Alexandria

Secrets Stolen: What Will China Do With Data On Israel's Iron Dome Missile Defense?

If China can break into top-secret Israeli computers, they can break into America’s—and everybody else’s, too.

Trump threatened UK with 25% car tariffs unless it agreed to accuse Iran of breaking nuclear deal

Donald Trump threatened the UK with a 25 per cent tariff on its cars unless the British government officially accused Iran of breaking the 2015 nuclear deal, it has been reported.The secret threat last week, first reported by The Washington Post, which cited unnamed European officials, would have seen the tariff imposed on all European automobile imports to the US unless Britain, France and Germany agreed to the ultimatum.

FBI arrests 3 alleged neo-Nazis who were armed and anticipating a race war

The arrests come ahead of a big gun-rights rally in Virginia, where the governor has warned that there are "credible threats" of malicious activity.

Disease that killed millions of China's pigs poses global threat

Soon the dog's handler discovered and confiscated a ham sandwich in the purse of a passenger who had flown on a China Eastern Airlines flight from Shanghai. China has lost millions of pigs in outbreaks of the disease, pushing its pork prices to record highs, forcing purchases of costly imports and roiling global meat markets. Bettie is among an expanded team of specially trained beagles at U.S. airports, part of a larger effort to protect the nation's $23 billion pork industry from a disease that has decimated China's hog herd, the world's largest.

Bureaucracy to brutality: New evidence reveals IS hierarchy

Documents compiled by a U.S.-based Syrian rights group reveal how Islamic State militants used one of their most powerful bureaucratic bodies to regulate daily life and impose and execute penalties. The Washington-based Syria Justice and Accountability Center said Thursday that the evidence — documents produced by IS itself — could help identify individuals responsible for atrocities during the militants' four-year reign of terror and lead to criminal prosecutions. The 24-page report, called “Judge, Jury and Executioner,” is based on dozens of documents obtained by SJAC from inside Syria and collected by a local activist from abandoned IS offices in Raqqa province, where the militants also had their self-declared capital in a city that carries the same name.

Northam Declares State of Emergency, Invokes ‘Mayhem and Violence’ of Charlottesville ahead of Pro-Gun Rally

On Wednesday, Virginia governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency ahead of an annual second-amendment demonstration expected to draw thousands next Monday, and announced a ban on all weapons in the state capitol building, citing “credible intelligence” of “groups with malicious plans.”> We have received credible intelligence from our law enforcement agencies of threats of violence surrounding the demonstration planned for Monday, January 20. This includes extremist rhetoric similar to what has been seen before major incidents, such as Charlottesville in 2017.> > -- Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) January 15, 2020Northam implied the rally, hosted by Virginia Citizens Defense League ahead of the passage of a number of gun-control bills by the Democratic-led legislature, was motivating “violent rhetoric” that mirrored the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the FBI arrested three members of a neo-Nazi group called The Base, who had discussed attending the Richmond rally."No one wants another incident like the one we saw in Charlottesville," Northam said. "We will not allow that mayhem and violence to happen here."Northam said that while “I believe” the organizers of the rally, Virginia Citizens Defense League, when they state the protests will be peaceful, “they have unleashed something much larger, something they may not be able to control.”“Intelligence shows a threat of armed militia groups storming our capitol," Northam stated. “. . . I call on them to discourage people from other states from coming to Virginia with violent intent. Hate, intimidation, and violence have no place here."Northam supports a number of gun control measures, including universal background checks, a “red-flag-law” to allow for the gun-seizure, and setting a once-per-month limit on gun purchases. His efforts have sparked a grassroots movement in Virginia to resist the initiatives. A number of municipalities have already declared themselves “Second Amendment sanctuaries.”Update 4:00 p.m.: As part of a long-running investigation, the FBI arrested three suspected Neo-Nazis who were reportedly planning to traveling to the rally next week in Richmond, Virginia.

