| Top Democrat Schiff Adds Call for Probe of Trump, Deutsche Bank Links Posted: 16 Dec 2018 12:25 PM PST  Representative Adam Schiff of California said on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday that any type of compromise needs to be investigated. Schiff's comments came three days after Wall Street critic Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and fellow Senate Democrat Chris Van Hollen called for a Banking Committee investigation of Deutsche Bank's compliance with U.S. money-laundering regulations.
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| Family of dead migrant girl says she was healthy before being detained at US border Posted: 15 Dec 2018 04:42 PM PST  The family of a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl who died in US Border Patrol custody is disputing an account from American officials who said she had not been given food or water for days. In a statement released by lawyers, the parents of Jakelin Caal said the girl had been given food and water and appeared to be in good health as she travelled through Mexico with her father, 29-year-old Nery Gilberto Caal Cuz. Border Patrol officials did not immediately respond to the family's comments. The family's statement was released on Saturday during a news conference in El Paso, Texas, at an immigrant shelter where Jakelin's father is staying. Her family did not attend and has asked for privacy. Jakelin and her father were seeking asylum in the US and were among a large group of migrants arrested on December 6 near a remote border crossing in New Mexico. Hours later they were placed on a bus to the nearest Border Patrol station, but Jakelin began vomiting and eventually stopped breathing. She later died at a Texas hospital. Border Patrol officials on Friday said agents did everything they could to save the girl but that she had not had food or water for days. They added that an initial screening showed no evidence of health problems, and that her father had signed a form indicating she was in good health. Claudia Maquin, 27, shows a photo of her daughter, Jakelin, at her home in Raxruha, Guatemala Credit: Oliver de Ros/AP But the family took issue with that form, which was in English, a language her father doesn't speak or read. He communicated with border agents in Spanish but he primarily speaks the Mayan Q'eqchi' language. "It is unacceptable for any government agency to have persons in custody sign documents in a language that they clearly do not understand," the statement said. Jakelin's family is urging authorities to conduct an "objective and thorough" investigation into the death and to determine whether officials met standards for the arrest and custody of children. A cause of death has not yet been released. A private prayer service was held in Texas on Friday so her father could see Jakelin's body before it is taken to Guatemala, said Ruben Garcia, director of the Annunciation House shelter where her father is staying. "All of us were moved by the depth of his faith and his trust that God's hand is in all of this," Garcia said. Family members in Guatemala said Caal decided to migrate with his favorite child to earn money he could send back home. Jakelin's mother and three siblings remained in San Antonio Secortez, a village of about 420 inhabitants.
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| President Trump's cabinet shake-up continues: Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke out amid ethics cloud Posted: 15 Dec 2018 11:43 AM PST ![President Trump's cabinet shake-up continues: Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke out amid ethics cloud]( "President Trump's cabinet shake-up continues: Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke out amid ethics cloud") Zinke, a former Montana congressman, faces numerous investigations looking into whether he used his office for personal gain.
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| Trucker saves dogs thrown from vehicle on New York highway Posted: 15 Dec 2018 12:47 PM PST  NEW YORK (AP) — A pair of beagle mixes are on the mend after authorities say someone threw them out of a moving vehicle on a snowy New York highway. The dogs were rescued by a passing trucker, but one was so badly mangled that a front leg had to be amputated.
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| Harvey Weinstein bragged about sleeping with Jennifer Lawrence after another actress rejected his advances, lawsuit claims Posted: 15 Dec 2018 01:36 AM PST  Film producer Harvey Weinstein is alleged to have bragged about sleeping with Jennifer Lawrence when another actor rejected his advances. According to the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, Weinstein pushed the unnamed actress to the ground during a meeting at his office in 2013 before sexually assaulting her. Lawrence issued a statement on Friday denying she had had a sexual relationship with Weinstein.
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| Any decision on Brexit deal will happen in New Year - British trade minister Posted: 16 Dec 2018 08:20 AM PST ![Any decision on Brexit deal will happen in New Year - British trade minister]( "Any decision on Brexit deal will happen in New Year - British trade minister") British trade minister Liam Fox said on Sunday talks with the European Union to secure "assurances" for parliament on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal will take time, with a decision expected in the New Year. "The prime minister is giving an update tomorrow, she will be talking to the cabinet on Tuesday, it is very clear that the EU understand what the problem is.
