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UPDATE 1-Ethiopian parliament approves electoral, political parties bill- state broadcaster

Ethiopia's parliament has approved an electoral and political parties draft bill, the state broadcaster reported on Saturday, paving the way for national elections next year, the first to be held under reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. On August 9 Ethiopia's ruling coalition said it will hold a national election in 2020, defying worries over security and displaced people within the country that had led some to speculate the election might be postponed. "The parliament unanimously approved the revised bill," the Ethiopian Broadcast Corporation (EBC) reported.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 06:32:43 -0400

France delays signing of Internet pledge amid US pressure

France delayed the planned signing of a pledge by Internet platforms to fight hate speech online amid pressure from the United States, a French minister said, adding that he was still hopeful the U.S. will join the initiative. France, which is hosting the G7 summit in Biarritz, was initially hoping to make social media giants sign a so-called "Charter for an Open, Free, and Safe Internet" on Friday, according to the official programme. "The Charter will be signed by major digital stakeholders in Paris on 23 August, before being presented to the G7 States in Biarritz," the programme read.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 06:18:48 -0400

"We are hostages": Two years on, Rohingya still in Myanmar trapped by new war

When Myanmar officials toured refugee camps in Bangladesh last month, inviting Rohingya Muslims who fled the country to return, they brought with them pamphlets adorned with cartoons showing hijab-wearing women passing through checkpoints and happily grasping identity cards. While the majority of Rohingya residents of northwestern Myanmar were driven out by a military campaign that began in August 2017, a scattered community of some 200,000 remained behind in Rakhine state, in villages that were spared the violence. Since late last year, government troops have been battling the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group that recruits from the mostly Buddhist Rakhine, who make up the majority in the region.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 06:18:16 -0400

Severe storms possible in central US as Northeast gets early taste of fall

More storms should fire along this stationary front both Sunday and Monday as the system slowly begins to slide east. Storms could drop heavy rain from Kansas to Alabama, with 4 inches or more of rain locally through Monday. An area of low pressure over southern Florida Saturday morning is producing tropical rain showers along the Atlantic coast and into parts of the Bahamas.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 05:59:22 -0400

UPDATE 1-South Africa to publish Eskom plans in next few weeks

The South African government in the next few weeks will publish a paper outlining how it plans to put troubled state power utility Eskom on a path to long-term stability, the Department of Public Enterprises said on Saturday. Eskom, which supplies more than 90% of the power in Africa's most advanced economy, is reliant on state bailouts to survive and has had to implement rolling power cuts. President Cyril Ramaphosa has proposed a bailout and restructuring, but it is not clear how this will be balanced with political sensitivity to job cuts nor whether it will be enough to fix Eskom's problems.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 05:53:17 -0400

North Macedonia van crash kills migrant; 12 others injured

North Macedonia police say a 20-year old migrant from Bangladesh was killed and 12 others injured when a van packed with migrants collided with a truck on the main highway in the south. Police said Saturday that a van with 13 migrants hit the rear of the truck near the town of Demir Kapija late Friday and caught fire. Four seriously injured migrants were transferred to clinics in the capital Skopje, while eight others are being treated at a hospital in the town of Kavadarci.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 05:47:18 -0400

Former Houston police officer Gerald Goines charged with 2 counts of murder in botched raid

The former Houston police officer who allegedly lied in order to obtain a search warrant for a city residence has been charged with murder after a raid on that home resulted in the deaths of a couple inside. Gerald Goines was charged Friday with two counts of murder related to the botched narcotics raid that took place at a home in southeast Houston on Jan. 28.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 05:25:00 -0400

Tanzania says South Africa impounds Airbus plane

South African authorities have impounded an Airbus 220-300 aircraft leased by Tanzania's national flag carrier, the Tanzanian government said. The plane had been scheduled to fly from the Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Friday. "The plane was impounded following an order issued by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg," Tanzania's transport ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 05:17:14 -0400

