| Both Sides Find Compromise Hard on the Government Shutdown Posted: 02 Jan 2019 10:53 AM PST  President Donald Trump's desire to shift blame for the shutdown onto Democrats have made it even harder to reach a deal to end it.
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| Four injured after German man rams car into crowd; racist motive suspected Posted: 01 Jan 2019 09:24 AM PST ![Four injured after German man rams car into crowd; racist motive suspected]( "Four injured after German man rams car into crowd; racist motive suspected") A 50-year-old German man clearly intended to kill foreigners when he rammed his silver Mercedes into a crowd of people in the northwestern German town of Bottrop in the early hours of New Year's Day, injuring four, a senior government official said. "A German man deliberately drove into crowds of people ... that were largely made up of foreigners. There was a clear intention by this man to kill foreigners," Herbert Reul, interior minister of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where Bottrop is located, told reporters on Tuesday.
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| Afghan Taliban says 'post-occupation' discussed with Iran Posted: 01 Jan 2019 01:20 AM PST  The Taliban discussed Afghanistan's "post-occupation situation" with Iran in their latest meeting, the group said Tuesday, as Tehran makes a more concerted and open push for peace ahead of a possible US drawdown. The remarks come after Iran confirmed Monday that the Taliban had visited Tehran for a second round of talks in just a few days that are aimed at ending the 17-year conflict. The Taliban delegation discussed with Iran "the post-occupation situation, restoration of peace and security in Afghanistan and the region", the militants said in a statement posted on social media and emailed to journalists.
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| UK's Hunt says confident May will seal deal for Brexit Posted: 02 Jan 2019 06:56 AM PST  SINGAPORE (AP) — British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Wednesday he is confident Prime Minister Theresa May will obtain the concessions needed to convince enough lawmakers to back an unpopular Brexit deal.
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| Tesla shares stumble on price cut, disappointing Model 3 deliveries Posted: 02 Jan 2019 01:15 PM PST  Prices of the Model 3, S and X were all slashed by $2,000.
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| The cheapest days to fly in 2019 Posted: 01 Jan 2019 11:00 AM PST ![The cheapest days to fly in 2019]( "The cheapest days to fly in 2019") Here are the cheapest days to fly in 2019, whether you're staying in the U.S. or traveling internationally.
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| Missouri Teen Returns from Cruise with Mystery Illness That`s Left Her Permanently Blind Posted: 02 Jan 2019 11:43 AM PST  A Missouri teen is fighting a life-changing medical condition after returning from a cruise.
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| New Year's Eve celebrations: Watch the fireworks as London joins world in welcoming 2019 Posted: 31 Dec 2018 09:23 PM PST  London has welcomed 2019 with a dazzling firework display and the chimes of Big Ben. Some 100,000 ticket-holders lined the banks of the Thames to watch 70,000 projectiles made up of eight tonnes of fireworks fire into the sky from three barges and the London Eye. Edinburgh also put on a spectacular display, with around 75,000 party-goers gathering in the centre of the city to see in 2019. Below are pictures and details from all the big displays in the major cities around the world. Happy New Year! London celebrates as Big Ben awakes The words "London is open" rang in the new year as the capital welcomed 2019 with a dazzling riverside fireworks display. The phrase was spoken in seven languages around two minutes past midnight as the city skyline filled with lights in the largest annual display in Europe. New Year's Eve celebrations: world welcomes 2019, in pictures A soundtrack featuring Europe's finest musical artists celebrated the diversity of the capital, after Big Ben, silent for much of 2018 due to renovations, chimed once more. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the sold-out display would show Europe that the capital will remain "open-minded" and "outward looking" post-Brexit. He said Westminster politicians had given the world the impression that Britain is "insular, inward looking", as Britain begins the new year countdown to Brexit. Mr Khan said he hoped this year's event would "send a message of support" to the more than one million European citizens for whom London is home. He has previously expressed his backing for a People's Vote and has voiced his concerns over the effects of a no-deal Brexit on the capital. He vowed that London would remain the same after March 29 2019, and said the fireworks display was about "showing the world, while they're watching us, that we're going to carry on being open-minded, outward looking, pluralistic". Fireworks light up the sky over the London Eye in central London during the New Year celebrations Credit: PA Some 100,000 ticket-holders lined the banks of the Thames to watch 70,000 projectiles made up of eight tonnes of fireworks fire into the sky from three barges and the London Eye. Mr Khan continued: "We, in my opinion, are one of the greatest cities in the world, one of the reason we are one of the greatest cities in the world is because of the contribution made by Europeans." "I think diversity is a strength and I think what tonight is about is celebrating that diversity. "I hope that members of Parliament, members of the Government will see the fireworks tonight, will listen to the soundtrack and will reflect on what sort of country they want to live in post-March. Edinburgh's huge street party People from around