| Lindsey Graham to CNN host on Iraq withdrawal issue: 'That's a bunch of bulls***' Posted: 30 Dec 2018 08:23 AM PST  Sen. Lindsey Graham said that former President Barack Obama is to blame for "everything we're dealing with today" because of his decision to withdraw from Iraq in 2011.
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| Two killed in bombing in troubled south Philippines Posted: 31 Dec 2018 05:57 AM PST  Two people were killed and around 35 others wounded Monday after a bomb went off outside a shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Cotabato, police said. The explosion prompted officers to search the mall, leading to the discovery of another suspected bomb which they destroyed, said local police spokesman Chief Inspector Rowell Zafra.
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| Judge grants stay after ruling Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, Obamacare stays in effect Posted: 31 Dec 2018 05:44 AM PST  Judge Reed O'Connor agreed to stay his decision because "many everyday Americans would otherwise face great uncertainty" while appeals played out.
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| Lion kills worker after escaping from enclosure at wildlife centre in US Posted: 30 Dec 2018 08:37 PM PST  A lion killed a young worker at a wildlife conservatory in North Carolina on Sunday after it got loose from a locked space. Alexandra Black, 22, of New Palestine, Indiana, was killed after being attacked by the animal in an enclosure that was being cleaned at the Conservators Centre, news outlets reported, citing a statement from the Caswell County Sheriff's Office. The lion was shot and killed after attempts to tranquilise the animal failed, deputies said. A "husbandry team" led by a professionally trained animal keeper was carrying out the routine cleaning when the lion somehow got loose, the centre said in a statement. It wasn't clear how the lion escaped the area that was supposed to be locked, said the centre, which is closed until further notice. "This is the worst day of my life. We've lost a person. We've lost an animal. We have lost the faith in ourselves a little today," said Mindy Stinner, the executive director of the Conservators Center, according to WTVD-TV. Black had graduated from Indiana University in May with a degree in animal behaviour, according to her LinkedIn page. She had been working at the conservatory for about two weeks, her family said. "She was a beautiful young woman who had just started her career, there was a terrible accident, and we are mourning," Black's family said in a statement, according to news outlets. "But, she died following her passion." The centre said the lion was fatally shot to allow county personnel to retrieve Black. The facility was founded in 1999 and is in Burlington, about 50 miles northwest of Raleigh. On its website, the centre said it began giving public tours in 2007 and gets more than 16,000 visitors annually. It has more than a dozen employees and currently houses more than 80 animals and more than 21 species. The centre says it took in 14 lions and tigers in 2004 to assist the US Department of Agriculture with caring for animals that were living in "unacceptable conditions."
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| Emerging Markets at Mercy of Trade and Fed After Painful 2018 Posted: 30 Dec 2018 08:28 PM PST  The tweet in question this week is President Donald Trump's declaration that "big progress" is being made toward a deal between the U.S. and China, and it may spur gains across emerging markets. "Emerging markets have been particularly hard hit so I expect to see a relief bounce in January," said Tarek Fadlallah, the Dubai-based chief executive officer at Nomura Asset Management Middle East.
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| Sydney kicks off global 2019 parties with dazzling spectacle Posted: 31 Dec 2018 06:34 AM PST  Australia's largest city Sydney put on its biggest-ever fireworks display in a spectacular welcome to the New Year, kicking off a wave of celebrations for billions around the world. A record amount of pyrotechnics as well as new fireworks effects and colours lit up the city's skyline for 12 minutes and dazzled the more than 1.5 million spectators who packed the harbour front and parks. The party atmosphere will sweep across major cities in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas as the clock ticks past midnight.
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| Vatican spokesman, deputy resign amid crisis period for pope Posted: 31 Dec 2018 12:51 PM PST  VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican spokesman, Greg Burke, and his deputy resigned abruptly Monday amid an overhaul of the Vatican's communications operations and a crisis period in Pope Francis' papacy.
