News Daypop Archives

President Trump Issues Harsh Attack On Germany At NATO Summit

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President Donald Trump launched a sharp public attack on Germany on Wednesday for supporting a Baltic Sea gas pipeline deal with Russia, saying Berlin had become “a captive to Russia” and he criticized it for failing to raise defense spending more. Trump met reporters with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, before a NATO summit in Brussels, said it was “very inappropriate” that the United States was paying for European defense against Russia while Germany, the biggest European economy, was supporting gas deals with Moscow.. ...Read Full Story

Federal Judge Warns Trump Administration To Meet Deadline On Family Reunification

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A federal judge on Tuesday told the Trump administration to adhere to the deadline for reuniting children separated from their parents under the “zero tolerance” policy, even as officials have said they’ll be unable to meet it. U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw stuck to his Tuesday deadline for the youngest children to be returned to their parents, despite government officials indicating they’d be unable to meet the target.  “These are firm deadlines; they are not aspirational goals,” Sabraw said. “I would like the process to continue as expeditiously as it has been with paramount focus on the children’s welfare.”  The judge additionally asked for an update from the government on the reunification process by Thursday. Government lawyers said that U.S. officials will only be able to reunite 75 of 102 children under the age of 5 in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services. The others are not eligible to be reunited because their parents have criminal records, haven’t been verified or have been otherwise ruled unfit.. ...Read Full Story

Facebook Faces First Fine Over Cambridge Analytica Scandal

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On Tuesday, Facebook was hit with its first fine related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which involved the data firm obtaining personal information on tens of millions of Facebook users without their consent. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), a privacy and data watchdog office in the United Kingdom, announced Tuesday that it would fine Facebook the maximum allowed penalty of $664,000 for what it said was improperly overlooked warning signs and for lacking overall privacy protections that could have prevented Cambridge Analytica from obtaining the sensitive data. In a statement, Facebook responded to the findings by acknowledging it “should have done more to investigate claims about Cambridge Analytica and take action in 2015.”  Facebook admitted back in April that as many as 87 million people could have had their data shared with Cambridge Analytica. Cambridge Analytica has maintained that none of the data obtained without the knowledge of Facebook users was shared with or used for the purposes of the Trump campaign during the 2016 election. . ...Read Full Story

UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson Resigns Over Brexit Plan

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UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has become the second cabinet minister to quit, as divisions over Brexit deepen a political crisis threatening Prime Minister Theresa May’s government. Johnson’s departure on Monday came a day after David Davis, the British minister in charge of Brexit negotiations, also stepped down amid disagreement’s over the country’s strategy. The two resignations raise questions over whether May will stand firm in her commitment to pursuing Brexit, or will be faced with more resignations and calls to quit herself. “This afternoon, the Prime Minister accepted the resignation of Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary,” May’s spokesman said in a statement. “His replacement will be announced shortly. The Prime Minister thanks Boris for his work.”. ...Read Full Story

Thai Cave Rescue: Seven Boys Now Freed As Mission To Save Others Continues

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Four more youngsters have reportedly been freed from the flooded Thai cave – a day after four boys were pulled from the complex. The second phase of the dangerous operation to rescue the youth football team began on Monday. It was confirmed at 11am BST that a fifth boy had been freed. An hour later, two more were reportedly taken to safety. And an eighth was seen on a stretcher at around 1pm BST, a witness said.  Four boys and their coach remain trapped amid a race against time and water. Those rescued so far are said to be in “good health”. Rescuers have been rushing to save the boys – aged 11 to 16 – and their coach from the cave as monsoon rains bore down on the mountainous region in far northern Chiang Rai province. Authorities said heavy downpours overnight did not raise water levels in the cave, where workers continue to pump water out. Local official Narongsak Osottanakorn said: “Today we are ready like before. And we will do it faster because we are afraid of the rain.”. ...Read Full Story

U.K.’s Senior Official In Charge Of Brexit, David Davis, Resigns

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Britain’s senior official in charge of negotiating the country’s exit from the European Union resigned Sunday. David Davis’ resignation comes days after Prime Minister Theresa May secured the cabinet’s backing for her Brexit plan. Davis was a strong pro-Brexit voice in a Cabinet divided between supporters of a clean break with the bloc and those who want to keep close ties. On Friday, Davis and the rest of May’s fractious Cabinet agreed on a plan for ties with the EU after the U.K. leaves next year.  On Monday, May is due to brief lawmakers on the plan agreed by the Cabinet during its 12-hour meeting. It seeks to keep the U.K. and the EU in a free-trade zone for goods, and commits Britain to maintaining the same rules as the bloc for goods and agricultural products. Less than nine months remain until Britain leaves the bloc on March 29, 2019. The EU has warned Britain that time is running out to seal a divorce deal.. ...Read Full Story

Puerto Rican Mayor And Two Other Government Officials Arrested On Corruption Charges

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A mayor and two former government officials in Puerto Rico face public corruption charges in separate cases that involve a total of $8 million in federal and local funds, authorities said Thursday. The suspects are the mayor of the southwest town of Sabana Grande and the former directors of finance for the northern town of Toa Baja. U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez told reporters that the former officials from Toa Baja are accused of using nearly $5 million worth of federal funds to pay the town’s public employees and municipal contractors. Toa Baja’s former interim finance director, Angel Roberto Santos Garcia, is accused of making similar transactions worth $650,000 using funds from those two federal agencies. A spokeswoman for Ortiz could not be immediately reached for comment. The arrests come as Puerto Rico struggles to recuperate from Hurricane Maria and tries to restructure a portion of its $70 billion public debt load.. ...Read Full Story