the world have welcomed in the new year at a colourful street party - in the shadow of Edinburgh castle - in the "home of Hogmanay". The jubilant crowd counted down the 10 seconds to midnight before a fireworks display lit up the sky above the famous landmark, with the soundtrack provided by German band Meute. Fireworks light up the sky in Edinburgh during the Hogmanay New Year celebrations Credit: PA A mass rendition of Auld Lang Syne then rang out around the city when the fireworks fell silent. The events were the main focus of the street party which ran for several hours over December 31 and January 1. Organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay planned this year's events to celebrate the ties between Scotland and Europe as the UK prepares to leave the EU in 2019. Soggy start for New York A drenching rain couldn't keep crowds from packing Times Square for the traditional crystal ball drop and a string of star performances. Christina Aguilera pumped up the crowd, performing in a snow-white dress and coat while partygoers danced in their rain ponchos. Bebe Rexha sang John Lennon's "Imagine" just before the midnight ball drop. Confetti drops over the crowd as the clock strikes midnight during the New Year's celebration in Times Square Credit: AP The celebration took place under tight security. Partygoers were checked for weapons and then herded into pens, ringed by metal barricades, where they waited for the stroke of midnight. But the weather forced police to scrap plans to fly a drone to help keep watch over the crowd. Revellers were paying up to $10 for plastic ponchos trying to stay dry. Umbrellas were banned for security reasons. Paris sees in 2019 Parisians and tourists gathered on the Champs-Elysees to celebrate New Year's Eve under heavy security. Anti-government protesters from the yellow vest movement have issued calls on social media for "festive" demonstrations on the famous avenue. Fireworks illuminate the sky over the Arc de Triomphe during the New Year's Day celebrations on the Champs Elysees, in Paris Credit: AP Paris police set up a security perimeter in the area, with bag searches, a ban on alcohol and traffic restrictions. The Interior Ministry said Sunday that the heavy security measures are needed because of a "high terrorist threat" and concerns about "non-declared protests." President Emmanuel Macron gave his traditional New Year address to briefly lay out his priorities for 2019, as some protesters angry over high taxes and his pro-business policies plan to continue their demonstrations in coming weeks. A protester wearing a "Yellow vest" (gilet jaune) demonstrates in front of a row of French police on the Champs-Elysees in Paris Credit: AFP Ahead of midnight, a light show illustrating the theme of brotherhood took place on the Arc de Triomphe monument at the top of the Champs-Elysees. Fireworks time in Athens Happy New Year ΕΛΛΑΔΑ! Anyone in Greece right now? Send us back a shout and where you are celebrating right now! #happynewyearpic.twitter.com/zNJIxdAu0H— The Pappas Post (@PappasPost) December 31, 2018 New Year in Nairobi Fireworks explode over the UAP Old Mutual Tower during New Year celebrations in Nairobi Credit: Reuters An impressive display at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai Fireworks crackled at Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, as hundreds of thousands of spectators gathered downtown to watch the spectacular display. The fireworks replace last year's somewhat anticlimactic LED lightshow that ran down the facade of the 828-meter-tall (2,716-foot) tower. Dubai New Year's Eve 2018 LIVE: Watch Burj Khalifa fireworks stream https://t.co/XnBC8eS4wfpic.twitter.com/Kug053x0jA— Time Out Dubai (@TimeOutDubai) December 31, 2018 Cafes and restaurants with a view of the Burj Khalifa charge a premium for their locale on New Year's Eve. Casual sandwich chain Pret a Manger, for example, charges $817 for a table of four. That price gets you hot and cold drinks and some canapes. For burgers near the action, fast food chain Five Guys charged $408 per person for unlimited burgers, hotdogs, fries, milkshakes and soda. That magnificent show and this magnificent shot from @tgfromdubai is ������! Happy New Year everyone!#burjkhalifa#dubaipic.twitter.com/F2ylFZWvEB— Movenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai (@movenpickDDubai) December 31, 2018 Dozens injured in the Philippines Dozens of people were injured in New Year celebrations in the Philippines. It came as powerful firecrackers were set off in one of Asia's most violent celebrations, despite a government scare campaign and threats of arrests. The Department of Health said it has recorded more than 50 firecracker injuries in the past 10 days. Officials had urged centralised fireworks displays to discourage wild and sometimes fatal merrymaking. The notorious tradition, worsened by celebratory gunfire, stems from a Chinese-influenced belief that noise drives away evil and misfortune. A New Year's Eve reveler in Manila Credit: Reuters Pope sends his blessings Pope Francis has rounded out the most problematic year of his papacy by presiding over a vespers service and praying before the Vatican's giant sand sculpture Nativity scene. During his homily on Monday, Francis lamented how many people spent 2018 living on the edge of dignity, homeless or forced into modern forms of slavery. Francis noted that Rome alone counts some 10,000 homeless and said: "During the winter their situation is particularly hard." Pope Francis greets faithful in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican Accompanied by his chief alms-giver, Francis then walked out into St. Peter's Square, where he greeted pilgrims and prayed before the Nativity scene, carved out of 720 tons of packed sand. On Tuesday, Francis will celebrate Mass to mark the start of a new year and officially leave behind 