| Trump phones Venezuelan opposition leader to lend support amid growing unrest Posted: 30 Jan 2019 08:01 AM PST  President Trump tried to strengthen the hand of Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido on Wednesday amid an intense power struggle.
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| The 2020 Toyota Tacoma Is Coming, and This Teaser Photo Hints at How It'll Look Posted: 29 Jan 2019 12:37 PM PST  We try to decipher a nearly undecipherable image of the latest mid-size pickup truck.
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| No mail will be delivered to parts of seven states as polar vortex chills postal delivery Posted: 29 Jan 2019 07:30 PM PST  So much for "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night." The U.S. mail won't be delivered tomorrow in four states due to the crippling cold of the polar vortex.
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| Colder than the South Pole: U.S. Midwest gripped by deep freeze Posted: 30 Jan 2019 01:52 PM PST  A blast of polar air brought record-low temperatures to much of the U.S. Midwest on Wednesday, canceling trash pick-ups, halting the mail and forcing residents who pride themselves on their winter hardiness to huddle indoors. Classes were canceled for Wednesday and Thursday in many cities, including Chicago, home of the nation's third-largest school system, and police warned of the risk of accidents on icy highways. In a rare move, the U.S. Postal Service appeared to temporarily set aside its credo that "neither snow nor rain ... nor gloom of night" would stop its work: it halted deliveries from parts of the Dakotas through Ohio.
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| Rep. Ilhan Omar calls for sharp tax increases on the wealthy: 'We've had it as high as 90 percent' Posted: 29 Jan 2019 05:50 AM PST  "Through Her Eyes" is a new weekly half-hour show hosted by humanitarian and women's rights activist Zainab Salbi that aims to explore a hot button news issue through the lens of a female newsmaker. Weeks after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., made headlines by calling for a top marginal income tax rate of 70 percent in an interview with "60 Minutes," her fellow freshman congresswoman, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., suggested that the rich could pay even more. "There are a few things that we can do," Rep. Omar said in an interview with "Through Her Eyes." "One of them, is that we can increase the taxes that people are paying who are the extremely wealthy in our communities.
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| What we know about husband and wife killed in Houston officer-involved shooting Posted: 29 Jan 2019 05:03 PM PST  The man and woman were killed after firing at Houston police, who were attempting to serve a warrant.
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| LA Mayor Garcetti skips 2020 and big-name Democratic field Posted: 29 Jan 2019 09:15 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti explained his decision to sit out the 2020 presidential contest in simple terms — the city, he said, "is where I want to be."
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| Starbucks’ Schultz ‘100% Will Only Run If He Sees a Viable Path,’ Adviser Says Posted: 29 Jan 2019 12:27 PM PST  Schultz's announcement that he'd consider a 2020 bid outside of either party drew a furious reaction from Democrats, who warned that he'd draw votes from the party's eventual nominee and assure the re-election of President Donald Trump. There's no chance he gets in this race if there isn't a path," Bill Burton, a former aide to President Barack Obama who recently joined Schultz's political team, said in an interview Tuesday. Burton said it may not be until "summer or fall" when Schultz makes a decision.
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| NASA’s mission to ‘Touch the Sun’ just reached a major milestone Posted: 30 Jan 2019 07:58 AM PST ![NASA's mission to 'Touch the Sun' just reached a major milestone]( "NASA's mission to 'Touch the Sun' just reached a major milestone") NASA had a big year in 2018 with several bold new missions to study various features of our Solar System, and one of the most exciting was the launch of the Parker Solar Probe which will study the Sun in more detail than has ever been possible before. The probe has already broken several records and proven that it's capable of enduring the intensity of our star, and it's starting out 2019 by adding another notch to its belt. The probe, which launched in August of last year, recently completed its first full orbit of the Sun on January 19th. It's a feat that the spacecraft will repeat many times over the next several years, but completing the first full loop is obviously cause for celebration. "It's been an illuminating and fascinating first orbit," Parker Solar Probe Project Manager Andy Driesman said in a statement. "We've learned a lot about how the spacecraft operates and reacts to the solar environment, and I'm proud to say the team's projections have been very accurate." The probe gathered a huge amount of data during its first trip around the Sun, and it performed much of its work without being in radio contact of its handlers back on Earth. As it orbits the Sun, the probe will regularly lose contact with Earth and then reconnect when it emerges from behind the star once more. Thus far, the probe has sent back over 17 gigs of scientific data and it's still streaming more observation data back. The data dump won't be finished until April, NASA says. The probe is expected to put in nearly seven years of work, making a total of 24 orbits and getting gradually closer to the Sun with each pass. It is tasked with observing many different functions of the star, including the generation of solar wind and the outflow of energy from the Sun into space, advancing our understanding of solar weather.
