| London Mayor Sadiq Khan dismisses Trump Jr.’s Twitter jab following attack Posted: 23 Mar 2017 09:01 AM PDT  London Mayor Sadiq Khan declined to respond to an insult from U.S. President Trump's son hours after a terrorist attack at the Houses of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday. "You have to be kidding me?!" Trump Jr. wrote. Trump Jr. mischaracterized Khan's statements as if he had said that terrorism is an inevitable consequence of living in a big city and that nothing could be done.
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| Billionaire raises questions about Putin critic’s mysterious fall Posted: 22 Mar 2017 01:57 PM PDT  A U.K.-based billionaire is raising pointed questions about the most recent in a series of mysterious accidents, illnesses and muggings to befall critics of Russian President Vladimir Putin: lawyer Nikolai Gorokhov's fall from a window of his fourth-floor apartment near Moscow earlier this week. "People don't just go falling out of their apartments," Bill Browder, the American-born CEO of Hermitage Capital Management, told Yahoo News and Finance Anchor Bianna Golodryga Wednesday. Browder, whose net worth is estimated at around $4 billion, is the grandson of longtime American Communist Party leader Earl Browder, and a former ally turned vocal critic of Putin.
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| The Mud Day in Israel Posted: 24 Mar 2017 07:16 AM PDT ![The Mud Day in Israel]( "The Mud Day in Israel") The Mud Day, an international sports event is produced by a leading French sports organization, A.S.O., that is well known for its top productions: Le Tour de France and the Dakar Rally. More than 150,000 people have participated in Mud Days in France, Switzerland, Belgium and Spain. Now it's Israel's turn to host the 13-kilometer race, with 22 mud-filled obstacles to overcome. (The Mud Day Israel)
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| Police officer, 3 others killed in Wisconsin town Posted: 22 Mar 2017 08:09 PM PDT ![Police officer, 3 others killed in Wisconsin town]( "Police officer, 3 others killed in Wisconsin town") WESTON, Wis. (AP) — A police officer and three other people were shot and killed when a domestic dispute at a bank escalated into shootings at three locations in northern Wisconsin on Wednesday, investigators said. A suspect was in custody.
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| Intel chair Nunes admits mishandling Trump wiretap claim Posted: 23 Mar 2017 11:36 AM PDT  House intelligence committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., apologized to members of the panel today for his public claims about intelligence community surveillance of President Trump's transition team amid charges from Democrats that his unilateral announcement on the White House lawn had "betrayed" the panel's bipartisan investigation of Russian cyberattacks on the 2016 election. "At this point, the committee's independence is on life support," Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., told Yahoo News after a closed-door meeting of the committee Thursday. "Not since Sept. 11 has this committee been charged with such an important responsibility," Swalwell added, referring to the panel's Russia probe.
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| South Korea raises sunken ferry: Yonhap Posted: 22 Mar 2017 01:47 PM PDT  Salvage operators raised part of South Korea's sunken Sewol ferry early Thursday, