| Chaos behind them, chaos ahead, Republicans savor a moment of triumph Posted: 22 Dec 2017 02:00 AM PST  Paul Ryan, as 2017 wound down, looked like a man who had dodged a meteor strike. The Republican House speaker from Wisconsin, in fact, looked like a man who had been relieved of a great weight at his weekly press conference in the final days of his party's push to pass a massive tax cut through Congress. Most days were consumed with the tweet-inspired chaos that has become the norm in Donald Trump's Washington.
|
| Older Couple Caught With 60 Pounds Of Pot Said It Was For Holiday Gifts: Police Posted: 22 Dec 2017 03:24 PM PST  A routine traffic stop in York County, Nebraska, on Tuesday turned out to be anything but routine.
|
| After Hurricane Maria, a look back at the Vazquez family, lit by generator Posted: 22 Dec 2017 02:00 AM PST  Christmas marked 96 days since Jesse Vazquez's house on Calle Alameda in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, lost power in Hurricane Maria. The small generator his children brought him from New York back in October, when Yahoo News accompanied them on their journey, has since been supplemented with a larger one.
|
| Turtle Found by U.S. Coast Guard with $53 million Worth of Cocaine Attached to It Posted: 22 Dec 2017 02:20 PM PST  A Sea Turtle was rescued after it became trapped in bundles of cocaine worth over $53-Million dollars
|
| The Latest: All but 1 evacuation lifted at California fire Posted: 21 Dec 2017 10:16 AM PST  LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on California wildfires (all times local):
|
| Ivanka Trump Goofs Up On Tax Law In Her Televised Boast Posted: 21 Dec 2017 06:40 PM PST  Ivanka Trump's victory boast on "Fox & Friends" about her dad's new tax measure included a couple of gaffes.
|
| Eric Schmidt stepping down as chair of Alphabet board Posted: 21 Dec 2017 03:10 PM PST  Google's parent company Alphabet on Thursday announced that Eric Schmidt will step down as chairman, remaining on the board but shifting into a role as a technical advisor. "In recent years, I've been spending a lot of my time on science and technology issues, and philanthropy, and I plan to expand that work," Schmidt said in a release. Schmidt's stint as executive chairman is to end at a regularly-scheduled board meeting next month, according to Alphabet.
|
| Homelessness, up in 2017, doesn't take a break for Christmas Posted: 21 Dec 2017 12:33 PM PST  New York City is experiencing its greatest homelessness crisis since the Great Depression, mostly in shelters. Homelessness has also been on the rise in major west-coast cities like Los Angeles. Those dedicated to fighting homelessness hope the outpouring of compassion around Christmastime will stick around into 2018.
|
| 10 promises Trump kept in 2017 Posted: 22 Dec 2017 04:11 AM PST  Donald Trump in 2017 moved from being a chaos candidate to a chaos president. He shoots for the moon (literally), routinely says things that aren't true, and often makes pledges that generate enormous attention but very little follow-through. Many of his signature policy efforts have been tied up in or blocked by the courts, his campaign is under investigation by the FBI, and his approval rating is at historic lows for a first-year president.
|
| Chicago police say Facebook 'secret groups' traffic in guns and drugs Posted: 21 Dec 2017 06:20 PM PST  Announcing the arrests at a news conference, Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson initially criticized Facebook as being unhelpful during a 10-month investigation by his department. Police did not detail charges facing the 50 men and women arrested through Thursday, but said there were "dozens and dozens" of private Facebook groups being used for illegal drug and weapons transactions. Arrest warrants for 18 more suspects have been signed, and most have prior criminal histories, police said.
|
| New Democratic leader orders party to 'organize everywhere' Posted: 22 Dec 2017 02:00 AM PST  Tom Perez, the head of the Democratic National Committee, sees organizing as central to rebuilding the party.
