Canton

John Brennan Stands By His Claim That Trump’s Behavior Is ‘Treasonous’

Former CIA Director John Brennan is sticking by his assertion that President

How Kofi Annan Once Reacted To Being Mistaken For Morgan Freeman

With the passing of former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan,

British air stewardess who fell off cruise ship says yoga and singing helped her survive 10 hours in sea

A British air stewardess who fell from the back of a cruise ship has said her yoga fitness and singing helped her to survive 10 hours in the sea. Kay Longstaff, 46, was pulled from the Adriatic Sea on Sunday morning, having plunged from the Norwegian Star as it sailed 60 miles off the Croatian coast on Saturday. The tourist said she is "lucky to be alive" and thanked her "wonderful" rescuers as she was taken to a hospital in the Croatian town of Pula. Rescuers said Ms Longstaff, believed to be a former Virgin Atlantic cabin crew member who now works on private planes, was exhausted but she had recovered by the time they took her ashore. "She said the fact that she practices yoga helped her as she was fit. And she said she was singing to not feel cold in the sea overnight," an unnamed rescuer told The Sun. Kay Longstaff is escorted by rescuers from a Croatian Coast Guard vessel Credit: AP Ms Longstaff was found swimming less than a mile from the point where she disappeared from the Norwegian Star as it made its way to Venice.  She looked relaxed and happy, wearing a T-shirt tied in a knot and blue denim shorts as she reached the Croatian city of Pula on Sunday morning. Kay Longstaff appeared relaxed and happy as she reached the Croatian city of Pula Credit: STR/AFP  It is not clear how Ms Longstaff came to be in the water, but said she "fell off the back" of the ship.  She told waiting reporters: "I fell off the back of the Norwegian Star and I was in the water for about 10 hours. These wonderful guys rescued me." Ms Longstaff said she was sitting at the back of the deck before the incident happened, adding: "I am very lucky to be alive".  Kay Longstaff climbs a ladder unaided after spending ten hours in the sea She is helped aboard the Croatian Coast Guard ship Cavtat  The moment Kay Longstaff is taken to safety by members of the Croatian Coast Guard  She is believed to have fallen into the Adriatic from the seventh deck of the 965ft cruise liner just before midnight on Saturday around 60 miles south of Pula.  The ship alerted the authorities who dispatched the Croatian Coast Guard patrol ship Cavtat and a PC-9 search plane to search for her throughout the night. Three other ships were also involved.  She was eventually found at around 9.30am on Sunday swimming less than a mile from where she disappeared. The rescue ship's captain Lovro Oreskovic said: "The British woman was exhausted when we pulled her out of the water. "We were extremely happy for saving a human life." Kay Longstaff, a British air hostess, was on holiday on a Greek island tour Credit: Twitter Mr Oreskovic said he was proud of his crew, particularly rescue swimmer Lieutenant Colonel Marina Delić who had pulled her from the water.  It is understood that Ms Longstaff has now been released from hospital and is due to be reunited with her family.  Ms Longstaff is believed to now live on the Costa del Sol, in southern Spain. Kay Longstaff is an air hostess believed to now work on private planes Credit: Facebook David Radas, a spokesman from Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, told The Telegraph: "After they found her the rescued woman was not injured, just exhausted, hypothermical and in shock.  "When they reached the coast she felt pretty much recovered. That was also confirmed the hospital staff after they conducted preliminary health check." He said that by checking CCTV rescuers knew the exact moment Ms Longstaff fell in the water. Mr Radas said: "Because they knew the time, they were able to know the exact position of the ship." Kay Longstaff is pictured with her rescuers from the Croatian Coast Guard A Norwegian Star spokeswoman said: "We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition, and has been taken ashore in Croatia for further treatment.  "We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family." An official at the hospital where she was taken confirmed: "The British woman was brought to the hospital and her life is not endangered." Staff at the cruise liner are said to be examining the CCTV cameras to try an establish exactly what happened to the woman.  British woman rescued from Adriatic Sea The Norwegian Star was sailing from Vargarola to Venice when the incident happened. The ship had been on a seven-night Greek Island tour which began in Venice and stopped in Kotor in Montenegro and several ports in Greece.  It returned to Venice around five hours late, with passengers waiting to board complaining of the delay.  The ship has recently been refurbished and boasts on board 15 restaurants, 10 bars, a spa and a casino.  It is understood that the Foreign Office has been informed of the incident.  The Norwegian Star cruise ship had recently been refurbished Credit: Danita Delimont/Alamy Experts say that more than 300 people have fallen overboard on cruises since 2000.

