Woodbridge

WaPo: Trump Seeks Advice On Pardoning Himself

Ashley Parker, reporter for The Washington Post, talks with Rachel Maddow about new reporting that Donald Trump is trying to undercut Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation and is asking advisers about pardoning himself, aides and family members.

Two Israeli police officers killed by Palestinian gunmen near Jerusalem holy site, police say

Palestinian gunmen ambushed and killed two Israeli police officers at the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Friday, bringing bloodshed and chaos to a religious site that is sacred to both Jews and Muslims.  According to Israeli police, the three attackers smuggled weapons into the mosque complex - which is known to Jews as the Temple Mount - and then burst out and opened fire on the officers early on Friday morning.  All three of the attackers were killed in the shoot out. One of them was gunned down on a plaza in front of the Dome of the Rock, one of Jerusalem’s best known sites.   Palestinians clash with Israeli security forces outside Jerusalem's Old city on Friday Credit: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters The shooting led to the cancellation of Friday prayers at the mosque for the first time in decades. Israeli authorities said the mosque, which is the third holiest site in Islam, would remain shut until at least Sunday.   The attackers were all Israeli citizens of Palestinian descent and came from an Arab village in northern Israel, according to the Shin Bet, Israel’s equivalent of MI5. Two of them were 19 and the third was 29 and all they appear to all be relatives.  One of Jerusalem attackers posted a selfie at al-Aqsa right before the shooting. He wrote: "Tomorrow's smile will be more beautiful" pic.twitter.com/Bfs2iLh0li— Raf Sanchez (@rafsanchez) July 14, 2017 No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but at least one of the gunmen appears to have been motivated by the belief that Israel was trying take control of the mosque.  Mohamammed Hamed Jabreen posted a selfie of himself in front of the Dome of the Rock shortly before the attack, with the message: “Tomorrow's smile will be more beautiful, God willing.” Under an agreement struck after the 1967 war, Jews are only allowed to go the site at certain times and cannot pray there, while Muslims can access it at almost all times. Jewish visits to the site are a constant source of tension.  Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas speaking on Friday Credit:  ABBAS MOMANI/AFP Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, spoke after the attack and both appealed for calm following the violence at the sensitive site.  Mr Abbas condemned the attack but also called on Israel to re-open the mosque and allow Friday prayers to go ahead. Israeli authorities refused, saying they needed to search the complex for weapons.  Mr Netanyahu said he remained committed to the status quo agreement at the mosque complex. Israel has always denied it has any plans change the agreement, which has more or less held for fifty years.    Palestinian Muslim worshippers pray outside Damascus Gate, a main entrance to Jerusalem's Old City on Friday Credit: GALI TIBBON/AFP Reuven Rivlin, the Israeli president, said: "We cannot allow for agents of murder, who desecrate the name of God, to drag us into a bloody war, and we will deal with a heavy hand against all the arms of terror, and its perpetrators." The most senior Islamic cleric at the mosque, Mohammed Hussein, was taken into custody by Israeli troops but released later in the day.  Police sealed most of the gates of Jerusalem’s Old City after the attack and many Muslim worshippers prayed in the streets in 91F (33C) heat.  Video block text Mahmoud Abu Khdeir, a 74-year-old Palestinian man from Jerusalem, prayed in the street when he was not allowed to go to the mosque.  Asked what he thought of the attack, he replied: "We say it is good and it is bad. It's good because for the young men who did it, they are heroic and fought the occupation. It's not good because al-Aqsa is a house of God and it's Friday, the holy day, and people came from all over to pray."   Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian man following clashes outside Jerusalem's Old city on Friday Credit: Ammar Awad/Reuters The two police officers killed were both from Israel’s Druze minority.  They were named as Kamil Shnaan, 22, the son of a former Israeli member of parliament and Haiel Sitawe, who became a father three weeks ago. They were both buried on Friday night, just hours after their deaths. A wave of unrest that broke out in October 2015 has claimed the lives of at least 277 Palestinians, 42 Israelis, two Americans, two Jordanians, an Eritrean, a Sudanese and a Briton, according to an AFP toll. Israeli authorities say most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks. Others were shot dead in protests and clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip. The violence has greatly subsided in recent months.

Great White Shark Gets Shockingly Close To Paddle Boarders Near California

Paddle boarders came dangerously close to a great white shark in Califonia waters.

Illinois man charged with Chinese scholar kidnapping pleads not guilty

An Illinois man charged with kidnapping a female Chinese scholar who has been missing for more than a month pleaded not guilty during an appearance in a U.S. court on Thursday. Brendt Christensen, 28, is accused of abducting Yingying Zhang, a 26-year-old visiting scholar at the University of Illinois from southeastern China, who disappeared on June 9. Zhang, who had been studying photosynthesis and crop productivity, was last seen when a security camera recorded her getting into a black car that authorities linked to Christensen, according to court records.

