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• Golf News  Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines The latest news and headlines from Yahoo! News. Get breaking news stories and in-depth coverage with videos and photos. 12/14/2018 09:40 PM Robert Mueller's Russia investigation cost is now at $25 million and counting Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller reported Friday the investigation of Russia interference in the 2016 election cost $25 million so far 12/13/2018 10:48 PM The Latest: Man killed in Strasbourg was market shooter STRASBOURG, France (AP) — The Latest on the attack on a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France (all times local): 12/14/2018 04:25 PM EU's Tusk says no more Brexit negotiations By Gabriela Baczynska and Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Council President Donald Tusk said on Friday he had no mandate to reopen Brexit negotiations with Britain, while the head of the bloc's executive, Jean-Claude Juncker, said he "admired" Prime Minister Theresa May. Tusk and Juncker were speaking at a news conference after two days of talks at an EU summit that were dominated by the issue of Brexit and saw the other 27 national leaders of the bloc offer May only vague assurances over their Brexit deal. "I have no mandate to organize any further negotiations. ... 12/14/2018 09:09 AM Isil driven from last town as US-backed forces leave caliphate on brink Kurdish-led forces seized the Isil's main hub of Hajin Friday, a milestone in a massive and costly US-backed operation to eradicate the jihadists from eastern Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces secured Hajin, the largest settlement in what is the last pocket of territory controlled by Isil, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "After a week of heavy fighting and air strikes, the SDF were able to kick IS out of Hajin," Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based monitoring organisation, said. The operation was completed at dawn, he said, a day after SDF forces fanned out across the large village in the Euphrates valley. On Thursday, the last Isil fighters were confined to a network of tunnels and the edges of Hajin, which lies in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the border with Iraq. Islamic State losing its grip on Syria The area held by Isil is sometimes referred to as the "Hajin pocket", the last rump of a once-sprawling "caliphate" the group proclaimed in 2014 over swathes of Syria and Iraq. Isil fighters pulled back to positions east of Hajin Friday and to Sousa and Al-Shaafa, the two other main villages in their shrinking Euphrates valley enclave. As recently as Thursday, the group posted pictures of fighting in Hajin on its social media accounts. According to Abdel Rahman, a total of 17,000 fighters from the Kurdish-Arab SDF alliance are involved in the operation to flush IS out of its last bastion. The operation was launched on September 10 and has taken a heavy toll, according to figures collected by the Observatory, which has a vast network of sources on the ground. Hajin, the last urban stronghold of Isil, in the aftermath of a US air offensive At least 900 jihadists and 500 SDF fighters were killed in the fighting, the monitoring group said. According to Abdel Rahman, more than 320 civilians were also killed, many of them in air strikes by the US-led coalition. US President Donald Trump this week predicted the jihadist group would be fully defeated within a month. "We've done a very, very major job on ISIS," he said on Tuesday, using another acronym for Isil. "There are very few of them left in that area of the world. And within another 30 days, there won't be any of them left," he vowed. Western and other officials have repeatedly announced deadlines for a final victory over Isil but the group is proving resilient. Global Isil attacks The push to retake Hajin was delayed by Turkish threats on the Kurdish heartland further north and deadly counter-attacks by die-hard jihadists making a bloody last stand. "ISIS anticipated its battlefield defeat and the loss of the caliphate and prepared accordingly," said Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at Georgetown University in Washington. Besides what is left of the pocket near Hajin in the Euphrates valley, Isil has a presence in Syria's vast Badia desert, a front which is managed by Russian-backed government forces. What is left of the jihadist group also has sleeper cells across Iraq and Syria that regularly carry out attacks. The loss of Hajin came hours after Isil's propaganda agency Amaq claimed responsibility for a Christmas market shooting in the French city of Strasbourg. The Amaq statement was posted just after the suspect Cherif Chekatt was gunned down by police but bore the hallmarks of an opportunistic claim by the embattled jihadist group. 