| Trump signs spending bill to avert government shutdown — for one week Posted: 28 Apr 2017 08:13 AM PDT  The House passed a continuing resolution, or "CR," giving Congress until next Friday to hammer out a spending deal for the rest of the fiscal year.
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| NRA’s LaPierre: Greatest U.S. ‘domestic threats’ are political, academic and media elites Posted: 28 Apr 2017 12:17 PM PDT  National Rifle Association leader Wayne LaPierre urged gun owners to stand up to "academic elites, political elites and media elites" at the annual convention.
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| Turkey blocks access to Wikipedia Posted: 29 Apr 2017 08:29 AM PDT  By Can Sezer and David Dolan ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey has blocked online encyclopaedia Wikipedia, the telecommunications watchdog said on Saturday, citing a law allowing it to ban access to websites deemed obscene or a threat to national security. The move is likely to further worry rights groups and Turkey's Western allies, who say Ankara has sharply curtailed freedom of speech and other basic rights in the crackdown that followed last year's failed coup. "After technical analysis and legal consideration ... an administrative measure has been taken for this website (Wikipedia. ...
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| Correction: Missing Children-Arkansas story Posted: 28 Apr 2017 03:05 PM PDT ![Correction: Missing Children-Arkansas story]( "Correction: Missing Children-Arkansas story") MENA, Ark. (AP) — In a story April 27 about two missing Arkansas children, The Associated Press, relying on information from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, reported erroneously the age of one of the children. Reilly James Scarbrough is 9, not 10.
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| Sanders calls Obama’s $400K Wall Street speaking fee ‘unfortunate’ Posted: 28 Apr 2017 08:08 AM PDT  Though he praised the former president, Sanders also repeated criticisms from his campaign about the influence of Wall Street over Washington.
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| AG Sessions vows to 'hammer' MS-13 street gang Posted: 28 Apr 2017 10:18 AM PDT  U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions pledged federal resources to crack down on the New York gang.
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| Apple Trying To Persuade California DMV To Change Self-Driving Rules Posted: 29 Apr 2017 04:04 AM PDT  The tech giant also wants the state's restriction on using self-driving vehicles without a human driver to be removed.
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| Fourth and final Arkansas inmate Kenneth Williams executed Posted: 27 Apr 2017 10:01 PM PDT  Kenneth Williams' attorneys have appealed to US supreme court to stop his execution on grounds of intellectual disability. Arkansas has carried out its fourth execution within a week, bringing to a troubling end the state's controversial attempt to run a "conveyor belt of death" in an aggressive burst of killings unseen in the US for more than half a century. Kenneth Williams was pronounced dead at 11.05pm local time at the end of a 13-minute lethal injection that resulted in disturbing signs of distress on the part of the prisoner.
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| Pope and Egypt's Coptic patriarch pray at IS-bombed church Posted: 28 Apr 2017 01:00 PM PDT  In a Cairo church bombed by the Islamic State group just months ago, Pope Francis and the Coptic Orthodox patriarch sat side by side Friday and prayed near tangible reminders of the horrific attack. The emotional mass came as the Catholic pontiff visits Egypt to support the country's embattled Christian minority and promote dialogue with Muslims. Francis and Coptic Pope Tawadros II sat near the altar of Saint Peter and Saint Paul church where an IS suicide bomber killed 29 people in December.
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| The 66 Most Delish Last-Minute Easter Appetizers Posted: 28 Apr 2017 10:42 AM PDT |
| ‘It may be Pocahontas’: Trump attacks Warren as potential 2020 rival Posted: 28 Apr 2017 12:01 PM PDT  President Donald Trump insulted Sen. Elizabeth Warren by calling her "Pocahontas" again during a speech at the National Rifle Association's (NRA) annual meeting in Atlanta.
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| Strong earthquake hits off Philippines, no major impact seen Posted: 28 Apr 2017 04:22 PM PDT  A strong earthquake measuring 7.2 struck off the coast of Mindanao island in the Philippines on Saturday, and the country's seismology agency advised people to stay away from coastal areas but expected no major damage. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was a risk big waves could spread 300 km (190 miles) away from the epicenter, reaching as far away as Indonesia. The Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) said no tsunami warning was issued after a quake it had measured at 7.2.
