| Trump again Threatens to Declare Emergency if Dems Won’t Fund Wall Posted: 09 Jan 2019 10:42 AM PST  President Trump on Wednesday resumed his threat to bypass Congress and fund the construction of a border wall by declaring a national emergency if Democrats maintain their opposition to his funding demands. "I have the absolute right to do national emergency if I want," Trump told reporters during a White House pool spray. "We have tremendous support in the Senate, we have tremendous support in the House." Trump said.
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| U.S. top court's Ginsburg misses oral arguments again Posted: 08 Jan 2019 08:21 AM PST  U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's first absence from the bench extended into a second day on Tuesday.
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| 9 of the Wildest Hotel Rooms in Africa Where Animals Are Right Outside Your Door Posted: 09 Jan 2019 02:49 PM PST |
| Australian minister hints Saudi teen likely to get asylum Posted: 08 Jan 2019 06:33 PM PST  Australia gave its strongest hint yet on Wednesday that an 18-year-old Saudi woman in Bangkok would be granted humanitarian asylum, despite efforts by Riyadh and her family to force her return home. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun has documented her bid to flee her allegedly abusive family with minute-by-minute social media updates, intensifying the global spotlight on Saudi Arabia's rights record. "If she is found to be a refugee, then we will give very, very, very serious consideration to a humanitarian visa," health minister Greg Hunt told public broadcaster ABC.
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| The Latest: Father denies abusing fleeing Saudi daughter Posted: 09 Jan 2019 05:23 AM PST  BANGKOK (AP) — The Latest on the Saudi woman in Thailand seeking asylum abroad (all times local):
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| Manafort Responded Under Seal to Lying Claims, Spokesman Says Posted: 08 Jan 2019 07:29 AM PST  The lawyers for Donald Trump's former campaign chairman were given a midnight deadline by the judge to file the documents. No response appeared on the electronic filing system in Washington federal court by the cutoff. "We filed our opposition yesterday under seal," said Jason Maloni, a spokesman for Manafort.
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| Amazon's Bezos, world's wealthiest man, to divorce Posted: 09 Jan 2019 08:53 AM PST  Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, rated the world's wealthiest person, announced Wednesday on Twitter that he and his wife MacKenzie Bezos were divorcing after a long separation. "We want to make people aware of a development in our lives," Jeff Bezos, 54, and MacKenzie Bezos, 48, said in joint statement posted to Bezos' Twitter feed.
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| Woman Survives After Freeway Sign Falls and Crushes Her Car in Freak Accident Posted: 09 Jan 2019 09:35 AM PST  The roof of the car was caved in
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| Russian lawyer in Trump Tower meeting has ties to Kremlin Posted: 08 Jan 2019 08:30 AM PST  The Russian lawyer who attended the infamous Trump Tower meeting during the 2016 US election campaign has been charged with obstruction of justice over an unrelated case. Natalia Veselnitskaya, 43, was among a group of Russians who met with top Trump campaign figures in June 2016 after an intermediary suggested they had incriminating information on Hillary Clinton. The meeting is being scrutinised by Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating whether Mr Trump's campaign team conspired with Russians to influence the 2016 election. On Tuesday, Ms Veselnitskaya was accused in a court filing of secretly working with Russian government figures over a statement which misled the US courts in a money laundering case. The indictment claims that Ms Veselnitskaya, representing a firm caught up in the scandal, did "corruptly influence, obstruct and impede" the process of justice through her statements. The case in question is unrelated to the Trump Tower meeting. Ms Veselnitskaya's actions which triggered the charge took place in 2014 and 2015 - well before the gathering. However the alleged ties between Ms Veselnitskaya and Russian prosecutors revealed in the indictment are one the clearest indications yet that she had deep links with that country's government. It raises questions about who Ms Veselnitskaya was representing when she attended the meeting. Russian state television on Tuesday described the charges against Veselnitskaya as an attempt to "revive the case for Russian interference in the US election" and broadcast a telephone recording in which the lawyer claimed that US prosecutors were trying to silence her. "This is directed toward not allowing me to conduct my professional activity on a topic that is very painful for the United States, namely connected with the Magnitsky Act," Veselnitskaya said, referring to the ban on corrupt Russian officials instituted after the death of whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky in a Moscow prison