German prosecutors probe Yazidi woman's claim about IS man

BERLIN (AP) — German prosecutors said Saturday they are taking seriously a Yazidi refugee's claim that she ran into her former Islamic State captor twice in Germany, but say they need more information to identify him.

Cossacks and flowers as Putin dances at Austrian minister's wedding

Russian President Vladimir Putin danced arm-in-arm with Austria's Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl at her wedding on Saturday, after receiving an invitation that opposition critics said undermined the West's stance against Moscow. Photographs showed Kneissl, 53, smiling in a long white and cream "dirndl" dress and talking to Putin as they danced in a vineyard in southern Styria province, the venue of her wedding to entrepreneur Wolfgang Meilinger. Putin - who made a toast in German at the wedding, according to the Kremlin - was pictured listening to her intently.

Frightened Students Recount Shooting That Left 2 Injured at South Florida High School Football Game

Two people were shot at a practice game in Palm Beach County on Friday.

'Liberty or Death': rightwing protesters march against alleged leftwing violence in Seattle

A man standing with members of Patriot Prayer and other groups supporting gun rights wears guns during a rally on Saturday at City Hall in Seattle. Many demonstrators at the “Liberty or Death” rally wore camouflage, body armor, helmets and insignia of the “Patriot Movement”.

More bodies found in flooded Kerala as toll hits 370

Rescuers searched submerged villages in southwest India on Sunday in a desperate hunt for survivors after floods killed at least 370 people and drove more than 700,000 from their homes. Entire villages in Kerala have been swept away in the state's worst floods for a century. Thousands remain trapped -- often without food or water -- in towns and villages cut off by the floods, and heavy rain forecast in coming days threatens to compound the disaster.

Lockheed Martin's #WorldPhotoDay Tweet Backfires

Lockheed Martin wanted to turn World Photo Day into a publicity stunt, but

Trump Speechwriter Fired After He's Linked To White Nationalist Event

A White House speechwriter for President Donald Trump was fired last week

Ghana mourns Annan, grandson of tribal chiefs to UN chief

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Streets were hushed as the West African nation of Ghana on Saturday mourned Kofi Annan, the grandson of tribal chiefs who became the first black African to assume the world's top diplomatic post.

Father, son drive through flames to escape forest fire

Justin Bilton and his 70-year-old father barely escaped as the Howe Ridge Fire closed in on them in West Glacier, Montana.

Second cardinal withdraws from Ireland congress amid abuse scandals

The meeting, a major congress held every three years, will be closed by Pope Francis during the first papal visit in almost 40 years to Ireland where a series of abuse scandals has also rocked the church's standing in the once staunchly Catholic country. The withdrawal from the Dublin event followed a bombshell grand jury report this week that detailed widespread abuse by hundreds of priests in Pennsylvania and a systematic cover-up campaign by their bishops over a 70-year period. Wuerl, who was Bishop for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania from 1988 to 2006, has not himself been accused of any wrongdoing against children.

Genoa toll hits 43 as search for answers ramps up

Italy is searching for answers on Sunday after paying its respects to the dozens killed by a collapsed bridge in Genoa, as the country's new government continues to battle the underfire motorway company that manages. "The bodies of the final three missing people were found overnight," Italy's fire service said on Twitter Sunday. The findings mean that all those reported missing after Tuesday's tragedy have now been accounted for, although rescuers are continuing to comb the wreckage.

German finance minister Olaf Scholz warns of 'German Trump' if pensions reforms not backed by Merkel

