- U.S.Olivier KnoxObama vetoes 9/11 lawsuit bill, triggers override fight
President Obama speaks at a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2016. Risking an election-year public backlash, President Obama on Friday vetoed popular but controversial legislation allowing the relatives of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in U.S. courts. Obama’s rejection of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) sets up what seems likely to be the first-ever successful congressional vote to override his veto.
- U.S.The DriveMultimillionaire Gym Mogul Crashes Lamborghini Murciélago, Kills Uber Driver
J. Gerald Smith, an 82-year old Uber driver, died this week after a yellow Lamborghini Murciélago struck his Buick Enclave, which was sitting at a stop sign. Roger Wittenberns, the 60-year old multimillionaire health club mogul, was behind the wheel of the Murciélago at the time of the wreck. Mr. Smith was a retired real estate agent.
- U.S.Michael WalshAfter watching, Keith Scott’s family calls for shooting videos to be released
The grief-stricken family of a Charlotte, N.C., man who died in a police-involved shooting was shown videos of this fateful encounter — and wants them released to the public. Keith Lamont Scott’s relatives and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have painted two very different pictures of what happened leading up to his death on Tuesday. For the family, the videos demonstrate that Scott was not aggressive and posed no threat to the officer who took his life.
- LifestyleThe DriveLexus’s New UX Concept Is Packed with Holographic Displays
When Lexus gave the world its first glimpse of the UX Concept a couple weeks back in advance of the car’s Paris Motor Show debut, we at The Drive were, well, less than wowed. The sole pic Lexus dropped—a rear three-quarter shot—revealed a two-box crossover that looked like a cross between the Ferrari GTC4Lusso and a Ford Raptor. It wasn’t ugly, but generally speaking, Lexus crossovers don’t do much for us.
WorldAFPSyria launches Aleppo push as truce plan floundersA defiant Syrian regime launched a new assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Thursday as the United States and Russia failed to revive a floundering peace plan. US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gathered two dozen international envoys at talks in New York to address the crisis. Kerry said he was ready to meet the Russians again on Friday to see if there are any means to revive the truce that failed this week, but diplomats were pessimistic.
- U.S.Associated PressWitness: Christie used bridge authority to gain endorsements
Republican Gov. Chris Christie's office used the bistate agency that runs the New York area's bridges, tunnels, ports and airports as a clearinghouse for political favors aimed at gaining endorsements from local Democratic politicians, a witness testified Friday in the fraud trial of two former Christie allies. Among those directly involved in the effort or aware of it were Bridget Kelly and Bill Baroni, who are accused of creating traffic gridlock at the George Washington Bridge in 2013 to punish one of those mayors for not endorsing Christie, according to David Wildstein's testimony. Wildstein said Christie and his former campaign manager, Bill Stepien, were among those who discussed the strategy at a meeting about Christie's 2013 re-election.
BusinessReutersSome Yahoo users close accounts amid fears breach could have ripple effectsMany Yahoo users rushed on Friday to close their accounts and change passwords as experts warned that the fallout from one of the largest cyber breaches in history could spill beyond the internet company's services. After Yahoo disclosed on Thursday that hackers had stolen the encrypted passwords and personal details of more than 500 million accounts in 2014, thousands of users took to social media to express anger that it had taken the company two years to uncover the data breach. "We're probably just going to dump Yahoo altogether," said Rick Hollister, 56, who owns a private investigation firm in Tallahassee, Florida.
- BusinessThe DriveExploring the Remains of the Wyoming Company That Used WWII Bombers to Fight Wildfires
Hawkins & Powers got off the ground in the early ‘60s, snatching up planes and the retired crew necessary to keep them in the air. The company struggled on for a while, racking up debt to pay pilots and mechanics to keep their birds on the ground.
- U.S.Yahoo News PhotoProtests in Charlotte, Atlanta after release of police shooting video
Protests sparked up again in Charlotte and now in Atlanta, GA. The wife of Keith Scott released a video of the scene today which went viral and renewed the now 4 days of protests in downtown Charlotte over the shooting and killing of Keith Scott by Charlotte police officer Brentley Vinson.
