| Report: Music Promoter Offered To Set Up Putin, Trump Meeting During Campaign Posted: 15 Dec 2017 04:14 AM PST  A British music promoter offered to set up a meeting for then-candidate Donald Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the presidential campaign, according to The Washington Post.
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| Ryan Zinke Fires 4 Department Of Interior Employees For Harassment Posted: 15 Dec 2017 06:13 AM PST  Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke fired four senior staffers at the Department of the Interior for inappropriate conduct in response to a bombshell employee survey revealing widespread harassment within the agency.
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| "President Trump's Lies: The Definitive List" Posted: 14 Dec 2017 12:25 PM PST  The New York Times used a narrow definition of "lie" that discarded many of Trump's falsehoods and still found 103 in 10 months. Under the same rules, Obama had just 18. NYT's David Leonhardt explains why Trump has trouble with the truth.
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| One of Kim Jong Un’s top generals has Vanished Posted: 15 Dec 2017 08:34 AM PST  South Korean intelligence agencies are reporting that a top North Korean general may have been executed, despite being seen by Kim Jong Un's side as recently as September.
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| Lawsuit: 2 immigrant teens in US custody can't get abortions Posted: 15 Dec 2017 06:49 PM PST ![Lawsuit: 2 immigrant teens in US custody can't get abortions]( "Lawsuit: 2 immigrant teens in US custody can't get abortions") WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's administration is blocking two pregnant teens in the country illegally and being held in federal custody from obtaining abortions, the American Civil Liberties Union said Friday, a repeat of the situation that led to a high-profile court fight earlier this year.
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| Where's Barron? First son's absence from official White House Christmas portrait raises questions Posted: 15 Dec 2017 07:48 AM PST  The White House released the Trump family's first official Christmas portrait on Thursday -- capturing the president and first lady holding hands and smiling as they posed nestled between flags and Christmas trees.
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| 6.5 magnitude quake strikes Indonesia's Java island Posted: 15 Dec 2017 11:44 AM PST  A strong 6.5-magnitude earthquake rocked Indonesia's main island of Java late Friday, leaving at least one person dead and rattling nerves in the capital Jakarta. There was no immediate indication of a tsunami, but authorities said they had issued a warning following the tremor, which struck a coastal region some 300 kilometres (190 miles) from the capital. National disaster mitigation agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said a 62-year-old had died in the Ciamis region in West Java after becoming trapped in a collapsed house.
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| Grand Jury Slams Penn State for 'Rampant and Pervasive' Fraternity Hazing After Tim Piazza's Death Posted: 15 Dec 2017 11:32 AM PST ![Grand Jury Slams Penn State for 'Rampant and Pervasive' Fraternity Hazing After Tim Piazza's Death]( "Grand Jury Slams Penn State for 'Rampant and Pervasive' Fraternity Hazing After Tim Piazza's Death") "No fraternity's existence is worth more than the life of Tim Piazza"
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| Nikki Haley Slams Iran’s Role In Yemen War, Neglects To Mention U.S. Part In Humanitarian Crisis Posted: 14 Dec 2017 12:55 PM PST  The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, stood before missile remnants that she claimed were covered in Iranian "fingerprints" on Thursday while laying out what she called "irrefutable evidence" that Tehran has violated its international obligations by militarily supporting rebels in Yemen.
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| 2-Year-Old Steals Baby Jesus From Manger During Nativity Pageant Posted: 15 Dec 2017 09:50 AM PST  One eager Tennessee 2-year-old took matters into her own hands during her church's recent Nativity pageant
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| Alex Jones Is Making Roy Moore Election Conspiracy Theories Even Nuttier Posted: 14 Dec 2017 09:54 AM PST  Alex Jones has piled on to a far-right conspiracy theory that out-of-state voters were bused in to steal Alabama's special Senate election for Democrat Doug Jones, who beat Republican Roy Moore earlier this week.