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| Iraq lays cornerstone to rebuild iconic Mosul mosque Posted: 16 Dec 2018 06:09 AM PST  Iraqis on Sunday laid the cornerstone in rebuilding Mosul's Al-Nuri mosque and leaning minaret, national emblems destroyed last year in the ferocious battle against the Islamic State group. The famed 12th century mosque and minaret, dubbed Al-Hadba or "the hunchback," hosted Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's only public appearance as IS chief, when he declared a self-styled "caliphate" after the jihadists swept into Mosul in 2014. The structures were ravaged three years later in the final, most brutal stages of the months-long fight to rid Iraq's second city of IS.
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| Fierce clashes in Hodeidah lead to delay of ceasefire Posted: 16 Dec 2018 09:19 AM PST  Fierce clashes broke out in Yemen's crucial port city of Hodeidah on Sunday, leading UN and Yemeni officials to delay the "official" start of the hard-fought ceasefire agreed last week. Residents reported skirmishes on the outskirts of town with missiles and automatic gunfire heard near the city's eastern 7th July suburb. Unconfirmed television reports said that the Saudi-led coalition had launched two airstrikes on Ras Isa, a port north of Hodeidah. On Thursday, the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels agreed to a UN-brokered truce in Hodeidah with the Saudi-led coalition that backs the official government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. UN officials said it was necessary to delay the implementation of the ceasefire until December 18th to convey orders to troops on the ground. On Sunday afternoon, UN Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths issued a plea to both to "respect their obligations as per the text and the spirit of the Stockholm Agreement" and "engage in the immediate representation of its provisions." "Without peace, we will be facing in 2019 a much worse situation than today" as a result of food shortages, warned UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday. Hodeidah is almost completely controlled by the Houthis, and their withdrawal from key positions like the port is one of the central components of the UN-brokered deal reached last week in Sweden. By moving units away from the Red Sea port, international officials hope to get desperately needed food and aid into the country to ease Yemen's festering humanitarian crisis. Under the deal, which could create the breathing space for meaningful peace talks, international monitors are to be deployed in Hodeidah to observe as all armed forces pull back completely within 21 days of the start of the ceasefire. Skirmishes and clashes like those seen in Hodeidah over the past two days are not in themselves a sign that the ceasefire is doomed, said independent Yemen analyst Hisham Al-Omeisy. "Even in previous ceasefires, there was a huge de-escalation infighting, but still sporadic fighting here and there, like we've seen over the past few days," he told the Telegraph. He cited recent conversations with Houthi contacts where the atmosphere in Hodeidah was cited as "toxic" and characterised by a deep mistrust of the Saudi-led coalition. A rise in looting by Houthi forces, he said, showed "bad faith" ahead of the agreed withdrawal.
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| Climate talks end with a deal to keep countries committed to the Paris Agreement Posted: 15 Dec 2018 03:10 PM PST  There's now a set of standards for all Paris Agreement-aligned countries to stick to as they work to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change. The deal between the agreement's nearly 200 participating countries came after an all-night negotiating session at the COP24 conference in Katowice, Poland. It establishes a "rulebook" aimed at guiding countries toward planning and implementing climate-focused policies and measuring the effects of emissions. SEE ALSO: Climate change made these 17 extreme weather events radically worse "In Katowice, countries made important progress toward realizing the promise of the Paris Agreement — in particular by adopting strong rules requiring countries to transparently report their greenhouse gas emissions and progress toward meeting their national commitments," read a statement from Nathaniel Keohane, vice president of the Environmental Defense Fund. "Those rules, known as the 'transparency framework,' are vital to the success of the Paris Agreement. To avoid dangerous warming, countries need to ratchet up their ambition dramatically, which will only happen if countries have clarity about what others are committing to, and confidence that they are meeting those commitments." The agreement also creates safeguards to ensure that more prosperous nations will be on the hook to lay out exactly how they'll help poorer nations keep up. These include contributions to cash pools meant to help nations struggling to hit their goals, such as the Green Climate Fund and the Least Developed Countries Fund. But there are also still concerns some countries won't hold up their end of the bargain, or that it won't be enough even if they do. "It's clear much greater financial assistance is needed to ensure developing countries can climate solutions and adapt to the increasingly extreme impacts from a warming world," read a statement from Helen Mountford, of the World Resources Institute. "Next year is a key moment for countries to come forward with ambitious pledges for the Green Climate Fund's first replenishment." There are also those who take a dim view on