| Trump incorrectly blames Obama for freeing ‘vicious’ Gitmo detainees — most released by Bush Posted: 07 Mar 2017 08:13 AM PST  A deserted guard tower is seen at Joint Task Force's Guantánamo Bay Camp Delta last year. President Trump attacked former President Barack Obama on Twitter yet again on Tuesday — this time over the Obama administration's release of detainees from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. "122 vicious prisoners, released by the Obama Administration from Gitmo, have returned to the battlefield," Trump tweeted.
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| Senate Democrats grill key Trump Justice Dept. pick about Russia Posted: 07 Mar 2017 10:35 AM PST  Rod Rosenstein, President Trump's nominee for deputy attorney general, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 7, 2017. WASHINGTON — Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee failed on Tuesday to gain assurances from Rod Rosenstein, President Trump's nominee for deputy attorney general, that he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Russia's influence in the 2016 election if he's confirmed.
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| Montenegro jails more Serbs over coup plot Posted: 08 Mar 2017 11:58 AM PST  A Montenegrin court jailed a group of Serbian nationals Wednesday for five months over an alleged coup plot during October's election, the latest such sentences. The five struck a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty in exchange for light sentences, as another three of their compatriots did last month. "Five citizens of Serbia admitted to being part of a criminal organisation whose plan was to break into the parliament of Montenegro violently," with the aim of seizing it, the prosecutor said in a statement.
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| Ranchers assess damage after wildfires in 4 states Posted: 08 Mar 2017 02:43 PM PST  WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas rancher Greg Gardiner got into some of his scorched pastures for the first time Wednesday and surveyed what he likened to a battle zone: carcasses of dead cattle everywhere.
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| Malaysia says it foiled attack on Arab royalty ahead of Saudi king's visit Posted: 07 Mar 2017 09:47 AM PST ![Malaysia says it foiled attack on Arab royalty ahead of Saudi king's visit]( "Malaysia says it foiled attack on Arab royalty ahead of Saudi king's visit") KUALA LUMPUR/DUBAI (Reuters) - Malaysia said on Tuesday that suspected militants from Yemen arrested late last month ahead of a visit by Saudi King Salman had been planning an attack on Arab royalty. A senior Malaysian police source said the four suspects belonged to Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi movement, which hails from a Shi'ite Muslim sect and has been fighting other Yemeni forces backed by a Saudi-led military coalition for two years. Malaysian police had previously said the men were suspected of links to militant groups including Islamic State, which is Sunni Muslim and known by the Arabic acronym Daesh.
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| America Is Injuring Itself by Discouraging Foreign Visitors and Giving Up on Global Leadership Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:07 PM PST  The Trump administration's current approach will make the United States less rich, less safe, and less informed.
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| Mom Gives Man Trophy After He Is the First to Offer Her a Subway Seat in 2 Pregnancies Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:59 PM PST  And the award went to... Ricky Barksdale, of Harlem.
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| ‘Of course they are’: Ben Carson defends calling slaves ‘immigrants’ Posted: 07 Mar 2017 07:36 AM PST  Ben Carson attempted to quell the outrage that erupted online after he referred to African slaves as "immigrants" during a Monday speech on the U.S. as the land of dreams and opportunity. During his debut speech as secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Carson discussed immigrants who entered the U.S. through Ellis Island to pursue a better life, and then he turned his attention to slaves forced to come to the country against their will. "There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships, worked even longer, even harder for less," the retired neurosurgeon said.
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| Sanders Doubles Down On Calling Trump A Liar Posted: 07 Mar 2017 02:35 PM PST  Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders published an essay in response to a Washington Post column on the current state of U.S. political discourse.
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| Study: American blacks disproportionate victims of judicial errors Posted: 07 Mar 2017 12:12 PM PST  A black man named Ulysses Charles was wrongfully identified by three female rape victims in Boston as their attacker and spent 20 years in prison before being exonerated by DNA tests. In America, tragic judicial errors like this are not simply random: African Americans are much more often the victim of such mistakes than whites, and before being cleared they spend more time behind bars, according to a study released Tuesday. The case of Charles -- a native of Trinidad and Tobago who still speaks with a thick Caribbean accent and sports a gold tooth and dreadlocks -- is typical of the stereotypes and racial prejudice which, to one degree or another, leads plaintiffs, police, judges or juries to convict black men of crimes of which they are innocent, the study by the National Registry of Exonerations said.
