| 63 Percent Of Americans Believe Donald Trump Tried To Obstruct Russia Probe Posted: 16 Dec 2017 08:36 PM PST  A new poll has found that 63 percent of Americans believe President Donald Trump has tried to "impede or obstruct" the investigations into Russian interference in the U.S. election and possible links between Trump's campaign and the Kremlin.
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| Mystery swirls around powerful North Korea official as Hwang Pyong-so remains missing Posted: 16 Dec 2017 07:55 PM PST  A North Korean official widely deemed as the nation's second most powerful figure has been missing for some time, raising speculation that he has been executed.
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| Full Short Interview: 'Arcane' Senate rules require tax cuts to be temporary Posted: 16 Dec 2017 10:50 PM PST  Marc Short, Director of Legislative Affairs for the White House, tells Chuck Todd that he tried to find Democrats to support the Republican tax bill, but couldn't bring on enough Senators.
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| NBC WSJ Poll: Democratic favorability highest since 2008 Posted: 16 Dec 2017 10:10 PM PST In a new poll from NBC News/Wall Street Journal, President Trump's approval sits at the lowest level for any president at this point in time.
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| Lawsuit: 2 immigrant teens in US custody can't get abortions Posted: 15 Dec 2017 06:49 PM PST ![Lawsuit: 2 immigrant teens in US custody can't get abortions]( "Lawsuit: 2 immigrant teens in US custody can't get abortions") WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's administration is blocking two pregnant teens in the country illegally and being held in federal custody from obtaining abortions, the American Civil Liberties Union said Friday, a repeat of the situation that led to a high-profile court fight earlier this year.
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| Deadly California wildfire continues to grow despite wind slowing down Posted: 15 Dec 2017 08:56 PM PST  Calming winds Friday gave firefighters a chance to gain ground against a huge wildfire in coastal mountains northwest of Los Angeles but the blaze continued to surge west, endangering thousands of homes, as forecasts called for a renewal of gusty winds. The so-called Thomas Fire, the fourth-largest in California history, was 35 percent contained Friday night after sweeping across 400 square miles (about 1,036 sq. kilometers) of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties since it erupted Dec. 4. Between Thursday night and Friday morning, the blaze claimed another 3,000 acres as it fed on brush and timber killed by California's long drought or a week of hot, dry weather. Santa Barbara has had only a tiny amount of rain since Oct. 1, the start of the new water year, and is more than 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) below normal to date. California wildfires cause thousands to flee, in pictures Firefighters continued to carve firebreaks above the communities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Summerland and Montecito and state fire officials said evacuations would be called as needed as flames advanced. The fire already has destroyed more than 1,000 buildings, including well over 700 homes, and threatens 18,000 more structures. Another focus of firefighting was on the eastern flank in canyons where a state firefighter was killed Thursday near the agricultural town of Fillmore. The death of Cory Iverson, 32, was announced by Chief Ken Pimlott of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection but he released no information about the circumstances, citing an ongoing investigation by an accident review team. Iverson was an engineer with a strike team from the San Diego area and had been with Cal Fire since 2009. He is survived by his wife, who is pregnant, and a 2-year-old daughter, as well as his parents and other family. The National Weather Service forecast extreme fire danger or "red flag" conditions through at least Saturday evening, with winds gusting to 40 mph in the Santa Barbara County mountains where the fire is burning. Firefighters were facing first northerly "sundowner" winds through the night that could turn into northeasterly Santa Ana winds, driving the flames in another direction. Everything about the fire was massive, from a footprint larger than that of many cities to the sheer scale of destruction that cremated entire neighborhoods or the legions attacking it: more than 8,000 firefighters from nearly a dozen states, aided by 32 helicopters and 78 bulldozers. Firefighting costs were approaching $89 million. Meanwhile, firefighters continued to deal with the loss of their own. All 17 of the firefighters on Cory Iverson's five-engine strike team were pulled off the fire lines after his death. Fires continue to rage Credit: Mike Eliason/AP On Thursday night, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean called for a moment of silence during a meeting for Fillmore residents. "As I was up in the canyon and I watched his fire brethren remove his flag-draped body from the canyon in the hills above where we sit right here, I couldn't help but think about his pregnant wife and his young daughter who will never see their husband and father again," Dean said. It was the second death linked to the fire. The body of a 70-year-old woman was found in a crashed car on an evacuation route last week.
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| This Cat Named D-O-G Helps Train Pups To Be Service Dogs Posted: 16 Dec 2017 03:12 PM PST  Not many cats get to have a career as a dog trainer, but one Missouri feline is doing just that.
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| Cake for 'joyful' pope on his 81st birthday Posted: 16 Dec 2017 04:35 PM PST ![Cake for 'joyful' pope on his 81st birthday]( "Cake for 'joyful' pope on his 81st birthday") Pope Francis celebrated his 81st birthday Sunday with a hero cake and a message urging the world -- and children in particular -- to join in the holiday mood and be joyful. The Argentine pontiff thanked the crowds gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the Angelus prayer as they sang happy birthday, and was expected to slice into his birthday cake after lunch. The artist -- whose real name is Mauro Pallotta -- famously depicted Francis as Superman in 2014 and has since begun supporting Vatican charitable projects by selling T-shirts bearing the flying pope.
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| Amid Sexual Harassment Probe, Democratic Rep. Ruben Kihuen Won't Seek Re-Election Posted: 16 Dec 2017 02:18 PM PST  Democratic Nevada Rep. Ruben Kihuen said on Saturday he won't seek re-election in 2018 just one day after the House Ethics Committee said it would investigate allegations of sexual harassment from two women.
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| Female Congressional Candidate Quits Race Over Sexual Harassment Allegations Posted: 16 Dec 2017 07:13 AM PST  Andrea Ramsey is accused of sexually harassing a male subordinate in 2005
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| Trump defends $1.5 trillion tax cut bill Posted: 16 Dec 2017 08:03 AM PST  "This will mostly benefit the middle class and jobs," Pres. Trump told reporters before departing for Camp David on Saturday.
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| British embassy worker found murdered in Lebanon: official Posted: 17 Dec 2017 10:08 AM PST ![British embassy worker found murdered in Lebanon: official]( "British embassy worker found murdered in Lebanon: official") A British woman employed at the UK embassy in Lebanon has been found murdered, a senior official said Sunday, adding that the crime did not appear to be political. According to her social media profiles, she was employed by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
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| Santa’s workshop comes to life in Brooklyn, New York Posted: 16 Dec 2017 08:12 AM PST  Fifty years ago, Lou Nasti gained fame when he built a robot that landed him on the front page of the New York Times. Now his skill can be seen in his detailed animatronic Christmas workshop in Brooklyn, New York and on display all around the world.
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| Plan released for dividing money to Vegas shooting victims Posted: 15 Dec 2017 06:36 PM PST  LAS VEGAS (AP) — A plan that will be used to divide donations for victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting was finalized Friday with a significant change that allows injured people who were not hospitalized to seek some of the money.
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| Landslides kill 26 in storm-hit Philippine province: local officials Posted: 17 Dec 2017 06:37 AM PST ![Landslides kill 26 in storm-hit Philippine province: local officials]( "Landslides kill 26 in storm-hit Philippine province: local officials") At least 26 people were killed while several residents were missing in an island province in central Philippines after tropical storm Kai-tak brought heavy rains that triggered landslides, local authorities and media said on Sunday. Kai-tak cut power supplies in many areas, forced the cancellation of several flights, stranded more than 15,000 people in various ports in the region and prompted nearly 88,000 people to seek shelter in evacuation centers. The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Biliran island said 26 residents had died, but the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has yet to make any official announcement about fatalities.
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| Bodies of Canadian Billionaire and His Wife Found in Their Home in Apparently 'Suspicious' Death Posted: 16 Dec 2017 10:15 AM PST  A Canadian billionaire and his wife were found dead in their Toronto home, under conditions which the police have called "suspicious," according to multiple reports
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| France Promises To 'Defend Net Neutrality' In Wake Of FCC Vote In U.S. Posted: 17 Dec 2017 07:40 AM PST  In the aftermath of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's vote to repeal net neutrality last week, the French government has spoken up in support of a free and open internet.
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| The Vatican Bans Sales of Saints' Body Parts in Updated Relic Rules Posted: 16 Dec 2017 08:37 AM PST  The new rules govern how body parts and cremated remains are to be handled
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| Trump administration prohibits CDC from using certain words Posted: 16 Dec 2017 02:05 AM PST  According to a Washington Post report, the Trump administration is banning the Center for Disease Control from using certain words in their official documents including fetus, transgender and diversity.
