Days before its official release, excerpts of James Comey’s memoir about his time as FBI Director under President Donald Trump have leaked. Actually, flooded. There’s a lot of pieces of the Comey book – “A Higher Loyalty” – kicking around the media world at the moment. Some are salacious, others are stunning and some are just plain surreal. I scanned through all of the available excerpts and plucked out the lines that are most devastating for Trump. Then I ranked them by level of damage they are likely to cause. Here they are, ranked from least to most problematic for the President of the United States. This is, in a word, dumb. Or, in another word, petty. If Comey wanted to build the narrative with this book that he is truly committed to the good of the country rather than in selling books or scoring partisan points, he’d have been better served to leave this stuff out. Noting the size of Trump’s hands or the fact that he tans feels beneath the broader stated mission of the book: To reveal why Trump is simply not fit for the office he currently holds. Comey also mentions that Trump was shorter than he looked on TV. First off, everyone is short to the 6’8” Comey. Second, who cares? Again, the fact that Trump has “soft white pouches” under his “expressionless blue eyes” feels more like an unnecessary jab than an essential insight. BUT, Comey’s next sentence is important – because he’s right. Trump has demonstrated time and time again that he simply doesn’t understand – or doesn’t care about – the unique role the Justice Department plays within the federal government. Yes, they work under him. But they don’t exactly work for him. He’s never seemed to get that. There’s no question that prior to the last week or so, Trump has been largely unwilling to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin and the country as a whole. (The Syrian chemical attack and Russia’s continued support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad appears to have changed how Trump thinks about Putin.) But, we already knew that. And everything else in this excerpt is pure speculation. “Maybe it was something more complicated” isn’t exactly hard and fast evidence. This one is more salacious than anything else. But, that Trump feels the need to convince Comey that he never watched two prostitutes pee on one another is, um, something else. Don’t be too quick to dismiss this as simply salacious. Yes, there is that. But it is absolutely telling about the state of Trump’s marriage that he was asking the FBI director to prove the falsehood of the “pee tape” to his wife – almost certainly because she wouldn’t believe him. Then there’s the fact that Trump seems to believe that proving the tape doesn’t exist to Melania Trump is a worthy use of the FBI’s time. Which is, um, something. Comey here is echoing people like Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake who have castigated their fellow Republicans for refusing to condemn Trump when he attacks the Justice Department or the Intelligence Community. The argument is that silence is essentially assent. Only by saying, “No, what Trump is doing is wrong and should stop immediately” can Republicans hope to have a party in the post-Trump era. Amid Trump’s ramped-up rhetoric on deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and special counsel Robert Mueller, it will be interesting to see what Republican reaction will be if the president decides to fire either (or both) of those men. Will Republicans speak out? Two things are at work here – one not terribly problematic for Trump, the other potential more so. The first is that he demonstrates he has a massive ego and believes that he is so appealing to women that any story about him frequenting prostitutes simply can’t be believed. The second is that he is intimately familiar with the details of the bevy of accusations made against him by a number of women during the 2016 campaign. That level of interest/obsession belies the public face of dismissal and unconcern Trump and his people have presented when confronted with the allegations. This is very important. What Comey is alleging here is that Trump, from the start, saw his relationship with Comey as entirely transactional. I’ll let you stay in your job as FBI director but I want something for it. That something, as we now now, was a loyalty pledge that Comey refused to give. Trump’s approach to every encounter appears to be similar to what Comey describes here. Let’s make a deal where you get something but, far more importantly, I get something. This anecdote is going to make chief of staff John Kelly’s life even harder than it already is. Rumors of him clashing with Trump and/or being on the way out are everywhere. Now, he’ll have to face a barrage of questions over whether Comey’s recounting of the moments right after Trump fired him are accurate. And if Kelly says they are, how can he stay in his job?  If he says Comey got it wrong, will Trump even believe him? In this excerpt, Comey is comparing Trump to a mob boss. Which is a tough comparison to make when you are dealing with the President of the United States. But, Comey is right in the main when it comes to how Trump sees himself and how he leads his team. Trump must always be the strongest and toughest one in any room. He expects total loyalty from those who work for him – and works to rid his inner circle of those he believes have shown even a speck of disloyalty to him. He doesn’t tell the truth about things that are easily and provably false – largest inauguration crowd ever, millions of illegal votes cast – and then dares those around him to question him. I don’t know any mob bosses personally but there’s not question that Comey nails Trump here. These two sentences are  the most damaging thing to Trump so far in the Comey excerpts because they speak to a number of demonstrated truths. We know that Trump said more than 2,000 things in his first year in office that were either partially or entirely untrue. We know he looks at every situation as a chance to extract something for himself. That he is immensely self focused to the point of a blindness as to how his actions might be perceived by people who aren’t him. We know that he either misunderstands or chooses to ignore traditional norms for how a president acts, what he says and how he treats those who work for him.


Western media blaming Russia for trying to undermine US election with fake news The Kremlin has consistently denied any interference Three studies conclude that Moscow has exploited trend, but not sole perpetrators The 2016 presidential race was rife with disinformation, none more blatant than fake news – hoaxes, half-truths, outright lies – that flashed through the internet at warp speed. Take, for example, “Pizzagate,” a made-up story of a pedophilia ring supposedly being run out of a Washington, D.C. pizza parlor by none other than Hillary Clinton and her campaign chairman John Podesta. Fueled by conspiracy theorists posting on social media sites like Reddit, Facebook and Twitter, the story picked up so much traction that The New York Times and the Washington Post were forced to track it down, finally debunking it. Then there were the stories about Clinton’s health. Not just her actual September bout with pneumonia, but other stories claiming she had a brain injury and was losing her mind. Western media, for the most part, are blaming Moscow, accusing the Kremlin of exploiting fake news to damage Clinton, help elect Donald Trump, and undermine the American electorate’s faith in their government. The Kremlin has consistently denied it tried to interfere in the election. Related video Blizzard of misinformation before Election Day Two new studies that were cited by media outlets, including the Washington Post, claim Russia used “thousands of botnets, teams of paid human ‘trolls,’ and networks of websites and social-media accounts” to “echo and amplify” false or misleading tweets, Facebook posts, videos and media reports. The first study – “Trolling for Trump: How Russia is Trying to Destroy Our Democracy” – appeared in early November in War on the Rocks, an online magazine. “Russia’s propaganda mechanisms primarily aim for “alt-right and more traditional right-wing and fascist parties,” Clint Watts, one of the co-authors of the paper, tells CNN, but they’re also “hitting across any group in the United States that is anti-government, or fomenting dissent or conspiracies against the US government and its institutions.” Related article Drom 'alt-right' to 'fake news': Your post-election glossary Watts, a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and senior fellow at the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at George Washington University co-authored the study alongside two other researchers, Andrew Weisburd and J.M. Berger. “It’s not exclusive to Trump,” Watts explains. “They are huge in the white nationalist community. That’s where we saw them before they went to Trump. And then they try on the left as well.” Watts says that, during the election campaign, three main groups traded in fake news: passionate Trump supporters; people out to make money by driving followers to their websites with “click bait” stories; and the Russian propaganda apparatus. Related video The real problems with 'fake news' Each group used social platforms differently and the research team used various social media metrics to distinguish the behavior among them. Content from “click bait profiteers,” for example, is absorbed in a different way to propaganda content. “If you’re just trying to sell something it’s more like an Amazon advertisement,” Watts explains. “The Russian propaganda system would have what you would call ‘horizontal conversations’ – a discussion for influence purposes.” The goal is to erode trust in mainstream media, public figures, government institutions… “ Clint Watts, senior fellow at the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at George Washington University That doesn’t mean Moscow would turn down an opportunity to exploit fake news created by someone else who supports the Russian line. “They’ll use it too,” he says. “They see it as free propaganda.” But importantly, Watts says, Russia’s goal wasn’t just to elect Trump. “The goal is to erode trust in mainstream media, public figures, government institutions – everything that holds the unity of the Republic together.” The second study was conducted by an anonymous, self-described “non-partisan collection of researchers with foreign policy, military and technology backgrounds” who call themselves PropOrNot. Related video Fake news thriving on social media The group says it, too, analyzed tweets and other social media messages ricocheting around the web and found many of the same phrases, which it interpreted as indicating that they came from the same single source. In some cases, fake news was spread knowingly; in other cases, activists and others simply picked up and passed on tidbits they liked, in what the authors describe as an “online echo chamber.” Many different groups spew fake news but Russia is currently the industry leader.” PropOrNot statement to CNN Their conclusion: Russia has made “large-scale, long-term efforts to build online ‘fake news’ propaganda outlets with significant audiences in the US.” “We are not exaggerating Russia’s influence,” the group told CNN in an emailed statement. “Many different groups spew fake news but Russia is currently the industry leader.” Zuckerberg: Idea that fake news influenced election is ‘crazy’ PropOrNot’s report lists 200 websites that qualify, according to their criteria, as “Russian propaganda outlets” reaching, they claim, at least 15 million Americans. The effort, they say, is “at least semi-centralized.” “There are varying degrees of involvement in it, and awareness of involvement,” their report says. “Some people involved seem genuinely unaware that they are being used by Russia to produce propaganda, but many others seem to know full well.” Related article Journalism faces an 'existential crisis' in Trump era But other digital experts criticize that approach, saying it is too broad and includes sites that are legitimately expressing their own views, even if they happen to coincide with Russia’s messaging. As Ben Nimmo, information defense fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, puts it: “There’s more to this than the Kremlin.” “To reduce this all to ‘Oh, it’s the Russians doing it’ is to ignore the very real problem that there is the alt-right doing this in the US, and you’ve got convinced people in Germany and France who are doing this. You’ve got people in the UK as well, apparently as of their own conviction,” he says. “If they all hate America, and they all hate Clinton, and they all hate America having an active foreign policy, sure they’re going to share stuff.” Related video A new age of information warfare In a written statement emailed to CNN, PropOrNot defended both its methods and its mission. “Our list was never intended to be ‘black.’ We highlight these outlets because we believe that the public should be able to know that very disparate kinds of online outlets frequently display a strong bias towards Russia in ways that echo, repeat, are used by, and redirect their audiences to Russian official and semi-official state media. We highlight. Unlike the Russian government, we do not censor.” Since the report’s publication, the group says it has removed some websites – ones that “have made a case for their independence” – from its list. In other cases, it says, it has added new sites “especially ones which are directly owned and controlled by governments that suppress and restrict free media.” A third study by the Rand Corporation and George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs delves even further into what it labels Russia’s “firehose of falsehood.” “The Russian propaganda model,” the report says, “is high-volume and multichannel, and it disseminates messages without regard for the truth. It is also rapid, continuous, and repetitive, and it lacks commitment to consistency.” Watch: Did fake news help elect Donald Trump? All that makes it extremely difficult to counter, the report says. Facebook and Google have promised to crack down on fake news but it appears little has been done so far. After outlining measures to prevent the proliferation of more fake news on Facebook, the social platform’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote: “We’ve made significant progress, but there is more work to be done.” RT, the Russian media company, and the Russian news service Sputnik – both state-financed – feature prominently in most reports on Russian propaganda. The Washington Post article, quoting researchers, accuses the outlets of “sometimes” including “false and misleading stories in their reports.” RT dismisses the Washington Post story as a “hit piece.” “RT has never engaged in any such activity – which is, perhaps, why WashPo failed to provide a single piece of evidence or reference,” Editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan, tells CNN. Related article Raising media-savvy kids in an era of 'fake news' “It is particularly troubling,” she says, “that, prior to publishing the piece, the Washington Post did not even bother to seek a comment from RT, as a right of reply would be the minimum in standard journalistic practice when making such libelous claims … It seems ironic that in its eagerness to comment on the ‘fake news’ phenomenon, the outlet would follow in a similar vein in its own editorial approach.” Asked for a response, the Washington Post tells CNN: “While we did quote the Kremlin denying any interference in the US election, we should also have obtained separate comment from RT, a network funded by the Russian government. Its comment was later included in the online version of the story.” Simonyan insists that RT is “most highly concerned about the ‘fake news’ phenomenon because … it is perfectly acceptable for the mainstream media to promote fake news – as long as it’s about Russia or RT.” During the US presidential campaigns, most fake news blasted Clinton and praised Trump but expert Clint Watts says the President-elect can’t count on Moscow’s benign approach continuing. “I would assume that if Trump doesn’t support Putin’s policies then they’re next,” he cautions. In spite of Russia’s denials and Trump’s doubts, cybersecurity experts say Russia likely hacked not only Democrats’ emails but Republicans’ as well. “We think they have thousands of people’s emails,” Watts tells CNN. “As those people rise in prominence or become more important in a Russia context, [Moscow] will use more and more data dumps to undermine the integrity of people. “That’s just ammunition. They’re going to hold it until they need it.”