in 2009. She claimed that her work was exposing lies perpetrated by the US congress and justice system, and the charges against her were meant to "not allow these facts to become public". The development comes with the Mueller probe, which has been investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election for more than 18 months, continuing to hang over Mr Trump's presidency. The Trump Tower meeting, as it has come to be known, is one of the most discussed and speculated on events which have fallen under the suspicion of investigators. It saw Donald Trump Jr, the then-candidate Trump's son, Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, and Paul Manafort, then Trump campaign manager, meet with a group of figures with links to Russia. During the meeting, Ms Veselnitskaya lobbied against the Magnitsky Act during her meeting with Donald Trump Jr. She did not pick up repeated calls from The Telegraph on Tuesday evening. The meeting took place in Trump Tower, Mr Trump's skyscraper in New York, the summer before the November 2016 election. At the time Mr Trump was preparing his campaign battle against Ms Clinton, soon to be confirmed as the Democratic presidential nominee. The meeting had been setup after Rob Goldstone, a British publicist for the pop-star son of a Russian oligarch, had emailed Mr Trump Jr offering "information that would incriminate Hillary". Mr Trump Jr responded "if it's what you say I love it". Ms Veselnitskaya attended the meeting, as did Mr Goldstone and other Russian lobbyists. What they discussed behind closed doors remains a point of intense interest and speculation. Ms Veselnitskaya has previously stated she was acting in a private capacity during the meeting and not as a Russian government representative. In the indictment revealed on Tuesday, Ms Veselnitskaya's involvement in a separate incident – her work defending a company caught up in a money laundering scandal – was outlined in detail. She was advising Prevezon Holdings Ltd, an investment firm accused of using New York real estate to launder a portion of the profits from an elaborate $200 million Russian tax fraud scheme. During the court battle, Ms Veselnitskaya cited a response the Russian government had given to the US government's request for legal assistance in the case which pointed the finger of blame at others. However, Ms Veselnitskaya actually secretly helped draft the response with a Russian prosecutor, according to the indictment, which claims she sent emails making changes to the statement. Ms Veselnitskaya has been accused of making misleading statements about her involvement in the response to the US courts during the case.
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| GM won't budge on closing Oshawa, as workers protest and walk off the job Posted: 09 Jan 2019 07:00 AM PST  Says Unifor boss after meeting company leaders: 'I'm furious right now.'
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| Nissan Leaf electric car gets longer range: 40% boost to battery power for Leaf e+ Posted: 09 Jan 2019 04:53 AM PST ![Nissan Leaf electric car gets longer range: 40% boost to battery power for Leaf e+]( "Nissan Leaf electric car gets longer range: 40% boost to battery power for Leaf e+") Nissan is set to offer a long-range version of the Leaf in a long-awaited move that places it in competition with the Tesla Model 3 and Chevy Bolt.
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| Sears bankruptcy: Sears reportedly gets last-minute offer to potentially avert liquidation Posted: 09 Jan 2019 04:35 PM PST  Sears Holdings reportedly received a last-minute offer that could save a shrunken version of the company from liquidation.
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| Whoopi Goldberg tells Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to 'sit still' and 'learn the job' first Posted: 08 Jan 2019 06:01 AM PST  The outspoken co-host of 'The View' tells the freshman Democrat she has to do something in Congress first before telling experienced lawmakers what to do.
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| The Latest: Congo begins announcing results of election Posted: 09 Jan 2019 04:59 PM PST  KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — The Latest on Congo's presidential election (all times local):
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| Woman with concealed carry license fatally shoots attempted robber: police Posted: 08 Jan 2019 10:25 AM PST  Authorities in Illinois say a woman with a concealed carry license fatally
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| Egypt border closed to Gazans leaving amid Palestinian feuding Posted: 08 Jan 2019 03:36 AM PST  The Egyptian border crossing was closed for Palestinians seeking to leave Gaza on Tuesday, a border official said, as infighting between Palestinian factions increases. Gazans seeking to return from Egypt would still be allowed through but no one would be able to leave the Palestinian enclave, a spokesman for the Hamas-run authority in charge of the border crossing said. "For now, it is just for one day, it is not clear if it will be extended," spokesman Wael Abu Omar told AFP.