U.S.ABC News VideosUNC Student Found Bludgeoned to Death in Her Own Apartment: Part 2Police say the murder weapon was an empty bottle of rum found in Faith Hedgepeth's apartment.
- PoliticsChristian Science MonitorHomeland Security increases focus on cybersecurity at the polls
Department of Homeland Security officials may not expect malicious hackers to sway November's election, but the agency is offering more protections to help states secure voting systems. After this summer's Democratic National Committee breach, and a recent FBI warning of digital tampering with state election boards, Homeland Security has stepped up efforts bolster cybersecurity at the polls and for state election boards. "We are working with election stakeholders to offer assistance on a voluntary basis," said Robert Silvers, the agency's assistant secretary for cyber policy.
- PoliticsUPROXXMark Cuban Will Be Trump's Grim Spectre Of Doom From The Front Row Of Next Week's Debate
Mark Cuban embraces the role of troll when it comes to Donald Trump, and considering how Trump has so many trolls on his side, this seems fair. The Dallas Mavericks owner has enthusiastically endorsed Hillary Clinton while labeling Trump as a “jagoff.” He regularly tweets his disapproval of the real estate mogul, but Cuban upped his game a few weeks ago while delightedly fact-checking Eric Trump when he tried to pass off a fake rally photo. Cuban also recently made Trump an irresistible offer, which arrived shortly after Trump insulted his intelligence when it comes to the stock market: “He’s really not smart enough.” Cuban also followed up by telling CNN’s New Day, “I think Donald Trump is an immediate and present threat to the security of this country.” He’s not messing around, either.
- LifestyleThe DriveHonda Civic Hatchback Pricing Announced and the Chevy Equinox Gets a Diesel Engine: The Evening Rush
The Evening Rush is your daily roundup of auto, gear, and lifestyle news, all in one place. The Honda Civic has always been affordable, but nowadays, it also packs enough niceties that it doesn't feel like a compromise. Case in point: the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback is loaded to the gills with nice little features, yet it starts at just $20,535.
WorldAFPNigeria's Buhari appeals to world for aidNigerian President Muhammadu Buhari appealed Friday for the international community to help relieve the growing humanitarian disaster triggered by the Boko Haram insurgency in a plea for aid at the UN General Assembly. Warnings about food shortages caused by the conflict in the country's northeast and the broader Lake Chad region have intensified in recent months, with humanitarian organisations cautioning of a looming famine. Speaking in New York, Buhari said that the devastation wrought by Boko Haram had been compounded by climate change.
- U.S.Associated PressDA: Sheriff's deputies justified in fatally shooting man
East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III said his office ruled out any criminal charges against four deputies who fired shots at Travis Stevenson during the Feb. 23 confrontation. Moore said evidence gathered by Louisiana State Police investigators showed that one of the deputies, Lt. Michael Birdwell, was caught between Stevenson's accelerating car, a parked car and an apartment building. Stevenson had seven gunshot wounds and died at the scene, according to Moore.
- U.S.Reuters'Bridgegate' trial star witness describes favors for endorsements
By Hilary Russ NEWARK, N.J. (Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's office turned a regional transportation agency into a "goodie bag" from which to dole out favors and funds to Democrats who might endorse the Republican during his 2013 re-election campaign, according to prosecutors' star witness in the so-called Bridgegate trial on Friday. David Wildstein, a former executive at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey who pleaded guilty and is testifying for the prosecution, described how requests from state officials went first to a top Christie aide for approval - for everything from patronage jobs at the agency to tours of the World Trade Center site, which the Port Authority owns. The aide, Christie's then-deputy chief of staff Bridget Anne Kelly, and William Baroni, the former deputy executive director of the Port Authority, are on trial for wire fraud and civil rights deprivation.
- BusinessThe DriveHow We Broke The Electric and Autonomous Cannonball Run Records
Two days ago, Franz Aliquo, Warren "Mr. X" Ahner, and I announced that we broke both the electric and autonomous vehicle Cannonball Run records, covering 2,877 miles from Redondo Beach, California to the Red Ball Garage in 55 hours—97.7 percent of that time with Tesla’s Autopilot in operation. California is the finish line of the Western world. Regular gas cars don’t have a lot of room for improvement, but with electric and self-driving cars, the sky’s the limit.
