| California governor to freeze death penalty, says it's 'fundamentally immoral' and biased Posted: 12 Mar 2019 07:33 PM PDT  Gov. Gavin Newsom is using the power of his office to act on his longstanding opposition to the death penalty in a state with 737 death row prisoners.
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| The Latest: Travel hub UAE suspends Boeing 737 Max 8, 9 jets Posted: 12 Mar 2019 11:58 PM PDT  HEJERE, Ethiopia (AP) — The Latest on Ethiopian Airlines crash (all times local):
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| Brexiteers locked in high-stakes alliance with EU Remainers Posted: 14 Mar 2019 01:12 PM PDT  In opposing Prime Minister Theresa May's EU divorce deal even after MPs voted to delay Britain's departure, hardline Brexiteers are now locked in a high-stakes alliance with those out to stop the process entirely. Remainers and Brexiteer Leavers alike declared victory on Tuesday when the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected May's EU withdrawal agreement for a second time. May will bring her divorce deal before parliament for a third time next week -- possibly the last chance Brexiteers will have to stop Brexit being delayed.
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| Former Vatican treasurer Pell jailed for six years for 'brazen' sexual attack on choir boys Posted: 12 Mar 2019 10:33 PM PDT  County Court of Victoria Chief Judge Peter Kidd, who handed down the sentence in a live television broadcast, said there was a real possibility that at age 77, Pell could spend the rest of his life in prison. Pell, a former top adviser to Pope Francis, is the most senior Catholic to be convicted for child sex offences. "In my view, your conduct was permeated by staggering arrogance," said Kidd in handing down the sentence after Pell was convicted of five charges of sexually abusing two children.
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| Admissions scandal highlights divide over class in America Posted: 13 Mar 2019 02:14 PM PDT  PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The families ensnared in the college bribery scandal embody wealth and privilege in America: CEOs, Hollywood stars, Wall Street millionaires. A California vineyard owner. A prominent Manhattan lawyer.
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| Parliament Narrowly Passes Amendment Ruling Out a No-Deal Brexit Posted: 13 Mar 2019 12:37 PM PDT  British parliament on Wednesday approved an amendment prohibiting a so-called no-deal Brexit, in which the U.K. would exit the E.U. without first securing alternative trade and immigration arrangements.The amendment, which passed 312–308, came one day after Prime Minister Theresa May suffered yet another defeat in her ongoing effort to secure parliamentary approval for the Brexit deal she painstakingly negotiated with the European leaders following the 2016 referendum in which U.K. voters decided to leave the E.U.Having now rejected the default position that the U.K. will exit the E.U. on March 29 regardless of whether a deal has been secured, Parliament is expected to vote Thursday on an amendment that would extend the Brexit deadline until May 22.Should parliament vote to extend the deadline, May must secure the support of all 27 E.U. member states for the extension before March 29. But E.U. officials have thus far maintained that an extension will not be granted for the sole purpose of continuing negotiations. Liam Fox, Britain's international-trade secretary, warned lawmakers that the E.U. would likely demand further concessions before approving an extension, "and it is not clear what price the E.U. might extract" in return.While Wednesday's vote represents a concerted effort to avoid a so-called crash out, in which the E.U. would be thrust into economic uncertainty, it is legally non-binding, which means that should the attempt to extend the Brexit deadline fail, a no-deal Brexit remains the legal default."If Parliament votes repeatedly to say 'the moon is made of cheese,' it doesn't mean the moon is made of cheese," Rob Ford, a professor of politics at the University of Manchester, told the Washington Post of the vote's significance. "Parliament can say, repeatedly, that they don't want no deal, but the legal reality is that no deal will happen unless they vote for something else to happen."
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| Some advertisers exit Tucker Carlson, Jeanine Pirro shows on Fox News amid controversies Posted: 13 Mar 2019 11:40 AM PDT  There have been some advertiser defections from Fox News Channel shows featuring Tucker Carlson and Jeanine Pirro after each has met with controversy.
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| 'Bomb cyclone' fizzles to rain across U.S. Midwest Posted: 14 Mar 2019 05:39 AM PDT  Runways were cleared, the lights came back on and stranded motorists and airline passengers were back on the move on Thursday.
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| Satire: What were Loughlin, Huffman & other parents thinking in college admission scandal? Posted: 13 Mar 2019 05:14 PM PDT  A conversation between an aspiring Ivy League parent and a cooperating witness highlights the issues behind the college admissions bribery scandal.
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| Ronald Reagan, racist? Ocasio-Cortez didn’t say that — but the controversy reveals a lot about how Americans discuss race Posted: 13 Mar 2019 02:00 AM PDT  Regarding the racism debate, difference between left and right is simple but stark. The left believes policies — and the tactics used to promote them — can be racist. In contrast, the right seems to believe, or to choose to believe, that only people can be racist.
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| All Boeing Max 8 And 9 Jets Were Just Suspended From Flying in the United States Posted: 13 Mar 2019 12:20 PM PDT  In the wake of two deadly plane crashes, the U.S. finally follows the lead of other countries' aviation administrations in grounding the plane.
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| British MPs set to vote on no-deal Brexit Posted: 12 Mar 2019 10:34 PM PDT  British MPs will vote Wednesday on whether the country should leave the EU without a deal in just over two weeks, after overwhelmingly rejecting a draft divorce agreement. The House of Commons is expected to vote against a "no deal" Brexit, although this could still happen on March 29 unless it can agree on what should happen instead. MPs on Tuesday rejected for a second time the withdrawal deal negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May, despite her obtaining last-minute assurances from EU officials.
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| Venezuela Police Free Noted Journalist After Overnight Detention Posted: 12 Mar 2019 07:47 PM PDT  A top government official had accused Diaz of taking part in a plot to cause a nationwide blackout. The arrest is an escalation of President Nicolas Maduro's attempts to silence and intimidate the press, which include the recent temporary detentions of Univision journalist Jorge Ramos and U.S. freelance reporter Cody Weddle, deported last week. Diaz's release was confirmed by the national press workers union, known as SNTP, on Twitter.
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| Manafort's 73-month sentence 'callous': Attorney Posted: 13 Mar 2019 10:49 AM PDT  Paul Manafort's attorney Kevin Downing described his client, Paul Manafort's sentence as "callous" and "harsh" after a federal judge on Wednesday sentenced the former campaign chairman for President Trump to 73 months in prison for two conspiracy charges arising from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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| This Poor Mid-Engined Chevrolet Corvette C8 Prototype Broke Down Posted: 14 Mar 2019 11:17 AM PDT |
| 2 Stanford students file first class-action suit in largest college admissions scam Posted: 14 Mar 2019 03:48 PM PDT  UCLA, USC, Yale University and other colleges were sued by two Stanford University students seeking class status over the admissions-bribery scandal.
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| U.S. prosecutors probing Facebook's data deals - NYT Posted: 13 Mar 2019 06:32 PM PDT ![U.S. prosecutors probing Facebook's data deals - NYT]( "U.S. prosecutors probing Facebook's data deals - NYT") A grand jury in New York has subpoenaed records from at least two prominent makers of smartphones and other devices, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the requests and without naming the companies. Both companies are among the more than 150, including Amazon.com Inc, Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp, that have entered into partnerships with Facebook for access to the personal information of hundreds of millions of its users, according to the report.
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| UK lawmakers to vote on two proposed changes to government's 'no deal' Brexit motion Posted: 13 Mar 2019 08:16 AM PDT  British lawmakers will have the opportunity to vote on two proposed changes to Prime Minister Theresa May's next steps on Brexit on Wednesday, Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow said. Lawmakers will vote on a government motion later which states that parliament rejects leaving the European Union without a deal on March 29, but notes that leaving without a deal remains the legal default unless a deal is agreed. Bercow said he had selected an amendment put forward by Conservative lawmaker Caroline Spelman, and supported by lawmakers from several parties, which seeks to rule out a no-deal exit under any scenario.
