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A onetime bank teller in Washington, D.C., stole tens of thousands of dollars from a homeless customer who earned money as a street vendor, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Phelon Davis, 29, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to a charge of interstate transportation of stolen property, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Davis was working as a teller at a Wells Fargo branch in the upscale neighborhood of Georgetown, reports The Washington Post. In October 2014, a longtime bank customer, who was not named in court filings, tried to deposit thousands of dollars from a garbage bag into one of his accounts, but the accounts had gone dormant owing to inactivity. "In reviewing the customer's accounts, Davis noticed that the customer had a surprisingly large balance," according to the U.S. attorney's release. Davis instructed the customer to get identification documents and a Social Security card to reactivate the accounts. Davis then used that information to fraudulently open a new account in the customer's name. Over the course of two years, Davis transferred money to the new account, using ATMs 144 times and withdrawing a total of $185,440. He used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle, taking vacations to Jamaica, Aruba and Mexico, putting a down payment on his home and paying off personal debt. The customer, having no access to a computer, was not receiving bank statements and knew nothing of the scam, said the Department of Justice. Court filings do not say how a homeless person would have so much money. "That's the million-dollar question," Bruce Allen Johnson Jr., Davis' attorney, said outside the D.C. courtroom Thursday, reports the Post. Court documents also do not show how Davis got caught. The DOJ says under sentencing guidelines, Davis is likely facing 18 to 30 months in

The automotive tastes of Car and Driver editors are varied, but if there’s one common thread to our lottery lists, it’s the Mercedes-Benz S-class. If ever we struck it rich, many of us would have an S-class of some sort as our daily driver. Sure, a Bentley or a Rolls-Royce might have more cachet, but the big Benz hits the sweet spot in terms of ride, power, luxury, comfort, and functionality, regardless of body style or powertrain. But for some buyers, an S-class lacks the appropriate panache. If the world’s best-riding sedan isn’t good enough for you, clearly you live life on a different plane—your two cents are valued in whole dollars, you’re widely available for purchase as an action figure, and your name has been verbed. For those who live in this irrational world, there is the Maybach S550. Cubic Dollars for Square Footage The Maybach edition of the S550 4MATIC costs some $67,000 more than the regular ol’ Mercedes version, but that’s still a lot cheaper than other chauffeur-class sedans, and the Maybach incorporates all of the latest safety and infotainment technology from the S-class. That hefty premium over a comparable S550 4MATIC nets a lot more space for rear-seat occupants. There are an extra 7.9 inches in the wheelbase, all of them allotted to the rear, where our 99th-percentile test dummy could comfortably cross his legs in what Mercedes claims is the quietest car interior on the market. (Our standard test measures noise levels in the front seat, where our meter recorded 70 decibels under full throttle and 63 at a 70-mph cruise, both among the lowest values we’ve seen.) Like a Rolls-Royce, the Maybach positions the rear seats so that the C-pillar blocks prying eyes from seeing who’s sitting there, particularly when those passengers lean back into the pillows fitted to the rear-seat headrests, which are so soft that we couldn’t help but close our eyes when lying back into them. Both outboard rear seats get the recliner treatment, with deployable leg rests, heating and cooling, and massage functionality. An airbag is embedded in each of the rear seatbelts—it’s a safety feature but an additional benefit is that it lends the impression of a softer, more luxurious belt. All told, the back of the Maybach is more spacious and comfortable than most first-class airliner accommodations, with the added benefit of not having to smell anyone’s feet, since the S550’s integrated air freshener perfumes the cabin with a Maybach-exclusive Agarwood scent. A pair of screens in the front seatbacks and standard headphones allow rear-seat occupants to withdraw, Inception-style, even deeper into their own world within a world. And then there are the material upgrades, which include the leather headliner and the 1540-watt 24-speaker Burmester High-End 3D Surround Sound stereo with tweeters that spiral out of the doors on startup and a huge cheese-grater speaker mounted between the Maybach’s two panoramic sunroofs—featuring, on our car, the $4950 Magic Sky Control variable opacity. Restraint Is a Relative Term For all its frippery, the Maybach is fairly restrained for an aristocrat cocoon—in the case of this example, maybe too restrained. The modest black-and-tan interior is attractive, but it doesn’t show off the design and craftsmanship as well as some of the more adventurous palettes. And, as much as we’re amused by the presence of throw pillows in the Maybach S-class, who actually likes throw pillows? They exist to be in the way. Where do they go when you’re sitting in the seat? On the other seat? If you have two people in the back, the pillows either get stuffed at your feet or they take up space in the trunk, which is already smaller than that of a regular S-class because of the intrusion of the seat-adjustment hardware. We prefer to think of them as souvenir chew toys for the weaponized German shepherd that guards your garage. The Maybach isn’t just an interior package. Along with the stretched wheelbase, it has an altered roofline that boosts headroom in the rear. Accented by chrome trim around the windows and on the B-pillars, the new lid lends this S-class an appropriately stately profile. We Get It, You’re Driven With 449 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque routed to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission, Mercedes’ twin-turbo 4.7-liter V-8 flings the S550’s 5189 pounds to 60 mph in five seconds flat. The quarter-mile takes just 13.5 seconds at 109 mph, while the governor steps in at 131 mph. Admirably, the 4.7-liter balances speed with efficiency. We saw an average of 18 mpg, with a couple of tanks on the highway approaching 21 mpg despite our interminable game of “How Fast Can We Go Before the Passengers Notice?” When they did, the brakes restored order promptly. The Maybach’s 157-foot stop from 70 mph is only four feet longer than was needed by the last Audi R8 we tested. Those numbers are a lot more enjoyable from the driver’s seat than from any of the passengers’ seats. And in the lottery fantasy, most of us are buying an S-class intending to drive it ourselves. But even if we intend to be driven instead, there’s still an S-class on that list.

