| Trump on the health care vote: ‘I hope that it’s going to all work out’ Posted: 22 Mar 2017 06:32 AM PDT  President Trump drummed up support for the GOP health care bill and expressed optimism it will pass a House floor vote in a Tuesday night speech before an audience of Republican members of Congress, donors and loyalists. Among other things, Trump predicted "great surprises" and said he hopes "it's going to all work out" when he discussed the Obamacare repeal bill, which has faced opposition from the Republican Party's conservative and moderate wings. Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan face a major test on Thursday, when the House is set to vote on the legislation embraced by the party leadership.
|
| White Man From Maryland Stabbed A Black Man To Death In New York Posted: 23 Mar 2017 03:39 AM PDT  Another racist hate crime took place in New York City where a white man from Maryland traveled till New York with the intention of killing African Americans.
|
| Lawrence: Trump, Ryan, Nunes in Over Their Heads Posted: 22 Mar 2017 07:02 PM PDT  House Intel Chair Devin Nunes broke tradition and precedent by delivering news to the president that some Trump transition messages were collected by U.S. intel. Democrats and Republicans called Nunes' actions partisan and damaging.
|
| Correction: Oil Pipeline story Posted: 22 Mar 2017 07:52 AM PDT  BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — In a story March 22 about protecting pipelines from sabotage, The Associated Press misidentified a professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, as Kerry Sundberg. His name is Kelly Sundberg.
|
| US military helping op to seize strategic dam near Syria's Raqa Posted: 22 Mar 2017 02:08 PM PDT  The US military provided air and artillery support -- and transported local forces -- in an offensive for a vitally important dam near the Islamic State group's stronghold of Raqa in Syria, officials said Wednesday. Colonel Joseph Scrocca, a spokesman for the US-led coalition helping local fighters, said US support came overnight Tuesday-Wednesday via Apache helicopter gunships, airlifts, air strikes and advice to the Syrian Democratic Forces, an Arab-Kurdish alliance. In a first, US forces helicoptered an unspecified number of Arab SDF troops to Taqba, meaning they are now behind IS lines as they try to secure the dam.
|
| Puerto Rico governor, bondholders divided on PREPA deal Posted: 22 Mar 2017 01:04 PM PDT ![Puerto Rico governor, bondholders divided on PREPA deal]( "Puerto Rico governor, bondholders divided on PREPA deal") Puerto Rico's governor told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday the island's struggling power utility, PREPA, could undergo an in-court restructuring process akin to U.S. bankruptcy if a consensual deal with creditors cannot be achieved. Governor Ricardo Rossello said at a U.S. House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing his administration would prefer a consensual deal to bankruptcy, as lawmakers questioned him about delays in completing a $9 billion restructuring at PREPA. The hearing showcased growing discord between Rossello's administration and PREPA's creditors, which seemed to concern the committee in charge of leading Congress' response to Puerto Rico's ongoing crisis.
|
| The End Is Near for Sears Holding Corp (SHLD) Posted: 22 Mar 2017 08:23 AM PDT ![The End Is Near for Sears Holding Corp (SHLD)]( "The End Is Near for Sears Holding Corp (SHLD)") Struggling retailer Sears Holdings Corp (ticker: SHLD) admitted on Wednesday what the rest of Wall Street has known for a long time: it's quite likely Sears is doomed. In a 10-K filed late Tuesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, toward the end of a section called "Uses and Sources of Liquidity," Sears's language became unusually dire. This was after it had gone through a long list of asset sales, loans and cost savings initiatives Sears has either previously engaged in, is currently engaged in, or is planning to engage in to shore up its balance sheets and stop the bleeding.
|
| Jesus's tomb restored after months of work Posted: 21 Mar 2017 11:44 PM PDT ![Jesus's tomb restored after months of work]( "Jesus's tomb restored after months of work") The tomb where Jesus is believed to have been buried is being unveiled again following nine months of restoration work that will be highlighted at a much anticipated ceremony Wednesday. The shrine, which includes a 19th-century ornate edicule or shrine surrounding the tomb, is a key part of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City. Parts of it were also coming loose, with warnings that it was structurally unsound and posed a risk to the millions of pilgrims who visit the site every year.
|
| Is Emmett Till painting cultural appropriation? Posted: 22 Mar 2017 10:39 AM PDT  "The View" co-hosts discuss an artist under fire for the stirring painting.
|
| Pelosi on health care fight: ‘Next 48 hours will be all hands on deck’ Posted: 22 Mar 2017 06:45 AM PDT  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was asked by CNN's Anderson Cooper on Tuesday whom she considers the current leader of the Democratic Party. "Well, President Obama was the president of the United States until a matter of weeks ago.