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| Trump loved net neutrality once upon a time Posted: 15 Dec 2017 07:17 AM PST  You know the joke that there's an old Donald Trump tweet expressing the opposite of every single one of his administration's policies? Well, one exists for net neutrality as well. As the FCC voted Thursday to hand control of the internet over to massive corporations, it didn't take long for Twitter detectives to find out that President Trump used to be a pretty big fan of net neutrality. In a late 2014 tweet, Trump criticized Obama (shocking) for attacking the internet, and defended net neutrality as "the Fairness Doctrine." Obama's attack on the internet is another top down power grab. Net neutrality is the Fairness Doctrine. Will target conservative media. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 12, 2014 Most interestingly, Trump claimed that a breakdown of net neutrality rules would ultimately attack conservative media. You see, he's probably right about that. As we wrote, the prospective ability for ISPs to pick and choose which content to throttle and which to prioritize might very well endanger smaller news sites like Infowars and Breitbart. It's entirely conceivable that Comcast, a major internet provider that also owns NBC, might prioritize access to NBC news at the expense of smaller, conservative media — especially if that media is publishing things that aren't terribly popular or accurate. In the meantime, Trump's family weighed in with their typical subtlety. I would pay good money to see all those people complaining about Obama's FCC chairman voting to repeal #NetNeutality actually explain it in detail. I'd also bet most hadn't heard of it before this week. #outrage — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 15, 2017 WATCH: This sleeping companion is your new best friend
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| What School Safety Looks Like 5 Years After Sandy Hook Posted: 15 Dec 2017 11:43 AM PST  On the morning of Nov. 14, staff members at Rancho Tehama Elementary School in Corning, California, heard the sound of a single gunshot in the vicinity of the campus.
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| Prominent 9th Circuit judge faces sex misconduct inquiry Posted: 14 Dec 2017 06:19 PM PST ![Prominent 9th Circuit judge faces sex misconduct inquiry]( "Prominent 9th Circuit judge faces sex misconduct inquiry") SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The chief judge of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Thursday that he has opened a misconduct inquiry into a judge accused of inappropriate sexual conduct and comments by six women.
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| Are the U.S. Marines Dying? Posted: 15 Dec 2017 07:41 PM PST  The U.S. Marine Corps is arguably the best amphibious-warfare force in the world. The issue is that relentless overseas commitments have strained marine resources so badly that it can't conduct the other training that it needs to maintain its combat edge. A review of readiness data from 2014 to 2016 revealed that "Marine Corps units were unable to fully accomplish training for other amphibious operations priorities," according to the GAO report.
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| This Couple Lost 8 Family Members in the Texas Church Massacre. But They’re Still Finding Joy at Christmas Posted: 15 Dec 2017 10:00 AM PST  "It won't be long until we'll be there with the rest of the family," Joe, 86, said
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| Battle lines drawn for South Africa's ANC on eve of leadership vote Posted: 15 Dec 2017 10:58 AM PST ![Battle lines drawn for South Africa's ANC on eve of leadership vote]( "Battle lines drawn for South Africa's ANC on eve of leadership vote") By Alexander Winning and Mfuneko Toyana JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's ruler since the end of apartheid, faces perhaps the most pivotal few days in its recent history when it meets over the weekend to choose a successor to Jacob Zuma as party leader. The ANC's electoral dominance means whoever wins the job is likely to become South Africa's next president. Economic growth in Africa's traditional powerhouse has been lethargic over the last six years and the jobless rate stands near record levels.
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| Texas Mom Allegedly Subjected Her Healthy Son, 8, to 323 Doctor Visits and 13 Surgeries Posted: 14 Dec 2017 12:20 PM PST  Investigators in Texas suspect a Dallas-area mom has Munchausen by proxy and they have charged her with allegedly seeking unnecessary medical care for her 8-year-old son
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| Jamie Oliver Says He'd Do This Disgusting Thing If He Had To Cook For Donald Trump Posted: 15 Dec 2017 08:11 AM PST  Jamie Oliver isn't planning on cooking a meal for President Donald Trump anytime soon.