Scott Pruitt Resigns As EPA Administrator Amid Ethics Scandals

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Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has resigned after months of ethics controversies, citing “the unrelenting attacks” on himself and his family, which “have taken a sizable toll on all of us.” President Donald Trump first tweeted the news Thursday that Pruitt had resigned. “I have accepted the resignation of Scott Pruitt as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency,” Trump tweeted. “Within the Agency Scott has done an outstanding job, and I will always be thankful to him for this.” Pruitt’s resignation follows months during which the EPA administrator has been embroiled in controversy. Trump said on Twitter that Pruitt’s recently Senate-confirmed deputy Andrew Wheeler will on Monday assume the duties of acting administrator of the EPA.. ...Read Full Story

Protester Climbs Statue Of Liberty On July 4 Shutting Down Liberty Island

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A protest against U.S. immigration policy forced the evacuation of the Statue of Liberty on the Fourth of July, and a woman held police at bay for hours after she climbed the base and sat by the statue’s robes. The woman’s climb forced thousands of visitors to leave the iconic American symbol on the nation’s birthday. About 100 feet above ground, the woman engaged in a four-hour standoff with police before two officers climbed up to the base and went over to her.  She and the officers edged around the statue toward a ladder, and she climbed down about 25 feet to the monument’s observation point and was taken into custody. The woman, Therese Okoumou, told police she was protesting the separation of immigrant children from parents who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. Jay W. Walker, an organizer with Rise and Resist, arranged the demonstration and said the other demonstrators had no idea the woman would make the climb, which wasn’t part of the planned protest. “We don’t know whether she had this planned before she ever got to Liberty Island or whether it was a spur-of-the-moment decision,” Walker said.  Visitors were forced to leave Liberty Island hours before its normal 6:15 p.m. closing time.. ...Read Full Story

Two Critically Ill From The Same Nerve Agent That Poisoned Ex-Russian Spy

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Tests on two Britons found unconscious in their home determined that they were poisoned by the same nerve agent used against a former Russian spy and his daughter earlier this year, British police said Wednesday. The discovery triggered new security precautions in the area of Amesbury, England, where the couple were sickened. The town is seven miles from Salisbury, where former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with the military-grade nerve agent Novichok in March. The British government blamed Russia for the attack. Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement. The man and the woman, both in their mid-40s, remain in critical condition. Investigators are now focusing on how and where the man and the woman came into contact with Novichok.. ...Read Full Story

12 Boys, Soccer Coach Found Alive in Flooded Cave In Thailand After More Than 1 Week

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Rescuers found 12 boys and their soccer coach alive deep inside a partially flooded cave in northern Thailand late Monday, more than a week after they disappeared and touched off a desperate search that drew international help and captivated the nation. Video released early Tuesday showed the boys in their soccer uniforms sitting on a dry area inside the cave above the water as a spotlight, apparently from a rescuer, illuminated their faces. Chiang Rai provincial Gov. Narongsak Osatanakorn said the 13 were in the process of being rescued, but he cautioned that they were not out of danger yet.  The discovery of the boys was captured on video and posted on the Thai Navy SEAL Facebook page. The youths appeared alert, chatty even and seemed anxious to see daylight again. Officials said the boys, ages 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach need to first be examined by navy doctors and fed before they can be extricated from the partially flooded cave, and even that could pose difficulties if the water level begins to rise, as it did earlier in the search.. ...Read Full Story

Evacuations Ordered As Fast-Growing Northern California Wildfires Spread

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A wildfire burning out of control in rural Northern California sent a stream of smoke over 70 miles south into the San Francisco Bay Area over the weekend.  The County Fire in Yolo and Lake Counties has burned at least 50 square miles northwest of San Francisco, and is only 2 percent contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. No injuries have been reported so far, but the blaze fueled by hot air and dry winds threatens more than 100 structures. Smoke from the fire drifted south, contributing to poor air quality across the Bay Area The agency said there was a “yellow” air quality alert due to the fires. “People with heart/lung disease, older adults, and children should consider reducing prolonged/heavy exertion,” the agency said.. ...Read Full Story

Plan In Place To Dismantle Korean Nuclear Program Within A Year

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The United States has a plan that would lead to the dismantling of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs in a year, U.S. National security adviser John Bolton said today, although U.S. intelligence reported signs that Pyongyang doesn’t intend to fully give up its arsenal. Bolton said top U.S. diplomat Mike Pompeo will be discussing that plan with North Korea in the near future. Bolton added that it would be to the North’s advantage to cooperate to see sanctions lifted quickly and aid from South Korea and Japan start to flow. Bolton’s remarks on CBS’ “Face the Nation” appeared to be the first time the Trump administration had publicly suggested a timeline for North Korea to fulfill the commitment leader Kim Jong Un made at a summit with President Donald Trump last month for the “complete denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula.. ...Read Full Story

Housing Assistance Extended For Nearly 1,700 Puerto Rican Hurricane Evacuees

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A judge has ordered federal emergency officials to extend vouchers for temporary hotel housing for nearly 1,700 Puerto Rican hurricane evacuees, saying ending the program could cause irreparable harm. The decision came shortly after civil rights group LatinoJustice PRLDEF filed a lawsuit seeking relief for the Puerto Ricans, whose federal housing assistance vouchers were set to expire at midnight Sunday, meaning the evacuees could have been evicted from the hotels. The order says the agency cannot end its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program until at least midnight on Tuesday. The organization is pushing to let families stay another six months. U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin of Massachusetts wrote that ending the program would drain other public resources.  In a statement, FEMA said it was “aware of the Judge’s ruling regarding the end of the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program for Puerto Rico and is working with its vendor and notifying hotels that the TSA program has been extended until 5 July to comply with the Court’s order.”. ...Read Full Story

5 People Dead In Shooting At Maryland’s Capital Gazette Newsroom

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Five people are dead and several others are injured after a shooting at a building where the Capital Gazette is located in Annapolis, Maryland, Thursday afternoon. The gunman, a Maryland man in his late 30s, targeted the Capital Gazette in the Annapolis shooting that killed five people, police said, and is now in custody. Police have not identified the man at this time, but he is currently being interrogated, Anne Arundel County police spokesman Lt. Ryan Frashure said at a press conference shortly after 5:30 p.m., about three hours after police first received reports of multiple gunshots fired. Officials did not have exact numbers of how many people were injured, around three people are being treated for injuries. The wounded are being treated at two local medical centers, including Anne Arundel Medical Center.. ...Read Full Story

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy Announces Retirement; President Trump Will Make His Second Supreme Court Pick

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Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement Wednesday. The 81-year-old Kennedy said in a statement he is stepping down after more than 30 years on the court. A Republican appointee, he has held the key vote on such high-profile issues as abortion, affirmative action, gay rights, guns, campaign finance and voting rights. Kennedy said he had informed his colleagues and President Trump of his plans, and that his retirement will take effect at the end of July. President Trump praised Kennedy as a man of “tremendous vision” and said his search for a new justice would begin “immediately.” Without Kennedy, the court will be split between four liberal justices who were appointed by Democratic presidents and four conservatives who were named by Republicans. Trump’s first high court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, was confirmed in April 2017. It is likely that the President will name a nominee within weeks, setting in motion a process that could allow confirmation by the time the court reconvenes in early October. Trump already has a list of 25 candidates — 24 judges and Utah Sen. Mike Lee — and has said he would choose a nominee from that list.. ...Read Full Story

Federal Judge Orders Separated Families To Be Reunited Within 30 Days

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A judge in California ordered United States border authorities to reunite separated families within 30 days. If children are younger than 5, they must be reunified within 14 days of the order issued by US District Judge Dana Sabraw in San Diego. Judge Sabraw, an appointee of former President Bush, also issued a nationwide injunction on future family separations, unless the parent is deemed unfit or doesn’t want to be with the child. He also requires the government to provide phone contact between parents and their children within 10 days. More than 2,000 children have been separated from their parents in recent weeks and placed in government-contracted shelters – hundreds of miles away, in some cases – under a now-abandoned policy toward families caught illegally entering the US.. ...Read Full Story

Supreme Court Rules For Anti-Abortion Clinics’ First Amendment Rights

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On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled that California cannot require “crisis pregnancy centers” to provide information about the availability of abortion services elsewhere in the state, a move that rules in favor of anti-abortion clinics that claimed state law violated their First Amendment rights. The case was brought by two “crisis pregnancy centers” and challenged a California law called the “California Reproductive Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care, and Transparency Act”, otherwise known as the FACT Act. The law required the clinics to notify pregnant women seeking services that California provides free or low-cost abortion services and tell the women if staff at the center are licensed healthcare professionals. The clinics argued the California law limited their right to free speech by requiring them to provide information on abortion, which they opposed.. ...Read Full Story

Supreme Court Upholds President Trump’s Travel Ban, Rejects Muslim Bias Claim

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A divided Supreme Court upheld President Donald Trump’s ban on travel from several mostly Muslim countries Tuesday, the conservative majority taking his side in a major ruling supporting his presidential power. One liberal justice said the court was making a historic mistake by refusing to recognize the ban discriminates against Muslims. The 5-4 decision was a big victory for President Trump in the court’s first substantive ruling on one of his administration’s policies. The ruling came on an issue that has been central for President Trump through his presidency. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion for the five conservative justices, including President Trump nominee Neil Gorsuch. Roberts wrote that the travel ban was well within U.S. presidents’ considerable authority over immigration and responsibility for keeping the nation safe. He rejected the challengers’ claim of anti-Muslim bias.. ...Read Full Story

FDA Approves First Drug Derived From Marijuana Plant

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first prescription drug derived from the marijuana plant, as a treatment for rare forms of epilepsy that primarily afflict children. The drug, called Epidiolex, is an oral solution containing highly purified cannabidiol (CBD), which is one of scores of chemicals in the cannabis sativa plant, commonly known as marijuana. The drug contains only trace amounts of the psychoactive element THC and does not induce euphoria. Epidiolex was approved for patients age 2 and older who suffer from Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes. Both cause uncontrolled daily seizures and put patients at high risk for other physical and intellectual disabilities, injury and early death. The disorders afflict fewer than 45,000 people in the United States, but experts expect Epidiolex to be prescribed for other types of epilepsy as well. The drug is the first treatment approved for Dravet syndrome. The medication, tested in three randomized, placebo-controlled trials with more than 500 patients, was effective in reducing seizures, the FDA said.. ...Read Full Story

