviation Administration is planning what it calls a comprehensive multi-nation review of the control systems of the Boeing 737 Max airliner to include experts from nine civil aviation authorities. The review will "evaluate aspects of the 737 Max automated flight-control system, including its design and pilots' interaction with the system, to determine its compliance with all applicable regulations and to identify future enhancements that might be needed," the agency said. Boeing Max planes -- the aerospace firm's all-time best-seller -- have been grounded worldwide since then, while engineers and investigators seek the exact causes of the crashes.

Army Vet Sues Company That Made 'Defective' Earplugs for the Military

A Texas veteran is suing the company he says knowingly produced and sold defective earplugs which were issued to the U.S. military, leading him and many others to develop hearing problems, including tinnitus.(This article by Haley Britzky originally appeared at Task & Purpose. Follow Task & Purpose on Twitter. This article first appeared in 2018.)Sgt. Scott D. Rowe, who served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2003 to 2004, told the Houston Chronicle that he's "never at peace" from the "high-pitched frequency" he hears every day, as a result of the earplugs he received from 3M Company. Rowe told the Chronicle that 3M "lied," and "took our well-being for jeopardy while we're out there protecting the country."Rowe says in his lawsuit that 3M was aware of the defects in earplugs when it acquired the company that originally developed them, Aearo Technologies, in 2008. He says, according to the Chronicle, that the earplugs were made too short, which makes them difficult to be put deeply into the ear canal, causing the earplug to loosen and sound to get in around them.

'House of horrors': California couple sentenced to life in prison for torturing their children

David and Louise Turpin, who pleaded guilty in February to torture and false imprisonment, are eligible for parole after 25 years.

Incident on SpaceX pad could delay its first manned flight

A mysterious but apparently serious incident occurred Saturday in Cape Canaveral, Florida involving the SpaceX capsule intended to carry American astronauts into space late this year, the private company and NASA announced. “Earlier today, SpaceX conducted a series of engine tests on a Crew Dragon test vehicle on our test stand at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral, Florida," a SpaceX spokesman said in a statement.

110 Kosovars, mostly children and women, returned from Syria

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo authorities announced Saturday they have brought back from Syria 110 Kosovar citizens, mostly women and children, with the assistance of the United States.

Score an entire suite of creative design apps for only $40

We're not about to make assumptions here, but we'd wager that the starving artist myth is partially perpetuated by the fact that design programs are so darn expensive. A subscription to a single app alone can sometimes require you to fork out hundreds of dollars you don't have. We don't know about you, but that's plain robbery.You don't have to put yourself in the red just to score apps that will help you perform a variety of design jobs. The Corel Creative Mac Bundle includes an entire creative design app suite from one of the leading software makers with a few surprise bonuses. And you only have to pay $40 to get the whole set.Check out what's in store: Toast 17 TitaniumThe ultimate DVD burning software, Toast 17 Titanium lets you turn videos into professional-looking discs. It comes equipped with a feature-rich digital media suite that includes screen recording, movie editing tools, and media browser. AfterShot Pro 3RAW images aren't the easiest things to edit and manipulate, but this app makes the process feel like a cakewalk. On top of converting RAW files into editable images without inflicting damage, it also boasts a medley of editing tools you can take advantage of to enhance your shots. Painter Essentials 6Create lifelike artworks with this app that features a selection that's chock-full of realistic painting tools and effects. With just a few clicks, it can help you transform a photo into a painting infused with realism. WinZipNobody has the time to wait for hours when sending files. WinZip compresses data with bank-level AES encryption so you can send and receive files faster and more securely. ParticleShopThis powerful brush plugin for Photoshop and AfterShot 3 breathes new life into your masterpieces with fluid, artistic strokes that are a breeze to use. It features 11 different custom brushes, all of which you can incorporate on your creations to take them to the next level.Usually valued at $309.95, grab the Corel Creative Mac Bundle on sale for only $39.99 -- a savings of 87%. Image: Pexels The Corel Creative Mac Bundle  -- $39.99 See Details

Yes, there’s a full moon tonight, but it won’t be pink

If you're an aspiring skywatcher looking for a good reason to stay up past your bedtime and gaze into the cosmos, I have good news: Friday, April 19th will feature a full moon. However, if you're eagerly anticipating tonight's full moon because it carries the nickname "Pink Moon," I have a devastating truth to reveal: It won't be pink.Tonight's full moon -- or "Full Pink Moon" or "Pink Full Moon" or whatever you see it called around the web and beyond -- carries its nicknamed not based on its actual color, but rather because it's the first full moon of April, when lovely pink flowers known as ground phlox first begin to bloom. Yeah, it's kind of a bummer.The Pink Moon follows the trend of naming moons based on agricultural schedules set by early farmers that used cues from the Moon for a variety of things, according to the Farmers' Almanac. It's said that lunar cycles helped Native American farmers track the changes in season, though there's some dispute over which tribes actually used which naming conventions, and how widespread the practice was.Nevertheless, these old labels have seeped into our popular culture and are now used widely. Hence, we know all about the Harvest Moon, Wolf Moon, Pink Moon, Beaver Moon, and the like.Regardless of how much stock you put into the naming schemes, tonight's full moon will probably be worth your time to check out. We're just a few days past perigee, the point where the Moon is closest to Earth, so it'll appear large and bright in the night sky, as long as the weather cooperates. Just don't expect it to be pink.

Vulnerable House Democrats tread carefully in wake of Mueller report

More than 30 Democratic representatives, many of whom are in their first term, represent districts that supported Trump in 2016. The party's chances of keeping control of the U.S. House of Representatives likely hinge its ability to defend those seats.

Check Out These Dangerous Looking Chinese Assault Rifles (There's A Problem)

To hear Chinese state media tell it, the soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army will go into battle in the future wearing an array of high-tech gizmos. In their hands will be enormous weapons combining a rifle with a 20-millimeter grenade launcher akin to the old — and cancelled — American OICW. On top of that, they will have heads-up displays and networked positioning systems so Chinese troops can monitor each other digitally, almost like a video game.It looks impressive, and Chinese announcements of the system have circulated in the press with varying degrees of skepticism and hyperbole. A more skeptical take recently came from the military news wire Shephard Media, which pointed out that China is claiming the 20-millimeter hybrid weapon, dubbed QTS-11, can fire airbursting grenades lethal within a radius of 7.7 meters.

Roman Polanski sues Oscars academy seeking reinstatement after 'improper' expulsion

Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski sues to get back in to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, after it expelled him last year.

Police: 'New breed' of terrorists in Northern Ireland

LONDON (AP) — Police in Northern Ireland arrested two teenagers Saturday in connection with the fatal shooting of a young journalist during rioting in the city of Londonderry and warned of a "new breed" of terrorists threatening the peace.

Trading Up: Meet Our Terrible, Terrible 1997 Ford Contour

There is a method to the madness of purchasing this 1997 Ford Mondeo/Contour. Meet ‘Moss’, so-called after nature’s green stuff that’s currently oozing from the footwell carpet. As a car, Moss ticks all the boxes.

North Korea: US Marine arrested in connection with ‘violent raid’ of embassy in Madrid, sources say

A former US Marine who was allegedly involved in a raid of the North Korean embassy in Madrid has been arrested, according to sources familiar with the case.Christopher Ahn was arrested on Thursday in connection with the incident, when a group of at least 10 people stormed into the embassy, restrained and physically beat some personnel and held them hostage for hours in February.Spanish investigators have said the group stole computers and hard drives before fleeing to the United States, where they shared the stolen material with the FBI.US federal agents also reportedly raided the apartment of Adrian Hong, the leader of self-styled human right group Cheollima Civil Defence, this week in relation to the investigation.Cheollima Civil Defence, which is seeking to overthrow North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has claimed responsibility for the incident but denied that they used violence.Mr Ahn is thought to be the first person arrested in relation to the raid.A Spanish judicial source said the stolen material has been returned to the North Korean embassy, two weeks after the FBI sent it to the Spanish court investigating the raid.The incident came just days before the second summit between Donald Trump and Mr Kim, which resulted in a failure to come to agreement about the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.North Korea’s foreign ministry denounced the incident as a “grave terrorist attack” and suggested that the FBI was involved.The US State Department has denied that accusation.Cheollima Civil Defence has said the incident was not an attack and claimed it had been invited into the embassy.“We were invited into the embassy, and contrary to reports, no one was gagged or beaten,” the group wrote on their website.“Out of respect for the host nation of Spain, no weapons were used. All occupants in the embassy were treated with dignity and necessary caution.”The group also claimed that the US government was not involved with the incident until after the event.However, a judge for Spain’s National Court has accused the group of violently beating embassy officials and putting them in “shackles and flanges”.The judge also said three members of the group took an official into the embassy basement and tried to persuade him to defect from North Korea.Although documents released by the Spanish court said several members, including Mr Hong, had fled to the United States, their whereabouts are unclear.The court is seeking their extradition.Agencies contributed to this report

4/20 specials: 'High' priority list of munchie deals at Pizza Hut, Carl's Jr., Lyft, more

Saturday Is 4/20, aka Weed Day, and that means specials for cannabis fans across the country. Pizza Hut, Wing Zone, Lyft and Boston Market have deals.

How dare you do this to Cypress Hill, Hollywood Walk of Fame

West Coast hip-hop legends Cypress Hill finally made it to the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday -- two days too early, in the minds of some.The plaque was formally presented on Thursday, April 18, 2019. But everyone knows that Cypress Hill is synonymous with marijuana. Couldn't whoever constructed the plaque have waited two days to present it on 4/20, the biggest marijuana holiday of the year?SEE ALSO: Where the 2020 presidential candidates stand on marijuana legalizationCypress Hill is known for their many excellent pro-weed jams, including "Hits From the Bong" and the subtly titled, "I Want to Get High."The group is also active in the legal marijuana industry. B-Real, the group's frontman, is the owner of a dispensary in Los Angeles known as Dr. Greenthumb. The group sells their own brand of cannabis known as "Cypress Hill Bhang."B-Real has thanked marijuana for the group's continued success."We're medicating," B-Real recently said. "We're eating clean. We stay in the gym. We never did party too excessively. We party, but it's not every night and we're not drunk and sloppy. Weed was the answer for us.It might say 4/18 on that plaque, Cypress Hill, but it will always say 4/20 in our hearts. WATCH: Study says cannabis-related hospital visits are on the rise in Colorado

United Constitutional Patriots: Border Patrol pushes back against armed civilians policing border

Customs and Border Protection "does not endorse or condone private groups or organizations that take enforcement matters into their own hands."