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| Senator: Comey's remarks on Clinton probe heavily edited Posted: 14 Dec 2017 04:59 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — A draft statement former FBI Director James Comey prepared in anticipation of concluding the Hillary Clinton email case without criminal charges was heavily edited to change the "tone and substance" of the remarks, a Republican senator said Thursday.
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| Dustin Hoffman Allegedly Exposed Himself To A Minor, Assaulted 2 Women Posted: 14 Dec 2017 04:00 PM PST  Dustin Hoffman faces major accusations in a Variety report published Friday that alleges he exposed himself to a 16-year-old classmate of his daughter's in 1980 and assaulted two other women while working on 1987′s "Ishtar."
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| Indian minister warns Bollywood heavyweights over sexual exploitation Posted: 14 Dec 2017 11:33 AM PST  In a rare rebuke, an Indian minister on Thursday warned the country's Bollywood film industry to comply with strict measures to combat sexual harassment, following the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Maneka Gandhi, India's federal Minister for Women and Child Development, took the unusual step of writing to 24 powerful Bollywood film producers, demanding they comply with Indian sexual harassment legislation to ensure a "safe, secure and inclusive work environment" for all employees. The letter was sent to major industry players, such as actors Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, as well as director Karan Johar. "The aim of this law is to ensure that no woman is sexually harassed at her workplace," Ms Gandhi said in her letter. "It is to be followed in letter and spirit by all organisations in the country," she added. "Bollywood filmmakers are ethically and legally accountable for the safety of not only their direct employees but of all outsourced and temporary staff as well." Britain's Prince William shakes hands with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan Credit: REUTERS/Rafiq Maqbool/Pool It is understood that more letters will be sent to other film producers. Bollywood remains hugely male dominated, with men making up the vast majority of directors and veteran stars. The small handful of female directors are mostly confined to regional cinema. After the Weinstein allegations broke, people in the film business in India were unconvinced they would have a #MeToo moment. "What can we do?" Mukesh Bhatt, who co-heads production house Vishesh Films said. "We cannot keep moral cops outside every film office to see that no girl is being exploited." Alankrita Shrivastava, director of critically acclaimed film Lipstick Under my Burkha said a women's protest movement was unlikely to happen in conservative Indian society. "The way men are being called out in Hollywood right now, I don't know if it can happen in India." "In terms of how our psychology is, how patriarchy functions, it is much more entrenched," she added. However, Ms Gandhi's stark warning gives women in Bollywood hope that their concerns will be heard. Last month Bollywood actress Swara Bhaskar told a Mumbai tabloid she had been turned down for "several roles" as she did not give in to "unwanted advances" by producers and directors. Ms Bhaskar, 29, urged aspiring actresses to turn down roles rather than resort to the so-called "casting couch" to exchange sexual favours to advance their careers. Thousands of young Indian girls and boys gravitate to Bollywood every year with the aim of becoming actors. Swara Bhaskar complained of Bollywood's casting-couch culture Credit: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images They are vulnerable to sexual exploitation, not only by unscrupulous agents promising them roles which they never get, but also by lesser known stars, producers and directors making similar promises. Hopefuls are fearful of reporting inappropriate behaviour in case it ruins their chances of breaking into Bollywood. "It is always very subtle," Ms Bhaskar said this week. "People try to insinuate that there are 10,000 girls for one role – so what can you do?" In the wake of the #MeToo scandal, actresses including Kalki Koechlin and Richa Chadha called on Bollywood to improve its record in standing up for victims of sexual harassment and exploitation. Sexual harassment legislation was passed in India in 2013, in response to the fatal gang rape of a 23-year old medical student on a bus in Delhi in December 2012. In November Ms Gandhi launched the online Sexual Harassment electronic-Box (SHe-Box) to register sexual harassment complaints in the workplace and to ensure the implementation of the 2013 law. She also urged all company directors to report sexual harassment cases, but activists said many victims were hesitant to register their complaints, afraid their future careers would be curtailed. Women's rights activists maintain that only 10 per cent of rape and other sexual harassment cases ever get reported in India.
