News

Ex-Pope Blames Abuse On Gays, Porn, Sex Education

The New York Daily News reports: Former Pope Benedict XVI blamed the widespread clerical abuse on the sexual revolution of the 1960s and the “collapse” of theological and societal moral teachings — contradicting Pope Francis in his most extended statement since resigning more than six years ago. “Why did pedophilia reach such proportions?” he writes. “Ultimately, the reason is the …

Read More »

National Enquirer In Talks For Sale To Clinton Ally

The New York Times reports: The owners of The National Enquirer are in talks to sell the tabloid to the California billionaire Ronald W. Burkle, according to two people with direct knowledge of the negotiations. An acquisition of The Enquirer by Mr. Burkle, a Democratic donor with close ties to President Bill Clinton, could raise eyebrows in Washington given President …

Read More »

Polish Lawmaker Calls For “Purging Those Not Worthy”

Reuters reports: Critics of Poland’s right-wing ruling party voiced outrage Thursday after one of its senators said Poland should be “purged” of those “not worthy of belonging to our national community.” They said the language used by Grzegorz Bierecki echoed fascists of the 1930s. He said his comments were misunderstood and refused to apologize. “Horrifying, shameful words evoking Europe’s darkest …

Read More »

Feds Hit Michael Avenatti With 36-Count Indictment

The Associated Press report: Federal prosecutors said Thursday that attorney Michael Avenatti has been charged in a 36-count federal indictment in Southern California. Details of the case were scheduled to be made public at a midmorning news conference by U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna and the Internal Revenue Service, Hanna’s office said in a statement to news outlets. The indictment alleges …

Read More »

LOUISIANA: Man Arrested In Arson Of Black Churches

Lafayette, Louisiana’s ABC News affiliate reports: KATC has confirmed with multiple law enforcement sources that one person is in custody in the recent church fires in St. Landry Parish. Sources confirm the suspect in the church arsons is Holden Matthews, 21. He is the son of a St. Landry Parish Deputy. He was booked at around 5:30 this evening into …

Read More »

Ecuador’s President: Britain Has Guaranteed Us That Assange Won’t Be Extradited To Death Penalty Country

Reuters reports: Britain has guaranteed to Ecuador that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will not be extradited to a country that has the death penalty, Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno said on Thursday after Assange was arrested in London. “In line with our strong commitment to human rights and international law, I requested Great Britain to guarantee that Mr Assange would not …

Read More »

Evidence Found Of Previously Unknown Human Species

The Wall Street Journal reports: In a handful of fossilized teeth and bones, scientists say they’ve found evidence of a previously unknown human species that lived in what is now the Philippines about 50,000 years ago. The discovery deepens the mystery of an era when the world was a melting pot of many different human kinds on the move. Small-jawed …

Read More »

ISRAEL: Opposition Concedes Election To Netanyahu

The Associated Press reports: Israel’s Blue and White party leaders are conceding defeat in Israel’s election, saying they will work against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the opposition. Yair Lapid, the party’s No. 2 figure, told a press conference Wednesday that though his party “did not win in this round, I respect the voters.” He said his party will …

Read More »

House Votes 232-190 To Restore Net Neutrality Rules, McConnell Declares Bill “Dead On Arrival” In Senate

Roll Call reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already declared the Democratic net neutrality bill, which passed the House on Wednesday, “dead on arrival” in the upper chamber. Democrats likely never gave their legislation, sponsored by Democratic Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Doyle, much of a chance of advancing beyond the House. But while Republicans have spent weeks shaping their message …

Read More »

Astronomers Unveil First-Ever Photo Of Black Hole

The Independent reports: An international scientific team on Wednesday announced a milestone in astrophysics – the first-ever photo of a black hole – using a global network of telescopes to gain insight into celestial objects with gravitational fields so strong no matter or light can escape. The research was conducted by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) project, an international collaboration …

Read More »

LIVE VIDEO: AG Testifies Before Senate Committee

The Associated Press reports: Attorney General William Barr is returning to Capitol Hill for a second time this week as lawmakers, the White House and the American public anxiously await his release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia report. Barr will speak to a Senate appropriations subcommittee Wednesday, the second of two days of hearings about his department’s budget. Like …

Read More »

ISRAEL: Netanyahu Likely Headed For Record 5th Term

The Jerusalem Post reports: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz both declared that they won Tuesday’s election after inconclusive exit polls were broadcast on the three Israeli networks. Netanyahu claimed victory, because his Right-Center bloc won handily over Gantz’s Center-Left bloc in polls broadcast on Channel 13 and KAN, 66 to 54 and 64 to …

Read More »

Father’s Hate Crime Story Brings House Panel To Tears

CBS News reports: As Dr. Mohammad Abu-Salha calmly, clinically, described reviewing the autopsy reports for his murdered daughters and son-in-law, members of the House Judiciary Committee clasped their hands over the mouths, stifling tears. The Feb. 10, 2015 murders of 21-year-old Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, her 23-year-old husband Deah Shaddy Barakat, and 19-year-old sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, shocked the Chapel Hill, …

Read More »

ISRAEL: Netanyahu Claims Low Turnout For His Party

The Jerusalem Post reports: Warning of the rise of the Left, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a planned campaign event in Ashdod on Tuesday and returned to Jerusalem, where he said he was going to work to “save the Right” and ensure that a right-wing government comes to power following the elections. “I received a dramatic update that there is …

Read More »

AG Says He’ll Release Mueller Report “Within A Week”

NBC News reports: Attorney General William Barr faced tough questions from a House panel Tuesday morning regarding special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, telling lawmakers he would release a redacted version of the original document “within a week.” Barr’s appearance before the House Appropriations subcommittee which oversees funding for the Commerce and Justice Departments …

Read More »

LIVE VIDEO: Tech Giants And Far-Right Figures Testify At House Panel On White Nationalism And Hate Crimes

The Washington Post reports: For years, Silicon Valley has struggled to strike the right balance between allowing users to express themselves and preventing the viral spread of objectionable posts, photos and videos. But a series of recent, high-profile failures in the eyes of some Democrats and Republicans have prompted renewed debate in Washington over the need to hold tech companies …

Read More »

Hillary Clinton Connects MAGA To White Nationalists

Hillary Clinton this morning tweeted a link to a Huffington Post article, noting, “The white nationalists certainly think MAGA is a white nationalist slogan.” From the article: Alexandre Bissonette wore the hat. A Canadian, Bissonette hadn’t voted for Donald Trump. He lived in a French-speaking province, far from the U.S. president’s campaign rallies and “America first” appeals. But some of …

Read More »

LIVE VIDEO: Bill Barr Appears Before House Committee

USA Today reports: Congress has its first opportunity on Tuesday to question Attorney General William Barr on the results of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, the details of which remain secret more than two weeks after the inquiry ended. The House Appropriations subcommittee is expected to press Barr on his decision to release a bare-bones summary of the special counsel’s …

Read More »

Madonna To Perform At Eurovision Final In Israel

The BBC reports: Madonna is set to play two songs during the interval of the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel next month. The pop icon will reach more than 180 million viewers when she takes to the stage in Tel Aviv on 18 May. Her appearance was first announced by local promoters Live Nation Israel, who said the performance would …

Read More »

Court Orders Nazi Leader To Return To US For Lawsuit

The Associated Press reports: A neo-Nazi website operator must be present in the U.S. for questioning under oath in a lawsuit accusing him of orchestrating an anti-Semitic “troll storm” against a Montana real estate agent’s family, a federal judge has ruled. The Daily Stormer founder Andrew Anglin says he lives abroad and says it’s too dangerous for him to travel …

Read More »