| Train carrying GOP lawmakers hits truck; 1 person dead Posted: 31 Jan 2018 09:33 AM PST  An Amtrak train carrying Republican members of Congress to an annual retreat hit a truck in Virginia on Wednesday. One person traveling in the truck reportedly died and two others were injured. None of the train passengers were believed to be seriously injured.
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| White House role in Nunes memo scrutinized Posted: 31 Jan 2018 12:51 PM PST  Betsy Woodruff, politics reporter for The Daily Beast, talks with Rachel Maddow about questions about whether the staff of Devin Nunes worked with the White House on the anti-FBI memo, and how the memo has turned the Trump DoJ against Trump Republicans.
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| White Supremacists Are Targeting College Students 'Like Never Before' Posted: 01 Feb 2018 09:15 AM PST  The amount of white supremacist propaganda on college campuses in the U.S. increased 258 percent between fall 2016 and fall 2017, according to a report the Anti-Defamation League released Thursday.
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| Trump Just Falsely Claimed He Had A Historically Huge Audience. Again. Posted: 01 Feb 2018 04:52 AM PST  President Donald Trump bragged Thursday morning that his State of the Union speech received the highest ever TV-viewing figures.
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| Nashville mayor admits affair with ex-security detail chief Posted: 01 Feb 2018 03:38 AM PST  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville Mayor Megan Barry said she plans to continue serving in office after revealing that she had an extramarital affair with the former head of her security detail.
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| 'They Couldn't Hide all the Death.' 5 More Rohingya Mass Graves Found in Myanmar Posted: 31 Jan 2018 08:45 PM PST  The graves are the newest piece of evidence in Myanmar's military campaign against the Rohingya
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| Top adviser to Khamenei says Iran's regional influence 'inevitable': Fars Posted: 01 Feb 2018 01:55 AM PST ![Top adviser to Khamenei says Iran's regional influence 'inevitable': Fars]( "Top adviser to Khamenei says Iran's regional influence 'inevitable': Fars") By Parisa Hafezi ANKARA (Reuters) - The top adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday the country's leadership had no intention of reining in its influence across the Middle East despite U.S. pressure to do so, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. U.S. President Donald Trump, who sees Iran as a rising threat to regional stability in the Middle East, has pledged to work with Gulf Arab states and Israel to curb what they say are Tehran's attempts to extend its influence in the region.
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| Carrie Underwood Says She 'May Or May Not Have Cried' After Getting Caught Speeding Posted: 31 Jan 2018 05:40 PM PST  Country singer Carrie Underwood says she felt ashamed after a police officer in Brentwood, Tennessee, pulled her over for speeding on Monday.
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| Rep. Adam Schiff: GOP's FBI Memo Could Lead To 'Constitutional Crisis' Posted: 31 Jan 2018 07:32 PM PST  warned of a looming "constitutional crisis" if Republicans in Congress succeed in having a controversial classified memo released that reportedly attacks the FBI and the Justice Department's Russia investigation.
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| The Real Trick To Aging May Just Be To Ignore It Posted: 01 Feb 2018 02:46 AM PST  Ann Brenoff's "On The Fly" is a column about navigating growing older ― and a few other things.
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| Correction: Deadly Car Wash Shooting-The Latest story Posted: 31 Jan 2018 03:36 PM PST  MELCROFT, Pa. (AP) — In a story Jan. 30 about the shooting deaths of four people at a car wash, The Associated Press, relying on information from state police, misspelled the first name of one of the female victims. She was Cortney Snyder, not Courtney.