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| Joe Biden: How the Sandy Hook Families Give Me Strength Posted: 14 Dec 2017 09:51 AM PST  'Around Christmas, I remember my daughter Naomi and my son Beau—just as I know the Sandy Hook families do'
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| Pakistan court dismisses graft case against opposition's Imran Khan Posted: 15 Dec 2017 03:41 AM PST  Pakistan's Supreme Court dismissed a graft case against cricketer-turned-opposition leader Imran Khan Friday, ensuring he will contest a general election due next year, just months after the same body ousted ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif. This petition has no merits and is dismissed accordingly," chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar said, reading from the judgement to a packed courtroom. Shortly after the judgement Khan held a press conference in Karachi where he told reporters "Pakistan's highest court has exonerated me".
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| Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary chief seeks to put troops under national army Posted: 14 Dec 2017 09:41 AM PST ![Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary chief seeks to put troops under national army]( "Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary chief seeks to put troops under national army") The commander of Iraq's biggest Shi'ite Muslim paramilitary group told its fighters on Thursday to take their orders from the national military and cut their ties with the group's political wing. Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the Iran-backed Badr Organisation, also called on the group's fighters to withdraw from the cities under their control. The move paves the way for Amiri to stand in parliamentary elections on May 12.
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| The Latest: Kentucky lawmaker's wife wants to replace him Posted: 14 Dec 2017 10:52 AM PST  FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Latest on the death of a Kentucky state lawmaker accused of sexual assault (all times local):
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| Donald Trump On Potential Michael Flynn Pardon: 'We'll See What Happens' Posted: 15 Dec 2017 06:55 AM PST  President Donald Trump refused to say if he'd consider pardoning former national security adviser Michael Flynn, saying, "We'll see what happens."
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| The Funniest Tweets From Parents This Week Posted: 15 Dec 2017 07:56 AM PST  Kids may say the darndest things, but parents tweet about them in the funniest ways.
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| The New Tax Bill's Winners and Losers Posted: 15 Dec 2017 07:00 PM PST  Senate and House Republicans announced agreement Friday on the first major tax overhaul in more than 30 years—a $1.5 trillion bill that would touch most Americans in some way, affecting not only ...
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| 14 years after he went missing in Africa, I think my brother is still alive Posted: 15 Dec 2017 09:06 AM PST  Christmas Charity Appeal banner 2017 It was when the letters stopped arriving that Christian Velten's family knew something had gone terribly wrong. Armed with a video camera, the 27-year-old had embarked on a six-month expedition through West Africa, along the banks of the River Niger, retracing the steps of his hero, the 18th century Scottish explorer Mungo Park. He made his way alone on foot, by donkey, or in a canoe from Gambia, through Senegal, and Mali, stopping along the way to stay with villagers. Each time he moved on, Christian would give the children his address back in England, telling them to write. "Cards kept coming to the house from kids he'd met," says his sister Hannah, who has spent the past 14 years tirelessly searching for her brother. "At some point the letters stopped." Even though he was travelling through remote African countryside, Christian had still managed to keep in contact with his family. "When he phoned Mum and Dad for the last time, it was just before their birthdays," Hannah tells me, as we talk in the living room of the East Sussex home she shares with her husband Grant and children Freya, 6, and Cameron, 9. "When he didn't get on his plane home, we realised pretty quickly something had gone wrong." Christian's sister Hannah believes he is alive and is waiting for him to come forward Credit: Christopher Pledger That final phone call came on March 23, 2003 and Christian has been missing ever since. In that time, the search to find him has taken innumerable twists and turns. The early years were fraught with fear and frustration, as Hannah's parents, Pauline and Tim, frantically led the charge to find their son. Confronted with Foreign Office red tape, they took matters into their own hands, putting out appeals in the African and British press and sending a team, led by one of his friends, to search for Christian on the ground. At one point, they even enlisted the help of a Malian village chieftain. "Everything went against us," says Hannah, cradling a mug of tea, as she takes me through the events which have shaped her adult life. "Nothing you try works and fear kicks in." For years, the race to trace Christian led them to dead ends, each more painful than the last. It always went the same way: a renewed appeal would spark a sighting - a lone white male seen walking near the river, or a bedraggled figure who rode the bus every day. Moments of hope, cruelly shattered when the trail went quiet. Telegraph Christmas Appeal 2017 | What are the charities? "That desperate feeling is exhausting," adds Hannah. "I realise, now I'm a mum myself, just how awful that first search was for my parents." In 2015, on