|
| All significant California wildfire evacuation orders lifted Posted: 21 Dec 2017 06:26 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (AP) — All remaining significant evacuation orders for areas around the smoldering remnants of Southern California's huge wildfire were canceled Thursday after a new round of winds caused little fire activity.
|
| The 20 Funniest Tweets From Women This Week Posted: 22 Dec 2017 02:46 AM PST  The ladies of Twitter never fail to brighten our days with their brilliant ― but succinct ― wisdom.
|
| French woman, husband incommunicado in China after Liu Xiaobo tribute Posted: 21 Dec 2017 09:44 PM PST  A French citizen and her husband have been incommunicado for a week after the couple travelled to southern China to paint a tribute to the late democracy activist and dissident Liu Xiaobo, friends and witnesses said Friday. Marine Brossard and Hu Jiamin painted a mural at the entrance of a public exhibition in Shenzhen on December 15, but city authorities covered the wall with a banner the same evening, witnesses told AFP.
|
| Former U.S. Attorneys Warn Trump About 'Severe Repercussions' Of Firing Robert Mueller Posted: 22 Dec 2017 12:10 PM PST  WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of more than 20 former federal prosecutors has urged President Donald Trump to stand by his recent statements and allow special counsel Robert Mueller to conduct his investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election without interference.
|
| Al Franken rips Trump in farewell speech to Senate Posted: 21 Dec 2017 11:34 AM PST  The Minnesota Democrat, who is stepping down next month following allegations of sexual misconduct, used his final speech on the Senate floor to attack the president and his policies.
|
| ‘She’s in My Dreams’: How the Boyfriend of a N.D. Woman Killed for Their Baby Is Haunted by Her Death- HOLD FOR POST 12/21 Posted: 20 Dec 2017 06:09 PM PST  Four months after Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind's killing, her longtime boyfriend and father of her only child remains haunted.
|
| Mistrial declared for Nevada rancher who led revolt over U.S. land dispute Posted: 20 Dec 2017 07:31 PM PST ![Mistrial declared for Nevada rancher who led revolt over U.S. land dispute]( "Mistrial declared for Nevada rancher who led revolt over U.S. land dispute") A federal judge on Wednesday declared a mistrial in a criminal case against four people, including Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, over a 2014 armed standoff with U.S. government agents, and rebuked prosecutors for withholding evidence from the defense. Bundy, two of his sons and a fourth man were charged with 15 counts of conspiracy, assault and other offenses stemming from the confrontation, which galvanized right-wing militia groups challenging federal authority over vast tracts of public lands in the American West. U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro told federal prosecutors they had willfully violated evidence rules in failing to turn over pertinent documents to the defense, adding, "The failure is prejudicial," to ensuring a fair trial.
|
| First World War submarine lost with 35 British and Allied crew on board is finally found - ending 103-year mystery Posted: 21 Dec 2017 04:26 AM PST  The wreck of the first allied vessel lost in the First World War has been discovered 103 years after it vanished off the coast of Papua New Guinea following a search that has finally ended Australia's oldest naval mystery. HMAS AE1, Australia's first submarine, which had 35 British, Australian and New Zealand crew members aboard, disappeared near the Duke of York Islands during a patrol for German warships on September 14, 1914. The submarine, which had only been in service for seven months, was captained by Lieutenant Commander Thomas Besant, a 30-year-old British officer who had been seconded from the Royal Navy. Despite at least twelve search operations over the decades, no trace of the vessel was found. But the wreck was finally found more than 1,000 feet underwater after an underwater survey captured an image of the vessel during a search involving the government and private backers. Following the survey, searchers aboard the Furgro Equato dropped an underwater camera to the seabed to confirm that the vessel was AE1. The team of maritime surveyors, marine archaeologists and naval historians scoured the search area with a multi-beam echo sounder and side-scan technology in an underwater drone Credit: REUTERS "Australia's oldest naval