| POTUS tweets put White House spin on Comey’s testimony Posted: 20 Mar 2017 01:37 PM PDT  The White House responded to a day of damaging testimony to Congress on Monday by FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Adm. Mike Rogers with a series of tweets intended to cast the news in the best possible light. The official @POTUS account sent out a series of clips from the House Intelligence Committee's hearing into the 2016 election, focusing on three issues: Russian efforts to influence the vote, allegations that the Trump campaign was wiretapped, and the leaks to the media about contacts between Russian officials and former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Comey said that the Department of Justice was looking into Russian interference with the election and potential ties to the Trump campaign but that he had no information to support the president's claims, on Twitter, that Trump Tower had been wiretapped on the orders of former President Barack Obama.
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| Pope begs God's forgiveness for Church sins in Rwanda genocide Posted: 20 Mar 2017 08:13 AM PDT  Pope Francis on Monday begged for God's forgiveness for "the sins and failings of the Church and its members" implicated in the 1994 Rwanda genocide that killed around 800,000 people. The pontiff "conveyed his profound sadness, and that of the Holy See and of the Church, for the genocide against the Tutsi," the Vatican said in a statement after a meeting between Francis and the Rwanda President Paul Kagame.
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| Meet Neil Gorsuch's Wife, Marie Louise Posted: 20 Mar 2017 08:55 AM PDT  They have two daughters named Emma and Belinda and live in a 3,600-square-foot house in Colorado.
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| U.S. to ban some airline passengers from carrying larger electronics Posted: 20 Mar 2017 04:38 PM PDT ![U.S. to ban some airline passengers from carrying larger electronics]( "U.S. to ban some airline passengers from carrying larger electronics") By David Shepardson and Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities are planning to ban passengers traveling on certain U.S.-bound foreign airline flights from carrying into the cabin larger electronic devices in response to an unspecified terrorism threat, U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday. The new rule is expected to be announced as early as Monday by the Department of Homeland Security, the officials said, adding that it had been under consideration since the U.S. government learned of a threat several weeks ago. The officials did not name the other countries.
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| Kidnapping Victim Reveals How a Facebook Video Helped Her Escape Car Trunk Posted: 20 Mar 2017 02:08 PM PDT ![Kidnapping Victim Reveals How a Facebook Video Helped Her Escape Car Trunk]( "Kidnapping Victim Reveals How a Facebook Video Helped Her Escape Car Trunk") Surveillance footage captured Brittany Diggs falling from the trunk and running to safety.
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| Crocodile attacks Aussie teen who jumped into river on dare Posted: 19 Mar 2017 06:08 PM PDT ![Crocodile attacks Aussie teen who jumped into river on dare]( "Crocodile attacks Aussie teen who jumped into river on dare") BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — An Australian teen who was attacked by a crocodile after jumping into a crocodile-infested river on a dare was recovering from serious wounds to his arm, officials said Monday, as authorities recovered the body of another man who also may have been attacked by a crocodile in nearby waters.
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| Pres. Trump’s Complicated Relationship With the Truth Posted: 20 Mar 2017 08:37 AM PDT  From the size of the Inauguration crowd, to his baseless claims that millions of people voted illegally, the president's tendency to misrepresent facts has damaged his credibility with some.
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| High school rape gets drawn into immigration debate Posted: 21 Mar 2017 04:28 PM PDT ![High school rape gets drawn into immigration debate]( "High school rape gets drawn into immigration debate") As officials reported that one of two students charged with raping a 14-year-old girl in a Maryland high school bathroom entered the United States illegally, the crime became part of a national debate on immigration.
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| FBI’s Comey knocks the Patriots to make a point about the Kremlin’s grudge against Clinton Posted: 20 Mar 2017 12:25 PM PDT  Testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on Monday, FBI Director James Comey deployed a sports analogy — and revealed something about his sports fandom that won't make him any friends in New England. "I hate the New England Patriots," Comey confessed while taking questions about the U.S. intelligence community's assessment of Russia's motivation to help Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election. The quip was meant to illustrate the intelligence community's assessment that Russia's hatred of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was so intense, Moscow would do anything it could to help her opponent.