Typhoon shuts businesses, forces flight cancellations in southern Taiwan

Taiwan braced for typhoon Bailu on Saturday, shutting businesses and schools as airlines cancelled hundreds of flights amid warnings of landslides, floods and high seas on the island. Typhoon Bailu, categorised at the weakest typhoon level by Taiwan's weather bureau, made landfall in Saturday afternoon in the southern county of Pingtung with maximum winds of 137 km (85 miles) per hour. The storm, which was the first to make landfall on the island in more than two years, cut power to nearly 30,000 homes and caused localized flooding in southern Taiwan.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 04:39:22 -0400

REFILE-UPDATE 1-Global disputes likely to thwart unity at G7 summit in France

Leaders of the G7 nations began arriving in France on Saturday for a summit as a U.S.-China row over protectionism highlighted President Emmanuel Macron's tough task in delivering real results on trade, Iran and climate change. The three-day meeting in the Atlantic seaside resort of Biarritz takes place amid sharp differences over a clutch of global issues that risk further dividing a group of countries already struggling to speak with one voice. Summit host Macron wants the leaders of Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States to focus on the defence of democracy, gender equality, education and climate change, and has invited leaders from Asia, Africa and Latin America to join them for a global push on these issues.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 04:31:52 -0400

Iranian tanker switches destination, heads to Turkey - ship-tracking data

An Iranian tanker at the centre of a confrontation between Washington and Tehran has switched destination and is now heading to Turkey instead of southern Greece, data from real-time ship tracking website MarineTraffic showed on Saturday. The Adrian Darya, formerly called Grace 1, was released from detention off Gibraltar after a five-week standoff over whether it was carrying Iranian oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions in mid-August. The United States, which says the tanker is controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, deemed a terrorist group by Washington, has told countries in the region not to assist it.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 04:08:36 -0400

Former Indian finance minister Arun Jaitley dies aged 66

Arun Jaitley, the former Indian finance minister and one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s closest associates, died in hospital on Saturday, nearly two weeks after he was admitted following breathing difficulties, officials said. Jaitley, 66, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stepped down as finance minister in January due to ill health, just months before elections that returned Modi's Hindu nationalists to power.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 04:02:07 -0400

Russia test fires missiles from submarines in the Barents Sea

Russia test-fired Sineva and Bulava ballistic missiles from two submarines from the polar region of the Arctic Ocean and from the Barents Sea on Saturday as part of combat training, the Defence Ministry said in a statement. The Sineva, a liquid-fueled intercontinental missile, was fired from the Tula submarine, while a Bulava, Russian newest solid-fuelled missile, was launched from the Yuri Dolgoruky submarine, the ministry said.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 04:01:53 -0400

UPDATE 1-Iran test fires new missile- Iran Revolutionary Guards commander

Iran has test fired a new missile, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Major General Hossein Salami, said on Saturday, according to the Tasnim news agency. "Our country is always the arena for testing a variety of defense and strategic systems and these are non-stop movements towards the growth of our deterrent power," Salami said. U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of an international agreement on Iran's nuclear programme last year and stepped up sanctions on Tehran in order to curb its development of ballistic missiles and its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 03:55:16 -0400

Russian spacecraft carrying robot fails to dock with space station

A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a humanoid robot failed to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, Russian news agencies reported, citing a live broadcast. The FEDOR (Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research) robot on its way to the ISS on a planned two-week mission to support the crew and test its skills. The docking process, originally planned for 0530 GMT, failed due to issues related to the automatic docking system, news agency, Interfax added, cited NASA TV as saying.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 03:06:29 -0400

Rescuers confirm three killed, 300 evacuated after Indonesian ferry fire

Indonesian rescuers found three people dead and evacuated 300 from the blazing wreckage of a ferry off the coast of Java island, an official said on Saturday, significantly more than were originally said to have been on board the vessel. The KM Santika Nusantara was travelling between Indonesia's second-largest city of Surabaya and the town of Balikpapan on Borneo island when it caught fire on Thursday evening, government official Syahrul Nugroho told TV channel TV One. Officials have given no details about the possible cause of the fire.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 03:03:45 -0400

