| Democrats Vow Rapid Action After Obamacare Tossed by Judge Posted: 15 Dec 2018 12:02 PM PST  President Donald Trump termed the ruling "a big big victory by a highly respected judge" and an alternative path to the long-time Republican goal of repeal-and-replace. "We'll be able to get great health care," Trump said Saturday during an unannounced visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where a "Wreaths Across America" holiday wreath-laying event was under way. The decision Friday finding the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional comes at the tail end of a six-week open enrollment period for the program in 2019 and underscores a divide between Republicans who have long sought to invalidate the law and Democrats who fought to keep it in place.
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| Fierce clashes in Hodeidah lead to delay of ceasefire Posted: 16 Dec 2018 09:19 AM PST  Fierce clashes broke out in Yemen's crucial port city of Hodeidah on Sunday, leading UN and Yemeni officials to delay the "official" start of the hard-fought ceasefire agreed last week. Residents reported skirmishes on the outskirts of town with missiles and automatic gunfire heard near the city's eastern 7th July suburb. Unconfirmed television reports said that the Saudi-led coalition had launched two airstrikes on Ras Isa, a port north of Hodeidah. On Thursday, the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels agreed to a UN-brokered truce in Hodeidah with the Saudi-led coalition that backs the official government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. UN officials said it was necessary to delay the implementation of the ceasefire until December 18th to convey orders to troops on the ground. On Sunday afternoon, UN Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths issued a plea to both to "respect their obligations as per the text and the spirit of the Stockholm Agreement" and "engage in the immediate representation of its provisions." "Without peace, we will be facing in 2019 a much worse situation than today" as a result of food shortages, warned UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday. Hodeidah is almost completely controlled by the Houthis, and their withdrawal from key positions like the port is one of the central components of the UN-brokered deal reached last week in Sweden. By moving units away from the Red Sea port, international officials hope to get desperately needed food and aid into the country to ease Yemen's festering humanitarian crisis. Under the deal, which could create the breathing space for meaningful peace talks, international monitors are to be deployed in Hodeidah to observe as all armed forces pull back completely within 21 days of the start of the ceasefire. Skirmishes and clashes like those seen in Hodeidah over the past two days are not in themselves a sign that the ceasefire is doomed, said independent Yemen analyst Hisham Al-Omeisy. "Even in previous ceasefires, there was a huge de-escalation infighting, but still sporadic fighting here and there, like we've seen over the past few days," he told the Telegraph. He cited recent conversations with Houthi contacts where the atmosphere in Hodeidah was cited as "toxic" and characterised by a deep mistrust of the Saudi-led coalition. A rise in looting by Houthi forces, he said, showed "bad faith" ahead of the agreed withdrawal.
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| China's Xi declares an 'overwhelming victory' over graft: state media Posted: 14 Dec 2018 11:11 PM PST  Chinese President Xi Jinping has declared an "overwhelming victory" in his fight against graft within the ruling Chinese Communist Party, while still vowing that the campaign to weed out deep-seated corruption will continue, state media reported. Xi has pledged to wage war on graft until corruption of all kinds has been expunged at all levels of the Communist Party, from high-level "tigers" to low-level "flies".
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| Harvey Weinstein bragged about sleeping with Jennifer Lawrence after another actress rejected his advances, lawsuit claims Posted: 15 Dec 2018 01:36 AM PST  Film producer Harvey Weinstein is alleged to have bragged about sleeping with Jennifer Lawrence when another actor rejected his advances. According to the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, Weinstein pushed the unnamed actress to the ground during a meeting at his office in 2013 before sexually assaulting her. Lawrence issued a statement on Friday denying she had had a sexual relationship with Weinstein.
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| Iraq lays cornerstone to rebuild iconic Mosul mosque Posted: 16 Dec 2018 06:09 AM PST  Iraqis on Sunday laid the cornerstone in rebuilding Mosul's Al-Nuri mosque and leaning minaret, national emblems destroyed last year in the ferocious battle against the Islamic State group. The famed 12th century mosque and minaret, dubbed Al-Hadba or "the hunchback," hosted Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's only public appearance as IS chief, when he declared a self-styled "caliphate" after the jihadists swept into Mosul in 2014. The structures were ravaged three years later in the final, most brutal stages of the months-long fight to rid Iraq's second city of IS.
