| Veterinarian Accused Of Shooting Neighbors' Dog In The Head Posted: 20 Dec 2017 10:52 AM PST  A veterinarian in Louisiana was arrested on Tuesday and charged with aggravated animal cruelty after allegedly fatally shooting her neighbors' dog in the head.
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| Kim Jong Un expands his war on Christmas with new ban on singing and drinking Posted: 19 Dec 2017 06:57 PM PST  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has upped the ante in his war on Christmas with a new rule that prohibits any "gatherings that involve alcohol and singing."
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| Chuck Schumer Warns GOP: 'You're Messing Up America. You Could Pay Attention.' Posted: 20 Dec 2017 04:55 AM PST  "We believe you're messing up America. You could pay attention for a couple of minutes" Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asks for order during debate over GOP tax bill on Senate floor. pic.twitter.com/NeGgV28qvV— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 20, 2017
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| Thomas Fire Close To Becoming The Biggest Wildfire In California History Posted: 20 Dec 2017 04:21 PM PST  The Thomas Fire burning in Southern California is on the verge of becoming the largest blaze on state record, accomplishing a shocking feat for this time of year.
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| Ivanka Trump surprise visit to Connecticut school prompts some parents to pull children from class Posted: 20 Dec 2017 07:05 AM PST  Ivanka Trump's surprise unannounced visit to a school in Connecticut has prompted some parents to pull their children from class. The US president's daughter addressed secondary school students at the Norwalk Early College Academy about the importance of education in the sciences, technology, mathematics, and engineering. Ms Trump, who serves as an unpaid advisor to her father, said: "To see the passion and enthusiasm for bringing real-life skills into a classroom environment, but then coupling it with real-life experience through internship, creates this really beautiful virtuous angle".
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| Last piece of Amtrak train wreckage removed from Washington state highway Posted: 20 Dec 2017 02:08 PM PST ![Last piece of Amtrak train wreckage removed from Washington state highway]( "Last piece of Amtrak train wreckage removed from Washington state highway") The affected southbound stretch of Interstate 5, which runs from the Canadian border to Mexico, will remain closed indefinitely, the Washington State Department of Transportation has said. Federal investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are seeking answers about the crash's cause in interviews with the train's engineer and a trainee conductor who were in the locomotive's cab. NTSB members say they are focused on whether the engineer was distracted, but are timing their interviews with the crew this week around their recuperation from injuries.
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| Video shows car dragging office up to 60 mph Posted: 20 Dec 2017 08:05 AM PST  When Florida police officer Jon Cusak approached a man and woman sitting in a car, they quickly took off, and with Cusak clinging to the driver-side door. The whole incident was caught on his body camera.
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| 'Slender Man' Victim Slept With Scissors After She Was Stabbed 19 Times Posted: 20 Dec 2017 07:48 AM PST  Payton Leutner's classmates were found not guilty by reason of insanity.
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| Saudi, Lebanon diplomats caught in diplomatic tussle Posted: 20 Dec 2017 08:43 AM PST  BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon's ambassador to Saudi Arabia and his Saudi counterpart are caught in what appears to be a diplomatic tussle over representation, with each country delaying accreditation of the other's diplomat, though both were named months ago.
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| Cardinal Bernard Law, the Disgraced Archbishop at the Center of 'Spotlight,' Has Died Posted: 19 Dec 2017 11:58 PM PST  An official with the Catholic Church says Cardinal Bernard Law, the disgraced former archbishop of Boston, has died at 86.
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| Mexico Tour Bus Crash Kills At Least 12 Posted: 20 Dec 2017 07:43 AM PST  A bus carrying cruise ship passengers on a tour of ancient Mayan ruins flipped on a highway in southeast Mexico early Tuesday, killing at least 12 people and injuring 18.
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| Scotland Bans Traveling Circuses From Using Wild Animals In Performances Posted: 20 Dec 2017 12:10 PM PST  Scotland has banned the use of wild animals in traveling circuses, handing an important victory to animal welfare advocates.
