Russia is responsible for 'hot war' in Ukraine: US envoy

July 23, 2017, 10:01 am

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The new US special envoy on Ukraine said Sunday that Russia is responsible for the "hot war" in the country's east, after fresh clashes between government forces and Russian-backed rebels. Kurt Volker, who was appointed this month as the State Department's special representative for negotiations to end more than three years of fighting, was visiting on the eve of telephone talks between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France on how to stem a conflict that has claimed 10,000 lives. "This is not a frozen conflict, this is a hot war and it is an immediate crisis that we all need to address as quickly as possible," Volker said while visiting the government-controlled city of Kramatorsk in the war-torn Donetsk region.

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Tom Kerridge's slow-cooked meat feasts for a crowd

July 22, 2017, 10:00 pm

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I’m a huge fan of slow-cooked meats for the simple reason that you can roast or braise them with very little fuss, yet still pack in loads of flavour. In this week’s recipes I have drawn on influences from around the world, weaving in the spices and herbs I love via marinades, rubs and glazes. The dishes are designed to be great fun – you can use the base recipes as blueprints and go on to create your own spice mixes, experimenting with ratios or ingredients. A kitchen blowtorch finishes off the crust on the beef Credit: Haarala Hamilton For the côte de boeuf, for example, components of the brine traditionally used to make pastrami have been reimagined as pickled cabbage and mustard-spiked mayonnaise, while the meat itself sports a fennel and pepper crust. An Indian-inspired marinade left overnight on a shoulder of lamb renders it smoky with a chilli heat, and ham hocks simmer in ale and stock to be finished off with a glaze made from the reduced cooking liquor. Most of this just requires you to whip up your ingredients and then leave the cooking process to work its magic – methods that make it easier for you without compromising on quality or flavour. Tom Kerridge's latest recipes Cooking large cuts of meat such as these shouldn’t just be reserved for Sunday lunch – they can be brilliant for dinner parties or al fresco feasts, too. In this country we all too often rely on supermarkets when it comes to our meat shopping, so for the best cuts go and see your butcher. I love nothing more than chatting with my local expert, as he always has the best suggestions of what cuts to use and what is best to use right now. Also, invest in a digital temperature probe to help determine when the meat is properly cooked – and prepare to serve up a feast. Beer-braised ham hock with gherkin and iceberg salad, duck egg and parsley mayonnaise Credit: Haarala Hamilton SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS 4 small ham hocks (ask your butcher to French-trim them) 500ml chicken stock 500ml strong ale 2 star anise 4 tbsp malt extract 2 sprigs thyme 2 onions, diced 2 sticks celery 100ml mayonnaise 2 shallots, diced 3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 duck eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and grated 1 iceberg lettuce, quartered 8 gherkins, sliced lengthways 3 sprigs dill, chopped Olive oil, for drizzling METHOD Place the hocks in a large casserole dish (or two) and cover with cold water. Bring up to the boil to remove any impurities, pour off the water and add the stock and ale to the pan along with the star anise, malt, thyme, onions and celery. Bring to the boil again and simmer for two hours or until the hocks are tender. Lift the ham hocks out, set aside and keep warm. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve and return to the pan. Boil to reduce the stock to a glaze. While the glaze is reducing, mix together the mayonnaise, shallots, parsley and duck egg in a bowl, stirring well. Just before serving, brush the warm hocks with the beer glaze and serve on a platter with the lettuce wedges. Lay over the gherkin slices and sprinkle with dill and olive oil. Serve the parsley mayonnaise on the side with some large chunks of crusty sourdough. Pastrami-spiced côte de boeuf with pickled white cabbage and mustard mayonnaise Credit: Haarala Hamilton If you have any beef left this will make a fab American-style sandwich. SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS 1 x côte de boeuf weighing about 650-700g, at room temperature For the pickled cabbage 200ml white wine vinegar 1 tbsp mustard seeds 100g caster sugar 1 small bay leaf ½ tsp dill seeds ½ tsp white peppercorns 300g white cabbage, finely sliced 2 tbsp chopped tarragon For the beef 3 tbsp coarse ground black pepper 2 tbsp fennel seeds 2 tbsp flaky salt 1 tsp dried thyme 3 tbsp English mustard Vegetable oil, for brushing For the mustard mayonnaise 150g mayonnaise 3 tbsp English mustard Juice of ½ lemon ½ tsp caster sugar METHOD Take the meat out of the fridge a couple of hours ahead to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 60C/lowest gas mark. Start by pickling the cabbage. Place everything apart from the cabbage and tarragon in a saucepan and bring to the boil, then stir in the cabbage and simmer for two minutes. Take off the heat and leave to cool. When cool, stir in the tarragon and set aside. Mix together the black pepper, fennel, salt and thyme. Lay the côte de boeuf on a baking tray. Brush the mustard all over the meat then roll it in the spice mix to coat. Set back on the tray and place in the oven for at least two hours (it might need two-and-a-half hours depending on your oven). Use a digital temperature probe – the internal temperature of the beef should read 60C. Remove from the oven and brush with a little vegetable oil. Using a kitchen blowtorch, brown the beef all over. Let it rest for five minutes while you mix together the mayonnaise ingredients with a pinch of salt. Carve the beef, which will be cooked rare, serving with the cooled, drained cabbage and mustard mayonnaise. Madras-spiced lamb shoulder with sweet-and-sour mango salsa Credit: Haarala Hamilton This is an amazingly simple yet full-flavour dish. SERVES 6 INGREDIENTS 3kg shoulder of lamb For the spice paste 10 cloves garlic 10cm piece of ginger, peeled and sliced 1 onion, chopped 1 tbsp tomato purée 2 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp tamarind 1 tsp chilli powder 3 tbsp madras spice curry powder 3 red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced 3 tsp salt 3 tbsp vegetable oil For the mango salsa 1 large mango, peeled and finely diced 1 red onion, finely sliced 2 green chillies, deseeded and finely sliced Large handful of coriander, chopped Zest and juice of 2 limes 2 tbsp distilled malt vinegar 3 tbsp peanut oil METHOD Add all the paste ingredients to a food processor and blend to a coarse, aromatic paste. Lay the lamb in a roasting tin and slash the meat six or seven times with a sharp knife. Rub the paste all over the lamb, working it into the slashes, to fully coat the meat. Leave in the fridge overnight. The next day preheat the oven to 140C/Gas 1. Place the lamb in the oven and pour in 300ml of water to the tin. Cook for four hours, basting every now and then. Meanwhile, mix together the salsa ingredients well and keep to one side. When the lamb is cooked, pull the meat away from the bone and mix in all of the spicy stock and juices in the tin. Serve with rice or flatbreads and spoon over the mango salsa.