2018, which saw a new eruption of the clergy sex abuse scandal. Russia raises a glass As Russians raised toasts to celebrate across the country's 11 time zones, President Vladimir Putin stressed the need to rely on internal resources to improve living standards. In a televised address just before midnight, Putin said that "we can achieve positive results only through our own efforts and well-coordinated teamwork." Fireworks over the Kremlin Credit: AFP Raising life quality remains the top priority, he said, adding that it's necessary to tap domestic resources to achieve the goal as "there wasn't and there won't be anyone to help." The statement sounded like an oblique reference to continuing Russia-West tensions and Western sanctions. The nation's festive mood was marred by the collapse of an apartment building Monday in Magnitogorsk that killed at least four. Putin visited the city to oversee rescue efforts. Chilly start in China New Year's Eve isn't celebrated widely in mainland China, where the lunar New Year in February is a more important holiday. But countdown events were held in major cities, and some of the faithful headed to Buddhist temples for bell-ringing and prayers. Outdoor revellers in Beijing had to brave temperatures well below freezing. Additional police were deployed in parts of Shanghai, where a New Year's Eve stampede in 2014 killed 36 people. Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour during New Year celebrations in Hong Kong Credit: AFP In Hong Kong, festive lights on skyscrapers provided the backdrop for a fireworks, music and light show over Victoria Harbor on a chilly evening. North Korea welcomes 2019 with fireworks and musical performances After an eventful year that saw three inter-Korean summits and the easing of tensions over North Korea's nuclear program, Korean - North and South of the border - entered 2019 with hopes that the hard-won detente will expand into a stable peace. Thousands of South Koreans filled the streets of the capital, Seoul, for a traditional bell-tolling ceremony near City Hall. Dignitaries picked to ring the old Bosingak bell at midnight included famous surgeon Lee Guk-jong, who successfully operated on a North Korean soldier who escaped to South Korea in 2017 in a hail of bullets fired by his comrades. A "peace bell" was tolled at Imjingak, a pavilion near the border with North Korea. Japan, South Korea and small parts of Russia and Indonesia ring in the New Year Russians got to enjoy performances from actors and dancers dressed up as characters including Father Frost and the Snow Maiden, as small parts of the country took part in a count down to midnight. Father Frost and Snow Maiden Credit: Yuri Smityuk\\TASS via Getty Images Fireworks in Vladivostok, Russia Credit: Yuri Smityuk\\TASS via Getty Images Ramming attack mars Tokyo celebrations Japan celebrated the New Year in style on Monday night. People hold balloons during the count down event at the Prince Park Tower Tokyo hotel Credit: Getty However, nine people were hurt, one seriously, when a man deliberately ploughed his car into crowds celebrating New Year's Eve along a famous Tokyo street. With an "intent to murder", 21-year-old Kazuhiro Kusakabe drove a small vehicle into Takeshita Street in Tokyo's fashion district of Harajuku at 10 minutes past midnight, a police spokesman told AFP. According to national broadcaster NHK, Kusakabe told police he was acting in "retribution for the death penalty" without giving more precise details. Policemen stand next to a car which plowed into pedestrians on New Year day in Tokyo Credit: Reuters One college student suffered serious injuries during the attack and was undergoing surgery, the police spokesman told AFP. Kusakabe was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, police said. Fireworks glitter over Sydney Harbour Parts of Australia including Sydney are celebrating the New Year, with the city putting on a spectacular fireworks display over the harbour. The Opera House was thrown into sharp relief by the fireworks, which were watched on television by people all over the world. The celebrations in Sydney were slightly dampened by inclement weather, with thousands of people waiting to watch the fireworks battered with torrential rain and a thunderstorm. New Zealand celebrates 2019 It is officially 2019 in New Zealand, as cities including Auckland set off fireworks and spectators danced and cheered. The annual Wondergarden festival is also taking place, with revelers flooding to Auckland to enjoy the music and ring in the New Year. Partygoers were allowed to make as much noise as they liked between 6pm and 2am, after the council in Auckland promised not to attend any noise complaints during those hours. "New Year's Eve is always a great time for celebration in Auckland and from a noise control perspective we don't tend to see significant increases in complaints over the course of the night generally because there seems to be higher levels of tolerance to noise as many people choose to stay up later to enjoy the midnight entertainment. Because of this, we do relax our policy slightly on New Year's Eve and only attend complaints after 2am which is often the time when most festivities have come to an end," Max Wilde, the council's team manager for Licencing Response told the New Zealand Herald. Samoa is the first country to ring in 2019 Samoa was the first country to celebrate the New Year with an inevitable fireworks display. Samoa welcomes the New Year in style. This government initiative is a special commemoration marking Samoa as the first country to welcome the New Year. The fireworks display will be an ongoing annual celebration... https://t.co/6gqwrEd0Oa— Government of Samoa (@samoagovt) December 31, 2018 Interestingly, just an hour's flight away is American Samoa, which has to wait 24 hours to ring in 2019 because of the time difference.