Dems: Anti-abortion provisions in health bill in jeopardy

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate parliamentarian added a new complication to Republican hopes for their floundering health care bill, ruling the GOP would need to win an all-but-impossible 60 votes to retain anti-abortion provisions in the measure, Democrats said late Friday.

Audi voluntarily recalls up to 850,000 diesel vehicles

German luxury carmaker Audi, a Volkswagen subsidiary, issued a voluntary recall of up to 850,000 diesel vehicles Friday, saying it would help reduce engine emissions. "Audi aims to maintain the future viability of diesel engines for its customers and to make a contribution towards improving air quality," the Bavaria-based manufacturer said in a statement. Vehicles with affected engines would receive a free software upgrade that "will further improve their emissions in real driving conditions beyond the current legal requirements," Audi added.

Man Fatally Stabs Dog That Sided With Girlfriend in Arguments: Cops

Cops in Florida say Mike Lado was angry the dog, Blue, showed favoritism toward his live-in girlfriend.

OJ Simpson's Finances Under Scrutiny

He is worth approximately $250,000, down from over $10 million in the early 1990s.

Sean Spicer resigns as White House press secretary

WH press secretary Sean Spicer resigned on Friday amid changes to President Trump’s communications shop. Anthony Scaramucci was named communications director.

Trump Finances Part of Russia Investigation

Greg Farrell, investigative reporter for Bloomberg News, talks with Rachel Maddow about Special Counsel Robert Mueller including Donald Trump's personal business and finances as part of the Trump Russia investigation.

5-Year-Old Girl Fined Nearly $200 for Holding Lemonade Stand

"Have I done a bad thing?"

U.S. warship crew found likely at fault in June collision: official

The crew of the USS Fitzgerald was likely at fault in the warship's collision with a Philippine cargo ship in June and had not been paying attention to their surroundings, according to initial findings in an investigation, a U.S. defense official told Reuters on Friday. Multiple U.S. and Japanese investigations are under way into how the USS Fitzgerald, a guided missile destroyer, and the much larger ACX Crystal container ship collided in clear weather south of Tokyo Bay in the early hours of June 17. The collision tore a gash below the Fitzgerald's waterline, killing seven sailors in what was the greatest loss of life on a U.S. Navy vessel since the USS Cole was bombed in Yemen's Aden harbor in 2000.

The Latest: Venezuela UN diplomat calls on Maduro to resign

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The Latest on Venezuela's political crisis and the opposition's general strike (all times local):

Dali exhumed to test if fortune teller is his daughter

Forensics experts exhumed Salvador Dali's remains from a tomb in his Spanish hometown on Thursday, nearly three decades after his death, in order to test a fortune teller's claims that she is the only daughter of the surrealist. Working behind closed doors, they removed a slab weighing more than a tonne which covers the tomb of the artist at the Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueras in northeastern Spain where he was born. "The biological specimens have been taken from Salvador Dali’s remains," Catalonia’s High Court of Justice said in a statement around 11:50 pm (2150 GMT).

The Galaxy Note 8’s secret weapon might be…a Bluetooth headset?

Samsung’s second-worst-kept secret of the year will launch on August 23rd, the company has now confirmed. That was a date that was first mentioned in Galaxy Note 8 rumors earlier this year. However, we already think we know everything about the new flagship, which should be a Galaxy S8 variation featuring a few extra tricks. The Galaxy Note 8 will have a dual camera lens on the back and a built-in stylus, as well as stylus-centric features baked into Android. A new report indicates there may be one thing that’ll differentiate the Galaxy Note 8 from the Galaxy S8: a new Bixby accessory. Samsung is working on a Bluetooth headset, ETNews reports, and development may be done in time for the Galaxy Note 8’s launch. The device might be released alongside the Galaxy Note 8 in September, and it may be bundled with the phablet. Samsung, however, hasn’t decided on how to sell it. It’s likely that it’ll be available as a standalone product in the future, regardless of how Samsung commercializes it at launch. The headset is supposed to help users communicate with Bixby, and features proprietary noise canceling technology, the report notes. A Samsung representative did confirm the existence of the product, and the fact that it’s made for easier interaction with Bixby, but said the company could not disclose any release date information about the product. It’s unclear how much it’ll cost, and there are no images of this Bixby headset for the Galaxy Note 8.

After Woman’s Mysterious Death At Mexico Resort, Tourists Report Similar Incidents

Twenty-year-old Abbey Conner died after drowning in chest-high water at a luxury Mexican resort this year.