12/14/2018 09:41 PM The 20 Funniest Tweets From Women This Week (Dec. 8 -14) The ladies of Twitter never fail to brighten our days with their brilliant ― 12/15/2018 12:22 AM Investigators Call Missing Colorado Mom`s Disappearance `Suspicious,` Search Fiance`s Property Authorities in Woodland Park searched the property of Kelsey Berreth`s fiance, Patrick Frazee, Friday morning. The 29-year-old mom was last seen shopping at a Safeway on Thanksgiving Day. 12/14/2018 09:56 PM Best Air Fryers of 2018 Crispy fries without all the oil? That's the golden promise of air fryers, and it probably explains why roughly 4 million were sold over a recent 12-month period in the U.S. That represents a ten... 12/13/2018 09:25 PM Bitcoin bomb threats: Dozens of major public buildings evacuated across US over cryptocurrency email Counterterrorism officials said a series of bomb threats reported across the country appeared to be a hoax after scammers targeted media outlets and major institutions demanding Bitcoin in exchange for their safety. The bomb threats came in the form of spam emails demanding recipients provide ransom payments in the form of the electronic currency, and targeted schools, media outlets, police precincts and other organisations, reportedly including at least 13 locations across New York City. “I write to inform you that my man has carried the bomb (Tetryl) into the building where your business is located,” read one of the emails posted to social media, which demanded $20,000 in Bitcoin. 12/15/2018 01:53 AM Pacific Life Yanks Ads After Tucker Carlson's Dig That Immigrants Make U.S. 'Dirtier' Prominent insurance company Pacific Life has pulled its commercials from 12/15/2018 02:46 PM US judge rules Obamacare unconstitutional, Democrats vow to appeal A federal judge in Texas has ruled that the US health care law known as Obamacare is unconstitutional -- a ruling that opposition Democrats condemned Saturday and vowed to appeal. US District Judge Reed O'Connor's ruling came on the eve of the Saturday deadline to sign up for 2019 coverage in the federal health care program, known officially as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). At the US Supreme Court, five justices in the nine-judge court who voted to uphold Obamacare in a separate case in 2012 are still on the bench. 12/14/2018 11:20 PM Priest takes pope's mandate - good deeds for all - across US LOS ANGELES (AP) — Father Jim Sichko has a 50-state congregation and a simple mandate from the pope: Go forth and do good deeds. 12/14/2018 05:52 PM Brazil take first step in program to join nuclear-powered sub club President Michel Temer and his right-wing successor, President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, both pressed the button that lowered into the sea the 1,700-ton submarine named Riachuelo at a Rio de Janeiro naval base. Temer's wife, Marcela, had christened the vessel, by smashing a champagne bottle against its hull. The submarines being built by the Brazilian Navy in partnership with France's defense company Naval Group, formerly known as DCNS, are a modified version of the Scorpene class diesel-powered submarine. 12/13/2018 09:18 PM Accused Russian agent Maria Butina pleads guilty to attempting to sway US policy A Russian woman has admitted to acting as an agent for the Kremlin to get close to the Republican party in an effort to influence US policies.  Maria Butina, 30, pleaded guilty to a single charge of conspiracy in a court in Washington on Thursday, admitting to working under the direction of a top Russian official to infiltrate the National Rifle Association (NRA), a powerful gun rights group closely aligned with senior Republican politicians. She is the first Russian citizen to be convicted of working to shape US policy in the run up and through the 2016 election campaign, agreeing to co-operate with prosecutors for less prison time. Appearing before Judge Tanya Chutkan, she admitted to conspiring to work with Alexander Torshin, a former deputy governor of Russia's central bank, and two US citizens as a Russian agent from 2015 until her 2018 arrest.  Butina, a former graduate student at American University in Washington who publicly advocated for gun rights, was arrested in July and has been held in jail without bail ever since.  Maria Butina was said to be directed by Alexander Torshin, previously described as Vladimir Putin's "emissary" Credit: AP She initially pleaded not guilty to the charges against her but in the last week it was revealed she had reversed course and agreed to co-operate with prosecutors.   