| Donald Trump's team sanctions Venezuela, pushes China trade talks and makes another border wall pitch Posted: 28 Jan 2019 02:33 PM PST  The White House holds its first news conference in 41 days while lawmakers continue to negotiate border security issues.
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| Anti-Semitic killings in 2018 'highest' in decades: Israel Posted: 27 Jan 2019 05:55 AM PST  The number of Jews murdered in anti-Semitic attacks around the world in 2018 reached its "highest" level in decades after a mass shooting at a US synagogue, an Israeli government report said Sunday. A total of 13 Jews were killed in three separate attacks over the year, according to the 2018 Global anti-Semitism Report released on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. A gunman shot dead 11 people at a synagogue in the US city of Pittsburgh in October in America's deadliest ever anti-Semitic attack.
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| Polar vortex strikes the US with dangerous sub-zero temperatures Posted: 28 Jan 2019 07:45 AM PST  A dangerous polar vortex moving through the Dakotas into Chicago, Illinois and on to New England is blasting the US with super-cold arctic air and sub-zero temperatures. "This is dangerous, deadly cold," said Richard Bann, meteorologist with the NWS's Weather Prediction Center in College Park Maryland. Blizzard conditions are predicted across parts of the western Ohio Valley and snow is expected Tuesday through Wednesday from the Great Lakes area into New England, the weather service said.
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| As US teachers ramp up pressure, face reality: L.A. strike was about control, not students Posted: 28 Jan 2019 08:07 AM PST  Don't let myths perpetuate a massive, outdated system. The hope for students lies in charter schools. That's what public education should look like.
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| Hezbollah's Finances are Its Achilles' Heel Posted: 27 Jan 2019 11:36 AM PST  Fighting Hezbollah is not only a military competition, but a financial one.
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| Dakota Theriot, suspect in 5 killings in Louisiana, arrested at gunpoint in Virginia Posted: 27 Jan 2019 01:07 PM PST  Authorities said the killings in two areas around Baton Rouge appeared to involve a domestic dispute.
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| The Latest: UK food retailers warn of price hikes, shortages Posted: 28 Jan 2019 05:58 AM PST  LONDON (AP) — The Latest on Britain's plans to leave the European Union (all times local):
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| How to Read Your ACT Score Report Posted: 28 Jan 2019 06:00 AM PST ![How to Read Your ACT Score Report]( "How to Read Your ACT Score Report") Both the ACT and the SAT are accepted by college admissions committees, and both are extremely popular among college applicants. To accurately interpret test results and make well-reasoned decisions thereafter -- as well as set appropriate target scores at the onset of their test prep -- ACT test-takers must know how to read and understand their ACT score report ( see sample here). Your composite score is another word for your total score, and it is calculated by averaging and rounding your four section scores.
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| Nato members increase defence spending by $100 billion after Donald Trump called them 'delinquents' Posted: 27 Jan 2019 10:53 AM PST  Nato states will increase their defence spending by 100 billion dollars in response to Donald Trump's demands that European allies shoulder a greater financial burden, the alliance's secretary general has said. Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday that the alliance had heard Mr Trump's call for non-US members to shoulder a greater financial burden "loud and clear" and that allies are "stepping up." In conciliatory comments apparently designed to smooth over repeated public criticism of other alliance members by the US leader, Mr Stoltenberg said member states had agreed to add $100 billion to defence budgets over the next two years. Mr Trump has repeatedly complained that other members of Nato do not meet their spending commitments, including a blistering tirade at the NATO summit in Brussels in July in which called other member governments "delinquent." Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, just stated that because of me NATO has been able to raise far more money than ever before from its members after many years of decline. It's called burden sharing. Also, more united. Dems & Fake News like to portray the opposite!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 27, 2019 He sent shockwaves through NATO last year when he questioned the alliance's value to the US. Last week the New York Times reported that he had multiple discussions with his top security advisers in 2018 about withdrawing. Speaking on Fox News, a channel favoured by the president, Mr Stoltenberg praised Mr Trump's tough line. "President Trump has been very clear. He is committed to NATO… but at the same time he has clearly stated that NATO allies need to invest more," said the former Norwegian prime minister. "So we see some real money and real results, and we see that a clear message from President Trump is having an impact. NATO allies have heard the president loud and clear. NATO allies are stepping up." "What he's doing is to help us adapt the alliance, which we need," he added. "This is a clear message to Russia and I think they see that." Member nations agreed in 2014 to spend two percent of their gross domestic products on defence by 2024. But only four of the alliance's 29 countries have already met that target with just 15 expected to reach it by the deadline. Later on Sunday Mr Trump welcomed the praise, taking credit for the pledge of additional funding. He tweeted: "Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, just stated that because of me NATO has been able to raise far more money than ever before from its members after many years of decline. It's called burden sharing. Also, more united. Dems & Fake News like to portray the opposite!" Mr Trump's public doubts about the utility of the Nato alliance have alarmed European allies concerned about a repeat of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and invasion of east Ukraine.