Biden allegedly told Bush in 2002 he'd get the Nobel Peace Prize if he could invade Iraq quickly

Presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden has been distancing himself from his 2002 vote for the invasion of Iraq as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the time.

Mysterious objects found orbiting supermassive black hole: study

Are they just gas, or are they stars? Astronomers now believe the unusual objects may be a hybrid of both.

Former U.S. Marine: Suleimani’s Killing Is the Apotheosis of American 'Strategy'

A strategy that has achieved the opposite of its promises is a failure. Before another moment is wasted, Americans need to ask their leaders the same question General David Petraeus plaintively asked at the height of the Iraq War: “Tell me how this ends.”

Michael Moore hits out at Elizabeth Warren for 'stabbing Bernie in the back' and helping Trump

Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore said Elizabeth Warren's campaign insistence that Bernie Sanders said a woman couldn't win the presidency had "paralysed" him.On his podcast, the filmmaker said: "I was paralysed — paralysed — that her staffers would say such a thing ... Any of us who have known Bernie forever know automatically, we don't even have to hear him denying saying it, because there's no way he'd say that."

Tekashi 6ix9ine asked to serve the rest of his 2-year sentence in home confinement because his prison has a lot of Blood gang members

Lawyers for Tekashi 6ix9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, said putting the rapper in any facility would jeopardize his safety.

Countries demand Iran compensate relatives of plane-crash victims

Five countries whose citizens died when Iran shot down an airliner last week said on Thursday that Tehran should pay compensation to families of the victims, and warned that the world is watching for its response. Canada, Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan and Britain said Iran should hold a "thorough, independent and transparent international investigation open to grieving nations," in a statement issued after a meeting of officials in London. Iran admitted on Saturday it had shot down the Ukraine International Airlines plane in error, after initially denying it had a role in the incident.

California targets companies with highly paid execs

California is considering raising taxes on some of the country's largest companies, but the size of the tax increase would depend on how much its highest-paid executive makes compared to its employees. The bill by Democratic state Sen. Nancy Skinner passed out of its first committee hearing on Wednesday, keeping it alive a head of a Jan. 31 deadline to pass the Senate. The proposal would only apply to companies that post at least $10 million of taxable income from business conducted in California.

U.S., Japan May Invest in Indonesia Islands Near South China Sea

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S., Japan and South Korea are keen to invest in Indonesia’s Natuna Islands as President Joko Widodo steps up efforts to rebuff Chinese claims over the resource-rich waters in the South China Sea.The countries are interested in building fisheries processing and manufacturing industries in Natuna, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan, told reporters in Jakarta on Friday. Indonesia can manage the sea dispute with China without going into a war, Pandjaitan, a former general, said.“The U.S. investors have expressed their interest, along with investors from Japan, Korea and China,” Padjaitan said. “For us, it doesn’t matter where they come from.”Widodo’s efforts to lure foreign investment into the Natuna islands may ratchet up tension with Beijing following the intrusion of Chinese fishing vessels into an area claimed by Indonesia as an exclusive economic zone. Indonesia is not a claimant in the broader dispute over the South China Sea, but it does insist on its sovereign rights to waters around the Natunas.Beijing says while it has no territorial disputes with Jakarta, claims over maritime interests in certain waters in the South China Sea “overlap.”“War is the last resort in our negotiation process,” Pandjaitan said referring to the standoff with China on Natuna. “But under no circumstances will we negotiate our sovereignty and territorial rights.”Jokowi, as Widodo is commonly known, visited the Natuna islands last week and asserted Indonesia’s sovereignty over the waters after authorities deployed fighter jets and warships to push back the Chinese fishing vessels, which were accompanied by coast guard ships. The president also inaugurated a fisheries processing center in the region and days later invited Japan to invest in Natuna to develop the fishing industry.Indonesia is also seeking investment by Vietnamese marine processing companies. Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi met officials of Hai Nam Co., a seafood importer this week in Ho Chi Minh City, and asked it to explore a joint venture with Indonesian companies for a fisheries processing unit in areas including Natuna, according to a foreign ministry statement Thursday.It has identified a location in north Natuna for a fishing port, while southern Natuna will serve as a base for the navy, Pandjaitan said. The country will also soon acquire its first ocean-going vessel, probably from Denmark, to beef up its sea powers, he said.To contact the reporters on this story: Arys Aditya in Jakarta at aaditya5@bloomberg.net;Harry Suhartono in Jakarta at hsuhartono@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Stephanie Phang at sphang@bloomberg.net, Thomas Kutty AbrahamFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