Her aim was to make contacts with officials at the NRA, conservative figures and 2016 presidential candidates in order to set up unofficial back channels with high-ranking American politicians. Butina is known to have met with the president's son, Donald Trump Jnr, during one of the NRA's conventions as well as reportedly hosting a party in Washington attended by Trump campaign aides in November 2016. Prosecutors told the court that Butina drafted a March 2015 "Diplomacy Project" that called for establishing unofficial channels of communication between high-ranking American politicians in order to help advance Russia's interests. In this courtroom sketch, Maria Butina, left, is shown next to her attorney Robert Driscoll Credit: AP To carry out the plan, Butina requested $125,000 (£98,000) from a Russian billionaire to attend conferences and set up "separate meetings with interested parties" such as other Russian businessmen or people with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they added. The prosecutors said Butina invited "powerful members" of the NRA for a visit to Moscow where they met with high-level Russian officials. Apparent photos of the NRA Moscow trip are posted on her social media accounts. After the visit, according to court records, she sent a Russian official a message apparently referencing the NRA saying, "We should let them express their gratitude now, we will put pressure on them quietly later." The alleged Russian agent was arrested in July Credit: Reuters Butina also hosted "friendship dinners" in the hope of establishing ties with people who "would have the ear of the next US presidential administration," prosecutors said. After the 2016 election, she proposed creating a dialogue with President Donald Trump's advisors, but the Russian official told her he did not think the foreign affairs ministry would "go for it," prosecutors said. The actions occurred during the same time period that US intelligence agencies have concluded Russia engaged in a campaign of propaganda and hacking to sow discord during the 2016 presidential race and boost Mr Trump's chances against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Butina was a gun rights activist Butina's lawyers previously identified the Russian official as Alexander Torshin, who was a deputy governor of Russia's central bank and was targeted with US Treasury Department sanctions in April.  One of the two Americans referenced in the prosecution's case was Paul Erickson, an conservative political activist who was romantically linked to Butina. His lawyer William Hurd said: "Paul Erickson is a good American. He has done nothing to harm our country and never would." Russian officials hit back at the case, calling it a "modern political inquisition" in comments quoted by the RIA state news agency. She faces a maximum of five years in prison and deportation. As part of her agreement prosecutors dropped a second charge of violating a law that requires foreigners working for their government to register with the US Justice Department. Her lawyer, Robert Driscoll, estimated that under sentencing guidelines for similar crimes Butina could face up to six months in prison.  Because of Butina's ongoing co-operation, the judge did not set a sentencing date but scheduled a hearing for February 12.   12/14/2018 05:01 AM Death penalty sentences, executions remained at near-record lows in 2018 The numbers of prisoners on death row, new death sentences and executions remained low by historical standards in 2018. 12/13/2018 06:38 PM Canada Must Protect Trade Ties With China, Farm Group Says “It’s our expectation that they do act tactfully in a way that enables Canadian prosperity, and in our sector, that means trading with China,’’ Brian Innes, president of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, said by phone Thursday. Two Canadian nationals have been detained in China this week, days after the arrest in Vancouver of a Huawei Technologies Co. executive, part of a U.S. extradition request. Canada’s government is facing a new level of pressure related to trade tension between China and the U.S., and shouldn’t add to any “political theater,” Innes said. 12/14/2018 04:41 PM First new Mustang Shelby GT500 to be sold by Barrett-Jackson The buyer gets to pick the color and the options for their special muscle car 12/14/2018 08:50 PM The Gifts AD's Market Department Is Giving This Year 12/14/2018 08:33 PM What Is The Deadline for Christmas Shipping? Here’s Everything You Need to Know Deadlines for USPS, UPS, FedEX and Amazon 12/15/2018 11:31 AM Mick Mulvaney: The self-proclaimed ‘right-wing nutjob’ appointed as Trump’s new chief of staff Donald Trump has appointed a new acting chief of staff after a protracted and chaotic search to replace John Kelly. The US president turned to his budget director, Mick Mulvaney, to temporarily fill a position once seen as one of the most sought-after in the White House. It will be Mr Mulvaney’s third job in Mr Trump’s government. 12/14/2018 02:05 PM Russian Orthodox church calls on UN for help in Ukraine MINSK, Belarus (AP) — The Russian Orthodox Church on Friday called on the United Nations, the leaders of Germany and France, the pope and other spiritual leaders to protect believers in Ukraine in the face of pressure on Moscow-affiliated clerics. 