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Watchdog expected to find Russia probe valid, despite flaws

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department’s internal watchdog will release a highly anticipated report Monday that is expected to reject President Donald Trump’s claims that the Russia investigation was illegitimate and tainted by political bias from FBI leaders. But it is also expected to document errors during the investigation that may animate Trump supporters.

Saudi gunman tweeted against US before naval base shooting

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — The Saudi gunman who killed three people at the Pensacola naval base had apparently gone on Twitter shortly before the shooting to blast U.S. support of Israel and accuse America of being anti-Muslim, a U.S. official said Sunday as the FBI confirmed it is operating on the assumption the attack was an act of terrorism.

Investigators are also trying to establish whether the killer, 2nd Lt. Mohammed Alshamrani, 21, of the Royal Saudi Air Force, acted alone or was part of a larger plot.

Trump declares himself ‘greatest of all presidents’ in tweets attacking democrats

NEW YORK, Dec 08 (APP): US President Donald Trump called himself the “greatest of all presidents” as his Democratic opponents are holding meetings to prepare impeachment charges against him.

The House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee is expected to draft at least three articles of impeachment — essentially charges of wrongdoing — against Trump which the whole House is expected to vote on before Christmas.

Those articles could include abuse of power through bribery, obstruction of Congress and obstruction of justice.

Astronauts begin operation on SpaceX Dragon’s docking with ISS

NEW YORK, December 8. /TASS/: A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft has approached the International Space Station and astronauts started an operation on capturing it with a robotic arm and docking it with the station, NASA reported on Sunday.

The operation began at 5.05 EST (13.05 Moscow Time). The effort is carried out by the European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano and NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan. Another NASA astronaut Jessica Meir is controlling telemetry data.

Russia is ahead of US in hypersonic weapons development - Pentagon chief

NEW YORK, December 8. /TASS/: The United States is trying to catch up with Russia in developing hypersonic weapons, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said at the Reagan National Defense Forum.

"We took a pause on these technologies some years ago, when we had a clear lead. And what we are doing now, we are planning catchup," Esper said. "The department is investing every dollar it can" in order to gain an advance in hypersonic weapons, the Secretary added.

 

Man eats $120,000 piece of art -- a banana taped to wall

8 December 2019; AFP: The move was bananas... or maybe the work was just too appealing.

A performance artist shook up the crowd at the Art Basel show in Miami Beach on Saturday when he grabbed a banana that had been duct-taped to a gallery wall and ate it.

The banana was, in fact, a work of art by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan titled "Comedian" and sold to a French collector for $120,000.

Democrat-led House Judiciary panel releases report on "constitutional grounds" for Trump impeachment

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Democrat-led House Judiciary Committee released a report on Saturday explaining the constitutional grounds for the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

The report, written by the panel's majority staff, detailed the history, purpose and meaning of the U.S. Constitution's Impeachment Clause. It also addressed legal questions about the impeachment process and rebutted false claims about impeachment.

Trump, Moon discuss Korean Peninsula in phone call

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in discussed Korean Peninsula issues in a phone call on Friday EST, the White House said in a statement Saturday.

The call also covered "developments related to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," the statement said, adding "the two leaders committed to continue close communications on these matters."

Trump: Giuliani wants to take information to Barr, Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump indicated Saturday that his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani wants to take the information he has gathered from his investigations in Ukraine to the U.S. attorney general and to Congress.

Trump said Giuliani had not yet told him what information he has gathered, though the president said he’s heard it was plentiful.

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