Donald Trump

Happening Today: Christopher Watts, Microsoft, Madonna, VMAs

What to Know

  • The father of two girls found in oil tanks after being missing for days told authorities his pregnant wife killed the children
  • Microsoft said it has uncovered new Russian hacking attempts targeting U.S. political groups ahead of the midterm elections
  • The backlash was swift for Madonna's rambling, egocentric tribute to Aretha Franklin at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York City

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Colorado Man Charged With Murder Says Wife Killed Daughters

Christopher Watts, the father of two young girls found submerged in oil tanks after being missing for days told authorities his pregnant wife killed the children after learning he wanted a separation, and that he erupted in rage after witnessing the killings and strangled their mother inside the family's suburban Denver home, according to court documents. Days after letting police inside his home so they could help find his missing family, Watts told investigators "he would tell the truth." Watts first asked to speak with his father then admitted to killing his wife, Shannan. Watts told police in court papers he killed her after witnessing her strangling one of the girls on a baby monitor. The other child had already been killed by the woman, he said. Watts, 33, faces three first-degree murder charges, two counts of murdering a child under 12, one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy and three counts of tampering with a deceased human body.

Microsoft Uncovers More Russian Hacks Ahead of Midterm Elections

Microsoft said it has uncovered new Russian hacking attempts targeting U.S. political groups ahead of the midterm elections. The company said a hacking group tied to the Russian government created fake internet domains that appeared to spoof two American conservative organizations: the Hudson Institute and the International Republican Institute. Three other fake domains were designed to look as if they belonged to the U.S. Senate. Microsoft didn't offer any further description of the fake sites. The revelation came just weeks after a similar Microsoft discovery led Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat who is running for re-election, to reveal that Russian hackers tried unsuccessfully to infiltrate her Senate computer network. The hacking attempts mirror similar Russian attacks ahead of the 2016 election, which U.S. intelligence officials have said were focused on helping to elect Donald Trump to the presidency by hurting his opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Trump Says He Could 'Run' Mueller Investigation If He Wanted

President Trump said he's chosen to stay out of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, but claims he is "totally allowed" to be involved in the probe and could even "run it," NBC News reported. "I've decided to stay out," he said. "Now, I don't have to stay out. I can go in and I could do whatever. I could run it if I want." The comments were part of an interview with Reuters, in which the president voiced worry over any statements he provides to Mueller being used to bring perjury charges against him. He said he feared investigators could compare his statements with others who have testified and use any discrepancies against him. He pointed to former FBI Director James Comey as an example. "So if I say something and he [Comey] says something, and it’s my word against his, and he’s best friends with Mueller, so Mueller might say: 'Well, I believe Comey,' and even if I’m telling the truth, that makes me a liar. That’s no good," Trump told Reuters. It's unclear whether Trump could actually "run" the investigation, but experts say he can likely fire Mueller.

J-Lo Wins Vanguard Award, Madonna Gives Speech on Aretha, Cardi B Opens VMAs

Camila Cabello beat out Drake, Mars, Cardi B, Ariana Grande and Post Malone for artist of the year. Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B and DJ Khaled won best collaboration for "Dinero" — a song that has peaked at No. 80 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart — besting the record-setting hit "Meant to Be," by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line, and Mars and Cardi B's anthemic "Finesse" remix. Jennifer Lopez, who earned the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for lifetime achievement, provided the night's most energetic performance. She started off slow — Kylie Jenner and Scott's unamused faces perfectly captured the vibe — but she hit a strong stride when she sang old smashes like "Jenny from the Block," ''I'm Real" — where Ja Rule joined her onstage — and "All I Have," which showed the skilled dancer's vocal range. Then the backlash was swift for Madonna's rambling, egocentric tribute to Aretha Franklin. Dressed in flowing black with grandiose flourishes of African jewelry, Madonna's send-off came before she presented the video of the year award to Camila Cabello on Monday night. She spoke at length about her own start in the business and her own career before thanking Franklin for "empowering all of us. R.E.S.P.E.C.T."

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