Trump dismisses Russia contacts as 'peanut stuff' after previous denials
Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump tried to brush off a question in a recent interview about his associates' interactions with Russians ahead of and during his presidential campaign by saying it was just "peanut stuff," despite his earlier blanket denials of any such interactions. "The stuff you're talking about is peanut stuff," Trump said during a Reuters interview published late Tuesday, before pivoting to criticizing his 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. Before he took office and early in the administration, Trump and his senior officials repeatedly denied any contact between members of the Trump campaign team and Russians. To the best of my knowledge no person that I deal with does," Trump told reporters during a February 2017 news conference. Now, some two years after the 2016 election, court filings, public statements, CNN reporting and reporting from other news outlets show that at least 16 Trump associates had contacts with Russians during the 2016 campaign or transition.
Source:CNN
December 12, 2018 17:05 UTC
Christine Blasey Ford Commends Larry Nassar Survivor In Rare Public Appearance
Christine Blasey Ford, who told senators that now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were high school students, made her first public appearance in months on Tuesday night. Ford hadn’t made a public appearance since she testified in September at the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearing for Kavanaugh. “I am honored to speak with you from afar about a woman I admire so much,” Ford said in the video introducing Denhollander. “A woman who suffered abuse as a vulnerable teenage athlete, who found the courage to talk publicly to stop the abuse of others,” Ford continued. Nassar, then also a sports trainer at Michigan State University, is now imprisoned for life on child sexual abuse charges.
Source:Huffington Post
December 12, 2018 17:04 UTC
Jamie McMurray joining Fox Sports NASCAR coverage in 2019
NASCAR veteran Jamie McMurray is making the move to the broadcast booth next season and joining the Fox Sports NASCAR team. The seven-race winner will be working as an analyst on Nascar Race Hub and Nascar Race Day, along with other assignments, it was announced on Wednesday. McMurray may not be all done with driving, though. He reportedly has an offer to race in next year’s Daytona 500 for the team that gave him his first and latest race in the NASCAR Cup series, Chip Ganassi Racing. Fox Sports is owned by the parent company of FoxNews.com
Source:Fox News
December 12, 2018 17:03 UTC
Mika Brzezinski apologizes for crude remark about Mike Pompeo
(CNN) MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski apologized Wednesday for a remark she made on air that drew criticism for its homophobic implications. During a segment on "Morning Joe," Brzezinski blasted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for his response to the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Later in the morning, Brzezinski expressed outrage by what she called Pompeo's "pathetic deflections." The comment was picked up by media observers on Twitter, one of whom denounced Brzezinski for equating "homosexuality with Mike Pompeo carrying water for the murderous regime in Saudi Arabia." In response, Brzezinski expressed regret.
Source:CNN
December 12, 2018 17:03 UTC
Review: ‘Mary Poppins Returns,’ and she really shouldn’t have
Michael (Ben Whishaw), of course, is Michael Banks, who now has three sweet, unruly young children of his own. (They’re played by Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and Joel Dawson.) He and his sister, Jane (Emily Mortimer), a labor activist, are shocked to be reunited with the nanny who once took them on all manner of magical outings, as they only vaguely recall. You might well share their confusion, given that this Mary Poppins seems not to have aged a day, though she is also an inexplicably, undeniably different being. The effect might have been positively creepy if Blunt weren’t an innately appealing screen presence, though her charisma feels stifled here by the director’s timidity and the audience’s impossible expectations.
Source:Los Angeles Times
December 12, 2018 17:02 UTC
‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ sales soar amid controversy, report says
“Baby It’s Cold Outside” may be getting the cold shoulder from some listeners, but the uptick in song sales and streaming show many people are still enjoying the holiday classic. Sales and streaming of several versions of the Christmas song saw an increase in recent days amid controversy over its lyrics, Billboard reported. Scrapping the song from the radio sparked a nationwide debate, but also an increase in sales. Billboard reported that three versions of “Baby It’s Cold Outside” — Dean Martin’s 1959, Idina Menzel and Michael Buble’s 2014, and Lion Redbone and Zooey Deschanel’s 2003 covers — made large gains on its Holiday Digital Song Sales chart. As for streaming, Martin’s 1959 version is up 54 percent to 8.2 million streams in the U.S. as of the week ending on Dec. 6.