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| South Korea's Kim Jong-un fan clubs prepare welcome as North Korean leader vows visit to Seoul Posted: 30 Dec 2018 05:58 AM PST  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has written a rare letter to Seoul vowing to "frequently" meet Moon Jae-in, South Korea's president, to discuss nuclear disarmament. In the missive, described by South Korean officials as warm in tone, Kim pledged to pursue peace between the two countries and expressed regret that he had been so far unable to visit South Korea after Mr Moon invited him to do so in September. But he expressed a strong will to visit the South Korean capital in the future and Mr Moon welcomed his overtures via his social media account. "If we meet together with sincerity, there is nothing we cannot achieve," Mr Moon said. The North Korean leader, long denounced as a dictator in the South, can expect a warm welcome from at least a section of the South Korean population if he arrives. In recent months fan clubs have sprung up to prepare a welcoming party for his visit. Earlier this month, dozens of South Korean university students in black winter coats sat down on a frozen pathway in Seoul's Maronie Park to discuss their unlikely new hero. Clutching bunches of pastel pink rosebays, symbolising the sea of flowers that greeted Moon Jae-in, the South Korean president, on his trip to Pyongyang in September, they broke into song. "Let's make reunification happen a minute sooner," the students chanted, in a refrain referring to their political goal to see the Korean peninsula unified. The meeting, attended by The Telegraph, was a stark reflection of the perceptional shift taking place in the South. "Until now, we did not know Kim's true self. We only saw the media portrayal of him as an evil man!" one speaker said. Such scenes would have been unthinkable in the South Korean capital one year ago. Not only because Pyongyang was still threatening Seoul and Washington with the prospect of war but because the South's National Security Act was prepped to jail anyone "praising, inciting or propagating the activities of an anti-government organisation." South Korean President Moon Jae-in was given a warm welcome in Pyongyang in September Credit: Pool/AP The enforcement of the 1948 law has been relaxed during President Moon's 18-month-old administration as he pursues a diplomatic détente with Pyongyang to halt its nuclear weapons and missiles programme and bring peace to the peninsula. The more tolerant political atmosphere has allowed at least a dozen civic groups – collectively known as the 'Paektu Praise Committee'- to spring up as an unofficial welcoming squad for Kim's planned visit to Seoul. Although the confirmation and timing of his unprecedented trip has not yet been nailed down, the groups are already preparing. Some are learning the dance moves of a North Korean art troupe, while others are visiting schools to collect welcome messages. At the Maronie Park event in mid-December, enthralled students watched a short drama about a local family excited about Kim coming to Seoul. "I like our Chairman Kim more than BTS!" yelled the family's father, referring to a K-pop band that has stormed the global charts this year. To one side, a pop-up photo gallery displayed highlights of 2018's Korean diplomatic calendar – Kim and President Moon's first meeting on the border in April, holding their hands in the air, smiling with their wives on a group trip to the North's Mount Paektu. A student welcome committee organised a pop-up gallery in Seoul of President Moon's meetings with Kim Credit: Junho Lee "I believe the events we hold influence people's reactions to Kim's visit. Many people who didn't really know about Kim's visit see our event and learn more," said participant Ha In-cheol, 23. "We do receive many positive reviews. People write postcards saying 'Welcome to the South', 'We hope you visit us soon'. We also sell stickers and badges welcoming Kim and many people buy them," he said. In a Telegraph interview, Kim Han-sung, 28, who heads up the 'Korea Progressive University Student's Union', a branch of the praise committee, said the welcoming parties had been inspired in part by President Moon's warm reception in Pyongyang. "The people there welcomed him with the Unified Korea flag and flowers. We plan on doing the same thing when Kim comes here. We are also planning for a candlelight cultural festival, campaigns, and street