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| U.S. cancels student loan debts for 12,900 college fraud victims Posted: 20 Dec 2017 03:56 PM PST ![U.S. cancels student loan debts for 12,900 college fraud victims]( "U.S. cancels student loan debts for 12,900 college fraud victims") The U.S. Education Department on Wednesday canceled the student-loan debts of 12,900 people defrauded by defunct Corinthian Colleges, but its announcement that it will give varying amounts of debt relief in the future set off fierce criticism. For-profit higher education provider Corinthian collapsed in 2015 amid government investigations into how many of its graduates found gainful employment. An internal review released this month showed the Education Department had stopped discharging loans of former attendees of Corinthian and other failed for-profit schools once President Donald Trump took office.
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| YouTube prankster pleads guilty to fatally shooting boyfriend Posted: 20 Dec 2017 02:03 PM PST  A YouTube prankster from the US state of Minnesota has admitted fatally shooting her boyfriend in a botched video stunt she hoped would go viral. Monalisa Perez, a 20-year-old mother-of-two, believed her husband Pedro Ruiz would be shielded by a thick book as she took aim from close range in front of onlookers. Perez and Ruiz, 22, were recording the stunt in June for their YouTube channel, where they published videos of their daily lives and pranks they performed.
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| Donald Trump's decision on Jerusalem condemned by UN general assembly despite US 'bullying' over vote of censure Posted: 21 Dec 2017 09:20 AM PST  The United Nations general assembly has voted overwhelmingly to condemn Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in a rare emergency session of the global body. The 193-nation general assembly approved the resolution by a massive margin, with 128 nations in favour, and nine against. There were 35 abstentions. Mr Trump threatened on Wednesday to withhold aid to any country which defied the threats. Referencing tomorrow's UN vote criticizing the US embassy move. In the words of the President, "Let them vote against us, we'll save a lot." pic.twitter.com/eUGWD4cCBR— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) December 20, 2017 Mali withdrew their sponsorship of the resolution, in response to the US threats of retaliation. But the majority of countries shrugged off the US bullying tactics and, throwing salt into the wounds in Washington, US allies including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and South Africa added their names at the last minute to the document condemning the decision. The resolution was vetoed by the United States in the 15-member UN security council on Monday, but the US cannot veto a general assembly resolution. Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the UN, used her speech ahead of the vote to emphasis that the United States is the single largest contributor to the UN and its agencies, and said that in return it expected support for its decision. "The arguments have already been made. The decision was in accordance to US law dating back to 1995. The decision does not prejudge any final status agreement. The decision does nothing to harm peace efforts," she said. "The United States will remember this day when it was singled out in the United Nations for the act of exercising our sovereignty. "America will put our embassy in Jerusalem. It is what the American people want us to do. "This vote will make a difference at how America looks at the UN, and how we look at countries who disrespect us at the UN." Inside the United Nations general assembly hall, where on Thursday a rare emergency meeting was held to discuss Jerusalem But Riyad al-Maliki, foreign minister of the Palestinian Authority, told the assembly: "We meet today not due to any animosity towards the United States, but because of a decision that counts as an aggression. "The decision will not affect the status of Jerusalem. Rather it affects the status of the United States as a mediator of peace." He said they had ignored warnings about inflaming tensions, and described the decision as "illegal" and "provocative". On the eve of the vote, Mrs Haley had sent a letter warning countries against voting to censure the US, and said that the US will be "taking names". "The president will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those countries who voted against us. We will take note of each and every vote on this issue," she wrote. Mr al-Maliki picked up on her words on Thursday, telling the assembly: "History records names. It records names of those who voted for what was right." The vote is non-binding, but carries political weight. Only 10 such emergency sessions have been convened since 1950, and the last time was in 2009, to discuss occupied East Jerusalem and Palestinian territories.