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| Family complains that Catholic priest used teen's funeral to condemn suicide Posted: 15 Dec 2018 06:26 PM PST  The parents of a teenage boy who took his own life have condemned a Catholic priest who questioned whether their son would get to heaven while presiding over his funeral. The Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit expressed regret for the comments and said the Rev Don LaCuesta would not preach at funerals "for the foreseeable future". But the parents of Maison Hullibarger said they wanted the priest removed from his post for the heartbreak caused. "We wanted him to celebrate how Maison lived, not how he died," his mother, Linda Hullibarger, told The Detroit Free Press. Jeff Hullibarger added: "It was his time to tell everybody what he thought of suicide, (and) we couldn't believe what he was saying. "He was up there condemning our son, pretty much calling him a sinner. He wondered if he had repented enough to make it to heaven. He said 'suicide' upwards of six times. They said they met the priest ahead of the service at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Temperance, Michigan, on December 8, setting out what they hoped to hear in a loving homily. However, the Catholic Church has traditionally taught that suicide was an unforgiveable sin. It has only been in recent years that the stance has softened to forgive suicide in situations of extreme stress. The Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit apologised and said Mr LaCuesta would be removed from funeral duties and given extra assistance. "We share the family's grief at such a profound loss. Our hope is always to bring comfort into situations of great pain, through funeral services centered on the love and healing power of Christ," it said in a statement. "Unfortunately, that did not happen in this case. We understand that an unbearable situation was made even more difficult, and we are sorry."
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| Photos: Snow, freezing rain from Storm Deirdre causes disruptions across UK Posted: 15 Dec 2018 03:32 PM PST  Storm Deirdre caused travel hazards, power outages and disruptions this weekend across the United Kingdom.
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| Introducing the Army's New Lethal Sniper Rifle Posted: 16 Dec 2018 01:00 AM PST  Here's all we know.
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| Every Photo from Our Drive of the Audi e-tron GT Concept Posted: 16 Dec 2018 02:50 PM PST |
| As sentencing looms, Flynn is upbeat, has adoring fans Posted: 14 Dec 2018 09:31 PM PST  PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Days away from being sentenced in the Russia probe, former national security adviser Michael Flynn is not exactly hiding his face in shame.
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| Police use teargas on 'yellow vest' protesters on Champs Elysees Posted: 15 Dec 2018 07:37 AM PST  Police use teargas on protesters on the boulevard Champs Elysees while demonstrators gathered near Paris Opera House. Rough cut (no reporter narration).
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| Top Democrat Schiff Adds Call for Probe of Trump, Deutsche Bank Links Posted: 16 Dec 2018 12:25 PM PST  Representative Adam Schiff of California said on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday that any type of compromise needs to be investigated. Schiff's comments came three days after Wall Street critic Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and fellow Senate Democrat Chris Van Hollen called for a Banking Committee investigation of Deutsche Bank's compliance with U.S. money-laundering regulations.
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| Turkey would consider working with Assad if he won a democratic Syrian election Posted: 16 Dec 2018 08:18 AM PST ![Turkey would consider working with Assad if he won a democratic Syrian election]( "Turkey would consider working with Assad if he won a democratic Syrian election") Turkey and other world powers would consider working with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if he won a democratic election, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a conference in Qatar on Sunday. Turkey supported the opposition to Assad in the Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011 and continues to support rebel fighters who control part of northwest Syria. A year ago Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan described Assad as a terrorist and said it was impossible for Syrian peace efforts to continue with him.
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| Powerful blast at Japan restaurant injures 42 Posted: 16 Dec 2018 03:24 PM PST  A powerful blast ripped through a restaurant in northern Japan late Sunday, injuring 42 people, starting fires that took hours to bring under control and leading several neighbouring buildings to collapse, officials and reports said. A police official for the Hokkaido region told AFP "there are 42 injuries" but no one was killed. The Jiji Press agency said one of the injured was seriously hurt, suffering burns to his face, but none of the victims had life-threatening wounds.
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| Any decision on Brexit deal will happen in New Year - British trade minister Posted: 16 Dec 2018 08:20 AM PST ![Any decision on Brexit deal will happen in New Year - British trade minister]( "Any decision on Brexit deal will happen in New Year - British trade minister") British trade minister Liam Fox said on Sunday talks with the European Union to secure "assurances" for parliament on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal will take time, with a decision expected in the New Year. "The prime minister is giving an update tomorrow, she will be talking to the cabinet on Tuesday, it is very clear that the EU understand what the problem is.
