While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, May 19 edition

Emergency workers at the scene after dozens were injured when a vehicle struck pedestrians in Times Square in New York City, on May 18, 2017. PHOTO: EPA

Car mows down pedestrians at New York City's Times Square; 1 killed, 22 injured

A speeding car crashed into pedestrians on a sidewalk in New York City's busy Times Square on Thursday (May 18), killing an 18-year-old woman and injuring 22 others. Police said the incident did not appear to be an act of terrorism.

One woman was covered with a bloodstained blanket after the collision, which occurred around noon ET (midnight in Singapore on Thursday) at the Midtown Manhattan tourist venue.

Witnesses said the motorist had driven a red Honda sedan against traffic and onto the sidewalk, striking pedestrians. The car crashed into a pole and came to rest at 45th Street and Broadway before police took the driver away.

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Donald Trump denies trying to quash Michael Flynn probe, any links to Russia

President Donald Trump denied trying to quash an FBI investigation of his former national security adviser and said there was no collusion by his campaign with the Russians who used hacking and disinformation to interfere with the 2016 presidential election.

"No, no - next question," Trump said when asked at a White House news conference Thursday (May 18) whether he pressured then-FBI Director James Comey in February to drop an investigation into former White House adviser Michael Flynn's dealings with Russia and Turkey.

He said it is "totally ridiculous" to think he's done anything that would amount to an impeachable offense.

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Facebook wins dismissal of US lawsuits linked to terrorism

A federal judge on Thursday (May 18) dismissed two lawsuits seeking to hold Facebook Inc liable for supporting terrorist groups by letting them use its social media platform to further their goals, including violence against Jews.

US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn dismissed a US$3 billion (S$4.2 billion) damages lawsuit by relatives of American victims of Hamas attacks, saying the federal Communications Decency Act regulating internet content immunises Facebook from liability.

That law "prevents courts from entertaining civil actions that seek to impose liability on defendants like Facebook for allowing third parties to post offensive or harmful content or failing to remove such content once posted," Garaufis wrote.

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Brazil's Michel Temer refuses to resign over corruption probe

Brazil's President Michel Temer defiantly refused to step down Thursday (May 18) over allegations that he gave his blessing to payment of hush money for a politician convicted of corruption.

"I will not resign," he announced emphatically in a brief televised statement to the nation.

Less than 24 hours after an explosive report in O Globo newspaper that Temer was caught on tape agreeing to bribe the jailed politician, he faced three formal requests for his impeachment.

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Tennis: Maria Sharapova granted Birmingham wildcard

Maria Sharapova has been granted a wildcard for next month's WTA grasscourt event in Birmingham, a key Wimbledon warm-up, organisers said Thursday (May 18).

It comes two days after the Russian former world number one was refused a wildcard for the French Open following her 15-month ban for doping.

Next month will see 2004 Wimbledon champion Sharapova, 30, play the Birmingham event for the first time in seven years.

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