Russia, Serbia blame NATO for Kosovo tensions

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Russia and its traditional ally Serbia on Wednesday blamed NATO and the European Union for the recent increase in tensions in Kosovo, where local police launched a raid in the Serb-dominated north of the country.

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Missouri's last abortion clinic could close, making the state the only one without a facility

Missouri's threat to decline a license renewal may force the state's only abortion clinic to close by the end of the week, Planned Parenthood officials said.

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Man sues after his face is mauled by emotional support dog on Delta Airlines flight

A man who was allegedly attacked by an emotional support dog on a Delta Airlines flight has filed a lawsuit against the airline and the owner of the animal.Marlin Jackson has accused both Delta and Ronald Kevin Mundy Jr, a US veteran, of negligence after he was attacked while the flight was boarding in June 2017. Mr Jackson was seated in a window seat while the dog was next to him on the veteran’s lap, according to the lawsuit. The dog then attacked Mr Jackson, leaving his face permanently scarred. According to the complaint, Mr Jackson “bled so profusely that the entire row of seats had to be removed from the airplane.”“The attack was briefly interrupted when the animal was pulled away from Mr. Jackson. However, the animal broke free and again mauled Mr Jackson's face,” the lawsuit continued. The lawsuit also said Delta didn't verify the dog was trained or met the requirements of a service animal. A police report stated the Marine Corps veteran's dog was a chocolate lab pointer mix. Airlines later made changes to policies for emotional support animals following the attack, which drew national headlines in 2017.Mr Jackson has continued to endure “severe physical pain and suffering” according to the lawsuit, amid substantial medical bills and an apparent loss of income or earning potential. The lawsuit goes on to note Mr Jackson’s “entire lifestyle has been severely impaired by this attack.”Mr Jackson was reportedly travelling from Atlanta to San Diego when the attack occurred.Additional reporting by AP

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How to Pack like an Automotive Journalist

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At Least 8 Tornadoes Have Been Reported Every Day for the Last 12 Days

After several quiet years, the past couple of weeks have seen an explosion of tornado activity with no end to the pattern in sight.

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Satellite images show fields in northwest Syria on fire

New satellite images show fields, orchards and olive groves burning in northwest Syria, where the army has waged an assault against rebels in their last major stronghold. Government air strikes, backed by Russia, have focused on the south of Idlib province and nearby parts of Hama, uprooting nearly 250,000 people. The bombing has killed 229 civilians and injured 727 others, according to the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM) charity.

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NASA just released a hype video for a Moon mission that probably won’t happen

NASA has planned on returning to the Moon for some time now, hashing out plans for its Lunar Gateway which will eventually serve as a jumping-off point for travelers headed to the Moon's surface. Then, back in March, the current presidential administration decided it wanted NASA to complete a return to the Moon as soon as possible, offering a mere five years to complete the task.The request was, to put it bluntly, absurd. NASA doesn't have the funding to pull it off, and even if it did it would require a truly monumental effort to meet the arbitrary deadline. Despite this, Trump-appointed NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine eagerly accepted the "challenge," and while everyone waits to see whether lawmakers will provide enough cash for a Moon 2024 mission to be possible, NASA just launched a hype video of sorts to assure everyone that a 2024 Moon mission is definitely, totally happening.The video emphasizes the collaborative efforts of NASA and its international partners, which is a good thing since there's no way the United States would be able to pull off the Gateway without help from just about everyone.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9KQfnquknoWhat's so interesting about this whole thing -- aside from the fact that a million hurdles stand between NASA and a Moon mission in 2024 -- is that when Trump sent Pence to deliver the new directive to NASA back in March, he did so while dismissing the efforts of many of NASA's key allies and emphasizing the need for the U.S. to be the superior space power.Now, NASA's hype video plays up collaboration and, presumably, was made to drum up some support for the mission among those who have influence in approving the funding NASA needs to make it a reality.Could NASA pull off the Moon 2024 mission? Absolutely, but the most important factors in whether it will even have the chance (like funding) are almost entirely out of its control. If the mission falls through it likely won't be because of a shortcoming on NASA's part, but because the demand was never realistic in the first place.The Lunar Gateway will be built, that much is certain. Whether it's built in time for the Moon 2024 mission, and whether that mission ever even comes close to happening at all, remains to be seen.

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Vatican corrects omission in pope's quote about McCarrick

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican communications office on Wednesday corrected the Italian transcript of Pope Francis' comments about disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Earlier, it had omitted Francis' claim that he didn't remember if he had been told in 2013 of McCarrick's penchant for sleeping with seminarians.

