| The Latest: Roger Stone set to be arraigned Tuesday in DC Posted: 25 Jan 2019 07:21 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on ex-Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone's arrest in the special counsel's Russia probe (all times local):
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| Brazil rescuers search for hundreds missing after mining dam burst Posted: 26 Jan 2019 04:44 AM PST  Brazilian rescuers continued searching on Saturday for some 200 missing people after a tailings dam burst at an iron ore mine owned by Vale SA.
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| Police officer who ‘shot female colleague dead during game of Russian roulette’ charged with her killing Posted: 26 Jan 2019 05:00 AM PST  A male St Louis police officer has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for allegedly shooting a female college during a game of Russian roulette. Nathaniel Hendren, 29, shot fellow officer Katlyn Alix, 24, at an apartment in the Missouri city in the early hours of Thursday morning, according to a St Louis Police Department statement. Ms Alix and Mr Hendren were playing with guns when the male officer produced a revolver.
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| Davos Daily Review: Jane Goodall, Income Inequality and Climate Change Posted: 25 Jan 2019 03:30 PM PST  The final day of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, featured discussions on issues of equality, migration and climate change
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| US demands world stands with 'forces of freedom' in Venezuela Posted: 26 Jan 2019 05:23 AM PST  The United States pressed all nations Saturday to "stand with the forces of freedom" in Venezuela, encouraged by a tougher European line as Russia stood in the minority in backing embattled leader Nicolas Maduro. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a forceful case at a special session of the United Nations Security Council, where he described Maduro as part of an "illegitimate mafia state" responsible for Venezuela's economic collapse. Four major European countries - Britain, Germany, Britain, France and Spain - said on Saturday they are ready to recognise Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president if elections are not called within eight days. Jeremy Hunt, the British foreign secretary, said: "After banning opposition candidates, ballot box stuffing and counting irregularities in a deeply flawed election it is clear Nicolas Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela," Mr Hunt tweeted. 1/2 After banning opposition candidates, ballot box stuffing and counting irregularities in a deeply flawed election it is clear Nicolas Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) January 26, 2019 2/2 @jguaido is the right person to take Venezuela forward. If there are not fresh & fair elections announced within 8 days UK will recognise him as interim President to take forward the political process towards democracy. Time for a new start for the suffering ppl of Venezuela— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) January 26, 2019 With mounting protests over Venezuela's crisis in which more than two million have fled shortages of basic food and medicine, Mr Pompeo asked all nations to follow the US in recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president. "Now it is time for every other nation to pick a side. No more delays, no more games. Either you stand with the forces of freedom, or you're in league with Maduro and his mayhem," Mr Pompeo said. Mr Pompeo denounced Russia and China, which have stood by Maduro, saying that they were motivated not by principle but raw financial interest. "China and Russia are propping up a failed regime in the hopes of recovering billions of dollars in ill-considered investments and assistance made over the years," Mr Pompeo said. Guaido vs Maduro | Who is backing Venezuela's two presidents Russia has denounced the United States for interference and attempted to block the Security Council meeting, but it was voted down with nine of the 15 members agreeing to go forward. "Venezuela does not pose any threat to peace and security. The intention of the United States is to orchestrate a coup d'etat," said the Russian ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia. He accused the United States of renewing a long history of imperialism in Latin America, saying that Washington treated it as a "backyard where you can do anything you want." But Russia managed to block a Security Council statement seen by AFP that would have offered "full support" to Mr Guaido and called the National Assembly that he heads "Venezuela's only democratically elected institution." Profile | Nicolás Maduro "The government of Spain gives Nicolas Maduro eight days to call free, transparent and democratic elections," said Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in statement. "If that doesn't happen, Spain will recognise Juan Guaido as interim president in charge of calling these elections." In what appears to be a coordinated message from European Union countries, at almost the same time French President Manuel Macron sent a tweet echoing Sanchez's comments. "Unless elections are announced within eight days, we will be ready to recognise @jguaido as 'President in charge' of Venezuela in order to trigger a political process," Macron said. A spokeswoman from the German government tweeted the same message shortly after the comments from Madrid and Paris. Europe had, until Saturday, simply called for new elections in the troubled South American country. But the European Union hinted today it would be prepared to recognise Maduro's rival, if elections were not held. "In the absence of an announcement on the organisation of fresh elections with the necessary guarantees over the next days, the EU will take further actions, including on the issue of recognition of the country's leadership," said Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign affairs chief. Mr Guaido proclaimed himself interim president on Wednesday during a march of hundreds of thousands in Caracas. Anti-government protesters cheer after Juan Guaido, head of Venezuela's opposition-run congress, declared himself interim president. Credit: Boris Vergara /AP The Venezuelan state and the military have so far remained loyal to Maduro despite a deep economic and political crisis that has sparked mass emigration, with inflation forecast to rise to 10 million percent this year. Russia, meanwhile, called for the United States and Europe to cease interfering in Venezuela. "The cynical, overt interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state continues. It must stop," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
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| Elizabeth Warren’s Tax Proposal Aims at Assets of Wealthiest Americans Posted: 25 Jan 2019 12:21 PM PST  Warren, a Massachusetts senator who recently established an exploratory committee for the 2020 Democratic nomination, said she would use the revenue to rebuild the middle class, potentially by using the money to pay for child care or relieve student debt. The proposal underscores Warren's economic populist message at the heart of her campaign to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. A former Harvard law professor, she has written extensively about the shrinking middle class and made enemies on Wall Street for pinning the blame for rising income inequality on the wealthy and large corporations.
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| Travelers at Newark airport feeling the effects of the government shutdown Posted: 25 Jan 2019 10:24 AM PST  Travelers at Newark Liberty International Airport aired their frustrations on Friday as flights were delayed due to the government shutdown.
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| The Latest: Fight at California funeral ends in killing Posted: 25 Jan 2019 07:41 PM PST ![The Latest: Fight at California funeral ends in killing]( "The Latest: Fight at California funeral ends in killing") COMPTON, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on a deadly shooting at a Compton funeral (all times local):
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| Stone proclaims innocence and vows he won't testify against Trump Posted: 25 Jan 2019 10:50 AM PST  The president's longtime friend and adviser denies the charges made against him in an indictment made by special counsel Robert Mueller's office.
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| U.S. college official who told Chinese students to speak English quits Posted: 27 Jan 2019 08:36 AM PST ![U.S. college official who told Chinese students to speak English quits]( "U.S. college official who told Chinese students to speak English quits") Megan Neely left her position as director of graduate studies for the biostatistics master's program "effective immediately," the dean of the school told students in a letter on Sunday, according to the university's newspaper, The Chronicle. The dean, Mary Klotman, said Duke's Office of Institutional Equity would conduct a thorough review of the program. The email by Neely, who remains an assistant professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics at Duke, said she was approached by two faculty members who wanted details of first-year students "they observed speaking Chinese (in their words, VERY LOUDLY)" on campus.
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| Hezbollah chief warns Israel against continuing strikes in Syria Posted: 26 Jan 2019 06:11 PM PST  The chief of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement has warned Israel against continuing strikes in Syria targeting mainly Iranian positions, saying it could fuel war in the region. Israel's army has since 2013 claimed hundreds of attacks on what it says are Iranian military targets and arms deliveries to Tehran-backed Hezbollah, with the goal of stopping its main enemy Iran from entrenching itself militarily in neighbouring Syria. In the latest strikes nearly a week ago 21 people were killed, the majority of them Iranians, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.