WASHINGTON — It started as a medical mystery. It then was determined to have been the result of a mysterious attack. And on Friday, the illness that has affected 21 diplomats at the American Embassy in Havana, with symptoms including hearing loss and cognitive difficulties, threatened the future of Cuban-American relations. With no guarantee that the Cuban government could protect American diplomats, the State Department announced that it was withdrawing all nonessential personnel from the embassy. In a statement, Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson repeated the American assertion that the embassy personnel were deliberately targeted. But he did not blame Cuba, and officials held out the possibility that a third party might have been responsible. “Cuba has told us it will continue to investigate these attacks, and we will continue to cooperate with them in this effort,” Mr. Tillerson said. But the Trump administration, which has already expelled two Cuban diplomats over the illnesses, is considering further retaliatory steps, according to Congressional staff briefed by administration officials. And the State Department issued an advisory that Americans should not to travel to Cuba. Because some of the attacks occurred in hotels where State Department employees were temporarily staying, officials said they worried that tourists and others could be affected. The Cuban government responded with dismay while promising to continue to cooperate in the investigation, calling Friday’s decision “hasty” and one that “will affect the bilateral relations.” While there is no evidence so far that tourists or hotel employees have been affected, the government’s travel warning could cripple Cuba’s burgeoning tourism industry if tour operators, hotel and cruise line companies or their insurers decide that their employees and customers could be at risk. “Right now, the most important constituency of determining the impact of this is not members of Congress or pundits; it’s the insurance companies,” said John Kavulich, the president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council. “If the carriers withdraw coverage because of this warning, then everything could shut down there almost overnight.” The timing of Mr. Tillerson’s decision and its potential fallout promises to write yet another chapter in an extraordinary history between the two countries that has included the explosion of the American battleship Maine in Havana Harbor in 1898, the Bay of Pigs in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Then, in 2014, after decades of frosty relations, constant sniping and severed diplomatic relations, President Barack Obama reversed course and reached an agreement with President Raúl Castro of Cuba to reopen embassies in the countries’ respective capitals and begin to encourage nascent tourism and business ties. But the rapprochement was deeply unpo[CENSORED]r among a powerful segment of Cuban émigrés in Florida, and Mr. Trump in his campaign vowed to reverse what he called a “terrible and misguided deal.” Once in office, Mr. Trump did undo crucial pieces of Mr. Obama’s policy, but kept in place others that were broadly po[CENSORED]r, such as allowing direct flights and cruises between the United States and Cuba, and rules making it easier for American companies to do business in Cuba. On Capitol Hill, a debate began immediately over whether Mr. Tillerson acted too quickly or not quickly enough. He has known since a few days after his confirmation on Feb. 1 that diplomats in Havana were becoming ill, but took until Friday to reduce the diplomatic and Marine Corps contingent there to 27. Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, who fiercely opposed Mr. Obama’s decision to improve ties with Cuba, questioned the decision not to punish Cuba more forcefully. While there is no evidence so far that tourists or hotel employees have been affected, the government’s travel warning could cripple Cuba’s burgeoning tourism industry if tour operators, hotel and cruise line companies or their insurers decide that their employees and customers could be at risk. “Right now, the most important constituency of determining the impact of this is not members of Congress or pundits; it’s the insurance companies,” said John Kavulich, the president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council. “If the carriers withdraw coverage because of this warning, then everything could shut down there almost overnight.” The timing of Mr. Tillerson’s decision and its potential fallout promises to write yet another chapter in an extraordinary history between the two countries that has included the explosion of the American battleship Maine in Havana Harbor in 1898, the Bay of Pigs in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Then, in 2014, after decades of frosty relations, constant sniping and severed diplomatic relations, President Barack Obama reversed course and reached an agreement with President Raúl Castro of Cuba to reopen embassies in the countries’ respective capitals and begin to encourage nascent tourism and business ties. But the rapprochement was deeply unpo[CENSORED]r among a powerful segment of Cuban émigrés in Florida, and Mr. Trump in his campaign vowed to reverse what he called a “terrible and misguided deal.” Once in office, Mr. Trump did undo crucial pieces of Mr. Obama’s policy, but kept in place others that were broadly po[CENSORED]r, such as allowing direct flights and cruises between the United States and Cuba, and rules making it easier for American companies to do business in Cuba. On Capitol Hill, a debate began immediately over whether Mr. Tillerson acted too quickly or not quickly enough. He has known since a few days after his confirmation on Feb. 1 that diplomats in Havana were becoming ill, but took until Friday to reduce the diplomatic and Marine Corps contingent there to 27. Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, who fiercely opposed Mr. Obama’s decision to improve ties with Cuba, questioned the decision not to punish Cuba more forcefully.

Google generally doesn’t do as well when it builds “follower” products — think Google Plus or Allo. But there are other examples where Google has excelled with later entries (e.g., AdWords, Maps). Right now, Google Home is a follower product seeking to break out of Amazon Echo’s shadow. On paper, Google should win in this market. It has a larger developer ecosystem. And it has a better assistant. But Amazon is being very aggressive by innovating quickly and offering a dizzying array of devices at different price points. Amazon also has a more powerful sales channel. Overall, Amazon is out-innovating the rest of the “smart speaker” market at the moment. Amazon now has two devices with screens: Echo Show and the new Echo Spot. According to TechCrunch, Google is also working on a Home device with a touchscreen: Two sources confirm to TechCrunch that the Google device has been internally codenamed “Manhattan” and will have a similar screen size to the 7-inch Echo Show. One source received info directly from a Google employee. Both sources say the device will offer YouTube, Google Assistant, Google Photos and video calling. It will also act as a smart hub that can control Nest and other smart home devices. A Home with a touchscreen could run Android apps and offer a stronger screen experience than the sub-optimal Echo Show. It would also enable video calling and be compatible with entertainment services such as Netflix. Echo Show, right now, doesn’t fully utilize the screen and creates consumer expectations it doesn’t fulfill. An Echo Show 2.0 will likely be an improvement. (I haven’t been hands-on with the new Echo Spot.) Apple is also well-positioned to offer a smart speaker with a screen — like an iPad Mini embedded in a speaker. It’s not clear whether the company will develop one. Both Amazon and Google are trying to preempt Apple’s HomePod by bringing out smart speakers with better sound that cost less than the $349 price tag Apple wants to charge. YouTube will be something of a differentiator for Google’s new device. It has withdrawn from Echo Show, allegedly for violating Google’s terms of service. It remains to be seen how po[CENSORED]r touchscreen-enabled virtual assistants are, although preliminary survey data suggests there’s meaningful consumer interest. Regardless, there will likely be in excess of 30 million virtual assistant devices in US households when the smoke clears after holiday shopping is over. You can bet that Amazon will be aggressively promoting its own devices with discounts on its site and mobile apps. Consumer data also suggests that virtual assistant devices are driving related smart home accessory purchases. The company that wins the smart speaker market will likely also control the smart home ecosystem.