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| A Doughnut Truck Caught on Fire and Cops Have Intense Feelings About It Posted: 02 Jan 2019 12:35 PM PST  The NYPD offered to send in reinforcements
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| Full-Size Pickup Trucks Ranked from Worst to Best Posted: 02 Jan 2019 07:29 AM PST |
| Apple’s China Trouble Makes Trump’s Trade War Harder to Defend Posted: 02 Jan 2019 04:00 PM PST  Apple Inc. on Wednesday lowered its outlook for first-quarter revenue after a larger-than-expected slowdown in demand from China and fewer upgrades to models of the iPhone. In a letter to investors, Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said the company didn't expect growth in emerging markets to slow so sharply, especially in China. "China's economy is seeing a much sharper slowdown than public data are reporting, which suggests there is much more pressure on Beijing to come to a trade truce than is popularly understood," said Leland Miller, CEO of China Beige Book, a data analytics firm that surveys thousands of companies across the Chinese economy.
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| Netanyahu says Israel is Arabs' 'ally' against Iran Posted: 31 Dec 2018 08:16 PM PST  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Arab countries viewed Israel as an "indispensable ally" fighting Iran and the Islamic State group. The comments came as Israel has stepped up air strikes on Iranian positions in neighboring Syria, and as Israel digested an abrupt decision by President Donald Trump to withdraw US troops from Syria.
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| Animal advocates: Fatal zoo mauling shows need for crackdown Posted: 31 Dec 2018 06:36 PM PST  RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The fatal mauling of a zoo intern by a lion that escaped from a locked pen illustrates the need for North Carolina regulators to crack down on unaccredited exhibitors of dangerous animals, animal welfare advocates said Monday.
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| Manchester stabbings suspect may have mental problems as UK terrorism probe ongoing Posted: 01 Jan 2019 02:31 PM PST  Greater Manchester Police were, however, continuing to investigate the attack because of suspected links to terrorism, they said in a statement. A witness, a BBC producer who was at the busy station full of New Year's Eve revelers, said a man stabbed several people at the station, shouting "Allah" and linking his actions to "bombings in other countries." The station is very close to Manchester Arena, where a suicide bomb attack in May 2017 killed 22 people as they left a concert by pop star Ariana Grande. The other, a male police officer in his 30s who sustained a stab wound to his shoulder, was released from hospital earlier.
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| Airline Accidentally Offers $15,000 Discount on Business Class Tickets Posted: 02 Jan 2019 08:09 AM PST  And it's actually honoring the rock bottom prices.
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| Dow posts small gain in volatile start to 2019 as weak Chinese data spark fears Posted: 02 Jan 2019 01:56 PM PST ![Dow posts small gain in volatile start to 2019 as weak Chinese data spark fears]( "Dow posts small gain in volatile start to 2019 as weak Chinese data spark fears") The Dow Jones industrial average began 2019 with a small gain. That increase followed an early plunge amid signs of a Chinese manufacturing slowdown.