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| Prince Philip apologises to mother involved in car crash Posted: 26 Jan 2019 10:00 PM PST  The Duke of Edinburgh has told a mother-of-two who was injured in a car crash he was involved in that he is "deeply sorry". Prince Philip, 97, escaped injury on January 17 when the Land Rover Freelander he was driving collided with another vehicle when he pulled out of a driveway on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk on to a busy A road. Philip's car flipped over in the crash, which occurred when he was apparently dazzled by the low sun, and he was initially trapped and had to be rescued by a passing motorist. The other vehicle involved, a Kia, was carrying a nine-month-old baby boy, his mother who was driving, and Emma Fairweather as a passenger. The baby was unhurt, but both women had to be treated in hospital. Emma Fairweather, who was injured in a car crash involving the Duke of Edinburgh Credit: PA Ms Fairweather, who broke her wrist, called for the duke to be prosecuted if found to be at fault. In a letter to Ms Fairweather dated January 21, Philip wished her a "speedy recovery" and said he "failed to see the car coming". The note, reported by the Sunday Mirror, said: "I would like you to know how very sorry I am for my part in the accident at the Babingley cross-roads. "I have been across that crossing any number of times and I know very well the amount of traffic that uses that main road. "It was a bright sunny day and at about three in the afternoon, the sun was low over the Wash. Prince Philip car crash scene near Sandringham Photo "In other words, the sun was shining low over the main road. In normal conditions I would have no difficulty in seeing traffic coming from the Dersingham direction, but I can only imagine that I failed to see the car coming, and I am very contrite about the consequences. "I was somewhat shaken after the accident, but I was greatly relieved that none of you were seriously injured. "As a crowd was beginning to gather, I was advised to return to Sandringham House by a local police officer. I have since learned that you suffered a broken arm. I am deeply sorry about this injury. "I wish you a speedy recovery from a very distressing experience." The letter is signed "Yours sincerely Philip". Ms Fairweather, 46, told the Sunday Mirror she was "chuffed" with the letter, adding: "I thought it was really nice that he signed off as 'Philip' and not the formal title. I was pleasantly surprised because of the personalised nature. "A lot of people said it was unrealistic that I wanted that human kindness from Prince Philip - which is what I saw this letter as." Ms Fairweather had previously complained that while the Queen, who had no involvement in the accident, had been in contact through a lady-in-waiting, she had not had any direct communication with the duke. It is understood a similar letter was sent to the driver of the Kia. Philip was photographed driving without a seatbelt 48 hours after the crash.
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| High wait times at Atlanta airport 9 days before Super Bowl Posted: 25 Jan 2019 12:30 PM PST  ATLANTA (AP) — The world's busiest airport is experiencing long wait times to get through security just nine days before it expects 150,000 out-of-town visitors for the Super Bowl.
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| U.S. steps up pressure on Maduro as Russia backs Venezuelan ally Posted: 25 Jan 2019 04:44 PM PST  The U.S. Treasury Department stopped short of announcing a freeze on Venezuela's U.S. assets and accounts, but said it would take steps to ensure commercial transactions were "consistent" with its recognition this week of opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate head of state. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday will urge members of the United Nations Security Council to recognize Guaido. Washington requested the meeting of the 15-member council after a string of countries threw their weight behind Guaido, who heads Venezuela's congress, and urged Maduro to step down.
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| Markets Right Now: Stocks rise but still end the week lower Posted: 25 Jan 2019 01:09 PM PST  NEW YORK (AP) — The latest on developments in financial markets (all times local):
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| Melania Trump – An Apology Posted: 25 Jan 2019 04:01 PM PST  Following last Saturday's (Jan 19) Telegraph magazine cover story "The mystery of Melania", we have been asked to make clear that the article contained a number of false statements which we accept should not have been published. Mrs Trump's father was not a fearsome presence and did not control the family. Mrs Trump did not leave her Design and Architecture course at University relating to the completion of an exam, as alleged in the article, but rather because she wanted to pursue a successful career as a professional model. Mrs Trump was not struggling in her modelling career before she met Mr Trump, and she did not advance in her career due to the assistance of Mr Trump. We accept that Mrs Trump was a successful professional model in her own right before she met her husband and obtained her own modelling work without his assistance. Mrs Trump met Mr Trump in 1998, not in 1996 as stated in the article. The article also wrongly claimed that Mrs Trump's mother, father and sister relocated to New York in 2005 to live in buildings owned by Mr Trump. They did not. The claim that Mrs Trump cried on election night is also false. We apologise unreservedly to The First Lady and her family for any embarrassment caused by our publication of these allegations. As a mark of our regret we have agreed to pay Mrs Trump substantial damages as well as her legal costs.
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| Gov. Gavin Newsom suing Huntington Beach over lack of low-income housing Posted: 25 Jan 2019 10:24 PM PST  Newly elected Gov. Gavin Newsom is using a new law to sue the city of Huntington Beach over a lack of low-income housing.
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| Baghdad to summon Turkey envoy over death of Kurdish protester Posted: 27 Jan 2019 03:17 AM PST  Iraq on Sunday said it would summon the Turkish ambassador over the death of a Kurdish protester after Turkish troops opened fire on demonstrators in the country's northwest. On Saturday night, Kurdish protesters stormed a Turkish army position in the Shiladzeh region of northwestern Iraq to protest the deaths of four civilians they said were killed last week in Turkish bombardment. Witnesses said Turkish troops opened fire on the demonstrators, causing casualties and damage.