An interceptor missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California The Pentagon says the long-planned test of its ground-based interceptor system is not solely about North Korea The Pentagon successfully shot down an intercontinental ballistic missile using its own upgraded long-range interceptor missile on Tuesday in what was widely seen as a test of US ability to counter a North Korean missile launch. The Missile Defense Agency launched a ground-based interceptor from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to intercept a US-launched mock ICBM target over the Pacific Ocean, according to a US defense official. The test ICBM, which flew thousands of miles per hour, was destroyed “thousands of miles off the coast” of the US mainland, with the intercept taking place northeast of Hawaii, the director of the Missile Defense Agency, Vice Adm. Jim Syring, told reporters at the Pentagon via a Wednesday phone call. The interceptor “destroyed the target in a direct collision,” according to a statement from the Missile Defense Agency. “The intercept of a complex, threat-representative ICBM target is an incredible accomplishment … and a critical milestone for this program,” Syring said in a statement shortly after the test. “This system is vitally important to the defense of our homeland, and this test demonstrates that we have a capable, credible deterrent against a very real threat,” he said. “Everything we did was operationally realistic,” Syring told reporters, adding that “decoys” were deployed by the target ICBM to make the test more realistic. He said that the test ICBM “flew at a higher altitude and a longer range and a higher velocity than any other target we’ve flown to date.” He said the designers of the test ICBM worked with the intelligence community in order to replicate a realistic Iranian or North Korean threat that the US might face between now and 2020. “I was confident before the test that we have the capability to defeat any threat that they would throw at us and I am more confident – even more confident today,” Syring added. The test cost about $244 million, according to Syring. “We are launching an interceptor that is flying thousands of miles past Hawaii and that requires us to shut down large parts of the ocean in terms of mariner ship traffic and air traffic,” he said. The next test will take place in August/September 2018 and will involve multiple interceptors attempting to take out a single test ICBM. “We shoot more than one in a real world operational scenario,” Syring said. While the Pentagon is calling this test a success, some experts cautioned that the $40 billion missile defense system still has a long way to go before it can be considered fully developed. “It marks two successes in a row, which is significant, but only two hits out of the last five attempts; that is, only a 40% success rate since early 2010,” said Philip E. Coyle, a senior fellow at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. “In school, 40% isn’t a passing grade,” added Coyle, who formerly headed the Pentagon’s office of operational test and evaluation. “Based on its testing record, we cannot rely upon this missile defense program to protect the United States from a North Korean long-range missile.” Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, congratulated the Missile Defense Agency for a successful test but sounded a note of caution that “much work remains to be done to ensure we have a reliable and effective system.” “After an investment of more than $40 billion since 2002, it’s good that the Missile Defense Agency is finally doing a missile defense test against an ICBM target, some 13 years after the first Ground-Based Interceptor system’s deployment,” Smith told CNN. “Flight intercept testing, particularly against realistic targets, remains a key element of the program to assess the effectiveness of our deployed missile defense system, as well as to demonstrate the capability and continue the development of such a system,” he added. The test comes just two days after Pyongyang fired a short-range ballistic missile that traveled an estimated 248 miles, splashing down within Japan’s exclusive economic zone. In a Monday tweet, President Donald Trump joined the leaders of South Korea and Japan in condemning the test, saying that North Korea had “shown great disrespect” for China by “shooting off yet another ballistic missile.” North Korea has shown great disrespect for their neighbor, China, by shooting off yet another ballistic missile...but China is trying hard! The Pentagon insists the long-planned test of its ground-based interceptor system is not solely about North Korea, and the test is aimed at being able to challenge any threatening ICBM, including possibly from Iran in the future. That test involved firing a new version of the military’s single long-range ground-based interceptor missile, which is currently based in Alaska and California. That program has also been in existence for more than a decade but only about half of the tests have been successful, according to the Defense Department. US officials often call it a high-speed effort to hit a bullet with another bullet. Related article North Korea's missile tests In the most recent Pentagon report examining weapons testing across the Department of Defense, this long-range system was criticized, saying it “demonstrates a limited capability to defend the US homeland from small numbers of simple intermediate-range or intercontinental ballistic missile threats launched from North Korea or Iran.” The report went on to say the Defense Department continues to discover new failure modes during testing. In Tuesday’s test, an interceptor missile was launched from Vandenberg and intercepted a simulated threat missile over the Pacific Ocean launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The interceptor tested had an upgraded “kill” vehicle – to hit the incoming missile, as well as an upgraded booster and improved guidance. With this pre-programmed test, the Pentagon was looking to see specifically how all these components performed and what additional improvements needed to be made. It is widely acknowledged that in a real world attack, several interceptors would be launched to maximize the chance of quickly destroying the incoming threat. Last week, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told Congress, “North Korea is an increasingly grave national security threat to the United States because of its growing missile and nuclear capabilities combined with the aggressive approach of its leader Kim Jong Un. Kim is attempting to prove that he has the capability to strike the US mainland with a nuclear weapon.” Sen. John McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in an interview Sunday that it would not be acceptable for North Korea to acquire an intercontinental ballistic missile, saying the US should not be reliant solely upon missile defense to ward off the threat. Related article Why hasn't North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test? “I don’t think it’s acceptable for the United States of America to have an intercontinental ballistic missile – or a missile aimed at Australia – with a nuclear weapon on it, and depend on our ability to counter it with an anti-missile capability,” McCain told Australia’s ABC. He added that the situation on the Korean Peninsula had the potential to mirror the Cuban Missile Crisis unless Pyongyang is curbed, calling on China to do more. Tuesday’s test came as the US has ramped up other missile defense efforts, including the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system to South Korea which is designed to counter short, medium and intermediate range missile threats. Earlier this month, the US military announced that the THAAD missile defense system had become operational. CNN’s Zachary Cohen and Jeremy Herb contributed to this report.