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| French minister criticises 'scandalous' claim husband murdered wife for being 'overbearing' Posted: 31 Jan 2018 08:08 AM PST  France's gender equality minister has slammed as "totally scandalous" claims that a husband may have strangled his wife to death in a high-profile murder case because she was "overbearing". French IT worker Jonathann Daval, 34, on Tuesday admitted to killing his wife Alexia, 29, in a case that has gripped the country since her partially burned corpse was spotted in a wood in October. The 29-year-old bank employee's body was found hidden under tree branches near their town of Gray-la-Ville in eastern France. Her husband had previously insisted that Alexia had gone jogging on October 28 and never came back. Millions were moved by footage of the man dubbed "the perfect son-in-law" crying at her parents' side at a press conference and even leading one of the running outings organised across the country in her memory. Tearful: Millions had been moved by Jonathan Daval's appearance alongside his wife's grieving parents Credit: SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP But three months after her death and after hours of police questioning, Daval finally admitted on Tuesday to killing his wife. Le Monde said that his shock avowal of guilt after three months playing the victim had unleashed a nationwide sense of "betrayal of compassion". "He says it was an accident, that he did not want to do it, and that he regrets it," said his lawer Randall Schwerdorffer. His client's motivation, he insisted "was not criminal". Controversy: Lawyer Randall Schwerdorffer suggested his client, Jonathann Daval, had murdered his wife because she was 'verbally violent' and 'overbearing' Credit: SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP "There were some very strong tensions in their relationship as a couple," he said, adding that Daval had been subjected to "verbal violence" from his wife. "Alexia had an overbearing personality, so he felt diminished, stifled. At one point too many words were said, a fit of anger proved too much, and he couldn't control himself." The lawyer's claim drew a furious response from gender equality minister Marlène Schiappa. "I find it totally scandalous to tell us that 'she has an overbearing personality, and that's why she may have been murdered'," the minister told RTL. Outraged: France's minister for gender equality Marlene Schiappa "By saying that, you legitimise femicide, you legitimise the fact that every three days, a woman is killed by her partner, and I find it extremely dangerous to relay that," she said. She added: "It's not a row, it's not a crime of passion, it's a murder. We must stop playing down conjugal violence, stop trying to find excuses. Nothing, nothing justifies beating one's wife or partner." The lawyer refused to leave it there, claiming that "lots of people talk and create controversies without any deep knowledge of the case". "Lots of journalists knew about the violence at the heart of the couple and that Alexia was behind this violence," he said. Daval maintains that he acted alone and insists he did not set fire to his wife's body. The murder case appalled the couple's quiet town, with nearly 10,000 people turning out for a silent march in her memory. It prompted about 100 prominent French women to urge President Emmanuel Macron to launch an "emergency plan" to curb sexual violence. Relatives take part in a silent march in Gray on November 5, 2017, in memory of Alexia Daval Credit: SEBASTIEN BOZON/SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP/Getty Images Initially questioned as a witness, Daval explained scratches and bite marks on her hands as coming from an argument with his wife that turned physical on the day before her disappearance. Police arrested Daval on Monday after uncovering fresh evidence. A neighbour had reported hearing a car leave the couple's home on the night before Alexia was reported missing. This tallied with a tracking device on his work car, whose tyre tracks were also discovered close to where Alexia's body was found. A source close to the inquiry also said the body was covered in a sheet that was thought to come from the couple's home. Mrs Daval's parents were said to be "flabbergasted". "They didn't see it coming at all, they want to understand," said their lawyer Jean-Marc Florand. But he said they rejected the claim it was "an accident". "When you strangle someone with bare hands who you can look in the eyes, you can't say it's an accident," he said. "The play he acted out will cost him very dear in the jurors' eyes." Daval has been charged with "murdering one's spouse" and faces life in prison at the end of a trial due next year.
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| US threatens new sanctions as Russia laughs off Putin list Posted: 31 Jan 2018 12:47 AM PST  The United States warned Tuesday that it may soon impose new sanctions on Russian figures, after Vladimir Putin laughed off the release of a US target list of his closest and richest allies. The world was braced for a US sanctions onslaught on Monday when a new law came into effect 180 days after President Donald Trump, still hopeful for warmer ties, begrudgingly signed it. The people on the list will not face immediate action -- despite calls for Moscow to be punished for alleged interference in the 2016 US election -- and Putin dismissed the United States' latest "unfriendly act" as a minor inconvenience.
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| China lashes out at Taiwan over cancellation of flights Posted: 31 Jan 2018 01:01 AM PST ![China lashes out at Taiwan over cancellation of flights]( "China lashes out at Taiwan over cancellation of flights") BEIJING (AP) — China is again heating up the rhetoric against rival Taiwan, with a spokesman saying Wednesday that Taiwan's cancellation of added flights during the Lunar New Year holiday "hurt the feelings of people on both sides."