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| Wisconsin DA says he has no plans to file charges related to Jayme Closs' 88-day captivity Posted: 26 Jan 2019 06:54 PM PST ![Wisconsin DA says he has no plans to file charges related to Jayme Closs' 88-day captivity]( "Wisconsin DA says he has no plans to file charges related to Jayme Closs' 88-day captivity") Jayme Closs's accused kidnapper, Jake Patterson, already faces charges of intentional homicide, kidnapping and armed burglary in abduction.
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| Zuckerberg to integrate WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger: New York Times Posted: 27 Jan 2019 12:19 AM PST ![Zuckerberg to integrate WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger: New York Times]( "Zuckerberg to integrate WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger: New York Times") Facebook said it is working on adding end-to-end encryption, which protects messages from being viewed by anyone except the participants in a conversation, to more of its messaging products, and considering ways to make it easier for users to connect across networks. Integrating the messaging services could make it harder for antitrust regulators to break up Facebook by undoing its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram, said Sam Weinstein, a professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
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| AD 's Shopping Resources to Help You Get the Look Posted: 26 Jan 2019 05:00 AM PST  The designers, architects, and products featured this month
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| Teachers succeed by framing strikes as for common good Posted: 26 Jan 2019 08:55 AM PST  Los Angeles teachers who declared a victory after a six-day strike have added momentum to a successful wave of activism by educators framing their cause as a push to improve public education, not just get pay raises.
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| Pompeo Tells UN: Venezuela's Choice Is Freedom or Mayhem Posted: 26 Jan 2019 10:00 AM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Secretary of State Michael Pompeo took the U.S. effort to recognize Juan Guaido as Venezuela's rightful leader to the United Nations, part of a broader campaign to replace President Nicolas Maduro, and said the choice is between freedom and mayhem.
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| 'Life-threatening' Arctic blast to freeze nearly 200 million as Polar Vortex attacks U.S. Posted: 25 Jan 2019 01:11 PM PST  Here comes the polar vortex: Next week's cold blast will be "life-threatening," "dangerous," "brutal," and "unprecedented."
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| Donald Trump caved to Nancy Pelosi on shutdown, now the wall will never be built Posted: 25 Jan 2019 01:48 PM PST  This is undoubtedly the weakest moment of President Trump's tenure. He has handed Nancy Pelosi not one, but two, wins that betray his best interests.
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| Hundreds missing in Brazil, 34 found dead, after Vale dam burst Posted: 26 Jan 2019 02:15 PM PST  The Minas Gerais state fire department, which gave the latest confirmed death toll, also said 23 people had been sent to hospitals. Firefighters focused their hopes for finding survivors on a bus, a train, offices and nearby homes that were buried after the dam break at Vale's Corrego do Feijao mine in Minas Gerais state. During a news conference, Zema said the mining complex had all its permits in order and it was unclear what caused the collapse of the dam, which had been inactive for years.
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| Israel gives green light for medical cannabis exports Posted: 27 Jan 2019 07:29 AM PST  The Israeli government on Sunday gave the final go-ahead for the export of medical cannabis, the health ministry said, a move expected to generate significant revenues for the state. "Israel is one of the leaders in the world in the field of medical cannabis," Moshe Bar Simon Tov, director general at the ministry, said. The approval comes after parliament in December passed a law allowing overseas sale of cannabis grown with a health ministry licence.