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| The best weekend holiday deals on Amazon Posted: 16 Dec 2018 06:51 AM PST ![The best weekend holiday deals on Amazon]( "The best weekend holiday deals on Amazon") These deals make great last minute gifts.
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| Snow showers, squalls to accompany fresh wave of cold air in northeastern US Monday Posted: 16 Dec 2018 02:09 AM PST  Cold air diving into the northeastern United States to start the new week will be accompanied by gusty winds, snow and the threat for slippery travel.
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| Warren seeks to solidify backing of African Americans Posted: 14 Dec 2018 09:44 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Elizabeth Warren is seeking to solidify her connection with African-American voters as she prepares to launch a potential presidential campaign amid criticism of her approach to race and identity.
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| How Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke came undone Posted: 15 Dec 2018 09:40 AM PST  He arrived on a horse for his first day on the job and was welcomed at the Interior Department by an honor song. Zinke's departure is unlikely to be so ceremonial.
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| Child's death highlights communication barriers on border Posted: 16 Dec 2018 02:44 PM PST  Shortly before a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl died in U.S. custody, her father signed a form stating that his daughter was in good health. But it's unclear how much the man understood on the form, which was written in English and read to him in Spanish by Border Patrol agents.
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| South Africa's ANC Postpones Party Election List Conference Posted: 16 Dec 2018 02:44 AM PST  The conference would be rescheduled to Jan. 4-5 from this weekend to accommodate the North West province, which hadn't submitted its nominations, ANC acting spokesman Dakota Legeote said by phone. The conference had been delayed because of deep divisions within the party and allegations by some members of manipulation of the lists, City Press reported on Sunday. South Africa is due to hold national and provincial elections in 2019, likely in May. The country has a proportional representation system in which lawmakers are chosen according to where they sit on nomination lists.
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| Inside the threatened Kurdish proto-state that holds the keys to defeating Isil Posted: 15 Dec 2018 08:11 AM PST  On one end of Qamishli's main street flies the two-starred Syrian national flag. On the other, that of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party. "One flag represents our past oppression, the other our freedom," says Mahmoud, who owns a clothing shop which sits between the two. Before the civil war, it would have been unthinkable for the Kurdish minority to openly pledge allegiance to anything other than the President Bashar al-Assad's Syrian Arab Republic. But seven years into Syria's interminable conflict the Kurds appear to have carved out something of a proto-state in this corner of northeastern Syria, thanks in part to their efforts to flush out Isil. While they have been crushing the Caliphate to a tiny sliver of territory - taking the last town held by the Islamist on Friday morning - their separatist ambitions have largely been overlooked. Until now. Kurdish-held northern Syria The city of Qamishli has become the centre of the Kurds' ambitious self-administration project. While a few government buildings and statues of President Assad remain, Qamishli and the surrounding areas are now firmly under the control of the Democratic Union Party (PYD). Mahmoud is a proud supporter of the PYD, but still he declines to give his full name to the Telegraph for fear of reprisal should the regime one day return. Assad has repeatedly promised to retake every inch of Syria, including the third currently in Kurdish hands. The prospect looked more likely than at any other time in the war this week after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered Turkish troops and Ankara-backed Syrian rebels to ready for an assault on Syria's Kurds. Turkey views the PYD's military arm, the Popular Protection Units (YPG), as a terrorist organisation because of its links to an insurgent group inside Turkey, and has watched with growing concern at Kurdish expansionism on the other side of its border. In recent years, Turkish forces have already swept into Syria pushing the YPG out of territory west of the Euphrates river. But past offensives have stopped at its banks, partly to avoid direct confrontation with US troops that back the Kurds. "Turkey has lost enough time in terms of intervening to clean the terror swamp east of the Euphrates. We don't have the patience to wait one more day," Mr Erdogan warned on Friday. Men queue up to buy bread outside a bakery on the outskirts of Qamishli Credit: Sam Tarling The Kurds, who have so far relied on the US for support in their battles against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), have threatened to abandon the fight if they are left to fend for themselves in the face of a Turkish onslaught. But Washington has sent mixed signals on whether it would be behind them in any fight against Nato ally Turkey. "We don't rely on any government, we just have strategic alliances," Salih Muslim, a prominent political player in Rojava