the talks as a whole, since they gave pro-fossil fuel countries — including the United States — a prominent seat at the table. Particularly in the wake of the recent United Nations report which laid out the dramatic changes that would be necessary to slow global temperature increases over the new 20 to 30 years. "The end result is underwhelming, signalling that not even the last IPCC report" — the aforementioned UN report — "was enough of a wake up call for some of the biggest polluters on the planet," a statement from 350.org's May Boeve read. "Even more troubling, the United States, Russia and Saudi Arabia have gone out of their way to block the official endorsement of the IPCC report, making it clear the low regard in which they hold both science and multilateralism." All participating countries are generally expected to work on upping their efforts to cut emissions ahead of 2020's next round of talks. Although Donald Trump signaled his intent back in 2017 for the USA to bow out of Paris Agreement commitments, a formal withdrawal isn't possible until 2020. WATCH: This algae 'curtain' could make city buildings into urban trees — Sharp Science
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| Student loans totaling $150M to be forgiven by US Department of Education Posted: 14 Dec 2018 08:25 PM PST  The U.S. Department of Education plans to cancel about $150 million in student loan debt, which means about 15,000 borrowers will be forgiven.
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| As sentencing looms, Flynn is upbeat, has adoring fans Posted: 14 Dec 2018 09:31 PM PST  PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Days away from being sentenced in the Russia probe, former national security adviser Michael Flynn is not exactly hiding his face in shame.
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| Every Photo from Our Drive of the Audi e-tron GT Concept Posted: 16 Dec 2018 02:50 PM PST |
| Warren seeks to solidify backing of African Americans Posted: 14 Dec 2018 09:44 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Elizabeth Warren is seeking to solidify her connection with African-American voters as she prepares to launch a potential presidential campaign amid criticism of her approach to race and identity.
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| French 'yellow vests' protest in their thousands for fifth Saturday Posted: 15 Dec 2018 11:00 AM PST  In Paris, police were out in force to contain outbursts of violence. Police fired water cannon and teargas in the afternoon to disperse groups of protesters in sporadic, brief clashes with riot police on the Champs-Elysees and adjacent streets. Topless feminist activists braved the cold to face off with security forces, a few meters away from the Elysee Palace, the president's residence.
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| This high school taught 'adulting' for a day: How to cook, do resumes, taxes and more Posted: 15 Dec 2018 10:58 AM PST  Some millennials are seeking out classes for skills like sewing, cooking and relationship building. One school offered those classes on "adulting" day
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| Snow, rain and wind in late-week storm to impact holiday travel Posted: 16 Dec 2018 08:32 AM PST  As students embark on winter break, last-minute shoppers head to the stores and holiday travel ramps up across the country later this week, a major storm could lead to widespread travel headaches in the eastern U.S.
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| Introducing the Army's New Lethal Sniper Rifle Posted: 16 Dec 2018 01:00 AM PST  Here's all we know.
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| Family complains that Catholic priest used teen's funeral to condemn suicide Posted: 15 Dec 2018 06:26 PM PST  The parents of a teenage boy who took his own life have condemned a Catholic priest who questioned whether their son would get to heaven while presiding over his funeral. The Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit expressed regret for the comments and said the Rev Don LaCuesta would not preach at funerals "for the foreseeable future". But the parents of Maison Hullibarger said they wanted the priest removed from his post for the heartbreak caused. "We wanted him to celebrate how Maison lived, not how he died," his mother, Linda Hullibarger, told The Detroit Free Press. Jeff Hullibarger added: "It was his time to tell everybody what he thought of suicide, (and) we couldn't believe what he was saying. "He was up there condemning our son, pretty much calling him a sinner. He wondered if he had repented enough to make it to heaven. He said 'suicide' upwards of six times. They said they met the priest ahead of the service at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Temperance, Michigan, on December 8, setting out what they hoped to hear in a loving homily. However, the Catholic Church has traditionally taught that suicide was an unforgiveable sin. It has only been in recent years that the stance has softened to forgive suicide in situations of extreme stress. The Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit apologised and said Mr LaCuesta would be removed from funeral duties and given extra assistance. "We share the family's grief at such a profound loss. Our hope is always to bring comfort into situations of great pain, through funeral services centered on the love and healing power of Christ," it said in a statement. "Unfortunately, that did not happen in this case. We understand that an unbearable situation was made even more difficult, and we are sorry."