Russian spacecraft carrying robot fails to dock with space station

A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a humanoid robot failed to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, Russian news agencies reported, citing a live broadcast. The FEDOR (Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research) robot on its way to the ISS on a planned two-week mission to support the crew and test its skills. The docking process, originally planned for 0530 GMT, failed due to issues related to the automatic docking system, news agency, Interfax added, cited NASA TV as saying.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 03:00:06 -0400

President Trump discusses Amazon fires with controversial Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro

President Donald Trump spoke to counterpart Jair Bolsonaro on the phone Friday, the same day the Brazilian president authorized his country's army to assist in fighting massive wildfires currently consuming parts of the Amazon rainforest. Trump says he spoke with Bolsonaro and offered U.S. assistance in fighting the Amazon fires. "Just spoke with President @JairBolsonaro of Brazil," Trump tweeted.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 02:53:42 -0400

75 years later, US World War II veterans say: Never forget

Seventy-five years ago, they helped free Europe from the Nazis. This weekend, U.S. veterans are back in Paris to celebrate, and commemorate. Now in their 90s, these men aren't afraid to cry about what they saw in World War II. And they want everyone to remember what happened back then, so that it doesn't happen again.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 02:25:16 -0400

Chinese ship inches closer to Vietnam coastline amid South China Sea tensions

A Chinese survey vessel on Saturday extended its activities to an area closer to Vietnam's coastline, ship tracking data showed, after the United States and Australia expressed concern about China's actions in the disputed waterways. The Haiyang Dizhi 8 vessel first entered Vietnam's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) early last month where it began a weeks-long seismic survey, triggering a tense standoff between military and coastguard vessels from Vietnam and China. The Chinese vessel continued to survey Vietnam's EEZ on Saturday under escort from at least four ships and was around 102 kilometres (63 miles) southeast of Vietnam's Phu Quy island and 185 kilometres (115 miles) from the beaches of the southern city of Phan Thiet, according to data from Marine Traffic, a website that tracks vessel movements.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 01:35:00 -0400

Florida man convicted in parking lot shooting of black man

A white Florida man who told detectives he had a "pet peeve" about illegal parking in handicapped spots was convicted late Friday of manslaughter for the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man outside a convenience store. Security video recorded McGlockton leaving the store and shoving Drejka to the ground.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 00:58:14 -0400

Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs. A Bosnian-Dutch film about a girl leaving the Netherlands and returning to her native Bosnia to visit the sick father she has never met was chosen on Thursday as the best movie at the Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), celebrating its silver jubilee. The jury chaired by Swedish film-maker Ruben Ostlund, whose film "The Square" won Cannes' Palme d'Or in 2017, awarded "Take Me Somewhere Nice" by Bosnian director Ena Sendijarevic with the 16,000 euros ($17,736) Heart of Sarajevo award.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 00:56:02 -0400

Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. GlaxoSmithKline said an experimental multiple myeloma treatment has shown a meaningful response in patients that have run out of three previous treatment options, in a boost for the British drugmaker's cancer drug business. Two doses of belantamab mafodotin helped subdue the disease in adults who had received three prior treatments for multiple myeloma, a cancer of the white blood cells, GSK said on Friday.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 00:56:01 -0400

Reuters People News Summary

A judge in Chicago on Friday named a special prosecutor to probe the case involving former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett's allegation that he was the victim of a racist attack, which authorities have ruled a hoax. Cook County Judge Michael Toomin appointed former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb to investigate the case. A former publicist for Michael Jackson on Thursday announced plans for a charitable foundation not affiliated with the late pop singer's family or estate, intended to defend and promote the legacy of the controversial entertainer.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 00:56:00 -0400

Reuters Science News Summary

Following is a summary of current science news briefs. Scientists in Florida have artificially induced reproductive spawning of an endangered Atlantic coral species for the first time in an aquarium setting, a breakthrough they say holds great promise in efforts to restore depleted reefs in the wild. The achievement, announced this week at the Florida Aquarium in Apollo Beach near Tampa, borrowed from lab techniques developed at the London-based Horniman Museum and Gardens and used previously to induce spawning of 18 species of Pacific coral, officials said.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 00:55:59 -0400