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| The Latest: South Africa's new party leader: Graft must end Posted: 20 Dec 2017 02:52 PM PST  JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The Latest on the new leader of South Africa's ruling party (all times local):
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| Official: Train brake automatically activated in fatal wreck Posted: 19 Dec 2017 08:26 PM PST  DUPONT, Wash. (AP) — Investigators are looking into whether the Amtrak engineer whose speeding train plunged off an overpass, killing at least three people, was distracted by the presence of an employee-in-training next to him in the locomotive, a federal official said Tuesday.
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| Jeff Sessions Reportedly Revives Probe Of Uranium One Deal Posted: 21 Dec 2017 05:02 AM PST  The Justice Department is reviving an inquiry into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the government's controversial approval of the Uranium One deal, NBC News reported on Thursday.
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| Teen Gets 25 Years In Mental Health Facility For 'Slender Man' Stabbing Posted: 21 Dec 2017 02:51 PM PST  A Wisconsin teenager accused of stabbing a classmate to please a fictional horror character named "Slender Man" has been ordered to receive 25 years of mental health treatment.
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| The Latest: All but 1 evacuation lifted at California fire Posted: 21 Dec 2017 10:15 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on California wildfires (all times local):
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| Chicago police say Facebook 'secret groups' used to sell guns, drugs Posted: 21 Dec 2017 02:45 PM PST ![Chicago police say Facebook 'secret groups' used to sell guns, drugs]( "Chicago police say Facebook 'secret groups' used to sell guns, drugs") Chicago Police arrested 50 people for using "secret groups" on Facebook to sell guns and drugs, the police said on Thursday, and they criticized the world's biggest social media network as being unhelpful during the 10-month investigation. Police did not detail the charges filed against the 50 men and women arrested through Thursday, but said there were "dozens and dozens" of the secret groups. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, at a news conference to announce the arrests, criticized Facebook for not helping police.
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| Erdogan says US must immediately scrap Jerusalem decision Posted: 21 Dec 2017 11:53 AM PST  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday asked US President Donald Trump to reverse his decision recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital after a UN vote overwhelming rejected the move. Erdogan had earlier called on UN member states not to be swayed by Trump's threat to cut funding for countries that backed the motion at the UN General Assembly. "We welcome with great pleasure the UN General Assembly's overwhelming support... We expect the Trump administration to rescind without further delay its unfortunate decision, whose illegality has been clearly established," Erdogan said on Twitter.
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| US aims to keep steep duties on Bombardier jets after Boeing complaint Posted: 20 Dec 2017 04:51 PM PST  The U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday finalised steep anti-subsidy duties on Bombardier Inc's CSeries jets, setting up the next round of a fierce international trade dispute between the United States and Canada. The move announced by the department to impose duties of nearly 300 percent stems from a complaint by rival Boeing Co. The company claimed Bombardier had been unfairly and illegally subsidised by the Canadian government, allowing the planemaker to dump its newest jetliner in the U.S. market below cost. "Today's decision validates Boeing's complaints regarding Bombardier's pricing in the United States, pricing that has harmed our workforce and U.S. industry," Boeing said in a statement after the department decision. Delta Air Lines, the second largest U.S. carrier by passenger traffic, has an order for 75 of the 100-to-150 seat CSeries jets. The aircraft starts at $79.5 million, according to list prices, or some $5.9 billion for the total order, but carriers typically receive steep discounts. Bombardier C300 Series Poster Credit: Bombardier If imposed, the duties would more than triple the cost of a CSeries aircraft sold in the United States, based on Boeing's assertion that Delta received the planes for $20 million each, well below an estimated cost of $33 million and what Bombardier charges in Canada. The Commerce Department's penalty against Bombardier will only take effect if the lesser-known US International Trade Commission (ITC) rules in Boeing's favour, as it so far has, in its final decision expected in early 2018. In its two-part complaint, Boeing called for countervailing duties of 79.41 percent to offset what it described as harmful Canadian subsidies to Bombardier. It also identified a "dumping margin" of 80.5 percent, based on the unpublished prices at which it claims Bombardier sold the CSeries planes to Delta. The department decision follows Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross' pledge to aggressively police unfairly traded imports to help shrink U.S. trade deficits. The move comes as the United States, Canada and Mexico are involved in a three-way negotiation to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The rift between the two plane makers could, however, move to a larger stage as Canada weighs a complaint to the World Trade Organization or through NAFTA regarding the dispute. At a contentious Monday hearing of the ITC, Canada warned that a positive finding of material harm to Boeing by the group could represent a possible violation of international trade agreements and prompt a formal objection. Canada earlier this month scrapped plans to buy 18 Boeing Super Hornet fighter jets, underlining Ottawa's anger over the trade challenge. Boeing has said it considered all potential risks before deciding to launch its trade case. US-Canadian trade relations have also chilled recently over disputes over Canadian softwood lumber and U.S. milk protein products.