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| Australia recognises west Jerusalem as capital of Israel Posted: 15 Dec 2018 01:01 AM PST  Australia now recognises west Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Saturday, but a contentious embassy shift from Tel Aviv will not occur until a peace settlement is achieved. Canberra became one of just a few governments around the world to follow US President Donald Trump's lead and recognise the contested city as Israel's capital, but Morrison also committed to recognising a future state of Palestine with east Jerusalem as its capital. "Australia now recognises west Jerusalem -- being the seat of the Knesset and many of the institutions of government -- is the capital of Israel," Morrison said in a speech in Sydney.
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| Baylor ties pervade rape case that sparked uproar Posted: 15 Dec 2018 02:32 PM PST  DALLAS (AP) — The Texas judge who approved a plea deal allowing a former Baylor University student accused of rape to avoid jail time holds three degrees from Baylor. The criminal district attorney overseeing the case holds two. The prosecutor who agreed to the plea agreement graduated from Baylor law school.
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| South Africa's ANC Postpones Party Election List Conference Posted: 16 Dec 2018 02:44 AM PST  The conference would be rescheduled to Jan. 4-5 from this weekend to accommodate the North West province, which hadn't submitted its nominations, ANC acting spokesman Dakota Legeote said by phone. The conference had been delayed because of deep divisions within the party and allegations by some members of manipulation of the lists, City Press reported on Sunday. South Africa is due to hold national and provincial elections in 2019, likely in May. The country has a proportional representation system in which lawmakers are chosen according to where they sit on nomination lists.
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| China's Xi declares an 'overwhelming victory' over graft: state media Posted: 14 Dec 2018 11:11 PM PST  Chinese President Xi Jinping has declared an "overwhelming victory" in his fight against graft within the ruling Chinese Communist Party, while still vowing that the campaign to weed out deep-seated corruption will continue, state media reported. Xi has pledged to wage war on graft until corruption of all kinds has been expunged at all levels of the Communist Party, from high-level "tigers" to low-level "flies".
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| The best weekend holiday deals on Amazon Posted: 16 Dec 2018 06:51 AM PST ![The best weekend holiday deals on Amazon]( "The best weekend holiday deals on Amazon") These deals make great last minute gifts.
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| Senate Republican: Obamacare ruling 'far too sweeping' in overturning entire law Posted: 16 Dec 2018 05:07 AM PST  Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is interviewed on "This Week" about the potential government shutdown next week and the ruling from a federal judge in Texas declaring Obamacare unconstitutional.
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| Snow showers, squalls to accompany fresh wave of cold air in northeastern US Monday Posted: 16 Dec 2018 02:09 AM PST  Cold air diving into the northeastern United States to start the new week will be accompanied by gusty winds, snow and the threat for slippery travel.
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| Somalia uproar continues after former al-Shabab No. 2 seized Posted: 15 Dec 2018 01:41 AM PST  NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Somalia saw a third day of protests on Saturday over the arrest of the former No. 2 leader of the al-Shabab extremist group, who has been a leading candidate for a regional presidency. Officials said at least eight people have been killed so far as angry supporters take to the streets and clash with police.
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| Inside Polo Storico - where classic Lamborghinis are reborn Posted: 15 Dec 2018 05:02 AM PST  Polo Storico is Lamborghini's in-house restoration program that can facilitate everything – from vehicle history to complete rebuilds using original parts. We went for a closer look
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| Russia retains heightened military border presence: Ukraine leader Posted: 16 Dec 2018 11:24 AM PST  Russia retains a heightened military presence on Ukraine's border, having pulled back "less than 10 percent" of its forces since tensions between the countries peaked in November, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Sunday. "The biggest part (of troops) is still there, less than 10 percent have been withdrawn," Poroshenko told a press conference.