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| Filipino troops kill notorious Abu Sayyaf kidnapper in clash Posted: 28 Apr 2017 06:28 PM PDT ![Filipino troops kill notorious Abu Sayyaf kidnapper in clash]( "Filipino troops kill notorious Abu Sayyaf kidnapper in clash") MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine marines have killed an Abu Sayyaf extremist commander and a notorious kidnapper who had sailed across the sea border into Malaysia to snatch tourists and sailors for ransom, the military chief said Saturday.
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| Congress passes last-minute measure to avert government shutdown Posted: 28 Apr 2017 08:16 AM PDT  Congress has voted to continue government funding through 5 May, averting a government shut down for at least a week. Members of Congress clamoured to put together a funding bill for the 2017 fiscal year by Friday's deadline, but were unable to reach consensus. The bill passed today gives Congress one more week to decide on a budget for the current year.
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| Woman, 66, is fifth victim to die in Stockholm truck attack Posted: 28 Apr 2017 06:08 AM PDT  STOCKHOLM (AP) — A woman in her 60s who was injured in the April 7 truck attack in Stockholm has died, Swedish authorities said Friday, raising the death toll to five.
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| Syria Says Israel Attacked With Missiles Today Posted: 28 Apr 2017 10:58 AM PDT  The Syrian military said in a statement that the attack, which could be felt at least 15 kilometers (9 miles) away, was carried out by Israel and aimed to "raise the morale of terrorist groups" the government maintains are waging war against President Bashar Assad's forces.
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| Qualcomm slams Apple in scathing new statement Posted: 28 Apr 2017 08:44 AM PDT  The Apple vs. Qualcomm patent fight is probably the second most important new legal confrontation between tech companies this year, with the Google vs. Uber trial being far more interesting and dramatic. But you had still better be ready for the incoming spectacle. Case in point: Qualcomm on Friday issued a press release to tell everyone in the world that Apple has been a bad, bad company. Titled Apple Continues to Improperly Interfere with Qualcomm's Agreements with Contract Manufacturers, the new statement is about Qualcomm's revised guidance for the third quarter in light of Apple's recent actions. Needless to say, this fight stands to have a dramatic impact on Qualcomm's performance. Apparently, Apple told Qualcomm that "Apple is withholding payments to its contract manufacturers for the royalties those contract manufacturers owe under their licenses with Qualcomm for sales during the quarter ended March 31, 2017," and it will continue to do so until the patent dispute is settled. As a result, Qualcomm now expects revenue between $4.8 billion and $5.6 billion for the third quarter. Its prior guidance was between $5.3 billion and $6.1 billion. Comparatively, Qualcomm reported $6.0 billion for the third quarter of fiscal year 2016. In other words, iPhone money is really important to the chipmaker. "Apple is improperly interfering with Qualcomm's long-standing agreements with Qualcomm's licensees," executive vice president and general counsel of Qualcomm Don Rosenberg said. "These license agreements remain valid and enforceable. While Apple has acknowledged that payment is owed for the use of Qualcomm's valuable intellectual property, it nevertheless continues to interfere with our contracts. Apple has now unilaterally declared the contract terms unacceptable; the same terms that have applied to iPhones and cellular-enabled iPads for a decade. Apple's continued interference with Qualcomm's agreements to which Apple is not a party is wrongful and the latest step in Apple's global attack on Qualcomm. We will continue vigorously to defend our business model, and pursue our right to protect and receive fair value for our technological contributions to the industry." Things are definitely going to get interesting...
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| The Most Damaging Tweet Of Trump’s Presidency, According To A Harvard Professor Posted: 28 Apr 2017 09:03 PM PDT  We speculate about the meaning of Trump's (rare) Twitter silences.
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| Russians, in peaceful protest, call for Putin to quit Posted: 29 Apr 2017 11:53 AM PDT  By Andrew Osborn and Svetlana Reiter MOSCOW (Reuters) - Several hundred Russians lined up in central Moscow on Saturday under the gaze of riot police to hand over handwritten appeals for President Vladimir Putin to quit, as similar protests took place in other cities. Putin, who has dominated Russian politics for 17 years, has not said whether he will run in presidential elections in March 2018. Saturday's protest in the capital -- called "We're sick of him" -- was organized by the Open Russia movement founded by Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
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| Knights of Malta elect temporary leader for reform period Posted: 29 Apr 2017 07:21 AM PDT  VATICAN CITY (AP) — The ancient Knights of Malta religious order on Saturday elected a temporary leader during a period of reform after the last grand master was effectively ousted by Pope Francis.