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| 18 Cakes Perfect For Your Kids Posted: 21 Dec 2017 04:14 PM PST |
| Why I Stayed At A Job Where I Was Sexually Harassed Posted: 20 Dec 2017 12:05 PM PST  With the #MeToo movement gaining in the world in which I am bringing up my teen and preteen daughters, they want answers I don't always have.
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| 40 Celebrities Sign Letter Urging Democrats To Uphold Promise To Protect Dreamers Posted: 20 Dec 2017 03:15 PM PST  A group of 40 celebrities is urging Democratic leaders to take advantage of an important opportunity to protect the thousands of undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children from deportation.
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| Saudis Say They Have Intercepted Another Rebel Missile Targeting 'Top Leadership' Posted: 19 Dec 2017 05:48 PM PST  The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Shiite rebels said it intercepted a missile fired over southern Riyadh on Tuesday, which the rebels said was targeting a "top leadership" meeting at the royal palace in the kingdom's capital.
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| 18 Realistic Ways To Become A Happier, More Chill Person In 2018 Posted: 20 Dec 2017 02:46 AM PST  Say goodbye to 2017 ― and some of the negative emotions that came with it ― by adopting a few of these expert- and research-backed habits in the new year. Research shows that negative news can poorly affect your mental health. Experts recommend this to their patients, and do it themselves to keep their own stress under control.
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| Tie-breaker name drawing, 1 more recount coming in Virginia Posted: 21 Dec 2017 06:42 AM PST  NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — As election officials set about to break a tie in one Virginia House race and recount the votes in another, it's far from clear yet whether Republicans or Democrats will have control of the chamber next year.
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| Mistrial declared for Nevada rancher who led revolt over U.S. land dispute Posted: 20 Dec 2017 02:44 PM PST ![Mistrial declared for Nevada rancher who led revolt over U.S. land dispute]( "Mistrial declared for Nevada rancher who led revolt over U.S. land dispute") By John L. Smith LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday declared a mistrial in the criminal case against Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and three others for their role in a 2014 armed standoff with U.S. government agents, and rebuked prosecutors for withholding evidence from the defense. Bundy, two of his sons and another man were charged with 15 counts of conspiracy, assault and other offenses stemming from the confrontation, which galvanized right-wing militia groups challenging federal authority over vast tracts of public lands in the American West. U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro told federal prosecutors they had willfully violated evidence rules in failing to turn over pertinent documents to the defense, adding that "the failure is prejudicial" to ensuring a fair trial.
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| Donald Trump threatens to cut 'billions of dollars' in aid to countries over UN Jerusalem vote Posted: 20 Dec 2017 10:53 AM PST  Donald Trump has threatened to withhold billions of dollars in aid from those nations which criticise his controversial decision to unilaterally recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In a raising of the stakes over the US's move to recognise Jerusalem and shift its embassy there - something long requested by Israel and their conservative supporters in the US - Mr Trump said he could penalise those countries that voted against the move at the UN. Previously, the US's UN Ambassador Niki Haley had warned the US would would be "taking names" of any countries who supported a resolution criticising Washington's actions.