|
| 4 Killed Including A Police Officer In Wisconsin Posted: 22 Mar 2017 08:32 PM PDT  Police confirmed that the suspect was taken into custody. However, they did not release the names of the people involved and killed during the shootings in Wisconsin.
|
| Think your groceries are expensive? Japan has $27,000 melons. Posted: 23 Mar 2017 08:40 AM PDT  Imagine going into a high-end luxury store filled with sparkling display cases, security at every turn and an attentive staff and finding not expensive jewelry but...fruit encased in the glass. In Sembikiya, Japan's oldest fruit shop, fruit is treated and sold like an elaborate gift. And this is no ordinary fruit. Sembikiya sells anything from heart-shaped watermelons to ping-pong ball sized "Ruby Roman" grapes to giant strawberries that are a bit more expensive than your average box of sad market fruit. SEE ALSO: People can't believe a supermarket is selling a single boxed strawberry for $22 Words can't describe how delicious this Melon was. #GinzaSembikiya #Sembikiya by mango… http://t.co/7zPrWz6VU7 pic.twitter.com/eNNBohRVYR — InstaKyoto (@InstaKyoto) April 4, 2015 A post shared by @puapupupu on Jan 31, 2017 at 4:50pm PST According to CNN, cultivating these luxury fruits involves meticulous and labor-intensive practices. Although the way Japanese farmers grow these beauties is a secret, it was revealed that sometimes it takes 45 days to grow one strawberry and usually sell for 500,000 yen ($4,395) each. The strawberries even have a special name - Bijin-hime, which means "beautiful princess". ONE STRAWBERRY is $4,395. And if you think that's just a bit beyond your fruit budget, in 2016 a premium Hokkaido cantaloupe sold for a record $27,240 (3 million yen) at an auction. Expensive fruit isn't unique to Sembikiya, though. According to the Semikiya website, fruit is given as gifts to people who are important to you on special occasions. Soyeon Shim, dean of the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told CNN, Besides being a symbol of respect, the Japanese see fruit in spiritual terms, regularly offering it to the gods at home alters. A post shared by ingingkiku (@ingingkiku) on Oct 23, 2016 at 4:21am PDT A piece of fruit this magnificent isn't sold in some regular cardboard box. The fruit is wrapped in packaging that, of course, matches is luxury. CNN reports that single strawberries are sold in packages that resemble jewelry boxes, while melons are sold in ornate wooden boxes. A post shared by Cecilia Schena (@ceciliaske) on Aug 7, 2016 at 4:32am PDT To consumers, according to CNN, the expense represents quality and some say that they even taste better than normal-priced fruit. Seeing as though one strawberry is more than four month's rent, we'll stick to our small, slightly mushy, questionable fruit. We'll admire these from afar. [H/T: CNN] WATCH: This nail polish is made from prosecco — making you both sparkly and tipsy
|
| 911 call: Mom tried to resuscitate unresponsive twin babies Posted: 22 Mar 2017 02:33 PM PDT ![911 call: Mom tried to resuscitate unresponsive twin babies]( "911 call: Mom tried to resuscitate unresponsive twin babies") LINDENWOLD, N.J. (AP) — The mother of twin baby girls who were found dead in an apartment can be heard screaming on a 911 call that they "are not breathing and both are purple."
|
| US suspects N Korea in $81 mn Bangladesh theft: report Posted: 22 Mar 2017 06:50 PM PDT  US federal prosecutors suspect the North Korean government directed last year's theft of $81 million from Bangladesh's account at the New York Federal Reserve Bank, according to a media report Wednesday. Citing unnamed sources, The Wall Street Journal said prosecutors were developing cases showing Chinese middlemen helped the North Korean government orchestrate the enormous theft from the Bangladesh central bank. In February 2016, thieves transferred the funds from Bangladesh's account at the New York Fed to accounts in the Philippines using authenticated international bank access codes in the SWIFT system, not by hacking the bank.
|
| Turkey says fires into Kurdish-held Syria after soldier killed by sniper Posted: 22 Mar 2017 08:04 AM PDT ![Turkey says fires into Kurdish-held Syria after soldier killed by sniper]( "Turkey says fires into Kurdish-held Syria after soldier killed by sniper") By Tulay Karadeniz and Tom Perry ANKARA/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey fired into Kurdish-controlled Syria on Wednesday after saying one of its soldiers was killed by a sniper from across the border, risking deeper conflict with a Kurdish militia backed by the United States and building ties to Russia. The Turkish military said the soldier was killed in the Turkish province of Hatay, across the border from Syria's Afrin, which is controlled by the Kurdish YPG militia.