President Trump Has Harsh Words For Rep. Maxine Waters After Restaurant Controversy Involving Kirstjen Nielsen And Sarah Sanders

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On Monday, President Donald Trump called Rep. Maxine Waters “an extraordinarily low IQ person” in response to a weekend speech in which the Los Angeles Democrat urged people opposed to the administration’s policies to confront cabinet members. Monday’s presidential tweet was apparently prompted by comments that Waters made Saturday, alluding to the heckling of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who was dining at a Mexican restaurant in Washington, D.C., last Tuesday when she was confronted by protesters, and White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders being asked last Friday to leave a Lexington, Virginia, restaurant by its owner. Rep. Waters had said: “Let’s make sure we show up wherever we have to show up. And if you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere.”. ...Read Full Story

U.S. Still Working On Reuniting Over 2,000 Children with Families

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A total of 500 were reunited with their families and 2,053 left to go, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reported this weekend. They also announced plans to partner with agencies in order to quickly return the remaining minors with their parents. The DHS assured it had a “well-coordinated” process in place to return the thousands of children separated from their guardians per the “zero tolerance” policy which until days ago was in full force along the U.S. southern border. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has implemented a tracking mechanism which they say will work to “”every minor and parent or guardian.” The DHS said  “The United States government knows the location of all children in its custody and is working to reunite them with their families.” These new details came after more than two months of confusion over how detained migrant parents, who are shuttled from facility to facility run by different government agencies, would ever reunite with their children, who are sent to shelters and foster homes scattered across the country.. ...Read Full Story

President Trump Calls For Immediate Deportation Of Undocumented Immigrants With ‘No Judges Or Court Cases’

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President Donald Trump said on Sunday that people who enter the United States illegally should be sent back immediately to where they came from without any judicial process, likening them to invaders who are trying to “break into” the country. In a series of tweets on Sunday, Trump said: “We cannot allow all of these people to invade our Country. When somebody comes in, we must immediately, with no Judges or Court Cases, bring them back from where they came.”  He then said, “Cannot accept all of the people trying to break into our Country. Strong Borders, No Crime!” It was unclear if Trump was advocating an expansion of the provision that allows expedited removals of illegal immigrants at or near the U.S. border, a policy his administration has encouraged since he took office. The President did not differentiate between illegal immigrants and people who entered the United States to seek asylum protection.. ...Read Full Story

Koko, The Gorilla Who Knew Sign Language, Dies At 46

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Koko, the gorilla who mastered sign language, has died. The Gorilla Foundation said the 46-year-old western lowland gorilla died in her sleep at the foundation’s preserve in Northern California’s Santa Cruz Mountains on Tuesday.  Koko was born at the San Francisco Zoo, and Francine Patterson began teaching the gorilla sign language as part of a Stanford University project in 1974. The foundation said “Koko’s capacity for language and empathy opened the minds and hearts of millions.” Koko appeared in many documentaries and twice in National Geographic magazine. The gorilla’s 1978 cover featured a photo that the animal had taken of herself in a mirror. The foundation said it will honor Koko’s legacy with a sign language application featuring Koko for the benefit of gorillas and children, as well as other projects.. ...Read Full Story

First Lady Melania Trump Visits Immigrant Children At Texas Detention Center

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Melania Trump visited two Texas facilities yesterday, which are housing some of the more than 2,300 migrant children sent by the U.S. government after their families entered the country illegally. The first lady visited the Upbring New Hope Children’s Center in McAllen, Texas on Thursday.  This comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order halting the practice of separating families. However, his policy of criminally prosecuting illegal border-crossers remains. . ...Read Full Story

Ex-Archbishop Of Washington, D.C. Suspended From Ministry After Sex Abuse Claims

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Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the former head of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., has been removed from public ministry by the Vatican following a “credible and substantiated” allegation of sexual abuse involving a teenager from nearly 50 years ago. Roman Catholic Church officials in New Jersey revealed that McCarrick, 87, also had been accused of sexual misconduct by adults three times in the past, and two of those accusations resulted in secret settlements. In a written statement, McCarrick said he was “shocked” when he learned of the allegation involving a minor some months ago and supported a thorough investigation by the police and the Archdiocese of New York, where he was working as a priest when the abuse allegedly occurred. McCarrick said, “While I have absolutely no recollection of this reported abuse, and believe in my innocence, I am sorry for the pain the person who brought the charges has gone through, as well as for the scandal such charges cause our people.” . ...Read Full Story

President Trump Signs Executive Order To Keep Families Together At Border

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Under growing pressure to act unilaterally to address the immigration crisis, on Wednesday President Donald Trump signed an executive order that he said would keep immigrant families at the border together. Trump said he didn’t like the sight of families being separated, but said the “zero tolerance” policy of prosecuting everyone who tries to cross the border illegally would continue. “It’s about keeping families together,” Trump said, “while ensuring we have a powerful, very strong border.” I think the word ‘compassion’ comes into it,” he said. “My wife feels strongly about it. I feel strongly about it. Anybody with a heart would feel this way,” he added. Vice President Mike Pence added that they are calling upon Congress to change the laws. Trump adds that the word “compassion” comes into it. Trump has been trying to win over congressional support on immigration amid a crisis along the border involving the separation of immigrant children from their families.. ...Read Full Story