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| Flight path data of two crashed Boeing 737 Max 8 planes 'very close,' FAA says Posted: 14 Mar 2019 03:51 AM PDT  The United States followed nations around the globe in grounding Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets.
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| German Catholics accused of 'stonewalling' by child abuse victims Posted: 14 Mar 2019 09:15 AM PDT  Germany's under-fire Catholic Church admitted Thursday it must urgently confront its child sex abuse scandal, but victims accused it of continued "stonewalling", especially on compensation. As in Australia, Chile, France, Ireland and the United States, Germany's Catholic Church has had to admit to abuses by predator priests and clergy and their systematic cover-up over decades. "We carry responsibility toward those affected around the world -- no-one among us can still negate the problem or treat it as a taboo," said Cardinal Reinhard Marx, head of the German Bishops' Conference.
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| Brexit Heads for Delay as May Tries to Scare Up Support for Deal Posted: 14 Mar 2019 01:10 AM PDT  The U.K. is on course to delay Brexit and open the door to a radical re-write of the terms of its divorce from the European Union after recoiling from an economically disastrous no-deal split. The pound climbed to its highest level since June after Parliament on Wednesday evening rejected leaving the EU after 46 years without an agreement in place to keep trade flowing. The EU has suggested it's open to a delay until late May, although officials say they will need Britain to give a clear reason for pushing back the deadline.
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| Google rolls out new search and booking developments to Hotels search Posted: 13 Mar 2019 08:26 AM PDT  Google has quietly launched a complete roll-out of Google Hotels, a new search and booking platform akin to Google Flights.
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| Roger Stone to face same judge that sentenced Manafort at gag order hearing Posted: 14 Mar 2019 06:38 AM PDT  Former Trump political adviser Roger Stone is set to appear before Judge Amy Berman Jackson in federal court to answer questions about his gag order; Catherine Herridge has the details.
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| NY attorney says feds probing his pardon talks with Cohen Posted: 13 Mar 2019 05:50 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors have requested copies of communications Michael Cohen had with a New York attorney who broached the possibility of a pardon from President Donald Trump, the attorney said Wednesday.
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| A Nation of Felicity Huffmans Posted: 13 Mar 2019 10:05 AM PDT  A thing that occurs to you if you attend an elite college or university, as I did, is that most of the professors teaching you are more or less the same beleaguered time-servers who would be teaching you at any other school. I well remember the sad, unshaven schlump in corduroys who taught one of my introductory English courses: He was fine. He knew his stuff. But so did the people who taught me English at my public high school. Sure, at name-brand colleges you can attend huge lectures given by name-brand professors who appear on television and the op-ed pages and the bestseller lists — but they're just lectures. These days anyone can listen to a lecture given by a world-class expert on virtually any subject by going on YouTube. The actual interactive teaching in these lectures is done by beleaguered grad students in rumpled clothing.By the time I'd graduated from Yale College in 1989, I had concluded that the value in the experience came more or less entirely from my classmates, not my teachers: I met a lot of wonderful, brilliant, hilarious fellow students. But couldn't graduates of just about any half-decent college say the same? For that matter, I've met a lot of wonderful, brilliant, hilarious people at the various jobs I've held over the years. There are a lot of wonderful, brilliant, hilarious people working at the New York Post, for instance. The Post paid me to be a part of their gang, whereas my family and I paid Yale.The elite-college experience is plainly not worth the immense cost. There are studies on this. In most cases, if you are bright enough to get into Harvard, but don't actually go to Harvard, your post-college income will closely resemble that of a Harvard graduate. As George Mason University economist Bryan Caplan cleverly puts it, if the point of going to college is to learn things (rather than to obtain a certificate of smartness that is in essence no different from the one the Scarecrow gets at the end of The Wizard of Oz), why do students invariably celebrate when they get to class and find a notice that it has been canceled?There is a widely shared assumption in our culture that having a degree from a place like Yale will get you a good job, or at least help you get a good job. In my case this hasn't been true at all. I entered my profession by taking a pass-fail aptitude test given by the Associated Press. I passed the test. The AP didn't care which college