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| You can now make charitable donations through Google Assistant Posted: 01 Jan 2019 12:59 PM PST ![You can now make charitable donations through Google Assistant]( "You can now make charitable donations through Google Assistant") If you forgot to make any New Year's resolutions last night, here an easy one: Donate to charity. You can change lives by donating just a few dollars to a cause or group of your choice, and now, thanks to Google, it's simpler than ever to do so. As reported by 9to5Google this week, Google Assistant recently gained the ability to make a donation with a voice command. This comes just weeks after a donation page was added to the Play Store. In order to start the process, just say "Ok Google, donate to charity" to your Android device or Google Home. Google Assistant will then ask you which organization you'd like to donate to, and suggests donating $10. You then specify how much you would like to donate, in case you want to give more (or less) than $10. If you know who which organization you want to donate to and how much you want to give, you can also just say "Ok Google, donate to Red Cross" (for example) and you will immediately be asked to confirm the donation. If you're on an Android phone or tablet, you'll see a summary of the transaction, along with this fine print: > Nonprofits are not endorsed by Google. Your donation will go to Network for Good (NFG), a US nonprofit donor advised fund, which makes grants to recommended charities. NFG takes exclusive legal control of donations, and will appear on your receipt. In order to donate, you need to have Google Assistant Payments enabled. Head to Assistant settings > Personal info > Payments to add a card, address, and method of payment approval, such as a password or fingerprint. The feature apparently debuted early in December, but Google didn't make an announcement.
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| Officials Are Investigating Why 6 People Suddenly Became Ill During a New Year's Day Flight Posted: 02 Jan 2019 05:05 AM PST  Airport water fountains may have been to blame
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| NASA says faraway world Ultima Thule shaped like 'snowman' Posted: 02 Jan 2019 05:11 PM PST  Four billion miles from the sun floats Ultima Thule, an icy celestial body that NASA scientists announced Wednesday is aptly shaped like a giant snowman. The first detailed images beamed back from the US agency's New Horizons mission allowed scientists to confidently determine the body was formed when two spheres, or "lobes," slowly gravitated towards each other until they stuck together -- a major scientific discovery. The New Horizons spacecraft on Tuesday flew past Ultima Thule, which was discovered via telescope in 2014 and is the farthest and potentially oldest cosmic body ever observed by a spacecraft.
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| Divided Congress's First Task: Tussle With Trump Over Shutdown Posted: 02 Jan 2019 06:14 AM PST  Nancy Pelosi, set to be elected House speaker when lawmakers convene at noon Thursday, will guide the Democrats' opposition to Trump, possibly leading to impeachment. Senate Republicans will have a wider margin of control in their chamber, meaning easier confirmation of Trump's executive branch nominees and judicial picks, including any Supreme Court vacancy that may emerge.
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| Driver killed in foggy New Year's crash in southwest Houston Posted: 01 Jan 2019 04:12 AM PST  Police don't know if the heavy fog in the area was a contributing factor or if the driver may have been drinking.
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| Pope bemoans disjointed world, praises unity over diversity Posted: 01 Jan 2019 04:15 AM PST  Pope Francis, in his first message of the new year on Tuesday, bemoaned a lack of unity across the world, and warned against a soulless hunt for profit that benefits only a few. The New Year's address followed a turbulent 2018 for the pope, whose Church was battered by a torrent of sex scandals across the world that Francis has repeatedly failed to contain. The sense of crisis was underscored on Monday when the Vatican spokesman and his deputy abruptly and unexpectedly resigned following disagreements on communications strategy.
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| Garbage, feces take toll on national parks amid shutdown Posted: 01 Jan 2019 01:30 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — Human feces, overflowing garbage, illegal off-roading and other damaging behavior in fragile areas were beginning to overwhelm some of the West's iconic national parks, as a partial government shutdown left the areas open to visitors but with little staff on duty.
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| Not Just Tesla: GM Is Reportedly About to Lose Its EV Tax Credit, Too Posted: 02 Jan 2019 01:46 PM PST  GM has reportedly sold its 200,000th EV, which means the credit is due to disappear.
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| Police called after man heard shouting death threats... to a spider Posted: 02 Jan 2019 04:42 PM PST  On Wednesday morning in Perth, Western Australia, a bystander heard a man inside a property repeatedly shouting the words "why don't you die," with the sounds of a toddler screaming in the background,. It turns out the man was only trying to kill a spider. Western Australian Police posted a screenshot of the interaction on Twitter, however, the tweet was later deleted as officers aren't meant to screenshot police systems.