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| Hillary Clinton tweets an empowering message to young girls everywhere Posted: 08 Mar 2017 10:37 AM PST  Hillary Clinton has an unwavering belief that young women have the power to change the world. On Wednesday afternoon, the former Democratic presidential candidate, who has inspired young girls with her messages of hope and empowerment throughout the years, was moved by the adorable feminist photo that's been circulating on Twitter. SEE ALSO: Girls across the world: This is what 'being a woman' means to me The tweet is from the friend of a fourth grade teacher, one who clearly has some badass students determined to make a difference in her class. The friend shared a photograph of a tiny note found under a students' desk, written on a torn piece of paper in pencil. It reads: "Do you want to join a club for female empowerment. We are the leaders." My fourth grade teacher friend found this under one of her students' desks. <3 <3 <3 pic.twitter.com/7NSxIa6ujn — Elly (@SMLXist) March 6, 2017 Now please just sit back for a moment and stare at this note. If that isn't enough to propel you out into the world to stand up for what you believe in, I don't know what is. Filled with pride, Clinton shared the tweet—using a hashtag and emoji and all ( )—along with touching message to celebrate International Women's Day. On a day when women are both protesting and celebrating, Clinton said she's thinking about the young girl who wrote this note and "all the others like her out there." Clinton's tweet follows a moving speech she delivered during a charity luncheon for the nonprofit Girls Inc. in New York City on Tuesday. There, Clinton reiterated the importance of women's rights, along with the struggles that girls and young women face today. One thing's for sure, this fourth grader is on her way to shattering the glass ceiling. WATCH: Hillary Clinton in first speech since conceding says: 'Never, ever give up'
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| Learning to read and write at India's 'school for grannies' Posted: 06 Mar 2017 10:37 PM PST  They wear uniforms, carry satchels and eagerly recite the alphabet in class, but the students here are different -- this is a "school for grannies".
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| Co-founder of Georgia-based Waffle House chain dies at 97 Posted: 07 Mar 2017 09:29 AM PST  ATLANTA (AP) — Waffle House co-founder Joseph Wilson Rogers Sr., who went from short-order cook to co-founder of one of the nation's largest restaurant chains, has died. He was 97.
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| New bomb threats made against Jewish centers across U.S., Canada Posted: 07 Mar 2017 12:05 PM PST  By Laila Kearney NEW YORK (Reuters) - A new round of bomb threats against Jewish community centers across the United States and in Canada forced lockdowns and evacuations on Tuesday, and all 100 U.S. senators asked the federal government to help them enhance security. Threats were phoned in or emailed to JCCs in states including New York, Wisconsin, Illinois and Florida overnight and early on Tuesday. U.S. federal authorities have been investigating a surge of threats against Jewish organizations, including more than 100 hoax bomb threats in five separate waves in January and February against JCCs in dozens of states.
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| 'A Day Without a Woman' protests across the U.S. Posted: 08 Mar 2017 11:31 AM PST !['A Day Without a Woman' protests across the U.S.]( "'A Day Without a Woman' protests across the U.S.") American women stayed home from work, zipped up their wallets, wore red and joined rallies across the country to demonstrate their economic clout Wednesday as part of International Women's Day events around the globe. The Day Without a Woman protest in the U.S. was put together by organizers of the vast women's marches that were held coast-to-coast the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration. School districts including those in Prince George's County, Maryland; Alexandria, Virginia; and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, canceled classes because so many teachers and other employees were expected to be out. In Providence, Rhode Island, the municipal court closed for lack of staff members.
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| Gatorpalooza: Hundreds of Alligators Photographed Congregating at Watering Hole Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:50 PM PST  The photographer told InsideEdition.com that he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
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| French conservatives in tailspin as François Fillon's candidacy sinks Posted: 07 Mar 2017 07:15 AM PST ![French conservatives in tailspin as François Fillon's candidacy sinks]( "French conservatives in tailspin as François Fillon's candidacy sinks") The French Republicans' house of cards is tumbling down. Conservative François Fillon, who once seemed a sure bet to take the presidency in this spring's election, is seeing his candidacy collapse under nepotistic boondoggles charges. Mr. Fillon led the polls until January, when accusations he arranged publicly funded jobs for his wife and two of his children surfaced.
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| Israel steps up battle against boycott movement Posted: 07 Mar 2017 12:07 PM PST  JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has stepped up its battle against outside supporters of an international boycott movement against the Jewish state with a new law that would bar entry to them.
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| New Study Confirms Asia Is Rife With Bribery Posted: 07 Mar 2017 03:49 PM PST  Former South Korea President Park Geun-hye's impeachment by the country's parliament in December 2016 represented the most recent high-profile bribery scandal in Asia.