US 'closely tracking' as Chinese navy in the Baltics for war games with Russia

Chinese warships will join Vladimir Putin’s navy in the Baltic Sea on Friday ahead of war games which are being watched closely by Western powers. The drills, which are a sign of both the growing reach of the Chinese military and closer strategic ties between Moscow and Beijing, kick off a busy summer of drills by Russia in eastern Europe which have raised alarm in Washington. China’s most advanced guided-missile destroyers are expected to arrive in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad on Friday before taking to the seas with a Russian flotilla on Monday for exercises that will run until July 31. The Type 052D destroyer, Changsha, missile frigate Yuncheng and supply ship Luoma Lake are taking part in the drills. PLA navy ships to enter Baltic Sea for the first time to hold joint exercises with Russia https://t.co/dhiqc5On0Bpic.twitter.com/SthAGIEu9c— China News 中国新闻网 (@Echinanews) July 19, 2017 The Changsha was described as China’s “most advanced guided-missile destroyer” by Chinese media, while the Yuncheng is also believed to be among the most capable frigates in the People Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s arsenal. "By sending its most advanced guided-missile destroyers, China is expressing its sincerity to Russia and also sends a strong signal to other countries who plan to provoke us," Li Jie, a Beijing-based navy expert, told the state-run Global Times. The Royal Navy escorted a flotilla of Chinese warships through English waters as it prepared to carry out drills with Vladimir Putin's forces. Credit: Rob Verkerk While China has dispatched some of its most high-end warships to the joint exercise, the continent from Russia’s Baltic fleet is much smaller. Just two combat ships – new corvettes of the Steregushchy class – will be joined by a support tug, naval Ka-27 helicopters and land-based Su-24 fighter-bombers as air support.  The reason for such a small showing at this year’s Joint Sea exercise is straightforward, says Maxim Shepovalenko, a former Russian navy captain and expert at the Moscow-based Center for the Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST), said the small Russian showing was because there was "no need for a large-scale exercise" in the Baltic, "merely a symbolic one". "I can’t imagine the Russian navy ever holding a large-scale naval drill even by itself. And for the Chinese Navy, this is just a way to get a taste for ‘global reach,’” Mr Shepovalenko said. The exercise will run the course of a week, and will feature anti-submarine, anti-aircraft, and anti-ship drills. The two sides will also practice anti-piracy as well as search and rescue operations. The joint flotilla is under the command of Russian Vice Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov and Chinese Vice-Admiral Tian Zhong.  The drills are being conducted in Russian, according to the Baltic Fleet’s press service. China has been expanding its military reach by building up its naval forces and establishing its first overseas military base in the tiny east African nation of Djibouti this year. The manoeuvres in the Baltic Sea are being seen by Chinese experts as a show of force following joint drills by the United States and Beijing's two key Asian rivals - India and Japan – in the Indian Ocean earlier this month. Observers also say they are directed at Nato, and underscore China’s aspirations to be a major blue sea power and a rival to US naval might. A statement from the United States European command said: “We are closely tracking Russian exercises with other participants, like China. “While we support their rights to train in international commons, we expect all nations adhere to international norms and laws,” the statement added, according the the Stars and stripes military news website. US and Japanese (R) Navy ships are pictured docked at a harbour during the inauguration of joint naval exercises with India in Chennai on July 10, 2017.  Credit: AFP The drills mark the first occasion that Chinese warships have ever carried out manoeuvres in the strategically important Baltic Sea, and come after recent exercises in the Mediterranean. Wei Dongxu, a Beijing based military expert, said that Britain would feel a loss of prestige over the Chinese drills, given its history as a maritime power. “If you look back 30 years ago, there was no way that Britain could have imagined China could dispatch such advanced warships to carry out these activities,” he told The Telegraph. “I expect China will have overwhelming advantage over Britain on naval strength.” A named commentary in the Global Times on Friday that the drills are part of a wider plan of “enhancing (China’s) presence in oceans around the world”. “China should not back down from its current stance in the face of criticism from NATO countries,” said the commentary, from Cui Heng. a PhD candidate at the Center for Russian Studies, East China Normal University. “An appropriate entry into the NATO countries' "backyard" like the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea will reflect China's confidence and strength.” Members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy stand on the Liaoning aircraft carrier as it sails into Hong Kong, china, on Friday, July 7, 2017.  Credit: Bloomberg Meanwhile, concerns have been raised by the US military over Russian war games in Belarus - an ally of Moscow - in September. Some NATO allies believe the Russian exercise could number more than 100,000 troops and involve nuclear weapons training, the biggest such exercise since 2013. US Army Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, who heads US Army forces in Europe, told Reuters that allies are also concerned that the manouvres could be a “Trojan horse”, in which Russia would leave equipment behind. Additional reporting by Christine Wei

Trump Issues Statement On Sean Spicer Resignation

Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders reads a statement from President Trump change from Sean Spicer to Anthony Scaramucci.

BBQ Power Bowls Are The Perfect Healthy Summer Lunch

All the best parts of barbecue in one bowl!