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| For sale: Restored home of Salem witch trials refugee Posted: 16 Dec 2018 08:26 AM PST  BOSTON (AP) — A once-run-down historic home that stands where a woman accused of witchcraft during the 1692 Salem witch trials settled after she was spared the noose is on the market after an extensive renovation project.
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| Our Plastic Addiction Has Reached A New Crisis Level Posted: 15 Dec 2018 02:45 AM PST  This is not a good look. Humans are using more oil-based plastic than ever,
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| Malaysia's Mahathir says no rights to recognize Jerusalem as Israeli capital Posted: 16 Dec 2018 02:22 AM PST ![Malaysia's Mahathir says no rights to recognize Jerusalem as Israeli capital]( "Malaysia's Mahathir says no rights to recognize Jerusalem as Israeli capital") Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Sunday criticized Australia's move to recognise West Jerusalem as Israel's capital, saying countries had "no rights" to do so. Australia's move follows U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv in May, which infuriated Palestinians and the wider Islamic world and upset Western allies. "Jerusalem should remain as it is now and not the capital of Israel," Mahathir told Reuters on the sidelines of an event in Bangkok.
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| Cash deposited in Robinhood's 3% checking and savings isn't insured, SIPC says Posted: 16 Dec 2018 01:05 PM PST  Cash in Robinhood's new checking and savings products that were rolled out this week is not insured by the Securities Investor Protection Corp.
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| Weekly Standard shuts down Posted: 15 Dec 2018 09:02 PM PST  Conservative magazine often opposed Trump.
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| Prada apologizes for 'Pradamalia' toys that evoke racist blackface imagery Posted: 15 Dec 2018 02:49 PM PST ![Prada apologizes for 'Pradamalia' toys that evoke racist blackface imagery]( "Prada apologizes for 'Pradamalia' toys that evoke racist blackface imagery") On the heels of Dolce & Gabbana's disastrous Chinese ad campaign, Prada found itself embroiled in its own controversy over monkey toys and keychains accused of evoking racist imagery. The company later apologized on Twitter, promising to recall the offensive figurines from its new "Pradamalia" line of collectibles. "The Pradamalia are fantasy charms composed of elements of the Prada oeuvre.
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| Inside the threatened Kurdish proto-state that holds the keys to defeating Isil Posted: 15 Dec 2018 08:11 AM PST  On one end of Qamishli's main street flies the two-starred Syrian national flag. On the other, that of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party. "One flag represents our past oppression, the other our freedom," says Mahmoud, who owns a clothing shop which sits between the two. Before the civil war, it would have been unthinkable for the Kurdish minority to openly pledge allegiance to anything other than the President Bashar al-Assad's Syrian Arab Republic. But seven years into Syria's interminable conflict the Kurds appear to have carved out something of a proto-state in this corner of northeastern Syria, thanks in part to their efforts to flush out Isil. While they have been crushing the Caliphate to a tiny sliver of territory - taking the last town held by the Islamist on Friday morning - their separatist ambitions have largely been overlooked. Until now. Kurdish-held northern Syria The city of Qamishli has become the centre of the Kurds' ambitious self-administration project. While a few government buildings and statues of President Assad remain, Qamishli and the surrounding areas are now firmly under the control of the Democratic Union Party (PYD). Mahmoud is a proud supporter of the PYD, but still he declines to give his full name to the Telegraph for fear of reprisal should the regime one day return. Assad has repeatedly promised to retake every inch of Syria, including the third currently in Kurdish hands. The prospect looked more likely than at any other time in the war this week after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered Turkish troops and Ankara-backed Syrian rebels to ready for an assault on Syria's Kurds. Turkey views the PYD's military arm, the Popular Protection Units (YPG), as a terrorist organisation because of its links to an insurgent group inside Turkey, and has watched with growing concern at Kurdish expansionism on the other side of its border. In recent years, Turkish forces have already swept into Syria pushing the YPG out of territory west of the Euphrates river. But past offensives have stopped at its banks, partly to avoid direct confrontation with US troops that back the Kurds. "Turkey has lost enough time in terms of intervening to clean the terror swamp east of the Euphrates. We don't have the patience to wait one more day," Mr Erdogan warned on Friday. Men queue up to buy bread outside a bakery on the outskirts of Qamishli Credit: Sam Tarling The Kurds, who have so far relied on the US for support in their