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| Nintendo lays out six-title plan for Switch Posted: 01 Feb 2018 04:46 AM PST  Nintendo has announced a five-game schedule for the next four months, with one other title dangled over 2018 as a whole. The critically acclaimed successor to a cult hit action game, "Bayonetta 2," arrives on Nintendo Switch the week of February 16 worldwide. It was originally released on the Wii U in 2014, but with the Switch having already outsold the Wii U in only nine months, Nintendo has a lot more potential to play with.
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| Nokia CEO sees networks recovery as patents boost results Posted: 01 Feb 2018 07:39 AM PST ![Nokia CEO sees networks recovery as patents boost results]( "Nokia CEO sees networks recovery as patents boost results") HELSINKI/LONDON (Reuters) - Telecom network gear maker Nokia posted better-than-expected 2017 profits on Thursday and said it rebounded from costly prior sales hiccups, encouraging investors spooked by a weakening equipment market and acquisition integration missteps. Nokia shares bounded 15 percent higher on results which showed fourth-quarter group operating profit rising 7 percent to 1.0 billion euros ($1.2 billion), well ahead of a Reuters poll forecast of 888 million euros. The network industry, dominated by Huawei, Nokia and Sweden's Ericsson, is weathering the toughest part of a decade-long cycle as demand for 4G gear falls, while spending on new, mass-market 5G networks is unlikely before 2019 or 2020.
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| First State Ban On Bump Stocks Takes Effect After Las Vegas Massacre Posted: 31 Jan 2018 09:01 PM PST  A Massachusetts law banning possession of bump stocks and other accessories that increase a gun's rate of fire went into effect on Thursday, making the state the first to enact such legislation in the wake of last year's deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas.
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| Top Pennsylvania Republican Says He'll Ignore Court Order To Help Fix Gerrymandering Posted: 31 Jan 2018 03:09 PM PST  The top Republican in the Pennsylvania Senate told the state's Supreme Court on Wednesday that he is refusing to follow a court order asking lawmakers to turn over data to help correct a gerrymandered congressional map.
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| The FDA Is Cracking Down on Imodium and Other Anti-Diarrhea Medicine Because of the Opioid Epidemic Posted: 31 Jan 2018 01:44 PM PST  The request comes amid a spike in overdoses of the over-the-counter drugs
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| Man charged with marrying 6 women to evade immigration laws Posted: 31 Jan 2018 02:37 PM PST ![Man charged with marrying 6 women to evade immigration laws]( "Man charged with marrying 6 women to evade immigration laws") WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts man was charged with accepting money to marry six women to help them evade immigration laws.
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| Rep. Peter King says secret memo will show 'serious improper behavior' Posted: 30 Jan 2018 10:18 PM PST  Rep. Pete King says a secret memo at the center of a partisan dispute shows "serious improper behavior" in the Justice Department's inquiry into President Donald Trump's campaign.
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| Gasps and awe as supermoon rises over erupting Philippine volcano Posted: 31 Jan 2018 06:27 AM PST  Filipinos sheltering from the erupting Mayon volcano gasped in delight as an orange full-moon eclipse shone above the mountain's smouldering crater Wednesday in what was both a once-in-a-lifetime double spectacle and a rare moment of relief. Mount Mayon -- the country's most active volcano -- has been spewing spectacular but potentially lethal ash and lava for the last fortnight, forcing some 90,000 people into cramped safe zones where sanitation conditions are dire. At schools in the towns of Ligao and Guinobatan where hundreds of refugees from the volcano were crammed, up to 80 in each classroom, children and adults alike squealed as the moon first took on a spectacular crimson hue.
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| US missile defence test fails in Hawaii with 'military unable to shoot down incoming target' Posted: 31 Jan 2018 01:28 PM PST  A test of America's missile defence systems in Hawaii has reportedly failed to shoot down its target, against the backdrop of heightened tensions with North Korea. An exercise conducted by the Missile Defence Agency was unsuccessful, with the military unable to shoot down an incoming missile launched from an aircraft, multiple outlets reported. "The Missile Defense Agency and US Navy sailors manning the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex (AAMDTC) conducted a live-fire missile flight test using a Standard-Missile (SM)-3 Block IIA missile launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii, Wednesday morning," Lt Col Michelle Baldanza said in an email to The Independent.
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| A whale with words: Orca mimics human speech Posted: 30 Jan 2018 09:28 PM PST  It is the first scientific demonstration of an orca mimicking human words, which also included "Amy" -- the name of Wikie's handler -- "Bye-Bye", and "One-Two-Three". "We were not expecting a perfect match, like a parrot," researcher Jose Abramson of the Complutense University of Madrid said of the experiment reported Wednesday in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. It was hard not to jump for joy when Wikie first "spoke", Abramson told AFP, adding the research team had not quite known what to expect.
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| UNC suspends freshman guard Jalek Felton from school, revokes activity rights Posted: 30 Jan 2018 07:04 PM PST  The University of North Carolina has suspended freshman guard Jalek Felton from the school, including his eligible to participate in any university activities.
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| Trey Gowdy Won't Seek Re-Election To Congress Posted: 31 Jan 2018 09:26 AM PST  Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election this year.
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| Stephen King Needed A Laugh. Twitter Picked Him Up In A Big Way. Posted: 01 Feb 2018 01:14 AM PST  Even the master of horror needs a laugh every now and then.
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| Syria's Kurds Are Frustrated at the Lack of U.S. Help in Defending a Key Stronghold Posted: 31 Jan 2018 06:01 PM PST  The Kurdish militia views defending Afrin as an existential fight to preserve their territory
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| Dallas man to die for killing daughters while mom listened Posted: 01 Feb 2018 05:12 PM PST  HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A former Dallas accountant condemned for fatally shooting his two young daughters while their mother listened helplessly on the phone is looking to the U.S. Supreme Court to spare his life.
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| Trump's State Of The Union Keeps Up His Racist Fight With Black Athletes Posted: 30 Jan 2018 07:31 PM PST  WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump used his first State of the Union address to continue his attacks on black NFL players and other athletes who have kneeled during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality.
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| Vietnam marks 50 years since launch of Tet Offensive Posted: 31 Jan 2018 07:09 AM PST  Vietnam marked 50 years since the audacious Tet Offensive on Wednesday, in a bittersweet ceremony featuring patriotic dance performances recalling the attacks that changed the course of the Vietnam War. The surprise military offensive in 1968 -- launched by the communist north on the eve of the Tet lunar new year -- targeted more than 100 cities and outposts in southern Vietnam. On Wednesday entertainers dressed as soldiers and peasants took to the stage at an official ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City, followed by a string of performances from flag-bearing dancers and martial arts performers in red and gold.
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| Lebanon using diplomacy to counter Israel over offshore energy tender: president Posted: 01 Feb 2018 08:44 AM PST ![Lebanon using diplomacy to counter Israel over offshore energy tender: president]( "Lebanon using diplomacy to counter Israel over offshore energy tender: president") President Michel Aoun said on Thursday that Lebanon was using diplomatic means to counter Israel's stance regarding an offshore energy block in disputed territory on their maritime border. On Wednesday Israel described as "very provocative" Lebanon's first offshore oil and gas exploration tender and said it would be a mistake for international firms to participate. Lebanon is on the Levant Basin in the eastern Mediterranean where a number of big sub-sea gas fields have been discovered since 2009, including fields located in Israeli waters near the disputed border with Lebanon.
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| 2018 Range Rover Velar Review: Wading Into New Waters Posted: 01 Feb 2018 03:00 AM PST  Once you start driving the new Land Rover Range Rover Velar, it becomes obvious that this compact luxury SUV is a new breed of Land Rover. It sits lower than other Range Rover models and takes co...