WRAPUP 4-Hong Kong police use tear gas to counter protest petrol bombs

Hong Kong police used tear gas to break up anti-government protests in a gritty industrial suburb on Saturday after some activists threw petrol bombs and bricks, as China freed a British consulate worker whose detention helped fuel tension. Police used tear gas after some protesters threw Molotov cocktails and bricks and others tore up "smart" lamp posts equipped with surveillance cameras.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 00:48:50 -0400

UPDATE 2-Trump says he wouldn't stop Fed Chair Powell if he offered to resign

U.S. President Donald Trump sharply criticized Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Friday and said he wouldn't try to stop the chief U.S. central banker if he offered to resign. "I don't think he's doing a good job at all," Trump told reporters as he left the White House shortly before midnight on Friday. Asked if he wanted Powell to resign, Trump replied: "Do I want him to resign?

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 00:19:17 -0400

Police: Texas boy subject of Amber Alert, mother found dead

Police say a 6-year-old boy who was the subject of an Amber Alert has been found dead along with his mother in a vehicle in a parking garage in Waxahachie, Texas. Waxahachie police say in a statement that the body of Phillip Weidemann, whose father reported him missing earlier Friday, was found along with that of his mother, Candace Harbin, who was wanted for kidnapping him. The boy's father, John Wiedemann, and Harbin were estranged.

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 00:04:25 -0400

Trump heads to France after ratcheting up China trade war

President Donald Trump is heading to France for an annual summit of leaders of the world's richest democracies. Trump departed Washington late Friday hours after he escalated a long-running trade fight with China by raising tariffs. Trump also blamed the state of the U.S. economy on the man he chose to lead the Federal Reserve.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 23:39:20 -0400

Illinois state trooper dies after being shot serving warrant

The Illinois state trooper who was shot early Friday morning while serving a warrant in East St. Louis has died, police said. Nicholas Hopkins, who was a member of the state police's SWAT unit, was shot at approximately 5:26 a.m. and was pronounced dead at a local hospital at 6:10 p.m. The 33-year-old had been with the Illinois State Police for 10 years. "It is with profound heartache and unfathomable sadness that we inform you of the death of Trooper Nicholas Hopkins.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 23:24:38 -0400

Employee of Britain's Hong Kong mission held in China released - police

An employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong who was detained in China's border city of Shenzhen amid accusations of outside interference in pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong was released on Saturday, Chinese police said. Simon Cheng was detained for 15 days for violating public security management regulations, police in Shenzhen's Luohu district said on their Twitter-like Weibo account.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 23:22:43 -0400

Michael Drejka, who invoked 'stand your ground' defense in shooting of unarmed man, found guilty of manslaughter

The man accused of shooting a Florida father in front of his family in an argument over a handicap parking space outside a convenience store has been found guilty of manslaughter. Michael Drejka had argued he acted in self-defense, and initially invoked the controversial "stand your ground" law that earned widespread attention during the trial of George Zimmerman in 2013. Just hours after gunning Markeis McGlockton down, Drejka told detectives he opened fire when the unarmed man shoved him to the ground and took one step toward him, a scenario that appears to go against a security video showing the victim step back when he saw the suspect pull a firearm.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 22:57:00 -0400

51 homes, 3 businesses lost in Alaska wildfire

A wildfire burning north of Anchorage, Alaska, has destroyed 51 homes and three businesses, officials said Friday. Another 84 buildings between the communities of Willow and Talkeetna, about 70 miles north of the state's largest city, also have been destroyed, fire information manager Kale Casey said. Hundreds of people have been evacuated because of the fire that started Sunday night along the Parks Highway, the main thoroughfare that connects Anchorage to Denali National Park and Preserve and Fairbanks.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 22:54:47 -0400