12/13/2018 10:45 PM Yemen's warring parties agree to ceasefire in Hodeidah and U.N. role At the close of a week of talks in Sweden, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said a framework for political negotiations would be discussed at the next round of talks at the end of January between the Iranian-aligned Houthis and the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Western nations, some of which supply arms and intelligence to the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015, had pressed the two sides to agree confidence-building steps to pave the way for a wider truce and a political process to end the war, which has killed tens of thousands of people. The conflict has pushed Yemen, the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula, to the verge of famine. 12/15/2018 03:07 AM Florida tale of infidelity and homicide ends with conviction TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — After a spellbinding five-day trial that featured tales of infidelity and a multimillion dollar insurance payout, a jury on Friday convicted a Florida woman of helping mastermind the killing of her husband nearly two decades ago. 12/13/2018 07:32 PM Alaska Airlines to give priority boarding to people in ugly sweaters Alaska Airlines will let passengers wearing ugly sweaters board early on Friday, Dec. 21 in honor of National Ugly Holiday Sweater Day. 12/13/2018 09:06 PM House Democrats to seek Trump tax returns: Pelosi The House Ways and Means Committee will "take the first steps" toward obtaining the documents, said Pelosi, who has the backing of her members to become speaker of the House next month. "There is popular demand for the Congress to request the president's tax returns," she told reporters in the Capitol. "I'm sure the White House will resist and so the question is where do we go from there," she said. 12/13/2018 08:00 PM Our 2018 Range Rover Velar Is Exhibiting Electronic Bugs at 22,000 Miles Midway through its long-term test, electronic gremlins continue to mar our experience with the otherwise classy crossover. 12/15/2018 07:44 AM Qatar Ruler Says Talks With Saudi Begin Only When Embargo Lifted “Our position on the solution hasn’t changed,” Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said at a conference in Doha on Saturday. Last week, Sheikh Tamim spurned an invitation from Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to attend a gathering of Gulf monarchies, which was seen as a sign of thawing relations after 18 months of Qatar’s boycott by the kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt. The overture came as Saudi Arabia sought to defuse pressure over the killing of a vocal critic in Istanbul. 12/13/2018 06:00 PM Christmas Day restaurant bookings are on the rise – but would you swap a home-cooked lunch for dining out? Would you choose a restaurant for the Christmas Day meal just to avoid the inevitable mountain of washing up? Or is there nothing that can tempt you away from lunch at home and your own perfectly crisp roast potatoes? For an increasing number of us it's the former that most appeals, according to a recent OpenTable survey which showed that restaurant bookings on Christmas Day have risen by 240 per cent in the last five years. Between 2016 and 2017, reservations jumped by 14 per cent, and they are expected to increase again this Christmas. British cuisine is the most popular choice for a meal out, with 19 per cent of people heading out for traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings, but Italian restaurants are also a firm favourite for Christmas Day, counting for 12 per cent of bookings. For many Telegraph readers the choice to eat out is a simple one when faced with the prospect of cooking for a crowd (or, indeed, spending more time than is necessary with certain members of the extended family), as it takes the stress out of prepping the food as well as the clearing up afterwards.  “My family have gone out for Christmas Day dinner for the last few years," says Natalie Richardson, from Leeds. "It reduces the hassle of ordering ingredients and the hours spent preparing the food, giving us more time to enjoy the day,” she explains. “We often go to a local pub which does three-course offer. Once, we went to our local curry house and had chicken korma for Christmas dinner.” Electing to gather at a restaurant also means that the cook of the house isn't left out of the celebrations. "For me, it means no stressing in the kitchen while everyone else gets to relax, chat and enjoy a drink," says Abigail Theodosiou, from Sanderstead in Croydon. "We tend to have a lovely easy breakfast (Waitrose frozen croissants and scrambled eggs), get ready, go out, and then head home as soon as the meal is finished to relax in a tidy(ish!) house and open our presents, followed by cheese and chocolates." Theodosiou is one of a number who choose a country-style pub over a restaurant; "with lovely big fires, they're