Bipartisan Group Of Former US Attorneys Calls Attorney General Sessions To Stop Family Separation

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More than 75 former U.S. attorneys are calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to stop family separations, saying the decision to implement a policy that has led to more than 2,000 children taken from their parents. In a letter to Sessions, the bipartisan group says that under the Trump administration’s policy, prosecutors are told to prosecute everyone who crosses the border illegally for “illegal entry,” which they say forces them into a criminal process that requires children be separated, even though the crime is only a misdemeanor. Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Ken Magidson, signed the letter; and also wrote in an editorial Tuesday that the administration’s policy is legal, but not moral. He called on Sessions to give prosecutors discretion that would allow families to stay together.. ...Read Full Story

United States Withdraws From U.N. Human Rights Council

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The U.S. will withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley announced Tuesday. The decision to exit the U.N. comes after more than a year of calling for reform, and accusing it of an anti-Israel bias. However, it also comes just one day after its High Commissioner criticized the U.S. over President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, especially separating families at the U.S.-Mexican border. Haley blasted the U.N. body as a “hypocritical and self-serving organization that makes a mockery of human rights” and “is not worthy of its name.” She said that after repeated warnings by the Trump administration, “Regrettably, it is now clear that our call for reform was not heeded.” In her remarks Tuesday, Haley specifically cited countries like Venezuela and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, both of which are members of the body. The Human Rights Council was created in 2006 after its precursor the Human Rights Commission was disbanded by then-Secretary General Kofi Annan because of a “credibility deficit.” The body consists of 47 member states, with a specific number of seats given to each region of the world. . ...Read Full Story

Justice Department Investigating James Comey Memos After FBI Referral

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Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz said on Monday that his office is investigating fired FBI Director James Comey ’s private memos and whether any possible classified information in them was properly handled. Comey documented his interactions with President-elect and then President Trump in a series of documents. Some of the memos were shared with a law professor with the intent that its contents be provided to the New York Times.  Horowitz told the Senate Judiciary Committee, in response to a question from chairman Chuck Grassley, that “We received a referral on that from the FBI, we are handling that referral and we will issue a report when the matter is complete.”  Horowitz appeared alongside FBI Director Chris Wray in a hearing about last week’s release of his report about the FBI’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation. President Trump suggested that the report cleared him of wrongdoing. “It totally exonerates me. There was no collusion. There was no obstruction,” Trump told reporters last Friday.. ...Read Full Story

Former First Ladies Join Together To Condemn Trump Administration’s Family Separation Policy

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On Monday, former first lady Michelle Obama responded to the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy of separating immigrant parents from their children at the border, citing former First Lady Laura Bush’s condemnation, saying: “Sometimes truth transcends party.” Obama is now the fourth first lady to speak out against the policy, including the current first lady, Melania Trump. Hillary Clinton also responded to the policy, telling an audience in New York on Monday that it is a “moral and humanitarian crisis” and that “every human being with a sense of compassion and decency should be outraged.”. ...Read Full Story

Suspect Killed After Shooting At Walmart In Washington State

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Two people were shot and the suspect killed at a Walmart Supercenter in Tumwater, Washington state, police said Sunday. Police responded to a shooting just after 5 p.m. PDT at a Walmart Supercenter in Tumwater, Washington; Tumwater is about 65 miles south of Seattle.  Officers originally responded to a report of a car driving in the wrong direction, but as the officers were in route they were dispatched to reports of a carjacking nearby with shots fired.  Around 5:30 p.m. Thurston County Dispatch began receiving calls of shots fired “in or around the Tumwater Walmart and parking lot,” according to police. Police say the suspect exited the store and attempted to carjack a car in the parking lot, shooting an adult male occupant of the car in the process. The adult male victim was treated for gunshot wounds and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The suspect attempted another carjacking in the Walmart parking lot, and was approached by two armed civilians. One of the armed civilians shot the suspect, and the suspect died at the scene. . ...Read Full Story

Thousands Protest Administration’s Family Separation pPolicy

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Thousands of protesters chanted and held signs Sunday, demanding the Trump administration stops separating children from their parents at the border.  A newly-opened “tent city” along the Texas border is now at the center of the national immigration debate. The camp is housing teenage boys who illegally entered the United States — unaccompanied by an adult. The march was organized by Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke. “We were told there were 98 kids in this tent city yesterday, we were told today there are 200 kids,” O’Rourke said. “We’ve all got to own this, we cannot blame this on Trump, we cannot blame this on a political party — this is America right now, and so America’s gotta show up.” The Department of Homeland Security numbers show that over a six-week period, nearly 2,000 children were separated from nearly as many adults.. ...Read Full Story

Thousands Protest Administration’s Family Separation Policy

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Thousands of protesters chanted and held signs Sunday, demanding the Trump administration stops separating children from their parents at the border.  A newly-opened “tent city” along the Texas border is now at the center of the national immigration debate. The camp is housing teenage boys who illegally entered the United States — unaccompanied by an adult. The march was organized by Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke. “We were told there were 98 kids in this tent city yesterday, we were told today there are 200 kids,” O’Rourke said. “We’ve all got to own this, we cannot blame this on Trump, we cannot blame this on a political party — this is America right now, and so America’s gotta show up.” The Department of Homeland Security numbers show that over a six-week period, nearly 2,000 children were separated from nearly as many adults.. ...Read Full Story