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| Merry Christmas, Losers! Baldwin's Trump Boasts 'Greatest Year' On The Planet On 'SNL' Posted: 16 Dec 2017 09:36 PM PST  The "Saturday Night Live" gang gathered in the ersatz White House for the last show before Christmas while "all natural, all American coal" burned in the fireplace, noted Alec Baldwin's Donald Trump.
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| On the trail of London's serial cat killer Posted: 15 Dec 2017 07:51 PM PST  In what has become a grim ritual, Tony Jenkins examines the mutilated remains of a domestic cat -- and says the south London serial killer has struck once again. Nobody is surprised when Jenkins, the co-founder of Snarl, a local animal rescue and rehabilitation shelter, arrives at a veterinary surgery to confirm the grisly find. In the last two years, Snarl has identified more than 400 suspected victims: mostly cats, but also some foxes and rabbits.
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| End of days comes for Ohio man's 'zombie Nativity' scene Posted: 17 Dec 2017 12:55 PM PST ![End of days comes for Ohio man's 'zombie Nativity' scene]( "End of days comes for Ohio man's 'zombie Nativity' scene") CINCINNATI (AP) — A ghoulish holiday tradition outside of Cincinnati will soon come to a close after an Ohio man said he won't put up his "zombie Nativity" scene after this year.
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| Third Sea Lion Attack in a Week Prompts Swimming Ban at San Francisco Park Posted: 16 Dec 2017 07:35 AM PST ![Third Sea Lion Attack in a Week Prompts Swimming Ban at San Francisco Park]( "Third Sea Lion Attack in a Week Prompts Swimming Ban at San Francisco Park") "I haven't had a single sea lion or wildlife attack like this."
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| Canadian police probe 'suspicious' deaths of billionaire couple Posted: 15 Dec 2017 08:20 PM PST ![Canadian police probe 'suspicious' deaths of billionaire couple]( "Canadian police probe 'suspicious' deaths of billionaire couple") By Chris Helgren TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian police said they were investigating the mysterious deaths of Barry Sherman, founder of Canadian pharmaceutical firm Apotex Inc, and his wife, Honey, one of the nation's wealthiest couples whose bodies were found in their mansion on Friday. Police said they learned of the deaths after responding to a midday (1700 GMT) medical call at the Sherman's home in an affluent section of northeast Toronto. "The circumstances of their death appear suspicious and we are treating it that way," said Constable David Hopkinson.
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| Does Pentagon still have a UFO program? The answer is a bit mysterious Posted: 16 Dec 2017 07:18 PM PST ![Does Pentagon still have a UFO program? The answer is a bit mysterious]( "Does Pentagon still have a UFO program? The answer is a bit mysterious") The Pentagon acknowledged on Saturday that its long-secret UFO investigation program ended in 2012, when U.S. defense officials shifted attention and funding to other priorities. The New York Times reported on Saturday that the hush-hush program, tasked with investigating sightings of unidentified flying objects, or UFOs, ran from 2007 to 2012 with $22 million in annual funding secretly tucked away in U.S. Defense Department budgets worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
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| GOP 'civil war' in primaries will lose them midterms: Democrat senator Posted: 17 Dec 2017 05:05 AM PST  The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair joins "This Week" after Democrat Doug Jones' victory in Alabama.
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| Russia and NATO: Headed for a Missile Arms Race in Europe? Posted: 17 Dec 2017 05:36 AM PST  The NATO alliance is urging Moscow to return to compliance with the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces bilateral U.S.-Russia treaty, which bans land-based missiles that have ranges between 500km and 5,500km. "Allies have identified a Russian missile system that raises serious concerns," reads a statement from the alliance.
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| Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump From Rolling Back Birth Control Coverage Posted: 15 Dec 2017 08:01 PM PST  BREAKING: Pennsylvania won a nationwide injunction stopping President Trump's order that eliminated women's guaranteed access to contraceptive care.
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| End of an era: Boeing 747 takes last US commercial flight Posted: 16 Dec 2017 08:01 PM PST  The Boeing 747, the original jumbo jet that was the favorite American presidents and key to affordable mass market air travel in the United States, will pass into aviation history this week. Nearly 50 years after the its debut, the 747 will take its final commercial flight with an American carrier Tuesday on Delta Air Lines' Seoul-to-Detroit route. It "made flying available for everyone," said Boeing chief company historian Michael Lombardi said of the iconic jet.