|
| Man Stabs to Death Homeless Person in Hunt to 'Target Black Males': Police Posted: 22 Mar 2017 05:24 PM PDT  A Maryland man took a bus to New York City with the express purpose of killing black men, police said.
|
| Lawyer for Russian whistle-blower's family injured in fall Posted: 22 Mar 2017 06:37 AM PDT  MOSCOW (AP) — A lawyer hired by the family of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian whistleblower who died in jail, has been seriously injured in a fall from his Moscow apartment.
|
| Trump sends holiday greetings to Iranians, does not mention travel ban Posted: 22 Mar 2017 04:34 PM PDT ![Trump sends holiday greetings to Iranians, does not mention travel ban]( "Trump sends holiday greetings to Iranians, does not mention travel ban") By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump, who has sought to ban travelers from Iran and other Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States, issued a holiday greeting on Wednesday to Iranians celebrating the New Year holiday known as Nowruz. Trump, who has also criticized the nuclear deal between Iran and western powers negotiated during President Barack Obama's administration, did not refer to the travel ban in his statement. It is an occasion to celebrate new beginnings, a sentiment that is particularly meaningful for so many Iranians who have come to our country in recent decades to make a new start in a free land," Trump said in a statement issued by the White House.
|
| Afghanistan Calls For More US Troops Posted: 21 Mar 2017 10:42 PM PDT  The country's top diplomat said Kabul needed additional forces to help the government tackle security threats posed by the Taliban and the Islamic State group.
|
| Oregon teen's mom: Feds should probe fatal police shooting Posted: 22 Mar 2017 11:51 AM PDT  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The mother of an Oregon teenager who was fatally shot by a Portland police officer is demanding a federal Justice Department investigation into her son's death.
|
| Indonesia increases estimate for cruise ship reef damage Posted: 22 Mar 2017 01:33 AM PDT  Indonesia said Wednesday a cruise ship on a voyage organised by a British company had damaged about 18,900 square metres of coral reef, increasing the estimate of the devastation caused when the vessel ran aground. The accident happened this month in Raja Ampat, eastern Indonesia, one of the most biodiverse marine habitats on Earth and a favourite with intrepid travellers and divers due to its palm-fringed islands, coral and fish. The 4,200-ton Caledonian Sky smashed into the reefs at low tide around Kri, one of hundreds of small islands in Raja Ampat, after taking tourists on a bird-watching expedition.
|
| Do Private-School Vouchers Promote Segregation? Posted: 22 Mar 2017 09:15 AM PDT ![Do Private-School Vouchers Promote Segregation?]( "Do Private-School Vouchers Promote Segregation?") With school-choice booster Betsy DeVos at the helm of the Department of Education, private-school vouchers are getting new life and plenty of renewed attention. Last Thursday, the Trump administration cemented vouchers' official return by releasing its "America First" budget, which allocates $20 billion in annual funds, or about a third of the new education budget, to school-choice programs, including private-school vouchers.
|
| 2018 Toyota Sienna: Updated Looks and Tech to Match the Updated Powertrain Posted: 22 Mar 2017 01:46 PM PDT  New face and new tech for Toyota's preeminent people mover.
|
| 7 Richard Simmons Quotes We Love Posted: 22 Mar 2017 03:41 PM PDT  Richards Simmons took the fitness world by storm over three decades ago, with his inspiring story of weight loss and believing in himself. Watch the video to revisit all the times he reminded us to love yourself.
|
| Ex-head of Colorado Republicans charged with voter fraud Posted: 22 Mar 2017 03:46 PM PDT ![Ex-head of Colorado Republicans charged with voter fraud]( "Ex-head of Colorado Republicans charged with voter fraud") By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - A Colorado talk radio host who once chaired the state Republican Party and has accused Democrats of widespread voter fraud has been charged with forging his ex-wife's signature on a mail-in ballot in the 2016 election, court records showed on Wednesday. Steven Curtis, 57, who served as state GOP boss from 1997 until 1999, is charged with one felony count of forgery and one misdemeanor count of tampering with a mail-in ballot, according to a criminal complaint filed in Weld County District Court. The case stems from an inquiry lodged with the Weld County Clerk and Recorder's Office by Curtis's former spouse, Kelly Ireland, who contacted the agency in October to check on the status of her voter registration after the couple split.
|
| Trump Wishes Persians A Happy Nowruz Posted: 22 Mar 2017 01:35 PM PDT  The six-day holiday between March 18 and 24, is widely known for the ritual of participants jumping over bonfires as a symbol of "rebirth, rejuvenation and reconciliation' for the New Year and the arrival of springtime.