mystery has been solved," said Marise Payne, Australia's defence minister. "The boat and her crew, who've been on eternal patrol since 1914 … have now been found. I truly trust that this discovery will bring peace of mind to the descendants of the families of the crew who lost their lives." The cause of the sinking has not been confirmed but it is believed to be related to a technical failure during a practice dive. Peter Briggs, a retired rear admiral who led the search, said the loss was probably due to a sudden "diving accident", noting that the fin guardrails were stowed and the upper conning tower hatch appeared to be shut. He told The Australian newspaper that the submarine appeared to suffer a "high energy event" – possibly due to an explosion involving one of its torpedoes or a high pressure air cylinder – which may have occurred after it began to sink but caused it to quickly flood and accelerate towards the seabed. The search led by Find AE1 Limited, and was funded by the Royal Australian Navy and the Silentworld Foundation, with assistance from the Submarine Institute of Australia Credit: REUTERS "When the end came for the men of AE1 it would have been very fast, they may well have not known what hit them," said rear admiral Briggs, president of the Submarine Institute of Australia. "The submarine appears to have struck the bottom with sufficient force to dislodge the fin from its footing, forcing it to hinge forward on its leading edge, impacting the casing." The location of the wreck has been kept secret to prevent salvage attempts. Timeline | Submarine accidents Following the discovery, the crew aboard the search vessel held a memorial for the dead officers and sailors. Australian and Papua New Guinean officials will consider ways to preserve the site and establish a lasting memorial. Rear Admiral Briggs said the discovery "opens the next chapter: learning exactly what happened to it". "It will be quite a detective puzzle," he added.
|
| Trump and Saudi Arabia: Missing a Generational Opportunity Posted: 21 Dec 2017 12:27 PM PST  The United States once sided with a Middle Eastern monarch to reform a country. There is much to commend Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for, particularly his willingness to confront the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's entrenched interests that have long prevented its transition to an economically sustainable and more socially free country. From the Wahhabi-dominated religious establishment that has long hindered social reform in Saudi Arabia and helped lay the groundwork for Sunni extremism globally, to the wasteful economics of absolute oil dependency, Prince Mohammed's willingness to confront these internal forces represents a unique departure from previous Saudi monarchs.
|
| Groom in rare cross-border wedding is a drug smuggler Posted: 21 Dec 2017 07:36 PM PST  SAN DIEGO (AP) — It was a heartwarming scene: A U.S. citizen, forbidden to enter Mexico, wed the love of his life in a brief moment when the gate separating the two countries was opened.
|
| Sean Hannity Appears To Bash CNN, NBC While Sharing NBC Story Posted: 21 Dec 2017 10:56 AM PST  Fox News host Sean Hannity appeared to criticize CNN and NBC News on Twitter on Thursday, calling them "fake news" and "conspiracy TV," but then included an article published by NBC News.
|
| Pope prays for merciful final judgement for Cardinal Law Posted: 21 Dec 2017 10:53 AM PST  VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis prayed Thursday for a merciful final judgment for Cardinal Bernard Law, presiding over the funeral rites for a man who epitomized the Catholic Church's failure to protect children from pedophile priests and its arrogance in safeguarding its own reputation at all costs.
|
| US Congress approves short-term budget to avoid shutdown Posted: 21 Dec 2017 06:20 PM PST  The Republican-controlled US Congress on Thursday passed a short-term funding bill to keep the federal government running for four more weeks, averting a looming shutdown. Members of the House of Representatives voted 231-188 for the bill and the Senate followed with a 66 to 32 vote. Opposition Democrats had the numbers to block the Republican bill in the Senate, theoretically giving them the ability to leverage concessions.
|
| 27 Low-Carb Breakfasts You'll Actually Want To Eat Posted: 21 Dec 2017 05:14 PM PST |
| Watch Trump Apologize To Women In A Mashup We Wish Was Real Posted: 21 Dec 2017 09:09 AM PST  Donald Trump just apologized to women everywhere. Just kidding!