Germany's finance minister warned that a "German Trump" may seize power as he claimed pension reform is the key to preventing the rise of populism in Europe. “Stable pensions prevent a German Trump. That's why politicians should not shirk this topic,” Olaf Scholz, who is also vice-chancellor, said yesterday. Mr Scholz has been pushing for government reforms similar to the UK’s triple lock to ensure pension levels remain stable despite inflation. The vice-chancellor has something of a reputation for dullness in Germany, but he insisted the issue has implications that go far beyond his brief as finance minister. “The way I see it is this: globalisation and digitalisation create wealth, but they are also changing our world at a fast pace,” Mr Scholz told Bild am Sonntag newspaper in an interview.  “Citizens rightly expect us to do everything we can to make sure they live securely. If we do not do that, then the hour of nationalist populism will have struck.” Profile | Angela Merkel Mr Scholz has brought pensions centre stage in his quest to carve out new territory for his centre-Left Social Democrat party (SPD), which is junior partner in Angela Merkel’s coalition government. Mrs Merkel has agreed to secure pension levels until 2025, but Mr Scholz wants them guaranteed until 2040 and has threatened to make them a major issue in 2021’s election. After recording its worst ever results in last year’s election, the SPD leadership is desperate for an issue that will allow the party to differentiate itself from Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU). The SPD has continued to sink lower in the opinion polls, and at times has slipped behind the nationalist Alternative for Germany party (AfD).  A new poll showed that the conservatives had lost one percentage point to poll at 30 percent, while the SPD was steady at 17 percent. That means that if Germany voted again tomorrow, the grand coalition would not have enough support to govern. The poll, conducted by the Emnid institute, showed the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party gaining one point to 15 percent, and the pro-business Free Democrats adding one point to poll at 9 percent. But Mr Scholz insisted the SPD leadership was not panicking. “We are in this for the long haul and have to keep cool,” he said. “If we show a clear attitude and do the right thing over the long term, the people will feel comfortable with the idea of an SPD chancellor in 2021.” The finance minister has also pledged to push for EU reforms to reduce the amount of child benefits Germany has to pay to children living in other member states. Under EU current rules member states have to pay child benefits to anyone who is legally resident, even if their children live in another country. Germany currently pays benefits for more than 260,000 children in other EU countries. Mr Scholz  wants the rules changed so the level of benefits is linked to the cost of living where the children are resident.

Powerful magnitude 8.2 earthquakes strikes near Fiji, no tsunami triggered

A powerful 8.2 magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific Ocean near the islands of Fiji and Tonga on Sunday local time.

Afghanistan announces Muslim Eid holiday ceasefire with Taliban

Taliban sources said their leaders had also provisionally agreed a four-day truce during the annual Islamic feast of sacrifice, though supreme leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada still had to give his final approval. Fighting has been mounting in the Taliban's insurgency against the government in Kabul and NATO coalition forces, launched after the Islamist group was ousted from power in a U.S.-led military intervention in 2001. The truce announcement came a day after clashes erupted in the northern province of Faryab, an interior ministry official said.

Ariana Grande Brought To Tears While Discussing Anxiety, Manchester Bombing

Ariana Grande broke down in tears Friday during a radio interview that touched

The Latest: Avenatti in New Hampshire as he weighs 2020 bid

GREENFIELD, N.H. (AP) — The Latest on Avenatti weighing 2020 presidential bid during New Hampshire visit (all times local):

Stock markets rise on hopes for easing of US-China trade dispute

Stock markets mostly across the world rose on Monday as investors on optimism that China and the United States will start working to resolve their trade dispute. Wall Street ended last week with gains following a report that top officials from the world's two biggest economies would hold talks to resolve a crisis that has seen them hit each other with tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods, and with more in the pipeline. The report in the Wall Street Journal said the talks were aimed at easing the trade dispute before US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold a summit in November.

Body found in burning vehicle at Disney World in Florida, say police

The unidentified victim was discovered when firefighters extinguished the blaze near the Fantasia Gardens miniature golf course. Homicide detectives have joined the investigation, according to a statement from Orange County Sheriff's Office. Deputies were called to the scene at 1209 Epcot Resorts Boulevard to assist the Reedy Creek Fire Department at 4.11am on Saturday morning.

Over 2 million Muslims begin annual hajj pilgrimage

MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — More than 2 million Muslims began the annual hajj pilgrimage at first light on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in Mecca that Islam's faithful face five times each day during their prayers.

Search on for suspects in deadly Nashville shootings

Police are warning residents not to go outside alone after a string of deadly shootings in the city. ABC News' Kendis Gibson reports.