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| Boeing's 'Transonic Wings' Will Power Your Commercial Flights at Just Under the Speed of Sound Posted: 09 Jan 2019 09:42 AM PST ![Boeing's 'Transonic Wings' Will Power Your Commercial Flights at Just Under the Speed of Sound]( "Boeing's 'Transonic Wings' Will Power Your Commercial Flights at Just Under the Speed of Sound") How about sitting back and flying at just under Mach 1?
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| Australia will formally consider asylum claim of Saudi woman in Bangkok Posted: 09 Jan 2019 01:32 AM PST  Australia has said it will formally consider the asylum claim of a Saudi woman fleeing her family after the United Nations assessed her case and ruled that she was a genuine refugee. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, took to Twitter on Monday to plead for her life after she was stopped by Saudi officials and Thai immigration officers during a transit through Bangkok airport while on route to Australia, where she wanted to start an asylum process. Her passport was confiscated and she barricaded herself in an airport hotel room to avoid being deported on a flight to Kuwait. The teenager then gripped the world with her desperate cries for help via social media. She claimed she was escaping from her family who had subjected her to physical and psychological abuse and that she feared she would be killed if she was sent home to Saudi Arabia. Her family have not commented on the allegations, although her father travelled to Bangkok to try to speak to her. Ms al-Qunun's panicked efforts to escape repatriation generated a global media frenzy and prompted a U-turn by the Thai authorities who allowed her to be taken into the protection of the United Nations office for Refugees (UNHCR). On behalf of Rahaf we, her friends, thank all of you guys for the tremendous support that Rahaf has never dreamed of. You are the source of her power and she's asking you "Don't abandon me yet. I'm not safe yet, hopefully, I will be transferred to a safe country soon" ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️— Rahaf Mohammed رهف محمد القنون (@rahaf84427714) January 8, 2019 The UNHCR initially said it could take days to process her case, but had decided by Wednesday morning that she was a genuine refugee and referred her to Australia for resettlement. The decision was made public by Australia's Department of Home Affairs, which said it would consider the referral from the UN in the usual way. In a Twitter update on Wednesday, Ms al-Qunun thanked her 107,000 followers for their "support in my difficult psychological situation" and said that she had "regained my strength" after a dramatic few days. Her extraordinary use of social media to highlight her plight had managed to spark an international outcry and #SaveRahaf campaign within hours of her detention, attracting human rights activists and diplomats to advocate on her behalf. "Everybody was watching. When social media works, this is what happens," Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, told Reuters. The Saudi embassy in Bangkok has not publicly commented on Ms al-Qunun's case since it initially claimed on Monday that she had tried to enter Thailand without the right papers, a charge which she denied. On Tuesday, the Thai immigration office released a video clip of its officials meeting Saudi diplomats to discuss the case. "When she first arrived in Thailand, she opened a new site (account) and the followers reached about 45,000 within one day," a Saudi official speaking in Arabic through a translator tells Thai officials in the video. "I wish you had taken her phone, it would have been better than (taking) her passport," the official said.
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| With government mostly shut, Trump repeats his demand for a wall Posted: 08 Jan 2019 07:01 PM PST  The president made his case for the construction of a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico in a primetime address to the nation.
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| What We Know about Byton, a Chinese EV Startup with Sights Set on the U.S. Posted: 09 Jan 2019 09:01 AM PST |
| Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, wife MacKenzie set to divorce Posted: 09 Jan 2019 07:03 AM PST  Amazon.com Inc Chief Executive Jeff Bezos and wife MacKenzie Bezos have decided to divorce after a long trial separation.