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| The first Instant Pot deals of 2019 are already here Posted: 02 Jan 2019 05:19 AM PST ![The first Instant Pot deals of 2019 are already here]( "The first Instant Pot deals of 2019 are already here") Well that didn't take very long, now did it? It's only the second day of 2019 and we've already got our first sale on insanely popular Instant Pot multi-use cookers. There are two different models covered in this deal and the discounts aren't quite as deep as what we saw during the holiday shopping season, but they're still the best prices you'll find on these models. First we've got the $80 Instant Pot Duo Mini 3 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker on sale for $67.99, and it's the most compact version of Instant Pot's best-selling model. Then you can also snag the smartphone-connected Instant Pot Smart WiFi 6 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker for under $137 instead of $150. Both of these are limited-time deals, so get in on the action while you still can. ## Instant Pot Duo Mini 3 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker * All the features of the Instant Pot duo, the bestselling electric pressure cooker in North America now available in a 3 Qt compact format * The perfect companion to your existing Instant Pot, use it for side dishes, vegetables or other accompaniments such as rice * Generous capacity, great for smaller families or where space is at a premium. In a dorm, RV or boat? the Instant Pot duo mini Emits no steam, heat or cooking smells * Features fully automatic pressure cook programs, 3 slow cook heat settings, saute, rice cooking, steamer, yogurt making, delay start and auto keep Warm * 700W power to enable it to reach pressure quickly. All Stainless Steel internal components including lid and inner cooking pot. Lid and cooking pot dishwasher safe * Power supply: 120V - 60Hz * Included Components: Electric Pressure Cooker ## Instant Pot Smart WiFi 6 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker * Smart Wi-Fi multi-use programmable pressure cooker is a revolutionary kitchen appliance with Wi-Fi connectivity, easy to use interfaces to control and monitor cooking progress through graphics. * Healthy, stainless steel (18/8) inner cooking pot made from food grade 304, no chemical coating, 3-ply bottom. * Built with the latest 3rd generation technology, the microprocessor monitors pressure, temperature, keeps time, and adjusts heating intensity and duration to achieve your desired results every time * UL and ulc certified with 10 safety mechanisms to provide you with added Assurance, designed to eliminate many common errors * Accessories include, stainless steel steam rack with handles, rice paddle, soup spoon, measuring cup and condensation collector * 2.4 ghz Wifi
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| Tear gas fired as dozens of migrants try illegal crossing to US Posted: 01 Jan 2019 08:25 PM PST  US Border Patrol agents used tear gas and pepper spray to counter rock-throwing migrants when a group of about 150 tried to illegally cross the border from Mexico, leading to 25 arrests, the agency said on Tuesday. It is the second time since November that border officers have used tear gas during an attempted mass migrant crossing in the San Diego area. The migrants in the latest case New Year's Eve were among 1,500 who have remained in Tijuana, Mexico, just south of San Diego, California, after a once-5,000-strong caravan of travelers -- which raised the ire of President Donald Trump -- largely gave up and dispersed.
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| Iran bans Instagram - where the president has 2 million followers Posted: 02 Jan 2019 09:03 AM PST  Iran's president Hassan Rouhani is a major presence on Instagram, where his verified account regularly sends out posts to an audience of more than 2 million followers. But Rouhani's account will no longer be officially allowed in the country after authorities in Iran announced plans to ban the photo sharing app, citing national security concerns. Iran's National Cyberspace Council has approved steps to block Instagram, according to local reports, following crackdowns on other social media apps. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Telegram are already banned in the Islamic Republic, with internet providers ordered to block access to the services. The apps have often been used as a way to spread anti-government messages, with Telegram in particular, often cited as a national security concern. View this post on Instagram احیای #دریاچه_ارومیه یکی از قولهای من به مردم آذربایجان غربی در سال ۹۲ بود و اگر تلاش این دولت نبود، با ادامه روال سالهای قبل، امروز یک قطره آب در دریاچه ارومیه وجود نداشت و تمام این دریاچه به یک نمکزار خطرناک تبدیل شده بود که زندگی مردم، کشاورزی و باغها را تهدید میکرد. هنوز به مرحله احیاء دریاچه نرسیدهایم اما وضعیت دریاچه تقریباً تثبیت شده که این خود گام بزرگی است. �� عکسها: مهدی قربانی @Mahdi.Ghorbani77، حجت سپهوند @HojatSepahvand و ابراهیم سیدی؛ در جمع مردم شهرستان #خوی، استان آذربایجان غربی، ١٣٩٧/٨/٢٨. A post shared by Hassan Rouhani • حسن روحانی (@hrouhani) on Nov 19, 2018 at 9:20am PST Many Iranians continue to access the services despite the bans, circumventing the technical blocks by routing traffic through an overseas internet address. Twitter has been blocked in the country since 2009 but Rouhani has official accounts that tweet both in Persian and English. Former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has also fostered a sizeable Twitter fanbase. Had a busy day today . But I always make time for #Twitterpic.twitter.com/YDQ63xy6bk— Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (@Ahmadinejad1956) August 28, 2018 Instagram is the last major social media service officially available in Iran, and Rouhani's official account has posted more than one thousand times, often showing pictures of flag-waving crowds and the president himself on photo-ops, with accompanying messages in Persian. It is unclear when Iran's ban is due to go into effect. The country curbed access to some internet services, including intermittently restricting Instagram, a year ago, a move that Donald Trump criticised at the time. The block comes as Iran has increasingly been blamed for attempts to use social media to disrupt politics in the UK and the US. In August, Facebook, which owns Instagram, deleted hundreds of accounts on both services that were linked to Iranian state media.