The CDC says bacteria are not likely to be a threat to the general population Burkholderia pseudomallei can cause can cause melioidosis, or Whitmore's disease An employee at the Tulane National Primate Research Center near New Orleans has tested positive for a potentially deadly strain of bacteria kept at the facility. The employee is not sick, and Jason McDonald, a spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the bacteria are not likely to be a threat to the general population. The worker tested positive to exposure of Burkholderia pseudomallei, which can cause can cause melioidosis, or Whitmore’s disease. “It is predominately a disease of tropical climates, especially in Southeast Asia and northern Australia where it is widespread,” according to the CDC website. The CDC is waiting on additional test results to determine if the exposure occurred at the research center or somewhere else, McDonald said. The CDC and U.S. Department of Agriculture are at the campus, continuing an investigation that began in November when two monkeys were diagnosed with Whitmore’s disease. Six others have antibodies indicating exposure to the bacterium. Since then federal health officials have been working with state and local officials to investigate the source. Blood tests have been conducted on nearly 70 primates at the center, with one testing positive for antibodies, McDonald said. According to the CDC, “the bacteria causing melioidosis are found in contaminated water and soil. It is spread to humans and animals through direct contact with the contaminated source.”


Like sparring siblings, French Corsica and Italian Sardinia are similar in many ways. The climate, for one thing, is close to identical – toasty. At their closest point, the Mediterranean islands are only 11 kilometers apart. But they can be poles apart: Corsica less developed (in the interior, anyway), Sardinia more of a yacht magnet. Both attract hundreds of thousands of tourists a year. Both can be lovely and hypnotic. So, which to choose? When first visiting, many Italians say Corsica is how Sardinia looked 20 years ago, before big tourism hauled up on the shore. There are wild landscapes, pristine white-sand beaches with barely a beach house in sight – and the water level is completely unaffected by any mega-yachts floating offshore. The law keeps it like this – specifically the 1986 Coast Law, which prohibits the construction of new buildings within 100 meters of the coast outside urban areas. Corsican beaches that wouldn’t look out of place on a Polynesian postcard rack include Saleccia, abutting the Désert des Agriates. (Corsica has its own mini-“desert,” more scrub land than sweeping dunes.) Another beautiful beach is Palombaggia, near the town of Porto Vecchio. Corsica’s relatively unspoiled nature also makes it a kind of promised land for hikers and cyclists. The GR 20, a long-distance European trail (one of the toughest around) snakes over the island. Corsica is wild in another sense: with its own Mafia, who usually communicate in impenetrable Corsican (Corsu). Deadly violence flares up between the clans now and then, but tourists are largely immune. For more on Corsica’s beaches, see Visit-Corsica.com. Sardinia has more of the whiff of money about it. This is especially true on the Emerald Coast, a 20-kilometer-long strip lined with Russian and other billionaires’ wedding cake villas and private beaches. Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi has a retreat on the Costa Smeralda. His house has an underground swimming grotto, complete with Poseidon mosaic. If you like your island stays cosseted, you may love this and many similar parts of Sardinia. It’s not all ritz. The wild southern dunes of the Piscinas or Chia regions or, seven kilometers off Sardinia, the isle of San Pietro, offer more natural settings. See SardegnaTurismo, for more on the island’s wild spots – however you define them. 10 gorgeous Mediterranean islands you probably haven’t heard of Foodies should make Sardinia their first stop. The island’s cuisine incorporates meat, fish and pasta with equal variety. Traditional dishes include tiny, shell-like malloreddus pasta, wild piglet cooked in honey and spaghetti with sea urchins. Fresh fish is grilled, fried, roasted or poached and often topped with elaborate sauces and dressings or a specialty called “bottarga,” delicious Sardinian mullet roe. Tuna is served raw and rare in the town of Carloforte (Al Tonno di Corsa, Via Marconi 47; +33 495 781 855 106), which is known for its annual tuna fishing festival. Sardinia has a busy wine list, too, especially if you like whites – dry Vermentino di Gallura is one of the island’s best-known; Funtanaliras is an aromatic contrast. Corsica also has traditional menus, but with less variety. Clams filled with cream or melted Roquefort are a striking specialty, from the town of Bonifacio (L’Escale, Quai Jerome Comparetti 4; +33 495 731 979). Generally, though, for an island, fish menus are limited on Corsica. This is a meaty place. Charcuterie plateau features all types of ham, salami and local cheese. An island specialty is Corsica’s saucissons – dense, cured sausages that look like mini-truncheons, available everywhere. They contain enough flavor to keep a Corsican bandit happy when hiding out in the inland wilderness (the maquis of legend) and appropriately keep for weeks without refrigeration. You’re struck by how contented the half-wild pigs appear, lazing in the undergrowth all over the island. Corsica has more than 150 camp sites, with more than 25,000 places to pitch. Some are like little towns, with full-service laundries, pizzerias and restaurants, bars and Wi-Fi. With so many campers, you’d think you’d be constantly tripping over Gore-Tex, but sites tend to be clustered in areas with easy access to beaches – again, the inland is unbesmirched. More about Corsican camping is available at Campingcorse.com. The island’s strict planning laws prohibit much development on the coast. Accordingly, many hotels and resorts are clustered a few hundred meters inland, as if afraid of the sea. Others are a kilometer or more from the coast and tend to be more upscale, such as Residence Pietra di Sole (+33 495 70 36 74), which rises on a hillside with views over Palombaggia beach. Inland, accommodation is often in converted ancient inns open only in the warmer seasons or, for walkers, gites with basic, shared accommodation and hearty, rustic meals. Corsica is also one of the most pet-friendly destinations in Europe: dogs and cats are welcome at campsites and most hotels. More about accommodation on Corsica is available at Visit-Corsica.com. Remote islands: 7 of the world’s hardest-to-reach outposts If you want to walk from your hotel room to the beach, a Sardinian resort – crowded but comfy – is the obvious choice. Many have private beaches and all the usual resort accouterments of multiple restaurants and swim up – or the more conventional lean-on – bars. Costa Smeralda has the island’s most elite accommodations. More mid-range fare is clustered in the south of the island. Hotel Dune (Via Bau 1; +39 070 977 130), near some of Europe’s tallest sand dunes, has a private beach in a natural setting. Inland, Hotel Su Gologone (+39 0784 287 512), in Oliena, is an upscale village stay, where life in the surrounding countryside remains fairly traditional. 10 most romantic islands in the world When you’re not hanging out with Silvio or eating pork sausages, how do the islands compare for feeding your curiosity? In Sardinia, a boat tour of the protected archipelago of La Maddalena shows off the island’s beautiful pink-sand atolls, which you can swim in. A trip to the ruins of the prehistoric village of Barumini, with its stone towers, reveals a little of what the island would have been like several thousand years before all-inclusive package tours. Sardinia’s capital, Cagliari, has elegant Baroque avenues and plenty of busy markets – mainly selling food but also clothes and furniture. Just as Corsica was to France (see below), Sardinia was once Italy’s Wild West. The town of Orgaloso is a former bandits’ stronghold now renowned for the skillfully rendered political murals decorating its walls. Corsica has an even more renowned criminal heritage than Sardinia. You can sleep in another ex-outlaw stronghold, Sartene, soaking up more of that faded lawless vibe. The island also has a bandit’s ransom of superb views and natural sights. Bonifacio, atop a plunging cliff overlooking the cobalt sweep of the Mediterranean, is one of the most dramatically sited towns on Earth. No wonder there are cannon poking over the cliff to protect it. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Calanches has weird, red rock formations, like giant termite mounds. You can rent a car and tour the rocky peninsula of Cap Corse, with freaky precipices and solitary jet-black beaches. The waterfall of Piscia di Gallu, near Porto Vecchio, is an easy two-hour introduction to walking on the island. The result of the island set-to? Neither’s out for the count. Which is why the best bet is to get on a ferry and see Sardinia and Corsica on one vacation. Cannes: A guide to France’s city of stars and sunshine Going to Sicily? 10 things to know before your trip Editor’s note: This article was previously published in 2013. It was reformatted and republished in 2017.


