WASHINGTON — In the summer of 2016, Russian intelligence agents secretly planted a fake report claiming that Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich was gunned down by a squad of assassins working for Hillary Clinton, giving rise to a notorious conspiracy theory that captivated conservative activists and was later promoted from inside President Trump’s White House, a Yahoo News investigation has found. Russia’s foreign intelligence service, known as the SVR, first circulated a phony “bulletin” — disguised to read as a real intelligence report —about the alleged murder of the former...…WASHINGTON — In the summer of 2016, Russian intelligence agents secretly planted a fake report claiming that Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich was gunned down by a squad of assassins working for Hillary Clinton, giving rise to a notorious conspiracy theory that captivated conservative activists and was later promoted from inside President Trump’s White House, a Yahoo News investigation has found. Russia’s foreign intelligence service, known as the SVR, first circulated a phony “bulletin” — disguised to read as a real intelligence report —about the alleged murder of the former...WW…

As cases of vaping-related illnesses reach 2,051, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced a “breakthrough” in the search for a cause — the first identified toxicant: vitamin E acetate. The news comes in a study released Friday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which analyzed fluid from the lungs of 29 patients with e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury (EVALI) in 10 different states. While the majority of those analyzed tested positive for either THC (82 percent) or nicotine (61 percent), the only substance to be “universally detected” in...…As cases of vaping-related illnesses reach 2,051, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced a “breakthrough” in the search for a cause — the first identified toxicant: vitamin E acetate. The news comes in a study released Friday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which analyzed fluid from the lungs of 29 patients with e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury (EVALI) in 10 different states. While the majority of those analyzed tested positive for either THC (82 percent) or nicotine (61 percent), the only substance to be “universally detected” in...WW…

When hackers began slipping into computer systems at the Office of Personnel Management in the spring of 2014, no one inside that federal agency could have predicted the potential scale and magnitude of the damage. Over the next six months, those hackers — later identified as working for the Chinese government — stole data on nearly 22 million former and current American civil servants, including intelligence officials.The data breach, which included fingerprints, personnel records and security clearance background information, shook the intelligence community to its core. Among the hacked...…When hackers began slipping into computer systems at the Office of Personnel Management in the spring of 2014, no one inside that federal agency could have predicted the potential scale and magnitude of the damage. Over the next six months, those hackers — later identified as working for the Chinese government — stole data on nearly 22 million former and current American civil servants, including intelligence officials.The data breach, which included fingerprints, personnel records and security clearance background information, shook the intelligence community to its core. Among the hacked...WW…

Bill Cosby is speaking out from prison. Over a year after he was first incarcerated for the sexual assault of Andrea Constand, the disgraced actor and comedian — who is serving three to 10 years — has given his first interview. In it, the 82-year-old maintained his innocence from his Pennsylvania correctional institution, Phoenix, which is located outside Philadelphia, and, because of that, he expects to serve the entire sentence. Cosby also called his trial a “set up” and the jurors “imposters.” “I have eight years and nine months left,” Cosby told National Newspaper Publishers...…Bill Cosby is speaking out from prison. Over a year after he was first incarcerated for the sexual assault of Andrea Constand, the disgraced actor and comedian — who is serving three to 10 years — has given his first interview. In it, the 82-year-old maintained his innocence from his Pennsylvania correctional institution, Phoenix, which is located outside Philadelphia, and, because of that, he expects to serve the entire sentence. Cosby also called his trial a “set up” and the jurors “imposters.” “I have eight years and nine months left,” Cosby told National Newspaper Publishers...WW…

In an interview with Rolling Stone, a pregnant Grimes officially confirmed that Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk is the father of her child. In January, the 31-year-old Canadian singer, whose real name is Claire Boucher, posted a photoshopped image of a fetus onto a nude photo of herself. In response to a comment, she told a fan she's "knocked up." Grimes has been in a relationship with Musk since May 2018. In the interview, Grimes also talks about the possibilities of artificial intelligence taking over the creation of art — not to mention the rest of human society. From a...…In an interview with Rolling Stone, a pregnant Grimes officially confirmed that Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk is the father of her child. In January, the 31-year-old Canadian singer, whose real name is Claire Boucher, posted a photoshopped image of a fetus onto a nude photo of herself. In response to a comment, she told a fan she's "knocked up." Grimes has been in a relationship with Musk since May 2018. In the interview, Grimes also talks about the possibilities of artificial intelligence taking over the creation of art — not to mention the rest of human society. From a...WW…

•Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - An operation by Brazilian military police in Rio de Janeiro on Friday left at least 13 people dead in a number of city center favelas, authorities said.They were among 14 people who sustained gunshot wounds in the operation close to the Santa Teresa neighborhood, health officials said.Firefights often break out in favelas during battles between rival gangs or when the police launch operations to combat drug trafficking.The police said they conducted operations from Friday morning due to "shoot-outs in the area caused by the dispute between rival criminal groups,"...…•Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - An operation by Brazilian military police in Rio de Janeiro on Friday left at least 13 people dead in a number of city center favelas, authorities said.They were among 14 people who sustained gunshot wounds in the operation close to the Santa Teresa neighborhood, health officials said.Firefights often break out in favelas during battles between rival gangs or when the police launch operations to combat drug trafficking.The police said they conducted operations from Friday morning due to "shoot-outs in the area caused by the dispute between rival criminal groups,"...WW…

The new class of conventially powered submarines will be based on Naval Group's Barracuda nuclear subs (AFP Photo/CHARLY TRIBALLEAU)Canberra (AFP) - Australia formally signed a Aus$50 billion "strategic partnership" with France to build 12 state of the art submarines Monday, a signal of Canberra's willingness to project power across the Pacific.Prime Minister Scott Morrison hailed the "very audacious plan" at a ceremony in Canberra as "part of Australia's biggest ever peace-time investment in defence".The partnership's main pillar is a contract for France's Naval Group -- a consortium with...…The new class of conventially powered submarines will be based on Naval Group's Barracuda nuclear subs (AFP Photo/CHARLY TRIBALLEAU)Canberra (AFP) - Australia formally signed a Aus$50 billion "strategic partnership" with France to build 12 state of the art submarines Monday, a signal of Canberra's willingness to project power across the Pacific.Prime Minister Scott Morrison hailed the "very audacious plan" at a ceremony in Canberra as "part of Australia's biggest ever peace-time investment in defence".The partnership's main pillar is a contract for France's Naval Group -- a consortium with...WW…

By José Roberto GomesSAO PAULO (Reuters) - Germany's Bayer AG is in violation of a Brazilian court order obliging it to deposit in escrow royalties paid by Mato Grosso state farmers for its Intacta RR2 Pro soy seed technology, farmers claimed on Friday.Instead of depositing the royalties in full, Mato Grosso grain growers association Aprosoja told Reuters that the value transferred by Bayer into an escrow account between July and December of last year represents just 4 percent of what state growers paid in the period.According to a legal filing dated Jan. 30 and seen by Reuters, Bayer,...…By José Roberto GomesSAO PAULO (Reuters) - Germany's Bayer AG is in violation of a Brazilian court order obliging it to deposit in escrow royalties paid by Mato Grosso state farmers for its Intacta RR2 Pro soy seed technology, farmers claimed on Friday.Instead of depositing the royalties in full, Mato Grosso grain growers association Aprosoja told Reuters that the value transferred by Bayer into an escrow account between July and December of last year represents just 4 percent of what state growers paid in the period.According to a legal filing dated Jan. 30 and seen by Reuters, Bayer,...WW…

An unborn baby has been removed from its mother’s womb for treatment then put back, in a groundbreaking operation.The procedure was carried out on Bethan Simpson’s child after tests revealed it had spina bifida.The 26-year-old nurse from Burnham, Essex, in the UK, and her husband Kieron had been given the option to terminate the pregnancy before they learned of the procedure.Mrs Simpson became one of only a handful of British mothers to have the operation, which was carried out by a team of Belgian and UK surgeons in London.Following a routine 20-week scan, it emerged that the baby’s head...…An unborn baby has been removed from its mother’s womb for treatment then put back, in a groundbreaking operation.The procedure was carried out on Bethan Simpson’s child after tests revealed it had spina bifida.The 26-year-old nurse from Burnham, Essex, in the UK, and her husband Kieron had been given the option to terminate the pregnancy before they learned of the procedure.Mrs Simpson became one of only a handful of British mothers to have the operation, which was carried out by a team of Belgian and UK surgeons in London.Following a routine 20-week scan, it emerged that the baby’s head...WW…