Camera Captures the Moment a Deer Sheds Its Antlers in the Middle of the Night

If you blink you might miss it

Russia's entire cabinet resigned en masse in a plan that would help Putin keep power indefinitely. Here's everything we know.

The resignation came moments after President Vladimir Putin Putin suggested big constitutional changes.

Jeffrey Epstein 'kept a database of victims and trafficked girls to his Caribbean island as recently as 2018'

Jeffrey Epstein allegedly sexually abused and trafficked young girls on his private Caribbean island as recently as 2018, according to a new lawsuit filed by the attorney general of the US Virgin Islands. Epstein’s lawyers have insisted that, after his plea deal in Florida in 2008, Epstein was a changed man who led a law-abiding life. However, the new case filed on Wednesday – the first to be filed in the US Virgin Islands – alleges that the abuse continued unabated after he was released from jail. He had been charged by Manhattan prosecutors in July with sexually exploiting dozens of women and girls in New York and Florida, but they did not point to any actions beyond 2005. Epstein, a wealthy financier, died by suicide inside a Manhattan jail in August, while awaiting trial. His victims, who number in the dozens if not hundreds, are now awaiting civil redress from his $577 million (£443m) estate. Little St James, the Caribbean island owned by Jeffrey Epstein The case filed by Denise George, attorney general of the US Virgin Islands, accused Epstein of bringing girls as young as 11 and 12 to his secluded estate on the island of Little Saint James. They also alleged that he kept a computer database to track the availability and movements of women and girls. The suit was filed against Epstein’s estate, and seeks the forfeiture of Little Saint James plus the second island he owned, Great Saint James. They also ask for the dissolution of numerous shell companies he established in the territory, which officials have said acted as fronts for his sex trafficking enterprise. Epstein’s victims included aspiring models from South America, according to court documents. Jeffrey Epstein with Ghislaine Maxwell, pictured in 2005 As part of its policies, the government of the Virgin Islands could take any assets recovered from Epstein’s estate and consider disbursing them to the women and girls he allegedly abused. “Epstein clearly used the Virgin Islands and his residence in the US Virgin Islands at Little Saint James as a way to be able to conceal and to be able to expand his activity here,” Ms George said. Ms George said she believed the case could chip away at the region’s reputation as a notorious haven for the rich and powerful. “We will not remain complacent, and we will enforce our laws whatever way we can,” she said. “It doesn’t matter the social status of the person. It’s that the laws apply equally.” Epstein’s executor, Darren Indyke, has not responded to the suit.

Fires, then floods: How much can a koala bear?

A week ago, koalas at an Australian wildlife park were in the path of raging bushfires. On Friday, they were soaking wet and being carried to safety from flash floods. Months of drought that have contributed to Australia's catastrophic bushfire season have this week given way to huge downpours in some of the blaze-ravaged areas.