Surviving Child Describes Horror of Mother's Alleged Family Stabbing Rampage

In new Division of Family and Children's Services documents, Diana Romero, 9, recalls the sight of her mother getting a knife out of the kitchen.

China aims to become world leader in AI, challenges U.S. dominance

By Cate Cadell and Adam Jourdan BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China has outlined plans to become a world-leader in artificial intelligence by 2025, laying down a challenge to U.S. dominance in the sector amid heightened international tensions over military applications of the technology. China released a national AI development plan late on Thursday, aiming to grow the country's core AI industries to over 150 billion yuan ($22.15 billion) by 2020 and 400 billion yuan ($59.07 billion) by 2025, the State Council said. With this major push into AI, China is looking to rival U.S. market leaders such as Alphabet Inc's Google and Microsoft Corp, as it is keen not to be left behind in a technology that is increasingly key from smart cars to energy.

Iraqi Forces Carry Out Revenge Killings Against ISIS Suspects

As Iraqi forces gain upper hand, Sunni Muslims become the victims of further sectarian crimes.

North Korean Defectors Detail Public Executions, Mass Graves, Prison Camps

A human rights organization hopes to use the testimony as prosecution for crimes against humanity.

India's Ambani to launch free smartphone as he shakes up telecoms

India's richest man Mukesh Ambani said Friday that his telecoms venture Jio would launch a free smartphone, escalating a price war that is shaking up the country's ultra-competitive mobile market. The announcement, made at a boisterous Reliance Industries annual general meeting in Mumbai, sent shares in rival telecoms operator Bharti Airtel plummeting almost six percent. "This breakthrough and revolutionary device named JioPhone, along with Jio's disruptive tariff, will unleash the power of digital life in the hands of 1.3 billion citizens of the largest democracy in the world," said Ambani.

'No more woe is me': Senator McCain vows quick return to Washington

By Richard Cowan and David Schwartz WASHINGTON/PHOENIX, Ariz. (Reuters) - U.S. Senator John McCain promised on Thursday he would return rapidly to Washington despite his newly diagnosed brain cancer, flashing the fighting spirit that has defined him since he was held in captivity as a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War. McCain, a veteran senator and former Republican presidential candidate known as a strong and sometimes fiercely independent voice on defense and security issues, was found to have an aggressive form of brain tumor, glioblastoma, after surgery last week for a blood clot above his left eye. The news, issued by his office late on Wednesday, drew a wave of support from across the political spectrum, and raised questions about how long McCain would be absent from the Senate, where Republicans have a narrow majority and are eager to notch up some legislative successes for President Donald Trump.

Visa issues take spotlight after Burundi teens exit event

WASHINGTON (AP) — The big controversy leading up to the FIRST Global international robotics competition in Washington was whether a team of girls from Afghanistan would be able to participate, after their initial visa applications were denied.

OJ Simpson wins parole after he tells hearing in Nevada: 'I've basically lived a conflict-free life'

