Andrew Blake

Cleveland lawmakers pass transgender-friendly bathroom law on eve of GOP convention

The Cleveland City Council unanimously approved legislation Wednesday that prohibits private businesses from telling transgender people which restroom they can use.

July 14, 2016

Syria’s Bashar Assad blasts anti-Islamic State effort led by U.S. as counterproductive, illegal

Syrian President Bashar Assad on Wednesday said the U.S. is "not serious" about defeating Islamic State terrorists and called America's efforts counterproductive and a violation of international law.

July 14, 2016

Su Bin, Chinese businessman, sentenced over hacking plot aimed at Boeing

A Chinese national was sentenced Wednesday in Los Angeles to nearly four years in prison for his part in a plot that involved the theft of sensitive military information from U.S. defense contractors.

July 14, 2016

FDIC let down its cyber defenses despite being hacked by Chinese: House panel

A scathing congressional report published Wednesday accuses the FDIC of misleading lawmakers about recent data breaches and raises questions about the federal agency's cybersecurity posture in the wake of being infiltrated by state-sponsored hackers.

July 13, 2016

Shipping costs expected to skyrocket over Russia’s new anti-terror laws: Reports

Anti-terror legislation recently signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin could cause shipping costs to surge and drive independent couriers out of business, a postal expert predicts.

July 13, 2016

Marijuana tax proposed in L.A. could raise millions toward fighting homelessness

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to put a measure on the November ballot asking voters whether marijuana businesses should pay a tax to be used toward combating homelessness.

July 13, 2016

Police memorial in Richmond vandalized; spray-painted message reads ‘Justice for Alton’

A memorial dedicated to Richmond, Virginia, police officers killed in the line of duty was vandalized Tuesday night with a message referencing Alton Sterling, the black man fatally shot by police in Baton Rogue, Louisiana, last week.

July 13, 2016

Facebook sued by victims of Hamas terrorist attacks for $1 billion

An Israeli legal group filed a lawsuit in New York City federal court Sunday that accuses Facebook of facilitating terrorism.

July 12, 2016

Mir Islam, hacker, sentenced over targeting NRA boss, lawmakers with cybercrimes

A Bangladeshi-American computer hacker was sentenced to two years behind bars Monday after secretly pleading guilty to committing cyber-crimes against targets including members of Congress, a federal prosecutor and National Rifle Association President Wayne LaPierre, among others.

July 12, 2016

Google says 4,000 customers targeted each month by suspected state-sponsored hackers

Google tells about 4,000 customers each month that their accounts are likely being targeted in state-sponsored cyberattacks, its senior vice president said Monday.

July 12, 2016

Democrats propose HEART Act to keep semi-automatic weapons away from children

Gun control legislation proposed Tuesday by Democrats would make it illegal to transfer a machine gun or semi-automatic weapon to anyone under the age of 16.

July 12, 2016

Deputies taunted, served tainted chicken wings at North Carolina restaurant: Report

Employees of a Shelby, North Carolina, eatery are being questioned after law enforcement officials said they were taunted and served tainted food while dining in uniform at the restaurant over the weekend.

July 12, 2016

Facebook to deploy ‘secret conversation’ feature on site

Facebook says it has begun to offer users the option of securing their messages with end-to-end encryption, a service that soon may allow more than a billion account holders -- potentially including jihad and other terror groups -- to message one another below the radar of law enforcement surveillance.

July 10, 2016

Marijuana opponents abandon plans for pot potency limits in Colorado

A marijuana potency measure in Colorado that would prohibit legal pot shops from selling certain strains of weed was withdrawn Friday over what its proponents called a "wall of money" courtesy of the cannabis industry.

July 9, 2016

Bahamas issues travel advisory over U.S. shootings

The Bahamas on Friday warned residents against traveling to the United States over the recent officer-involved shootings that spurred nationwide protests.

July 9, 2016

North Korea violates UN resolutions with missile test

A North Korean submarine launched a ballistic missile Saturday off the country's eastern coast, inciting condemnation from the international community over what officials said was an explicit violation of United Nations-imposed sanctions.

July 9, 2016

Jewish Republicans ‘morally obligated’ to reject Trump over anti-semitism, activists say

Activists are urging the Republican Jewish Coalition to abandon its support for presidential hopeful Donald Trump as the presumptive GOP nominee prepares to secure his party's backing this month in Cleveland.

July 9, 2016

Russia expels two U.S. diplomats following altercation outside American embassy in Moscow

Russia on Saturday said its expelled two Americans in connection with an incident last month outside the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

July 9, 2016

Limbaugh labels Black Lives Matter a ‘terrorist group’ after Dallas shootings

Radio host Rush Limbaugh called Black Lives Matter a "terrorist group" Friday after gunman Micah Xavier Johnson killed five police officers in Dallas the night before at a rally organized by the activist movement.

July 9, 2016

Bill Maher asks Republicans to support black victims of police violence over cops

As a gunman opened fire Thursday evening in downtown Dallas intent on killing cops, talk show host Bill Maher asked Republicans to consider supporting black victims of police violence in lieu of law enforcement.

July 9, 2016