battles against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), have threatened to abandon the fight if they are left to fend for themselves in the face of a Turkish onslaught. But Washington has sent mixed signals on whether it would be behind them in any fight against Nato ally Turkey. "We don't rely on any government, we just have strategic alliances," Salih Muslim, a prominent political player in Rojava who until recently co-chaired the PYD, told the Sunday Telegraph. "The Kurds have expected a move from Turkey for a while now and will not easily back down." Whatever they might say, it is clear is that the Kurds cannot stave off Turkish aggression alone. In the absence of a reliable ally in the US, they may soon be forced to decide whether to risk their chances, or eek out an unfavourable deal with Assad to secure long-term survival. "We have to take Assad at his word," Khalaf Dahowd, head of the foreign committee of the Democratic Change Movement, told the Sunday Telegraph from his office in Qamishli, refering to the president's pledge to take back all Syria's territory. "If he gets the chance to take Rojava he will," said Mr Dahowd, using the Kurdish name for the area of self-rule which covers some 15,000 square miles. A convoy of American Special Forces and Syrian Democratic Forces fighters makes a stop during a patrol near the Turkish border in northern Syria Credit: Sam Tarling "Even when he was at his weakest point, before Russia intervened and it looked like he was going to lose everything, Assad refused to work with the Kurds," he said. "Now he is winning, and as the saying goes - the winner takes all." Kurdish officials who were part of the first delegation to Damascus over the summer say the Syrian government was not prepared to make a single concession. Despite this, the Kurds - who are just about the only side in the multi-faceted war not to have had a full-scale military conflict with the regime - still hold out hope for a political solution. The Kurds, who number more than two million in Syria, have made great sacrifices for their "democratic experiment", as they call their pseudo-state in the north. Islamic State losing its grip on Syria The YPG has suffered considerable losses in the battles against Isil in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor in the east. Officials estimate up to 8,000 fighters have been killed and 5,000 injured. Fierce battles are still ongoing for the last sliver of jihadist territory in Deir Ezzor. At least 5,000 IS fighters remain holed up in the pocket of territory, including some 2,000 foreign fighters, mostly Arabs and Europeans along with their families. The YPG has also made significant gains, including control of the country's borders with Turkey and Iraq, its most lucrative oil fields and the freedom to once again speak their native language after decades of repression. "There are basic things we cannot give up; we need our democratic rights and our culture and language to be protected," said Fawza al-Youssef, the co-chair of the executive body of the North Syria Federation. "But there are other things that are negotiable." Mahmoud Mohammad Serhan, 59, a a retired trader who now keeps a farm, gets a cutthroat shave at a barber shop in Qamishli Credit: Sam Tarling Relinquishing control of the borders and folding the YPG, into the national army, would be among the demands she says the self-administration would consider in return for a decentralisation of government. It would also be willing to do a deal on the oil fields in eastern Deir Ezzor province, which account for more than 80 per cent of the country's pre-war production and currently lie within their control. "We aren't saying all of this is rightfully ours, but the people here should benefit," Ms Youssef said. The next few days will prove pivotal for the Kurds as they face the greatest existential threat to their autonomy project since the war began. "We can't go back to where were were before 2011, when we had nothing," said Ms Youssef. "We have not fought this hard for it all to be destroyed."
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| Man who demolished landmark house ordered to build replica Posted: 15 Dec 2018 05:09 PM PST ![Man who demolished landmark house ordered to build replica]( "Man who demolished landmark house ordered to build replica") SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A man who illegally demolished a San Francisco house designed by modernist architect Richard Neutra was ordered this week to rebuild it exactly as it was.
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| Ottawa's envoy in China meets with second detained Canadian: ministry Posted: 16 Dec 2018 12:55 PM PST  Ottawa's ambassador to Beijing has met with the second Canadian detained in China on suspicion of threatening national security, Canada's foreign ministry said Sunday. The ministry said Ambassador John McCallum had met with Michael Spavor, a business consultant, two days after meeting with another detained Canadian, Michael Kovrig, a think tank employee. "Canadian consular officials continue to provide consular services to him and his family and will continue to seek further access to Mr Spavor," the ministry said.