Sessions met with the Russian ambassador during campaign last year White House learned of Sessions' contacts through press reports Wednesday Several Republicans are calling on Sessions to recuse himself from any DOJ investigation President Donald Trump stood by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday, releasing a statement saying Sessions did not make any misleading statements under oath during his confirmation hearings, but that he could have been more accurate in his responses to lawmakers. “Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional,” Trump said. “This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win. The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election and now, they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!” Earlier Thursday, Sessions bowed to intense political pressure and recused himself from any investigation related to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Related article Sessions recusal: What's next? Sessions acted after it emerged that he had failed at his Senate confirmation hearing to disclose two pre-election meetings with Russia’s ambassador to Washington, at a time when Moscow was accused of interfering in the presidential race. “I have decided to recuse myself from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for President of the United States,” Sessions told reporters. Later Thursday night, on Fox News, Sessions said he plans to submit a “supplement” to the record of his congressional testimony, detailing the meetings he didn’t mention at the time. “My response went to the question indicated about the continuing surrogate relationship that I firmly denied and correctly denied, and I did not mention in that time that I had met with the ambassador,” Sessions told host Tucker Carlson. “So I will definitely make that a part of the record as I think is appropriate.” Sessions explained that he plans to recuse himself from any investigations into the campaign, but he would take decisions on investigations into Russian hacking “on a case-by-case basis.” Sessions said the decision to recuse himself followed his promise to the Senate Judiciary Committee to avoid any semblance of a conflict of interest between his new role and previous position as a strong supporter of the Trump campaign. It was also the result of consultations with career Justice Department officials, he said. Sessions did not disclose meetings with Russian ambassador The attorney general’s news conference was the culmination of a day of steadily rising political pressure over the issue. Democrats demanded he resign and accused him of lying to Congress. Many Republicans, feeling the political heat and growing increasingly concerned that the Russian drama was about to spin out of control, had been forced to call for Sessions to offload ultimate responsibility for an FBI probe into links between Trump’s campaign and Russia. Sessions went ahead and did just that, despite strong support from the White House. Aboard an aircraft carrier in Virginia, Trump told reporters he had “total” confidence in Sessions. Asked if Sessions should recuse himself, the President said: “I don’t think so.” Related article Trump wants a $1 trillion investment in roads and bridges. Will more drilling help? White House spokesman Sean Spicer meanwhile billed the day of controversy arising from news of the meetings between Sessions and Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak as a “partisan thing that we’ve seen over and over again.” “This continues to be a question of: there’s no there there,” Spicer said. If nothing else, Thursday’s intrigue served as another reminder that questions over Trump’s attitude toward Moscow and the Kremlin’s apparent operation to sow discord in last year’s election are issues that will return again and again to confound the White House. In this case, questions about Russia served to halt the President’s victory lap after his well-received address to Congress on Tuesday night. The Russian drama has already led to the departure of another Trump ally and top political appointee – former national security adviser Michael Flynn – also over contacts with Russian ambassador Kislyak. Earlier on Thursday, Democrats had sensed new vulnerabilities for the administration over Russia – and relished taking the battle to Sessions. “(That) the top cop in our country lied under oath to the people is grounds for him to resign,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters Thursday. “He has proved that he is unqualified and unfit to serve in that position of trust.” Several Republicans, many of them increasingly uneasy about the implications of the evolving Russian drama, had called on Sessions to recuse himself from any probe into ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow. “Attorney General Sessions should recuse himself to ensure public confidence in the Justice Department’s investigation,” said Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine Republican who introduced Sessions at his confirmation hearing in January. “I think the attorney general should further clarify his testimony. And I do think he should recuse himself,” said Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee. Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio and Rep. Darrell Issa of California also called for Sessions to recuse himself. But Sessions appeared to take the edge off Republican anxiety with his late afternoon news conference. “Attorney General Sessions did the right thing by recusing himself,” said Republican House Judiciary Committee chairman Bob Goodlatte. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, told CNN: “I think if he made that judgment I think that’s in the best interest of everything.  I’m glad he did it quickly.” Sessions met on two separate occasions with Russia’s ambassador to Washington, encounters the Alabama Republican did not disclose during his confirmation hearing on January 10. At the hearing, Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken asked Sessions what he would do if there was any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government. “I’m not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians,” Sessions said. Franken told CNN’s “New Day” on Thursday that statement appears to be false. “I am going to be sending (Sessions) a letter to have him explain himself, but he made a bald statement that during the campaign he had not met with the Russians,” Franken said. “That’s not true.” On Twitter, Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren warned that Sessions should never have been confirmed at all, but now there is reason to remove him. “Now Jeff Sessions is AG – the final say on the law enforcement investigation into ties between the Trump campaign & Russia? What a farce. This is not normal,” she tweeted. “This is not fake news. This is a very real & serious threat to the national security of the United States.” This is not normal. This is not fake news. This is a very real & serious threat to the national security of the United States. With Sessions’ decision, oversight of any probe involving Trump’s 2016 campaign will likely fall to acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente. Democrats would prefer the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate questions about Russia but appear to lack sufficient leverage to bring about such a step. Sessions has drawn a distinction between his role as a Trump surrogate and his duties as a senator and strongly denied ever discussing campaign-related issues with anyone from Russia. Related article Jeff Sessions Fast Facts “I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign,” he said in a statement. “I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false.” Sessions’ spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said there was nothing “misleading about his answer” to Congress because he “was asked during the hearing about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign – not about meetings he took as a senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee.” “Last year, the senator had over 25 conversations with foreign ambassadors as a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, including the British, Korean, Japanese, Polish, Indian, Chinese, Canadian, Australian, German and Russian ambassadors,” Isgur Flores said in the statement. According to the Justice Department, Sessions met with Kislyak in July on the sidelines of the Republican convention, and in September in his office when Sessions was a member of the Senate Armed Services committee. Sessions, then the junior senator from Alabama, was an early Trump backer and regular surrogate for him as a candidate. Kislyak is considered by US intelligence to be one of Russia’s top spies and spy recruiters in Washington, according to current and former senior US government officials. Kemlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov stated that Russia has never interfered and has no plans to ever interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries, speaking to journalists Wednesday. This story has been updated. CNN’s Evan Perez, Shimon Prokupecz, Jim Sciutto, Ted Barrett, Tal Kopan, Laura Jarrett, Eli Watkins, Jim Acosta, Lauren Fox and Steve Brusk contributed to this report.


French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has been criticized as racist over a new cartoon It suggests Alan Kurdi, a 3-year-old migrant who drowned trying to reach Europe, would have grown up to be a molester Europe has been rocked by a wave of mob sex assaults on New Year's Eve blamed on migrant men After a year in which it has never been far from the headlines, French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo is back in the news again – this time for a cartoon that critics say pushes its provocative brand of humor too far. The publication has sparked outrage for a cartoon that suggests drowned toddler Alan Kurdi – the 3-year-old Syrian boy whose death in September triggered a global wave of sympathy for migrants – would have grown up to be a sexual molester of the type blamed for a recent wave of mob sex assaults in Cologne, Germany. Drawn by the magazine’s acting editor Laurent “Riss” Sourisseau – who was in the Charlie Hebdo offices last January when 11 of his colleagues were killed by Islamist terrorists – the cartoon shows two men chasing terrified women, their tongues out and arms outstretched. Titled “Migrants,” the cartoon’s text reads: “What would little Aylan have grown up to be? (A) groper in Germany.”  (When the picture first surfaced, government documents called him “Aylan,” but the child’s father has told CNN his name was Alan.) Inset is a rendering of the famous photograph of Alan lying facedown on a Turkish beach, which was widely credited for changing attitudes toward the more than 1 million migrants who entered Europe’s borders last year, many of them fleeing conflict in the Middle East. The cartoon references the unprecedented spate of mob sex attacks that was reported in Cologne and other European cities during New Year’s Eve celebrations, which saw hundreds of women report being sexually assaulted or robbed by men of North African or Arab appearance. The episode has sent shockwaves through Europe, unleashing a wave of anti-migrant sentiment in stark contrast to the outpouring of public goodwill toward refugees inspired by the little boy’s death months earlier. The cartoon sparked an immediate reaction on social media, with many labeling it offensive and racist, and many questioning whether the masses of people around the world who tweeted #JeSuisCharlie in solidarity after the January 2015 attacks would feel the same way in light of the cartoon. “This disgustingly racist Charlie Hebdo cartoon makes me question ‘Je suis Charlie’ in its entirety,” tweeted Australian journalist Ebony Bowden. “I wonder how many lovers Charlie Hebdo has now?” tweeted George Galloway, a former British MP and London mayoral candidate. “A disgusting racist Islamophic cartoon of little Aylan Kurdi later…” I wonder how many lovers Charlie Hebdo has now? A disgusting racist Islamophic cartoon of little Aylan Kurdi later... And Mina Al-Oraibi, an Iraqi journalist based in London, tweeted: “Charlie Hebdo latest racist cartoon dishonouring memory of poor Alan Kurdi is unforgivable.” Charlie Hebdo latest racist cartoon dishonouring memory of poor Alan Kurdi is unforgivable https://t.co/e59XVapmTH London-based journalist Sunny Hundal tweeted that the cartoon was “disgusting.” But others defended the cartoon. Maajid Nawaz, chairman of London-based counterextremism think tank Quilliam, argued in Facebook posts that critics missed the point of the cartoon, and others in the issue, as a critique of fickle European attitudes to migrants. “Taste is always in the eye of the beholder,” he wrote. “But these cartoons are a damning indictment on our anti-refugee sentiment.” “Stop trying to make ‘(Charlie Hebdo) is racist’ happen,” tweeted Twitter user @Chriss_m. Stop trying to make 'CH is racist' happen. " Hebdo cartoon depicting drowned child Alan Kurdi sparks racism debate https://t.co/n15cy8kPKx" When contacted by CNN, Charlie Hebdo declined to comment. The weekly magazine has become notorious for its edgy, provocative approach since it began publishing in 1970. It has long targeted politicians, public figures and religious symbols of all faiths. But in recent years the publication has gained an international profile for drawing violent blowback from Muslim extremists angered by its irreverent approach to their religion. Related video Charlie Hebdo comes out fighting after painful year Even before the killings of January 2015, the magazine had been targeted by Islamists. In 2011, the magazine’s offices were destroyed by a gasoline bomb after it published a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed. In 2006, it had reprinted controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed that originally appeared in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten – a move French President Jacques Chirac called an “overt provocation.” Earlier this month, a day ahead of the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the publication, Charlie Hebdo printed a million copies of a special edition with a cover that caused further offense to the religious. It depicted a bearded man, representing God, splattered in blood and carrying an assault rifle over his shoulder. The headline read: “One year after: The assassin is still out there.” “To us, it’s the very idea of God that may have killed our friends a year ago,” Sourisseau told CNN’s “Amanpour” program. “So we wanted to widen our vision of things. Faith is not always peaceful. Maybe we should learn to live with a little less of God.” L’Osservatore Romano, the official newspaper of the Vatican, labeled the cover blasphemous. In response to the Paris terror attacks in November, in which ISIS gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 in coordinated assaults, the magazine published a defiant cover, trumpeting the virtues of Parisian way of life over that of the attackers. “They’ve got the weapons – screw them, we’ve got the Champagne!” it read, depicting a man gleefully quaffing wine as it poured out of holes in his body. Speaking to CNN French affiliate BFMTV in 2012, Charlie Hebdo journalist Laurent Leger said the magazine did not intend to provoke anger or violence. “The aim is to laugh,” he said. “We want to laugh at the extremists – every extremist. They can be Muslim, Jewish, Catholic. Everyone can be religious, but extremist thoughts and acts we cannot accept.” “In France, we always have the right to write and draw. And if some people are not happy with this, they can sue us and we can defend ourselves. That’s democracy,” Leger said. “You don’t throw bombs – you discuss, you debate. But you don’t act violently. We have to stand and resist pressure from extremism.” CNN’s Nick Thompson, Ashley Fantz, Monica Sarkar, Carol Jordan and Jo Shelley contributed to this report.