When Willian and Fernandinho meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, they will be representing two of the Premier League’s richest teams and two of the favourites for this season’s title. But the pair have come a long way from when they first met 10 years ago, as two young Brazilians trying to make their way in Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk. “I believe it was in Donetsk where Willian and I first met,” Igor Duljaj tells The Independent. The former Serbia international played for Shakhtar with the Brazilians for years. Happy times, as he now describes it. Duljaj has now finished his playing career and is now an assistant coach with Shakhtar, who played at Manchester City this week and lost 2-0. It has been a difficult few years for the club, who because of the three-year war waged by Russia in eastern part of Ukraine, moved to Kyiv. They played home matches in Lviv in the western corner of Ukraine, and are now in Kharkiv in north east Ukraine. At the same time Donbas Arena, the first five-star football arena in eastern Europe, has suffered numerous shellings. In February 2017 Russia-backed militants occupied the humanitarian help office at the stadium. The club’s stance is that it will return to its home city only when Ukraine will take back control over Donetsk. “Fernandinho and Willian still support Shakhtar,” says Shakhtar captain Darijo Srna. “They share the dream to play at Donbas Arena once again. I’m positive that we will play in Donetsk together once again, even if it is just a friendly we are talking about.” Fernandinho and Willian’s debt to Shakhtar is clear. It was difficult for Willian when he first arrived at Shakhtar 10 years ago. He was 18 years old, had made no more than 20 appearances for Corinthians but was told to Shakhtar for a fee of €14million, meaning high expectations. ““It wasn’t easy for him, confidence-wise,” says Duljaj. “It must have been really hard for him, with the cultural shock and no relatives around, it sure was the same for me when I came here.” Fernandino’s story was slightly different. He was 20 when he left Brazil for Ukraine, and did so for half the fee that Willian cost. “He was so thin!”, was Duljaj’s first impression of the young midfielder. “Nevertheless they both needed time to adapt,” remembers Srna. But Shakhtar gave first Fernandinho then Willian the perfect chance to cut their teeth in European football. “The thing about the club”, explains Duljaj, “is that they wait for players to arrive. Top clubs in Europe, they want finished articles, and now. But Shakhtar understands that they have to help the youngsters to flourish.” It all worked perfectly underneath manager Mircea Lucescu. “It is all about their system,” says Duljaj. “It all goes back to the scouting department, they try and identify the players to go with the team’s style of play. There was this plan to use Ukrainian players in defensive positions and Brazilians in attack. After the success we had, you can say it paid off.” Fernandinho and Willian won every trophy there was in Ukraine but really put themselves on the map with the 2009 UEFA Cup. The victory against Werder Bremen side marked the highest point in Shakhtar’s history. Like Srna and Duljaj, the Brazilian duo were on pitch that day. “It’s clear that Premier League level is beyond comparison with the Ukrainian championship,” says Duljaj, “and so it was the European games where we were really tested.” “These guys were always destined to succeed at the highest level”, Duljaj says. Srna adds that both Fernandinho and Willian’s potential was evident from the first training session. “They both are great leaders and great players”, he says. “It’s no wonder Ferna and Willy play for the best two teams in England now.” Boy, they are tremendous talents,” agrees Duljaj. He says the only player he thinks can beat Willian at sprinting is another Shakhtar alumni Douglas Costa, now of Juventus. “They are ridiculously quick,” he says. “Fernandinho is more of a workaholic,” says Duljaj, who also points to his versatility as what makes him stand out. “It’s not a surprise to me that he got along with Guardiola that well. Every coach would like to have this soldier of a player, ready to play wherever he is needed. I remember he started on the right wing at Shakhtar, then he played more centrally. Eventually he made the central midfield position his own.” And what about the ten positions Guardiola joked Fernandinho could play in? “That’s about right”, laughs Duljaj. It is Srna who was the closest friend to Fernandinho during his time at Shakhtar. “Our families practically lived together,” he says. “It’s both the good times and the bad times that I remember. There was this moment when Ferna broke his leg and missed a year or so. The whole club, and the whole of our family showed him the support he needed. And he came back even stronger.” “I still see the guys every now and then when I travel to London,” says Srna. He says it was in February last year that he last saw Fernandinho. They met briefly in Ukraine when Manchester City was playing Dynamo Kyiv in Champions League. He still gets season greetings from the Brazilians though. “They are great people,” he says, “so calm, always so nice to speak to.” So where do Srna’s loyalties lie when one faces the other? “Oh dear, they are my friends, I can’t possibly choose which team to support”, he says. “It’s the weaker side that I tend to support on occasions like this,” says Duljaj. “But that is going to be a match of two extremely talented teams.”

The current, JK-generation Jeep Wrangler has been on sale for over 10 years, and an all-new Wrangler is on its way for 2018. The new Wrangler, the JL, is easily one of the most anticipated trucks of the year, and thankfully we won't have to wait long to see it. But before it makes its official debut, here's everything we know about the 2018 Wrangler. This Is a McLaren 720S With a Center Driver's Seat Here's How the Model 3's Big Touchscreen Works Dyson Will Build Electric Cars by 2020 Pictured above: Rendering of a 2018 Wrangler created by fan-forum JLWranglerForums.com. It'll Debut at the LA Auto Show The first 2018 Wranglers are expected to roll off the line at Jeep's Toledo, Ohio assembly plant in mid-November, with a public reveal scheduled not long after. It's understood that the Wrangler will debut at the LA Auto Show, which means we'll finally get to see it in the metal sometime in the last week of November. Automotive News reports that given this launch timeline, the 2018 Wrangler should arrive in dealers early next year. The Wrangler is an icon, so Jeep is understandably keeping its looks very similar to the previous-generation model. The front grille is slightly more bulbous than before—likely to meet pedestrian crash safety standards—and the turn signals have moved to the front of the fenders. Otherwise, it'll be instantly recognizable as a Wrangler. You Can Have It With Two or Four Doors, and With a Hard or Soft Top Spy photos we published recently show off both two- and four-door Wranglers in both soft- and hard-top configurations. Ever since the introduction of the four-door Wrangler with the JK model, this variety of configurations has contributed greatly to the 4x4's po[CENSORED]rity. Yes, You'll Be Able to Take the Doors Off