|
| Highlights of expert report on badly damaged California dam Posted: 22 Mar 2017 04:44 PM PDT ![Highlights of expert report on badly damaged California dam]( "Highlights of expert report on badly damaged California dam") SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Preliminary findings by a panel of experts investigating problems at a damaged Northern California dam complex sketch an array of concerns about its condition, and whether repairs can be made quickly enough before the state's next rainy season. The Oroville Dam team was organized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and its report was obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. The highlights:
|
| Ukraine probes arms depot explosion, military blames 'sabotage' Posted: 23 Mar 2017 04:11 AM PDT  Ukraine on Thursday was probing a series of explosions that hit a munitions depot in the country's east overnight as the military blamed the incident on an "act of sabotage". "A fire broke out ... as a result of an act of sabotage at a depot in the town of Balakliya where missiles and munitions were kept," Ukraine's Chief Military Prosecutor Anatoliy Matios said in a statement. Ukraine's security services said they had opened an investigation into a suspected act of "diversion", while military prosecutors said they had launched a criminal case into possible "negligence" by servicemen.
|
| Samsung might offer a Galaxy S8 promotion that we’ve never seen before Posted: 22 Mar 2017 06:02 PM PDT 
A new report from Korea says that Samsung may be considering a bold marketing move for the upcoming Galaxy S8: unconditional refunds after up to three months of use. That's certainly unusual for any product, and especially an Android smartphone. In the three months that will follow the Galaxy S8's launch, various other Android handsets will hit stores. An unconditional money-back guarantee may convince some buyers to ditch the Galaxy S8 and go for something else. Not to mention that, if you buy a Galaxy S8 this summer with this money-back guarantee, you'd be able to switch to the iPhone 8 in fall without taking any losses on the Galaxy S8. The concept, first reported by Chosun Biz, according to The Investor, would address two concerns. First of all, the Bixby assistant will launch in a limited form on the Galaxy S8. Samsung is expected to release a software upgrade in the first half of the year, that will bring more functionality to the new AI assistant. Moreover, the extended money-back guarantee is meant to prove Samsung's confidence in the phone's quality. The Galaxy S8 is going to be the first major smartphone launch for Samsung, following the Galaxy Note 7 disaster. The report doesn't say whether Samsung would offer such a perk to all its international buyers, or whether it's a local marketing trick for the Korean market. However, The Investor does say that such a refund program for the Galaxy S8 would be tricky for Samsung. Not only would it have to find a way to handle the returned phones, but Samsung would also have to worry about the incoming iPhone 8.
|
| Sea ice hits new record low at both poles Posted: 22 Mar 2017 01:56 PM PDT  The sea ice cover in the Arctic and Antarctic hit new record lows for this time of year, marking the smallest polar ice caps in the 38-year satellite record, US government scientists said Wednesday. In March, the Arctic ice sheet should be at its biggest, but on March 7 the ice cover reached "a record low wintertime maximum extent," said a statement by the US space agency NASA. The disappearing sea ice comes as the planet has marked three years in a row of record-breaking heat, raising new concerns about the accelerating pace of global warming and the need to curb burning of fossil fuels which spew heat-trapping greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.
|
| Teen With Autism Denied A Service Dog But Finally Gets One in Emotional Video Posted: 22 Mar 2017 05:27 PM PDT  She was denied service dog for four years.
|
| Tata Consultancy says plans to step up local hiring in U.S. Posted: 23 Mar 2017 08:12 AM PDT ![Tata Consultancy says plans to step up local hiring in U.S.]( "Tata Consultancy says plans to step up local hiring in U.S.") India's top software services exporter Tata Consultancy Services will step up local hiring in the United States and has no plans to cut investments there as it continues to expect robust growth from its biggest overseas market. "In the last four or five years, we have been recruiting heavily in the U.S.," Girish Ramachandran, head of Asia Pacific region of TCS, told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia in China's Hainan province.
|
| Florida man's book burning sparks wildfire, destroys homes: officials Posted: 23 Mar 2017 07:57 AM PDT ![Florida man's book burning sparks wildfire, destroys homes: officials]( "Florida man's book burning sparks wildfire, destroys homes: officials") The blaze started on Wednesday afternoon after the unidentified man burned books and magazines outside his home near Bryceville, about 20 miles west of Jacksonville, Florida Forest Service spokeswoman Annaleasa Winter told Reuters by telephone. It is against Florida law to burn household garbage.