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| New cruise ships for 2019: Viking Cruises' Viking Jupiter Posted: 02 Jan 2019 04:38 AM PST ![New cruise ships for 2019: Viking Cruises' Viking Jupiter]( "New cruise ships for 2019: Viking Cruises' Viking Jupiter") Viking Cruises in 2019 will unveil its sixth ocean ship, Viking Jupiter.
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| Elizabeth Warren announces 2020 run against Trump: 'I'm in this fight' Posted: 31 Dec 2018 06:28 PM PST  Senator Elizabeth Warren jumped into the race for president on Monday, announcing she is forming an exploratory committee for 2020. The Massachusetts Democrat, known for her critiques of big banks and corporations, became the first major candidate to declare her intentions with a video posted online on New Year's Eve. "America's middle class is under attack," she said.
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| In-Depth Photos of Renault's Alpine A110 Posted: 02 Jan 2019 08:03 AM PST |
| The Latest: Deaths from Russia apartment collapse grow to 33 Posted: 02 Jan 2019 01:05 PM PST  MOSCOW (AP) — The Latest on the building collapse in Russia (all times local):
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| India's flashpoint temple, off limits to women Posted: 01 Jan 2019 04:24 PM PST  Two women in their 40s defied traditionalists on Wednesday to enter the Sabarimala temple, one of Hinduism's holiest sites, sparking violent clashes in southern India. It was the first time that women aged between 10 and 50 entered the site in the southern state of Kerala since India's Supreme Court overturned a ban in September. Here follows some background on the temple and the landmark verdict.
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| NASA’s asteroid probe just entered orbit around Bennu in a record-breaking maneuver Posted: 01 Jan 2019 03:04 PM PST  NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid probe arrived at its target, a large space rock known as Bennu, in early December. The spacecraft's mission will take several years to complete, but it hit a major milestone to close out 2018 by entering orbit around Bennu. It might not sound like much, but it's actually a major accomplishment for NASA, and it's set a couple of new records in the process. As AP reports, the probe's successful maneuver to enter orbit around Bennu makes it the first spacecraft to orbit a celestial object so small. At only around 1,600 feet in diameter, it's the smallest object ever to be successfully orbited, and OSIRIS-REx's close orbital distance of just over a mile is also record-breaking. The OSIRIS-REx mission was originally launched way back in late 2016. It took a couple of years for the probe to even make it to its asteroid target, but now that it's there it can begin studying Bennu in much greater detail than has ever been possible before. We got our first clear look at the rock's surface last month. The images delivered by the probe reveal a messy collection of debris strewn all over the asteroid's exterior. Ultimately, the mission's biggest challenge will be to collect some of that material and then return it to Earth, but the touch-and-go sample collection process won't begin until 2020. Once the probe snatches some rock from Bennu's exterior it will begin the long trip back to Earth, eventually arriving sometime in 2023 if all goes according to plan. The in-orbit surveys of the asteroid and eventual delivery of asteroid material will help researchers understand what makes up some of the larger asteroids in our Solar System. Determining how they formed and other details about their origins could help astronomers tell a more detailed story about the origins of our system and Earth itself, and perhaps help us prepare and forecast asteroid impacts in the future.
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| U.S. fires tear gas to deter migrants making New Year's run at border Posted: 01 Jan 2019 03:33 PM PST  U.S. border agents launched tear gas into Mexico early Tuesday to deter a group of migrants from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border at Tijuana, according to a Reuters witness and the U.S. government. Clouds of the noxious gas could be seen wafting up from around the fence at the border, and one migrant picked up a canister and threw it back across the border into U.S. territory. Tijuana has become a flashpoint in the debate over U.S. immigration policy, which has been intensified by the recent deaths of two migrant children in U.S. custody and a partial U.S. government shutdown over President Donald Trump's $5 billion demand to lawmakers for a wall along the border with Mexico.