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| Clemency decision sparks praise, political questions Posted: 08 Jan 2019 03:17 PM PST  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee governor's decision to grant clemency to a woman who killed a man when she was 16 had the potential to pit political interests against widespread support for her cause. Yet the governor says the decision came down to doing the "right thing."
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| The Latest: 2nd suspect charged in Houston girl's death Posted: 08 Jan 2019 12:53 PM PST  HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the fatal shooting of a 7-year-old girl in Houston (all times local):
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| Five things we learned from Ghosn's day in court Posted: 08 Jan 2019 01:22 AM PST  For the first time since prosecutors stormed his private jet seven weeks ago, former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn appeared in public to deliver a passionate defence, rebutting allegations that have seen him languishing in Japanese custody. Perhaps unsurprisingly given Carlos Ghosn's profile as the most-recognised foreign executive in Japan, the public interest was enormous. Journalists staked out positions from well before dawn at the court and the detention centre, hoping -- in vain as it turned out -- to catch a glimpse of the former Nissan boss.
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| Storm to return mudslide, flood danger in Southern California Friday, Saturday Posted: 09 Jan 2019 09:09 AM PST  A storm is forecast to dip far enough south to bring soaking rain to much of the California coast, including Southern California from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning.
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| Here Is Mercedes-Benz’s Answer to Tesla's Model X Posted: 08 Jan 2019 02:28 PM PST  Mercedes-Benz's EQC 400 is a direct competition to Elon Musk's Tesla SUV—but the designs of the two cars are very different
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| Senator Schumer Speaks After President Trump Walks Out of Meeting Over Shutdown Posted: 09 Jan 2019 01:58 PM PST  President Donald Trump walked out of a meeting with top Democratic lawmakers over the partial government shutdown Wednesday, saying that it was "a total waste of time."
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| Pick up a 5-piece Instant Pot accessory kit for less than $20 Posted: 09 Jan 2019 06:26 AM PST  There were so many great sales this past holiday season on Instant Pots, and the most advanced and versatile Instant Pot multi-cooker is actually still on sale now at a deep 25% discount. But whether you just got a new Instant Pot or you've had one for years, there's a sale right now on Amazon that you should definitely take advantage of. The California Dons Instant Pot 5 Piece Silicone Accessories Set has a bunch of high-quality accessories that you really need to get the most out of your Instant Pot. And somehow, it's only $19.75 right now on Amazon! Here's what you need to know from the product page: * THE ONLY INSTANT POT BUNDLE THAT OFFERS 5 SILICONE ACCESSORIES ON AMAZON- SAVE MONEY BY BUNDLING! We have bundled a vegetable steamer, oven mitts, a pot holder, a steam release diverter and an egg bites mold into one cooking lover's dream kit. Created from silicone because silicone is flexible, lightweight, heat resistant and easy to clean. Dishwasher safe, no stains, no rust, no rough scrubbing. The chemical-free, odor-free, aesthetic and hygienic solution for your cooking needs. * THE VEGGIE STEAMER AND EGG BITES MOLD WILL HELP UPGRADE YOUR MEALS- Steam your veggies to lock nutrients in and retain natural vitamins and minerals with our silicone steamer that allows you to steam your favorite vegetables straight in your instant pot. Use the silicone egg bites mold to create divine sous vide eggs and use the mold as a reusable container and freezer tray with lid, for your on the go breakfast egg delights. Use the Egg Bites Mold for DYI Babyfood as well * OVEN MITTS, POT HOLDER AND STEAM RELEASE DIVIDER WILL GUARD YOU AND YOUR KITCHEN- The silicone mitts are heat resistant, waterproof, easy to clean and extremely protective. The silicone table protector is slip and skid resistant and can be used to move the hot pot around and set it on the counter, and the steam release diverter protects your kitchen cabinets and wallpaper from discoloration and damage by diverting the steam away. * THE ULTIMATE GIFT FOR THE INSTANT CROCK POT FANATIC IN YOUR LIFE- Know someone who just loves to cook in a pressure cooker, instant cooker or a crockpot? This bundle can be the perfect addition to their kitchen! This kit makes the ideal gift for your cooking enthusiastic loved ones. The cooking set is stylish red and can be a great housewarming gift, birthday gift, and wedding gift. Fits 5.6 or 8qt Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker, 8.25" Diameter. * YOUR SATISFACTION AND EXPERIENCE IS OUR #1 PRIORITY FULL 30 DAY NO HASSLE RETURNS - We created this instant pot bundle entirely from food grade silicone to improve your experience and increase comfort and functionality when using an instant pot. If you're not 100% satisfied we will give you a full refund or free exchange, no questions asked. We strive to be the best in the industry and in our customer service, contact us directly, and we will be happy to assist!