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Latest Republican health bill 'a porkfest, a monstrosity', Rand Paul says

July 23, 2017, 8:58 am

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Rand Paul has helped to block Republican efforts to introduce a new health bill. Rand Paul, one of the conservative senators who has helped to hold up Republican healthcare reform, on Sunday derided the current Senate bill as a “monstrosity” and a “porkfest” and said he would not vote for it to proceed to debate this week. With Donald Trump telling senators to stay in Washington until they have a replacement for Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), majority leader Mitch McConnell is reportedly looking to hold a vote to proceed to debate as early as Tuesday.

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31-pound stray cat named Mr. Handsome is my favorite celebrity

July 22, 2017, 11:37 am

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Here's a good situation: a 31-pound stray cat who goes by "Mr. Handsome" has received so much interest at a Pittsboro, North Carolina animal shelter that his new home will be determined by a literalraffle. Mr. Handsome, a flawless celebrity, has been winning hearts all week after being brought into the Chatham County Animal Shelter as a stray. Since then, there's been such an influx of prospective adopters to the shelter that parking and traffic have become strained. SEE ALSO: Cat that ingested antifreeze saved by the elixir of life: Vodka Now, those who'd like to adopt Mr. Handsome can fill out an application, which must be emailed to the shelter by July 26. If your name is drawn from the raffle, you'll be vetted further before the greatest cat to ever live is yours to keep. In the meantime, Mr. Handsome will be luxuriating in the ideal hotel suite — a cleared-out cabinet shelf he selected himself. WATCH: An incredible new robot inspired by vines can grow 25,000 times its original size

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The Latest: Turkey's president talks Qatar in Saudi, Kuwait

July 23, 2017, 11:38 am

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Latest on the crisis diplomatic crisis between Qatar and four Arab countries (all times local):

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Truck Driver Beats 74-Year-Old Cyclist In Canada

July 23, 2017, 3:39 am

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In a video gone viral, a man is shown to be hitting a 74-year-old cyclist in Peterborough, Ontario in Canada.

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Iraqi bridge is sole link for Mosul residents rebuilding lives

July 21, 2017, 11:55 pm

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By Angus MacSwan MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - On a pontoon bridge connecting East and West Mosul, residents of a city shattered by the battle to expel Islamic State cross back and forth trying to rebuild their lives from the rubble. Other bridges, including the landmark Iron Bridge, were wrecked in nine months of urban warfare which saw Iraqi government forces fight the militants street-by-street and house-by-house. All have tales of hardship and suffering under three years of Islamic State rule and, despite their relief that is over, now they are worried about their present predicament and the future.

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Syria announces truce in one of rebels' last Damascus bastions

July 22, 2017, 10:52 am

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Syria on Saturday announced a ceasefire in one of the last rebel strongholds near Damascus after rebels and regime ally Russia agreed on a safe zone for the besieged opposition enclave. With many of its towns and villages ravaged by bombardments in the six-year conflict, Eastern Ghouta near the capital is one of the last bastions of rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad's regime. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

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Robot finds likely melted fuel heap inside Fukushima reactor

July 22, 2017, 10:31 pm

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TOKYO (AP) — Images captured by an underwater robot showed massive deposits believed to be melted nuclear fuel covering the floor of a damaged reactor at Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.