The Trump administration has arrested hundreds of undocumented immigrants in cities that are hostile to the federal government’s deportation crackdown, the latest salvo in a growing battle over sanctuary jurisdictions. Federal officials said Thursday that “Operation Safe City” specifically targeted some of the fiercest opponents of President Trump’s immigration policies, including New York, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Washington. In all, 498 immigrants, including 28 in Baltimore and 14 arrests in the District, were taken into custody in a four-day operation that ended Wednesday, officials said. Just under two-thirds of those arrested had criminal records in the United States. “We are never going to stop enforcing the laws that we’re authorized and required to do,” said Matthew Albence, an executive associate director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “If we need to go into these locations every week, we will go into these locations every week to remove these public safety threats.” The arrests were a provocative move by an administration that has attempted to penalize jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal deportation efforts but has met with resistance at every turn. Federal courts have largely blocked Trump’s executive order in January that threatened to strip federal grant money from such cities and towns. Hundreds of jurisdictions restrict how much their local officials can cooperate with immigration agents. Some limit their access to local jails or refuse to provide federal authorities with information about immigrants arrested for local crimes. Administration officials say these cities shield criminals from deportation. But advocates for immigrants say police responsibilities do not include enforcing civil immigration laws and warn that doing so makes otherwise law-abiding immigrants less likely to report crimes. “These raids are simply another attempt by the president and his anti-immigrant chiefs to bully cities into undermining the constitutional protections of all [their] residents, irrespective of their immigration status,” said U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Each forthcoming car, truck, and SUV is an as-yet-unrealized promise, but none emerges wholly from the ether. Clean sheets of paper are found at Staples not car companies, whose planners juggle plants, partnerships, powertrains, and platforms to feed global sales channels. This guarantees a high likelihood of product success, but often also a bland if competent uniformity. So, when something reaches off the page and slaps you in the face, when a just-launched online configurator has you rushing to check your bank balance—that’s amazing. We are celebrating that here. These are the vehicles that make news each time they shed a bit of camo or whenever a jet-lagged executive reveals a detail about a redesigned wiper stalk. Mere rumors of their existence accelerate competitors’ product cycles. The wait to drive them—one, two, sometimes even three years—is rewarded with hoped-for revelations in advanced technology, structural integrity, mass reduction, fuel economy, features, and acceleration. Fun, too. Curating this stream of information is nearly as fraught as managing the billions it takes to develop a new model. We beg and borrow insights from around the business, tap sources, and hold our bladders until after the wine glasses have been cleared from the dinner table before asking questions. This year we are even ranking them, counting down to the one that’s most worth waiting for. Let’s do this.

Rangers will head to America in January to take part in the 2018 Florida Cup Rangers will travel to America during the Scottish Premier League's winter break to play in the 2018 Florida Cup, joining Colombia's Atletico Nacional. The tournament, which starts on January 10, will feature teams from Europe and South America, with Rangers set to play two games. Full details on the match schedule, other clubs competing and the format will be revealed by the organisers in due course.

With less than a week to go before Google finally takes the wraps off its new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones, you can expect pretty much all of the remaining blanks to be filled in over the next few days. In just the past week alone we’ve seen plenty of details spill, including specs and some previously unknown features. For example, the new Pixel phones will feature a nifty optional always-listening mode that identifies music playing in the background and displays the artist and song on the user’s home screen. Think of it as a supercharged Shazaam that you never have to launch manually. Earlier this morning, we told you about one of the biggest Pixel 2 specs leaks so far, which seemingly revealed just about everything Android fans need to know about the hardware Google is about to unveil. Of course, none of that information has been confirmed at this point. As we wait for the rest of the puzzle pieces to come together, one feature in particular may have just been confirmed in a new leak, and it’s one that has Pixel fans pretty excited. Remember when hardcore Android fans joked nonstop about the iPhone 7 ditching the headphone jack? Remember how Apple fans said it would only be a matter of time before other companies followed Apple’s lead? Well, here we are: Google’s new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will not have 3.5mm headphone jacks. That’s right, there will be a standard USB-C port and that’s it. Android users will get over the loss of the headphone jack, just as iPhone users did. The good news in the short term is that it looks like Google is stepping things up in another area of the audio experience. A new leak posted on Slashleaks by a reputable user shows what appear to be screen protectors for both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. They’re made by a third party, not Google or either of its manufacturing partners, but they’re believed to have been designed based on genuine information leaked from a factory in China. So what’s the good news? It appears as though they confirm that both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will have front-facing stereo speakers. Front-facing stereo speakers on a smartphone have a huge impact on the user experience. Yes, music sounds better, but more important is the improvement in sound quality while watching videos on a phone. So many people use their smartphones to stream content these days, and dual front speakers will be a welcome addition to the Pixel lineup. Google will unveil the new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL next week on October 4th alongside a new Google Home and possibly a few other devices.