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| The Latest: Suspect worked at Walmart, restaurant, auto shop Posted: 25 Jan 2019 04:19 PM PST  SEBRING, Fla. (AP) — The Latest on the shooting of five women at a Florida bank (all times local):
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| Nick Clegg swaps Putney townhouse for £7million California mansion ahead of new Facebook role Posted: 26 Jan 2019 08:33 AM PST  Former deputy Prime Minister Sir Nick Clegg has relocated to a £7million home in California as he prepares to start his new executive role at Facebook, it has been revealed. The former Lib Dem leader, 52, and his wife, lawyer Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, 50, bought the "luxurious" new home in December. The five-bedroom property, worth a reported fee of $9million (£7million) stands in almost an acre of land, and was described by its estate agent as "a timeless classic". The house boasts a roomy kitchen with marble worktops and an island seating area, as well as a separate dining room and a library. Among the "luxurious amenities" for Sir Nick and his family to enjoy are a hot tub, a swimming pool, and a large patio with an outdoor log-burning fire. Nick Clegg and his wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez Credit: Andrew Parsons / i-Images The sprawling home is situated in the Silicon Valley town of Atherton, near San Francisco, which was last year named "the most expensive zip code in the country" by Forbes magazine. And the area is just three miles away from Facebook HQ in Menlo Park, where Sir Nick will be working as Vice-President of Global Affairs. The couple have now moved into their new home with their three sons, aged 16, 14 and nine. Sir Nick is believed to have kept his townhouse in Putney in south-west London, reportedly worth £2million. His lavish new home is thought to reflect his new bumper pay packet, rumoured to be worth up to £7million including bonuses. Nick Clegg's five bedroom Californian mansion, which is worth a reported fee of $9million (£7million) Credit: Zillow.com Sir Nick's appointment in Octoberwas met with criticism, with some accusing him of hypocrisy owing to his previous scorn towards Facebook for paying too little tax. Less than three years ago, he described the social media giant's 'messianic Californian new-worldy-touchy-feely culture' as 'a little grating'. Sir Nick, who lost his Sheffield Hallam seat in the 2015 general election, can now count former Google chairman Eric Schmidt, and Facebook deputy Sheryl Sandberg, among his new neighbours. In an interview this month Ms Gonzalez Durantez said of the family's move to the US: "California is the more European of all the states. They are constantly looking to the future." This week she shared a picture on Instagram of a trip to the beach, writing: "It could be Dorset but it is the Pacific." Facebook declined to comment.
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| Canadian PM fires envoy to China after remarks on Huawei case Posted: 26 Jan 2019 01:59 PM PST  John McCallum had embarrassed Trudeau's Liberal government by saying Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL] Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou could make a strong argument against being sent to the United States. Opposition legislators and former ambassadors accused McCallum of unacceptable political interference in an affair which has badly damaged relations between Canada and China. Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, was arrested in Vancouver last month over alleged violations of U.S. sanctions on Iran.
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| The oldest Earth rock ever found was actually brought back from the Moon Posted: 25 Jan 2019 10:54 AM PST ![The oldest Earth rock ever found was actually brought back from the Moon]( "The oldest Earth rock ever found was actually brought back from the Moon") NASA astronauts who visited the Moon during the Apollo 14 mission hauled back a whole bunch of material from its surface. At the time, they believed they were bringing Moon rocks and dust so that scientists could learn more about Earth's friendly little neighbor, but as it turns out they were actually bringing some Earth material back to where it originated. In a new study published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, researchers reveal that one of the chunks of rock brought back by Apollo 14 was actually a piece of the early Earth that had been blasted into space by some kind of impact several billion years ago. A close inspection of the rock revealed that it was made up of a variety of materials that are abundant on Earth but are rarely found on the Moon, including quartz and zircon. They believe the conditions under which the rock formed would have matched those of Earth rather than the Moon, but how exactly did the rock make it so far from home? "The clast was ejected from the Earth during a large impact, entrained in the lunar regolith as a terrestrial meteorite with the evidence of reducing conditions introduced during its incorporation into the Imbrium ejecta and host breccia," the study explains. To put it a bit more simply, the rock was a piece of Earth that was shot skyward after something quite large slammed into the planet at high speed. It was ejected into space and subsequently collided with the Moon, spending billions of years on its surface and becoming integrated into the planet before astronauts just happened to stumble across it, snagging it for study back on our planet. It's a remarkable discovery, and an interesting glimpse into the life of the early Earth. Scientists have long believed that a young Earth was under bombardment from space debris as the Solar System continued to form, and this appears to be some very good supporting evidence.
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| Flights delayed at 4 major airports due to ‘staffing’ issues as government shutdown ends Posted: 25 Jan 2019 01:16 PM PST  Flights at four major airports were delayed at some point Friday because of staffing issues among air traffic control employees.
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| Flight attendant dies of heart attack during flight from Honolulu to New York Posted: 26 Jan 2019 04:36 AM PST  The flight attendant has been identified as a Hawaiian Airlines employee.