|
| Teen Gets 25 Years In Mental Health Facility For 'Slender Man' Stabbing Posted: 21 Dec 2017 02:51 PM PST  A Wisconsin teenager accused of stabbing a classmate to please a fictional horror character named "Slender Man" has been ordered to receive 25 years of mental health treatment.
|
| Iran’s North Korean Playbook to Protect Its Nuclear Program Posted: 22 Dec 2017 08:41 AM PST  Tehran is building up Hezbollah as leverage against an attack by Israel.
|
| PM Orban: Hungary will block any punitive EU action on Poland Posted: 21 Dec 2017 11:31 PM PST ![PM Orban: Hungary will block any punitive EU action on Poland]( "PM Orban: Hungary will block any punitive EU action on Poland") Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday said that Hungary sees a strong Poland as a vital component of a central European caucus within the European Union, and so will block any action to suspend Poland's voting rights in the EU. Orban said Poland, under fire from Brussels for its transformation of the judiciary, was being criticized unfairly and unjustly.
|
| 5-year-old boy shot for second time in two years in Chicago Posted: 21 Dec 2017 12:07 PM PST  A 5-year-old boy in Chicago has undergone emergency surgery after being shot for the second time in two years. Kavan Collins of Chicago, Illinois accidentally shot himself in the hand while playing with his younger brother in his family home, according to local news reports. A year and a half ago, the young boy was hit by a stray bullet while walking with his family in Chicago's South Side.
|
| U.S. Sanctions Myanmar General Accused of Carrying Out Ethnic Cleansing Campaign Against Rohingya Posted: 21 Dec 2017 06:37 PM PST  12 other "serious human rights abusers and corrupt actors" were also sanctioned
|
| Survivors of Mexico bus crash heading home, 2 victims ID'd Posted: 21 Dec 2017 01:57 PM PST  MEXICO CITY (AP) — Injured survivors of a tour bus crash that killed 11 foreigners in southeastern Mexico began leaving hospitals and heading home Thursday as two of the dead were identified as long-time educators from Washington state.
|
| How to cook the perfect Christmas dinner – the definitive step-by-step guide Posted: 22 Dec 2017 08:15 AM PST  Juggling all the components that go into having the Christmas dinner all laid out on the dinner table can seem like having to deliver six billion presents all over the world in one evening. And with just four hobs (or seven reindeers in Santa's case) too. Everything has to be piping hot and on the dinner table at the same time, on time (quite like the presents under the tree). And while this may seem like mission impossible, you can do it. Really. You just need a little help. That's why, with the kind help of Leiths Cookery School, we have put together this definitive interactive guide to cooking the perfect Christmas dinner on this most stressful of days. Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith founded the school in 1975, and their teachers have been helping home cooks master the seemingly dark arts of cookery ever since. With this guide you can follow their expert timings and instructions, making a breeze of the (roughly) five hour cooking process. Just hit start on the graphic and follow the step-by-step guide. Checklist | What you need to make our perfect Christmas dinner The guide works on the basis that you are working with a conventional home oven and four hobs. It's a done-in-one-go instruction manual; there's no need to do anything the day or the week before (although you do need to make sure your turkey is fully defrosted by the time you wake up on Christmas morning). And if you fall behind at any point, don't worry too much: Leiths say they'd always allow for an hour's contingency when cooking a meal as large as this. Simply click the link at the bottom of the graphic to reveal the step-by-step process in full. Good luck and have a Merry Christmas! Christmas roast interactive timer Celebrate Christmas with Leiths with their festive gift guide How to make the perfect gravy | Source: Leiths cookery School
|
| Thousands in Syria's Aleppo mark one year since 'victory' Posted: 21 Dec 2017 10:26 AM PST  Jumaa Sabbuh lost his son in the violence that battered Syria's Aleppo for years. On Thursday, he was among thousands commemorating the one-year anniversary of the army's recapture of the city. Sabbuh carried a poster of his bright-eyed son, killed in 2014 while serving in Syria's army.