who until recently co-chaired the PYD, told the Sunday Telegraph. "The Kurds have expected a move from Turkey for a while now and will not easily back down." Whatever they might say, it is clear is that the Kurds cannot stave off Turkish aggression alone. In the absence of a reliable ally in the US, they may soon be forced to decide whether to risk their chances, or eek out an unfavourable deal with Assad to secure long-term survival. "We have to take Assad at his word," Khalaf Dahowd, head of the foreign committee of the Democratic Change Movement, told the Sunday Telegraph from his office in Qamishli, refering to the president's pledge to take back all Syria's territory. "If he gets the chance to take Rojava he will," said Mr Dahowd, using the Kurdish name for the area of self-rule which covers some 15,000 square miles. A convoy of American Special Forces and Syrian Democratic Forces fighters makes a stop during a patrol near the Turkish border in northern Syria Credit: Sam Tarling "Even when he was at his weakest point, before Russia intervened and it looked like he was going to lose everything, Assad refused to work with the Kurds," he said. "Now he is winning, and as the saying goes - the winner takes all." Kurdish officials who were part of the first delegation to Damascus over the summer say the Syrian government was not prepared to make a single concession. Despite this, the Kurds - who are just about the only side in the multi-faceted war not to have had a full-scale military conflict with the regime - still hold out hope for a political solution. The Kurds, who number more than two million in Syria, have made great sacrifices for their "democratic experiment", as they call their pseudo-state in the north. Islamic State losing its grip on Syria The YPG has suffered considerable losses in the battles against Isil in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor in the east. Officials estimate up to 8,000 fighters have been killed and 5,000 injured. Fierce battles are still ongoing for the last sliver of jihadist territory in Deir Ezzor. At least 5,000 IS fighters remain holed up in the pocket of territory, including some 2,000 foreign fighters, mostly Arabs and Europeans along with their families. The YPG has also made significant gains, including control of the country's borders with Turkey and Iraq, its most lucrative oil fields and the freedom to once again speak their native language after decades of repression. "There are basic things we cannot give up; we need our democratic rights and our culture and language to be protected," said Fawza al-Youssef, the co-chair of the executive body of the North Syria Federation. "But there are other things that are negotiable." Mahmoud Mohammad Serhan, 59, a a retired trader who now keeps a farm, gets a cutthroat shave at a barber shop in Qamishli Credit: Sam Tarling Relinquishing control of the borders and folding the YPG, into the national army, would be among the demands she says the self-administration would consider in return for a decentralisation of government. It would also be willing to do a deal on the oil fields in eastern Deir Ezzor province, which account for more than 80 per cent of the country's pre-war production and currently lie within their control. "We aren't saying all of this is rightfully ours, but the people here should benefit," Ms Youssef said. The next few days will prove pivotal for the Kurds as they face the greatest existential threat to their autonomy project since the war began. "We can't go back to where were were before 2011, when we had nothing," said Ms Youssef. "We have not fought this hard for it all to be destroyed."
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| Student loans totaling $150M to be forgiven by US Department of Education Posted: 14 Dec 2018 08:25 PM PST  The U.S. Department of Education plans to cancel about $150 million in student loan debt, which means about 15,000 borrowers will be forgiven.
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| Displaced huddle in a basement as winter grips Syria Posted: 15 Dec 2018 08:02 PM PST  Al-Bab (Syria) (AFP) - After washing up her family's dishes over a plastic basin, 11-year-old Cedra sits on the floor of the dank basement in Syria to tackle her day's studies. A dark staircase leads from a street in the town of Al-Bab to the gloomy space the young girl, her blind father and some 40 other families have the misfortune of calling home. "There's a single room which we use as a kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom," said Cedra.
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| Cash deposited in Robinhood's 3% checking and savings isn't insured, SIPC says Posted: 16 Dec 2018 01:05 PM PST  Cash in Robinhood's new checking and savings products that were rolled out this week is not insured by the Securities Investor Protection Corp.
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| Our Plastic Addiction Has Reached A New Crisis Level Posted: 15 Dec 2018 02:45 AM PST  This is not a good look. Humans are using more oil-based plastic than ever,
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| Baylor ties pervade rape case that sparked uproar Posted: 15 Dec 2018 02:32 PM PST  DALLAS (AP) — The Texas judge who approved a plea deal allowing a former Baylor University student accused of rape to avoid jail time holds three degrees from Baylor. The criminal district attorney overseeing the case holds two. The prosecutor who agreed to the plea agreement graduated from Baylor law school.