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| SpaceX rocket meant to be destroyed somehow survives Posted: 31 Jan 2018 07:11 PM PST  SpaceX had a delightful surprise on Wednesday. The private spaceflight company launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral with Luxembourg's first military satellite, GovSat-1, in tow. SEE ALSO: Here's how NASA is preparing the largest telescope ever built for space The satellite, to be used for secure communications over sea and humanitarian operations, was successfully deployed 32 minutes into its flight. But in that time, something rather remarkable happened: A Falcon 9 first stage booster survived its water landing in the Atlantic Ocean. That wasn't supposed to happen. In fact, the booster appears to be relatively intact, and now SpaceX will try to bring the rocket back to shore. The rocket, named Core B1032, had landing legs and steering fins to help it come back to Earth. However, SpaceX announced prior to the GovSat-1 launch that it would make no attempt for its safe return, despite it doing so last May on another mission. This rocket was meant to test very high retrothrust landing in water so it didn't hurt the droneship, but amazingly it has survived. We will try to tow it back to shore. pic.twitter.com/hipmgdnq16 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 31, 2018 As per Space News, SpaceX perhaps decided to dispose of the rocket because it used an older configuration (Block 3) that's not as capable as newer iterations, and therefore is unlikely to be used again. In a tweet, Elon Musk said the rocket was used to test a "very high retrothrust landing in water." No drone ship was used in the test, just in case it would be damaged or destroyed. At the moment it's unclear what will be done with the surviving rocket, but depending on its condition it could find itself on another trip — or float proudly in SpaceX folklore for years to come. WATCH: Someone created a jet-powered flying Segway
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| Colin Kaepernick Completes His $1 Million Pledge For Underserved Communities Posted: 31 Jan 2018 04:11 PM PST  On Wednesday, the former NFL quarterback announced that he'd fulfilled his pledge of donating $1 million of his salary to communities in need.
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| Warsaw official moves to ban anti-Israeli demonstration Posted: 31 Jan 2018 06:45 AM PST  WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A Warsaw governor took steps Wednesday to prevent a far-right protest outside the Israeli Embassy by banning traffic in the area, citing security concerns.
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| Sex Abuse Victims Tell Court They Were Pressured to See Disgraced Doctor Larry Nassar Posted: 31 Jan 2018 09:29 PM PST  The number of people who say they were abused by disgraced doctor Larry Nassar has topped 265
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| Devin Nunes Made 'Material Changes' To Secret Memo Before It Went To Trump, Democrat Says Posted: 31 Jan 2018 09:50 PM PST  WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee made "material changes" to a secret memo he shared with lawmakers before sending it to the president to approve for final release, the top Democrat on the committee said Wednesday night.
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| Jaguar to reveal production I-Pace at event ahead of Geneva launch Posted: 31 Jan 2018 06:00 AM PST  The Jaguar I-Pace was first revealed to the world in concept form at the Los Angeles Auto Show as long ago now as 2016. Since then, Jaguar has periodically come forward with news and images of the I-Pace in concept form, but the all-electric luxury SUV has still to be properly revealed to the world as a production model. The I-Pace will be a four-wheel drive SUV with a range of around 310 miles, although that range is measured using the New European Driving Cycle, which is still considerably more generous than its American EPA counterpart.
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| German far-right figure embraces Islam over church's 'moral decline' Posted: 31 Jan 2018 09:02 AM PST  A member of Germany's far-right and anti-Muslim Alternative for Germany party (AfD) who recently converted to Islam has said he did so in protest at what he sees as the "moral decline" of the Protestant church. Arthur Wagner, 48, until recently a leading party member in the state of Brandenburg, told the Bild newspaper on Wednesday that his decision was in part sparked by the church's acceptance of same-sex marriage and the presence of priests at gay pride marches. Explaining his decision, he singled out the church's position "with regard to the AfD, its support for marriage for all and the participation of pastors at Christopher Street Day, where there are children.
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| Qualcomm profit beats estimates but weak China mobile sales weigh on outlook Posted: 31 Jan 2018 08:31 PM PST ![Qualcomm profit beats estimates but weak China mobile sales weigh on outlook]( "Qualcomm profit beats estimates but weak China mobile sales weigh on outlook") China's smartphone market in 2017 was weaker than expected with 4G handset shipments down 11 percent, according to Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon. "Performance of the current quarter is weighed down by Apple and China," Stifel analyst Kevin Cassidy said.
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| Kenyatta or Odinga for President... Why not both? Posted: 31 Jan 2018 04:40 AM PST  Last year after Kenya's elections, Odinga, the opposition candidate rejected Kenyatta's victory. He's been sworn in with his own innaguration ceremony. Can both now lead Kenya?