I went to, although perhaps it mattered that I at least graduated from a college. Deeming me employable, the AP subsequently hired me as a news clerk at their New York City headquarters. Once I got in that door, everything that happened in my career depended not on the abstraction of where I had studied but on my ability to do my job. Accepting whatever assignments I could get while doing various clerical tasks at the AP (at the time it fell to the news clerks to print out copies of the wire service's stories and file them in cubbyholes, each marked with a day of the month, so as to form an archive for the reporters to consult), I managed in nine months to assemble enough clips to impress upon the editors of the Post the notion that they should hire me. They didn't particularly care where I had gone to college either. Some of my colleagues had fancy degrees, others had gone to no-name schools. It just didn't matter. All that mattered was whether they had made the editors think they could produce. Some who couldn't were shown the door. Others were promoted within the paper or poached by other media outlets.The latest elite-college admissions scandal rests on a foundation of pure silliness; as Jim Geraghty writes, people with rich, famous, well-connected parents are the ones who least need the imprimatur of a famous college to speed them through life. Yet these same people are the ones with the means to indulge the status obsession that plagues most of us. Let's not think of Felicity Huffman et al. as unusual: Everybody with the means to steer their kids into top-drawer colleges is thinking about how to game the system. This is because an elite-college degree isn't an instrument or a tool; it doesn't have to lead to anything. It's a status symbol in itself. Yale is Louis Vuitton is Piaget is Mercedes.Having a Yale diploma in the back of my closet hasn't directly benefited me in any way, as far as I can tell. But. The mention of Yale, in certain quarters, generates a sharp intake of breath. Or an "Oooh" of sycophancy. Or a sullen grumble and icy stare from those recalling how their own bid to enter the portals of Yale was rebuked by the admissions committee. If your goal is to enhance your sense of superiority over your fellow man, a Yale education is an excellent way to do that. Unlike a Porsche or a Cartier, it is with you always. You can't lose it and it can't be stolen.Students at elite universities quickly notice the effect a mention of the magic name can have on people and regret the general cloud of discomfort it causes. This is the real source of the now-notorious habit Harvard students and graduates have developed of replying to the question, "Where did you go to college?" with "I went to school in Boston." Yale students sometimes do the equivalent — "I went to school in Connecticut." Some observers consider this dissembling a form of passive-aggressive bragging, but that isn't how it's intended. It's intended to spare you, their interlocutors, from an ugly reaction (whether it be fawning or bristling) and it's intended to spare them, the elite students, from indulging the equally sordid instinct to lord it over their fellow man. Harvard and Yale students aren't good enough actors to fake the unease they feel when the question comes up. They genuinely are pained.Somehow those of us who don't own an Audemars watch or a Birkin handbag manage to muck on without them, and we don't fret about whether our children will someday own one. Few of us have a hole in our soul because we don't own the fanciest car in town. Because we realize worship of material goods is beneath us. Diploma worship ought to be equally so.
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| Venezuelan 'cyber-attack' possible but unlikely, experts say Posted: 12 Mar 2019 07:06 PM PDT  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government has accused the United States of "cyber sabotage" to knock out the country's central hydroelectric complex and leave the nation largely without electricity since Thursday afternoon. Venezuela has the fourth largest hydroelectric complex in the world that lies on the Orinoco river at Guri in the southern state of Bolivar. "But knowing Venezuela, it was likely an internal failure," he told AFP.
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| U.S. prosecutors probing Facebook's data deals: New York Times Posted: 13 Mar 2019 10:28 PM PDT ![U.S. prosecutors probing Facebook's data deals: New York Times]( "U.S. prosecutors probing Facebook's data deals: New York Times") U.S. federal prosecutors are conducting a criminal investigation into data deals Facebook Inc struck with some of the world's largest technology companies, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. A grand jury in New York has subpoenaed records from at least two prominent makers of smartphones and other devices, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the requests and without naming the companies. Both companies are among the more than 150, including Amazon.com Inc, Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp, that have entered into partnerships with Facebook for access to the personal information of hundreds of millions of its users, according to the report.