The Latest: Florida man convicted in parking lot shooting

A Florida jury has convicted a white man of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man in a dispute over a handicapped parking spot. Drejka had confronted McGlockton's girlfriend for parking in a handicapped space while McGlockton went into a convenience store.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 22:45:38 -0400

China to raise import tariffs on U.S. scrap copper, aluminium from Dec 15

* China will impose an extra 5% tariff on imports of copper scrap and aluminium scrap from the United States from Dec. 15, according to a list of retaliatory tariffs published by the Ministry of Finance late on Friday. * Beijing had already levied a 25% tariff on copper scrap from the United States, one of its biggest suppliers, in a previous round of duties and twice hit U.S. scrap aluminium with a 25% tariff in 2018.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 22:44:08 -0400

'Shock' investment urged to stem flow of Central American migrants

Regional leaders on Friday called for "shock" investment in infrastructure in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador to reduce the number of migrants flowing from the three economically fragile countries, bound for the United States. Efforts to stem the flow of Central Americans, many seeking legal asylum in the United States, have gained impetus as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to pursue a mix of threats and stepped-up immigration enforcement.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 21:37:03 -0400

This 'Sleeping Beauty' makeup collection is the stuff childhood dreams are made of

Bésame Cosmetics has launched a "Sleeping Beauty"-themed Disney makeup collection, and it's just as mesmerizing as one would imagine. In August, the brand began teasing that a special collection was coming, and Friday, Sleeping Beauty: The 1959 collection was released. The line was inspired by the story of Princess Aurora, and currently has eight whimsical products.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 21:31:19 -0400

Ewan McGregor to return as Obi-Wan in new 'Star Wars' streaming TV series

Ewan McGregor will reprise his "Star Wars" role as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi in a series for the upcoming Disney+ streaming service, the actor announced to fans of the beloved movie franchise on Friday. McGregor surprised the crowd at Walt Disney Co's D23 Expo fan convention, walking on stage to loud cheers and applause. "It's been four years of saying 'well, I don't know,'" in response to fan questions, McGregor told the crowd.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 21:27:39 -0400

Ewan McGregor to return as Obi-Wan in new 'Star Wars' streaming TV series

Ewan McGregor will reprise his "Star Wars" role as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi in a series for the upcoming Disney+ streaming service, the actor announced to fans of the beloved movie franchise on Friday. McGregor surprised the crowd at Walt Disney Co's D23 Expo fan convention, walking on stage to loud cheers and applause. "It's been four years of saying 'well, I don't know,'" in response to fan questions, McGregor told the crowd.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 21:23:02 -0400

Hong Kong airport operating normally despite planned "stress test" protest

Hong Kong's airport and the roads and railways leading to it were operating normally early on Saturday despite plans by protesters to implement a "stress test" of transport links to the aviation hub early in the day. Train stations feeding the airport, as well as roads to it, were largely clear, with a light police presence along some access routes. Authorities had taken out a court order to prevent demonstrations at the airport, which was forced to close for part of last week after protesters thronged the main terminal for several days, grounding around 1000 flights and occasionally clashing with police.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 21:17:50 -0400

Illinois trooper serving warrant dies from gunshot wounds

An Illinois State Police trooper died from wounds suffered early Friday while executing a search warrant in East St. Louis. Trooper Nicholas Hopkins, 33, of Waterloo, a 10-year veteran of the force, was wounded during an exchange of gunfire while serving the warrant at an East St. Louis home, said State Police Acting Director Brendan Kelly. Police didn't say if anyone else was shot, nor have they revealed the issues addressed in the search warrant.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 21:14:20 -0400

DA objects to deal in lawsuit over Houston area bail system

The top prosecutor in Texas' most populous county is opposing parts of a proposed settlement in a federal lawsuit over the county's bail system, which had been deemed unconstitutional by a federal judge. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg had previously supported the lawsuit, calling for "immediate reform to the bail system." The 2016 lawsuit argues it is unjust that many misdemeanor defendants remain jailed because they are too poor to afford bail. Ogg's objections include the possibility the proposed agreement could create roadblocks "to ensuring the regular and timely appearance of a defendant in court" and could put victims in danger because judges would not be able to issue timely protective measures in cases like domestic violence or stalking because defendants would not be required to appear in court until three days after their release from jail.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 21:09:27 -0400