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| This year’s flu shot might not stop the virus, but it can fend off the worst symptoms Posted: 31 Jan 2018 06:00 AM PST  There's a potent flu virus infecting Americans this influenza season — even healthy people including a marathon runner and bodybuilder have become seriously ill. But although the flu shot isn't so effective this year, the vaccine will still probably spare you from the most severe symptoms, hospitalization, or at worst, death. Like most flu seasons, there are a few strains circulating around the country right now, but one of these — dubbed H3N2 – is notably vicious. At worst, it's taken the lives of children and healthy adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes there is "widespread" flu activity in nearly every region it monitors around the country, and H3N2 was the most frequently identified strain reported as of mid-January. SEE ALSO: The coming Arctic blast probably won't make you sick, but winter definitely can Generally, severe fevers, chills, and fatigue are compelling an unusually high number Americans to seek medical treatment. "Our hospitals are brimming in the ER," said Joan Faro, Chief Medical Officer at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital on Long Island, New York, in an interview. "Occupancy rates are through the roof." Even medical professionals are taking extra precautions against this season's virus. Faro said inoculated staff are wearing masks around sick patients — and that's something she hasn't seen before. "There's an awareness that there's something going on, something that is a little bit different than previous years," Faro said. The H3N2 virus, though, has hit the U.S. numerous times before. And when it does, "it tends to be a rougher season," said Susan Donelan, medical director and assistant professor of infectious disease at Stony Brook University's School of Medicine, in an interview. "It's not pretty." Already this flu season, 37 children have died in the U.S. from the virus, according to the CDC. This virus is exceptionally nasty because it tends to change more than other flu viruses during the course of a season. Donelan calls these slight changes, known as "genetic drift," little tweaks that occur in the viruses' genes during or between the flu season. The H3N2 virus' ability to change with time renders the flu vaccine, which is basically a weakened form of several dominant flu viruses, an imperfect match against this year's dominant illness. In essence, those who received the flu shot have spent time preparing to fight a specific invader that, when it finally arrives, ends up presenting itself differently. The flu vaccine becomes "a near match, but it's not a perfect match," said Shane Speights, a dean and associate professor of medicine at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University. A CDC map indicating geographic spread of the flu viruses, as of January 20, 2018. The tan areas indicate widespread influenza activity estimates.Image: CDCOur flu vaccines are bred in laboratories months in advance, so the virus has ample time to morph during that period. When this happens, the virus can then successfully attack and reproduce in bodies that have been inoculated. But getting the shot will mitigate the altered viruses' aggressiveness. "The vaccine certainly still provides a lot of benefits," explained Speights. "It's still enough for your body to mount a response." "It starts creating infantry cells so that when you come in contact with the real thing, it has some resistance to fight it off," said Speights. And this bit of resistance, said Donelan, "can still keep people from getting really ill, and if hospitalized, can keep them from dying." For that reason, even if it's late January or early February — which is quite late in the flu season – Speights emphasized that "It's not too late to get the vaccine. At minimum, this will "give your body a look at [the virus]," he said. And that seems like wise advice for a strain that can morph quickly, partially outwitting our carefully-developed vaccines. "Influenza is a pretty clever organism," said Donelan. WATCH: Your next flu shot may be replaced with this patch
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| This Is How Tiffany Haddish Scored A Selfie With Beyoncé Posted: 01 Feb 2018 08:39 AM PST  In December, the actress posted a selfie of herself and Beyoncé to Instagram with a caption that left fans wanting more.
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| U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin urges Congress to raise debt ceiling as another shutdown looms Posted: 31 Jan 2018 02:25 PM PST ![U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin urges Congress to raise debt ceiling as another shutdown looms]( "U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin urges Congress to raise debt ceiling as another shutdown looms") U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday called on the Republican-controlled Congress to lift the federal debt limit "as soon as possible" so the government can pay employee benefits and other obligations. In a letter to congressional leaders and key committee chairmen, Mnuchin said the Treasury Department would continue to suspend payments into federal employee retiree, health and disability funds through Feb. 28. Congress must raise the nation's debt ceiling to avoid a government default.
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