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| Trump hails judge's ruling against Obamacare as 'great' Posted: 15 Dec 2018 04:33 PM PST  President Trump hailed a court decision against Obamacare, while a government official said the decision would have no immediate impact on health coverage.
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| Israeli premier's son blocked on Facebook for anti-Muslim posts Posted: 16 Dec 2018 01:14 PM PST  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's eldest, Yair, tweeted on Sunday that Facebook blocked his page for 24 hours over apparent anti-Muslim posts and called the leading social network a "dictatorship". In a message posted Thursday on his Facebook page after deadly Palestinian attacks, Yair Netanyahu had called for "all Muslims (to) leave" Israel. Facebook deleted Yair Netanyahu's posts, prompting him to take to Twitter to criticise the social networking giant, calling it a "dictatorship of thought".
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| For sale: Restored home of Salem witch trials refugee Posted: 16 Dec 2018 08:26 AM PST  BOSTON (AP) — A once-run-down historic home that stands where a woman accused of witchcraft during the 1692 Salem witch trials settled after she was spared the noose is on the market after an extensive renovation project.
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| I became a Democrat a year ago and found my own voice. It changed everything. Posted: 16 Dec 2018 01:00 AM PST ![I became a Democrat a year ago and found my own voice. It changed everything.]( "I became a Democrat a year ago and found my own voice. It changed everything.") I wrote my truth, held my breath and waited. I now care about lots more things than I used to, and I've finally embraced my Asian-American identity.
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| This high school taught 'adulting' for a day: How to cook, do resumes, taxes and more Posted: 15 Dec 2018 10:58 AM PST  Some millennials are seeking out classes for skills like sewing, cooking and relationship building. One school offered those classes on "adulting" day
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| Inside Polo Storico - where classic Lamborghinis are reborn Posted: 15 Dec 2018 05:02 AM PST  Polo Storico is Lamborghini's in-house restoration program that can facilitate everything – from vehicle history to complete rebuilds using original parts. We went for a closer look
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| Rocco The Cheeky Parrot Keeps Using Amazon's Alexa To Order Snacks Posted: 15 Dec 2018 05:31 PM PST  A mischievous parrot who was booted from an animal sanctuary for his foul
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| At least 20 Afghan civilians killed in airstrike: officials Posted: 15 Dec 2018 08:51 AM PST ![At least 20 Afghan civilians killed in airstrike: officials]( "At least 20 Afghan civilians killed in airstrike: officials") The strike, against local Taliban commander Sharif Mawiya, was the latest in a series targeting senior insurgents, including the shadow governor of the strategic southern province of Helmand, who was killed on Dec. 2. Several Taliban military commanders have been killed this month by Afghan forces, backed by U.S. advisers and air power. The tactic has raised the risk of civilian casualties and Abdul Latif Fazly, a member of the provincial council, said eight women and 12 children were killed and more than 15 others wounded in Friday's airstrike.
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| Sacked Premier Returns as Sri Lankan President Relents for Now Posted: 16 Dec 2018 10:45 AM PST ![Sacked Premier Returns as Sri Lankan President Relents for Now]( "Sacked Premier Returns as Sri Lankan President Relents for Now") Sirisena on Sunday swore in Wickremesinghe, who he had abruptly fired on Oct. 26 and replaced with former strongman president Mahinda Rajapaksa, despite having said he wouldn't reappoint his former prime minister even if all 225 members of Sri Lanka's parliament endorsed it. "In the last few weeks economic progress in the country has halted due to the crisis," Wickremesinghe said in Colombo on Sunday.
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| Australia recognises west Jerusalem as capital of Israel Posted: 15 Dec 2018 01:01 AM PST  Australia now recognises west Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Saturday, but a contentious embassy shift from Tel Aviv will not occur until a peace settlement is achieved. Canberra became one of just a few governments around the world to follow US President Donald Trump's lead and recognise the contested city as Israel's capital, but Morrison also committed to recognising a future state of Palestine with east Jerusalem as its capital. "Australia now recognises west Jerusalem -- being the seat of the Knesset and many of the institutions of government -- is the capital of Israel," Morrison said in a speech in Sydney.