performances to welcome him," he said. The groups are practicing songs popular with the North's Samjiyon orchestra, a traditional music ensemble that performed at the South Korea Winter Olympics earlier this year. The orchestra's greatest hits include "Let us run towards the future" and "We welcome you". Left wing groups in Seoul are taking a positive view of Kim Jong-un Credit: Junho Lee "All these songs are very meaningful in the relationship of the two Koreas," said Mr Kim. But he admitted that, despite a generally positive public reaction to their street activities, pro-Pyongyang activists were coming under fire online. "We receive lot of attacks on the internet," he said. The rise of left-wing groups promoting positive engagement with Kim Jong-un has also sparked a backlash from conservatives which analysts say could erode public support for Mr Moon. The president's ratings are already on a downward spiral due to the country's economic woes. Meanwhile, defectors who have taken shelter in the South after fleeing hardships and persecution in the pariah regime have also been left aghast at Kim's sudden surge in popularity after long being portrayed as a ruthless dictator. At the Teach North Korean Refugees (TNKR) office in Seoul, some said they were baffled by the positive reactions to his planned visit, reported the Korea Times. "I had a miserable life in North Korea, I was sentenced to one of the harsh prison camps. Later, after I was released, I escaped, but I got captured and sent back. Then my life in that living hell became even worse," said Eunhwa, a woman who arrived in the South in 2015. "I'm so surprised to hear South Koreans saying nice things about Kim Jung-un. It means they really don't understand the evil to the north." Mikyung, a woman who escaped North Korea in 2016 said she was amazed at the South's high expectations about Kim's desire for peace. "It should be clear to anyone who understands the regime that it is seeking survival on its own terms, not to compromise," she said. "He will continue trying to exert complete control over everyone within North Korean territory and maybe even the entire Korean Peninsula."
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| Taliban dismiss Afghanistan's peace talks offer Posted: 29 Dec 2018 10:04 PM PST  Representatives from the Taliban, the United States and regional countries met this month in the United Arab Emirates for talks to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan. "We will meet the U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia in January next year and we will start our talks that remained incomplete in Abu Dhabi," a member of the Taliban's decision-making Leadership Council told Reuters. "However, we have made it clear to all the stakeholders that we will not talk to the Afghan government." Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also said the leaders of the group would not talk to the Afghan government.
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| The 16 Most Beautiful Highways for Road Trips Posted: 31 Dec 2018 05:00 AM PST |
| PG&E could face murder charges in California wildfires, attorney general says Posted: 30 Dec 2018 12:50 PM PST  California's attorney general said it's possible the power utility could face charges up to murder if investigators find reckless operation of power equipment caused any deadly wildfires.
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| New for New Year's Eve Times Square: NYPD drone will watch over crowd Posted: 31 Dec 2018 09:30 AM PST  As revelers in New York City's Times Square sway to old acquaintances they don't want to forget, there will be a new one on hand: a tethered drone.
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| Syria's Assad authorizes Iraqi forces to strike IS in Syria Posted: 30 Dec 2018 09:15 AM PST  DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad authorized Iraqi forces on Sunday to attack the Islamic State group inside Syria without waiting for permission from authorities in Damascus, the state news agency SANA said, as the two allies coordinate their fight against extremists ahead of a planned U.S. withdrawal from Syria.
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| We're proud to be in the Fiesta Bowl, but fostering social mobility matters more Posted: 31 Dec 2018 09:43 AM PST  The power of education isn't about picking the student who's already most likely to succeed. It's about identifying talent with grit and spirit.