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Open Hatch Nearly Sunk India's New $3 Billion Nuclear Missile Submarine

It isn't hard to sink a submarine, it would seem. The modern submarine is not a simple machine. A loss of propulsion, unexpected flooding, or trouble with reactors or weapons can doom a sub crew to a watery grave.Also, it’s a good idea to, like, close the hatches before you dive.(This article originally appeared at Task & Purpose. Follow Task & Purpose on Twitter. This article first appeared in 2018.)Call it a lesson learned for the Indian navy, which managed to put the country’s first nuclear-missile submarine, the $2.9 billion INS Arihant, out of commission in the most boneheaded way possible.The Hindu reported yesterday that the Arihant has been out of commission since suffering “major damage” some 10 months ago, due to what a navy source characterized as a “human error” — to wit: allowing water to flood to sub’s propulsion compartment after failing to secure one of the vessel’s external hatches.

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Hong Kong Rejects U.S. Warning on Ship Breaching Iran Sanctions

The city’s government has “strictly” implemented United Nations Security Council sanctions, which don’t impose “any restrictions on the export of petroleum from Iran,” a spokesperson for Hong Kong’s Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said on Wednesday in response to a question about the U.S. warning. “Certain countries may impose unilateral sanctions against certain places on the basis of their own considerations,” they said.

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MSNBC analyst Jason Johnson: Mnuchin 'basically' said 'I hate black people' with Harriet Tubman decision

MSNBC analyst Jason Johnson took shots at both Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, essentially calling Carson sexist and Mnuchin racist, after both came under fire by Rep. Ayanna Presley last week. Johnson took a shot at Mnuchin for postponing the release of a $20 bill design featuring Underground Railroad and anti-slavery icon Harriet Tubman.

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Illinois House Passes Bill Repealing Partial-Birth-Abortion Ban

The Illinois House on Tuesday passed a bill that would repeal the state's previous partial-birth-abortion ban and require that insurance providers cover contraception and abortion services.The Reproductive Health Act, which passed 64–50, removes virtually all restrictions on late-term abortions and the penalties currently imposed on doctors who perform them. The legislation must now receive majority support in the state Senate before it can be signed into law.The bill's proponents have argued that the legislation codifies existing practice and is necessary in light of the recent passage of restrictive abortion laws in a number of Republican-controlled states, as well as the conservative majority on the Supreme Court, which many pro-choice activists are concerned might overturn Roe v. Wade.“RHA codifies our existing practices and -- and this is critical -- treats abortion care just like any other health care, because it is,” said the bill's sponsor, state representative Kelly Cassidy (D., Chicago). “Make no mistake, it doesn't end here. Since Roe was decided in 1973, our opponents have fought to impede access to care and these efforts have the greatest impact on the most vulnerable population.”Illinois Republican party chairman Tim Schneider said the legislation was reflective of the Democratic party's recent embrace of abortion extremism.“In just a few short years, the Democrat party in Illinois went from advocating ‘safe, legal and rare’ to abortion on-demand, at any time, for any reason, and funded by taxpayers,” he said in a statement. “This is not the typical pro-life vs. pro-choice debate I have been accustomed to in my lifetime. The RHA goes much further.”Six states have passed increased restrictions on abortions in recent weeks.Alabama governor Kay Ivey signed the nation's most restrictive abortion law earlier this month, effectively banning the practice entirely, including in cases of rape and incest. Ivey admitted that the law is likely unenforceable but argued it was important step toward overturning Roe V. Wade via the courts.Georgia governor Brian Kemp also recently signed a law banning abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which usually occurs around six weeks. And the last remaining abortion clinic in Missouri is about to be shuttered by state authorities who have refused to renew its license as they prepare to implement similarly restrictive legislation.

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Sears buyer Eddie Lampert wants to avoid up to $43M in severance pay from bankruptcy

The investor who bought Sears' assets out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy is now trying to back out of an agreement to pay severance to laid-off workers.

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PHOTOS: Tornadoes rip through Ohio and Oklahoma

A tornado pulverized buildings around Dayton, Ohio, early on Tuesday, injuring at least 35 people.

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Everest deaths blamed on budget firms and influx of inexperienced climbers