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| In sex assault laws, definition of consent varies widely Posted: 16 Dec 2017 05:47 PM PST  For two months now, as accusations of sexual misconduct have piled up against Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced mogul has responded over and over again: "Any allegations of nonconsensual sex are unequivocally denied."
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| Cow Escapes Live Nativity Scene Twice and Wanders the Streets of Philadelphia Posted: 16 Dec 2017 09:44 AM PST  Stormy was returned after two adventures on snowy downtown streets
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| Minnesota governor defends police shooting investigators Posted: 16 Dec 2017 12:09 PM PST ![Minnesota governor defends police shooting investigators]( "Minnesota governor defends police shooting investigators") MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton defended the state agency that investigates police shootings after a prosecutor criticized the investigation into the death of an Australian woman who was killed by an officer after she called police to report a possible assault.
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| Being A Facebook Wallflower Isn't Good For You, The Social Site Says Posted: 15 Dec 2017 06:20 PM PST  Passively reading Facebook posts — without posting messages or responding to comments — makes users feel bad about themselves, some studies have discovered.
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| The Myth That Urbanization Means Prosperity Posted: 16 Dec 2017 05:00 AM PST  When it comes to cities and urbanization, it is generally thought that bigger is better. But a pair of recent studies suggests that although industrialized nations may have benefited from larger cities, the same is not true for the rapidly urbanizing areas of the developing world. In these parts of the globe, there really might be such a thing as too much urbanization, too quickly.
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| Argentina navy chief sacked over sub tragedy Posted: 16 Dec 2017 10:50 PM PST  Argentina dismissed its naval chief on Saturday, the most high-profile officer to be fired a month after a submarine went missing with 44 crew members on board. It's a political decision," a navy officer told AFP on condition of anonymity about the decision to remove Admiral Marcelo Srur during an ongoing investigation into the sub's disappearance. Srur is the fifth senior officer to have been relieved of his functions so far over the ARA San Juan's disappearance.
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| Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos Share Adorable 'Kid Approved' Holiday Family Photo Posted: 15 Dec 2017 07:30 PM PST  Happy holidays from the Consuelos clan!
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| US Congress set for historic 2018 election as more women than ever run for office Posted: 16 Dec 2017 08:38 AM PST  More women than ever before are running for the US Congress next year in an apparent backlash to Donald Trump's presidency. Some 374 female candidates are seeking seats in the House of Representatives - smashing the previous high of 298 in 2012 – and 42 are trying to reach the Senate. Much of the surge comes from Democratic women seeking to unseat Republican incumbents after Hillary Clinton failed to become the first female president last year. First-time candidates have cited Mr Trump's "attacks on women" and his behaviour in office as reasons for throwing their hat into the political ring. There are hopes of recreating the so-called "Year of the Woman" in 1992, when scandal in Washington DC and a national debate about sexism triggered a jump in the number of congresswomen. The number of women running for Congress has been rising over recent years, but 2018 looks set to see a dramatic jump. Donald Trump, right, and Theresa May Credit: MATT DUNHAM/AFP/Getty Images One of those women seeking to make history is Mikie Sherrill, a former navy pilot and mother of four hoping to represent the 11th district of New Jersey. After almost a decade in the military and a stint as a government lawyer, Ms Sherrill decided it was the time to enter politics after watching the Trump presidency with alarm. "Most of my life I've spent working for the Government. I really felt like with this president we're seeing attacks on institutions of our democracy in ways we've never seen before," she told The Sunday Telegraph. "I'm concerned about his treatment of POWs [prisoners of war], of gold-star families, his attacks on women, his attacks on minorities, the federal court system, the 'Muslim ban'. "You name it. He has spent his time attacking everything I've supported. I felt very affronted." Ms Sherrill's family life – she has daughters aged 12 and 5 and sons aged 10 and 8 – gave her pause for thought as she considered a career on Capitol Hill. But she decided with her husband Jason Hedberg that taking on Mr Trump's agenda in Congress would actually protect her children. "With any job I've had there have always been concerns about balancing my job and my family life. But my friends and I joke that there's no such thing as work-life balance. You're always trying to find it, it's the unattainable goal," Ms Sherrill said. "Having four kids and being as concerned as I am about the future of this country, I felt like it was something I had to do for them." The race will not be easy. Her opponent, the Republican congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, has held the seat for 27 years. However support has been slipping for Republican presidential candidates, from John McCain winning the district by 9 per cent in 2008 to Mr Trump doing so by less than 1 per cent last year, which brings hope. The numbers, crunched by researchers at Center for American Women and Politics, part of Rutgers University, do suggest something historic is on the way. Professor Kelly Dittmar, who has worked on the project, suspects the backlash against Mr Trump's victory last year has played a part. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate in 2016, had hoped to become the first female US president Credit: AFP/Getty Images "We cannot definitely speak to the motivation of each of these female candidates. But the anecdotal stories and evidence that we have … indicates that women have been energised to respond to this president and this administration," she says. "In particular, they have expressed both anger and discontent at the president's behavior and rhetoric as well as the policies his administration has put forward." Other research suggests similar. The president of Emily's List, the largest national organization devoted to electing female candidates, recently said more than 22,000 women had reached out about running since Mr Trump's election. That compares to just 1,000 women in the 10 months before the election. For Professor Dittmar, the trend is part of a wider phenomenon. "Look at the energy of women protesting and activism in the 'women's march' [last year], the women speaking out against sexual harassment and abuse," she says. "These are all indicators that women are both feeling empowered and motivated that this is a moment of urgency for them to have a seat at the table."
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| Hundreds of People Fell Sick on a Royal Caribbean Cruise Posted: 17 Dec 2017 09:28 AM PST  Some passengers told local media they were happy to get off the ship
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| A Mysterious Charity is Giving Away $86 Million in Bitcoin Posted: 16 Dec 2017 07:39 PM PST  It involves pineapples. Kind of.
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| The Latest: South Africa leader doesn't endorse a successor Posted: 16 Dec 2017 08:39 AM PST  JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The Latest on South Africa's ruling party meeting (all times local):
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| Alyssa Milano Educates Matt Damon After His Horrid Response On Sexual Misconduct Posted: 15 Dec 2017 08:12 PM PST  Actress Alyssa Milano taught a master class on the problems of sexual misconduct Friday night.
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| Taiwan steel firm behind toxic dump in Vietnam fined again Posted: 16 Dec 2017 11:06 PM PST  A Taiwanese steel firm behind a toxic spill that killed tonnes of fish in central Vietnam last year was fined for a second time for illegally burying "harmful" waste, official sources said Sunday. The deadly dump from Formosa's $11 billion steel plant in Ha Tinh province sparked one of the country's worst environmental catastrophes, decimating livelihoods along swathes of coastline and prompting months of rare protests in the authoritarian country. The firm was initially fined $500 million for pouring toxic chemicals -- including cyanide -- into the ocean in April 2016, and has now been ordered to pay an additional $25,000 on separate charges of burying harmful solid waste in the ground, according to the official Cong Ly newspaper.
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| Uber should have given court an ex-employee's letter about 'fraud and theft' in Waymo case Posted: 15 Dec 2017 07:26 PM PST ![Uber should have given court an ex-employee's letter about 'fraud and theft' in Waymo case]( "Uber should have given court an ex-employee's letter about 'fraud and theft' in Waymo case") Ride hailing company Uber was obligated to turn over to a U.S. federal judge a letter from a former employee that told of the company's "fraud and theft" and mentioned evidence of stolen trade secrets nailed "like a scalp" to the wall, a court official said Friday. Special master, John Cooper, assigned to a lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc by Alphabet Inc's self-driving car unit, Waymo, released a report on Friday stating the company should have produced the letter and was wrong in keeping it from the court. The letter, from former Uber security analyst Richard Jacobs alleging Uber engaged in illegal and unethical competitive tactics and had stolen trade secrets, is at the heart of Waymo's lawsuit against Uber.
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| Doug Jones Urges Roy Moore to 'Move On' After Alabama Senate Race Posted: 17 Dec 2017 10:34 AM PST  "Alabama has spoken"
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| Check Out This Model S Wagon Rendering Posted: 16 Dec 2017 09:14 AM PST  One collector has commissioned his own custom Tesla wagon. Here's what it'll look like.
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