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| Man who demolished landmark house ordered to build replica Posted: 15 Dec 2018 05:09 PM PST ![Man who demolished landmark house ordered to build replica]( "Man who demolished landmark house ordered to build replica") SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A man who illegally demolished a San Francisco house designed by modernist architect Richard Neutra was ordered this week to rebuild it exactly as it was.
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| Prada apologizes for 'Pradamalia' toys that evoke racist blackface imagery Posted: 15 Dec 2018 02:49 PM PST ![Prada apologizes for 'Pradamalia' toys that evoke racist blackface imagery]( "Prada apologizes for 'Pradamalia' toys that evoke racist blackface imagery") On the heels of Dolce & Gabbana's disastrous Chinese ad campaign, Prada found itself embroiled in its own controversy over monkey toys and keychains accused of evoking racist imagery. The company later apologized on Twitter, promising to recall the offensive figurines from its new "Pradamalia" line of collectibles. "The Pradamalia are fantasy charms composed of elements of the Prada oeuvre.
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| Nations agree on global climate pact rules, but they are seen as weak Posted: 15 Dec 2018 03:15 PM PST  After two weeks of talks in the Polish city of Katowice, nations finally reached consensus on a more detailed framework for the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit a rise in average world temperatures to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. After he struck the gavel to signal agreement had been reached, ministers joined him on the stage, hugging and laughing in signs of relief after the marathon talks. The unity which underpinned the Paris talks has fragmented, and U.S. President Donald Trump intends to pull his country - one of the world's biggest emitters - out of the pact.
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| This $815k Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing doesn't even run Posted: 16 Dec 2018 02:35 PM PST  This 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing hasn't turned a wheel since 1984 and requires a total rebuild. Dry stored for 34 years, would you pay $800k for it?
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| Russia: Now Number 2 in Military Sales (Any Guess Who Is Number 1?) Posted: 16 Dec 2018 03:00 AM PST  From Moscow, with bullets?
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| Kosovo president: Decision to form army 'irreversible' Posted: 16 Dec 2018 10:07 AM PST  PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — The decision to transform Kosovo's security force into an army is "irreversible," the country's president said Sunday while offering assurance that a new national military does not threaten ethnic Serbs living in the former Serbian province.
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| New Zealand's Rocket Lab shoots 13 tiny cube satellites into orbit Posted: 15 Dec 2018 10:57 PM PST ![New Zealand's Rocket Lab shoots 13 tiny cube satellites into orbit]( "New Zealand's Rocket Lab shoots 13 tiny cube satellites into orbit") Rocket Lab, a rocket propulsion company backed by investors in Silicon Valley, has launched a batch of 13 tiny probes from New Zealand to study space. The Electron rocket lifted off on Sunday evening from the world's only private orbital launch pad on the Mahia Peninsula, carrying a payload of 10-cm (3.9-inch) cube-shaped research satellites. The tiny satellites are called "CubeSats", and will collect data on phenomena such as radiation belts or on autonomous movement in space for a group of universities and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
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| Netanyahu warns Hamas after deadly West Bank attacks Posted: 16 Dec 2018 05:51 AM PST  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he had issued a warning to Hamas after recent deadly attacks in the occupied West Bank, including two shootings claimed by the Islamist movement. Netanyahu referred to a controversial Gaza ceasefire in November that ended the worst escalation between Israel and Hamas since a 2014 war. "I conveyed a clear message to Hamas -- we won't accept a situation of a truce in Gaza and terror in Judea and Samaria," Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting, using the biblical name for the West Bank, as is Israel's official policy.
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| Weekly Standard shuts down Posted: 15 Dec 2018 09:02 PM PST  Conservative magazine often opposed Trump.
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| President Trump: Ruling against Obamacare offers another chance for repeal and replace Posted: 15 Dec 2018 12:54 PM PST  Trump hails as 'great news for America' a ruling that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional.
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| CBS paid 'Bull' actress Eliza Dushku $9.5 mn to settle harassment claims Posted: 14 Dec 2018 06:55 PM PST  US television network CBS paid $9.5 million Eliza Dushku, an actress on primetime drama "Bull," and wrote her off the show after she claimed the lead actor had harassed her. Michael Weatherly made several lewd comments or jokes in front of the production team referring to Dushku's physique, with sexual connotations, according to The New York Times, which first reported the development. Dushku shared her discomfort at the remarks with the production team before speaking with Weatherly, and the situation did not improve.
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