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| Boeing, Embraer confirm merger talks ongoing; deal not guaranteed Posted: 21 Dec 2017 02:37 PM PST  US aerospace giant Boeing and Brazil's Embraer said Thursday they were in talks on a "potential combination" but cautioned there was no guarantee of a deal. The talks ignited shares of the Brazilian company, which makes commercial, military and executive jets, despite immediate signs of opposition to the transaction in Brazil. Any deal would need to be approved by the Brazilian government.
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| Sea turtle found trapped in cocaine bundles worth $53m Posted: 20 Dec 2017 03:37 AM PST  A sea turtle trapped among floating cocaine bales worth $53m (£40m) has been rescued by the US Coast Guard. The boat crew discovered the large loggerhead turtle entangled in blue rope connecting bales containing 800 kilos (1,800lb) of the Class A drug in the Pacific Ocean on November 19. The US Coast Guard helps rescue a sea turtle trapped among bundles of cocaine Credit: US Coast Guard/Facebook Coast Guard Ens. Mark Krebs and his team noticed the injured sea turtle after launching a small boat to investigate a debris field. "They saw significant chaffing from the lines on his neck and flippers," said the US Coast Guard. "They briefed the commanding officer and went to work, carefully cutting the lines wrapped around the sea turtle and then eventually freeing him. "The boat crew recovered over 75-feet of line to prevent further entanglement of sea life and returned to the law enforcement mission recovering over 1,800 pounds of cocaine valued at over $53 million dollars from international waters." The struggling marine reptile was rescued during a 68-day counter drug patrol by the US Armed Forces branch in the Eastern Pacific along the Central American coast. By the end of the operation, the crew had seized a total of 6,755 kilos (14,800lb) of cocaine, 14 pounds of marijuana and arrested 24 suspected smugglers. The large sea turtle was entangled in $53m worth of cocaine Credit: US Coast Guard/Facebook The seizure was part of Operation Martillo, an international operation involving 18 countries targeting criminal organisations moving illicit cargo. In November, hundreds of dead sea turtles were found by environmental officials floating off the coast of El Salvador. The BBC series Blue Planet II recently highlighted the devastating effect plastic and human rubbish is having on the ocean.
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| Student Finishes College Final Exam While In Labor Posted: 20 Dec 2017 09:07 AM PST  Nayzia' Thomas' Twitter was still blowing up with interview requests and well wishes on Wednesday, because this young woman knows how to multitask.
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| If You Want A Better Relationship In 2018, Do This Posted: 21 Dec 2017 01:19 PM PST  It's easy to get off track with your New Year's resolutions when you're the only one holding yourself accountable.
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| Candy Canes Are Everywhere During Christmas. Here’s Why Posted: 20 Dec 2017 11:06 AM PST  They weren't always the most popular Christmas candy
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| Woman gives birth to child conceived 24 years ago Posted: 20 Dec 2017 01:52 AM PST  A 26-year-old Tennessee woman gave birth to a child who was conceived and frozen as an embryo 24 years ago.
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| U.S. sanctions Chechen leader, four others under Magnitsky Act Posted: 20 Dec 2017 03:07 PM PST ![U.S. sanctions Chechen leader, four others under Magnitsky Act]( "U.S. sanctions Chechen leader, four others under Magnitsky Act") By Joel Schectman WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday imposed new sanctions on five Russians and Chechens, including the head of the Russian republic of Chechnya, for alleged human rights abuses. The new sanctions blacklisted Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Treasury Department said in a statement. U.S. authorities accused Kadyrov of overseeing "an administration involved in disappearances and extrajudicial killings".