Paul Manafort filed documents with Justice Department US investigators scrutinizing Manafort's tax and business records Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort filed documents with the Justice Department showing his consulting firm was paid more than $17 million between 2012 and 2014 for work on behalf of a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine. The filing completed Manafort’s registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, known as FARA, one of several legal issues that have been the focus of scrutiny by the FBI and Justice Department prosecutors, according to US officials briefed on the investigation. The registration doesn’t end the years-long US probe of Manafort and his firm which, because of Manafort’s role as Trump campaign chairman last year, have become part of the broader investigation now led by special counsel Robert Mueller looking into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. US investigators continue to scrutinize Manafort’s tax and business records to determine whether any criminal violations occurred, according to the officials briefed on the investigation. Related article Trump transition, campaign officials told to keep Russia-related documents Jason Maloni, Manafort’s spokesman, said Manafort “started this process in concert with the FARA unit in September, before the outcome of the election and well before any formal investigation of election interference began. Paul’s primary focus was always directed at domestic Ukrainian political campaign work, and that is reflected in today’s filing.” The documents filed Tuesday largely center on work done for Ukraine’s Party of Regions by Manafort and his firm DMP International, which occurred long before Manafort joined the Trump campaign. Richard Gates, listed as an employee of the firm, also completed his registration as a foreign agent with the documents filed Tuesday. Gates worked as a deputy to Manafort on the Trump campaign. A June 15 memo from the Trump transition team’s general counsel directed transition staffers and volunteers to preserve records related to Gates and Manafort, among other campaign associates. An attorney for Gates did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. The filings record $3.9 million in expenses related to the firm’s work for the Party of Regions, which included costs for travel, living expenses and payments to various contractors during the 2012-2014 period. This included $531,000 paid to Konstantin Kilimnik, a Ukraine-based business associate helping Manafort’s work with the country’s former leader Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after being ousted in a popular revolt. The documents say that Manafort’s firm focused on “electing Party of Regions’ candidates” and adds that the firm “communicated with the US embassy regarding developing events in the Ukraine” and “provided strategic counsel and advice to members of the Party of Regions regarding their interactions with US government officials.” Related article Ukrainian leader, a Russian adversary, gets low-key welcome The Manafort filings disclose one meeting with a member of Congress, Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of California, in March 2013, as well as a $1,000 contribution to Rohrabacher. Rohrabacher has been a proponent of improved US ties to Russia and for the Trump administration to treat Russia as a partner and friend of the US. Rohrabacher told CNN he remembers having dinner with Manafort in 2013 due to his position as chairman of the House subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and emerging threats. “I’m sure his thoughts on what was going on in Ukraine were part of the discussion,” said Rohrabacher, who described Manafort as an old friend. Anti-corruption authorities in Ukraine named Manafort in an investigation last summer after a ledger allegedly showed millions of dollars in undisclosed payments to Manafort. In a statement, Manafort said, “I have never received a single ‘off-the-books cash payment.’” A Ukrainian prosecutor involved in the probe told a Ukrainian news outlet this week that Manafort’s signatures do not appear in the ledger, so he does not have enough evidence to prosecute.


A new twist in the Freddie Gray case. Baseball makes history with fanless game. And Hillary Clinton has some Democratic competition. It’s Thursday, and here are five things to know for your New Day. New narrative: Was Freddie Gray trying to hurt himself inside that police van? That’s what a Washington Post story, based on a document from the Baltimore police, asks. The document quotes a prisoner who was in the same van who said he could hear Gray “banging against the walls” of the van. Also, a female relative of one of the officers in the case told CNN the officer doesn’t know how Gray was hurt during his arrest. Baltimore police will hand over its report on the case Friday to state prosecutors. Protesters hit the streets of Baltimore again yesterday over Gray’s death, but things remained peaceful and crowds dissipated shortly after the second night’s curfew began. Other protests broke out last night across the county, including New York, Washington and Denver. No fans: Two teams? Check. National anthem? Check. Seventh-inning stretch? Check. Cheering fans? Not yesterday afternoon in Baltimore. Safety concerns stemming from Monday’s riots forced Major League Baseball to do something it’s never done: lock out the fans. The Baltimore Orioles’ 8-2 win over the Chicago White Sox before 46,000 empty seats was a strange sight, but the Orioles did have some fun, despite the circumstances. An Orioles catcher pretended to sign autographs, and a Baltimore first baseman hurled a ball to imaginary fans. And the fans weren’t totally kept away from the game: About 100 of them caught bits of the action through gates outside the stadium. Sanders is in: Bernie Sanders announced yesterday he’s running to be the Democrat’s nominee for president, which is a bit strange because the independent Vermont senator has never been a registered Democrat and considers himself a socialist. But Sanders caucuses with the Democrats in the Senate and his left-of-center views align with many progressive Dems, some of whom are desperate to find an alternative to frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Sanders will outline his plan today when he holds a news conference in Washington. Advisers say he may not hold his first campaign rally until sometime in May in Vermont. A little hope: Things are grim right now in Nepal, as the death toll continues to climb after Saturday’s earthquake. But a few stories of survival have helped lift people’s spirits. A 27-year-old man was pulled from the rubble of a building yesterday, surviving 82 hours after the earthquake hit. His survival is unusual, as experts say it’s rare for injured people who are trapped to hold out for longer than 72 hours after a disaster. A 4-month-old baby was rescued from a destroyed building in the town of Bhaktapur about 22 hours after the quake. Pictures of his rescue have become the defining image of the disaster. And a 40-year-old woman in Kathmandu was rescued 36 hours after her building collapsed around her. She escaped without injury – she apparently was protected by a beam. Moving testimony: A parade of victims testified yesterday, painting a vivid, horrifying image of what happened inside the Aurora movie theater on  July 2012 when James Holmes entered a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” and opened fire. A police officer fixated on Veronica Moser-Sullivan, the youngest victim. “I wasn’t keeping a child in that crime scene,” he said of the carnage all around her. A woman who was nine-months pregnant at the time of the shooting recounted realizing that her husband had been shot in the eye. He later had brain surgery while she delivered the baby. He survived, but with significant brain damage. The testimony prompted occasional weeping from victims, relatives and even some jury members. Just like the Masters: When you play a baseball game with no fans, the announcers call it like a golf tournament. Molten melon: What happens when you pour melted aluminum into a watermelon? Not what you expect. Watch out Adele: An 11-year-old girl rocks “Rolling in the Deep.” Bugatti vs. Ferrari: Witness the most expensive fender bender ever. “Oh my gosh”: Huge hailstones pummel the windshield of some stormchasers in Texas.