'You called me a liar on national TV': audio released of testy Warren-Sanders exchange

Candidates and longtime friends trade angry remarks before Tom Steyer offers an awkward helloCNN has released the audio of the testy exchange between Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders that took place following Tuesday’s Democratic debate.After the debate wrapped, Bernie Sanders outstretched his hand to Elizabeth Warren. Warren did not take it, and the two progressive candidates, who until recently have avoided criticizing each other publicly, exchanged words – which until now were inaudible.On Wednesday, CNN’s Anderson Cooper released audio of the conversation.“I think you called me a liar on national TV,” Warren said to Sanders.“Let’s not do it right now,” Sanders responded. “You called me a liar.”Meanwhile, Tom Steyer, caught awkwardly between the longtime friends and colleagues, said: “I don’t want to get in the middle ... I just wanted to say hi, Bernie.”“Yeah, OK. Good,” Sanders said.Tuesday’s debate, the final one before the Iowa caucuses next month, deepened the schism between the two over a report that claimed Sanders told Warren during a private meeting in 2018 he did not think a woman could win the 2020 election.Sanders has vehemently denied that he said it. Warren released a statement that contradicted him.In a statement on Monday evening, Warren, recalling the meeting, said: “Among the topics that came up was what would happen if Democrats nominated a female candidate. I thought a woman could win; he disagreed. I have no interest in discussing this private meeting any further because Bernie and I have far more in common than our differences on punditry.”During Tuesday’s debate, the CNN moderator Abby Phillip asked Sanders to respond.“Well, as a matter of fact, I didn’t say it,” Sanders said.Warren said she “disagreed” with Sanders that a woman couldn’t win, pointing out that she was the only candidate on stage who had beaten an incumbent Republican in the past 30 years. “Look at the men on the stage – collectively they’ve lost 10 elections,” she added.Following the debate, progressive activists worried that escalating tension between Warren and Sanders could divide liberals. One activist and writer used a Lord of the Rings analogy. “Frodo and Samwise are approaching Mt Doom, and instead of finishing the darn mission they’re fighting each other when at the end of the day we need to defeat Sauron,” said Julian Brave NoiseCat, a Guardian contributor and strategist for the thinktank Data for Progress, in an interview with Democracy Now.Sanders’ wife, Jane O’Meara Sanders, downplayed lasting repercussions of the rift. “The message is unity,” she told the Associated Press. “We’re not going to go into that realm. We’re just not going to play that game.”Neither Warren’s nor Sanders’ campaign responded immediately to a request for comment on the new audio.

Former Philippine police chief will be charged for drug war corruption

The former chief police enforcer of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's deadly war on drugs will be charged with corruption for allegedly protecting officers linked to the narcotics trade, the country's justice department said Thursday. Oscar Albayalde resigned in October after serving as Philippine police chief for more than a year, having presided over an anti-narcotics crackdown that left thousands of drug suspects dead.

Australian tourism industry seeks urgent help as cost of bushfires grows

Australia's peak tourism body estimated the country's bushfire crisis has so far cost the industry almost A$1 billion ($690 million) and called for urgent help from the government to lure back visitors. Industry bosses were due to meet with Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham later on Thursday as storms and heavy rain brought some respite from months of fierce bushfires across Australia's east coast. "People have basically stopped travel," Simon Westaway, executive director of Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC), told Reuters.

The 1 Downside to Building Fake Islands China Didn't See Coming

Too much land to defend?

Giuliani associate claims Pence didn't attend Ukrainian president's inauguration because Ukraine didn't announce an investigation into the Bidens

Lev Parnas gave a revelatory exclusive interview to MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on Wednesday night, where he discussed issues surrounding Ukraine.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, entire Cabinet resign

Dmitry Medvedev made the announcement after Vladimir Putin unveiled a series of changes Medvedev said would alter the country's balance of power.

A man who was put up in a Comfort Inn 'boardroom suite' discovered it was literally a boardroom with a bed

The stranded traveler shared his amusement on Twitter, where the photo of the "boardroom suite" hotel room went viral.