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| 'El Chapo's' lawyers face tough choices at trial's end Posted: 27 Jan 2019 04:09 AM PST  Guzman, 61, the alleged leader of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, was extradited to the United States in 2017. The main defense argument, as put forth by Guzman lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman in his opening statement, has been that the real leader of the Sinaloa Cartel is Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, and that Zambada bribed the Mexican and U.S. governments to frame Guzman.
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| Qatar to disburse Gaza aid in 'coordination with UN' Posted: 25 Jan 2019 10:24 AM PST  Qatar said Friday it would work with the UN to distribute aid to Gaza after the Palestinian enclave's rulers Hamas rejected a cash injection over alleged unacceptable Israeli conditions. Later in the day thousands of protesters again gathered along the Gaza-Israel border, where the territory's health ministry said one Palestinian was killed by Israeli army fire. The Qatari ambassador to the Gaza Strip, Mohammed al-Emadi, said that his country would now channel millions of dollars in humanitarian projects "in full coordination with the United Nations".
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| Facebook's 'Friendly Fraud' Scandal: What Parents Need to Know Posted: 25 Jan 2019 05:26 PM PST  Facebook knowingly allowed children who played games on its platform to rack up big credit card charges, even after staffers warned about the problem and proposed solutions for the practice some ...
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| Asylum seekers worry new US policy will mean more waiting Posted: 25 Jan 2019 05:13 PM PST  TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — Eusebio Gomez thought his arduous journey to the U.S. and monthslong wait in the border town of Tijuana, Mexico, would end when he made it to American soil. But a shift in the Trump administration's immigration policy could mean more waiting.
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| Venezuela backtracks on order to expel US diplomats Posted: 26 Jan 2019 06:25 PM PST  CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Nicolas Maduro's government backtracked Saturday from its order for U.S. Embassy personnel to leave Venezuela, moving to defuse tensions with Washington just hours after international diplomats traded heated rhetoric at a special U.N. Security Council meeting on the South American country's crisis.
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| Arizona governor calls for removal of Hacienda HealthCare board, slams protection of ex-CEO Posted: 26 Jan 2019 05:23 PM PST  The governor said on Twitter, "My confidence level in that institution and its leadership is zero."
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| Roger Stone: Dirty tricks, a Nixon tattoo, and a lurking presence in shadows of Trump's world Posted: 25 Jan 2019 05:40 PM PST  Ultimately, politics was a game Roger Stone loved more than almost anyone. "Politics with me isn't theatre. It's performance art. Sometimes, for its own sake," he said in 2007. A forthright self-promoter, Mr Stone crafted an image with a massive collection of expensive suits hand-tailored for his body-builder frame, joining them with French cuffs and perfectly knotted silk ties. His shoes always shine, as does his hair - for years dyed blonde until, more recently, ceding way to a perfect white mane. Well-known for his political antics and hard ball tactics, Mr Stone has revelled in being a Washington insider dating back to Richard Nixon's administration. With his self-professed political dirty tricks and the tattoo of Nixon on his back, he has long lurked in the shadows of Donald Trump's world and was instrumental in guiding him on his first steps to the White House. Stone was only officially on Donald Trump's presidential election campaign for a few months, but would spin reporters, peddle conspiracies and, according to prosecutors, collaborate with WikiLeaks to release damaging information about Hillary Clinton in the final stretch of the 2016 campaign. He was arrested on Friday for lying to investigators and trying to tamper with a witness. He began his career volunteering for Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater when he was just 14. Eight years later, in 1972, he quit university to enlist in the reelection effort for President Nixon. He made his mark by planting a spy on the campaign of a Nixon rival, who became the candidate's driver and stole copies of internal documents for the Republicans. He also faked a donation from a "socialist" group to another Nixon rival, and leaked it to the media to smear the rival as an extreme leftist. Since then, he has helped candidates from Ronald Reagan to Mr Trump craft their messages, fend off bad news, and crush foes. He became known for a series of political maxims, the most famous of which were: "Admit nothing, deny everything, launch counterattack," and "Attack, attack, attack - never defend." Roger Stone, as a volunteer adviser with the Bob Dole presidential campaign and onetime campaign chairman in 1987 Credit: AP He also embraced deeply a key lesson from the 1972 campaign: that Republicans had to appeal to a base of white, middle class suburban and rural