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| U.N. Khashoggi investigator to meet Istanbul chief prosecutor Posted: 28 Jan 2019 06:40 AM PST  ISTANBUL/GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights investigator leading the international inquiry into the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi will meet Istanbul's chief prosecutor on Tuesday, the prosecutor's office said. Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard, on a week-long visit to Turkey with a forensic and legal team, met Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
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| 50 years after the Santa Barbara oil spill: How the catastrophe sparked a modern environmental movement Posted: 28 Jan 2019 07:41 AM PST  Jan. 28, 2019, marks 50 years since the pristine shores and Pacific waters of Santa Barbara, California, were blemished and blackened by an estimated 3 million gallons of crude oil.
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| Brazil's Search for Survivors Resumes After New Fears Ease Posted: 27 Jan 2019 04:39 PM PST  Brumadinho city center and other nearby neighborhoods were evacuated early Sunday after alarms were raised due to rising waters in another dam at the Corrego do Feijao iron ore mining complex in the region. The death toll from Friday's accident stood at 58 on Sunday, Civil Defense spokesman Flavio Godinho said. The incident on Friday at the Feijao mine is the second deadly dam accident in just more than three years involving the world's biggest iron ore producer.
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| REPORT: U.S. Agrees to Outlines of Peace Deal with Taliban Posted: 28 Jan 2019 04:52 AM PST  The U.S. has agreed to the outlines of a peace deal with the Taliban that includes the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan in exchange for a guarantee that terrorist groups will not be permitted to take route in the vacated region, the New York Times reported Monday. "We have a draft of the framework that has to be fleshed out before it becomes an agreement," America's chief negotiator, Zalmay Khalilzad, told the New York Times during an interview in Kabul.
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| Saudi Arabia hopes to lure over $425 bln in investments Posted: 28 Jan 2019 09:14 AM PST  Saudi Arabia on Monday launched an ambitious programme which it hopes will attract $427 billion in investments in the industrial and logistics sectors, as the OPEC kingpin bids to reduce dependence on oil. To kickstart the 12-year programme, the Gulf state announced the signing of 37 agreements worth $55 billion with foreign and local investors at a ceremony attended by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The programme is part of the kingdom's 2030 Vision, the brainchild of Prince Mohammed, that aims to diversify its economy which has been heavily dependent on oil prices.
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| Border Patrol wives invite Pelosi to visit the southern border Posted: 28 Jan 2019 04:34 AM PST  In a letter to House Speaker Pelosi, wives of Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol agents ask the Democrat leader to visit Texas to see the need for a barrier firsthand.
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| Trump administration slaps sanctions on Venezuela's state-owned oil company Posted: 28 Jan 2019 02:48 PM PST  The U.S. sanctions are aimed at ratcheting up pressure on embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro but could increase gas prices in the U.S.