Father Admits to Killing Wife, 3 Kids After Family Found Dead in Florida Home: Sheriff

A father has confessed to murdering his wife, their three children, and the family dog inside their rented home near Walt Disney World, authorities announced Wednesday.Anthony Todt, 44, has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of homicide in connection with the murder of his 42-year-old wife, Megan, and their three children in Celebration, Florida, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said. Todt was also charged with one count of animal cruelty after confessing to killing the family’s dog, Breezy, authorities said.“He is cooperating with the investigation, I can tell you that much,” Osceola County Sheriff Russ Gibson said, calling the quadruple murder “despicable.”Four Found Dead at Home of Missing Florida Family, Suspect in Custody: SheriffAuthorities took Todt into custody around 9 a.m. Monday, while aiding federal agents in serving the father of three with an unrelated arrest warrant. Inside the home, deputies found the bodies of Megan and the three children—13-year-old Alek, 11-year-old Tyler, and 4-year-old Zoey.The four family members are believed to have been killed “sometime toward the end of December,” Gibson said. Authorities said that one out-of-state family member asked for a wellness check on the family on Dec. 29 after not hearing from them for two days. Deputies said that they checked the home at that time, but left after being unable to communicate with anyone inside. They didn’t believe the situation rose “to a level of suspicion” that would justify entering or searching the home.“There’s an element of privacy,” the sheriff said. “Your home is your castle.”Authorities now believe there is a “possibility” that Todt killed his family before deputies performed the December wellness check, Gibson said. The sheriff said he would not go into detail about how the four individuals died until after the medical examiner’s report has been released.Last Wednesday, relatives took to the internet to report the Todt family missing, creating a Facebook group that quickly swelled to nearly 2,500 members. According to authorities, no missing person reports were ever filed for the family.The family had recently moved from Colchester, Connecticut, to Celebration, Florida—a community on the outskirts of Disney World, designed and built by the Walt Disney Company. “It’s a tragedy and we are mourning the losses in our close-knit community,” one of their neighbors, Lori Leighton, told The Daily Beast.Authorities said that while Megan and the three kids lived in Florida full-time, Todt would work at his Connecticut physical therapy practice during the week and fly to meet his family on the weekends.“My understanding is the kids and Megan resided here primarily. Kids were homeschooled and I believe they traveled but they have been here for a couple of years at least,” one Celebration neighbor told The Daily Beast. “I was shocked and very upset. I don’t think anyone can comprehend how someone could do this.”Celebration, Florida: How Disney’s ‘Community of Tomorrow’ Became a Total NightmareGibson said federal agents contacted the sheriff’s office on Jan. 9 regarding an investigation into Todt. Despite several attempts that weekend to talk to Todt and his family, deputies were not able to make contact but did not see anything suspicious on the North Village property.The sheriff added he did not know the details of the federal arrest warrant but said it was tied to activity in Connecticut. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut confirmed their office is working a case involving Todt but said the warrant is currently under seal. Todt is also under investigation by the Connecticut Attorney General’s office for a potential violation of the False Claims Act, a spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast. The act targets fraudulent insurance claims by medical providers. Anthony and Megan Todt were both physical therapists and worked together at the Family Physical Therapy practice, which has offices in Connecticut. “We grieve along with the victims’ family and friends, along with the community for this tragic loss of innocent lives,” Gibson said Wednesday.According to court records, the Todt family was facing mounting financial pressure over the last few years. Along with an eviction order from the family’s Celebration home on Dec. 22, citing a missing $4,921 December payment, Todt was struggling to maintain his Connecticut physical therapy practice. State records show Anthony’s license to practice physical therapy expired in September and had not been renewed, while his wife’s license was set to expire at the end of January. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Merkel to seek end to Huawei dispute in her conservative camp: sources

Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet senior conservative lawmakers on Thursday to resolve a dispute in her own party over whether to bar China's Huawei [HWT.UL] from the country's 5G network rollout, party sources said. Merkel's conservatives are divided on whether to support a proposal by their Social Democrat junior coalition partners that, if approved, would effectively shut out the Chinese technology giant from the network. Handelsblatt business daily was first to report on Wednesday the planned meeting between Merkel and senior conservative lawmakers.