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| Donald Trump becomes least popular first-year president in modern US history, polls find Posted: 20 Dec 2017 06:52 AM PST  Donald Trump has the lowest approval rating of any post-war US President at the end of their first calendar year in office, a string of polls shows. The Republican's favourability sank as low as 32 per cent in mid-to-late December, fully 10 points below Gerald Ford's rating at a similar date in 1974. CNN's polling had Mr Trump's overall approval rating at 35 per cent, as did Gallup's.
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| Turkey seeks arrest of US trial witness' family: report Posted: 20 Dec 2017 07:54 AM PST  Turkey on Wednesday ordered the arrest of the relatives of a witness in an explosive US trial of a Turkish banker accused of violating US sanctions against Iran, state media reported. Huseyin Korkmaz, a former police investigator now in the United States, last week described to a New York court how he had been investigating alleged corruption in 2013 and had gathered evidence before fleeing Turkey in 2016. Istanbul prosecutors are now seeking to detain Korkmaz's parents as well as his wife, older brother and two sisters after he apparently told the court "I have given documents to my mother to hide", state-run news agency Anadolu reported.
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| 27 Low-Carb Breakfasts You'll Actually Want To Eat Posted: 21 Dec 2017 05:14 PM PST |
| China outcry as Taiwan arrests pro-Beijing party members accused of spying Posted: 20 Dec 2017 04:45 AM PST  China has accused Taiwanese authorities of "persecution" after four members of a pro-Beijing political party were detained in connection with a spying case. Police in Taiwan arrested Wang Ping-chung, a prominent media personality, along with three colleagues from the pro-unification New Party on Tuesday. The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office released a statement saying that Mr Wang and other people of interest were being investigated on suspicion of violating the National Security Act. Taipei prosecutor Lin Chun-ting, who is leading the investigation, is also in charge of the probe into Zhou Hongxu, a Chinese student convicted in September for trying to obtain classified information and recruiting people to a spy network. According to the Taipei Times, Mr Wang was allegedly friends with Mr Zhou and played a key role in introducing him to Taiwanese government officials. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen speaks on the phone with Donald Trump Credit: Reuters Another detained member of the New Party, Lin Ming-cheng, told reporters after his release that he was questioned about the spying case and his relationship with Mr Zhou, but he denied the allegations. "It is absurd for them to make a link between Zhou and us all because they found a mention of us on Zhou's computer," Mr Lin said, according to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post. China's Taiwan Affairs Office praised the New Party for upholding the "one China" principle in a short statement released late on Tuesday. "Recently, the Taiwan authorities have shielded and connived with Taiwan independent splittists, and taken various moves to wantonly crack down on and persecute forces and people who uphold peaceful reunification," it said. "We strongly condemn this and are paying close attention to developments." The investigation is the second in recent months into a minority party supporting unification with the Chinese mainland, and comes amid heightened tensions between the government of self-ruled Taiwan and Beijing. Relations across the Taiwan Strait have deteriorated since the election of President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016, whose ruling DPP rejects Chinese claims of sovereignty over the island of 23 million. While parties which are strongly pro-Beijing have little traction with the electorate, the majority of whom identify as Taiwanese, there are growing fears among Taipei's elite that China is seeking to undermine their country's democracy from within. In September, government agencies launched a probe into the Chinese Unification Promotion Party (CUPP), run by Chang An-lo, a former triad leader known as White Wolf, over concerns that Beijing was funding its activities. Mr Chang has denied the accusations.
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| Thanks to Net Neutrality, Comcast Gives Employees $1,000 Bonuses Posted: 21 Dec 2017 08:35 AM PST ![Thanks to Net Neutrality, Comcast Gives Employees $1,000 Bonuses]( "Thanks to Net Neutrality, Comcast Gives Employees $1,000 Bonuses") Comcast is celebrating the death of net neutrality.
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| Man Arrested After 5-Year-Old Son Fatally Shoots Himself With Gun Left In Glove Box Posted: 20 Dec 2017 01:21 PM PST  A Florida man is facing negligence charges after his 5-year-old son fatally shot himself in the head with a gun he found in the glove box of the man's car.
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