New panda mom doesn't know she has twins thanks to these sneaky zookeepers

Crafty zookeepers are keeping a set of newborn panda twins alive by switching them out every day.  Although twins aren't uncommon, when pandas have multiple babies they tend to devote all of their attention to only one of their cubs, leaving the other to starve.  SEE ALSO: Someone tried to smuggle a snake onto a plane by hiding it in a hard drive But these zookeepers have managed to get new panda moms to care for both babies by rotating them out, tricking the pandas into believing they only have one cub to care for. A BBC Earth video — narrated by the one and only David Attenborough — shows the keepers' technique.  New mother Lee Lee hasn't realized that she had twins because her keepers have been switching her 18-day-old cubs out, so she only has one at a time.  When they need to change out the cubs, they distract Lee Lee with a bowl of honey water and worm the young cub from her paws. Then, they put that cub in an incubator and bring the other cub to Lee Lee, ensuring that both get the maternal care they need.  Keepers swap the cubs out at least 10 times a day, keeping a meticulous record of the babies' time with their mom.  The technique has an almost 100 percent survival rate. Although pandas are no longer endangered, they are still vulnerable, so finding new ways to help the species along, even in captivity, is important. Plus, it's freaking adorable. WATCH: This design studio is growing gourds inside 3D printed molds to create organic, biodegradable cups

Man killed on Long Island is New York's first lightning death since 2016

A man was struck and killed by lightning in Kings Park on Long Island, New York, on Saturday evening.

U.S. forces to stay in Iraq as long as needed - spokesman

"We'll keep troops there as long as we think they're needed ... The main reason, after ISIS (Islamic State) is defeated militarily, is the stabilization efforts and we still need to be there for that, so that's one of the reasons we'll maintain a presence," Colonel Sean Ryan told a news conference in Abu Dhabi. The number of American soldiers could go down however, depending on when other forces from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation deploy to help train the Iraqi army, he said, adding that about 5,200 U.S. troops are currently based in Iraq. NATO defence ministers agreed in February to a bigger "train-and-advise" mission in Iraq after a U.S. call for the alliance to help stabilise the country after three years of war against Islamic State.

Mick Mulvaney Suggests Military Parade Canceled For Reasons Besides Money

White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said Sunday that cost wasn't the

Europe must 'pay price' to save nuclear deal: Iran FM

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Sunday that Europe had not yet shown it was willing to "pay the price" of defying Washington in order to save the nuclear deal. Zarif said European governments had put forward proposals to maintain oil and banking ties with Iran after the second phase of US sanctions return in November. "Although they have moved forward, we believe that Europe is not yet ready to pay the price (of truly defying the US)," Zarif said.

UK parliament attack suspect charged with attempted murder

A man accused of crashing his car into the security barriers surrounding Britain's Houses of Parliament was charged Saturday with attempted murder, police said. Salih Khater, 29, a Sudanese-born British national living in Birmingham, central England, will appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Monday, police said.

Saudi Arabia prepares for the annual Muslim hajj pilgrimage

MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia is preparing to host the annual hajj pilgrimage beginning Sunday, as over 2 million Muslim faithful are ready to take part in the ultraconservative kingdom.

The I-400: Japan's Wanted Underwater Aircraft Carriers To Launch a Second Pearl Harbor

So what happened? 

Deadly, 40,000-foot fire tornado revealed in new videos

Harrowing new footage released by California's firefighting agency Cal Fire reveals the massive fire tornado that led to the death of a firefighter on July 26. The fire tornado was part of the Carr Fire that's engulfed 223,610 acres of land in Northern California so far. A report from Cal Fire breaks down the details surrounding the fiery phenomenon. SEE ALSO: A fire tornado hit California. Here's how it happened. Per the report, the tornado "was a large rotating fire plume that was roughly 1,000 feet in diameter at its base" and managed to reach a height of 40,000 feet.  In late July, we covered news of a fire tornado in the area on the evening of July 26. It's unclear whether the fire tornado in the report is the same as the one that garnered media attention at the time, according to Cal Fire.  "Observations from witnesses and other evidence suggest that either several fire tornados occurred at different locations and times, or one fire tornado formed and then periodically weakened and strengthened causing several separate damage areas," the report says. Fire tornados can happen when extreme heat spins up from the ground. As Mashable's Mark Kaufman explained at the time: Firefighters captured the disturbing video above from a helicopter, as well as footage taken from a fire engine, and from the Keswick Dam on the Sacramento River.  The Carr Fire continues to ravage parts of Shasta County and Trinity County. It is 77 percent contained, and other fires continue to rage in Northern California and other areas These fires are spurred on by extreme heat and dryness in the region. While human-caused climate change isn't necessarily the direct cause of any single weather event, like these fires, it can make extreme weather more likely now and in the future. WATCH: Scientists made an awesome error that could save our planet from plastic hell

Eight years late, Palestinian mail arrives in West Bank

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are about to receive a special delivery of more than 10 tons of mail that has been delayed by Israel for the past eight years. Postal workers have been sorting through thousands of mail sacks in the West Bank city of Jericho for the past several days after Israeli authorities allowed the entry of the letters and packages from neighboring Jordan. The 10.5 tons of mail had been held in Jordan since 2010 because Israel would not permit direct transfer to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, Palestinian officials said.