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| US charges Huawei with fraud for violating Iran sanctions Posted: 28 Jan 2019 02:50 PM PST  American prosecutors have unveiled criminal charges against Huawei, accusing one of China's top companies of violating sanctions against Iran and stealing trade secrets. The 23 charges filed on Monday threatened to escalate tensions between Washington and Beijing just 48 hours before senior Chinese officials were due to fly to the White House for a new round of trade talks. Matthew Whitaker, the acting US attorney general, said Huawei had attempted to evade sanctions against Iran by setting up a separate company called Skycom, which fraudulently conducted more than $100m (£76m) worth of transactions through the US financial system over four years. Mr Whitaker said Huawei had lied to the US government to obstruct investigations, moved potential witnesses back to China, and misled banks to continue to process transactions. In a second set of charges, the Justice Department said the company had attempted to steal technology from the US telecoms network T-Mobile. Employees of a US subsidiary allegedly attempted to steal details of a robot arm named Tappy used to test smartphone touchscreens. Huawei's CHO Meng Wanzhou was charged Credit: The Canadian Press The charges related to Iran include one against Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, who was arrested in Canada last month and faces US extradition. A request is due to be sent to the Canadian government by a deadline of this Wednesday. "By claiming that Skycom was a separate company - and not an affiliate which Huawei controlled - Huawei allegedly asserted that all of its Iran business was in compliance with American sanctions," Mr Whitaker said. Officials insisted that the charges were unrelated to trade talks between the US and China. "These indictments are law enforcement actions and wholly separate from our trade negotiations," the US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross said. However, he said Chinese firms had spent years undermining US sanctions and exploiting the US financial system. Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, denied any link between the charges and this week's talks. "Those two things are not linked. They are a totally separate process," she said during a briefing. Huawei did not comment immediately after the charges were announced.
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| The Latest: Wisconsin, Minnesota see more than foot of snow Posted: 28 Jan 2019 02:12 PM PST  ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Latest on a major snowstorm and the expected frigid weather in the Midwest (all times local):
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| Before Tom Brokaw 'Meet(s) the Press' he should meet the Latinos Posted: 28 Jan 2019 08:47 AM PST  Brokaw's offensive comments don't show much understanding of what is happening with Hispanics in America. We're assimilating just fine, thank you.
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| The Real Lesson of the Shutdown Posted: 28 Jan 2019 10:10 AM PST  One of the lessons of the Trump–Pelosi standoff on border security is that government shutdowns are a foolish way to resolve partisan disputes. The partial shutdown, with agencies such as the Transportation, Agriculture, and State Departments, as well as other independent agencies, closed for business, demonstrated how irrelevant so much of our $4 trillion government is to the everyday lives of Americans. As I traveled over the last several weeks to Florida, California, and many states in between, and asked people what they thought of the shutdown, many said they didn't even know the government was shut down for more than a month.
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| You could win a $1.7 million mansion by writing a standout letter Posted: 27 Jan 2019 08:45 AM PST  Broke English majors, take your places. A homeowner in Alberta, Canada is selling her $1.7 million (CAD) home via essay contest. Alla Wagner is searching for a new owner for her 5,000 square foot home, which, according to a report from CNN, has "three bedrooms, three full baths and two half baths, in addition to a wine cellar, panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and a pond." Not bad. Here's how it works: Entrants must write a short letter (maximum 350 words) explaining why they should get the house, then mail or email it to Wagner along with a $25 entry fee. Once Wagner collects roughly 68,000 entry fees -- enough to cover the house's value -- she will publish a group of semi-finalist essays on social media so people can vote for their favorites. Then, the 500 entries with the most votes will be whittled down by an "independent panel of judges," who will select three finalists. These three finalists will then be interviewed. One of them will get the house. SEE ALSO: Apple wants you to send your best iPhone photos in return for, cough, exposure The contest began on Jan. 5, and Wagner plans to run it until April 5. If there are nearly enough entries by then, she'll extend it another three months. If she's nowhere near her goal, she'll cancel the contest and refund everyone's entry fees. As of Friday, Wagner had collected around 5,000 entries. The contest is getting more attention, though, so 68,000 may not be too far away. If you want a $25 mansion, better get that entry in. ## WATCH: Vitaminwater is offering $100,000 to keep off your smartphone for a year
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| 25 Best Jobs That Don't Require a College Degree Posted: 28 Jan 2019 09:26 AM PST ![25 Best Jobs That Don't Require a College Degree]( "25 Best Jobs That Don't Require a College Degree") No bachelor's degree? No problem.
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| Canadian PM fires envoy to China after remarks on Huawei case Posted: 27 Jan 2019 03:58 AM PST  John McCallum had embarrassed Trudeau's Liberal government by saying Huawei Technologies Co Ltd Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou could make a strong argument against being sent to the United States. Opposition legislators and former ambassadors accused McCallum of unacceptable political interference in an affair which has badly damaged relations between Canada and China. Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, was arrested in Vancouver last month over alleged violations of U.S. sanctions on Iran.