Source:Fox News
December 12, 2018 16:49 UTC
Thomas Markle Slams Prince Harry In Salacious New Interview
Thomas Markle also complained about “lies” about him in the press. Good Morning Britain Thomas Markle during an interview with "Good Morning Britain" earlier this year. I don’t smoke weed and to the best of my knowledge nor does Meghan,” Markle added. “That’s not what Diana stood for.” Much like Thomas Markle, the Duchess of Sussex’s half-sister, Samantha Grant, also has been making efforts to reconnect with her now-royal estranged sibling. Meghan Markle (L) and her half-sister, Samantha Grant (R).
Source:Huffington Post
December 12, 2018 16:30 UTC
SAG Awards 2019: 'A Star Is Born' And 'Maisel' Lead Film And TV Nominations
Christopher Polk via Getty Images The Screen Actors Guild Awards will air at 8 p.m. Eastern time/5 p.m. Pacific time on Jan. 27. The SAG Awards are often the most accurate portent of the Oscar season to come, as the voting bodies for both awards overlap significantly. “A Star Is Born” easily dominated the film categories, raking in four nominations for its lead performers Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga and Sam Elliott and for best ensemble cast. On the TV side, Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and Netflix’s “Ozark” made strong showings, with each scoring four nominations. The Screen Actors Guild Awards will air live on TNT and TBS on at 8 p.m. Eastern time/5 p.m. Pacific time on Jan. 27.
Source:Huffington Post
December 12, 2018 16:30 UTC
He shot his neighbor’s Chihuahua with an assault rifle for urinating on his lawn, Tulare County officials say
She told deputies that she last saw the dog, named Chavo, as she was leaving her house Saturday morning. She noticed the dog was missing when she returned, and she suspected her neighbor was involved, sheriff’s officials said.
Source:Los Angeles Times
December 12, 2018 16:28 UTC
Suspect arrested in series of robberies across O.C., including Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa
On Sunday, a string of incidents began in Irvine, where a man entered the Chevron gas station at 5425 Alton Parkway at about 7:40 p.m. and approached the cashier with an item. Instead of paying, the man brandished a gun and demanded money from the clerk. He fled with about $100 in cash, officials said.
Source:Los Angeles Times
December 12, 2018 16:18 UTC
Theresa May, Facing the End, Makes a Last-Ditch Appeal for Moderation
LONDON — It was almost a relief, on Wednesday, to see Theresa May start yelling. The British prime minister’s voice was hoarse and her face was pale, and who could blame her? Her two years of negotiations on exiting the European Union were a hair’s breadth from ending in a meltdown. And Mr. Corbyn raged right back, accusing Mrs. May of leading her fractured country into a deepening, increasingly risky political crisis. “Many people in this country find planning ahead impossible,” he yelled, “because all they see is chaos at the heart of this government!”
Source:New York Times
December 12, 2018 16:01 UTC
Opinion | Why Christmas Is About Food
After a certain age, Christmas can arrive with a little darkness. I’m used to it by now, the way the ghosts of Christmas Past sneak up on me, but it’s still hard. Remember the good things. When I focus on the good things, I think, above all, of being around a table with my family. Merry Christmas, sister mine.
Source:New York Times
December 12, 2018 16:01 UTC
Celebrity trainer’s ex-husband, former Knicks player Eric Anderson, found dead
Eric Anderson, a former NBA power forward who was married for a decade to celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, was found dead in his Indiana home Sunday, officials said. Anderson was discovered in his Carmel apartment by police conducting a welfare check after Anderson's sister called authorities, the Carmel Police Department said. Anderson married celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson in 1998, but the couple split in 2008. “We are deeply saddened by the sudden loss of Eric Anderson,” Anderson's rep told Page Six in a statement. “Saddened by the news of the passing of former Knick Eric Anderson,” a statement from the Knicks said.
Source:Fox News
December 12, 2018 16:01 UTC
When you buy a designer bag off Instagram, an influencer gets paid. Here's how
Amber Venz launched RewardStyle, which helps bloggers and influencers make money from their social media posts. RewardStyle gets a cut as well, but Venz wouldn't disclose how much the company makes each time an influencer helps make a sale. "Everyone only gets paid when a consumer actually makes a purchase and the retailer is paid. Within a few months of launching RewardStyle, Venz nearly lost it all. The app lets users take a screenshot of content anywhere on the internet created by an influencer they follow.
Source:CNN
December 12, 2018 15:55 UTC
Democrat Julian Castro takes first step toward 2020 White House run
"It doesn't bother me that in December of 2018 I'm not right up at the top of the list," Castro said. "If I decide to run, it would be because I believe I have a compelling message and I'm going to work hard and get to the voters and I believe I can be successful."
Source:Los Angeles Times
December 12, 2018 15:55 UTC