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| Restoration work completed on Jesus tomb site in Jerusalem Posted: 21 Mar 2017 05:58 AM PDT ![Restoration work completed on Jesus tomb site in Jerusalem]( "Restoration work completed on Jesus tomb site in Jerusalem") Moropoulou directed the work at the site. The Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Roman Catholic denominations share custody of the church, where tensions often run high over control of its various sectors. Disputes between the dominations have held up restoration work for more than 200 years. Work only began last year after the church was deemed unsafe by Israeli authorities, who have controlled East Jerusalem since its capture in the 1967 Middle East war. Media reports said each denomination had contributed toward the project and Jordan's King Abdullah also made a personal donation, with the work costing around $3.3 million. Moropoulou said extensive work had been carried out on the masonry of the tomb.
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| Man Burns Down Parents Home, Kills Three Pets While Trying To Exterminate Ants: Officials Posted: 21 Mar 2017 11:22 AM PDT  Devon Doucette, 21, was trying to incinerate the ants with wooden matches when one of them ignited combustible materials, investigators say.
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| Sen. Durbin on Gorsuch’s 'frozen trucker' ruling: Temperatures that day were freezing, but ‘not as cold as your dissent’ Posted: 20 Mar 2017 02:21 PM PDT  On Judge Neil Gorsuch's first day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Sen. Dick Durbin brought up the case of Alphonse Maddin, a trucker who was fired after his trailer broke down in subzero temperatures. Gorsuch concluded it wasn't illegal for the company to fire him for seeking safety when he began to lose feeling in his body after waiting hours for help. Durbin said that the temperatures the day of the incident were freezing, but "not as cold as your dissent."
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| IAEA Head Says North Korea Diplomacy Won't Work Posted: 20 Mar 2017 04:25 PM PDT  IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano says North Korea has doubled the size of its nuclear operation.
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| Thailand's coin-eating turtle dies of intestinal blockage Posted: 21 Mar 2017 08:44 AM PDT  BANGKOK (AP) — Tourists used to toss coins at a green sea turtle that lived in a pond in eastern Thailand, wishing for luck and longevity. But swallowing the shiny tidbits turned out to be a death sentence for the reptile.
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| What we learned from Comey’s testimony on Russia and Trump Posted: 20 Mar 2017 06:26 AM PDT  FBI Director James Comey appeared before House Intelligence Committee on Monday, testifying that since July bureau investigators have been looking into whether Donald Trump's presidential campaign colluded with Russia. Comey also said he has "no information to support" Trump's claim that former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower. Watch a recap of Comey's testimony in the video player above and catch up on all of our live analysis in the blog below.
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| Married Teacher Who Allegedly Had Sexual Relations With 17-Year-Old Student Grins in Mugshot Posted: 21 Mar 2017 03:24 PM PDT  She turned herself in on Monday.
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| Macron, Le Pen clash in French TV debate Posted: 20 Mar 2017 03:28 PM PDT ![Macron, Le Pen clash in French TV debate]( "Macron, Le Pen clash in French TV debate") By Ingrid Melander and Michel Rose PARIS (Reuters) - The top candidates in France's presidential election clashed in a televised debate on Monday, with centrist Emmanuel Macron accusing far-right leader Marine Le Pen of lying and seeking to divide the French. Opinion polls show Macron and Le Pen pulling away from the pack in an election that has been full of twists and turns, and which is taking place against a backdrop of high unemployment and sluggish growth. One of the most heated exchanges came between the two frontrunners, after Le Pen accused Macron of being in favor of the burkini, a full-body swimsuit worn by Muslim women that created weeks of controversy in France last summer.
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| TripAdvisor names Bali best global destination for 2017 in Travelers' Choice Awards Posted: 21 Mar 2017 09:11 AM PDT  The Buddhist island has claimed the top spot for the first time in TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards, published Tuesday, March 21, crowning the year's best travel destinations.
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| Baby Born with 4 Legs and 2 Spines Thrives After Risky Surgery Removes Two Extra Limbs Posted: 21 Mar 2017 03:16 PM PDT  Ten-month-old Dominique journeyed from West Africa to receive risky surgery that would save her life.