cosier." And there's no doubt that it takes the pressure off catering for different dietary requirements. "With a mix of meat-eaters and vegetarians, we can order whatever we like." At a glance | The top cuisines booked for Christmas Day dining last year But for The Telegraph’s award-winning cookery writer Diana Henry, to book a table out is to lose something of the essential spirit of Christmas. “I’ve only been out for Christmas lunch once – when my parents had builders in, so the kitchen was out of action – and it was a disaster. The entire family just muttered about how much better it was at home. I think something is really missing in restaurants – you have to be quieter, so you can’t have that unbuttoned bonhomie and largesse that is part of Christmas." The cost of eating out might be another reason to host at home, she reasons. “You can open another bottle of wine without considering how big a bill you’re racking up; you can have seconds; you can tell risqué jokes. Things are just a little more sedate in a restaurant. Plus, no matter where you go outside the home, a Christmas dinner will always taste kind of institutional away from it. Roast potatoes that have been hanging round for an hour or more just don’t cut it." Get cooking | Diana Henry’s latest recipes Telegraph food writer Xanthe Clay agrees, and suggests the chief cook of the house simply enlists helpers for the washing up, to minimise the pressure. “Eating out is a great option if you find the whole meal a massive stress fest, but don’t kid yourself that it’ll be the same as hanging out at the family table," she says. "Few restaurants offer second helpings, and if you want a sofa to stagger to after lunch, you may need to book a table at a hotel with a decent lounge area. Prices will, quite properly, be inflated – the staff will need a hefty bonus to justify coming in to work." For many people, having the whole family descend on the house for an unending supply of food and drink is simply unthinkable – especially if space is tight. "I love going to parties but I wouldn't want to host one myself," says the award-winning travel blogger Sofie Couwenbergh. "My home is my safe space, plus it's far too small!" It's always worth checking before splashing out, says Xanthe Clay. “If you are booking the big dinner out to give the cook a rest, do check it’s actually what they want – not just a way to alleviate your own guilt for not manning the kitchen yourself. They may complain, but lots of home cooks actually love the opportunity for a bit of culinary muscle flexing. Bear in mind that their Christmas wish may be as simple as appreciation in ladlefuls, and all the washing up done well into the New Year.” Ultimately, it depends on the nature of the gathering, says Diana Henry. “In a restaurant you don’t get those golden moments when the entire family gather round the oven looking at the turkey saying ‘Do you think it’s cooked yet?’. The whole meal is an event that you all take part in.” Should you still prefer the idea of rocking up to a reservation, heading off on a walk and coming home to a kitchen that doesn’t look like the scene of a crime, here are some of our favourite restaurants across the country taking bookings for Christmas Day itself... Our pick of the best | Restaurants taking bookings on Christmas Day 2018 12/14/2018 03:26 PM Trump considering appointing son-in-law Jared Kushner as new White House chief of staff, reports say Donald Trump is believed to be considering his son-in-law Jared Kushner for his next chief-of-staff, in a move that could prompt fresh accusations of nepotism in the White House. Sarah Sanders, Mr Trump's press secretary, did not deny that the 37-year-old was competing for the role. Ms Sanders' comments will only add to speculation that Mr Kushner is under consideration for the role, which will be vacated by General John Kelly. 12/14/2018 12:23 AM Six Arrested for Allegedly Beating, Pouring Scalding Water on Three-Year-Old Boy Six adults are facing charges of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a three-year-old child, Newark police announced Wednesday. 12/14/2018 02:35 PM Strasbourg attack: fourth victim dies as Christmas market re-opens after gunman killed in police raid A fourth victim of the Strasbourg Christmas market attack died from his wounds yesterday as investigators searched for possible accomplices of the gunman slain after two days of terror. The prime suspect, Cherif Chekatt, 29, was killed on Thursday after he opened fire on three officers who crossed his path by chance while on patrol. Authorities had received two tip-offs about his general whereabouts.  