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Sean Spicer rounds on the media in first interview since quitting as Donald Trump's spokesman

July 21, 2017, 8:13 pm

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A defiant Sean Spicer rounded on the "mainstream media" in his first interview since resigning as Donald Trump's press secretary. He used an interview with the conservative Fox News television host Sean Hannity to deny there had been a rift in the White House following the appointment of Anthony Scaramucci as the administration's communications chief. Mr Spicer said he made his decision following talks at the White House with Mr Trump. It had been reported in the American media - including Fox News - that Mr Spicer had walked out because he objected to Mr Scaramucci's appointment. Anthony Scaramucci Credit: Evan Vucci/AP Mr Spicer painted a rather different picture. "The president wanted to add to the team. I thought it was in the best interests of the administration not to have too many cooks in the kitchen." While he was careful to insist that he had left on good terms, Mr Spicer made little secret of his distaste for the journalists he faced during his months as spokesman. Outgoing White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer gestures outside the West Wing of the White House Credit: Michael Reynolds/EPA "I was increasingly disappointed how people in the media do their job, or rather don't do their job," he said. "They are not there for the facts or pursuit of the truth, they are there to see how do I get on TV or become a YouTube star," he added. Melissa McCarthy rides Sean Spicer's SNL podium through New York 00:32 "More and more we are seeing it is about the clip and the click." Mr Spicer turned on what he described as the Washington DC bubble. "There is a bias, there is a Washington mentality," he said. Mr Spicer not only had a rocky relationship with the White House press corps, but he was ridiculed mercilessly by satirists especially on Saturday Night Live where he was impersonated by the actress Melissa McCarthy. Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer in hilarious new SNL trailer 00:52 "There are times when it goes from funny to mean. You have to have a little bit of a thick skin if you are going to do this," he said. Appearing on the same programme, Reince Priebus, the White House Chief of Staff, denied that he was unhappy at Mr Scaramucci's appointment. "It is a good thing to start fresh. Sean gets to start fresh, Anthony gets to start fresh and the president gets to start fresh," he said. "It is time to get the president the credit he deserves. This is a good day to start that process." Melissa McCarthy delivers Easter message as Sean Spicer 00:51

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Russians march against state internet crackdown

July 23, 2017, 6:55 am

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Around 1,000 people marched through central Moscow on Sunday to protest against the government's harsh legislative controls on the internet. Police said that around 800 people attended the protest, which was organised by Parnas opposition party, headed by former prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov. OVD Info website, which monitors detentions of political activists, said three had been detained, one for giving out leaflets promoting opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

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10-Year-Old Arrested For Allegedly Stealing a Car for the Fourth Time in 6 Weeks

July 22, 2017, 1:07 pm

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Police said he removed his ankle monitor being caught.

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15 Pounds of Frozen Meat Falls From Sky on Florida Man's House

July 22, 2017, 8:14 am

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A 15-pound bag of frozen pork landed on the Deerfield Beach home of Travis Adair and his family

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Iran and Iraq sign accord to boost military cooperation

July 23, 2017, 5:26 am

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Iran and Iraq signed an agreement on Sunday to step up military cooperation and the fight against "terrorism and extremism", Iranian media reported, an accord which is likely to raise concerns in Washington. Iranian Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan and his Iraqi counterpart Erfan al-Hiyali signed a memorandum of understanding which also covered border security, logistics and training, the official news agency IRNA reported. "Extending cooperation and exchanging experiences in fighting terrorism and extremism, border security, and educational, logistical, technical and military support are among the provisions of this memorandum," IRNA reported after the signing of the accord in Tehran.

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Ohio set to resume executions, child killer awaits appeals

July 23, 2017, 7:54 am

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Ohio is moving toward carrying out its first execution in more than three years.

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Donald Trump attacks press as Russia scandal swirls around Jeff Sessions

July 22, 2017, 10:33 am

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Donald Trump participates in the commissioning ceremony of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford at Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia. Donald Trump’s haphazard attempt to relaunch his communications operation after six months as president will face its first test next week, when his son-in-law testifies about alleged links to Russia. The appointment as communications director of Anthony Scaramucci, a financier with little experience but a feisty New York style that Trump admires, led to the resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer and suggested that White House messaging could take on an even more combative tone.

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Teacher convicted of having sex with her student suing teenage boy for defamation

July 22, 2017, 9:47 am

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A 36-year-old teacher convicted of having sex with a person under the legal age of consent in California is suing the student she slept with for defamation. Tara Stumph, who is currently serving a 180 day sentence for having sex with a 16-year-old student, says that statements made by the young man hurt her reputation and her career. Stumph was named alongside her former employer, the Lucia Mar School District, in the lawsuit brought against her by her victim’s family.

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No-show inflation poses conundrum for US Fed

July 22, 2017, 6:04 pm

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After tightening monetary policy last month for the second time this year, the US central bank is expected to pause for the next few months to monitor developments. The Federal Reserve will leave the benchmark interest rate untouched when it meets Tuesday and Wednesday, partly because it has yet to begin to wind down its huge stock of bond holdings, and will not make another move on interest rates until that process is underway. In the normal course of events, as an economy recovers and hiring increases, that brings with it rising wages and inflation, which in turn prompts the central bank to hike lending rates to keep prices in check while still allowing economic growth to continue.