WorldAFPGoogle gets more time to answer EU charges: officialEU anti-trust authorities have granted US tech giant Google a few extra weeks to answer charges that it has abused its market dominance, an EU official told AFP on Friday. The Silicon Valley firm now has until October 13 to answer questions about its Google Shopping search engine, October 26 for its Adsense advertising business and October 31 for its Android mobile phone operating system. "In each of these cases, Google asked for additional time to review the documents in the case file," according to an official from the European Commission, the executive of the 28-nation union.
- U.S.Inside Edition2-Year-Old Caught on Video Crying as She Tries to Wake Up Overdosed Mom at Store
A 2-year-old was caught on video crying and pulling on her mother who had apparently overdosed and passed out on the floor of a Massachusetts discount store. The toddler, dressed in pajamas, appeared to be in great distress as her mother lays motionless in the toy aisle of a Family Dollar store in Lawrence, but police said the mother did survive. Someone reportedly recorded the video while bystanders called 911 on Sunday morning.
BusinessAFP Relax NewsWhat the Marriott and Starwood merger means for hotel guestsThe merger between Marriott and Starwood is now complete, bringing with it a host of new implications for loyalty members at some of the biggest brands around the world. Nearly a year after announcing plans to acquire Starwood Hotel & Resorts, Marriott International is now officially the world's largest hotel company, a merger that expands the brand's portfolio as well as the benefits that loyalty members can now reap. To appease nervous guests who had racked up a healthy number of points with either Marriott Rewards or Starwood Preferred Guest, Marriott has announced that members will have their status matched across both programs, giving them access to brands and destinations that were previously unavailable.
PoliticsReutersTrump names Cruz ally Mike Lee as possible Supreme Court justiceBy Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump on Friday named U.S. Senator Mike Lee as a potential Supreme Court nominee, turning to an ally of former rival Ted Cruz in an apparent gesture to conservative Republicans who have been wary of the Republican presidential candidate. Lee was included on a new list of 21 potential Supreme Court justices that Trump would consider for the high court if he is elected over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 election.
- BusinessThe DriveAudi Brings Back the Manual A4 and Ferrari Builds a V-8 GTC4Lusso: The Evening Rush
The Evening Rush is your daily roundup of auto, gear, and lifestyle news, all in one place. In 2016, Audi deprived enthusiasts of a six-speed manual in the A4. Ferrari plans to reveal a twin turbocharged 3.9-liter V-8 GTC4Lusso at the Paris Auto Show.
- LifestyleU.S.News & World ReportTarget Corporation Spikes Kid Shopping Carts Amid Store Chaos (TGT)
The kids are not all right, as far as Target Corporation (ticker: TGT) is concerned. Target recently ended a test of kid shopping carts in certain Target stores. The company stopped the test on the account of consumer social media complaints, detailing ankle and shin bruising in addition to having trouble keeping control of kids and their carts, reports the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
U.S.Associated PressBeached boats, pink water as drought saps Great Salt LakeOn the southern shore of Utah's Great Salt Lake, more than 100 boats are sitting high and dry in a parking lot, unable to sail the shallow, drought-stricken sea. The lake, about 75 miles long (120 kilometers) and 30 miles wide (50 kilometers), is America's largest outside the Great Lakes. The state estimates that the Great Salt Lake's ecosystem has a $1.32 billion economic effect.
WorldReutersSyria announces new offensive, diplomats fail to renew truceBy Tom Perry and John Irish BEIRUT/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Syria announced a new offensive against rebel-held areas of Aleppo on Thursday while diplomats failed to find a way in New York to revive a U.S. and Russian-brokered ceasefire that collapsed this week. Warplanes mounted the heaviest air strikes in months against rebel-held districts of Syria's commercial hub and largest city, dealing a fresh blow to efforts to end Syrian civil war that has raged since 2011. Rebel officials and rescue workers said incendiary bombs were among the weapons that rained down on Aleppo.