OJ Simpson, 70, granted parole Former NFL star expected to be free in October Simpson was convicted in 2008 of armed robbery He has served nine years of his 33 year sentence Tearful Simpson tells of missing family occasions "I thought I was a good guy who got along with anybody" Simpson's daughter Arnelle: "We just want him home Social media reacts to decision OJ Simpson last night shed tears of joy as he was granted parole by a panel in Nevada, having served almost nine years for armed robbery. Simpson, 70, struggled to compose himself as the four-person panel delivered their verdict, before looking up to smile at his daughter Arnelle and friend Bruce Fromong – who both spoke to defend the fallen sports star. He is set to walk free in October, cutting short the 33-year sentence imposed for the robbery at a Las Vegas hotel. He and five accomplices stormed a hotel room to seize memorabilia items which Simpson said belonged to him. He was convicted in 2008 exactly 13 years after he was cleared of killing Nicole Brown Simpson, his former wife and her friend Ron Goldman. At the hearing,  which took place at the Lovelock Correctional Facility, a medium security prison in the Nevada desert he told the board he had basically lived a conflict-free life". Simpson appeared as inmate No. 1027820, dressed in blue jeans and a blue button-down shirt, in a stark hearing room. Displaying contrition, Simpson told the hearing:  "I've done it as well and as respectfully as anybody can. I think if you talk to the wardens they'll tell you. Confident but emotional OJ Simpson testifies in bid for new trial 01:24 "I've not complained for nine years. All I've done is try to be helpful… and that's the life I've tried to live because I want to get back to my kids and family." Simpson's daughter, Arnelle, 48, pleaded with the board to release him. "We just want him home". Simpson's case was helped by Mr  Fromong, one of the robbery victims, who pleaded on Simpson's behalf."I don’t feel he is a threat to anyone out there. He is a good man. I know he does a lot for other people. I feel that nine and a half, to 33 years, is way too long.  OJ Simpson, in Nevada "And I feel that it is time to give him a second chance. It’s time for him to go home to his family and his friends. This is a good man who made a mistake." Mr Fromong turned to Simpson, sitting behind him in his denim prison shirt and jeans, wiping away tears. “I mean that, buddy,” he added. Simpson told the panel he is planning to reunite with his two youngest children, Sydney and Justin, in Florida. "I could easily stay in Nevada but I don't think you guys want me here," he said, laughing. 9:58PM OJ Simpson "can never walk away from the popular belief that he's as guilty as Hell" The Telegraph's Tim Stanley believes that OJ will never escape the stigma surrounding the deaths of  his former wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman. "It’s hard to recall the hero worship of OJ Simpson in the Seventies or the way the trial transformed his reputation in the black community - for a brief moment, he had his own pivotal, if contested, role in the civil rights movement. But the glory faded. What is left is the brutal sense of justice deferred but won. OJ can never walk away from the popular belief that he was as guilty as Hell." Read more here 9:28PM Simpson faces huge financial claims  Simpson  is likely to remain shackled to a multimillion-dollar wrongful death civil judgment stemming from the 1994 killing of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman, Reuters reports Their families should be able to stake their claim to at least a portion of Simpson's future earnings, whether he writes a book, appears on a reality television show or sells autographs, legal experts said. Simpson was acquitted of the murders two decades ago during the so-called "trial of the century," though his reputation - built atop a Hall of Fame football career as well as years as a popular pitchman and actor - suffered permanent damage. Nicole Brown Simpson Despite the not guilty verdict, a civil court jury found him liable for the deaths and awarded $33.5 million in damages to the victims' families. That judgment, which was renewed in court two years ago for another decade and enlarged to about $58 million, remains largely unpaid. And David Cook, a longtime attorney for the Goldman family, said he would not abandon efforts to collect. "The good news for Mr. Simpson is he's probably going to get out on October 1," Mr Cook told Reuters before the parole decision. "And the bad news is I'm good for another 10 years ... ready to pick up where we last left off." In most states, creditors can seek wage garnishment to recoup some of what they are owed from a debtor's income. In Florida, the state where Simpson said he planned to live if granted parole, the garnishment is limited to 25 percent. 8:59PM Simpson going to Florida  Simpson is planning to go to Florida, but he remains the responsibility of the Nevada department of parole, said Shawn Arruti, Nevada Division of Parole and Probation. Florida, which can undertake "courtesy supervision" is free to impose its conditions in addition to those already demanded by Nevada. 8:53PM Simpson will transfer to another institution before parole release Warden Isidro Baca, Nevade Department of Corrections,  explains: "He will move to one of the other institutions which does releases. It would be for a short time. He would then transport out. Al the release planning is done at Lovelock." Simpson will know ahead of time when he will be released - but the date will not be made public. 8:06PM OJ due to walk free in October Despite being granted parole, OJ Simpson will remain in prison until October. He broke down in tears after the four strong Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners voted unanimously to free the former NFL star  and actor. 7:58PM OJ gets parole "It was a serious crime, you deserved to be sent to prison'" says Nevada Parole Commissioner, Tony Corda. "You have complied with the rules of the prison and you have programmed in an acceptable manner. You are a low risk offender according to our guidelines and you have community support." The other three commissioners concur, 7:43PM OJ's conduct in court 'disgraceful and appalling' Jeffrey Toobin, CNN's legal analyst and author of  "The Run of His Life: The People v OJ Simpson", is not convinced OJ's show of contrition. Even his apology, Toobin says, was a justification for what happened in the hotel room. He questions questions how he can reconcile his claim to have led a "conflict-free life" and being a wife beater. 7:33PM Jean Casarez CNN correspondent recalls evidence in the original case Ms Casarez says that OJ was in charge of events in the Las Vegas hotel room. He could see a gun was being pointed at Bruce Fromong. OJ was convicted of kidnapping, robbery and conspiracy. 7:23PM Parole Board has gone into recess Connie Bisbee, the board chairwoman says it will retire to consider its decision. 