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| Two members of alt-right accused of making white supremacist hand signs in White House after receiving press passes Posted: 29 Apr 2017 09:46 AM PDT  Two conservative journalists have sparked outcry on social media by making what some have interpreted as a white supremacist hand symbol at a recent visit to the White House. "Just two people doing a white power hand gesture in the White House," Fusion senior reporter Emma Roller tweeted, alongside a screenshot of the picture.
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| Volkswagen Is Considering Selling Ducati Posted: 28 Apr 2017 10:59 AM PDT  The VW Group purchased the Italian motorcycle maker in 2012, but financial struggles with the diesel emissions scandal could force a sale.
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| Trump's big EPA website change should make you furious Posted: 28 Apr 2017 07:23 PM PDT  Yet another fear among scientists and climate activists has become reality in the era of Trump. Decades of research and data about carbon emissions, other greenhouse gases, and more was hidden from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website by the Trump administration late Friday as the sprawling climate change webpage goes under "review." Adding insult to injury, this comes on the eve of the People's Climate March. Climate change activists have been wringing their hands ever since Inauguration Day, fearing that the new administration would do something just like this. The EPA has been chipping away at climate change mentions on its website since January, but Friday's takedown is the biggest, and most disturbing step yet. SEE ALSO: In ultimate insult, Trump rolls back EPA's climate policies from within the EPA The webpage, which has been in existence for more than 20 years, explained what climate change is, what caused it and how it affects your health, among other things. In contrast to what Trump and his EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, have said about climate change (they don't believe it's man-made), the webpage notes many times how humans have contributed to climate change. "Research indicates that natural causes do not explain most observed warming, especially warming since the mid-20th century. Rather, it is extremely likely that human activities have been the dominant cause of that warming," the webpage read, according to an archived version captured before Friday. Starting Friday evening, going to EPA.gov/climate and EPA.gov/climatechange sent visitors to a landing page that said, "This page is being updated." In an agency statement about the website changes, there's no mention of removing all the content, even if temporarily. "The process, which involves updating language to reflect the approach of new leadership, is intended to ensure that the public can use the website to understand the agency's current efforts," the EPA's statement reads, adding in the last line that "content related to climate and regulation is also under review." At the very end of a Friday news dump: @EPA might take climate change information off its website pic.twitter.com/Gngh62R5sJ — Timothy Cama (@Timothy_Cama) April 28, 2017 While the climate landing page was down, certain climate-related sections could still be found through a Google search. For example, a section about climate indicators was still live as of Friday evening. "While it remains to be seen how information and information access will change as the EPA site is updated, it is concerning that this overhaul was not announced until the same day that pages like the Climate Change page, which serve as important public resources, were already becoming unavailable," said the Environmental Data and Governance Website Tracking Initiative, a nonprofit group closely tracking changes to climate information across the federal government, in a statement. "The timing of this overhaul cuts off availability when access to trusted information about the science behind climate change will be necessary to enable a conversation about our changing climate," the group stated. Trump has made climate denying statements in the past, calling global warming a hoax. More recently he walked them back, claiming that climate change was naturally occurring and not man-made. Trump's EPA chief, Scott Pruitt, is a noted climate-change denier. The administration is seeking to make deep cuts to the EPA's budget and personnel, potential involving thousands of layoffs and the gutting of its climate science programs, which could leave few qualified people left to update the climate science page in the next few years. The scientific findings presented on the EPA climate change website were used by many in the media and the scientific community to contradict claims Pruitt made in a CNBC interview on March 9, in which he said that carbon dioxide does not act as a "control knob," or thermostat, on the planet's climate: "I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do and there's tremendous disagreement about the degree of impact, so no, I would not agree that it's a primary contributor to the global warming that we see," Pruitt said. "But we don't know that yet, as far as... we need to continue the debate and continue the review and the analysis," he said. On eve of #climatemarch, Trump EPA releases quiet, mumbling press release signaling censorship of climate change content from EPA website. https://t.co/MUxAIf5XMs — John Walke (@jwalkenrdc) April 28, 2017 The EPA's inspector general is investigating whether Pruitt's statement's violated agency policy because they departed so much from the agency's own scientific findings. The EPA has a link back to an archived view of the site from before Trump took office on Jan. 19. That's exactly one day before Trump took over. But more recent archived versions of the site are available, such as this screenshot of the climate page from March 17. Earlier Friday, Trump signed an executive order that expands offshore drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, something the Obama administration fought to curtail. The administration has been working to roll back Obama's other climate change programs, including the EPA's Clean Power Plan, which would restrict greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The website review may be aimed at bringing the site in line with such an agenda, but any editing of scientific information would run counter to the history of the site and the mission of the EPA. Information about the website changes have been murky, with the administration's statement leaving much to be desired in terms of detail. There's no timeline on when the changes will be made either. Climate activists have already begun voicing their concerns on social media, and this is sure to fire them up as they ready for Saturday's big climate march. Mashable science editor Andrew Freedman contributed reporting for this story. WATCH: Hero with a drone spots a shark circling below 3 oblivious surfers
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| 21 Homemade Easter Candy Recipes To Fill Your Basket With Posted: 28 Apr 2017 10:42 AM PDT |
| Cop Allegedly Fakes Suicide and Flees To Mexico Posted: 29 Apr 2017 11:25 AM PDT  Cops are still searching for him.