The list of potential sites for a summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been narrowed to two countries, Trump said Friday. “I think some very good things can happen with respect to North Korea. We’re setting up meetings now. We’re down to two countries, as to a site, and we’ll let you know what that site is,” Trump said during a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. While the two sides have yet to arrive at a decision on where the summit will be held, US officials favor Singapore, according to two people familiar with the discussions. Officials have ruled out sites in China and the Korean Peninsula for the talks, determining they wouldn’t appear neutral. Other locations in Europe appear less likely, the officials said, citing difficulties in getting Kim there on his rickety fleet of aircraft. Mongolia also remains an option, but is viewed as less ideal because it is more remote. It’s not clear when a final site will be announced. Negotiations are speeding ahead for the historic face-to-face. Trump hailed talks Friday between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in as “a very positive thing” and said it would be a “great thing for the world” if tensions can be eased. But still, Trump warned he would not played by Kim, who has grown increasingly willing to engage in diplomacy. And he again raised the prospect of standing up and walking out of the meeting if it falls short of his expectations. Related article Trump praises Kim Jong Un as honorable, refuses to explain why He offered strong words for past presidents, who he declared had been hoodwinked by the North Koreans. “The United States has been played beautifully, like a fiddle, because you had a different kind of a leader. We’re not going to be played, OK?” he said in the Oval Office ahead of talks with Merkel. “We’re going to hopefully make a deal. If we don’t, that’s fine,” he said. “The United States in the past was played like a fiddle.” The breakthrough meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea was met with praise in Washington, though privately skepticism remains rampant that the audacious opening from the North will ultimately lead to the country ridding itself of nuclear weapons. That’s the line Trump has drawn for his talks with Kim, but how that is achieved remains unclear. South Korea has favored a step-by-step approach where economic sanctions are lifted incrementally as Pyongyang makes moves toward dismantling its nuclear arsenal. Related article Sticking point on Trump-Kim talks: Location, location, location US officials, meanwhile, have said that no easing of sanctions will occur until North Korea takes concrete steps to end its nuclear program. “We will, I think, come up with a solution. And if we don’t, we leave the room with great respect,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Later, during the news conference, Trump said brokering peace on the Korean Peninsula could be a gift to the entire planet. “It’s something I hope I can do for the world,” he said. “This is something I can do for the world. It’s something I hope I’m able to do for the world.”


Republican Reps. Jim Jordan and Ted Yoho defended Nunes on "New Day" Rep. Devin Nunes said Wednesday that intelligence on Trump and his associates could have been "incidentally collected" Two House Republicans came to the defense of House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes on Thursday, saying he could continue to oversee an impartial investigation into alleged contacts between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia. On Wednesday, Nunes revealed to reporters that communications of Trump and associates may have been picked up after the election by intelligence agencies conducting surveillance of foreign targets. He then rushed to the White House to make Trump aware of the findings. He apologized Thursday to Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee for not telling them before speaking to the press and White House about the matter, according to Rep. Jackie Speier, a Democrat on the committee. “I do,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, when asked by CNN’s Chris Cuomo on “New Day” if he believed Nunes could lead “what’s supposed to be an independent investigation.” “I think he simply shared with the commander in chief the fact that people in President Trump’s transition team had information that was gathered when they were working there in Trump Tower when they were accomplishing their goal of transitioning to our new government,” the Ohio Republican continued. Speaking on “New Day” Thursday, Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings said Nunes “scuttled and put a cloud over his own investigation” and suggested the California Republican should be the target of an investigation himself. Democrat @repcummings: By briefing POTUS, @DevinNunes "scuttled and put a cloud over his own investigation" https://t.co/rflYKrdBu7 But later in the morning, Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Florida, came to the defense of Nunes, calling him a man of “high integrity.” “He’s a man of character and high integrity and I haven’t had the chance to talk to him,” Yoho said on “New Day.” “I have a lot of trust and faith in Devin, so he did whatever he did, I’m sure for the right reasons.” CNN’s Stephen Collinson, Tom LoBianco and Manu Raju contributed to this report.


Editor’s Note: The name of one of the women in this story has been changed to protect her identity. We refer to her as Arwa throughout. “This is it,” Arwa said as she sat in the US immigration office on the outskirts of Houston, Texas last month. Having fled Saudi Arabia two years earlier, her 7 a.m. appointment would reveal if her application for asylum had been successful or whether she would be forced to leave America. “What I really want is just to live normally without fear and not have to pretend to be somebody else, that’s all I ever want,” Arwa told CNN on the eve of her appointment. “What really scares me is that I wouldn’t get this asylum, and I would be returned and I would die young, and that I would lose everything that I tried to build, that I would just fail.” Arwa initially came to the US as a student before returning to Saudi Arabia to work for several years. There she says her parents began to turn on her as she began questioning the restrictions placed on women in Saudi society. Her frustrations grew to the point that one night she sneaked out of her family home and arranged to travel across the border to Bahrain, where she boarded a flight to begin her journey to the US. Leaving her home and Saudi Arabia were against the wishes of her father, who is also her legal guardian, and doing either could have landed her in jail. Every woman in Saudi Arabia, regardless of age, has a legal male guardian, often a father or brother or son. Guardians have the power to make a range of critical decisions on a woman’s behalf. Women need to get their permission to travel abroad, marry and sometimes to work or access health care. The guardianship system is “the most significant impediment to realizing women’s rights in the country,” Human Rights Watch said in a report released in July. The report helped inspire a social media campaign among Saudi women calling for an end to the system. Throughout the summer Saudi women began tweeting, detailing the injustices of the guardianship system – risking the wrath of their guardians and the government in doing so. They got noticed. In September, the country’s most senior religious authority, the Grand Mufti, described the social media campaign as a “crime targeting the Saudi and Muslim society.” But they haven’t stopped. CNN previously spoke to five Saudi women involved in the campaign. One of those women, Moudi, has since left Saudi Arabia and, like Arwa, has decided to seek asylum in the US. Moudi recently began her asylum application. It’s not common for Saudis to seek asylum in the US. Between 2011 and 2005, more than 250,000 asylum applications were made to the United States, 111 were from Saudi nationals, 29 of which were approved, according to figures from the Department of Justice. In the same time period, the US granted asylum to 30 British nationals. Britain is another US ally. Arwa, and other Saudi asylum seekers CNN spoke to, do not fit the general stereotype one thinks of when they imagine a refugee. They are highly educated, well-dressed, are often able to pay for effective immigration lawyers and can afford to stay in hotels, or with sympathetic friends. Campaigners say the number of women wanting to get out of Saudi Arabia and fearing for their lives are not reflected in the relatively low number of US asylum application numbers. “Many women simply can’t get out,” one campaigner told CNN. “They do not have the means and they need the permission of their guardian to leave their house or to leave the country.” Muhammad Syed, the head of Ex-Muslims of North America, a group that helps former Muslims, told CNN that some Saudi women, who have renounced Islam, decide to relocate to neighboring countries that “grant apostates more freedoms.” Both Arwa and Moudi left behind families of relative wealth. “What good are materials and wealth when we can’t be free?” one of them asked. Their exits were facilitated by having previously studied in the US, where they both have a small support network of friends, and the finances necessary to secretly put aside enough to make the move. Wahhabism, the conservative official interpretation of Islam in Saudi Arabia, ensures Sharia Law in the country and helps protect the male guardian system. Arwa and Moudi have both left Islam. Among the supporting documents submitted as part of Arwa’s asylum application was a copy of a newsletter in which she and two others were declared apostates. Related video In September, CNN spoke to five Saudi women involved in the campaign to end the male guardianship system The short newsletter post, which she said was distributed in her local area, detailed how she and two others from her town renounced Islam on social media. “The punishment for it can be death,” the article reminds its readers. Arwa argued that as she had publicly renounced Islam, had questioned and challenged the country’s guardianship system, and had left her home and the country without the appropriate permissions from her guardian, it would not be safe to return. She told CNN she feared being punished at home for bringing shame to her family and for not obeying her father, and was fearful the state would prosecute her if she did not return to Islam. Echoing Arwa’s fears, Kristine Beckerle, who monitors the guardianship system as part of her work with Human Rights Watch, told CNN: “Saudi Arabia has and continues to arrest, prosecute and imprison dissidents, including women’s rights activists, who then, if they are imprisoned, need a male guardian to agree to their release.” CNN asked the Saudi government if women such as Arwa and Moudi who had renounced Islam and had publicly criticized the Saudi government should be fearful of returning to Saudi Arabia. There was no response. Arwa went through the application process without a lawyer. Instead, she relied on friends who had already been granted  asylum, reading advice online, and the moral support of her American boyfriend. At the Houston immigration office, she waited patiently, having arrived a few minutes before her 7 a.m. appointment. Her name was called by a clerk at a booth. “Your application for asylum in the United States of America has been successful,” the official told her. Relieved, she let out a deep breath and began to cry. A couple of minutes later, after some forms had been signed and some documents exchanged, she was told she was free to go. A journey that began with a late-night escape from Saudi Arabia and two years of anxiety seemed to end so simply and so suddenly. On her way out, an Iraqi family congratulated Arwa on her asylum, frantically asking her questions about her application as they looked to her as a sign of hope. Once outside, she called her boyfriend, told him that she wasn’t going anywhere. Then she got in her car, sat behind the wheel and drove away. Graphics by CNN’s Luke Rotzler


Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday a vote on whether to begin debate on the bill will take place next Wednesday A similar bill easily passed in the House in November Amid heightened concerns about the threat of terrorism from refugees fleeing Syria and Iraq, the Senate next week will consider whether to suspend a controversial program allowing refugees from those countries into the U.S. that drew scrutiny after the recent terrorist attacks in Paris. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday a vote on whether to begin debate on the bill will take place next Wednesday. Sixty votes will be needed for it to advance to a vote and the outcome is uncertain, according to leadership aides in both parties. Despite criticism from the White House about the proposal when the House voted on it in November, 47 House Democrats supported it. The American SAFE Act easily passed 289-137. Since then, ISIS sympathizers carried out a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, and last week in separate cases in Texas and California, two Iraqi refugees were arrested on terrorism charges. Those incidents could put pressure on Senate Democrats, who are otherwise sympathetic to plight of the refugees, to back the measure. When the House voted, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid dismissed complaints about the U.S.’s ability to screen the refugees – arguing many were children or elderly and in desperate need of help – and suggested his caucus would stand firmly against the proposal and block it. “The problem is not with the refugees,” Reid said. “I don’t think we will be dealing with it over here.” The bill requires the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and Director of National Intelligence all to certify that a refugee from Syria or Iraq – or a refugee who has visited one of those countries in the last five years – is not a security threat and can be admitted to the U.S. Many Republican lawmakers grew concerned about the refugee program after the Paris attacks and reports that one of the attackers migrated from Syria as part of the wave of immigrants fleeing the war-torn country for Europe. “We face complex and growing threats from Islamic extremism and we must remain vigilant. This bill is a critical step to avoid another deadly catastrophe here at home,” said Rep. Richard Hudson, R-North Carolina, a sponsor of the bill, in a statement after McConnell announced the Senate would act on it. CNN’s Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report.


Lawmakers are filling their schedules with hearings, briefings and attempts at legislation to grapple with what the attacks overseas mean at home Paul Ryan called the Paris attacks "pure evil" The Paris attacks may have taken place nearly 4,000 miles away, but their impact is reverberating on Capitol Hill. With the world rocked by the terrorist bombings and shootings that killed more than 120 people and injured hundreds more, lawmakers are filling their schedules with hearings, briefings and attempts at legislation to grapple with what the attacks overseas mean at home. On Tuesday, House Speaker Paul Ryan called the Paris attacks “pure evil” and said House Republican leadership was working on legislation to “pause” part of the Syrian refugee program to vet refugees seeking shelter in the U.S. RELATED: Paul Ryan calls for pause in refugee program “Our nation has always been welcoming, but we can’t let terrorists take advantage of our compassion. This is a moment where it’s better to be safe than to be sorry,” Ryan told reporters gathered in the Capitol. “We think the prudent and responsible thing is to take a pause in this particular aspect of this refugee program in order to verify that terrorists are not trying to infiltrate the refugee population.” The attention on Paris could suck up precious legislative time, as only about 10 legislative work days remain on the calendar before government funding runs out on Dec. 11. Throughout the day Tuesday, lawmakers will have ample opportunities to hear from and question top security officials, as the broader Washington community is dealing with increased security after ISIS threatened the nation’s capital in a new video. The most significant briefing will come Tuesday evening, when all House lawmakers will receive a classified briefing from the FBI director and Homeland Security secretary on the Paris attacks. RELATED: Republicans to Obama: Keep Syrian refugees out Tuesday morning, Secret Service chief Joseph Clancy testified before a rare joint hearing by subcommittees of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee. At the same time, Attorney General Loretta Lynch testified before the House Judiciary Committee at another oversight hearing about the Department of Justice, whose National Security Division leads the charge in prosecuting would-be terrorists domestically and breaking up plots. She called the Paris tragedy an “attack on all of humanity” and its “universal values” and pledged the Justice Department was working to combat threats. “Our nation faces a host of serious, varied and evolving challenges. Our highest priority must always be the security of our homeland, and we are acting aggressively to diffuse threats,” Lynch said. “We continue to investigate and apprehend those who seek to harm us, including upwards of 70 individuals charged since 2013 for conduct related to foreign fighter activity, and home-grown violent extremism.” Later Tuesday, a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee will hold a hearing on terrorism financing, including kidnapping, featuring the mother of kidnapped journalist James Foley, who was executed by ISIS. And that’s just Tuesday. On Wednesday, the House Homeland Security Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a joint hearing on radicalism, and the House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on outside perspectives on Iraq and Syria. The House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a Thursday hearing on Syrian refugees and the refugee program’s security, and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has a hearing on lessons from the Paris attacks and refugees. Legislation is also in the works with a variety of approaches to dealing with the situation in Syria. Presidential candidates have been quick to put forward proposals that would block entry for Syrian refugees, including Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who introduced legislation Monday to stem visas to countries with high risk of terrorism. Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said he would also be putting forward a bill to ban Syrian refugees from entering the U.S. Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio was spotted on the Hill on Monday for an intelligence briefing. Ryan was also under pressure from his party on Monday to act, with Ben Carson writing him and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell a letter demanding Congress defund Syrian refugee resettlement programs. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee also called on Ryan to “lead” on the issue or “step down.” RELATED: Ryan calls for pause in program The House could vote on the legislation in development by leaders this week, as lawmakers feel a drumbeat to act on the issue with the Paris attack still in the headlines.


The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco took four years to build, costing $35 million and finally opened in 1937. It has remained one of the engineering world’s most famous poster boys since. But it’s not the only bridge that merits celebration. Here are 23 others (plus San Fran’s Golden Gate) that are worth a look. Now over 75 years old, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge is arguably the most recognizable bridge in the world. While some may not be inspired by the industrial age suspension bridge design, it is undeniable that the San Francisco we know today would not be the same without its skyline being graced by this beauty. Nicknamed “The Coat Hanger” by Sydney locals because of its arch-based design, the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in 1932 and is a focal point of Aussie pride and celebrations. For aspiring bridge climbers, BridgeClimb offers people just that. Every year for New Year’s Eve the bridge itself is used to complement fireworks displays creating various effects like smiley faces and a disco ball. A Medieval bridge over the Arno River, the Ponte Vecchio is mainly known for its shops of jewelers, art dealers and souvenir sellers and for being Europe’s oldest stone, closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge. Regardless, the Ponte Vecchio Brige is gorgeous and has a rich history dating back to the time of the Romans. During World War II the bridge was not destroyed by the Nazis – unlike many other bridges in Europe – under an express order from Adolf Hitler. Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. A National Historic Landmark, the Brooklyn Bridge is an iconic feature of New York. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge is the world’s first and currently only tilting bridge. But the most amazing thing about this pedestrian and biker crossing of the Tyne River is that it appears as if an eye is winking whenever it is raised and lowered. Its innovative and unique design has won loads of awards since Queen Elizabeth officially opened it in 2002. It was lowered into place by Europe’s largest floating crane – Asian Hercules II. Hong Kong’s Tsing Ma Bridge is the largest suspension bridge in the world to feature two decks and carry both road and rail traffic. Not only that, but it was subjected to some serious wind tunnel testing as Hong Kong is subject to powerful typhoons. After costing $920 million (HK$7.2 billion), the Tsing Ma Bridge opened in 1997. There are no walkways on the bridge and it features sheltered carriageways on the lower deck when very strong winds prove to be too much for vehicles to safely handle. 10 of the world's longest bridges of various types The Pearl Bridge currently holds the title of “World’s Longest Suspension Bridge” with a span of 1,991 meters. The second longest is China’s Xihoumen Bridge. A modern engineering feat, the Pearl Bridge has remained the world’s longest since 1998. The Pearl Bridge stood a true test of strength even before it opened when it survived the Kobe Earthquake on January 17, 1995. Connecting the Chinese municipalities of Jiaxing and Ningbo in Zhejiang province, the 35-kilometer-long Hangzhou Bay Bridge is the longest trans-oceanic bridge in the world. More than 600 experts spent nine years designing the Hangzhou Bay Bridge. Known for its funky and innovative spiral approach, Shanghai’s Nanpu Bridge designers came up with the novel idea to save space. When you can’t build out, build up. A combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England, spanning the River Thames, the Tower Bridge was opened on June 30, 1894 by The Prince of Wales. It is among the top iconic landmarks in a city filled with iconic landmarks. One of the final scenes of the Hollywood blockbuster “Sherlock Holmes” is played out on the bridge in the movie’s climax. No bridge list is complete without at least one aqueduct constructed by the Roman Empire. Pont du Gard is believed to have been built between 19 BC and 150 AD. It was constructed entirely without the use of mortar and the aqueduct’s stones – weighing up to six tons – were precisely cut to fit perfectly together eliminating the need for mortar. The Royal Gorge Bridge is the world’s highest suspension bridge at 359 meters above Arkansas River. Not surprisingly, it attracts a lot of jumpers. But they all pack parachutes. The most spectacular footbridges around the world An absolutely gorgeous bridge design. This one gets in on beauty points alone. Lupu Bridge in Shanghai gets a spot on this list because at 3,900 meters it is the world’s longest steel-arch bridge, and it also provides an amazing vantage point overlooking the old 2010 Shanghai World Expo site. The world’s highest vehicular bridge, the Millau Viaduct traverses land not water, though when the fog rolls in, crossing the Millau can feel like crossing the sky. The bridge’s construction set three world records. The Vasco da Gama spans the Tagus River near Lisbon, capital of Portugal and was built to ease traffic congestion and provide easier access to the 1998 World Fair along the banks of the Tagus. It isn’t the longest, it isn’t the tallest, but it sure is pretty. Remarkable views, a useful design that regulates the flow of the river and it has lasted (built around 1650). The Khaju Bridge should be on any bridge fanatic’s must-see list. The Wind and Rain Bridge on the Linxi River of Sanjiang County is gorgeous. Built in 1916 to resemble a rainbow, the builders used no nails or rivets but instead dovetailed thousands of pieces of wood. 12 spectacular new bridges that break the mold A post shared by Noam | Photographer (@ncohen7) The Sunniberg Bridge was built in 1998 and won the Outstanding Structure Award in 2001 for its “aesthetically pleasing appearance and innovative design.” A 16th-century bridge in the city of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Sari crosses the river Neretva. The bridge stood for 427 years until it was destroyed in the Bosnian war in 1993. It was later rebuilt and reopened in 2004. It is traditional for the young men of the town to leap from the bridge into the Neretva. The Szechenyi Chain Bridge has loads of character. Opened in 1849, it truly put the “Buda” into the “Pest” as it connected the two sections of the city. In 2001, Hungarian stunt pilot Peter Besenyei flew upside down under the bridge. The world’s longest covered bridge might not look like much compared to some of the other mega structures featured here, but covered bridges have a unique charm. Some covered bridges are also only one lane, such as this Hartland Bridge in New Brunswick, Canada, so for those crossing there’s always a certain amount of excitement to be had. Spanning the Abegweit Passage of Northumberland Strait, and linking Prince Edward Island with mainland New Brunswick, Canada, the Confederation Bridge is the longest bridge over ice in the world. It is not dainty, it is strong, imposing, sturdy and muscular. Probably the bridge where we would least like to run out of gas. Since the bridge’s opening in 1997, potato production on Prince Edward Island has increased dramatically. Singapore’s double helix bridge is 280 meters long, made of a special stainless steel, lovingly assembled over two years with great precision. Despite being just two years old is already being touted as an architectural marvel and engineering feat. Chris Anderson was CNNGo’s Associate Editor, before becoming Senior Editor for The Huffington Post and later Business Insider. Editor’s note: This article was previously published in 2012. It was reformatted and republished in 2017.