Iraq's government says it will block international flights from the region's airports, a retaliatory move after the country's Kurdish region overwhelmingly voted in favor of independence. More than 92 percent voted to separate from Iraq, according to results released Wednesday by the Kurdish region's election commission. The referendum results are nonbinding and must be certified by a court, NPR's Jane Arraf reports from Irbil, the region's capital. Iraq's central government and other regional and international powers — including the United States — strongly opposed the vote, over fears that it could destabilize the region and affect the fight against ISIS militants. Now, "Iraq has told foreign airlines that starting Friday afternoon they won't be able to fly in or out of the Kurdistan's region's international airports," Jane reports. "That's after the Kurdish Ministry of Transport rejected a demand that it hand over control of the airports to Iraqi authorities." Iraq controls the Kurdish region's airspace, and some international airlines have announced they plan to cancel flights into Irbil, site of the region's largest airport. Iraqi authorities say they will still allow domestic flights operated by Iraqi Airways and aid flights, Jane reports, and the change is "not expected to affect U.S. and other military flights operating out of the military side of the Irbil airport." She says it's worth noting that the vote did not take place under the supervision of international elections monitors, and the region's minority Arab and Turkmen residents largely boycotted the referendum. At a news conference Wednesday, Jane adds, a Sulaimaniyah-based group called "No for Now" described the referendum as a farce and alleged widespread fraud. The group is in favor of independence but believes this was the wrong moment for a vote. It said its monitors were barred from entering polling stations. Kurdish leaders have said the impetus for holding the vote was that it would provide a mandate for entering into talks with Iraqi officials about secession. But in a speech to Iraq's parliament Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said there would "never be a dialogue about the referendum," according to the BBC. "If they want to start talks, they must cancel the referendum and its outcome." Iraq's Kurdish authorities have control of the region's land borders and have their own security forces, the Peshmerga, that has played a significant role in the fight against ISIS. In Wednesday's speech, Abadi called for the Kurdish Regional Government to "hand over control of all border crossings and oil revenues," the BBC reports. U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters that the U.S. has expressed "deep concern" and "disappointment" that the vote went forward, but said the airport ultimatum "would not be an example of engaging constructively." The Kurdish area has different visa policies than the rest of Iraq. If international flights there are canceled, it will pose challenges for foreign workers who want to leave but don't have Iraqi visas. Domestic flights will still service Baghdad's international airport, but Jane says that "without Iraqi visas ... foreign workers aren't normally able to transit through Baghdad so there could be a scramble to leave before Friday."

These Small SUVs Earn the Highest Ratings in J.D. Power’s Reliability Surveys The last thing you want after you shell out an average of about $35,000 for a new car is to have problems with it. That’s why reliability often ranks as one of the most important factors that car buyers are looking for in surveys. That’s especially true if you’re talking about the types of cars that families depend on day-in and day-out. And these days, that’s most likely to be a small SUV. U.S. News ratings incorporate J.D. Power’s Reliability Circles scores, ranking cars on a five-point scale ranging from “Among the Best” (five circles), “Better than Most” (four), “About Average” (three), and “The Rest” (two). These 12 compact SUVs rate the most highly.

Gary Neville admits he was 'relieved' when David Beckham left Manchester United Gary Neville admits he was disappointed but also "relieved” for both the club and the player when David Beckham left Manchester United. The former England captain won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League with United but endured a stormy relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson towards the end of his time at Old Trafford before being sold to Real Madrid in 2003. Ferguson infamously kicked a boot into Beckham's face during one row and Neville, who played alongside the midfielder after coming through United's youth academy as part of the famed Class of '92, admitted he was always disappointed when a big name left the club. "I knew it was coming to an end a little bit from the previous 12 months. I was aware of what was going on behind the scenes," he told Stretty News TV. "There were some public things that had happened that were pushing it a little bit. "I was disappointed when he left but I was also disappointed when Nicky Butt left. I was disappointed when my brother left, I was disappointed when Roy Keane left and I was disappointed when Denis Irwin left. They were a massive part of our lives and our careers at United. "It wasn't just the lads around me - David, Phil [Neville] and Nicky and such like. When a player of real magnitude left there was a void. They're a big miss. You obviously move on, you just move on. Just as when I left or when other players left, the club is big." Neville won eight Premier League titles with Manchester United He added: "When David left, to be honest with you, at the time 'sad' probably wasn't the right word. I was probably relieved a little bit. For him, for the club - it could never end badly, that relationship. "David had done so much for the club and the club had done so much for David. He loves the club and the club loves David. It could never end badly. His time had probably come at United where it was right to leave. "There was a bit of me that was relieved that that tension, that little bit of an underlying thing that was there had gone. He was a brilliant player and I loved playing with him and knew exactly what he was going to do and he knew exactly what I was going to do." Neville, who went on to win eight Premier League titles with United, says Beckham was always keen to take on new challenges and sample football away from England. Beckham won La Liga at Real Madrid "He always harboured this hope of playing abroad, I think, and playing in European football," Neville said. "Looking at what he's done in his career now - playing at Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Manchester United, LA Galaxy, it's a great career. "You can't look at it and think that he was wrong. He's richer for those experiences in terms of just life experiences he's had were just incredible."

President Donald Trump accused Facebook on Wednesday of being “anti-Trump,” hinting without evidence that the social media giant colluded with “Fake News” organizations such as The New York Times and Washington Post. “Facebook was always anti-Trump,” Trump alleged in a tweet. “The Networks were always anti-Trump hence,Fake News, @nytimes(apologized) & @WaPo were anti-Trump. Collusion?” Facebook has been under scrutiny with critics alleging that Russia-linked advertisements on the social media site attempted to boost Trump's candidacy, particularly by attacking his general election rival Hillary Clinton. Facebook has said it will give congressional investigators details of the Russian-purchased ads, a decision that comes as special counsel Robert Mueller and congressional panels probe the Kremlin’s role in last year’s presidential election. Trump last week framed the news as a continuation of what he maintains is And the president has continued to deride and seek to discredit mainstream news organizations, including CNN, The New York Times and Washington Post. But he followed up his “anti-Trump” post by touting who he said is “Pro-Trump!” — the American people. “Virtually no President has accomplished what we have accomplished in the first 9 months-and economy roaring,” he added.

In an effort to help his native Puerto Rico, Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea received permission from owner Mark Cuban to use the team’s plane to transport supplies, according to an ESPN report. "That's a situation that he's got to take care of," coach Rick Carlisle said. "Mark gave him our team plane. They loaded up a bunch of stuff, supplies, etc., to take over to Puerto Rico, and they're going to turn around and come back. “He's going to take his mom and grandmother back with him, and my understanding is his dad is going to stay over there and slug it out with all of the recovery efforts."