Secretary Of State Mike Pompeo Says U.S. Will Not Ease Sanctions Until North Korea Denuclearizes

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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that the United States will not ease sanctions against North Korea until it denuclearizes. Pompeo, meeting in Seoul with top South Korean and Japanese diplomats, said Trump’s claim that the North’s nuclear threat was over was issued with “eyes wide open,” and brushed off a North Korean state media report suggesting Trump would grant concessions even before the North fully rids itself of nuclear weapons. “We’re going to get denuclearization,” Pompeo said in the South Korean capital. “Only then will there be relief from the sanctions.” Pompeo emphasized that the drills, which North Korea claims to be preparation for a northward invasion, could still be resumed if Kim Jong Un stops negotiating in good faith.. ...Read Full Story

Trump Foundation Is Sued By New York Attorney General Over “Misuse Of Charitable Assets”

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The New York attorney general has asked a judge to close down the Trump Foundation, accusing the charity of fraudulent dealings and campaign funding violations. Mr. Trump is accused of using charity money to buy a $10,000 painting of himself, to hang at one of his golf clubs, and of resolving a row about Mar-a-Lago with a donation to charity, made with foundation funds. He is also accused of using a foundation fundraiser to drum up political support for his presidential campaign. US law forbids using a charity to support “private interests” or political campaigns. Barbara Underwood, the attorney general, submitted the documents before the state supreme court in Manhattan on Thursday, at the end of a two-year investigation into the charity.. ...Read Full Story

Ex-Fraternity Member At Penn State Is First To Plead Guilty In Hazing Death

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A former Penn State fraternity brother has entered the first guilty plea in connection with the death of pledge Tim Piazza, who died after falling down fraternity house stairs during an alcohol-fueled hazing ritual, prosecutors said. Ryan Burke, who was accused of forcing Piazza to drink from a bottle of vodka the night of his fall, pleaded guilty Wednesday to four counts of hazing and five counts relating to unlawful acts involving liquor. Burke, now 21, admitted to his role in the hazing and will be sentenced on July 31, according to prosecutors.. ...Read Full Story

Incumbent Rep. Mark Sanford Loses In South Carolina Primary

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Rep. Mark Sanford, one of President Trump’s sharpest Republican critics in Congress, was ousted by a primary challenger on Tuesday after Trump waged a last-minute effort to defeat him. The South Carolina representative lost to state legislator Katie Arrington, who won Trump’s support just hours before the polls closed on Tuesday. Trump lashed out against Sanford, declaring him “nothing but trouble” in a tweet and referencing his 2009 extramarital affair. Sanford becomes just the second House Republican to lose in a primary this year. “Based on the numbers I see, I think I’ll end up losing this election,” a resigned Sanford told supporters Tuesday night. With nearly all the vote tallied, Arrington had slightly more than half the vote — enough to clinch the nomination and avoid a runoff.. ...Read Full Story

Gunman Kills 4 Child Hostages And Himself After Florida Standoff

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After a standoff of more than 21 hours, officers entered an apartment where a felon with a gun had barricaded himself with four children and found them all dead, a police chief said. Orlando Police Chief John Mina said at a news conference just before midnight Monday that Gary Wayne Lindsey, 35, was found dead in a closet when officers entered the apartment around 9 p.m. The children with Lindsey ranged in age from 1 to 11. Two of them were Lindsey’s and two were his girlfriend’s, officers said. A police spokeswoman said Tuesday that the medical examiner, as part of an investigation, would determine when the children were killed.  Court records show Lindsey had an extensive criminal history involving arson, battery and theft. He was on probation for several charges including arson.. ...Read Full Story

FBI Agent Whose Gun Went Off While Dancing In Nightclub Taken Into Custody

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An off-duty FBI agent who accidentally fired a gun that dropped out of its holster while he was doing a back-flip at a nightclub was booked into custody on Tuesday. Chase Bishop, 29, was being held in a detention center in downtown Denver. He faces charges for second-degree assault but he has not been formally charged. Denver police have said Bishop was dancing at a nightclub in the early hours of June 2 when the gun fell from his waistband holster and hit the floor. When he went to grab it, the gun went off and wounded a man who was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in good condition. Bishop is not assigned to the Denver office but works out of Washington, D.C.. ...Read Full Story

U.S. Sanctions Russians Over Military And Intelligence Hacking

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The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on three Russian individuals and five companies on Monday, saying they had worked with Moscow’s military and intelligence services on ways to conduct cyber attacks against the United States and its allies. The designation blocks all property of those targeted that is subject to U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits American citizens from engaging in transactions with them. In a statement, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said “The United States is engaged in an ongoing effort to counter malicious actors working at the behest of the Russian Federation and its military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s offensive cyber capabilities.”. ...Read Full Story

Supreme Court Sides With Ohio’s Voter-Purge Law

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The Supreme Court ruled Monday that Ohio’s law for removing voters from registration rolls does not violate federal laws to protect people who simply choose not to vote. In a 5-4 opinion that split the conservative and liberal justices ans written by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.,  the court rejected arguments in a case from Ohio that the practice violates a federal law intended to increase the ranks of registered voters. A handful of other states also use voters’ inactivity to trigger a process that could lead to their removal from the voting rolls. Justice Alito said for the court that Ohio is complying with the 1993 National Voter Registration Act. He was joined by his four conservative colleagues. The four liberal justices dissented.. ...Read Full Story