The fourth victim of the knife and gun attack in central Strasbourg, eastern France, was 28-year old Italian radio journalist Antonio Megalizzi. He had been shot in the head and had been in a coma. Giuseppe Conte, the prime minister, said the whole country was united by “sadness and pain”. French interior minister Christophe Castaner was in Strasbourg to reopen the Christmas market Credit: SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP Yesterday, Christophe Castaner, France’s interior minister, attended the reopening of Strasbourg's Christmas market, which welcomes two million people every year and had been shut since Tuesday night’s attack. To reopen swiftly, he said, was vital "for the honour of Strasbourg, for the honour of France”. President Emmanuel Macron was due to attend later in the evening. Islamic State claimed Chekatt as one of its “soldiers” but Mr Castaner dismissed the claim as “totally opportunistic". Chekatt had 27 previous convictions for theft and violence and his Islamic beliefs were radicalised during previous periods in prison.  Police were still holding seven people yesterday for questing, including his parents, in a bid to establish whether he was helped by accomplices while on the run. “We want to reconstruct the past 48 hours in order to find out whether he got some support," said Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz. Three police officers on patrol shot dead prime suspect Cherif Chekatt in a suburb of Strasbourg on Tuesday night after he opened fire Credit: UGC Relief in Strasbourg came as France braces for a fifth straight Saturday of violent protests linked to the “yellow vest” movement against high taxes and low purchasing power. Mr Castaner urged protesters not to test exhausted security forces with the type of riots seen in Paris and Bordeaux over the last two weekends. "I can't stand the idea that today people applaud police forces and that tomorrow some people will think it makes sense to throw stones at us," he said after meeting officers. With the movement apparently losing steam after concessions by Emmanuel Macron, the French president said France needed “calm, order and to return to a normal way of working". Michel Delpuech, Paris’ police chief, said some 8,000 officers and 14 armoured vehicles would be deployed in Paris as last week with the focus on preventing vandals from wreaking fresh destruction. In an act of defiance, attractions such as the Louvre museum and Opera Garnier will be open this weekend, unlike last Saturday. The protests have hit the economy, with output in the last quarter of the year set to be half initial projections, while Macron's concessions are likely to push the budget deficit above an EU agreed limit. 12/13/2018 10:46 PM Washington governor proposes major steps for orca recovery SEATTLE (AP) — With scientists warning that the Northwest's beloved killer whales are on the brink of extinction, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced dramatic plans Thursday to help the population recover — including $1.1 billion in spending and a partial whale-watching ban. 12/14/2018 07:31 PM Buy a gift card, get a freebie at these restaurants, businesses This holiday season, when you purchase gift cards at many popular restaurant chains including Applebee's and the Cheesecake Factory, get a bonus. 12/14/2018 07:43 PM U.S. says China should free Canadians held after Huawei arrest WASHINGTON/OTTAWA (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said China should free two Canadian citizens who were detained this week after authorities in Canada arrested a senior Chinese technology executive on a U.S. extradition warrant. Pompeo's comments were the first by a senior U.S. official on the arrests, which Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said could escalate a growing trade conflict between China and the United States. 12/13/2018 09:54 PM AD and LIFEWTR Celebrate the Opening of The Haas Brothers: Ferngully at The Bass Museum of Art in Miami 12/13/2018 09:17 PM The 2019 Toyota Prius AWD-e Brings Better Traction to the Brand's Signature Hybrid Toyota gets hip to the beauty of all-wheel drive-and also of beauty. 12/13/2018 10:39 PM The 6 Best Smartwatches of 2018 12/15/2018 09:14 AM Mark Hamill Digs Up Old Donald Trump 'Incompetence' Tweet, Uses It Against Him Mark Hamill dug into Donald Trump's Twitter archive on Friday to take his 12/14/2018 10:16 AM Man who sexually assaulted woman on flight while she slept is jailed for nine years Prabhu Ramamoorthy, 34, was also sitting next to his wife on the overnight flight in January. Ramamoorthy had molested the victim while unbuttoning her blouse and unzipping her trousers as she slept. US attorney Matthew Schneider said: “Everyone has the right to be secure and safe when they travel on aeroplanes. 12/13/2018 08:57 PM In farewell speeches, senators bemoan downfall of the 'world's greatest deliberative body' In their farewell addresses on the Senate floor, senators call out the hyperpartisan atmosphere that has taken hold of the U.S. Capitol. 12/13/2018 10:00 PM Target, Walmart, importer sued over lead in toy jewelry ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Two of the nation's largest retailers and a third company are named in a New York lawsuit claiming the companies imported and sold children's toys with lead levels up to 10 times higher than federal limits. 