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| Deadly Mississippi train-bus collision Posted: 08 Mar 2017 04:52 AM PST ![Deadly Mississippi train-bus collision]( "Deadly Mississippi train-bus collision") A freight train smashed into a charter bus in a coastal Mississippi city on Tuesday, pushing the bus 300 feet down the tracks and leaving at least four people dead, authorities said. Rescuers spent more than an hour removing passengers, cutting through the bus's heavily damaged frame to extract the last two. The bus was apparently stopped on the tracks when the 52-car train, pulled by three locomotives, slammed into it, said Biloxi Police Chief John Miller.
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| Breaking the bank: Thai vets remove 915 coins from turtle Posted: 07 Mar 2017 01:29 AM PST  A sea turtle dubbed 'Piggy Bank' has had her fortunes restored after Thai vets removed 915 coins from her stomach -- a deposit built up after years of gulping down good luck pennies tossed into its pond. "There were 915 coins in her stomach, we removed them one by one," said Nantrika Chansue, a veterinarian in charge of Chulalongkorn hospital's aquatic research centre told AFP. "Piggy Bank is okay now but she will have to remain at the centre for up to two weeks," the vet added, saying it was the first surgery of its kind.
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| BBC's Thai transmission towers fall silent as junta talks falter Posted: 08 Mar 2017 02:37 AM PST  The BBC World Service has stopped broadcasting from one of its major global transmission stations situated in Thailand, AFP has learned, after talks broke down with a junta riled by its uncensored coverage. Sources with knowledge of the negotiations said the BBC's Thai-language output was an obstacle in discussions about renewing the 20-year lease on the complex, one of the network's main shortwave broadcast stations for Asia. The suspension comes as the World Service rolls out its largest foreign-language expansion for decades.
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| Four drug suspects killed as Philippine police resume drugs war operations Posted: 06 Mar 2017 09:59 PM PST ![Four drug suspects killed as Philippine police resume drugs war operations]( "Four drug suspects killed as Philippine police resume drugs war operations") Philippine police killed four suspected drug dealers in three separate incidents on Tuesday, a provincial police commander said, just hours after a relaunch of anti-drugs operations that the national police chief said he hoped would be "less bloody". The incidents were the first reported deaths of drug suspects since Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa announced the restart of operations he hoped would be less bloody "or even bloodless".
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| North Korea, Malaysia step up dispute over Kim's death Posted: 06 Mar 2017 08:23 PM PST  SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The bitter diplomatic dispute between North Korea and Malaysia over the poisoning death of leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother escalated dramatically Tuesday, with Pyongyang saying it had banned Malaysians from leaving North Korea.
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| Day Care Worker Arrested After She's Caught on Camera Pushing Child, 4, Down Stairs: Cops Posted: 07 Mar 2017 09:04 AM PST ![Day Care Worker Arrested After She's Caught on Camera Pushing Child, 4, Down Stairs: Cops]( "Day Care Worker Arrested After She's Caught on Camera Pushing Child, 4, Down Stairs: Cops") Sarah Gable can allegedly be seen approaching a 4-year-old girl from behind and shoving her down the stairs at the Child Care of the Future Daycare Center.
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| Investors are no longer snapping up Snapchat Posted: 07 Mar 2017 02:01 AM PST  Shares of the social media company are opening up with a less than expected valuation.
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| Mayor believes his Syrian refugee plan cost him re-election Posted: 08 Mar 2017 11:36 AM PST  RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) — A mayor who was handily defeated in his bid for a sixth two-year term said Wednesday that he believes his loss was due to his support for a plan to bring refugees from Syria and Iraq to the economically depressed Vermont city.
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| Michelle Obama Thanks Chance The Rapper For Giving Back To The Community Posted: 07 Mar 2017 04:05 AM PST  The former first lady lauded the musician's decision to donate $1 million to Chicago Public Schools, calling him "an example of the power of arts education."
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| U.S. ship changed course toward Iranians on Saturday: Iran commander Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:30 AM PST ![U.S. ship changed course toward Iranians on Saturday: Iran commander]( "U.S. ship changed course toward Iranians on Saturday: Iran commander") A U.S. Navy ship changed course toward Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, a guard commander was quoted as saying on Wednesday while issuing a warning. A U.S. official told Reuters on Monday that multiple fast-attack vessels from the Revolutionary Guard had come within 600 yards (550 meters) of the USNS Invincible, a tracking ship, forcing it to change direction.
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| Panama ex-dictator Noriega remains in critical state after surgery Posted: 08 Mar 2017 09:20 AM PST  Panama's former dictator, Manuel Noriega, remained in a critical condition on Wednesday following surgery to remove a benign brain tumor, one of his daughters told AFP. Everything remains the same from last night's bulletin," said Thays Noriega. Manuel Noriega, 83, was in an induced coma in the intensive care unit of the public Santo Tomas Hospital in Panama City.