An American mountaineer has become the 11th person in two weeks to die on Mount Everest as Sherpas and tour operators alike blame an influx of inexperienced climbers and budget tour operators for the spike in fatalities. Christopher John Kulish, 61, from Colorado, did not show any sign of distress when summiting the world’s highest mountain on Monday morning but died suddenly after descending. With a record number of climbers permitted to climb Everest this year, bottle necks have also contributed to greater exhaustion and in some instances, death. The death toll this season is the highest since 2015. The Nepalese government granted permission for 381 mountaineers to scale Everest from the southern side this spring season. Roughly 130 others will attempt to summit from the northern side in Tibet. Only around 5,000 people have climbed Everest since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first scaled the 8,848m peak in 1953.  With a permit costing $11,000 (£8,675) to scale the mountain the increase in numbers has been attributed to the Nepalese government making money to support its economy which has been hampered by political unrest and the devastating 2015 earthquake. Is it time to ban Western travellers - and their egos - from Mount Everest? Adventure tourism also plays a vital part in financially supporting the inhabitants of remote communities in north-east Nepal. However, in permitting more summits the government has allowed dozens of local budget climbing companies to emerge who charge cheaper prices but cut corners on safety. Climbing Everest with a premium, international firm can cost up to $100,000 (£78,900) while some cut-price local mountaineers charge only a quarter of this fee. The Nepalese government has for the first time said it may reduce the number of permits given to climbers next year. A government spokesperson told the Telegraph: "There are no such plans for now but there is possibility of doing so."   “The biggest factor is that many inexperienced climbers are booking with low budget, local operators, who are not providing adequate support such as guide services, oxygen, medicines and leadership to ensure the climbers can ascend and descend safely,” said Garrett Madison, an American mountaineer specialising in Everest summits. Mr Madison led 29 people to a busy summit on May 23 where climbers say a bottleneck at the top caused people to wait for around 45 minutes in the perilous "death zone". A major clean-up operation ended with the recovery of 10,000 kilograms of rubbish and four dead bodies Credit:  NARENDRA SHRESTHA/EPA-EFE/REX While the government says it implements background checks on prospective climbers, such as only allowing those to climb with experience of a summit over 6,000m, it has been accused of turning a blind eye to those who don’t meet criteria. “I wouldn’t say that people who sign up for Everest aren’t fully prepared as they practice for years but all who are currently attempting the summit are not professional mountaineers,” said Krishma Poudel, the Manager at Peak Promotions, a company that has organised expeditions for over 25 years. Her comments were echoed by Temba Tsheri Sherpa, who leads summits at Asia Voyage. “The largest number of climbers dying this season is because they have run out of oxygen… there are too many commercial expeditions where you pay less but get less of a service and less experienced guides,” he said. “A lot of climbers don’t have enough experience and they think the climbing is easy.”  "If you want to maintain safety, the first thing is to minimise [the numbers] of climbers," Mr Tsheri Sherpa added. The Nepalese government told the Telegraph that it didn’t want to speculate on the cause of the recent spike in deaths. However, it said there was a possibility that they would reduce the number of permits given to climbers next year.  Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. Are you an avid mountaineer? What motivates you to climb the world's tallest peaks? We want to hear from you in the comments section below.

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Landmark US opioid trial begins in Oklahoma

The first civil trial that could end up holding a drug company responsible for the US opioid epidemic began Tuesday in Oklahoma, in a landmark case that might impact thousands of others like it. The bench trial pits the state of Oklahoma against Johnson & Johnson. Two other drug companies named in the lawsuit settled ahead of the trial.

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College student pleads guilty to sneaking into Mar-a-Lago

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A college student pleaded guilty Tuesday to sneaking into Mar-a-Lago during President Donald Trump's Thanksgiving visit in a manner similar to how a Chinese national gained admission four months later.

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Today’s best deals: $7.22 Alexa smart plugs, $199 Apple Watch, $30 Fire TV Stick, 55″ 4K TV for $330, more

Today's daily deals roundup is a doozy, and it all starts with a deal that gets you top-selling Alexa and Google enabled smart plugs for just $7.22 a piece when you buy a 4-pack and use the promo code KYSCVKIE at checkout. Other highlights from Wednesday's roundup include AirPods 2 for just $139.99, SanDisk Ultra 64GB microSD cards for only $12.58 each, Fire TV Stick for $29.99 instead of $40, Fire TV Stick 4K for $39.99 instead of $50, a crazy Apple Watch Series 3 sale with prices as low as $199, a massive $80 discount on renewed Sony WH1000XM3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (this deal will sell out soon, but you can also buy them new and get a free 20,000 mAh portable charger) Eufy Lumos smart LED bulbs for $11.99 each, a gorgeous 55-inch 4K TV with built-in Fire TV for just $329.99, $40 off our favorite Instant Pot, and more. See all of today's top deals below.

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Democrats toughen qualifying standards for third presidential debate

Seeking to cull its crowded 2020 presidential field, the Democratic Party will make it tougher for candidates to qualify for a third debate scheduled for September. The party will require contenders to meet both a higher polling standard and a larger fundraising target, the Democratic National Committee said on Wednesday. In the first two debates, scheduled for June and July, contenders have to meet just one of the two criteria, leaving open the possibility that as many as 20 of the 24 announced Democratic candidates could be on stage.

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Boris Johnson faces court hearing for Brexit 'lies'

Boris Johnson, the frontrunner to become Britain's next prime minister, must attend court over allegations that he knowingly lied during the Brexit referendum campaign, a judge announced Wednesday. Johnson, the former foreign secretary, will be summoned to appear before a court over allegations of misconduct in public office, judge Margot Coleman said in a written decision, without specifying the date. The case is over the claim that Britain sends £350 million ($440 million, 400 million euros) a week to the European Union.

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