|
| 10 Obama regulations Trump has overturned Posted: 22 Dec 2017 04:06 AM PST  Trump's executive-order counteroffensive carries more than mere symbolic value and represents a dramatic policy shift that will impact the nation and the world for years to come.
|
| There Is Now Weed Named After Monica Lewinsky Posted: 22 Dec 2017 10:58 AM PST  A Washington-state based cannabis producer called Sugarleaf created a strain of weed named "Monica Lewinsky," and the woman behind that namesake has discovered it.
|
| 'Kayak Killer' Released From Prison Just 6 Weeks After Sentencing in Boyfriend's Death Posted: 21 Dec 2017 10:54 AM PST  Angelika Graswald has been freed, much to the anger of Vincent Viafore's family.
|
| Mindy Kaling's Friends Throw Her A Nora Ephron-Themed Party Celebrating New Baby Posted: 22 Dec 2017 11:41 AM PST  Actress and self-avowed romcom fan Mindy Kaling gave birth to her first child last week, and her friends aptly threw her a "You've Got Mail"-themed holiday party to celebrate.
|
| Energy and financials power Wall Street's rise Posted: 21 Dec 2017 01:40 PM PST ![Energy and financials power Wall Street's rise]( "Energy and financials power Wall Street's rise") By April Joyner NEW YORK (Reuters) - The three main U.S. stock indexes rose on Thursday, boosted by bank and energy stocks as investors bet on more economically sensitive sectors. Energy <.SPNY> and financial <.SPSY> stocks led gains among the 11 major S&P sectors. "Today of late, (energy has) picked up significantly," said John Stoltzfus, chief investment strategist at Oppenheimer Asset Management in New York.
|
| 21 Popsicles You Have To See To Believe Posted: 21 Dec 2017 06:15 PM PST |
| Senate says $1.5 million paid over 20 years for 'harassment' Posted: 21 Dec 2017 08:09 PM PST ![Senate says $1.5 million paid over 20 years for 'harassment']( "Senate says $1.5 million paid over 20 years for 'harassment'") WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate quietly released a bare-bones report late Thursday on what a statement called "harassment settlement" data, showing that nearly $1.5 million in taxpayers' money has been spent over the past two decades to cover claims against lawmakers and other Senate offices.
|
| The Spanish State Has Been Defeated.' Pro-Independence Parties Sweep Catalan Election Posted: 21 Dec 2017 05:06 PM PST  Catalonia's secessionist parties won enough votes Thursday to regain a slim majority in the regional parliament and give new momentum to their political struggle for independence from Spain.
|
| UN votes 128-9 to reject US decision on Jerusalem Posted: 21 Dec 2017 09:49 AM PST  The UN General Assembly on Thursday adopted by a decisive vote of 128 to nine, with 35 abstentions, a motion rejecting the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. President Donald Trump had warned ahead of the vote in the 193-nation assembly that "we're watching" and threatened reprisals against countries backing the measure, which reaffirms that the status of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations. Seven countries -- Guatemala, Honduras, Togo, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and the Marshall Islands -- joined Israel and the United States in opposing the measure.
|
| The road not taken for Donald Trump Posted: 21 Dec 2017 02:00 AM PST  An alternative history of the first year of the Trump presidency.
|
| Of Course There Was A Secret In That Big 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Cameo Posted: 22 Dec 2017 08:44 AM PST  When it comes to "Star Wars" cameos, there is do or do not.
|
| Governor Commutes Sentence of Woman, 68, After She Served 35 Years in Prison Posted: 21 Dec 2017 09:55 AM PST  Judy Henderson was sentenced in 1982 for her "relatively minor" role in a robbery-turned-murder.
|
| Car Brands Ranked by Owner Satisfaction Posted: 21 Dec 2017 03:00 AM PST  At our 327-acre test track in Connecticut, we evaluate dozens and dozens of cars each year, which we buy at dealerships the same way you do. In addition to testing them rigorously at our track, w...
|