Wildfire In Colorado Forces More Evacuations As It Doubles In Size

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A growing wildfire in southwestern Colorado forced more people from their homes Sunday as crews tried to slow the blaze being fed by hot, dry and windy conditions. Authorities ordered the residents of 675 homes to evacuate after the fire burning north of Durango nearly doubled in size overnight, to 26 square miles. Residents of 2,156 homes have been ordered to evacuate as of Sunday afternoon. The cause of the blaze, which is being called the 416 Fire, which started in the San Juan National Forest, has not been determined.. ...Read Full Story

President Trump And Kim Jong Un Arrive in Singapore For Historic Summit Meeting

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President Trump arrived in Singapore on Sunday for his historic on-again-off-again meeting with the North Korea leader, Kim Jong-un. The meeting will be the first ever between a sitting American president and a North Korean leader. Just over two weeks ago, it seemed that the summit meeting was not going to happen. But on Sunday, Mr. Trump arrived just after 8:20 p.m. local time at Paya Lebar Air Base in Singapore aboard Air Force One, a few hours after Mr. Kim landed at Changi Airport on a commercial Air China plane. . ...Read Full Story

Facebook Accidentally Exposes 14 Million Users’ Private Posts

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On Thursday, social media platform Facebook acknowledged that it accidentally exposed the private posts of 14 million users over the span of a few days last month. From May 18 through May 22, when Facebook was testing a new feature, any posts published by those 14 million users were automatically made public — even if the user’s privacy settings should have restricted who could see them. Facebook corrected the mistake, and by May 27, it changed back the affected posts. That means someone could have unwittingly shared a post publicly for as long as nine days. Starting Thursday, Facebook is letting the affected users know and asking them to review any posts they made during that time.. ...Read Full Story

NASA Rover Finds Potential Building Blocks Of Life On Mars

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Scientists reported on Thursday that NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover has found fresh evidence for the red planet’s past — and possibly present — habitability. The nuclear-powered rover has detected a variety of organic compounds, a requirement for life as it’s known on Earth, in 3-billion-year-old rocks deposited on the floor of Gale Crater. While organics were discovered by the rover earlier, the age and variety of the newly analyzed samples strengthen the case for a habitable environment in the past. “We found organic molecules in rocks from an ancient lakebed,” said Jen Eigenbrode, a research scientist and astrobiologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. “Those organic molecules could have come from life.”. ...Read Full Story

President Trump Grants Alice Marie Johnson Clemency After Visit From Kim Kardashian West

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President Trump reportedly granted clemency to Alice Marie Johnson on Wednesday, days after Kim Kardashian West traveled to the White House to advocate for the Tennessee grandmother’s release.  Johnson — a 63-year-old woman who has spent more than two decades behind bars for a first-time nonviolent drug offense — was said to be among those on a shortlist of at least 30 people the President was considering pardoning, according to two sources familiar with the situation. Kardashian West met with Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner in the Oval Office last week in a bid to convince them to release Johnson from the federal prison in Aliceville, Alabama. She was handed a life sentence on charges related to cocaine possession and money laundering in 1996.. ...Read Full Story

White House Press Aide Kelly Sadler, Who Joked About John McCain’s Health, Leaves The White House

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A White House communications aide who made headlines in May for cracking a macabre joke about the health of Senator John McCain has left the White House. Kelly Sadler made off-the-cuff comments about the Republican senator’s opposition to President Trump’s nominee for C.I.A. director, Gina Haspel, saying that it did not matter because Mr. McCain was “dying anyway.” Mr. McCain has a malignant brain tumor and has been in treatment for several months. The joke was shared with the news media, igniting a firestorm. The White House addressed the departure in a brief statement on Tuesday evening, saying that Ms. Sadler was “no longer employed within the executive office of the president.” . ...Read Full Story

President Trump Abruptly Calls Off Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Celebration At White House

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President Trump abruptly called off the White House celebration honoring the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles after nearly all of the players and coaches said they would boycott the visit. White House officials said that fewer than 10 members of the team were planning to attend the celebration on Tuesday afternoon on the South Lawn, despite weeks of planning for the event. When it became clear that most members of the team would not attend, Mr. Trump issued a blistering statement disinviting them. “The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” Mr. Trump said in a statement released Monday evening. “They disagree with their president because he insists that they proudly stand for the national anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”. ...Read Full Story

Fashion Designer Kate Spade Found Dead In Her New York Apartment Of Apparent Suicide

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Fashion designer Kate Spade was found dead in an apparent suicide her Manhattan apartment, according to NY law enforcement officials. She was 55. Spade’s body was discovered by her housekeeper at her Upper East Side apartment. The Associated Press reported that Spade left a note and was found with a red scarf around her neck attached to a doorknob. Spade, a world-famous designer, launched Kate Spade Handbags in 1993 with her husband Andy Spade and opened her first store in New York City in 1996. Spade is the sister-in-law of actor David Spade. Spade sold her company in 2007, a year after it was acquired from the Neiman Marcus Group for $125 million by the company then known as Liz Claiborne Inc. In 2017, Coach bought the brand for $2.4 billion. In 2016, she launched a new shoes and handbag line called Frances Valentine, named after her daughter. Spade is survived by her husband Andy and their daughter, Frances Beatrix Spade, 13. . ...Read Full Story