|
| Credible Terror Threats Cited In Airplane Electronics Ban Posted: 21 Mar 2017 05:52 PM PDT  The Department of Homeland Security said terrorist groups want to bring down more airliners.
|
| Hot air balloons over Turkey's Cappadocia Posted: 23 Mar 2017 06:16 AM PDT ![Hot air balloons over Turkey's Cappadocia]( "Hot air balloons over Turkey's Cappadocia") Since 1988, hot air balloons have filled the skies over the historic Cappadocia region in Nevsehir, Turkey, contributing to the region's tourism industry. Cappadocia is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its chimney rocks, hot air balloon trips, underground cities and boutique hotels carved into rocks.
|
| Apple unveils red iPhone 7 and 7 Plus Posted: 22 Mar 2017 03:14 AM PDT  Apple introduces this special edition as part of their red campaign, which contributes to the global fund to fight AIDS.
|
| The Latest:: GOP intel chairman apologizes to Democrats Posted: 23 Mar 2017 09:07 AM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump's unsubstantiated claims of wiretapping (all times local):
|
| Laptop and tablet bans on flights: What we know Posted: 22 Mar 2017 08:01 AM PDT  Britain and the United States have announced bans on laptops and tablet computers from the cabin of flights from several Middle East and North African nations. The restrictions are different in the two countries and only Britain has specified the maximum size of electronic device allowed -- 16 by 9.3 centimetres (6.3 by 3.7 inches). The US ban applies to flights from 10 airports in eight countries.
|
| Judge orders trial for Argentina ex-president Posted: 23 Mar 2017 11:05 AM PDT  A judge on Thursday ordered Argentina's former president Cristina Kirchner to stand trial on charges of financial mismanagement. A string of cases targeting Kirchner and her rival, current President Mauricio Macri, are clouding Argentine politics ahead of mid-term elections later this year. Kirchner is accused of ordering the central bank to sell dollar futures at artificially low prices, causing Argentina to lose hundreds of millions.
|
| Huawei's Exclusive Alexa App Can Replace an Echo Posted: 22 Mar 2017 06:02 AM PDT  Earlier this week, Amazon enabled Alexa integration on the iPhone by building voice recognition straight into the standard Amazon App. This development is a result of a promise Huawei made back at CES 2017 to bring Alexa integration to its flagship phablet, the Huawei Mate 9. The Mate 9 Alexa essentially adds another device that can listen and respond to voice commands just like an Amazon Echo would.
|
| Pat McGrath goes intergalactic for latest beauty launch Posted: 22 Mar 2017 08:07 AM PDT  Celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath has finally unveiled her latest upcoming beauty innovation -- and it was inspired by outer space. Dark Star 006 is a 6-7 piece metallic eye makeup kit designed to reinvent the smoky eye. Each kit contains an Astral White and Mercury pigment, a Cyber Clear Eye Gloss, a Black SmudgeLiner Eye Kohl and a Blender Brush, WWD reports.
|
| China's HNA to buy New York office tower for $2.2 billion: source Posted: 22 Mar 2017 05:59 AM PDT ![China's HNA to buy New York office tower for $2.2 billion: source]( "China's HNA to buy New York office tower for $2.2 billion: source") China's HNA Group has agreed to purchase a marquee Manhattan office building for $2.21 billion in a deal that showcases the role of Chinese capital in New York's heady commercial real estate market. The deal for 245 Park Avenue has not closed but HNA, a Chinese conglomerate that has been on an acquisition spree, signed a purchase and sale agreement, a source familiar with the transaction said on Tuesday.
|
| ‘Dare to be tender’: One year after attack, Belgian king urges kindness Posted: 22 Mar 2017 01:48 PM PDT !['Dare to be tender': One year after attack, Belgian king urges kindness]( "'Dare to be tender': One year after attack, Belgian king urges kindness") Brussels on Wednesday marked the first anniversary of suicide bombings that killed 32 people at the airport and subway, with ceremonies timed with the blasts and the dedication of a new memorial. Recommended: How much do you know about Islam and violence? "Above all, let us dare to be tender," he said, at the unveiling of a new monument to all the victims near the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels' European Quarter.
|
| April The Giraffe 'Bit Moody' As Labor Delayed Posted: 22 Mar 2017 10:00 PM PDT  Keepers believe April's mood change "is a good thing" while the animal's "back end continues to progress to our satisfaction."
|
| The Latest: Parents investigated twice before son died Posted: 22 Mar 2017 08:44 PM PDT ![The Latest: Parents investigated twice before son died]( "The Latest: Parents investigated twice before son died") PHOENIX (AP) — The Latest on the fatal shooting of a 9-year-old Phoenix boy (all times local):
|