Jackson contacted authorities Saturday night She and her husband split soon after son's birth Janet Jackson called police Saturday over concern for her 1-year-old son, Eissa Al Mana, authorities told CNN. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Kimberly Alexander said deputies made a welfare check on behalf of Jackson Saturday evening. Deputies responded to the 2200 block of Pacific Coast Highway where the child was found with his father, Jackson’s estranged husband Wissam Al Mana. Alexander said deputies determined that everything was fine and there was no incident. Authorities did not release any further details. Jackson quietly married Al Mana, a Qatari businessman, in 2012. In October 2016, Jackson announced she was pregnant with her first child at the age of 50. They welcomed their son in January 2017 and separated soon after. Jackson told Billboard last month that her son “has showed me that love, no matter how deeply you believe you have experienced that emotion, can always go deeper.” “Love is limitless. And for someone like me, raised in show business where self-concern is always a priority, how fortunate I am now to be concerned, first and foremost, with the welfare of someone else,” she said. “Day after day and night after night, holding my baby in my arms, I am at peace. I feel bliss. In those moments, all is right with the world.” CNN has contacted reps for Jackson and Al Mana for comment. CNN’s Stella Chan contributed to this report


Global forecast models help improve information released to the public There have been hits, misses over the years in major hurricanes, storms An alphabet soup of forecast models is helping the National Hurricane Center keep residents along the US East Coast up to date on the peril posed by Hurricane Irma. Their names don’t exactly roll off the tongue. There’s the ECMWF from Europe and GFS from the United States. And HFIP, while not a model per se, is aimed at better gauging intensification of storms. Regardless, they provide forecasters with significant tools to help track a storm. What are the top global models and what are their relative track records? There are numerous models being followed this week, but Ryan Maue, a meteorologist with WeatherBell Analytics, mentions four to watch. Experts generally consider the US federal government’s Global Forecast System, or GFS, and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, the ECMWF, to be the premier models. He also cites a Canadian model and the Met Office in the United Kingdom. “You want to have multiple models,” said Maue. “Different models perform better or worse at different times.” These models use all kinds of measurements – from wind, temperature, precipitation and cloud movement – to forecast where a storm is likely to go next. Emphasis on the word “likely.” Forecasters use computers, history of a region and skills they have developed over the years to come up with the best outlook. Sometimes, predicting a storm’s path or intensity can involve a little luck. Each model can have slightly different “solutions,” said Maue. “That variability can help you determine where there is uncertainty.” While ECMWF has generally had a better track record with Atlantic basin storm predictions, it’s important to note that the National Hurricane Center has access to all kinds of information, the meteorologist said. People shouldn’t look at these models as prizefighters going at each other, he emphasized. Still, the European model and GFS have had moments where they have shined – or hovered in the gloom. Maue said ECMWF has been spot on with Irma, while GFS has been off a bit. The European model has performed a little better on forecasts when a storm is seven or eight days out, he said. If you are a company or a military officer who has to make decisions about people and assets, you stick with the best performer, Maue said. “Giving you a tiny advantage over that coin flip is important to some people.” ECMWF did well with Joaquin (2015), Matthew (2016) and Superstorm Sandy (2012). TRACK THE STORM HERE With Sandy, the ECMWF correctly predicted a landfall in the Northeast nearly a week ahead, while the GFS continually kept the storm offshore in what became a major black eye for the US weather-modeling industry. There have been examples in which the GFS model has outperformed its European counterpart, such as with a few major snowstorms in the Northeast. After one failure, those behind the Euro model “spent some time fixing it,” Maue said. After Sandy, more money was pumped into the top US model but, interestingly, the GFS has performed worse since then in some cases, he said. The system at some point will be replaced with a newer model. “Everything under the hood will be changed in a dramatic way.” One plus for the US system: Forecasts are put out four times a day, as opposed to ECMWF’s two. And GFS data is free; the Europeans sell their information. “The European model does take longer to run, there is more data in the European model,” said CNN meteorologist Chad Myers. “And so, therefore, it can be, slightly, more accurate. But the American model is pretty close.” The center works from these global models, its own analysis, historical records and proprietary information. And don’t forget years of experience among its staff. Related article There are 3 hurricanes in the Atlantic basin The various predictions – called “spaghetti models” because of their visual appearance on a forecast map – often differ on predictions for a storm’s path and landfall. In Irma’s case, during the first several days of forecasting, there were differences in some models. They have since agreed that Florida is the first US target. Considering all the options can be a dizzying recipe for panic, particularly for those who live along the coast. Because of the variety, the National Hurricane Center produces a cone graphic that covers a large territory over which the storm might affect the United States. It’s designed to warn residents several days in advance of storm conditions so they can prepare or evacuate. Related video Cameraman almost wiped out by Irma's waves CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward said the center uses “individual models, ensembles of various models, and consensus models.  The consensus model is essentially an average of several of the top performing models.” An Irma advisory issued Thursday afternoon made a reference to how ECMWF and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project corrected consensus models. “These two models have been performing very well during Irma. This adjustment also results in a westward shift of the track near Florida and northward,” the hurricane center said. Maue, of WeatherBell, said more powerful computers and a way to coalesce various bits of information, including satellite data and weather balloons, are needed. And he emphasized the need to learn more about clouds and temperatures in the upper atmosphere. “We can’t send weather balloons everywhere in the world.” Forecasters and meteorologists need to be able to zoom into small pieces of information so they can get a better big picture, Maue said. He expects major advances in the next decade. CNN meteorologists Judson Jones and Brandon Miller and CNN’s Joe Sterling contributed to this report.


Here’s what you might have missed on CNN on Tuesday: – North Korea’s military staged a ‘large-scale artillery drill’ amid mounting tensions with the West. That’s according to South Korean officials. – Audience members hissed at Ivanka Trump as she defended her father’s advocacy of women’s issues during an empowerment summit in Berlin. – Former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates will testify May 8 at a Senate hearing about Russia’s meddling in the US elections. – White House has denies a House oversight committee request for documents tied to former national security adviser Michael Flynn. – President Trump, after a series of missteps on Holocaust remarks by his staff, honored the Jewish people, saying he’s deeply moved to stand with them. – Former “Bachelor” star Chris Soules is being held on $10,000 bail after his arrest in connection with a deadly car crash in Iowa. – A commission has recommended extending a moratorium on the death penalty in Oklahoma after a botched execution in 2014. – The new Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” not only has stirred important conversations about teen suicide, but also some controversy. – A mother wanted to find a book to help explain IVF to her son. She couldn’t. So she wrote her own.