Uber is planning to cease operations in Québec next month due to some newly proposed regulations by the Ministry of Transportation. Uber’s last day of operations in Quebec will be October 14. In the last year, Uber was operating in Québec as a pilot program, which Uber said was a “huge success.” But earlier this month, Québec’s local government announced some new policies for Uber and its drivers, such as requiring Uber drivers to go through a 35-hour training session, which is something local taxi drivers must complete. The government also wanted Uber drivers to undergo mandatory car inspections every year, as well as background checks conducted by law enforcement officials. “Given the success of the pilot project, we were disappointed that the government now wants to add new rules that rely on old administrative practices rather than renewing the project in full and supporting technology and consumer choice,” Uber Québec GM Jean-Nicolas Guillemette said in a statement to TechCrunch. “Among other things, the proposed rules would impose onerous training obligations developed for a different industry on ridesharing drivers, without taking into account the benefits that come with new technology such as in-app safety features, GPS tracking of every trip, a two-way rating system, and 24/7 support.” Shortly after Quebec’s Ministry of Transportation announced its new policies, Uber said the regulations would “significantly threaten Uber’s ability to continuing operating in Quebec.” Meanwhile, London’s transportation regulator, the TfL, recently banned Uber from operating in the city. The TfL, citing Uber’s approach to handling criminal offenses, Greyball and medical records, determined Uber is “not fit and proper” to hold a private hire operator license. Here’s Guillemette’s full statement regarding pulling out of Quebec: The Ministry of Transportation has proposed new regulations that will considerably impact the lives of thousands of driver partners who wish to work on their own schedule and which will, if implemented, prevent Uber from continuing operations in Quebec as early as October 14. Over the past year, Uber has been operating in Québec under a government pilot project, which was a huge success. Hundreds of thousands of riders have taken millions of safe rides thanks to the incredible community of driver partners and the technology that makes the Uber app such a safe and reliable way for Quebecers to get around their communities. Given the success of the pilot project, we were disappointed that the government now wants to add new rules that rely on old administrative practices rather than renewing the project in full and supporting technology and consumer choice. Among other things, the proposed rules would impose onerous training obligations developed for a different industry on ridesharing drivers, without taking into account the benefits that come with new technology such as in-app safety features, GPS tracking of every trip, a two-way rating system, and 24/7 support.

NOUVEAUTÉ - Mercedes casse la baraque : l'année des cinquante ans de sa division sportive AMG, elle lance une supercar hybride empruntant ses technologies à ses Formule 1 championnes du monde. La firme à l'étoile frappe fort à Francfort. Pour célébrer les cinquante ans de sa division sportive AMG, elle rejoint l'élite des supercars avec un modèle qui fait déjà figure d'épouvantail. Mercedes s'essaie rien moins qu'à un genre qui n'existait pas encore en commercialisant une biplace qui apparaît comme une véritable F1 carrossée, tant sa technologie renvoie aux monoplaces championnes du monde avec Nico Rosberg et Lewis Hamilton. Des F1 qui empruntent des composants de F1 ou qui affichent un niveau de performances proche des monoplaces de la discipline reine du sport automobile, ce n'est pas nouveau. Ferrari en fait son commerce depuis plusieurs décennies. Mais là, Mercedes est allé plus loin encore en faisant collaborer étroitement les ingénieurs d'AMG à Affalterbach, ceux de la F1 de l'entité Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains de Brixworth et ceux de l'écurie implantée à Brackley pour donner naissance à l'une des supercars parmi les plus fascinantes de tous les Autour d'une cellule monocoque en carbone, la Mercedes AMG Project One accueille le V6 1,6 litre turbo développé par Mercedes pour la Formule 1. Ce bloc à quatre soupapes par cylindres et quatre arbres à cames en tête installé en position centrale arrière affiche une puissance de 680 chevaux. Ce moteur turbo pourra tourner à plus de 10 000 tr/min. Il est associé à quatre groupes électriques, dont deux de 120 kW chacun (164 ch) sont installés sur l'essieu avant. Le troisième prend place sur le turbocompresseur et le quatrième est près du vilebrequin. Au total, le Project One délivre 1.050 chevaux! Une puissance qui annonce des performances exceptionnelles: un 0 à 100 km/h en à peine 2,5 secondes, moins de 6 secondes pour passer la borne des 200 km/h et une vitesse de pointe de 350 km/h. Les ingénieurs ont mis au point plusieurs stratégies de fonctionnement du moteur, de la boîte robotisée à 8 rapports pilotée manuellement depuis les palettes ou automatiquement, de la direction et des suspensions actives. Le conducteur pourra ainsi choisir de rouler sur la puissance des moteurs électriques ou sur celle du V6 1,6 litre ou de disposer de l'intégralité de la puissance en sollicitant tous les moteurs. Lorsque les blocs électriques installés dans l'essieu avant fonctionnent avec le V6, le Project One se transforme en quatre roues motrices. 300 exemplaires à 2,5 millions d'euros l'unité Les formes de ce supercar de route ont été largement déterminées par l'aérodynamique et les importants besoins en refroidissement du groupe motopropulseur. Une entrée d'air sur le toit permettra d'alimenter le V6. Le châssis sophistiqué s'appuie sur des suspensions multibras et actives ainsi que des freins en carbone-céramique. Avant même sa commercialisation fin 2018-début 2019, les quelque trois cents exemplaires prévus ont déjà tous été vendus à un tarif supérieur à 2,5 millions d'euros. En France, la demande s'est avérée supérieure à l'offre, et les huit voitures disponibles ont été attibuées à la suite d'un tirage au sort. Ces clients privilégiés ont dû verser un acompte de 500.000 € à AMG, une première étape avant de découvrir un jour les sensations des pilotes de Formule 1.