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| Assad Is Close to Victory, But New Conflicts Are Bubbling Up in Syria Posted: 27 Jan 2019 08:00 PM PST  President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops has fanned much of the flames. While it would leave the field to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's Russian and Iranian allies, it has also emboldened Israel to advertise that it's pummeling Iranian positions, practically taunting Tehran to respond. Some analysts warn of a confrontation between them that could spark a regional war also drawing in Lebanon and Iraq.
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| Arctic blasts sub-zero freeze towards U.S. upper Midwest, Northeast Posted: 28 Jan 2019 05:05 AM PST  By Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, Chicago will hit an astounding 20-to-25 below-zero Farhenheit, the National Weather Service said.
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| Search on for Louisiana man suspected in 5 deaths Posted: 26 Jan 2019 09:16 PM PST  NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Authorities in Louisiana said they are searching for an "armed and dangerous" 21-year-old accused of killing his parents and three others in two separate but related shootings Saturday.
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| US urges Venezuela army to accept 'peaceful' power transfer Posted: 28 Jan 2019 01:42 PM PST  The United States urged Venezuela's military Monday to accept a "peaceful" transfer of power as it ramped up the pressure on embattled leader Nicolas Maduro with a raft of sanctions on state oil company PDVSA. President Donald Trump has recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president, sparking a standoff with Maduro who until now has retained the crucial backing of military leaders in Caracas.
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| The world’s most popular Instant Pot is down to its lowest price of 2019 Posted: 28 Jan 2019 04:54 AM PST ![The world's most popular Instant Pot is down to its lowest price of 2019]( "The world's most popular Instant Pot is down to its lowest price of 2019") Everyone knows that the Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker is the best-selling and most popular Instant Pot model in the world. In fact, even with its steep retail price of $100, it's easily among the world's most popular pressure cookers, period. If you haven't already experienced the glory that is the Instant Pot DUO60, today is your lucky day because a surprise Amazon sale just slashed it to the lowest price of 2019 so far. There's no telling when this deal will end, but it definitely won't last long so grab one while you still can. Here's some additional info from the product page: * Duo, the number 1 selling multi-cooker, combines 7 kitchen appliances in 1, Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Marker and Warmer, prepares dishes up to 70% faster to support your busy lifestyle * Features 14 Smart Programs - Soup, Meat/Stew, Bean/Chili, Poultry, Saute/Simmer, Rice, Multigrain, Porridge, Steam, Slow Cook, Keep Warm, Yogurt, Manual, and Pressure Cook. Now, your favorite dishes are as easy as pressing a button * Healthy, stainless steel (18/8) inner cooking pot made from food grade 304, no chemical coating, 3-ply bottom for even heat distribution, fully sealed environment traps the flavours, nutrients and aromas within the food * Built with the latest 3rd generation technology, the microprocessor monitors pressure, temperature, keeps time, and adjusts heating intensity and duration to achieve your desired results every time.Product Dimensions: 14.17 x 14.84 x 13.31 inches * UL and ULC certified with 10 safety mechanisms to provide you with added assurance, designed to eliminate many common errors.Accessories include, stainless steel steam rack with handles, rice paddle, soup spoon, measuring cup, condensation collector and recipe booklet * Power supply: 120V - 60Hz
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| Trump attacks Fox News reporters and mistakenly names random teenage girl on Twitter Posted: 28 Jan 2019 03:45 AM PST  Donald Trump has launched a furious attack on two Fox News reporters over their coverage of his border wall negotiations, and accidentally involved a random teenage girl in the ensuing furore. In a tweet, the US president criticised chief White House correspondent John Roberts and and another person he wrongly believed was Washington-based journalist Gillian Turner over their "understanding" of the issue. "Never thought I'd say this but I think @johnrobertsFox and @JillianTurner @FoxNews have even less understanding of the Wall negotiations than the folks at FAKE NEWS CNN & NBC!" Mr Trump tweeted.
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| Photos: Over 1,000 flights canceled as snow sweeps across midwestern US Posted: 28 Jan 2019 01:38 PM PST  Disruptive snow blanketed the midwestern United States during the latter part of the weekend and into the start of the workweek, dropping up to a foot of snow over the region.