Disney will bring back 'Lizzie McGuire' with Hilary Duff

Speaking with "Good Morning America," Duff explained that the new series will center on a 30-year-old Lizzie, who's working as an apprentice to an interior designer in New York City and is engaged to a chef. "She is everyone's best friend and there are big hurdles to climb over when you're 30," Duff said. "Lizzie McGuire" premiered on Disney Channel in 2001, and starred Duff as a 13-year-old trying to navigate junior high school.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 21:03:00 -0400

UPDATE 2-Psychologist approved Jeffrey's Epstein's removal from suicide watch

A psychologist at the federal detention center in New York City where financier Jeffrey Epstein was jailed on sex-trafficking charges had approved his removal from suicide watch before he killed himself, the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday. The disclosure came in a letter dated on Thursday from Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd and addressed to the leaders of the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, seeking details about the circumstances surrounding Epstein's death earlier this month. Epstein, who was 66, was found dead Aug. 10 in his cell inside a segregated housing unit of the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Lower Manhattan.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 20:51:02 -0400

Trump team defends 2020 campaign manager's compensation

President Donald Trump's 2020 campaign team on Thursday angrily disputed a news report that campaign chairman Brad Parscale is profiting excessively from his work for Trump. Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh rejected as false anonymous allegations in The Daily Mail that Parscale was getting a cut of 2020 campaign donations. "The suggestion that he is siphoning off a percentage of donations is a lie," Murtaugh said in a statement.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 20:34:00 -0400

Japan, U.S. reach framework trade pact, no tariff cuts on Japan cars - Nikkei

The United States and Japan have reached the broad framework of a trade agreement, with Washington maintaining tariffs on Japanese autos but Tokyo cutting tariffs on U.S. beef and pork, Japan's Nikkei business daily said on Saturday. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi reached the deal on Friday in Washington, and it will be announced at a meeting of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expected on Sunday on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Biarritz, France, the newspaper said. The report comes shortly after Motegi told reporters in Washington that he and Lighthizer had made "big progress" in their talks.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 20:26:04 -0400

Psychologist approved Jeffrey Epstein's removal from suicide watch

A psychologist at the federal detention center in New York City where financier Jeffrey Epstein was jailed on sex-trafficking charges had approved his removal from suicide watch before he killed himself, the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday. The disclosure came in a letter dated on Thursday from Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd and addressed to the leaders of the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, seeking details about the circumstances surrounding Epstein's death earlier this month. Epstein, who was 66, was found dead Aug. 10 in his cell inside a segregated housing unit of the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Lower Manhattan.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 20:19:26 -0400

EXPLAINER-What tools could Trump use to get U.S. firms to quit China?

Hours after China announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods on Friday, President Donald Trump ordered U.S. companies to "start looking for an alternative to China, including bringing your companies HOME and making your products in the USA.". The stakes are high: U.S. companies invested a total of $256 billion in China between 1990 and 2017, compared with $140 billion Chinese companies have invested in the United States, according to estimates by the Rhodium Group research institute. Some U.S. companies had been shifting operations out of China even before the tit-for-tat tariff trade war began more than a year ago.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 20:19:09 -0400

U.S. aware of reports of North Korea missile launch, consulting with allies -official

The United States is aware of reports of a North Korean missile launch and is consulting with Japan and South Korea, a senior administration official said on Friday. "We are aware of reports of a missile launch from North Korea, and continue to monitor the situation.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 20:14:08 -0400

The Latest: Wounded Illinois trooper dies from injuries

An Illinois State Police trooper has died from gunshot wounds suffered while executing a search warrant in East St. Louis. Illinois State Police Acting Director Brendan Kelly says 33-year-old Trooper Nicholas Hopkins, a 10-year veteran, died in St. Louis University Hospital.

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 20:12:48 -0400

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