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| Czech zoo saws off rhino horns to keep its animals safe Posted: 21 Mar 2017 07:59 AM PDT  PRAGUE (AP) — A Czech zoo is taking no chances after the recent killing of a rhinoceros at a wildlife park near Paris by assailants who stole the animal's horn — the zoo has started to remove the horns from its 21 rhinos as a precaution.
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| Welcoming Spring: It's an international thing Posted: 21 Mar 2017 07:44 AM PDT ![Welcoming Spring: It's an international thing]( "Welcoming Spring: It's an international thing") Spring, marked by the Vernal Equinox on March 20 in the northern hemisphere, ushers in the start of longer days and a promise of warmer weather. Here's a look at how the arrival of the new season is celebrated around the world.
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| Illegal Immigrants May Not Find Warm Welcome in Canada Posted: 20 Mar 2017 12:18 PM PDT  A new poll shows nearly half of Canadians want border-crossers sent back to the United States.
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| AP Exclusive: Orly video shows attacker rushing soldier Posted: 20 Mar 2017 11:02 AM PDT  PARIS (AP) — Video of a suspected Islamic extremist at Paris' Orly Airport shows a soldier caught by surprise when an attacker drops a shopping bag and grabs her from behind.
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| 'Don't use Taiwan', Taipei frets ahead of Trump-Xi meeting Posted: 20 Mar 2017 01:29 AM PDT !['Don't use Taiwan', Taipei frets ahead of Trump-Xi meeting]( "'Don't use Taiwan', Taipei frets ahead of Trump-Xi meeting") By J.R. Wu and Jess Macy Yu TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's government, worried about being used as a pawn by China and the United States, said on Monday the self-ruled island must protect its own interests as concerns in Taipei rise ahead of an expected meeting of U.S and Chinese leaders. China has never renounced the use of force to take back what it deems a wayward province and has been pressuring Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who leads an independence-leaning ruling party, to concede Taiwan is a part of China. The United States is Taiwan's only major political ally and sole arms supplier, and weapons sales to Taiwan have repeatedly upset Beijing.
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| Hezbollah commander killed by own men: Israel army chief Posted: 21 Mar 2017 09:46 AM PDT  Israel's military chief said on Tuesday that Hezbollah's military commander in Syria, reported dead last year, was killed by members of his own Lebanese Shiite group. Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, speaking to a security conference, said intelligence had led Israel to the conclusion and matched previous reports. Hezbollah itself has said Mustafa Badreddine, who was on a US terror sanctions blacklist and wanted by Israel, was killed in an explosion in May 2016 near Damascus international airport.
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| Mom Says Her Son, 11, Took His Life After He Was Bullied at School: 'I Can't Cry No More' Posted: 20 Mar 2017 12:52 PM PDT  His mother said students were bullying him to sell drugs.
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| Spider venom may offer hope to stroke victims: scientists Posted: 20 Mar 2017 09:40 PM PDT  A protein in the venom of potentially deadly funnel web spiders could minimise the effects of brain damage after a stroke, researchers in Australia said on Tuesday. Strokes claim six million lives worldwide each year, and five million survivors are left with a permanent disability. Scientists from the University of Queensland and Monash University said spider venom was always a good place to look for proteins to help in medical treatments as they have evolved to target the nervous systems of insects.
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| Officials: Fire near Boulder, Colorado, may be human-caused Posted: 19 Mar 2017 07:09 PM PDT  BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Firefighters made progress Sunday in battling a small wildfire that forced people to flee hundreds of homes in the mountains just outside downtown Boulder, Colorado, and authorities said they believe the blaze may have been human-caused.
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| Hillary Clinton Speaks Up Against Trump Posted: 20 Mar 2017 11:38 AM PDT  Hillary Clinton is setting herself up to be a major voice against President Donald Trump during his tenure in the Oval Office.