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| Rajapaksa set to quit as Sri Lanka's premier to end crisis Posted: 14 Dec 2018 07:29 PM PST  COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — A Sri Lankan lawmaker said that disputed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will resign Saturday to end the country's political crisis.
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| Rocco The Cheeky Parrot Keeps Using Amazon's Alexa To Order Snacks Posted: 15 Dec 2018 05:31 PM PST  A mischievous parrot who was booted from an animal sanctuary for his foul
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| Iran Guards general dies of self-inflicted accidental gunshot: report Posted: 16 Dec 2018 11:07 AM PST ![Iran Guards general dies of self-inflicted accidental gunshot: report]( "Iran Guards general dies of self-inflicted accidental gunshot: report") DUBAI (Reuters) - A Revolutionary Guards general, who headed a military base in a sensitive security area in northeastern Iran, died on Sunday after he accidentally shot himself in the head while cleaning his gun, the official news agency IRNA reported. The report identified the commander as General Qodratollah Mansouri, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. Eastern Iran, which borders Afghanistan -- the world's top opium producer -- and Pakistan, has long been plagued by clashes with drug smuggling gangs. ...
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| Displaced huddle in a basement as winter grips Syria Posted: 15 Dec 2018 08:02 PM PST  Al-Bab (Syria) (AFP) - After washing up her family's dishes over a plastic basin, 11-year-old Cedra sits on the floor of the dank basement in Syria to tackle her day's studies. A dark staircase leads from a street in the town of Al-Bab to the gloomy space the young girl, her blind father and some 40 other families have the misfortune of calling home. "There's a single room which we use as a kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom," said Cedra.
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| This $815k Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing doesn't even run Posted: 16 Dec 2018 02:35 PM PST  This 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing hasn't turned a wheel since 1984 and requires a total rebuild. Dry stored for 34 years, would you pay $800k for it?
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| Brexit, Huawei Arrests, Trump’s Legal Troubles: Weekend Reads Posted: 15 Dec 2018 05:00 AM PST ![Brexit, Huawei Arrests, Trump's Legal Troubles: Weekend Reads]( "Brexit, Huawei Arrests, Trump's Legal Troubles: Weekend Reads") (Bloomberg) -- Want to receive this post in your inbox every day? Sign up for the Balance of Power newsletter, and follow Bloomberg Politics on Twitter and Facebook for more.
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| At least 20 Afghan civilians killed in airstrike: officials Posted: 15 Dec 2018 08:51 AM PST ![At least 20 Afghan civilians killed in airstrike: officials]( "At least 20 Afghan civilians killed in airstrike: officials") The strike, against local Taliban commander Sharif Mawiya, was the latest in a series targeting senior insurgents, including the shadow governor of the strategic southern province of Helmand, who was killed on Dec. 2. Several Taliban military commanders have been killed this month by Afghan forces, backed by U.S. advisers and air power. The tactic has raised the risk of civilian casualties and Abdul Latif Fazly, a member of the provincial council, said eight women and 12 children were killed and more than 15 others wounded in Friday's airstrike.
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| Russia: Now Number 2 in Military Sales (Any Guess Who Is Number 1?) Posted: 16 Dec 2018 03:00 AM PST  From Moscow, with bullets?
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| CBS paid 'Bull' actress Eliza Dushku $9.5 mn to settle harassment claims Posted: 14 Dec 2018 06:55 PM PST  US television network CBS paid $9.5 million Eliza Dushku, an actress on primetime drama "Bull," and wrote her off the show after she claimed the lead actor had harassed her. Michael Weatherly made several lewd comments or jokes in front of the production team referring to Dushku's physique, with sexual connotations, according to The New York Times, which first reported the development. Dushku shared her discomfort at the remarks with the production team before speaking with Weatherly, and the situation did not improve.
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| O'Rourke, other Dems don't want tent city's contract renewed Posted: 15 Dec 2018 03:50 PM PST  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Rep. Beto O'Rourke and four other Democratic members of Congress toured a remote tent city in West Texas on Saturday where they said that 2,700 immigrant teens are being held at a cost of roughly $1 million per day.
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