Sébastien, le fils de Michel Bras, fondateur de l'établissement gastronomique Le Suquet à Laguiole, explique avoir pris cette décision «en accord avec toute sa famille» afin de se libérer d'une trop «grande pression». Sébastien Bras, chef du restaurant trois étoiles Le Suquet à Laguiole (Aveyron), a demandé ce mercredi à ne pas figurer dans le prochain guide Michelin, embarrassant cette bible de la gastronomie. D'autres chefs, dont Alain Senderens et Joël Robuchon, ont dans le passé renoncé à leurs trois étoiles. Mais «c'est la première fois qu'un chef trois étoiles nous demande à l'avance de ne plus figurer dans le guide, sans motiver ce choix par autre chose qu'un changement de concept ou une cessation d'activité», a précisé le guide Michelin. » LIRE AUSSI - Entre les Bras: Tu seras chef, mon fils Le fils de Michel Bras, fondateur de l'établissement qui fait partie des 27 trois étoiles en France, explique avoir pris cette décision «en accord avec toute sa famille». À la tête du restaurant depuis 10 ans, Sébastien Bras, 46 ans, souligne la «grande pression qu'occasionne inévitablement la distinction des 3 étoiles» attribuées depuis 1999, et son souhait d'»avoir l'esprit libre, pour continuer sereinement, sans tension, à faire vivre» son restaurant. «Nous prenons acte» de cette demande, a déclaré Claire Dorland-Clauzel, membre du comité exécutif du groupe Michelin, précisant toutefois que le retrait du guide ne serait «pas automatique». «Nous allons réfléchir à ce que nous allons faire», a-t-elle dit. «Le guide Michelin n'est pas fait pour les restaurateurs mais pour les clients, son indépendance réside aussi dans l'attribution des distinctions», a-t-elle poursuivi, tout en rendant «hommage à un grand chef». L'édition 2018 du guide, qui paraîtra fin janvier-début février, est en pleine préparation et les visites des inspecteurs se poursuivent jusqu'à mi-novembre. «Me sentir libre» Élu créateur de l'année 2016 par la revue Omnivore, Sébastien Bras indique vouloir «ouvrir un nouveau chapitre de sa vie professionnelle sans la récompense du guide rouge, mais avec autant de passion pour la cuisine», et poursuivre avec son équipe sa «quête de l'excellence». «Peut-être que je vais perdre en notoriété mais je l'accepte, je l'assume», a affirmé Sébastien Bras à l'AFP, décrivant la pression engendrée par les inspections, inopinées et anonymes, deux à trois fois par an. «Je vais pouvoir me sentir libre, sans me demander si mes créations vont plaire ou non aux inspecteurs du Michelin». Le chef avoue qu'il a dans «un coin de la tête» comme «tout le monde, restaurateurs et guides», le souvenir du suicide du chef trois étoiles Bernard Loiseau (2003). «Mais je n'ai pas cet esprit-là», tempère-t-il. À l'époque de la mort de Bernard Loiseau, des rumeurs avaient circulé selon lesquelles le chef de 52 ans aurait pu perdre sa troisième étoile, comme l'avait annoncé un article dans la presse, et ne l'aurait pas supporté. Le guide Michelin avait quant à lui assuré que «quinze jours avant son geste fatal, Bernard Loiseau savait qu'il gardait ses étoiles», une version confirmée par sa veuve. La pression des grands chefs étoilés, souligne Claire Dorland-Clauzel, est «inhérente à l'excellence». «L'excellence implique le travail et la rigueur, c'est indéniable». Mais la cuisine «n'est pas le seul domaine» concerné, «c'est vrai aussi pour les grands sportifs». Avant Sébastien Bras, d'autres grands chefs ont abandonné la course aux étoiles. En 2005, Alain Senderens, au Lucas Carton, avait renoncé aux trois étoiles que le guide lui accordait depuis 28 ans, désireux d'opter pour un «service moins ampoulé» et de «troquer le bar contre la sardine». En 2006, le strasbourgeois Antoine Westermann avait aussi renoncé à cette distinction suprême, pour transmettre son restaurant à son fils et poursuivre son activité ailleurs. En 2008, Olivier Roellinger avait quant à lui fermé son restaurant trois étoiles à Cancale (ouest de la France), affirmant ne plus avoir la condition physique pour être derrière les fourneaux et vouloir partager sa cuisine «autrement». Joël Robuchon avait lui-même en 1996, en pleine gloire, fermé les portes de son trois étoiles, invoquant notamment le stress. Ce qui ne l'empêche pas aujourd'hui d'être le chef le plus étoilé au monde. En Espagne, le chef Ferran Adria avait fermé son restaurant trois étoiles El Bulli en 2010, expliquant sa lassitude de travailler 15 heures par jour et son besoin de se ressourcer.

If being green is your top priority when buying a car, choosing one of our best hybrid cars could be your best option Saving the planet doesn’t have to entail driving around in a hideously boring car, as these days more manufacturers than ever are producing efficient hybrid models to attract buyers. Today there’s a great crop of hybrids, both of the conventional and plug-in varieties, that will appeal to all kinds of car buyers. No longer is hybrid technology restricted to mundane hatchbacks, there’s now a mix of hatchbacks, SUVs and saloons on offer. To help you navigate this increasingly diverse range of hybrid cars available here in the UK, this guide picks out the best hybrids for a wide range of applications. Whether you need to tow a caravan, haul the family around, or even rack up serious mileage as a company car, the next few pages will point you in the right direction. • EV and plug-in car tech explained If your first question is, ‘what is a hybrid?’, in simple terms it is a car which uses two sources of energy for motion, most commonly an electric motor and internal combustion engine. In its simplest form, as seen in the Toyota Yaris for example, the electric motor simply provides extra assistance to the engine when you put your foot down or have to tackle a hill. More complex systems like that in the Toyota Prius are able to run for limited distances on battery power alone. You can also get so-called plug-in hybrids like the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which have larger batteries you can charge from the mains overnight, and these have a more impressive electric-only range that could be up to 20 or 30 miles. Then finally there are the range extender hybrids. These run on electricity only, but they have a small petrol or diesel engine that kicks in to provide extra charge for the batteries when necessary – just like the BMW i3. With many different types of hybrid on offer, and so many manufacturers producing them these days, it’s no surprise there’s a wide range of body styles and performance – from small superminis at one end of the spectrum, to a hybrid version of the Porsche Panamera luxury saloon at the other. • Best electric cars on sale With regulations on fuel economy and CO2 emissions tightening, motoring is becoming more and more expensive for drivers of conventionally powered petrol and diesel cars. However the debilitating factors of a pure electric car - the limited range and need for a place to charge - mean that they aren't appropriate for some people's lifestyles. For those without a driveway or garage, or higher-mileage drivers who need more range than an electric car can offer, there is an alternative. Hybrid cars are becoming very po[CENSORED]r in the UK, and manufacturers are investing ever more money into the technology. Nearly every car maker either has a hybrid in their range, or is planning one in the next few years - even luxury or performance orientated brands, like Porsche. Hybrid cars claim to offer huge benefits, including low road tax, cheap company car costs, smooth and refined running in electric mode, and best of all, barely-believable economy. It's easy to be drawn in by claims of over 100mpg, but hybrids do have downsides - they rarely meet the claimed economy figures, and tend to be compromised in terms of practicality and driving fun. They're also not ideal for long motorway journeys, where a diesel would be the better option. With all that in mind, here's our round-up of the best hybrids on sale today...

