Kavanaugh gains key GOP senator ahead of crucial vote Source: AP

The Senate Judiciary Committee barreled toward a key vote on the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh Friday, even as a top Republican acknowledged the GOP was still short the votes needed in the full Senate to confirm him for the high court following accusations of sexual assault. "We still probably got a little work to do," said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the third-ranking Republican.

House committee to release Russia probe transcripts Source: AP

The House intelligence committee voted Friday to release transcripts of more than 50 interviews it conducted as part of its now-closed investigation into Russian election interference during the 2016 presidential campaign. Among those to be released are interviews with President Donald Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, his longtime spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, and his former bodyguard Keith Schiller.

10 takeaways from the Brett Kavanaugh-Christine Blasey Ford hearings

The eyes of the country were on a small hearing room on Capitol Hill Thursday where Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused him of sexually assaulting her when they were both teenagers, testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The testimony was gripping -- and the whole hearing, featuring both Ford and Kavanaugh, is worth watching to get a full picture, but several moments and themes stood out.

Sen. Jeff Flake, a key holdout, announces support for Brett Kavanaugh

Phoenix prosecutor Rachel Mitchell questions Christine Blasey Ford as Senators, from left, Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, listen during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington.

GOP pushes ahead after wrenching day of Ford, Kavanaugh testimony Source: Cox Media Group

As Republicans in the Senate moved a step closer to confirming Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh early next week, many on Capitol Hill - and in the nation - were still digesting the riveting testimony of both Judge Kavanaugh, and his accuser Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who alleged that Kavanaugh sexually attacked her at a party in the summer of 1982, a charge Kavanaugh sternly denied. In the wake of the hearing, it was quickly obvious that few minds were changed in the Senate after the testimony, as Republicans said there was no need for further delay on the Kavanaugh nomination.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein rails against Brett Kavanaugh’s ‘aggressive and belligerent’ behavior

The fiery testimony from Brett Kavanaugh on Thursday has drawn rebukes from members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, with some saying his temperament shows he's unfit to serve on the nation's highest court. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the committee's ranking member, said she has not seen a judicial nominee behave in that manner before.

California charges 17 people in connection with Apple store robbery scheme

Bottom line: Law enforcement officials in California are still investigating the matter but already have eight people in custody and have issued arrest warrants for nine others. Given the number of people involved and the frequency of the robberies, it was only a matter of time before the scheme started to unravel.

Blockchain Applications for Enterprise and Payments Evolve, New…

The World Food Programme and UN Women announced last week that they are collaborating in an initiative to use blockchain to aid Syrian refugee women participating in the UN Women's cash-for-work program. Building off WFP's existing Building Blocks project, which utilizes a blockchain-based system to provide cash transfers to more than 106,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan, the new system will allow refugee women to request cash back, or pay for purchases directly, at WFP-contracted supermarkets by undergoing an iris scan that links their identity to their blockchain account.

House Votes Today on ‘Tax Reform 2.0,’ But Senate Action Unlikely Before Elections

The House today is likely to approve legislation to make permanent the individual and small-business tax cuts that Congress enacted in 2017, but the Senate won't consider the measure before the November midterm elections. Today's vote is part of a three-bill package of tax relief dubbed "Tax Reform 2.0." The House on Thursday approved legislation by Rep. Mike Kelly , R-Pa., that would expand retirement savings incentives and legislation by Rep. Vern Buchanan , R-Fla., to expand tax breaks for startups.

The Cybersecurity 202: Def Con researchers came to Washington…

Not long ago, lawmakers might have been wary about showcasing the work of hackers who specialize in penetrating voting equipment. But on Thursday, organizers from the Def Con Voting Village - a collection of security researchers who hack election systems in hopes of making them more secure - received a warm welcome on Capitol Hill.

Debate? Most recent governors have been willing

While Kay Ivey is not the first Alabama governor to refuse to debate an election challenger, most of her predecessors over the last two decades have been willing to face off with their opponents. Since 1998, three of the state's four governors took on their challengers in debates.

Barbra Streisand takes on Trump in stunning new single Don’t Lie To Me

The legendary singer, actress and stage performer has announced her return to the music scene this week, and it's all kicking off with the release of her first single in four years, Don't Lie To Me, which was co-written by the icon herself. "How do you win if we all lose, you change the facts to justify, your lips move but your words get in the way," she sings over haunting strings and keys, before asking on the soaring chorus: "How do you sleep when the world is burning?" While there's no direct mention of Trump, it's not hard to figure out he's the target of her scathing judgement.

Kavanaugh faces crucial vote this morning, White House eyes GOP senators

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh faced a crucial vote Friday as a Senate panel decides whether to move his nomination on to the full Senate a day after he adamantly denied sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford, who insisted she's "100 percent" certain he did. Meanwhile, there were signs the remarkable testimony before the panel - in which Kavanaugh angrily declared his innocence and Ford calmly recounting the moment in which she says he attacked her - had registered negatively with two organizations whose support Kavanaugh had earlier received.