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| Americans warned not to go outside as polar vortex grips Midwest with record low temperatures Posted: 30 Jan 2019 01:59 AM PST  Tens of millions of people in the United States are battling under a potentially deadly arctic chill, with rail tracks set alight to keep trains running and officials warning against the risk of frostbite risks for those stepping outside. Companies have told their workers to stay home, schools are closed and hundreds of flights have been cancelled. America's National Weather Service has warned people who are exposed to the extreme cold are susceptible to frostbite "in a matter of minutes". The US Postal Service - known for its commitment to bringing the mail whatever the weather - has even reportedly suspended deliveries in Iowa due to the severe cold. Chicago, America's third largest city, was expected to be colder than parts of Antarctica. The extreme weather conditions prompted a number of rail companies to cancel all trains in and out of the city for Wednesday and Thursday. On Tuesday, crews from north east Illinois's Metra Commuter Rail used a gas-fed system to set rail tracks alight in Chicago in order to keep trains moving. A pedestrian stops to take a photo by Chicago River as bitter cold phenomenon called the polar vortex has descended on much of the central and eastern United States Credit: REUTERS Temperatures in almost a dozen states stretching more than 1,200 miles from the Dakotas to Ohio were forecast to be the coldest in a generation, if not on record. "One of the coldest arctic air mass intrusions in recent memory is surging south into the Upper Midwest before spreading across much of the eastern two-thirds of the country," the National Weather Service said. "Expect frigid temperatures, bitterly cold and life-threatening wind chills, likely leading to widespread record lows and low maximum temperatures from the Upper Midwest to the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley." US weather: Polar vortex threatens record low temperatures, in pictures The cause is a swirl of arctic air that broke away from the polar vortex that usually encircles the North Pole. The National Weather Service forecast temperatures between -10 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-23 to -40 Celsius) by Wednesday across the Midwest, with wind chills making it seem as cold as -65 degrees Fahrenheit in one area of Minnesota. Authorities in Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin put emergency measures in place to handle the frigid weather. "We need everyone to do your part and make sure you and your families are prepared," said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. The city skyline is seen from the North Avenue Beach at Lake Michigan Americans were asked to stay home if possible on Wednesday, when temperatures are expected to be at their coldest. Scores of schools, businesses and government agencies announced closures in multiple states. "People exposed to extreme cold are susceptible to frostbite in a matter of minutes," warned the NWS. Lawrence Gottlieb of the University of Chicago Medical Center said the threat was significant "when temps fall below zero, especially when there is a strong wind." Some 160 warming centers were opened in Chicago, where temperatures could potentially equal or exceed the all-time record of -27 degrees Fahrenheit. With the wind chill, it would feel like -40 or -50, officials said. "They are life-threatening conditions and temperatures," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel told a news conference. In Minneapolis, officials allowed residents to stay on public buses and trains for warmth. The @NWSDesMoines regarding the upcoming cold in the Upper Midwst and Great Lakes: "This is the coldest air many of us will have ever experienced." https://t.co/OykrGHmgoU— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) January 27, 2019 In the northeastern and southern United States, snow was falling. A cold emergency was declared in the US capital Washington, with additional services put on for the homeless. In Atlanta, some 300 flights were cancelled Tuesday as the city prepares for the Super Bowl and more than 400 were cancelled in Chicago, a major regional hub for US airlines. In Canada, the icy temperatures - stretching from Manitoba in the western Prairies region to the Atlantic seaboard - prompted a rare "hazardous" cold warning from the government. Environment Canada reported record-breaking snowfall at the Ottawa airport, where some 50 flights were cancelled, with an accumulation of nearly a meter (more than three feet). An additional 200 flights were cancelled at Toronto's airport. A pedestrian walks by the frozen Chicago River Credit: REUTERS Scientists say climate change is causing more extreme weather, and one theory for polar vortex chills is that arctic air currents usually trapped around the North Pole are weakened and dislodged by a warming climate. President Donald Trump used the occasion to again voice skepticism about climate change, tweeting: "What the hell is going on with Global Waming? (sic) Please come back fast, we need you!" But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which operates NWS, tweeted, "Winter storms don't prove that global warming isn't happening," with a link to a 2015 explanatory article.
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| 'El Chapo' must not 'escape' again, U.S. prosecutor tells jury Posted: 30 Jan 2019 03:59 PM PST  Accused Mexican drug boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's repeated escapes from the law prove that he "knows he's guilty," a U.S. prosecutor told jurors in closing arguments at his trial on Wednesday, urging them not to let him escape again. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Goldbarg's description of Guzman's history of dramatic prison escapes capped off a day-long summation in federal court in Brooklyn in which she also attacked the defense argument that Guzman was a scapegoat.
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| Top airline is selling flights for $44 Posted: 29 Jan 2019 12:35 PM PST  Winter weather and the general lull of the post-holiday season can leave just
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| Pentagon won't rule out sending troops to Colombia Posted: 29 Jan 2019 08:32 AM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan on Tuesday would not rule out sending U.S. military forces to Colombia or the region in connection with the ongoing political upheaval in Venezuela.
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| Trump boosts bills to teach his favorite book — the Bible — in public schools Posted: 29 Jan 2019 02:06 PM PST  Steven Fitschen, president of the National Legal Foundation, reacts to the president's tweet praising his effort to teach teach the Bible in public schools.
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| Vale's Management Team Is on Thin Ice After Deadly Dam Break Posted: 29 Jan 2019 03:02 AM PST  It is the second deadly mining disaster involving Vale in only about three years and the company has come under intense scrutiny since images of death and destruction began flooding the airwaves on Friday. While Vale has taken steps in recent years to shield itself from state intervention, the government is still indirectly the company's largest shareholder through a Banco do Brasil pension fund, known as Previ.
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| Palestinian president Abbas accepts government resignation Posted: 29 Jan 2019 11:48 AM PST  Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas accepted the resignation of his government Tuesday, in a reshuffle seen as a bid by the ageing leader to strengthen his position as a decade-old political split deepens. Analysts view replacing prime minister Rami Hamdallah after five years as part of Abbas's efforts to further isolate his political rivals Hamas, who run the Gaza Strip. Hamdallah's government will remain in place while a new administration is formed.
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| Young boy found after being lost for days in the woods says he made friends with a bear Posted: 29 Jan 2019 09:29 AM PST ![Young boy found after being lost for days in the woods says he made friends with a bear]( "Young boy found after being lost for days in the woods says he made friends with a bear") Kids say the darndest things, and a young boy who was lost for three days in a heavily wooded area of North Carolina is spinning a yarn that is leaving investigators baffled. Casey Hathaway was reportedly playing with other children in his grandmother's backyard when he wandered into a nearby woods and disappeared from view. Nobody could find the young boy, and authorities and volunteers scoured the woods for three days before he was eventually found alive. Having endured chilly temperatures and heavy rain, the boy was still in good health, but he says he didn't make it through the ordeal alone. "He made a comment about having a friend while he was in the woods -- his friend was a bear," on of the investigators, Maj. David McFadyen of the Craven County Sheriff's Office, told CNN in an interview. "In the emergency room he started talking about what happened in the woods and he said he had a friend that was a bear with him while he was in the woods." The youngster likely had a rather uncomfortable time while he was lost in the woods, as nighttime temperatures dropped as low as 20 degrees and two inches of rain fell during the three days he was missing. As for whether or not a bear actually joined him, authorities can't say for certain one way or the other. Authorities note that there are indeed bears in the area, but nobody involved in the search for the boy reported seeing one while combing the woods. The boy was found in a tangle of vines, according to investigators, and while he was cold he was otherwise unharmed. Search party members could hear him calling out for his mother, which helped them locate him. Police say the young boy will be interviewed -- or at least questioned to the extent that one can question a three-year-old -- in order to get a better idea of how he survived, and perhaps they'll learn a little bit more about his bear friend in the process.