Fabled 'Little Red' prototype Shelby Mustang discovered!

One of two pivotal Experimental cars built by Shelby has been found in a Texas field, 50 years after it disappeared – and the owner had no idea what he owned...

Tough talks, no agreements at Merkel, Putin meeting near Berlin

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters no agreements were reached, but the meeting had simply been intended to "check the watches" after Merkel's meeting with Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in May. Ties between the two countries have been strained since Russia's annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014. "That’s why it is necessary to take measures against possible non-competitive and illegal attacks from the third countries in order to complete this project eventually," he told reporters shortly before Putin flew back to Russia. At the start of the talks, Merkel underscored her expectation that Ukraine should continue to have a role in gas transit to Europe, and welcomed the start of discussions among the European Union, Ukraine and Russia on that issue.

What To Watch On Netflix That’s New This Week

Streamline recommends "Ghoul" as the thing to watch on Netflix this week. The

Israel closes people crossing with Gaza after border violence

Israel closed Sunday its only crossing for people with the Gaza Strip except for humanitarian cases after weekend border clashes, the latest tightening of its blockade on the Palestinian enclave despite truce efforts. The move could prevent Gazans from travelling via the crossing for this week's Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, which runs from Monday night until Thursday night, but Israeli officials did not say how long the closure would last. The Palestinian Authority civilian affairs office in the Gaza Strip also confirmed the closure except for medical cases and Palestinians seeking to cross back into the enclave.

Another trial looms for ex-Trump campaign chairman Manafort

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — As jurors weigh Paul Manafort's fate in a sprawling financial fraud case, the former Trump campaign chairman still has another trial looming in the nation's capital — and prosecutors there have a whole new set of charges and a huge volume of evidence.

Forty years ago: three popes in three months

The death 40 years ago of Pope John Paul I, who reigned for just 33 days in 1978, paved the way for the Roman Catholic Church to have three pontiffs in three months. On August 6, 1978, Pope Paul VI dies aged 80 of a heart attack after 15 years at the Vatican. On August 26, Cardinal Albino Luciani -- the patriarch of Venice -- is elected pope under the name John Paul I.

A Mach 6 SR-71? This Is How Amazing (And Deadly) the SR-72 Could Be.

It could have a strike mission. 

Over a Dozen Specially Trained Dogs Join Search for Hiker Missing for Nearly Three Weeks

28-year-old Samantha Sayers was last seen August 1 when she went missing during a day hike at Vesper Peak in Snohomish County.

America's Waterways Have a Huge Problem With Contact Lenses

All those tiny discs add up.

Focus shifts to rescues as rain abates in India's flood-hit Kerala

Incessant downpours since Aug. 8 have caused the worst floods in a century in the southwestern state, and close to 200 people have perished in the rising waters and landslides. The India Meteorological Department forecast heavy rainfall in only one or two parts of Kerala on Sunday and withdrew a red alert in several districts. A Reuters photographer on a naval helicopter said water levels had receded in villages around the city of Kochi.

Greek central bank chief warns over backtracking, turbulence post-bailout

Greece's central bank governor warned the country not to backtrack on commitments to its lenders after it exits the last of its three bailouts next week, saying markets would abandon it. Yannis Stournaras told Sunday's Kathimerini newspaper any backpedalling could leave Greece facing major risks at a time when it would be particularly vulnerable to financial turbulence in neighboring Turkey, Italy and beyond. Athens is set to exit its latest bailout on Aug. 20 and rely on bond markets thereafter to refinance its debt after a nearly nine-year debt crisis that shrank its economy by a quarter and forced it to implement painful austerity.