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| From the flight manual to automation, why pilots have complained about Boeing's 737 MAX 8 Posted: 13 Mar 2019 03:01 PM PDT  Before 157 people died in a Boeing 737 MAX 8 crash, the second crash of the jet in five months, pilots voiced safety concerns, records show.
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| U.K. Weighs No-Deal Brexit Vote as May Is Thrown Into Crisis Posted: 13 Mar 2019 01:30 AM PDT  Britain will confront head-on the threat of a no-deal Brexit in a parliamentary vote with huge ramifications for Prime Minister Theresa May. On Wednesday, members of Parliament will decide whether to tear the country out of the European Union with no agreement in place in 16 days' time, or give themselves the chance to delay Brexit in the hope of securing better terms. If -- as expected -- they reject leaving without an accord on March 29, there will be another vote Thursday on whether to ask the EU for more time and delay departure day.
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| Jussie Smollett case: Two men released after police interrogation reveals 'new evidence' Posted: 14 Mar 2019 04:23 PM PDT  Chicago police arrested two men they previously identified as "potential suspects" for the Jan. 29 attack on "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett. The men were released Friday.
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| New York Judge Rules Unvaccinated Students Can't Go Back to Class Posted: 14 Mar 2019 02:11 AM PDT  The parents of 44 unvaccinated students in a New York suburb sued
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| Correction: Trump-Judicial Nominee story Posted: 13 Mar 2019 03:38 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — In a story March 12 about Senate confirmation of Paul Matey as an appeals court judge, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Matey is senior vice president and general counsel at University Hospital in New Jersey. He left the hospital in August 2018 and became a partner at Lowenstein Sandler law firm.
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| Apple’s TV service will reportedly be dominated by third-party content at launch Posted: 13 Mar 2019 06:21 AM PDT  Just days after Apple confirmed its March 25th "show time" event by sending out invites to members of the press, a new Bloomberg report helps to shed light on Apple's short-term plans for its TV service. Although the iPhone maker is expected to finally debut its long-awaited Netflix rival at the event, a majority of the content available on the service at launch will be from third-party content providers -- not from Apple itself.In fact, according to Bloomberg, "the first slew of releases" won't hit the service until much later in 2019, as most of them are still in development. Presumably, the shows Apple has already released on Apple Music, such as Carpool Karaoke and Planet of the Apps, will be on the streaming service, but that isn't clear.In the meantime, Apple is desperately working to fill out its content library ahead of launch, going so far as to "[offer] concessions to get deals done by a Friday deadline." Apple is in talks with HBO, Showtime, and Starz, and all three are expected to join Apple's service eventually. Sources say that it's down to the details at this point, as each of the premium networks want to have a say in "marketing, promotion and the user experience."Unsurprisingly, Netflix and Hulu will not be a part of Apple's TV service, because they don't want Apple to control the user experience or have access to their viewing data. Apple would seemingly prefer to build a single portal through which users could access all their networks and services, but its direct competitors aren't game.While the TV service will likely take center stage at the Steve Jobs Theater in two weeks, Apple is also expected to unveil its news subscription service at the event. iOS users will be able to subscribe to a bundle of magazines and newspapers through the Apple News app, which is being redesigned for the iOS 12.2 update.
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| 'Bomb Cyclone' brings snow, high winds to U.S. Plains states Posted: 13 Mar 2019 03:23 PM PDT  A late-winter blizzard pounded U.S. Rocky Mountain and Plains states on Wednesday, unleashing a "bomb cyclone" of high winds and drifting snow that stranded motorists, canceled airline flights and forced government offices, schools and businesses to close. The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and the Dakotas as local authorities urged residents to hunker down and avoid traveling during the storm if possible. Meteorologists call storms like this one a "bomb cyclone," a winter hurricane that forms when the barometric pressure drops 24 millibars in 24 hours.