Christian's 40th birthday, the family decided to throw a party. It was a way to celebrate the man who had been absent from their lives for more than a decade. "The thing is, you don't have a funeral," says Hannah. "You go through a grief process, but you're in limbo." As the years and milestones passed, the hope of finding him seemed more and more remote. Yet, on Boxing Day in 2015, as she trudged around the fields near her parents' Sussex home, trying to walk off the sadness of another Christmas without her brother, Hannah suddenly felt strangely upbeat about finding him. Her dad was less so. "He told me: 'I think if Christian isn't found by next New Year then I'm going to give up hope. It's just too painful.'" Then, three months later, there was a fresh sighting. One so clear that it would set into motion a new search, culminating in the realistion that Christian is almost certainly alive. Sightings of Chris have come in waves over the years, and Hannah has learnt how to work out when someone isn't being truthful Credit: Christopher Pledger In early 2016, Hannah had set up 'Searching for Chris' pages on social media, renewing interest in their story. A friend got in touch to say that a contact in Kenya had recognised Christian's picture on Facebook. Raabia Hawa, a prominent conservationist, told how two years before, a man with that very same profile picture had sent her a friend request on Facebook, from a now defunct account. Hannah realised that the picture (an old one from her website), could have been downloaded by Christian, who may have found it when looking himself up online. Before he went missing, Christian had been a keen conservationist. Was it possible he had reached out to Raabia to ask for advice? With renewed energy, Hannah wrote about the connection on Facebook and sightings came in thick and fast from Nairobi. People had seen Christian as a homeless man in the city's slums, as a white preacher on a bus, in a hotel. It would have been easy to take them as nothing more than fantasies or false hope from strangers. But instead, Hannah chose to treat each one as a possible lead, and a new picture began to form. "Your intuition kicks in. It was like I was an arrow locked on a target," she says. The last sighting of Christian was in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2015 Credit: Hannah Velten One woman said she had seen Christian begging in Accra, Ghana, in 2005, telling Hannah: "He spoke with a British accent. He said he was begging to raise money for a ticket back home. What makes me 80 per cent sure it's your brother was what he said as he appealed for money: 'Are you a Christian, missy? Can you help me please? My name is Christian.'" Hannah now believes that, while travelling, Christian was attacked - but that someone found and looked after him. Somehow, after all these years, she thinks, he has ended up in Kenya. "For some time, he may not have known who he was. He must have been ill for many years. But I think he is now aware that we are looking for him. "It wouldn't have been his choice to go missing," she adds. "Something terrible happened." It raises the hardest question of all: is it possible that Christian doesn't want to be found? It is a prospect Hannah has been forced to grapple with, and she has come to terms with the idea that her brother may have chosen not to get in touch. After all, she explains, 14 years is a long time - especially when you have been alone and confused. It is possible that the thought of simply walking back into his old life feels too overwhelming. "But I have faith that he will [be found]. That's the bit that drives you insane, the idea that he could just ring any second now. He could turn up on the doorstep." Read more | Telegraph Christmas Charity Appeal As well as being a devoted sister, Hannah, 42, runs a publishing company with her husband. Through it all, she has kept the surname Velten, to make it easier for Christian to trace her. It is clear that this latest push to find her brother has been a terrible strain. "It's almost the worst thing that you could think of in terms of a family," she tells me, stroking the labrador curled beside her on the sofa, as she fights back tears. "It is a nightmare. If you just think how you feel when you lose your child in the supermarket, that sheer panic - we have felt that for nearly 15 years. "All that time, we thought he was dead…" she trails off, trying to compose herself. "You'd toast him at Christmas, we always talked about him, but the hope was flickering." She desperately wants Christian to meet her children, who have heard so much about their uncle. "It's my biggest sadness now, what my kids are missing, because he would be a fabulous uncle. I'm sad for mum and dad and I'm sad for Christian and the life he would have had." For now, all she can do is wait. "When the phone rings now, I don't expect it to be him. So when he does call, it will be out of the blue." Is she fearful of all the complications that his sudden appearance could bring with it? "After 14 years he is going to have changed so much. But he's my brother, I love him. It's what I want." If you would like to know more about Christian's story, or if you think you can help in any way, please visit the 'Searching for Chris Velten' Facebook page. Missing People is a beneficiary of this year's Telegraph's Christmas Charity Appeal. To make a donation to this or one of the other charities supported in our appeal, please call 0151 284 1927 or visit telegraph.co.uk/charity
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| Barack Obama Dressed Up As Too-Cool-For-School Santa For His Latest Appearance Posted: 15 Dec 2017 09:56 AM PST  The former president dropped by a Boys & Girls Club branch in D.C. in a statement outfit — with a festive touch.