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| Apple responds to CIA iPhone exploits uncovered in new WikiLeaks data dump Posted: 08 Mar 2017 04:30 AM PST 
WikiLeaks yesterday published an absolute treasure trove of data detailing how the CIA utilizes specialized software and hacking tools to successfully infiltrate, spy on, and in some instances remotely control a vast array of hardware, a list that includes smartphones, web servers, routers and even TVs. In a document dump encompassing nearly 8,000 classified files, we learn that the CIA has an impressive arsenal of software exploits that leaves no computing platform safe from attack.
"The CIA has developed automated multi-platform malware attack and control systems covering Windows, Mac OS X, Solaris, Linux and more," the report notes. Of particular interest is the revelation that the CIA houses an internal group which busies itself with iOS-based exploits exclusively. Despite iPhone's minority share (14.5%) of the global smart phone market in 2016, a specialized unit in the CIA's Mobile Development Branch produces malware to infest, control and exfiltrate data from iPhones and other Apple products running iOS, such as iPads. CIA's arsenal includes numerous local and remote "zero days" developed by CIA or obtained from GCHQ, NSA, FBI or purchased from cyber arms contractors such as Baitshop. The disproportionate focus on iOS may be explained by the popularity of the iPhone among social, political, diplomatic and business elites.
In the wake of these revelations, Apple late on Tuesday issued a statement to TechCrunch designed to alleviate concerns that the company's products might still be vulnerable to a laundry list of CIA exploits. In short, Apple maintains that many of the iOS vulnerabilities the CIA previously relied upon have already been patched. Apple's statement reads: Apple is deeply committed to safeguarding our customers' privacy and security. The technology built into today's iPhone represents the best data security available to consumers, and we're constantly working to keep it that way. Our products and software are designed to quickly get security updates into the hands of our customers, with nearly 80 percent of users running the latest version of our operating system. While our initial analysis indicates that many of the issues leaked today were already patched in the latest iOS, we will continue work to rapidly address any identified vulnerabilities. We always urge customers to download the latest iOS to make sure they have the most recent security updates.
While it's only natural to draw parallels between the recent CIA document dump and the collection of classified NSA documents leaked by Edward Snowden, some security experts believe that the release of the CIA's hacking arsenal is far more serious because it references exploits that are far more current than some of the tools and methods revealed by Snowden.
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| Jihadist tunnels uncover Assyrian winged bulls in Mosul Posted: 07 Mar 2017 05:57 AM PST  Crawl through a labyrinth of narrow tunnels in near total darkness and suddenly they appear: two great winged bulls dating from the Assyrian empire found intact under the ground of Mosul. The jihadists dug the network of tunnels to plunder artefacts under a hill reputedly housing the tomb of the Prophet Jonah, the Nabi Yunus shrine which they dynamited in July 2014. "We fear it could all collapse at any time," entombing the treasures, said Layla Salih who is in charge of antiquities for Nineveh province.
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| Boeing developing new mid-range plane to rival Airbus Posted: 07 Mar 2017 01:24 PM PST  Boeing is in talks with potential clients about developing a new plane to fit into a niche category now dominated by rival Airbus, a Boeing executive said Tuesday. "Boeing is actively engaged in discussions with customers about the 737 MAX 10X," Boeing's Randy Tinseth said in a company blog post. The new Boeing plane is expected to enter service in 2020, said Tinseth, vice president of marketing for Boeing's commercial division.
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| Police Hunting Teenager Suspected of Killing 9-Year-Old Boy and Posting Images of His Body Online Posted: 07 Mar 2017 06:08 PM PST  A 19-year-old allegedly killed a boy, 9, and then posted video images of the child's body on the internet.
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| Celebs Who Will Strike on International Women's Day Posted: 08 Mar 2017 05:00 AM PST  Back on Jan. 21, the first day Trump was in office, women across the nation participated in a march protesting the president's campaign promises on women's rights. . Because nothing was set in action just yet, women united in fear to demonstrate against the administration. Now the organizers behind the Women's March on Washington are calling for "A Day Without a Woman" to be held on March 8, in honor of International Women's Day. Women are encouraged to wear red in solidarity, not to engage in paid or unpaid work, and to avoid spending money. Check out which celebs will be observing the day.
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| Afghan family detained in LA is freed but review is pending Posted: 07 Mar 2017 12:08 AM PST  SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — An Afghan family of five who traveled to the United States on special visas and were detained by immigration officials at the Los Angeles airport were released from custody, according to the U.S. government and the family's attorneys.