7:19PM Everybody makes mistakes, OJ made his Mr Fromong says he asked for a sentence of one to three years. The penalty was far too long. This is a good man, he made a mistake. If he called me tomorrow to say I am getting out would you pick me up. I would be there 7:14PM Bruce Fromong , robbery victim giving evidence I want to make this clear: OJ never pulled a gun on me. There was a coward in that room, a man named McClinton – he held a gun on me. Not OJ. After I had testified in court, OJ passed me in the corridor. I said I was sorry I did not take the opportunity to call him. And he said: ‘Bruce, I cannot tell you how sorry I am.’ He put his hand out, and I shook it. We all make mistakes. OJ made his. By all accounts he has been a model inmate. During the trial I recommended he serve one to three years. I have known OJ for a long time. I don’t feel he is a threat to anyone out there. He is a good man. I know he does a lot for other people. I feel that nine and a half, to 33 years, is way too long. And I feel that it is time to give him a second chance. It’s time for him to go home to his family and his friends. This is a good man who made a mistake. And if he called me tomorrow and said: ‘Bruce, I’m getting out – will you pick me up?’ I would be there. I mean that buddy. 7:11PM Bruce Fromong speaks Bruce Fromong, the victim of the robbery, is speaking. He describes himself as a friend of Simpson. He was misguided, by himself and Tom Riccio. He thought there would be thousands of photos. His wife's wedding ring. Thomas Riccio had never met me. He went down, got OJ, and I started to tell him that that wasn't there. But when OJ got there he was already worked up - he had people with him hollering and screaming. There were a lot of people in that small room. A lot of things happened very quickly. Unfortunately, if OJ said: 'We need to talk a minute' none of this would have happened. 7:08PM OJ summing up statements I'm not making excuses. I will honour what the jury said. I will be no problem. I've done my time. OJ Simpson in 1968, aged 32 I just want to get back to my family and friends - and believe it or not, I do have some real friends! I did my time and I want to get back to my family. I made my peace with Bryan many years ago. I am sorry it happened. I am sorry to Nevada. I thought it was worth it, but it wasn't worth it. 7:02PM Simpson's lawyer summing up Malcolm LaVergne is explaining the circumstances of the theft. Mr Simpson couldn't care less about some signed football. But these were intimate family photos that were taken from him - literally stolen. With his mother, with other celebrities. They probably have no value to other people. But they are valuable to Mr Simpson.   6:59PM Malcolm LaVergne reads out letter in support Mr LaVergne, Simpson's lawyer, reads out a letter in support of the former sports star. The letter is from a teacher. I want to tell you how much I enjoy teaching the inmates. OJ Simpson with his lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne Mr LaVergne says Simpson is "in a position of power" and used that for good. He uses that clout to obtain funding for books and education in this prison. Some of those men, as Mr Simpson said, really are going to get out and have a better life as a result of his efforts. Frankly if I was in his position, I'd use that clout to say: 'Get me out of jail'. But he doesn't do that.   6:52PM Arnelle Simpson tearful in court OJ's eldest daughter chokes back tears. As a family, we know he is not the perfect man. But the last nine years he has been the perfect inmate, and made the best of the situation, which is truly amazing to me. The choices he made nine years ago were clearly inappropriate. As a family, we were all together nine years ago to celebrate a wedding. My father took the wrong approach. He did not make the right decision that day, but his intentions were not.... He made the wrong decisions at the wrong time. As a family we stay strong, and I am grateful to God for giving us the strength to stay strong no matter what. And a lot of that is because of him. On behalf of my family: we just want him to come home. We really do. I know in my heart he is humbled by the situation. This has been hard, really hard. There is no right or wrong way to handle this. But I know he is remorseful. He is truly remorseful. We want him home so we can move forward as a family. 6:48PM OJ Simpson's daughter Arnelle to testify OJ Simpson's eldest daughter, Arnelle, 48, is now speaking on her father's behalf. As you know I am here on behalf of my family for the purpose of expressing what we believe is the true character of my father. No one really knows what we have been through in the last nine years. 6:42PM OJ: "I'm a pretty straight shooter" Simpson is asked if he can stand parole conditions. He replies, with perhaps not the best choice of phrase: "I'm a pretty straight shooter." OJ Simpson in Nevada on Thursday He says he has no concerns about dealing with the public, if free. 6:40PM OJ is asked why it is better to be in the community rather than prison I have four kids. My reputation has always been that I am open to the public; I'm open to everyone. I am at a time in my life that I want to be with my family. I have had countless media requests, but I am not interested. I have done my times as well and as respectfully as anyone here. I have not complained for nine years. All I have done is tried to be helpful, to tell people in here to bide their time and not do anything to aggravate their situation. 6:36PM OJ: "I was a pretty good guy" Simpson, 70, gets a touch tearful as he tells of missing family occasions, and says he thought of himself as "a good guy" - although he admits he had "fidelity issues".  If I had made a better judgement back then none of this would have happened. I am not making excuses. But I should never have allowed these alleged security guys to get involved. 6:27PM OJ took "alternatives to violence" class OJ says he took a class in conflict resolution while in prison. I've been asked many times to mediate, to stop guys punching each other. A guy came to me and said: 'OJ, I understand you are a Baptist.' I am a better person. 6:25PM "I'm in jail for taking property which was legally declared mine" OJ is spelling out why he should be released. He says that the property which he was sentenced for stealing was legally declared his. I'm in jail for taking property which was legally declared mine. 6:24PM Going over what happened in 2008 OJ is currently explaining what happened in Vegas in 2008.  A parole commissioner began by asking Simpson what he was thinking at the time of the robbery of sports memorabilia at a Las Vegas hotel. After the question Simpson took a deep breath and said it could be a lengthy response. He said he wasn't interested at first in memorabilia but saw that some of the items two collectors were selling belonged to him. 6:21PM OJ pictured in 2013 OJ Simpson in 2013 6:16PM "We have that you are 90 years old" Bisbee had Simpson's age wrong - but about two decades. We're happy to confirm The Juice is 70-years-old, not 90. That got the first laugh of the hearing. 