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| Britain says airports need to do more to tackle drone menace Posted: 09 Jan 2019 06:30 AM PST  Airport operators need do more to counter the illegal use of drones after flights were disrupted at Heathrow and Gatwick, Prime Minister Theresa May's de-facto deputy said on Wednesday. Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington said the government would consider toughening laws that ban the use of drones near airports but that operators could also invest more in protection systems. Departures from Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, were halted for an hour on Tuesday evening after a drone was sighted, raising fears that operations could face the serious levels of disruption that hit London's Gatwick last month.
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| Larry Woodruffe is second man charged in death of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes Posted: 09 Jan 2019 06:12 AM PST  Capital murder charges were filed against a second black man in the drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes, authorities in Houston said Tuesday.
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| Venezuela's armed forces declare 'loyalty' to Maduro Posted: 08 Jan 2019 12:59 PM PST  Venezuela's armed forces declared "absolute loyalty" to President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday, just two days before the socialist leader is sworn in for a second term of office. Maduro will be sworn into office on Thursday by the Supreme Court despite the country's laws stating this is the job of parliament.
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| Former Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval joins MGM Resorts Posted: 08 Jan 2019 12:58 PM PST  LAS VEGAS (AP) — Former Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval is joining casino giant MGM Resorts International to help push the company's global expansion efforts, particularly in Japan, and work on state-level public policy related to sports betting.
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| Nissan debuts a longer-lasting Leaf at CES 2019 Posted: 09 Jan 2019 02:26 AM PST  The long-range version of Nissan Leaf that the company has been promising since 2017 has finally arrived with an "e+" added to its name and 76 miles added to its range. On Tuesday, Nissan debuted the next-generation Nissan Leaf at CES 2019, and this one got a serious performance upgrade and a fancy new name: The Leaf e+. Nissan today unveiled the Nissan LEAF e+, further broadening the appeal of the world's best-selling electric car by offering a new powertrain with additional power and range.
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| Tom Steyer has a platform for a post-impeachment America Posted: 08 Jan 2019 02:32 PM PST  The progressive activist and philanthropist tells Yahoo News that he will announce Wednesday whether he will seek the presidency in 2020.
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| 5 New Technologies You’ll See in Your Car Over the Next 5 Years Posted: 09 Jan 2019 01:23 PM PST |
| Scientists say they could genetically engineer spicy tomatoes Posted: 08 Jan 2019 09:06 PM PST ![Scientists say they could genetically engineer spicy tomatoes]( "Scientists say they could genetically engineer spicy tomatoes") Tomatoes are a lovely addition to a sandwich or burger, and they're used to create all kinds of sauces and condiments that have become a staple of a western diet, but they're also a bit, well, bland. A tomato on its own doesn't have much bite, but scientists who specialize in genetics could change that, and perhaps even change the way tomatoes are used in the process. In a new paper published in Trends In Plant Science, researchers suggest that by studying the DNA of the chili pepper, which is a cousin of the tomato, they could give the veggies a potent kick. By altering tomatoes to produce capsaicinoids -- the compounds that cause the burning sensation in our mouths when we eat something spicy -- the scientists believe they could make mass production of capsaicin for various commercial uses. "Engineering the capsaicinoid genetic pathway to the tomato would make it easier and cheaper to produce this compound, which has very interesting applications," Agustin Zsogon, senior author of the study, said in a statement. "We have the tools powerful enough to engineer the genome of any species; the challenge is to know which gene to engineer and where." Capsaicin has a number of uses that go beyond adding spice to your dinner. The compound has shown promise in pharmaceutical trials as a treatment for nerve damage and associated pain, and it's also used in the production of pepper spray and as a pest deterrent. A tomato plant that produces capsaicin could make it easier and cheaper to produce large quantities of the compound more rapidly. However, the process of genetically tweaking a tomato species to generate the compound naturally is challenging, and determining which genes are directly responsible for its production will take time. That said, researchers are indeed working towards that goal, and it might not be too long before we see a tomato that bites back.