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| Hyperloop One Reveals Images Of Progress At Nevada DevLoop Site Posted: 07 Mar 2017 11:15 AM PST  Hyperloop One has revealed photos of its nearly completed DevLoop test tube in Nevada.
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| Ex-South Sudan general forms rebel group, vows to topple president Kiir Posted: 06 Mar 2017 11:20 PM PST ![Ex-South Sudan general forms rebel group, vows to topple president Kiir]( "Ex-South Sudan general forms rebel group, vows to topple president Kiir") By Denis Dumo JUBA (Reuters) - A disaffected South Sudanese army general who quit his position last month announced on Monday that he had formed a new anti-government rebel group, underscoring mounting resistance to the rule of incumbent president Salva Kiir Lieutenant General Thomas Cirillo Swaka, formerly deputy head of logistics, resigned after he accused Kiir of turning the country's military into a "tribal army." The military, police and other security branches, he said, heavily recruited from among the Dinka, Kiir's tribe. Swaka was one of three top military officials who quit in February amid accusations of tribalism, nepotism, corruption and other abuses levelled against Kiir's government. Oil producing South Sudan, Africa's youngest nation, was plunged into its first war in 2013 after Kiir sacked his then deputy and political rival, Riek Machar.
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| Nigeria says 'everything is ready' for Abuja airport closure Posted: 07 Mar 2017 08:16 AM PST  Nigeria's transport minister Rotimi Amaechi said Tuesday that "everything is ready" for the closure of the airport serving the capital Abuja, despite worries about limited capacity at the alternative hub. Starting Wednesday, flights are being redirected from Abuja's Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to the northern city of Kaduna for at least six weeks. Passengers heading to and from Abuja will have to travel about 190 kilometres (120 miles) on a road where there have been a number of kidnappings, or take a train.
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| Parts of Vienna zoo close after bird flu virus found in dead pelican Posted: 08 Mar 2017 02:19 AM PST ![Parts of Vienna zoo close after bird flu virus found in dead pelican]( "Parts of Vienna zoo close after bird flu virus found in dead pelican") Parts of Vienna's Schoenbrunn Zoo have been closed to the public after the highly contagious H5N8 bird flu virus was found in a pelican that was put down this week, the zoo said on Wednesday. "We now have proof that it was infected with the H5N8 strain of bird flu," zoo veterinarian Thomas Voracek said in the statement.
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| This Is the 640-HP Lamborghini Huracan Performante, Your New Nurburgring Champ Posted: 07 Mar 2017 10:30 AM PST  The super-Huracan loses 88 lbs and does 0-60 in under three seconds, not to mention a Nurburgring lap of 6:52.01.
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| Love your Bible as you do your cellphone, Pope Francis tells pilgrims Posted: 07 Mar 2017 06:57 AM PST ![Love your Bible as you do your cellphone, Pope Francis tells pilgrims]( "Love your Bible as you do your cellphone, Pope Francis tells pilgrims") On Sunday, Pope Francis asked a crowd of pilgrims assembled in St. Peter's Square to consider precisely that question. How Christians treat their possessions speaks volumes to what they care about, Francis suggested. Recommended: How much do you know about Pope Francis?
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| As president, Trump seeks answers on his own wiretap mystery Posted: 06 Mar 2017 09:26 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — If Donald Trump wants to know whether he was the subject of surveillance by the U.S. government, he may be uniquely positioned to get an answer.
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| Iraqi forces retake government HQ, museum in Mosul Posted: 07 Mar 2017 12:21 PM PST  Iraqi forces said Tuesday they had seized the main government offices in Mosul and its famed museum as they made steady progress in their battle to retake the city's west from jihadists. The advances, which also included the recapture of three neighbourhoods, were announced on the third day of a renewed offensive against the Islamic State group in west Mosul -- the largest remaining urban stronghold in the "caliphate" IS declared in 2014. Supported by the US-led coalition bombing IS in Iraq and Syria, Iraqi forces began their push against west Mosul on February 19.
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| Ex-Panama dictator Noriega in critical condition after brain operation Posted: 07 Mar 2017 01:50 PM PST ![Ex-Panama dictator Noriega in critical condition after brain operation]( "Ex-Panama dictator Noriega in critical condition after brain operation") Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, 83, is in a critical condition after an operation on Tuesday to remove a benign tumor from his brain, his family said. "He has a major brain hemorrhage and is in a serious condition," his daughter Lorena Noriega told reporters outside the Santo Tomas hospital where he was operated on. Noriega ruled Panama from 1983 to 1989, and his lawyer said earlier on Tuesday the operation had been a success.
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