Report: Israeli home demolitions in east Jerusalem spiked

Israeli authorities demolished homes in Palestinian areas of east Jerusalem at a significantly higher rate in 2019 than the previous year, according to an Israeli advocacy group. In a new report, Ir Amim said 104 housing units were demolished in 2019, compared() to 72 units in 2018. Aviv Tatarsky, the Ir Amim researcher who wrote the report released Wednesday, said the group found that only 7% of housing units advanced by city planners last year were for Palestinian neighborhoods.

Apparently You Don't Have To Be An American To Land On a U.S. Aircraft Carrier

This Finnish pilot pulled it off.

Philippine volcano still 'life threatening' despite lull

An erupting Philippine volcano remains life threatening despite weaker emissions and fewer tremors, an official said Friday and advised thousands of displaced villagers not to return to the danger zone. The Taal volcano emitted weaker ash and steam explosions Thursday and Friday, the sixth day of its eruption. “When there is an explosion, that will be life threatening, especially if people get very near, like on Volcano Island,” Renato Solidum, head of the the institute, told The Associated Press.

Trump again denied knowing Lev Parnas. So Parnas' lawyer posted more robust proof.

Despite a warning from Lev Parnas, President Trump claimed not to know him again Thursday. "I don't know Parnas, other than I guess I had pictures taken, which I do with thousands of people," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "I don't know him at all, don't know what he's about, don't know where he comes from, know nothing about him. ... I don't believe I've ever spoken to him."Jospeh Bondy, Parnas' lawyer, brought the receipts, posting a video taken at Mar-a-Lago in December 2016, where Trump is clearly talking with Parnas, who is standing next to him and also Roman Nasirov, a former Ukrainian official charged with embezzlement.> Here’s the “I don’t know him at all, don’t know what he’s about, don’t know where he comes from, know nothing about him” guy, w Lev Parnas & Roman Nasirov, former head of Ukrainian Fiscal Service, at Mar-a-Lago 12/16. @POTUS .@realDonaldTrump @Acosta LevRemembers LetLevSpeak pic.twitter.com/5B5QY2DJEg> > — Joseph A. Bondy (@josephabondy) January 16, 2020The Washington Post used that video in a jaunty roundup of Parnas posing, often on multiple occasions, next to Trump and other Republicans who claimed not to know him.Calling Parnas a "Giuliani associate" is "way too limited — he is a full-fledged member of Trump Co," Chris Cuomo said on CNN Thursday night. As he ran through the details, he showed photo after photo of Parnas and Trump or members of his family and inner circle. "There are so many that I had to leave pictures out," Cuomo said.> Lev Parnas' ties to President Trump run deep> > CNN's @ChrisCuomo says referring to Lev Parnas as an associate of Rudy Giuliani is "way too limited. He is a full-fledged member of Trump co." ClosingArgument https://t.co/zIBpn9wgGd pic.twitter.com/KMUGKXEkNz> > — Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) January 17, 2020In fact, Parnas' connection to Trump stretches back to the 1980s, when he sold real estate for Trump's father, Fred Trump, The Washington Post reported in October. "When Parnas was 16, he worked at Kings Highway Realty, selling Trump Organization co-ops." Adam Entous elaborated at The New Yorker. Parnas told The New Yorker that job "was my first time knowing who Trump was, but, growing up in that area, you knew who Trump was, because his name was all over the place." After Parnas moved to Florida in 1995, Entous added, "on visits to New York, he stayed at Trump properties."More stories from theweek.com Ukraine gives Trump the corruption investigation he asked for Late night hosts break out the popcorn as 'smoking goon' Lev Parnas 'spills the borscht' on Trump and Ukraine Trump just ran a two-year trade war experiment. It failed.

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham tells Fox News she won't hold press briefings because reporters just 'want their moment on TV so they can peddle their books

Press secretary Stephanie Grisham's comments came shortly after her predecessor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced she's releasing a memoir this fall.

'You're a liberal hack': Republican senator snaps at CNN journalist who asked her about impeachment trial

A Republican senator lashed out at a journalist who asked about Donald Trump's impeachment as she was walking into a hearing room, calling the reporter a “liberal hack” and refusing to answer his questions.Arizona Republican Martha McSally slammed CNN’s Manu Raju on Thursday as he asked a seemingly straightforward question about the start of the US Senate’s impeachment trial.

Aide Accused of Murdering Former Arkansas State Senator Offered ‘Gold’ From Jail for Hit on Ex: Prosecutors

A woman awaiting trial for allegedly killing a former Arkansas state senator was hit with new charges Tuesday after she promised fellow inmates she would give them “gold and silver” to murder the victim’s ex-husband and his new wife, prosecutors said. Rebecca Lynn O’Donnell, who pleaded not guilty to several charges in the June murder of former State Sen. Linda Collins-Smith, was slapped with two counts of soliciting to commit murder and two counts of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence in connection with the elaborate plot she allegedly tried to orchestrate from prison.The former campaign staffer for Collins-Smith has been behind bars since June 14—10 days after the 57-year-old Republican was found fatally stabbed and wrapped in a blanket under a tarp at the end of her Pocahontas, Arkansas, driveway. Former Arkansas State Senator’s Shooting Death Investigated as ‘Homicide’Authorities at the time said O’Donnell was caught on video removing Collins-Smith’s home surveillance cameras on May 28, 2019—the last day the politician was seen alive—but have not elaborated on the details of the murder due to a gag order. O’Donnell, 49, faces the death penalty on the original murder charges and is being held without bond in Jackson County. “These newest charges further cement in our minds that the police have arrested the right person. Rebecca O’Donnell’s threats are being treated very seriously but have not deterred our faith in what we are committed to: justice for Linda,” the family of Collins-Smith said in a Wednesday statement to The Daily Beast. “Thank you all for your continued support, prayers and well wishes.”According to several jailhouse informants, O’Donnell allegedly tried to hire two fellow inmates to stage a murder-suicide at the home of the lawmaker’s ex, former state Judge Phil Smith, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the Jackson County Circuit Court on Tuesday. During a Nov. 7 interview, one of the inmates told an Arkansas State Police special agent that O’Donnell wanted her to “shoot or hang Mr. Smith” and include a “suicide note” that the 49-year-old had handwritten, the affidavit states. The same inmate was then told to pack a bag to make it seem like his new wife “was in the process of leaving him,” the affidavit states.Prosecutors allege O’Donnell told other inmates that “Phil Smith needed to be killed” so that “charges would be dropped off her.” In exchange for the hits, the inmates were told they could take a bag of “gold and silver” from Smith’s home—which investigators said had been appraised to be worth between $20,000 and $30,000 during his divorce.O’Donnell, in addition to working on Collins-Smith’s campaign, had served as a witness in the couple’s acrimonious divorce, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.They Were Hired to Murder a Man’s Ex-Wife, But Accidentally Killed Her Sister: SheriffThe former campaign staffer also allegedly tried to enlist the inmates to go to Randolph County Jail to blow up her 2005 Honda Civic so she could “destroy any evidence” that could be used in her murder trial because “police had planted stuff in her truck,” the affidavit states. On top of that, she allegedly asked two inmates to kill a judge and prosecutor connected to her murder case.The prosecutor, Henry Boyce, was taken off the case in December without citing a reason. “My family’s faith in Becky is unwavering. We cannot imagine the evidence will actually substantiate these allegations. The allegations defy believability. I won’t even comment on the informant’s extensive criminal history but instead will wait to see if the state produces credible evidence at trial,” Tim Loggains, O’Donnell’s fiancé, said a statement. One inmate told police that while she never considered killing Smith, she was worried “a more gullible” inmate might. The three other inmates who reported O’Donnell also stated they refused the murder requests.Maryland Millionaire Daniel Beckwitt Found Guilty of Murder in 2017 Death of Man Who Helped Dig Bunker TunnelsO’Donnell’s defense attorney, Lee Short, denied the allegations in a statement to ABC News, casting doubt on the inmates’ credibility, insisting they had an incentive to offer information for a reduced punishment. Short did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s requests for comment.“It’s not surprising at all—inmates do it all the time,” Short said. “In high-profile cases, especially homicides, people tend to seek opportunities to improve their situations by giving statements against people.”Collins-Smith was first elected to the state senate in 2014 but lost her re-election bid in 2018. Prior to her time in the Senate, the lawmaker served in the statehouse of representatives from 2011 to 2013. While she was elected as a Democrat, Collins-Smith switched parties just months after taking office, citing a change in “ideals.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Mikhail who? Weary Russians welcome change of prime minister