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| Bangladesh opposition calls for fresh election as Sheikh Hasina wins amid violence and vote-rigging claims Posted: 30 Dec 2018 07:26 PM PST  Bangladesh's main opposition called for a fresh vote on Sunday as the country's prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, and her ruling Awami League were declared the winners of an election tainted by violence and vote-rigging allegations. At least 17 people were said to have been killed in election day clashes, while reports flowed in of alleged vote manipulation and people being blocked from entering polling stations by ruling party supporters. As Mrs Hasina's alliance sailed past the 151 seats needed to form a government and headed for a landslide third consecutive term, the country's main opposition leader called for the "farcical" election to be declared void. Kamal Hossain, head of the Jatiya Oikya Front (JOF), the largest opposition alliance, told a press conference in Dhaka that votes had been "rigged on a massive scale across the country". He urged Bangladesh's election commission to dismiss the result and call "fresh elections under a non-partisan caretaker government as soon as possible". Salahuddin Ahmed, a candidate for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the largest single party in the opposition alliance, was stabbed in Dhaka as the election unfolded Credit: Reuters Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed finished delivering the results of the voting early on Monday. Ahmed said the ruling Awami League-led alliance won 288 seats while the JOF, led by former president H.M.Ershad, had 20 seats. An opposition alliance led by Mr Hossain had only seven and others got three out of 300 seats. The poll followed a campaign that had been marred by violence and a crackdown on freedom of speech. Human Rights Watch and other international groups had decried repressive measures which they said had created a climate of fear. Some 600,000 security personnel had been deployed for the election, while authorities ordered the shutdown of high speed internet to prevent the spread of "rumours" that might spark unrest. Vehicles in Dhaka burn after an opposition rally which ended with police using tear gas and batons after the election was announced Credit: AFP On Sunday, polling agents alleged that they had stayed away out of fear. Others claimed they had been beaten up and forced out of voting centres. Rumana Mahmood, a JOF candidate in Sirajganj, 68 miles northwest of Dhaka, claimed that 90 percent of her supporters had been prevented from voting for her. "In most cases they were not allowed to enter the voting centres. Police and the ruling Awami League party cadres blocked them," she alleged to the Telegraph, claiming that supporters of the ruling party had stuffed ballot boxes in favour of the government. Supporters of Bangladesh Awami League march along a street as they take part in a rally ahead of December 30 general election vote Credit: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP One 65-year-old woman in Ms Mahmood's constituency claimed that the police had not allowed her to vote freely. "We were around 20 or 25 women from the same locality. The policemen at the gate of the centre said that he would allow us inside if we voted for the boat (symbol of the Awami League)," she said."In my locality there are hundreds of people who have not been allowed in any voting centre today." Bangladesh has become increasingly authoritarian under Mrs Hasina's rule, moving closer towards a de-facto one-party state while Begum Khaleda Zia, her arch-rival, and leader of the largest opposition party, the Bangladesh National Party, serves a lengthy prison sentence on corruption charges.
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| 4-year-old undergoes surgery after swallowing magnets from popular toy Posted: 31 Dec 2018 08:27 AM PST  Mother issues warning to parents after she says her son had to have part of his colon and intestines removed after swallowing 13 tiny magnets from a toy.
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| Bali's Agung volcano spews ash in fresh eruption Posted: 30 Dec 2018 12:47 AM PST  A volcano on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali erupted Sunday, belching ash high into the air and over nearby villages as officials warned tourists to keep clear of the area. Mount Agung has been erupting periodically since it rumbled back to life in 2017, when it grounded hundreds of flights and left 120,000 visitors stranded. "Residents near Mount Agung as well as climbers and tourists should not carry out any activity in the danger zone or within four-kilometre radius from the crater," the centre said in a statement.
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| Here Are All the Stores Open and Closed on New Year's 2019 Posted: 31 Dec 2018 03:01 AM PST  Including hours for grocery stores and more
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| Defective bracket discovered on collapsed jetway bridge at Baltimore-Washington International Airport Posted: 31 Dec 2018 11:01 AM PST  Investigators discovered a defective metal bracket on the jetway that partially at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, injuring six people.
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| Putin Says Russia, Turkey Will Play a ‘Decisive’ Role in Syria Peace Posted: 30 Dec 2018 08:35 AM PST  In a New Year's message to Erdogan published by the Kremlin on Sunday, Putin said that "Moscow and Ankara are making a decisive contribution to the fight against terrorism in Syria, as well as to the promotion of a political settlement in that country."His comment came a day after the Russian and Turkish foreign and defense ministers, as well as the countries' intelligence chiefs, held talks in Moscow on Syria as they move to fill the void left by U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to order a military pullout. "We reached an agreement on how Russian and Turkish military representatives on the ground will continue to coordinate their actions in these new conditions, with the goal of decisively defeating the terrorist threat in Syria," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters after the talks.