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| UK's Brexit vote planned for January 15, no plans to delay EU exit Posted: 08 Jan 2019 10:20 AM PST  Britain plans to hold a vote in parliament on the government's deal to leave the European Union on Jan. 15, Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said on Tuesday after a meeting of senior ministers. May again told her cabinet it was not government policy to delay Brexit by extending the so-called Article 50 notice, the spokesman said, adding the idea may have been discussed by EU officials but not by British officials.
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| Andy Samberg confirms that Sandra Oh is the best person on the planet Posted: 09 Jan 2019 03:32 AM PST  Listen, we already knew that Sandra Oh was up there as one of our very favourite people on the planet. And, now we've got final confirmation of that. Her co-host at the Golden Globes, Andy Samberg, told Jimmy Fallon that "Sandra Oh is the best person on earth." He talked about what it was like getting to know her: We met briefly, we presented at the Emmys, and we spent like the past week and a half working on the Globes but we didn't know each other that much and we just sort of liked each other so much from that one experience that we decided to go for it," said Samberg. "She's so warm and magnetic and I felt so into her energy,"he added. "We were all backstage when she won and they were like, 'Sandra Oh' and I was like 'yeaaaaaahh!' and started crying." Join the club, Andy.
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| 47-year-old man arrested in deadly Torrance bowling alley shooting Posted: 07 Jan 2019 11:42 PM PST  A man who had previously served 17 years in prison was arrested on suspicion of opening fire inside a Torrance bowling alley that claimed three lives and injured four others.
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| Newsom sworn in as California governor, decries Trump 'corruption and incompetence' Posted: 07 Jan 2019 06:07 PM PST  The Democrat has long sparred with President Donald Trump, and plans to continue to oppose the White House on major policy issues.
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| Saudi Arabia says vast oil reserves even bigger than thought Posted: 09 Jan 2019 07:20 AM PST  OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia said Wednesday that its huge oil reserves, already the second largest in the world behind only Venezuela, are even bigger than previously thought. The energy ministry said proven oil reserves stood at 263.2 billion barrels at the end of last year, up from the figure of 261 billion barrels that has been used for almost three decades. The kingdom has another 2.9 billion barrels of crude in a border zone shared with neighbouring Kuwait, bringing total oil reserves to 266.1 billion barrels, the ministry said.
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| 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S and 4S Cabriolets Take the Top off the 992-Generation 911 Posted: 08 Jan 2019 03:01 PM PST  More aluminum bodywork, a quicker roof, extra horsepower-and it still looks the same as before.
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| TSA agents fall victim to government shutdown. And they just happen to be protecting our airport security. Posted: 09 Jan 2019 09:51 AM PST  Transportation Security Administration employees who keep air travel safe lose their pay during a federal shutdown over a border security standoff.
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| Rain to return mudslide threat to Southern California by the weekend Posted: 08 Jan 2019 02:09 AM PST  A storm will slide into Southern California with soaking rain by the weekend, putting burn-scar areas at a renewed risk for life-threatening flooding and mudslides.
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| U.S. Supreme Court rejects mystery firm possibly linked to Russia probe Posted: 08 Jan 2019 03:49 PM PST  The court in a brief order turned away a request filed by the company, which is facing a daily fine of $50,000 imposed by a U.S. federal judge in Washington for refusing to comply with a subpoena issued in an investigation. As Mueller's probe already has implicated foreign entities, the subpoena could be linked to the investigation. Russia has denied meddling in the election.
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