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| Boeing, airlines face tough path after 737 MAX grounding Posted: 14 Mar 2019 01:18 PM PDT  Days after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 that killed 157 people and led to the plane being grounded worldwide, Boeing and commercial airlines are trying to get a handle on the fallout. Boeing will have to restore confidence in its product, and pay the costs of any modifications, while airlines try to find workarounds to replace the popular aircraft in their lineup of flights. The US on Wednesday grounded the 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 models while it continues the search for the cause of the crash, which happened less than five months after a Lion Air plane of the same model went down in Indonesia, killing 189.
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| 1 of 194 1970 Ford Shelby GT350 Convertible Pro Touring For Sale Posted: 13 Mar 2019 04:09 AM PDT  Now's your chance to own an ultra-rare 1970 GT350 vert! Although the production of the first Mustangs began in 1964, it wasn't until 1965 that the Falcon-powered car received a major horsepower upgrade from none other than Carroll Shelby. Building on a body style that was strongly considered from the beginning but not yet available, Shelby took the '65 Fastback and created the iconic GT350.
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| Four dead, hundreds detained after Venezuela blackout: rights groups Posted: 14 Mar 2019 11:25 AM PDT  The OPEC nation suffered its worst blackout in history last week following technical problems that the government of President Nicolas Maduro called an act of U.S.-backed sabotage but critics dismissed as the result of incompetence. Rights groups Provea and the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict said via Twitter that three people were killed in the central state of Lara and one person was killed in the western state of Zulia. Alfredo Romero of rights group Foro Penal said at a news conference that 124 people had been detained in protests over public services since the March 8 blackout and that another 200 were arrested over looting.
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| David Mamet defends longtime pal Felicity Huffman in college admissions scam: 'Not guilty' Posted: 13 Mar 2019 05:23 PM PDT Felicity Huffman was among 50 people charged in the largest-ever college admissions conspiracy prosecuted by the Justice Department.
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| St Patrick's Day 2019: Shamrocks, snakes and how a British slave became Ireland's patron saint Posted: 14 Mar 2019 02:45 AM PDT  Erin go bragh! St Patrick's Day is nearly here, with events in honour of the patron saint of Ireland set to take place across the globe this week. Recognised annually since the 1700s, the people of Ireland celebrate their heritage and culture on St Patrick's Day, with the day growing as a commercial occasion rather than a religious event in recent years. While Ireland embraces its patron saint day by holding vibrant, green parades, wearing shamrocks and flying Irish flags more than usual, celebrations also take place in other countries around the world, including the UK, United States, Egypt and Australia. Here is everything you need to know about St Patrick's Day, from the patron saint himself to Irish recipes and worldwide celebrations. When is St Patrick's Day 2019? St Patrick's Day, the patron saint day of Ireland, falls each year on March 17. The first parade in name of the saint took place in Boston in 1737, followed by the first "official" parade in New York in 1766. The celebration of St Patrick later spread to Dublin and other American cities and in recent years has grown in popularity elsewhere in Europe and Asia. Who was St Patrick? St Patrick's exact birthplace is unknown and debated. Born as Maewyn Succat around the year of 385 AD in either England, Scotland or Wales, the patron saint was captured by Irish pirates at the age of 16 and brought to Ireland as a slave. Working as a shepherd, Patrick was held captive for six years and grew closer to spirituality and prayer during this period of isolation. After a voice in his dream told him it was time to leave Ireland, Patrick successfully fled his master and sailed back to Britain to continue studying Christianity. Shortly after his return home, an angel in Patrick's dream told him to go back to Ireland as a missionary, and following this, he decided to travel to Gaul, to study religious instruction under Germanus, bishop of Auxerre. Later ordained a bishop and eventually returning to Ireland, Patrick began his mission to spread the Christian message. During this time, Patrick converted thousands of people to Christianity and built churches, schools and monasteries across the country. Legend suggests that Patrick used the three-leaf shamrock on his mission to explain the Holy Trinity, teaching his followers that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit exist as individual elements