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| Pentagon alarmed by uptick in close calls with Russia jets in Syria Posted: 15 Dec 2017 01:27 PM PST  The Pentagon is voicing growing alarm that the risky flying of Russian pilots in Syria could lead to a mishap -- or even the nightmare scenario of a US jet shooting down a Russian warplane. Defense officials this week highlighted several recent close calls with Russian planes, including one Wednesday, when a pair of US F-22s intercepted two Russian jets over a part of Syria in which the Pentagon says they are not meant to be operating. The uptick in incidents comes as remaining operations by the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria have shrunk down to an area of only about 15 square miles (39 square kilometers) around Albu Kamal in eastern Syria, by the Iraq border.
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| Republicans join push to lift secrecy around misconduct in Congress Posted: 14 Dec 2017 04:59 PM PST ![Republicans join push to lift secrecy around misconduct in Congress]( "Republicans join push to lift secrecy around misconduct in Congress") By Susan Cornwell and Caren Bohan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prominent Republican senators on Thursday embraced a push to overhaul rules for addressing sexual harassment in the U.S. Congress, signing on to a bill that would protect victims and require lawmakers to pay for their own settlements. The legislation builds on demands to lift the veil of secrecy around sexual harassment and misconduct on Capitol Hill, and has gained steam in recent months as a wave of women have come forward with accusations against prominent American men in politics, media and entertainment.
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| Jury convicts woman of murder in teen's starvation death Posted: 14 Dec 2017 02:29 PM PST  DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Jurors on Thursday convicted an Iowa woman of murder in the starvation death of her 16-year-old daughter, who weighed only 85 pounds when she died.
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| Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos Share Adorable 'Kid Approved' Holiday Family Photo Posted: 15 Dec 2017 07:30 PM PST  Happy holidays from the Consuelos clan!
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| Trump Delivers A Favor For The Fast-Food Industry Posted: 14 Dec 2017 07:17 PM PST  President Donald Trump's picks for the National Labor Relations Board overturned a major precedent from the Obama years Thursday, delivering a blow to labor unions and a big win to McDonald's and other large corporations.
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| Harley-Davidson Trademarks the Bronx Posted: 15 Dec 2017 08:15 AM PST ![Harley-Davidson Trademarks the Bronx]( "Harley-Davidson Trademarks the Bronx") Harley-Davidson Trademarks the Bronx New York borough's name conjures tough, urban image According to a recent report on Motorcycle.com, the folks at Harley-Davidson have filed a trademark application that would allow it to reference one of New York City's
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| Beijing Can’t Understand Taiwan’s Democracy Posted: 15 Dec 2017 07:01 AM PST  The Communist Party is baffled — and angered — by the new activism across the straits.