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| Vietnamese relatives of bus blast victims arrive in Egypt Posted: 30 Dec 2018 06:33 AM PST  Relatives of Vietnamese tourists hit by a roadside bomb near Egypt's famed pyramids arrived on Sunday in Cairo, an airport source said. A group of five, which included family members, arrived in the capital two days after a blast hit a tour bus killing three Vietnamese holidaymakers and an Egyptian guide. The attack, which took place in the Giza governorate, wounded 11 other Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian bus driver, Egypt's public prosecutor said.
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| Hardline cleric Larijani named to head powerful Iran body Posted: 30 Dec 2018 10:22 AM PST ![Hardline cleric Larijani named to head powerful Iran body]( "Hardline cleric Larijani named to head powerful Iran body") Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani - the chief of Iran's hardline judiciary who has been blacklisted by Washington - was named on Sunday as the new head of the powerful Expediency Council, state television reported. The council is intended to resolve disputes between parliament and a watchdog body, the Guardian Council. Larijani, 57, was appointed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who also made him a member of the Guardian Council, which vets laws and elections for compliance with Iran's Islamic constitution, state television reported.
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| Why the Range Rover P38a deserves space in your garage Posted: 30 Dec 2018 01:27 PM PST  Forever lampooned as a liability by keyboard warriors and marque snobs alike, the second generation Range Rover (P38a) remains criminally underrated. Stylish and incredibly capable as a 4x4 , here's why you should ignore the horror stories and buy one...
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| The Latest: Dad says he's angry travel ban kept family apart Posted: 30 Dec 2018 04:15 AM PST  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on the death of a boy whose Yemeni mother fought the Trump administration travel ban (all times local):
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| Detailed Photos of the 2019 McLaren Senna Supercar Posted: 31 Dec 2018 08:31 AM PST |
| Police chief admits there isn't Zika in meth after Facebook post goes viral Posted: 31 Dec 2018 05:28 AM PST  The Harahan Police Department never had reason to believe Zika, a mosquito-born virus, was able to contaminate meth.
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| Russia: 4 die in building collapse; searchers race weather Posted: 31 Dec 2018 02:58 PM PST  MOSCOW (AP) — Hundreds of rescue workers raced bitterly cold weather in Russia's Ural Mountains region Monday as they searched for survivors in the hulking concrete blocks from a partially collapsed apartment building where at least four people died.
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| Stephen Miller steps into spotlight amid chaos in 'zombie' White House press shop Posted: 30 Dec 2018 08:24 AM PST  Former officials said White House adviser Stephen Miller's media appearances have been a "disaster" and are a sign of a communications operation in disarray.
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| 8th Largest Mega Millions Jackpot in History Up for Grabs on New Year's Day Posted: 30 Dec 2018 01:24 PM PST  The jackpot climbed to $415 million in a drawing set to take place Tuesday
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| Graham more upbeat on Syria troop withdrawal after Trump meeting Posted: 30 Dec 2018 05:20 PM PST ![Graham more upbeat on Syria troop withdrawal after Trump meeting]( "Graham more upbeat on Syria troop withdrawal after Trump meeting") Senator Lindsey Graham had warned that removing all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria would hurt national security by allowing Islamic State to rebuild, betraying U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters of the YPG militia battling remnants of the militant group, and enhancing Iran's ability to threaten Israel. During a morning television interview, Graham said he would ask Trump to slow down the troop withdrawal, which was announced earlier this month and drew widespread criticism. An ally of Trump, although he has opposed some of his foreign policy decisions, Graham was more upbeat after the meeting.
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| Why a Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 was worth waiting 22 years for Posted: 30 Dec 2018 01:36 PM PST  The long wait only made getting this 1992 Skyline GT-R that much sweeter for Mark Hutchinson, after he dreamed of owning one for decades
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| Fatah says Hamas arrests members in Gaza ahead of rally Posted: 31 Dec 2018 06:13 AM PST  Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party said Monday that its rival Hamas had carried out widespread arrests of its members in the Gaza Strip ahead of a rally marking the anniversary of the movement's founding. Hamas denied the accusation, with a spokesman for the enclave's interior ministry saying 38 people had been held for questioning over concerns that opposing Fatah factions in Gaza would clash at the rally set for later in the day.