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| The Latest: Florida city's vigil honors bank attack victims Posted: 27 Jan 2019 07:29 PM PST ![The Latest: Florida city's vigil honors bank attack victims]( "The Latest: Florida city's vigil honors bank attack victims") SEBRING, Fla. (AP) — The Latest on a vigil for Florida's bank shooting victims (all times local):
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| Russian painting stolen from Moscow gallery during exhibition Posted: 27 Jan 2019 10:54 AM PST  A 20th century landscape painting by a Russian artist was stolen from a Moscow art gallery in a brazen act of theft during an exhibition, police said on Sunday. Crimea", was painted in 1908 by Arkhip Kuindzhi, a Russian artist of Greek origin, and depicts a mountain in the Crimea peninsula. Russian news agencies said the painting was stolen from the Tretyakov gallery, one of Russia's leading art galleries, which has been targeted by criminals several times in recent years.
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| Baghdad to summon Turkey envoy over death of Kurdish protester Posted: 27 Jan 2019 03:17 AM PST  Iraq on Sunday said it would summon the Turkish ambassador over the death of a Kurdish protester after Turkish troops opened fire on demonstrators in the country's northwest. On Saturday night, Kurdish protesters stormed a Turkish army position in the Shiladzeh region of northwestern Iraq to protest the deaths of four civilians they said were killed last week in Turkish bombardment. Witnesses said Turkish troops opened fire on the demonstrators, causing casualties and damage.
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| Xi Sells 'One China' Dreams to the Wrong Country Posted: 27 Jan 2019 11:37 AM PST  The Taiwanese people have acclimated to their own culture and way of life. Uncoerced unification between Taipei and Beijing is a Chinese pipe dream.
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| What is the polar vortex? Posted: 28 Jan 2019 04:01 PM PST  The polar vortex is a large area of cold air high up in the atmosphere that normally spins over the North Pole.
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| Secret Trump supporter no more: Why this model has decided to be open about her support for the president Posted: 27 Jan 2019 06:57 AM PST  Elizabeth Pipko explains why she decided to be open about her support for Trump in the liberal fashion industry.
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| Stephen King is straight up trolling Trump on Twitter now Posted: 28 Jan 2019 04:07 AM PST  For a while, Donald Trump had Stephen King blocked on Twitter. Not anymore, though. A judge ruled back in May 2018 that the President couldn't block people, so these days the horror master is free to hit that reply button as often as he likes. SEE ALSO: 37 of the most brutal Trump burns tweeted by Stephen King in 2018 And that's exactly what he does. Not only does King regularly tweet about the President, but he also occasionally responds to Trump's tweets directly. Trump's "WITCH HUNT" tweet over the weekend was the perfect example. > WITCH HUNT! > > -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 27, 2019 Here was King's Sunday night response. > Yes! And you're the witch! > > -- Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 27, 2019 That's not the only time King's opted for the direct reply, either. Here's a memorable one from last year. > I would rather eat a raw weasel. > > -- Stephen King (@StephenKing) May 24, 2018 Trump has yet to get into one of his famous Twitter feuds with the horror master, but surely at this stage it's only a matter of time. Then again, maybe he saw what happened after Ted Cruz tried to take King on. ## WATCH: Ever wonder how the universe might end?
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| U.S. sanctions Venezuelan state oil firm, escalating pressure on Maduro Posted: 28 Jan 2019 04:27 PM PST  Minutes before the announcement, Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan opposition leader who proclaimed himself interim president last week with U.S. backing, said congress would name new boards of directors to the company and its U.S. subsidiary, Citgo. Guaido, supported by the United States and most countries in the Western Hemisphere, says Maduro stole his re-election and must resign to allow new, fair polls. Maduro, in a live national broadcast on Monday, accused the United States of trying to steal U.S. refining arm Citgo Petroleum, the OPEC member's most important foreign asset, which also owns a chain of U.S. gas stations.
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| The Latest: Havana hit by Category F3 tornado Posted: 28 Jan 2019 10:57 AM PST  HAVANA (AP) — The Latest on Cuba's deadly weather (all times local):
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| This Week: Apple results, Fed meeting, nonfarm payrolls Posted: 28 Jan 2019 12:05 PM PST ![This Week: Apple results, Fed meeting, nonfarm payrolls]( "This Week: Apple results, Fed meeting, nonfarm payrolls") A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week:
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