12/14/2018 02:38 PM Ken Paxton: Tijuana migrants will go through a slow process Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says that the caravan migrants waiting in Tijuana will be going through a slow process, sending a message that they are unable to walk across the border. 12/14/2018 05:20 PM Israeli forces kill Palestinian in West Bank clashes: medics Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian during stone throwing clashes on Friday in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian health officials said. The clashes followed a surge of violence on Thursday when a Palestinian gunman killed two Israeli soldiers, and Israeli forces killed two Hamas fugitives whom it blamed for earlier deadly attacks. Israeli forces also killed two Palestinians that Israel said had tried to carry out attacks. 12/14/2018 07:50 PM Johnson & Johnson 'kept secret' that its Baby Powder contained asbestos  Johnson & Johnson knew that its talcum powder contained asbestos but failed to tell customers for over three decades, an investigation has found.  Shares in the company plunged  12 per cent following the release of the report by news agency Reuters, wiping £37bn ($47bn) off the company's value.  The investigation also found that the pharmaceutical company had employed a range of tactics to shape research into the problem and protect its Baby Powder brand. In one case, the company commissioned and paid for a study, told the researchers their desired results and then hired a ghostwriter to redraft the article presenting the findings. The investigation centres on a cache of documents released by Johnson & Johnson relating to the 11,700 plaintiffs claiming that the company’s talc caused their cancers. The documents show that from at least 1971 to the early 2000s, the company’s raw talc and finished powders sometimes tested positive for small amounts of asbestos, and that company executives, mine managers, scientists, doctors and lawyers fretted over the problem and how to address it while failing to disclose it to regulators or the public. A case in July, in which a judge ordered the company to pay $4.69bn in damages to 22 parties, was the first to succeed with a claim that the talc caused ovarian cancer.  Johnson and Johnson said it will appeal the recent verdicts against it and maintains that its talc is safe, adding that the recently divulged court papers show its commitment to ensuring its products are asbestos-free.  has been required to divulge in recent litigation shows the care the company takes to ensure its products are asbestos-free 12/14/2018 01:41 PM Infiniti's Next Concept Car Previews a New All-Electric Crossover It will pay homage to the pioneering FX45 while looking to Infiniti’s electrified future. 12/13/2018 10:34 PM This year, foster a Christmas tree instead of throwing one away The weeks after Christmas always involve a brutal massacre — of trees. All along along our broken streets you'll see the bodies of the Christmas dead: Balsam, Douglas Fir, Frasier Fir. Fostering a Christmas tree isn't so different from fostering, say, a pet. 12/14/2018 02:27 AM Melania Trump's Positive Poll Numbers Plunge By Double Digits In New Survey First lady Melania Trump's favorability rating fell a substantial 11 12/14/2018 03:49 AM Texas judge who approved plea deal for alleged Baylor University rapist faces public backlash By Thursday night, more than 25,000 people had signed a petition for Judge Ralph Strother of McLennan County, Texas, to either resign or be removed from the bench after he accepted on Monday a deal that allowed Jacob Anderson to plea to lesser charges. 12/14/2018 01:45 AM US Senate votes to end support for Saudi-led Yemen war, blasts MBS The US Senate dealt President Donald Trump a double blow over Saudi Arabia on Thursday, approving a resolution to end US military support for Riyadh's war in Yemen, and another holding the Saudi crown prince responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. On the Yemen measure, which more broadly attacks the president's prerogative to launch military actions, 49 Democrats or their allies voted in favor, along with seven Republicans, while another three Republicans abstained. 12/14/2018 11:30 PM Remains of sailor killed at Pearl Harbor identified NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Full military honors will be given to a Louisiana sailor whose remains have been identified more than 75 years after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. 12/13/2018 10:47 PM Brad Ford and The Hudson Company Team Up for a Connecticut Showroom That Emphasizes Craftsmanship The designer and Hudson Company founder Jamie Hammel bring their shared passion for fine craftsmanship to Ridgefield Top of page Golf News - Top Sportsbooks