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| Congress averts a government shutdown hours before deadline Posted: 28 Apr 2017 08:35 AM PDT  Hours before a midnight deadline, Congress averted a government shutdown – at least for now – ensuring that the lights will stay on in Washington as Donald Trump marks his 100th day in office. Republicans failed to secure enough votes to advance their healthcare replacement plan despite pressure from the White House to hold a vote on the bill before the symbolic 100-day mark. The House of Representatives approved a stopgap spending measure on Friday by a vote of 382 to 30 while negotiators worked to reach an agreement over a longer-term funding package – a deal congressional leaders from both parties say is nearly finalized.
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| Frontrunners in Iran's May presidential election Posted: 28 Apr 2017 03:56 AM PDT ![Frontrunners in Iran's May presidential election]( "Frontrunners in Iran's May presidential election") Iran holds a presidential election in May, in which pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani is seeking re-election against hardline rivals who have been gearing up for a political showdown. Within Iran's complex mix of clerical rulers and elected officials, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on all state matters, including Tehran's foreign policy. The Guardian Council, charged with vetting all candidates, disqualified hardline former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from running for the May 19 election.
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| Friends hail woman, 86, killed trying to stop attack as hero Posted: 28 Apr 2017 07:43 PM PDT  NORTH HIGHLANDS, Calif. (AP) — A young man was identified Friday as the suspect in the sexual assault and beating death of an 86-year-old California woman remembered as a hero by investigators and neighbors after she used a walking stick to try to stop an attack on her friend.
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| Judge orders Arkansas to conduct autopsy on executed inmate Posted: 29 Apr 2017 07:42 AM PDT  A federal judge has ordered the Arkansas authorities to conduct an autopsy on the body of an executed inmate whose lawyer described his death as "horrifying," including jerking and convulsions during his lethal injection. Judge Kristine Baker of the US Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas issued the order late Friday, less than 24 hours after the state executed the 38-year-old convicted multiple murderer Kenneth Williams. Arkansas officials had said the compressed timeline was necessary because the state's stock of a sedative used in the lethal injection, midazolam, was set to expire at the end of April.
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| Pacific Command Admiral Says Hawaii Needs Stronger Defenses Against North Korea Posted: 28 Apr 2017 10:58 AM PDT  U.S. Pacific Command wants more missile interceptors because of North Korea, but that could complicate things with other countries.
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| 508-Million-Year-Old Sea Monster Had 50 Legs and Giant Claws Posted: 28 Apr 2017 06:55 AM PDT  A 508-million-year-old critter — one that looks like a weird lobster with 50 legs, two claws and a tent-like shell — is the oldest known arthropod with mandibles on record, a new study finds. Arthropods are a group of invertebrates that includes spiders, insects and crustaceans. Many arthropods, including flies, ants, crayfish and centipedes, have mandibles — appendages that can grasp, crush and cut food.
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| Body Believed to Be Teen Hiker Found, Grandmother Still Missing Posted: 29 Apr 2017 09:47 AM PDT  He was found Friday, according to reports.
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| 19 Cute Red, White, and Blue Fourth of July Outfit Ideas Posted: 28 Apr 2017 10:46 AM PDT |
| Trump Completes 100 Days In White House Posted: 28 Apr 2017 02:33 AM PDT  As President Donald Trump completes 100 days in office, the question remains is he still struggling to fulfill his roles of a president.