6:14PM Just like 1995 Turned on the tv and thought it was 1995 all over again. #OJSimpsonParole— Brant Weems (@weembra) July 20, 2017 6:11PM And again...  OJ Simpson 6:09PM Here he is... thinner and grayer than when he was last seen four years ago Simpson has just sat down for the video conference from the prison near Lovelock, Nevada. He's currently being questioned.  The Juice laughed as the parole commissioner told him that he was getting the same hearing as anyone else would. He chuckled after the comment from Connie Bisbee, chairwoman of the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners, and said, "Thank you, ma'am." OJ Simpson at his parole hearing.  6:06PM Media frenzy Simpson's friends and family have entered a hearing room in the Nevada prison. There is heavy security around the prison, according to reporters. Authorities set up a checkpoint on a single road leading to Lovelock Correctional Center to screen vehicles. The parking lot is filled with network media satellite trucks and tents set up to shade reporters from intense sun. Dozens of reporters also have set up outside the parole board building in Carson City. 6:02PM It seems like the whole of the US will be watching RT if you're sitting by the TV watching the #OJSimpsonParole hearing like... pic.twitter.com/rdNhdwDlrH— GetNThaGame™ (@_GetNThaGame) July 20, 2017 5:52PM Who makes the final decision? Simpson needs four votes to win parole. If he's successful he'd be released from prison in October. A decision should come within 30 minutes unless the four members are not in unanimous agreement. In that case, two other parole board members will be asked to weigh in. Three votes would get him another hearing in six months. 5:50PM Will OJ speak during the hearing? Yes. The Juice will appear via video link where four parole board commissioners will question him and hear testimony from others via livestream from a hearing room in Carson City, Nevada. The hearing is expected to last 45 to 60 minutes. 5:47PM Life on the inside Nevada's Lovelock Correctional Center where OJ has been serving his sentence. Credit: AP 5:44PM What's happening at the moment? We're just minutes away from the parole hearing beginning. Simpson's supporters have apparently arrived at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada where the incarcerated former football star will ask a parole board for his freedom via video link. They include Simpson's attorney, Malcolm LaVergne, daughter Arnelle Simpson, sister Shirley Baker and close friend Tom Scotto. 5:39PM The moment The Juice was found not guilty of murder in 1995 The moment OJ Simpson was found not guilty of murder 01:27 5:37PM Civil action Brown’s family never accepted the not guilty verdict and brought a case against Simpson for wrongful death. In 1997, he was found liable in civil court for the deaths and ordered to pay $33.5 million to survivors including his children and the Goldman family. The Goldmans believe Simpson got away with murder in Los Angeles and some legal observers said that the sentence handed down in Las Vegas was not simply about the robbery. A Goldman family spokesman said Ron Goldman's father and sister, Fred and Kim, will not be part of Simpson's parole hearing, but feel apprehensive about "how this will change their lives again should Simpson be released". 5:30PM Here's a reminder of the famous glove moment OJ Simpson looks at a new pair of Aris extra-large gloves that prosecutors had him put on during his double-murder trial in Los Angeles in 1995. Credit: AFP 5:27PM Trial of the century broadcast live on television Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman were found dead outside her home in 1994. They had been stabbed to death. Simpson was questioned and later ordered to turn himself into police. However, he fled and the ensuing low-speed police chase – during which a convoy of vehicles followed Simpson in a white Ford Bronco down Interstate 404 – was broadcast live on television. It set the scene for an extraordinary court case which gripped America. Some 100 million viewers were watching when a jury finally found Simpson not guilty of the killings at the end of an eight-month trial in October 1995. Although the prosecution had an overwhelming amount of DNA evidence, the defence was able to argue that mistakes made by investigators may have contaminated the crime scene. Simpson was also unable to fit his hand inside one glove found at the scene and another found near his home. 5:25PM From sporting star to claims of domestic violence Simpson was an American football star who broke records during his prime playing as a running back for the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers in the 1970s. That success meant he was in demand after retiring, becoming a familiar figure on television as well as acting in films. His sporting achievements saw him inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. By then he had met and married his second wife, Nicole Brown. They had two children together before she filed for divorce in 1992 after he was investigated a number of times for domestic violence. OJ Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson pictured in 1993.  Credit: AP 5:21PM Why is he in prison? Simpson’s final downfall came in 2008, 13 years to the day after he was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife. The star was convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and 10 other charges for assembling a gang of five men a year earlier for help seizing game balls, plaques and photos from a hotel and casino complex in Las Vegas.  Simpson always insisted he was merely reclaiming mementos that had been stolen from him. He was sentenced to spend 33 years in prison with a possibility of parole after nine years – a stiff sentence his supporters said was payback for the not guilty verdict in the murder trial. 5:10PM Will he get parole? Stay tuned to find out. We will bring you all the action as it happens.  By most accounts, Simpson has a clean prison record and a good chance of release. At today's hearing, he is expected to reiterate that he has stayed out of trouble, coaches in the prison gym where he works and counsels other inmates. 5:05PM Parole hearing of the century Simpson is serving his sentence at the Simpson Lovelock Correctional Centre in Nevada, where he is known as inmate 1027820.  In 2013, his good behaviour in prison helped win him parole for the less serious convictions. That leaves the Nevada Parole Board of Commissioners to consider the more serious offences of assault with a deadly weapon and four weapons charges. All of this is happening in less than an hour's time. 5:03PM Here's a reminder of the key moments in OJ's life OJ timeline