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| China slowdown weighs on revenue growth at internet giant Alibaba Posted: 30 Jan 2019 06:13 AM PST  Internet giant Alibaba saw its revenue growth slow in the final three months of last year, in quarterly results likely to stir up concerns over the weaker China market, recently signalled to by US tech giants. Alibaba saw net income jump 33pc to 30.96bn yuan (£3.5bn) in the three months to the end of December, and revenue rose 41pc to 117.28bn yuan. However, shares dipped in New York trading, down 1.3pc, as investors took the results as a sign growth was waning, given Alibaba's revenue had grown more than 50pc for the 10 consecutive quarters prior to the most recent results. The 41pc growth announced on Wednesday was the weakest Alibaba had recorded in three years. The results follow a warning from Alibaba president Michael Evans earlier this month that China had "slowed down". Speaking at an event in New York, Mr Evans had said it was a market that "required patience", adding that there were some "troubling headwinds". Last week, China posted figures revealing its economic growth in 2018 had been the weakest in 28 years amid tensions with the US and poor consumer confidence. The country's GDP growth for the year was 6.6pc, down from 2017's 6.8pc. Some economists are predicting growth could slip below 6pc going forward. Technology intelligence - newsletter promo - EOA Masaaki Kanno, chief economist at Sony Financial Holdings, said: "We still think the Chinese economy could bottom out in the middle of the year. "There was no surprise from the GDP data but the basic message is that the Chinese economy is still slowing down." However, David Dai, of Bernstein, said the environment should improve for Alibaba in the second half of 2019 "as the Chinese government introduces measures to stimulate the economy and US China trade war stabilises". Alibaba is the first of China's big tech companies to report its results for the final three months of 2018, but follows a series of warnings over the state of the China market by US giants Apple, Intel and Nvidia. Apple last night said sales of its iPhones slipped by 15pc in the final three months of 2018, largely due to weaker demand in China. Speaking about Alibaba's results on Wednesday, however, boss Daniel Zhang was upbeat, saying: "Our resilient operating and financial performance is a direct reflection of our persistent focus on better serving our growing base of nearly 700 million consumers across retail, digital entertainment and local consumer services."
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| Sheriff: Suspect confesses to killing 5 with dad's gun Posted: 29 Jan 2019 12:54 PM PST  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A young man from Louisiana has confessed to killing his parents, his girlfriend, and two of her family members who had taken him in after he was kicked out of his house, authorities said Tuesday.
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| American and Taliban officials reportedly reach tentative agreement to pull US troops out of Afghanistan Posted: 29 Jan 2019 02:47 AM PST  In exchange, Taliban agrees to not allow terror groups inside Afghanistan's borders; Col. Rob Maness reacts.
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| Venezuela targets Guaido with probe, travel ban, asset freeze Posted: 29 Jan 2019 04:25 PM PST ![Venezuela targets Guaido with probe, travel ban, asset freeze]( "Venezuela targets Guaido with probe, travel ban, asset freeze") The court also said prosecutors could investigate Guaido, in apparent retaliation for sweeping U.S. sanctions on oil firm PDVSA, announced on Monday. The sanctions mean the state-run company may not be able to fulfill contracts with North American buyers, the government of President Nicolas Maduro said. Aimed at driving Maduro from power, the sanctions were the strongest measures yet against the 56-year-old former union leader, who has overseen economic collapse and an exodus of millions of Venezuelans in recent years.