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| Friendly fire may have killed 2 Army Rangers in Afghanistan Posted: 28 Apr 2017 10:57 AM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Army Rangers killed during a raid on an Islamic State compound in eastern Afghanistan may have died as a result of friendly fire during the opening minutes of the fierce, three-hour firefight, the Pentagon said Friday.
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| 'Shaving Cats!!??' Virginia police probe seven pet abductions Posted: 28 Apr 2017 11:51 AM PDT !['Shaving Cats!!??' Virginia police probe seven pet abductions]( "'Shaving Cats!!??' Virginia police probe seven pet abductions") Since December, at least seven cats have suddenly shown up at their homes with shaved belly, groin and leg areas, Waynesboro Police Captain Kelly Walker said on Friday. "Shaving Cats!!??" says the poster in Waynesboro, a city of 21,000 about 140 miles (225 km) southwest of Washington, D.C. Walker said the cats were collar-wearing, well-groomed pets, not strays or feral cats, although some were outdoor cats.
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| First Lady dedicates 'healing' garden at children's hospital Posted: 28 Apr 2017 03:11 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — Off in the distance, young patients can see the Washington Monument from the hospital's new rooftop "healing" garden, dedicated Friday by first lady Melania Trump as a place children and their families can breathe fresh air, "relax and enjoy in peace."
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| Turkey blocks access to Wikipedia over 'terror' claims Posted: 29 Apr 2017 08:57 AM PDT  Turkey on Saturday blocked all access inside the country to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia reportedly for articles claiming links between Ankara and terror groups, the latest restriction on a popular website to hit Turkish users. Turkey's Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) said it had implemented the ban against Wikipedia.org, without making clear the reason for the move. Turkish state media said the ban was imposed because Wikipedia had failed to remove content promoting terror and accusing Turkey of cooperation with various terror groups.
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| Elon Musk just unveiled the first photo of Tesla’s upcoming semi-truck Posted: 28 Apr 2017 01:33 PM PDT  Earlier today, Elon Musk delivered an engrossing TED Talk under the following umbrella theme: The Future You. While TED Talks have arguably reached a saturation point these days, any time Musk is given a platform to discuss his vision for the future, it's always worth paying attention to. While Musk's talk was predictably far-ranging, he did take some time to not only confirm the development of a Tesla semi-truck, but to also give us a teaser photo of what the company's all-electric semi-truck is going to look like. Before we get to the photo, it's worth noting that Musk earlier this month promised that the company was planning to hold an unveiling event this September. And teasing the vehicle like only Musk knows how, he added that the "team has done an amazing job" while adding that the final design is "seriously next level." When addressing Tesla's truck plans during today's TED Talk, Musk went even further, boasting that a prototype of the vehicle has already been built and that it drives "like a sports car." Below is the teaser photo Musk unveiled earlier today.  Aside from the semi-truck mentioned above, Tesla has plans to release a slew of other vehicles over the next few years, including a brand new Roadster, a crossover version of the Model 3 dubbed the Model Y, and a pickup truck. In fact, Musk at one point went so far as to say that Tesla would be stupid not to release a pickup truck, a reasonable assessment given that the 3 top-selling vehicles in the United States this past year were all pickup trucks.
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| Body of Missing Toddler Found Under Couch in Family's Home, Death Deemed 'Suspicious:' Report Posted: 28 Apr 2017 10:09 AM PDT  Semaj Crosby had been playing with other children in an Illinois yard not far from her home when the 16-month-old girl vanished.
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| 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid Posted: 28 Apr 2017 09:35 AM PDT  Korea's attempt to out-Prius the Prius.
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| Venezuela defies international powers, Trump weighs in Posted: 27 Apr 2017 06:46 PM PDT  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday intensified his row with foreign powers that he accuses of plotting to overthrow him. "I am proud to say I took the decision... to free our country from interventionism," Maduro said in a speech on Thursday. "We are free of the OAS and we will never return," he added.
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| Palestinians say dozens wounded at protests for prisoners Posted: 28 Apr 2017 08:31 AM PDT  RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Dozens of Palestinians were hurt in clashes with Israeli soldiers at demonstrations across the West Bank Friday in support of hundreds of prisoners observing the 12th day of an open-ended hunger strike, Palestinian health officials said.
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