Trump Says Giuliani ‘Looks For Corruption.’ Twitter Users Know Where He Can Find It.

President Donald Trump stood up for his pal and personal attorney Rudy Giuliani Friday, telling reporters that the former New York City mayor is a “great gentleman” and a “great crime fighter” who “looks for corruption wherever he goes.”

Trump was defending Giuliani amid a widening investigation into Giuliani’s role in an alleged shadow campaign pressing Ukraine to launch a probe into Trump’s political rival Joe Biden and his son. Investigators are now also examining whether Giuliani covertly represented foreign interests, as well as his links to associates charged with illegal campaign contributions.

Twitter users were particularly taken by Trump’s boast about Giuliani looking for corruption. They had suggestions about where the attorney might find it.

Toys R Us comeback features new interactive play lands, stores and Target partnership

Toys R Us is staging a “larger than life” comeback.

Ahead of the holiday shopping season, the iconic brand opened two new “immersive toy wonderlands” called Toys R Us Adventure this week, unveiled a new website along with a partnership with former rival Target, and is preparing to open its first new stores in November.

The first Toys R Us Adventure opened in Chicago Thursday and the second site opens in Atlanta Saturday.

In an interview with USA TODAY Friday, Richard Barry, a former Toys R Us executive and now CEO of the new company called Tru Kids Brands, said that together with Candytopia they’ve created a “completely unique” experience. 

“This is really a dream come true in the fact that we’re able to take these toy and play experiences and bring them to life that we’ve never been able to do in the past,” Barry said of the sites that feature giant toys.

Holiday shopping starts now: Walmart kicks off shorter holiday shopping season with deals

New Disney stores open at Target: Get items from ‘Frozen 2,’ Star Wars merchandise and more online and at select stores

Ex-Apple lawyer in charge of preventing insider trading indicted for insider trading

A former top Apple lawyer who was in charge of preventing insider trading at the company was himself indicted on insider trading charges.

Gene Levoff — who worked at the iPhone maker for a decade between 2008 and 2018 — allegedly used his access to inside information such as early, unpublished financial results to trade Apple stock, the US Attorney in New Jersey said Thursday.

When Apple had strong revenue in a quarter, he would buy large quantities of stock, which he would then sell after earnings were reported.

“This scheme to defraud [Apple] and its shareholders allowed Levoff to realize profits of approximately $227,000 on certain trades and to avoid losses of approximately $377,000 on others,” the government’s press release read.

Levoff allegedly flouted company rules which subjected him to regular blackout periods — during which he was not supposed to trade stock until Apple announced its earnings — and instead traded on his information.

Levoff’s responsibilities while senior director of corporate law “included ensuring compliance with [Apple’s] Insider Trading Policy,” according to the indictment.

Levoff was charged with six counts of wire fraud and six counts of securities fraud, each of which carries a max sentence of 20 years, as well as millions in fines.

Final respects paid to Elijah Cummings at his funeral

The congressman and civil rights leader was remembered as a champion of truth and civil rights.

Mourners bid a final farewell to the late US Representative Elijah Cummings in his hometown of Baltimore.

Cummings was remembered as a champion of truth and civil rights at his funeral in Baltimore.

He spent the final years of his life as a fierce critic of President Donald Trump – and played a leading role in impeachment efforts.

Al Jazeera’s Patty Culhane reports.

Nigeria border closure: Businesses complain of revenue loss

The government says it wants to stop smugglers and criminals who pose a threat to the country and its economy and will keep the borders closed for now.

Business owners in Nigeria are complaining they have lost hundreds of millions of dollars since the government closed a border crossing with neighbouring Benin.

Authorities say they are trying to stop illegal goods being smuggled in.

Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris reports from Nigeria-Benin border.

Rudy Giuliani Gets Hilariously Torched On Twitter Over Butt-Dials To Reporter

Rudy Giuliani set Twitter alight on Friday after it emerged that he’d butt-dialed and left voicemails for an investigative NBC reporter twice in three weeks.

The former New York mayor, who is now Donald Trump’s personal attorney, was reportedly heard talking about needing money and ranting about the president’s potential 2020 Democratic rival Joe Biden in the recordings received by Rich Schapiro.

It prompted some people to share their own stories of being inadvertently called by Giuliani:

Others just poked fun at the lawyer over the bizarre incident:

UN backs audit of Bolivia election results

The United Nations says it supports an audit of Bolivia’s disputed election result amid allegations of fraud.

Bolivians have blocked streets and lit fires in La Paz, calling for their vote to be respected.

The incumbent president, Evo Morales, was declared the outright winner in Sunday’s vote, securing a fourth consecutive term and extending his rule to nearly two decades.

Critics say the vote was rigged.

The United States, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia have called for Bolivia to hold a runoff between Morales and his top challenger, Carlos Mesa.

Al Jazeera’s John Holman reports from La Paz.