voters. In his own telling, he was at the centre of an unruly demonstration during the 2000 presidential recount in Florida that pressured officials to halt the tally and helped give the White House to Republican George W. Bush. He also claimed to have a hand in uncovering a prostitution scandal that helped bring down New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer in 2008. His well-cultivated image as a somewhat mad master manipulator earned him a documentary, the exuberant, well-regarded "Get Me Roger Stone" released in 2017. Critics claim he has heavily burnished his role in crucial events - his candidates have lost as often as won. But Mr Trump took him seriously. They met in 1979 in the offices of legendary mob lawyer Roy Cohn, who schooled Mr Stone in New York's hardball politics and who also worked for Mr Trump's real estate-developer father. Longtime Donald Trump associate Roger Stone arrives to testify before the House Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington in September 2017 Credit: AP A year later, Mr Stone joined with lawyer Paul Manafort - who became Trump's campaign chair in 2016 - to form a Republican legal and political consultancy. When Mr Trump mulled running for the White House in 2000, he called on Mr Stone for advice. And when he finally did run in 2015, Mr Stone was one of the first on board. He later left amid reports of infighting but continued communicating with Mr Trump on occasion and stayed plugged into the circle of advisers - both formal and informal - who worked with and around the president. He got banned from cable news channels for threatening a host, was accused of peddling false stories about Sen. Ted Cruz to the tabloids and cultivated support for Mr Trump among the fringes of the conservative online movement, including Alex Jones' InfoWars. Stone had predicted his own arrest for months, trying to raise money for his defence online while making sure to stay in MrTrump's good graces, perhaps with an eye on a presidential pardon down the road. At a glance | Who has been charged by the Russia investigation Mr Trump tweeted that Stone's arrest was part of the "Greatest Witch Hunt in the History of our Country!" Last month, after Stone said he would not testify against the president, Mr Trump praised his "guts." Having long lived by the code that "It's better to be infamous than never famous at all," Stone almost seemed to beam outside the Ft. Lauderdale courthouse after his arrest. Denying any wrongdoing, he decried his arrest as motivated by the president's political enemies and as an example of overreach by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating 2016 election interference and possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. "There is no circumstance whatsoever under which I will bear false witness against the president nor will I make up lies to ease the pressure on myself," Stone said after being released. Sam Nunberg, who also worked on the early stages of the Trump campaign, said Stone would relish the legal spotlight. "This is going to be OJ-esque," said Nunberg, referring to OJ Simpson, the former NFL star whose 1990s murder trial captivated a nation. "Roger will love every minute of it and while prosecutors may say this is a slam dunk case, don't count him out."
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| Wilbur Ross food bank: Most Americans can't pay $1,000 emergency expense Posted: 25 Jan 2019 12:35 PM PST  Most Americans can't afford $1000 emergency expense, new survey shows. It belies Commerce Sec. Ross's remarks that federal workers can just get a loan
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| I've Come to See the Conventional Sedan as an Anachronism Posted: 26 Jan 2019 06:15 AM PST  Sedans will have to offer something special to survive in a world determined to marginalize them.
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| U.S peace envoy visits Kabul to consult president on talks with Taliban Posted: 27 Jan 2019 04:37 AM PST  With Khalilzad and his boss U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well Taliban officials, hailing progress toward ending America's longest war, he must now win over President Ashraf Ghani -- whose government the Taliban have so far kept out of the process. Six days of talks ended in Qatar on Saturday with key parts of a draft pact mapped out, including an 18-month timeline for the withdrawal of foreign troops after the completion of a deal, according to Taliban officials. The draft also includes assurances from the hardline Islamic group that it will not allow Afghanistan to be used by al-Qaeda and Islamic State to attack the U.S. and its allies - a core U.S. demand.
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| Macedonia PM salutes courage of Greek deputies Posted: 26 Jan 2019 06:35 AM PST  Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev on Saturday paid tribute to the courage of Greek lawmakers after their vote to approve the renaming of his country to settle a decades-old dispute. "We all know very well that it wasn't easy," he told a conference in the city of Veles, a day after the 300-seat Greek parliament narrowly approved the measure. Since 1991, Athens had objected to its neighbour being called Macedonia because Greece has a northern province of the same name.
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