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| Best Bites: Garlic parmesan cauliflower steaks Posted: 01 Jan 2019 05:00 AM PST  Welcome to Best Bites, a twice-weekly video series that aims to satisfy your
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| US military deletes, apologizes for tweet about dropping bombs Posted: 01 Jan 2019 12:59 PM PST  Strategic Command apologized for tweeting that it was prepared to drop something "much bigger" than the ball that marks the new year in New York.
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| The rare prototype Ferrari being sold for just $36,600 Posted: 02 Jan 2019 08:11 AM PST  This is the cheapest prototype V8-powered Ferrari money can buy! It might be a Mondiale, but it's still a piece of Ferrari history.
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| Trump asks congressional leaders to return for shutdown talks Friday -lawmaker Posted: 02 Jan 2019 02:48 PM PST  The president has asked congressional leaders to return to work on Friday to try and end a government shutdown over a dispute on border security funding.
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| Netflix censorship risks helping Saudi crackdown: Amnesty Posted: 02 Jan 2019 06:18 AM PST  Netflix's decision to pull an episode of a show critical of Saudi authorities risks facilitating a crackdown on freedom of expression in the kingdom, Amnesty International said Wednesday. "Saudi Arabia's censorship of Netflix... is further proof of a relentless crackdown on freedom of expression in the kingdom," said Samah Hadid, Amnesty's Middle East campaigns director.
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| NASA gives the thumbs up for production of Dream Chaser space plane Posted: 01 Jan 2019 07:05 PM PST  Sending supplies and other cargo to the International Space Station is something that has to happen on a regular basis in order for crew to continue living their lives as they carry out missions while orbiting Earth. Exactly how that cargo gets delivered can vary and, as with all things, there's always someone who thinks maybe they can do it better. Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has apparently convinced NASA that it can make cargo delivery to the ISS a bit easier with a high-tech space plane called the Dream Chaser. Now, after jumping through whatever hoops NASA requires, the company has been given the go-ahead to begin full production of the spacecraft. "NASA's acknowledgement that SNC has completed this critical milestone and its approval of full production of the first Dream Chaser spacecraft is a major indication we are on the right path toward increasing vital science return for the industry," SNC's John Curry said in a statement. As Space News reports, a version of the Dream Chaser was originally in the running for consideration of crewed missions to the International Space Station. NASA ultimately awarded contracts to SpaceX and Boeing for new crewed spacecraft, but SNC tweaked its designs and presented a new version of the Dream Chaser for cargo resupply missions. The current iteration of the spacecraft has foldable wings that allows it to be placed inside the payload compartment of a rocket. Once in space, it will dock with the ISS, transfer cargo, then fly back to Earth, jettisoning its cargo module which is incinerated in the atmosphere as the plane itself flies back down for a runway landing. While this is exciting news for SNC and NASA, it'll still be a while before we get to see the Dream Chaser in action. The spacecraft won't make its debut until late 2020 at the very earliest.
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| New to cruising? How to book the right cruise for you in 2019 Posted: 02 Jan 2019 08:55 AM PST  Between January and March, or what is known as 'Wave Season,' the cruise industry releases its biggest deals and promos in advance of peak cruising season. Large, ocean liners are floating cities, with the most options for dining, activities and entertainment -- best for families with children. River cruises are smaller ships that travel close to the center of cities and towns and emphasize cuisine, history and culture.
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| Oil Jumps as U.S. Equities Regain Ground, OPEC Output Declines Posted: 02 Jan 2019 01:00 PM PST  West Texas Intermediate oil climbed as well, erasing earlier losses brought on by disappointing manufacturing data out of China. Total volume traded Wednesday was about 20 percent above the 100-day average.
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| GM sold 200,000 electric vehicles in U.S. by 2018, triggering tax-credit phaseout: source Posted: 02 Jan 2019 09:59 AM PST  General Motors Co hit 200,000 total electric vehicles sold in the United States by the end of 2018, reaching a threshold that triggers a phase-out of a $7,500 federal tax credit over the next 15 months, a person briefed on the matter said Wednesday. The tax credit is aimed at defraying the cost of electric vehicles that are more expensive than similarly sized internal combustion engine vehicles. GM, which said previously it expected to reach the 200,000 sales figure before the end of 2018, declined to comment ahead of the release of its quarterly sales results on Thursday.
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| Toddler hurt after falling into rhino pit at Florida zoo Posted: 02 Jan 2019 08:34 AM PST  2-year-old girl recovering after falling into the Brevard Zoo exhibit in Melbourne, Florida; Phil Keating reports.
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