Saudi king overhauls security services following royal shakeup

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How many nukes are in the world and what could they destroy?

Tensions over nuclear weapons have been raised further after North Korea claimed to have successfully test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile.  This latest move comes amid increasing concern over North Korea's military capabilities, with the new US administration upping its rhetoric in response.  While the Pyongyang regime increases the frequency with which it is conducting missile tests, Donald Trump's defence secretary Jim 'Mad Dog' Mattis has warned North Korea of an "effective and overwhelming" response if Pyongyang used nuclear weapons. Elsewhere, rhetoric hints at a return of the expansion of nuclear arsenals across the world. In December, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a meeting of defence chiefs that strengthening nuclear capability should be a key objective for 2017. Donald Trump then took to Twitter to respond, vowing to do the same. The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016 Such rhetoric has led to concerns about the world's nuclear capacity and the unpredictability of those in charge of the warheads. It seems the world is a long way from "coming to its senses" - with millions of kilotons already in military service around the world. Between them, the world's nuclear-armed states have around 15,000 warheads - the majority of which belong to the US and Russia. It is estimated that just under 10,000 of these are in military service, with the rest awaiting dismantlement, according to the Arms Control Association.  Putin says Russia should strengthen its nuclear arsenal 00:51 Which countries have nuclear weapons? There are five nuclear-weapon states in the world: China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States. These are officially recognised as possessing such weapons by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This treaty acknowledges and legitimises their arsenals, but they are not supposed to build or maintain them forever. Indeed, they have committed to eliminate them.  There are also four other countries that have nuclear weapons: Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea. These countries didn't sign the Treaty, and together possess an estimated 340 nuclear weapons.  But it's Russia and the US that have by far the most in the world - dominating all other countries by collectively sharing 88 per cent of the world's arsenal of stockpiled nukes. This figure increases to 93 per cent when we consider retired nukes.  How the world's 15,000 nukes are divided How deadly could these nuclear weapons be? The world's current collection of 14,900 nuclear weapons possesses enough power to kill millions of people and flatten dozens of cities.  According to Telegraph research, it is estimated that the US and Russian arsenals combined have power equating to 6,600 megatons. This is a tenth of the total solar energy received by Earth every minute. According to the NukeMap website, the dropping of the B-83, the largest bomb in the current US arsenal, would kill 1.4m people in the first 24 hours. A further 3.7m people would be injured, as the thermal radiation radius reached 13.km.  Likewise, the "Tsar Bomba" is the largest USSR bomb tested. If this bomb was dropped on New York, it is estimated that it could kill 7.6m people and injure 4.2m more. The nuclear fallout could reach an approximate area of 7,880km on a 15mph wind, impacting millions more people.  Both America and Russia's arsenals are regulated by several treaties that place limits on the numbers and kinds of warheads and delivery systems they have.   If either country were to expand their nuclear capacity even further, as Trump and Putin have hinted at, it could shatter these agreements and plunge the world into a new Cold War. North Korean missile ranges Our figures on nuclear weapons, based on statistics from the Arms Control Association, are mainly estimates because of the secretive nature with which most governments treat information about their arsenals. 

Fighting kills 6 Ukraine soldiers in fresh spike of violence

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Mercedes-Benz Builds 300,000th G-Class

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A tenderloin gets an assist from dark brown sugar, paprika

As its name implies, the tenderloin is one of the most tender cuts of pork, and comes from the full loin. It's mild in flavor and takes well to rubs, marinades and sauces. Tenderloins range in weight from 10 ounces to 1 1/2 pounds. I prefer the smaller 10-12 ounce tenderloins and look for those when I am shopping for meat.