Bruce Springsteen To Perform At Reopening Of Historic Asbury Lanes

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Bruce Springsteen will join Grammy-winning rock band Portugal. the Man next week in his hometown of Asbury Park, New Jersey for the reopening of concert venue Asbury Lanes. On Monday, June 18th, the event celebrates the renovation of Asbury’s bowling alley, newly outfitted as a music venue. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County.  An online lottery via the Asbury Lanes website is available only to Asbury Park residents as part of the commitment to honor the local community. The lottery will accept entries until 8 a.m. Eastern Time on June 7th. Asbury Park Now will also host a giveaway for a pair of tickets as well as a night at the newly-established boutique hotel, The Asbury.. ...Read Full Story

At Least 25 killed, 3,100 Evacuated After Guatemala Volcano Eruption

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Villages hit by Guatemala’s Volcano of Fire on Monday were met with search and rescue teams, this coming after the volcano spewed lava, ash, rocks and deadly hot gas, killing at least 25 people. The Volcán de Fuego, or Volcano of Fire, began erupting ash and lava early Sunday, according to local reports. Fast-moving flows surprised communities that had not been ordered to evacuate. Ash spread through the sky as far as Guatemala City, some 40 miles away. More than 3,200 residents of communities near the volcano have been moved, and 48 people including have been treated at a nearby hospital, according to officials. Authorities expected the death toll to rise and warned of the possibility of further mudslides.. ...Read Full Story

Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of Baker Who Refused To Make Wedding Cake For Gay Couple

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The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday handed a narrow victory to a Christian baker from Colorado who refused for religious reasons to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. In a 7-2 decision the Supreme Court faulted the Colorado Civil Rights Commission’s handling of the claims brought against Jack Phillips, saying it had showed a hostility to religion. In doing so, the commission violated his religious rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The court, however, did not issue a definitive ruling on the circumstances under which people can seek exemptions from anti-discrimination laws based on their religious views. . ...Read Full Story

First Lady Melania Trump Will Not Join President Trump On G7, Singapore Summits

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First lady Melania Trump will not be joining President Donald Trump on his upcoming trips to the G7 summit in Quebec and the highly anticipated summit between the United States and North Korea in Singapore. The 48-year-old first lady has not been seen in public since May 10, when she and the president welcomed home three American detainees from North Korea. On May 14, the White House announced that Melania Trump underwent a medical procedure to treat a benign kidney condition. She remained at Walter Reed Medical Center until May 19.  Having not been seen in public for the last 24 days, questions have swirled about the state of her health and the hashtag #whereisMelania trended online.  In response, she tweeted that she was “feeling great” and “working hard on behalf of children and the American people.”. ...Read Full Story

Joe Biden Hits Campaign Trail With Eyes On Possible White House Bid

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Former Vice President Joe Biden and his advisers are hard at work on plans for a busy campaign schedule this fall that could have him appearing at as many as a dozen events each week. As far as the question of a 2020 run for President, Biden himself has said he’s not ruled out what would be a third run for the White House, but a decision will not come until after the 2018 midterms. . ...Read Full Story

President Trump To Impose Steel, Aluminum Tariffs On EU, Canada, Mexico

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The Trump administration said Thursday it will impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Europe, Mexico and Canada after failing to win concessions from the American allies. Europe and Mexico pledged to retaliate quickly, and financial markets fell amid fears of a trade war. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the tariffs would be 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum, and go into effect on Friday, as the administration followed through on the penalties after earlier granting exemptions to buy time for negotiations. President Donald Trump had announced the tariffs in March, citing national security concerns. The European Commission’s president, Jean-Claude Juncker, said Trump’s decision amounted to trade protectionism and that Europe would respond with countermeasures. “This is protectionism, pure and simple,” Juncker said.. ...Read Full Story

Woman Charged For Tennessee Deputy Slaying; Manhunt On For 2nd Suspect

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Tennessee authorities charged a woman with murder in connection with the slaying of Dickson County Sheriff’s Sgt. Daniel Baker as police searched Thursday for a second suspect. Erika Castro-Miles, 38, faces one count of first-degree murder for the Wednesday shooting. An affidavit said she told police she watched as Steven Wiggins shot and killed Baker.  Police launched a manhunt for Wiggins, 31, in connection with the shooting after Baker’s body was found in his vehicle. Castro-Miles allegedly fled the scene after the shooting and police found her hiding underneath a house nearby. Police believe Wiggins to be armed and dangerous. He had multiple active warrants before the shooting, including for aggravated assault and theft.. ...Read Full Story

Harvey Weinstein Indicted In New York Rape Case

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Harvey Weinstein was indicted Wednesday on rape and criminal sex act charges, the first criminal case to arise from a slate of sexual misconduct allegations against the former movie mogul. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said the indictment brings Weinstein “another step closer to accountability.” The announcement came hours after Weinstein’s lawyers said he’d decline to testify before the grand jury because there wasn’t enough time to prepare him and “political pressure” made an indictment unavoidable.  Weinstein was charged Friday with rape and criminal sex act charges involving two women in New York. Dozens more women have accused him of sexual misconduct ranging from harassment to assault in various locales.. ...Read Full Story