Few people on the streets of Moscow on Thursday had heard of Mikhail Mishustin, the former Federal Tax Service chief plucked from relative obscurity by President Vladimir Putin this week to serve as new prime minister. "Our authorities aren't completely stupid, they understand some changes are needed," said theater actor Artyom Dadyvov, 22. Dmitry Medvedev, the outgoing prime minister, has presided over the economy since 2012, a turbulent period that saw real wages start to fall after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea in 2014 and living standards eroded as prices rose.

A 14-year-old boy died after being trapped in a chimney where his lungs were unable to expand and contract

Police had been looking for the Ohio boy for nearly a month. Compressive asphyxia can also occur at overcrowded concerts and sporting events.

Meet The Focke-Wult FW-190 Fighter: World War II's Best Fighter Aircraft

Created by a brilliant, German aircraft designer.

Zimbabwe gripped by drama of vice president's nasty divorce

Black magic, drug addiction, attempted murder and a wrestling match over luxury cars and overseas properties. Zimbabwe is riveted by the explosive charges being made in the divorce of First Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and his wife Marry. A glimpse of the luxurious lives of Zimbabwe's ruling elite, as the rest of the country grapples with economic collapse, hyperinflation and hunger, is emerging in the divorce papers filed in court.

During impeachment trial, Trump will be chilling in Swiss resort

Far from feeling the heat, President Donald Trump will be chilling in Davos, a fancy Swiss ski resort, when the Senate hears opening arguments in his impeachment trial next week. Trump is so confident that his Republican party majority will stay loyal that he sees no risk in jetting to Switzerland for the annual World Economic Forum on Tuesday, right as lawmakers convene for the historic trial. In Washington, Democratic lawmakers will argue that Trump is a corrupt leader who abused his power by trying to strong-arm Ukraine into a fake investigation aimed at tarnishing a top election rival, Joe Biden.

Pelosi angers GOP by using 30 different personalized pens to sign Trump's 'sham' impeachment articles

Nancy Pelosi used dozens of customized, signed pens to sign different parts of her signature on Trump's impeachment articles before handing them out as collectibles at the signing ceremony on Wednesday — a move that angered many Republicans.

Passengers were terrified when an engine on their United flight failed after takeoff

No one was hurt in the frightening incident, and passengers were flown on a later flight on a different plane.

Wealthy CEOs complain about feeling 'unsafe' because of homeless people in San Francisco

A major healthcare conference in San Francisco this week has sparked a debate about the California city’s homeless crisis as wealthy executives and investors complain of feeling 'unsafe'.The city rakes in $51m (£39m) each year from the annual JPMorgan Healthcare Conference despite growing concerns about the city’s homeless population among attendees of the healthcare industry’s leading conference, according to Bloomberg News.

German minister wants close security ties with post-Brexit Britain

Germany wants to deepen trade ties with London and continue close cooperation on security and defence projects after Britain's divorce from the European Union, Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said on Thursday. Britain is set to leave the EU on Jan. 31 after agreeing a deal late last year. "Brexit is not the end of cooperation between Britain and Europe and not at all the end of cooperation between Britain and Germany,” she said in the text of a speech she delivered in London, stressing common interests bound them together.

Weekend winter storm will make travel 'hazardous' across central US and the Northeast

A storm is expected to dump snow and ice across a wide swath of the northern US starting Friday and into the weekend