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| Should you install solar panels on your roof? Ask Google Posted: 20 Mar 2017 03:31 AM PDT  In 2015, Google launched Project Sunroof, a map that shows which houses have enough sun exposure for solar panels to be a viable energy source. However, the original map was very limited, covering only the San Francisco Bay Area, Fresno, California and Boston. Now, Google has greatly expanded the project to cover all 50 U.S. states, with a total of 60 million buildings in the database. SEE ALSO: Google pledges $11.5 million to racial justice innovators across the U.S. The project uses imagery from Google Earth and Maps as well as some machine learning magic to get a good idea of how much sunlight each portion of each roof is getting. According to Google, weather patterns, sun positioning changes and possible shade from nearby buildings is taken into account. The result is a map which not only lets home owners easily assess whether they should consider a solar roof, but it also offers a good insight of the country's solar energy potential. Solar potential of Google's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. Image: Google In a blog post last week, Google shared a few interesting data points; for example, the company claims that 79 percent of all rooftops analyzed are "technically viable" for solar. Naturally, in some sunny areas, such as Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico, this number grows to over 90 percent. States like Pennsylvania, Maine and Minnesota have just over 60 percent viability, Google says. As for the city with the most solar potential in the U.S., the honor belongs to Houston, Texas, which has an estimated 18,940GWh of rooftop solar generation potential per year. Check out the interactive map, searchable by U.S. zip codes, cities, counties and states, here. WATCH: Access all your cards in one click with this solar-powered smart wallet
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| Former foes salute Martin McGuinness, IRA man turned peacemaker Posted: 21 Mar 2017 02:23 PM PDT ![Former foes salute Martin McGuinness, IRA man turned peacemaker]( "Former foes salute Martin McGuinness, IRA man turned peacemaker") By Ian Graham and Conor Humphries BELFAST/LONDONDERRY, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - Martin McGuinness, the Irish Republican Army commander who laid down his arms to become a major architect of peace in Northern Ireland, died on Tuesday aged 66, drawing tributes from allies and former enemies alike. The face of Irish Republicanism during some of the worst moments of "The Troubles" that killed more than 3,600 people, McGuinness remained a figure of hate for many pro-British Protestants until his death. "He believed in a shared future, and refused to live in the past, a lesson all of us who remain should learn and live by," former U.S. President Bill Clinton, whose hands-on role was central to brokering the 1998 peace accord, said in a statement.
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| Pentagon launches probe after strike near Syria mosque Posted: 20 Mar 2017 10:47 AM PDT  The US military is probing allegations that a strike targeting Al-Qaeda leaders near a mosque in northern Syria killed numerous civilians, the Defense Department said Monday. The Pentagon says the strike targeted a meeting of senior Al-Qaeda leaders but local reports and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group have claimed dozens of people were killed, including civilians. Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reporters that officials initially thought there were "zero" civilian casualties.
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| Pilot and Wife, Dead from Overdoses, Discovered by Their 4 Kids: Police Posted: 20 Mar 2017 11:33 AM PDT  Brian and Courtney Halye were found dead Thursday.
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| Hot new kitchen gadgets Posted: 21 Mar 2017 03:18 AM PDT  Giz Wiz Dick Debartolo takes us through the latest and greatest kitchen tech.
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| Eyes on Main Street, Wilson Outdoor Photo Festival Posted: 21 Mar 2017 10:07 AM PDT ![Eyes on Main Street, Wilson Outdoor Photo Festival]( "Eyes on Main Street, Wilson Outdoor Photo Festival") The third edition of Eyes on Main Street, Wilson Outdoor Photo Festival opens April 8, 2017 in Wilson, N.C. Nash Street, the main street of Wilson, will be transformed into a vibrant gallery of large-scale photographs and for 100 days, 100 photographs will be displayed on 100 storefront windows, spanning six city blocks.
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| Trump wants to work with Palestinians, says official Posted: 20 Mar 2017 10:34 AM PDT  US President Donald Trump sees Mahmud Abbas as a "strategic partner" and the Palestinian leader wants to engage with him to work towards a two-state solution, a senior Palestinian official said Monday. Jibril Rajoub, a high-ranking member of Abbas's Fatah party seen as a possible successor to the 81-year-old president, said he believed Trump could be less beholden to certain interest groups than previous US presidents.
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