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| J. K. Rowling Wrote the Hogwarts Houses in a Very Unconventional Way and 3 Other Things We Learned Posted: 15 Dec 2017 09:24 AM PST  Proof that inspiration can come from anywhere
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| Unilever selling margarines for 6.8 bn euros to US giant KKR Posted: 15 Dec 2017 09:27 AM PST  Anglo-Dutch food and consumer giant Unilever said Friday it had reached a 6.8-billion-euro ($8-billion) deal with US private equity giant KKR to sell its margarines business. Unilever "has received a binding offer from KKR to purchase its global spreads business for 6.825 billion euros on a cash-free, debt-free basis," the company said in a statement. After spurning a takeover by US rival Kraft Heinz earlier this year, Unilever announced in April it would spin-off its margarines, which include such brands as Flora, Blue Band and Rama, as part of a restructuring plan.
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| EU gives itself June deadline for deal on refugees Posted: 15 Dec 2017 09:13 AM PST ![EU gives itself June deadline for deal on refugees]( "EU gives itself June deadline for deal on refugees") By Gabriela Baczynska and Robert Muller BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders appealed for unity in a last-ditch effort to break their deadlock on sharing out refugees by June, telling reluctant eastern states they could otherwise be outvoted on a dispute that has shaken the bloc's foundations. Coming out from a fraught discussion among 28 EU leaders that went into the small hours on Friday morning in Brussels, rivals in the two-year-old dispute all stuck to their guns, hemmed in by expectations they have raised with their own voters. The Mediterranean frontline states Italy and Greece, and the rich destination countries including Germany, Sweden, Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands are demanding that all countries host some refugees as a way to demonstrate solidarity.
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| Man charged in shooting of cops saved by bulletproof vests Posted: 15 Dec 2017 09:43 AM PST  ST. LOUIS (AP) — A 37-year-old man was charged Friday in the shooting of two suburban St. Louis police officers who were saved by their bulletproof vests.
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| Wil Wheaton Wears 'Star Trek' Uniform To 'Star Wars' FOR REAL Posted: 15 Dec 2017 03:15 AM PST  Life gloriously imitated art Thursday when actor Wil Wheaton wore a "Star Trek" costume to a screening of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."
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| US prosecutors seek to cash in on $500,000 bitcoin seizure after value soars to $8.5m in a year Posted: 14 Dec 2017 07:34 PM PST  US attorneys in Utah prosecuting a multimillion-dollar opioid drug-ring are moving quickly to sell seized bitcoin that's exploded in value to about $8.5 million since the alleged ringleader's arrest a year ago. The U.S. Attorney's Office for Utah cites the digital currency's volatility in court documents pressing for the sale. The bitcoin cache was worth less than $500,000 when Aaron Shamo was arrested on drug charges, but the value of the digital currency has skyrocketed since then. Bitcoin was created as a digital alternative to the traditional banking system, and is prone to swings in value based on what people believe its worth. For federal prosecutors in Utah, sales of seized assets like cars are routine, but bitcoin is new territory, spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch said Thursday. Shamo is accused of selling pills containing the powerful opioid fentanyl on the dark web - an area of the internet often used for illegal activity - to thousands of people all over the U.S., at one point raking in $2.8 million in less than a year. How can I profit from Bitcoins price falling? The 500,000-pill bust ranked among the largest of its kind in the country, and authorities also found $1 million of cash stuffed into trash bags. Shamo has pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges. The proceeds of the bitcoin sale will be held until the case is resolved, and then decisions will be made about where the money goes, Rydalch said. Seized asset sale proceeds usually goes to the agency that investigated, like the Drug Enforcement Administration. Bitcoin | Read more Defense attorney Greg Skordas is not contesting the sale of his client's bitcoins. Although there's no global consensus over the status of bitcoin - debate rages whether the virtual money is an asset or a currency - that hasn't stopped officials in the U.S. and elsewhere from cashing in on the digital hauls seized from cybercriminals. In 2014 the U.S. Marshals Service announced the auction of nearly 30,000 bitcoins seized from notorious dark web drug marketplace Silk Road. Other seizures have since netted the American government millions of dollars in a series of sales. Other governments - from Australia to South Korea - have set up similar auctions over the years.
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