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| Ceramicists Are Making Lamps and We're Fully On Board Posted: 31 Dec 2018 04:00 AM PST  Here are a few of our faves
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| China Seeks Talks With India to Push Asia Trade Pact, Sources Say Posted: 31 Dec 2018 02:00 PM PST  The 16-country Regional Comprehensive Economic Agreement has been in the works for a while and China is keen to conclude it by end of 2019, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter is not public. India's wariness about a possible flood of Chinese goods, and its demand for looser immigration rules for its tech professionals remain sticking points. China's inability to close the trade deal highlights the continuing suspicion among its Asian trading partners over Beijing's effort to increase its influence in the region.
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| Disney, Verizon Fios reach agreement to avoid blackout of ESPN, other channels Posted: 30 Dec 2018 02:48 PM PST ![Disney, Verizon Fios reach agreement to avoid blackout of ESPN, other channels]( "Disney, Verizon Fios reach agreement to avoid blackout of ESPN, other channels") Verizon and Disney were in a standoff over ESPN and other Disney channels staying on Fios TV, which has 4.5 million TV subscribers in the eastern U.S.
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| Suspect in murder of a California police officer was making a run for Mexico when he was apprehended, officials say Posted: 30 Dec 2018 11:27 AM PST  Eight people have now been arrested in the death of Newman police officer Col. Ronil Singh; Jeff Paul reports.
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| Where do the investigations related to Trump stand? Posted: 30 Dec 2018 09:01 PM PST  Where the investigations related to President Donald Trump stand and what may lie ahead for him:
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| Three ways to rock a smokey eye this New Year's Eve Posted: 31 Dec 2018 03:04 AM PST  Luckily, three of the best beauty vloggers in the business have come up with a trio of glamorous smokey eye looks for a beautiful end to 2018, complete with handy tutorials. Celebrity makeup artist and creative director of Lâncome Lisa Eldridge is putting a sophisticated spin on the party season with her 'Smokey Glam Makeup Look'. Fellow makeup artist to the stars Charlotte Tilbury has come up with a high-voltage party look that focuses on a dewy, glowing complexion and a bright gold metallic smokey eye with a flick of winged eyeliner.
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| Oil posts first year of losses since 2015 Posted: 31 Dec 2018 01:02 PM PST  "OPEC is out there cutting, but the market isn't really pricing that in." Oil prices fell more than a third this quarter, the steepest quarterly decline since the fourth quarter of 2014. Crude oil futures posted modest gains on Monday.
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| Brexit '50-50' if May's deal voted down: British minister Posted: 30 Dec 2018 02:10 AM PST  Britain's chances of leaving the European Union are only "50-50" if MPs reject Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal, a senior minister warned Sunday. Liam Fox, the international trade secretary and a vocal Brexit campaigner during the 2016 referendum, warned colleagues planning on voting against May that her plan was the only way to be "100 percent certain" that Britain would leave. "If we were not to vote for that, I'm not sure I would give it much more than 50-50," he told The Sunday Times.
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| Merkel says Germany must fight for 'our convictions' Posted: 30 Dec 2018 03:08 PM PST  Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday said Germany must "stand fast, argue, and fight for our own convictions" and assume greater responsibilities at a time when multilateralism is coming under intense pressure. In her New Year's address to Germans, Merkel said long-held certainties about international cooperation were being put to the test. Global challenges including climate change, immigration and the fight against terrorism could not be solved by countries going it alone, she warned.
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| 5 Died After Falling Off Cruises in 2 Months. Advocates Say Cruise Lines Can Do More to Protect Passengers Posted: 31 Dec 2018 01:58 PM PST  The cruise industry says that man overboard incidents rare and caused by poor passenger behavior. But safety advocates disagree.
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| Ask the Captain: What airplanes did you fly in your career? Posted: 30 Dec 2018 06:00 AM PST ![Ask the Captain: What airplanes did you fly in your career?]( "Ask the Captain: What airplanes did you fly in your career?") Prior to becoming an aviation safety consultant, and USA TODAY columnist, John Cox flew a wide variety of commercial airplanes.
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