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| Trump Associate Roger Stone Pleads Not Guilty in Obstruction Case Posted: 29 Jan 2019 08:18 AM PST  Stone was arraigned after blasting special counsel Robert Mueller's case against him
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| Phone Giant Plays a Cunning Game Over Huawei Ban Posted: 29 Jan 2019 05:20 AM PST  (Bloomberg Opinion) -- If Deutsche Telekom AG is to be believed, a ban on equipment from Huawei Technologies Co. would slow down its rollout of 5G networks by two years. Even though such an embargo would be a huge burden for the German phone giant, there are factors that might lessen the pain. A delay to its 5G plans might even be welcome.
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| Boeing bullish on 2019 despite US-China tensions Posted: 30 Jan 2019 10:28 AM PST  Boeing reported a strong fourth quarter on Wednesday and offered a bullish 2019 outlook as executives expressed measured confidence in the prospects for a US-China trade agreement. Shares rallied on the report and 2019 forecast, which anticipates much higher than expected 2019 profits as the company ramps up commercial aircraft deliveries. "Across the enterprise, our team delivered strong core operating performance and customer focus, driving record revenues, earnings and cash flow and further extending our global aerospace industry leadership in 2018," said Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg.
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| Woman bitten on rear by python lurking in her toilet Posted: 29 Jan 2019 12:41 PM PST  A woman in Australia got a rather unpleasant surprise when she sat down on her
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| Man arrested for killing 3 also accused of stealing $210K Posted: 29 Jan 2019 10:34 AM PST  SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man killed his parents and brother after he was kicked out of his home and accused of stealing $210,000 from his family to send to a woman he had met on a porn website, according to a sheriff's office.
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| Introducing the Deadly AR-500 Assault Rifle: The Ultimate Firearm on the Planet? Posted: 29 Jan 2019 11:43 PM PST  The AR-500 rifle isn't for everyone. Unlike the ubiquitous AR-15, recoil, weight and cost per round will limit the weapon's popularity. That having been said, there are situations where 3,122 foot pounds of force, precisely applied, can make a world of difference.
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| Free bacon, bacon and more bacon: McDonald's, Wendy's go whole hog on what Americans love Posted: 29 Jan 2019 06:12 AM PST  From free Wendy's Baconators to free bacon from McDonald's for one hour, bacon is the sizzling hot choice for fast-food chains now.
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| US reiterates 'all options on the table' as John Bolton accidentally flashes plans for troops to Venezuela border Posted: 29 Jan 2019 02:10 AM PST  US National Security Advisor John Bolton was photographed on Monday holding a notepad that included the handwritten line: "5,000 troops to Colombia." Bolton spoke to White House reporters while holding the yellow notepad and discussing the crisis in Venezuela, where the US now recognizes opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's interim president. It was not until after the briefing that observers spotted the black scrawl. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a US official said "we are not seeing anything that would support" a potential troop deployment to Colombia, which neighbors Venezuela. The Pentagon referred a query back to the White House. John Bolton was caught out holding a notepad saying '5,000 troops to Colombia' Credit: Win McNamee/Getty During the briefing, Bolton would not rule out use of US troops in Venezuela. "The president has made it clear on this matter that all options are on the table," he said. The US military's Southern Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Bolton's notepad also had the line: "Afghanistan - welcome the talks" - a reference to a potential breakthrough in discussions with the Taliban.
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| Trump, sounding off on climate change, loses an argument to actual climatologists — government ones Posted: 29 Jan 2019 01:29 PM PST  While Trump may not understand how global warming can lead to extreme cold, members of his own government made a point of reminding Americans of just that Tuesday.
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| Venezuela Crisis Splits the World's Allegiances: Map Posted: 30 Jan 2019 05:06 AM PST  China and Russia, which have billions of dollars in loans to Venezuela, back President Nicolas Maduro. While the U.S. and most Latin American nations, which have felt the brunt of a migration crisis, back the head of the National Assembly, Juan Guaido.