If one of the defining features of Arsene Wenger’s very best years was an effortless fluency that made his teams so irresistible, it so often feels like one of the defining struggles of his more difficult last decade has been the stuttering attempts to recreate that; to hit those sweet spots again. Arsenal’s 2-0 win over West Brom was a mostly humdrum Premier League win for one of the big six, but also a match that actually captured much of this. It at once showed what Arsenal are capable of and what Wenger so wants, but also reflected the harsher reality that they so rarely execute that for extended spells or matches of genuine importance. There is always a caveat. Sure, there were moments when they were so marvellously fluid against West Brom, especially when Alexandre Lacazette was playing with all the confidence from a second goal of the game and fourth in three matches at the Emirates… but they all came after that second goal came in. Arsenal only really turned it on once they were sure they had turned the game in their favour, and were almost disproportionately bolstered by the confidence that came from that clinching goal that they instantly went from so many “nervy” situations - as Wenger himself put it - to so many moment self-expression, including one lovely double pull-back from Lacazette. Even this dynamic, and rather natural bit of psychology, is something that feels particularly pronounced with Arsenal. There are many at the top end of the game, and who work with more sophisticated football analytics, who feel that Wenger’s side really are the ultimate “confidence team” in this way. While their stats have been superficially promising for the last few years, fostering the idea that the team are only a few tweaks from top quality, the deeper figures suggest that those stats are distorted by how Arsenal are transformed once in a commanding position in a game. That fluency then returns in abundance.

Scientists around the world have been dabbling in quantum computing for years, but most of the work has been focused on creating a reliable medium for running quantum calculations. The programming languages used in quantum computing have been of secondary importance. However, Microsoft is planning ahead with the upcoming release of its own quantum programming language, which will be fully compatible with Visual Studio. Quantum computing involves some fundamental shifts from traditional computing, so it makes sense to develop dedicated tools. A quantum computer uses the quantum state of atoms or molecules, like superposition and entanglement, to perform data operations. At its most basic level, a regular computer uses bits that are either 0 or 1 to run calculations. However, a quantum computer uses “qubits” that can be 0, 1, or both 0 and 1. This gives quantum computers much higher theoretical computing power. Harnessing the power of quantum computing will eventually mean developing a programming language for it. Traditional computers have a myriad of languages that are easier to use than worrying about the way logic gates work in a CPU. That’s not necessarily the case with current quantum computing applications, which are programmed at a lower level that makes more sense to physicists than software developers. Microsoft’s as-yet-unnamed programming language aims to offer some degree of abstraction from the underlying mechanisms of quantum computers. It borrows some elements from existing languages like Python and C# to give programmers something more familiar. They’ll still have to have some understanding of how qubits work, but the language will allow qubits to work as part of traditional programming constructs like functions and branches. Quantum teleportation of data is something that comes up a lot when talking about quantum computing. So, as an example of its new programming language, Microsoft wrote a program to teleport some data between two qubits. You can see that above. It makes use of a few functions: EPR (creating entangled qubits), teleport, and teleporttest. Because it supports Visual Studio integration, there will be color coding and debugging included in the code. With these tools, Microsoft believes researchers will be able to test and develop their quantum computing systems more easily. There will even be a quantum simulator available so developers can practice with the language when they lack access to a quantum computer, which almost everyone does. Even Microsoft doesn’t have a quantum computing platform to work with, but it hopes that will change soon. You can sign up to be alerted when Microsoft makes the new tools available. Be warned; running the quantum simulator locally requires at least 32GB of RAM.

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The Velar—its name a nod to the brand’s history—is a luxurious, high-tech SUV with eye-catching looks that make it stand out from the herd. A 247-hp 2.0-liter inline-four, a 380-hp supercharged 3.0-liter V-6, and a 180-hp 2.0-liter turbo-diesel inline-four are offered; an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive are standard, as is a dual-screen infotainment system. Interior trim made of sustainable materials is optional. Like all Rovers, the Velar is as adept off-road as it is on the freeway.

FEMA has sent out over 10,000 federal forces to work around the clock, reports CBS News' David Begnaud. Supplies are coming in slowly from the U.S. mainland to help millions still struggling across the island. FEMA administrator Brock Long said at a press conference, "We've got a lot work to do. It's the worst hurricane Puerto Rico has seen." Governor Ricardo Rosselló traveled with the National Guard to deliver a satellite phone to the mayor of San Sebastian. Satellite phones are critical in allowing senior government officials to communicate with local leaders in some of the hardest-hit areas. "Two Category 5 hurricanes passing through an island is unprecedented and therefore the response needs to be unprecedented," Rosselló said. Only a handful of flights are trickling out of Puerto Rico's main airport. Desperate travelers crowded the ticket counters hoping to get on one of the few flights leaving for the states. "My mother needs dialysis. We've been here 26 hours," one woman said. "Why can't food and water be sent there right now, I mean there are babies who are naked in strollers their parents are fanning them," Begnaud asked Rosselló. "Because of your reporting that I saw last night, I ordered food and snacks to be delivered to the airport today," he replied. "Ok I hear you, but it's not getting to them," Begnaud said. "I understand and that's why immediately I'm taking action and I will as soon as we finish the interview I will make sure that water it's on its way and food is on its way," Rosselló said. He kept his word. Food and snacks arrived within an hour, but he worries about the lasting effects if Washington doesn't pass a financial aid package soon. "Humanitarian crisis will come to the United States in the form of the 3.5 million U.S. citizens that live here," Rosselló said. "And what you're bound to see is a massive exodus of Puerto Ricans into the mainland. It's going to be a problem for us, it's going to be a problem for mainland as well." Puerto Rico's governor has complimented the work FEMA is doing, and FEMA's complimented the governor. They both complimented President Trump, but CBS News has asked where the aid is happening. The governor guaranteed that we would be able to see it.