Taiwan's president visits Nasa space centre, in a move likely to anger Beijing

Tsai Ing-wen, the Taiwanese president visited Nasa’s space centre in Houston on Sunday, in a move that indicates deepening ties between Taipei and Washington, but which is expected to infuriate Beijing.  The trip to the Johnson Space Centre in Texas marks the first time a sitting leader from the self-ruling island has entered a US federal building in an official capacity, although her presence in Houston and in Los Angeles a week earlier were only brief stopovers en route to Paraguay and Belize.  But even short transit stops on US soil have traditionally provoked a sharp response from China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and has tried to undermine its sovereignty and stepped up pressure on the international community to exclude Taipei from global forums.  Taiwan’s population of 23 million meanwhile operates like any other democratic nation with its own government, currency, military and foreign policy and the majority of citizens identify as Taiwanese. Only 18 countries, mainly small Pacific islands and Central American nations, have formal ties with the Taiwanese government, however.  President Tsai visited the Nasa Johnson Space Centre in Houston Credit: Richard Carson/Reuters  The US has not officially recognised Taiwan since 1979, when it shifted its recognition to China’s communist government and imposed restrictions on visiting senior Taiwanese officials to keep Beijing on side.  Ms Tsai’s transit is the first stopover for the Taiwanese president since the US Congress unanimously passed the Taiwan Travel Act earlier this year, allowing US government figures up to cabinet-level security officials to travel to the island and high-level officials from Taiwan to enter the US. Previously US policy did not permit bilateral visits by Cabinet-level officials. But behind-the-scenes, democratic Taiwan has long had influential allies in Washington’s corridors of power, with high profile legislators giving a nod to its strategic importance to America’s interests in the Pacific region.  During her earlier stop in Los Angeles, Ms Tsai met with three senior US politicians, including California Representative Brad Sherman, who called for the president herself to be granted a trip to Washington, reported Politico.  Thank you @Astro_Ellen & @AstroIronMike for coming out on Sunday for a behind-the-scenes tour of @NASA_Johnson. Missed @space_station's #Taiwan fly-by by 23 minutes. Look forward to finding ways of how Taiwan can better support international space efforts. pic.twitter.com/QWOuXm761R— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) August 19, 2018 “I want to see one of the highest level” of visits between the US and Taiwan and that is to “welcome you [Tsai Ing-wen] in Washington DC,” he said.  Ed Royce, the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, who also met with President Tsai, praised the “many positive developments in the US-Taiwan relationship this year.” He added: “By encouraging more frequent visits between our two peoples and governments, we further strengthen the critical US-Taiwan partnership.”  Washington has recently called attention to its positive relations with Taiwan amid soaring tensions with China over trade and Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea.  “We’ll never know for sure if this [visit] is because of the Taiwan Travel Act or if it would have happened anyway because the Trump administration, as well as Congress, is filled with very enthusiastic supporters of US-Taiwan relations,” said Ross Feingold, a Taipei-based lawyer and political analyst. The hard work of the women & men of @houstonpolice in keeping @iingwen & the #Taiwan delegation safe & secure is tremendously appreciated. Many thanks for going above & beyond during our stopover in #Houston. JW pic.twitter.com/K67dWk4Wld— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) ���� (@MOFA_Taiwan) August 19, 2018 “It’s good that President Tsai was welcomed to visit this facility. Does it change what was already a positive trajectory of US-Taiwan relations? Probably not.” China would likely react with the “same style of anger and public statements that we have seen throughout any kind of stopover by the Taiwan president,” he told The Telegraph.  “The fact that it was a federal building doesn’t make it unprecedented if China was to do something like cancel bilateral scientific meetings,” he said.  Regardless of ongoing tensions with Beijing, Taiwan’s government was clearly thrilled by the invitation to Nasa. “#Houston, we’ve to a president! Couldn’t be more proud. @iingwen is the 1st leader of #Taiwan to tour @NASA_Johnson during a #US stopover. Thanks @Astro_Ellen for helping realize this milestone moment,” tweeted Joseph Wu, the foreign minister.  President Tsai also took to Twitter to express her gratitude. “Before we take off, I want to thank everyone involved for making my #Houston stopover a wonderful one filled with good memories. My administration will continue strengthening every aspect of #Taiwan-US relations. Until next time!”

Erdogan vows Turkey will not be cowed by US

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Saturday that his country would not be cowed by the United States, his latest broadside in the bitter feud between Ankara and Washington. The two NATO members are at odds over Turkey's detention of an American pastor, which has triggered a trade row and sent the local currency the lira into a tailspin. "We will not surrender to those who present themselves as a strategic partner while at the same time trying to make us a strategic target," Erdogan said at a congress of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Tourists go off beaten path on North Korea's sacred volcano

MOUNT PAEKTU, North Korea (AP) — Foreign tourists looking to go off the beaten path in North Korea can now camp out on the country's biggest volcano.