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| The 2019 Range Rover SV Coupe Is Dead and Will Not Reach Production Posted: 30 Jan 2019 08:04 AM PST  The planned pinnacle of the brand, said to be the fastest Range Rover yet, has been cancelled.
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| Apple lowers some iPhone prices outside U.S. to offset strong dollar Posted: 29 Jan 2019 06:57 PM PST  The move is an attempt to stem weak sales of the iPhone, particularly in overseas markets such as China, where a 10 percent rise in the U.S. dollar over the past year or so has made Apple's products - which already compete at the top end of the market - much pricier than rivals. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook disclosed the plan on Tuesday after the company reported the first-ever dip in iPhone sales during the key holiday shopping period. The company has only once before cut iPhone prices, shortly after it debuted in 2007.
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| Chicago Police Investigating Possible Hate Crime Attack Against Empire Actor Posted: 29 Jan 2019 09:39 AM PST  Jussie Smollett told police that the attackers wrapped a rope around his neck
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| How to Keep Your Car Battery Alive Through a Frigid Winter Posted: 29 Jan 2019 01:02 PM PST  Batteries, like people, like to stay warm, dry, and well-fed during the winter. Heres what you need to know about keeping your battery happy when its cold out.
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| Tyson Foods recall more than 36,000lbs of chicken nuggets over rubber contamination fears Posted: 30 Jan 2019 08:46 AM PST  A major US meat producer is recalling more than 36,000 lbs (16,329 kgs) of chicken nuggets because they may be contaminated with rubber. Tyson Foods is recalling the chicken product over fears "extraneous materials" - specifically rubber – are in them, the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced. The FSIS says they have received complaints about packages of Tyson White Meat Panko Chicken Nuggets, a popular frozen food in the US.
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| Mexico, Spain discuss differing stances toward Venezuela Posted: 30 Jan 2019 01:33 PM PST  MEXICO CITY (AP) — The leaders of Mexico and Spain said Wednesday they hope to be in a position to mediate a dialogue to resolve the political crisis in Venezuela, but also revealed differences in their approach.
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| Best Buy Goes Back on Decision to Fire Security Guard Who Tackled Suspect Posted: 30 Jan 2019 07:10 AM PST  A Northern California Best Buy is walking back its decision to fire a security guard who tackled a shoplifting suspect.
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| The Civil Rights Warrior Who May Have Linked Roger Stone to WikiLeaks Posted: 30 Jan 2019 09:53 AM PST  Prosecutors wrote that an email from Stone, seeking dirt on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, was forwarded to the attorney, who wasn't identified -- adding an intriguing character to the mystery over possible links between Trump's presidential campaign and WikiLeaks. Kunstler, 73, who lives in Brooklyn, is a civil rights lawyer and activist who was married to two prominent, late civil rights attorneys, William Kunstler and Michael Ratner.
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| Arctic air sends temperatures well below zero in midwest US Posted: 30 Jan 2019 02:10 PM PST  A brutal cold wave brought temperatures lower than Antarctica to the American Midwest on Wednesday, grounding flights, closing schools and businesses and raising hypothermia fears for homeless residents. Mail deliveries were suspended and people encouraged to stay home in nearly a dozen US states where the mercury plunged into the negative double digits, the worst freeze to grip the region in a generation. US media attributed at least five deaths since the weekend to the freezing conditions and a major snowstorm that preceded the blast of Arctic air currently gripping the region.
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| Harley-Davidson recalls nearly 44,000 Street motorcycles for faulty brakes, temporarily stops shipment of Streets Posted: 29 Jan 2019 10:19 AM PST  Harley-Davidson has recalled 43,908 of its Street motorcycles for a brake issue that could cause a crash.
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| Trump slams U.S. intelligence chiefs as 'passive and naive' on Iran Posted: 30 Jan 2019 03:17 PM PST  Leaders of the U.S. intelligence community told a Senate committee on Tuesday that the nuclear threat from North Korea persisted and Iran was not taking steps toward making a nuclear bomb, conclusions that contrasted starkly with Trump's assessments of those countries. "The Intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran.
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