Britain's Prince Andrew has rejected renewed suggestions he may have been involved in the alleged sex crimes of his one-time friend Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew says in a statement released by Buckingham Palace that he "has been appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged crimes. His Royal Highness deplores the exploitation of any human being and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behavior is abhorrent." The statement was released after the Mail on Sunday newspaper obtained a Dec. 6, 2010, video showing Andrew inside Epstein's New York home waving goodbye to a young woman. The video was recorded after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution involving a minor. Get More

Greenland is not for sale and U.S. President Donald Trump's idea of buying the semi-autonomous Danish territory in the Arctic from Denmark is "an absurd discussion," Denmark's prime minister said. Mette Frederiksen, who was visiting the world's largest island to meet Premier Kim Kielsen, told reporters: "Greenland is not Danish. Greenland is Greenlandic. I persistently hope that this is not something that is seriously meant." Frederiksen said Sunday that the Arctic, with resources that Russia and others could exploit for commercial gain, "is becoming increasingly important to the entire world community." Get More

A reported book deal for Mark Halperin, the "Game Change" co-author and political commentator who has faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment, is being greeted with widespread outrage. Former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson called the deal "a slap in the face to all women." Politico announced Sunday that Halperin's "How To Beat Trump" was expected in November. The book draws upon observations by dozens of Democratic strategists, including Donna Brazile, James Carville and David Axelrod. It's the first major project for Halperin since reports of harassment emerged in 2017, with former colleagues alleging crude sexual advances. Penguin Random House canceled a planned book by Halperin and John Heilemann about the 2016 presidential election and Halperin also was dropped as a commentator by Showtime and NBC News. "Game Change," about the 2008 election, was a bestseller co-written by Halperin and Heilemann and later adapted into an acclaimed HBO movie. They also teamed up on a bestseller about the 2012 race, "Double Down." Get More

President Donald Trump dismissed concerns of recession on Sunday and offered an optimistic outlook for the economy after last week's steep drop in the financial markets. "I don't think we're having a recession," Trump told reporters as he returned to Washington from his New Jersey golf club. "We're doing tremendously well. Our consumers are rich. I gave a tremendous tax cut and they're loaded up with money." A strong economy is key to Trump's re-election prospects. Consumer confidence has dropped 6.4% since July. The president has spent most of the week at his golf club in New Jersey with much of his tweeting focused on talking up the economy. Get More

Thousands of union workers at a western Pennsylvania petrochemical plant were given a choice last week — show up for President Donald Trump's speech on Wednesday or stay home and lose some of their weekly pay, NBC News reports. One of the construction site's contractors wrote in rules for the speech ahead of the event that employees' attendance was "not mandatory," though it said only those who arrived at 7 a.m. with their work IDs scanned and stood for hours to wait for the president would be paid for their time. “NO SCAN, NO PAY,” those rules, which were handed out to employees prior to the speech, read. That memo was first reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which noted that those who opted against attending Trump's address would have an excused, unpaid absence and would not qualify for overtime pay on Friday. The publication reported workers were told "anything viewed as resistance" to Trump was prohibited. The speech was arranged to foster "good will" with building trade unions, The Post-Gazette added. Ray Fisher, a spokesman for Shell, told NBC News in an email that workers who opted to stay away from the speech would still be paid for the week, but less than those who scanned in and were on site Wednesday. Get More at NBC News

Two people have died after a small plane crashed into a house in Dutchess County, New York, authorities say. The Cessna 303 aircraft departed Orange County Airport Saturday and stopped to refuel at Sky Acres in LaGrangeville. While en route to Farmingdale, it crashed into Gerry Bocker's house on Smith Road in Union Vale, killing the 61-year-old and injuring his two daughters, according to state police. Authorities said 61-year-old pilot Francisco Knipping-Diaz died in the crash and his two passengers, 50-year-old Eduardo Tio and 52-year-old Antonio Diaz Pratt suffered injuries that weren't life-threatening. Get More

Several people, including children, were injured after a lightning strike caused a tree to fall on a tent at a swim club in Lower Southampton, Pennsylvania, Sunday. The incident occurred at the Dolphin Swim Club on the 200 block of West Bristol Road around 5 p.m. Officials told NBC Philadelphia that lightning struck a tree as a severe storm hit Bucks County. The tree then fell on a 60-foot tent with people inside. "When the tree fell, everybody started screaming," Alex Serrano, a man who was at the swim club, told NBC Philadelphia. "I couldn't look because it was very heavy rain." Get More

She's been called Jeffrey Epstein's madam, the woman who recruited girls for his sexual appetites, and at times his social planner and household organizer in places ranging from New York to Palm Beach, Florida. Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of a British publishing magnate who died under mysterious circumstances, is one of the most prominent figures left from the Epstein orbit after his suicide in jail while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. And she could well be a co-conspirator now in the crosshairs of federal prosecutors, who have made clear the case is far from over. Get More

A group of officers turned a car into a delivery room to help a mother who went into labor on the side of a road in Prince George's County, Maryland, Friday night. A passing driver flagged down Laurel City Police Officer Shermon Willis around 7:50 p.m. at Van Dusen Road and MD-198 in Laurel, police said. The driver told Willis his pregnant wife sitting in the passenger seat was in labor and needed help. Meanwhile, Pfc. James Bright, who is also a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician, came to the scene to help Willis, police said. Get More