of the combined entity. While some experts claim this story was invented centuries later, the tale has led to the common practice of people wearing the symbol on the feast day. Patrick is also thought to have banished snakes from Ireland to help remove the evil and introduce a new age. But experts claim this is a myth due to evidence snakes never existed in the country in the first place. Some say this was due to the icy waters of the Irish Sea while others believe the cold weather stopped the snakes travelling to Ireland from Britain or afar. Around 431 AD, Patrick was appointed as successor to St Palladius, the first bishop of Ireland, and during his later years, he wrote about his spirituality and life in his 'Confession'. Believed to have died on March 17, in the year 461, Patrick's spiritual path led him to become a legendary figure, as he left behind an established church and an island of Christians. Today, his work is commemorated annually on March 17. Symbols and images associated with Ireland and St Patrick's Day The colours of the Irish flag represent Catholicism (green) and Protestantism (orange), unified by peace (white). Since the 18th century, green has also represented sympathy for Irish independence. Despite St Patrick popularising shamrocks, with many choosing to wear them on the patron saint day, he is historically associated with the red Saltire of St Patrick, featured in the flag of the United Kingdom. The patron saint of Ireland is also associated with the colour blue, after the creation of the Order of St Patrick in the 1780s made it the official colour. "St Patrick's Blue" can be found on Ireland's Presidential Standard, and in the plume of bearskins worn by the Irish Guards. The legend of the Leprechaun has also become a modern day symbol of Ireland. Known for their mischievous behaviour and leaving pots of gold at the end of rainbows, today, the mythical creatures feature heavily as a tourist symbol and some people choose to wear Leprechaun costumes and hats to St Patrick's Day parades. Dublin even has its very own Leprechaun Museum. The best things to do in Dublin St Patrick's Day celebrations in Ireland Unlike St David's Day and St George's Day, St Patrick's Day is a bank holiday in Ireland, allowing the Irish to fully embrace the festivities. The people of Ireland honour their patron saint day every year by joining parades and dressing head to toe in green, white and orange, the colours of the Irish flag. Dublin's famous St Patrick's Festival Parade will take place on Sunday March 17 this year, starting at Parnell Square, with music and live performances from bands helping to convey the 2019 theme of storytelling. Historically the "Feast of St Patrick", the day has been observed by the Irish for over 1,000 years and families would traditionally attend church in the morning, before celebrating with dance, drink and a feast of bacon and cabbage. Today, Irish stews and pints of Guinness are often enjoyed as part of the celebration. As many as 13 million pints of Guinness are poured on St Patrick's Day alone, increasing from the average 10 million glasses poured every day around the world. In fact, 1.8 billion are sold each year and the Guinness Storehouse is situated in the heart of St James's Gate, Dublin, with visitors able to book a tour of the famous site. Popular Irish toasts on St Patrick's Day, include: "Sláinte mhaith", meaning "good health" in Irish Gaelic, and "may the good St Patrick protect ye, and the devil neglect ye". Other celebrations around the world March 17 sees millions of people around the world, even those without Irish connections, turn out to celebrate St Patrick. In the United States, the White House first recognised the Irish holiday and the countries' relations more than 50 years ago, after President Harry Truman received a box of shamrocks from Ireland's ambassador. In 1956, the first St Patrick's Day meeting between the President and the Irish Taioseach took place and since the 1990s, the White House visit has been held annually. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and US President Donald Trump during the annual shamrock presentation ceremony at the White House in Washington DC Credit: Niall Carson/PA Every year, London showcases Irish heritage and culture as part of its annual St Patrick's Day festival and parade. While live stage performances and food stalls can be enjoyed in Trafalgar Square, colourful floats, dancers and Irish communities make their way through the capital's streets. This year, the festivities take place on Sunday March 17. In Tokyo, the "I Love Ireland" parade takes place over two days, on March 16 and 17, with vibrant costumes and marching bands, while in New York, 150,000 people join the parade travelling up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. In fact, a range of celebrations are held across the globe to celebrate the legendary Irish figure, including parades in Sydney, Australia, Auckland, New Zealand, and Oslo, Norway. In the British West Indies, the island of Montserrat has a public holiday for St Patrick's Day and observes the patron saint with a seven day festival and parade. Dubbed the "Emerald Isle" in memory of their Irish settlers, Montserrat even use a green shamrock as their official passport stamp. St Patrick's Day is also a provincial holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland, where a significant number of Irish people emigrated to during the 18th and 19th centuries. In Chicago, their river has been traditionally dyed bright green on March 17 since 1962, with thousands heading to the city to see one of the most famous St Patrick's Day sights. Rowers navigate the Chicago River shortly after it was dyed green in celebration of St. Patrick's Day on March 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images Other countries join Chicago in turning their famous landmarks green on March 17, including the London Eye and HMS Belfast in London, the pyramids and Sphinx in Egypt, Burj Al Arab in Dubai, Sydney Opera House in Australia and the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. The best Irish recipes Clodagh McKenna's beef and Guinness stew Beautifully tender beef, cooked in the beloved Irish beverage. This hearty winter dish is served perfectly with creamy mash or roast potatoes. Beef stew Credit: The Picture Pantry/Alloy Slow-cooked red cabbage with apples and raisin Traditionally served with beef, pork or turkey, red cabbage brings a sweet flavour to any dish and can also be eaten cold in sandwiches. Red cabbage Credit: Getty Images Rachel Allen's Barmbrack (báirín breac) This traditional Irish sweetened bread, packed with sultanas, raisins or currants, makes a delicious treat and can be enjoyed fresh, toasted or buttered. Barmbrack, a traditional Irish fruit loaf Credit: D and S Food Photography/Alamy The best Irish drinks While Ireland is the place to be for a pint of Guinness, it is also home to an array of famous alcoholic beverages including Jameson whiskey and Irish cream liqueur. If Guinness doesn't take your fancy, the Thinking Drinkers have selected the best alternatives to drink on St Patrick's Day, from craft whiskey to post poitin.
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| Cohen lawyer sends letter to Congress clarifying pardon talk Posted: 12 Mar 2019 10:35 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — Amid talk that former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen again lied to Congress, Cohen's lawyer sent a letter Tuesday to the head of the House Oversight Committee clarifying Cohen's testimony that he never sought a pardon from the president.
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| The Best Irish-Inspired Dinners You’ll Make All Year Long Posted: 13 Mar 2019 08:57 AM PDT |
| Blizzard, wind, floods: Wild storm with winds like a Category 1 hurricane to batter central USA Posted: 13 Mar 2019 03:34 AM PDT  A powerful storm will unleash a ferocious mix of snow, rain and wind across the central USA through Thursday.
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| Criticism of FAA mounts as other nations ground Boeing jets Posted: 12 Mar 2019 11:37 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is facing mounting criticism for backing the airworthiness of Boeing's 737 Max jets as the number of countries that have grounded the aircraft grows in the wake of the Ethiopian Airlines crash over the weekend.
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| British MPs resoundingly reject Brexit deal for second time Posted: 12 Mar 2019 06:39 PM PDT  British MPs resoundingly rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal for a second time on Tuesday, plunging the country into further uncertainty just 17 days before it is due to split from the European Union. The House of Commons voted 391-242 against the divorce deal, even after May secured further guarantees from Brussels over its most controversial elements. The move risks unleashing economic chaos, as Britain is scheduled to end ties with its biggest trade partner after 46 years on March 29, no matter what.
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| Hundreds surrender in last Islamic State enclave as SDF advance Posted: 14 Mar 2019 11:21 AM PDT  Adnan Afrin, a commander in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said hundreds of people were emerging, adding to the many thousands who have streamed out of Baghouz in recent weeks. "They are coming out this way in case there are snipers or someone wants to attack." SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said some 1,300 jihadists and their families came out on Thursday. SDF fighters said they included foreigners.
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| Jussie Smollett investigation timeline: How the actor went from assault victim to suspect Posted: 14 Mar 2019 09:07 AM PDT  Three weeks after Jussie Smollett said he'd been the victim of a hate crime, the "Empire" star was charged with filing a false police report.
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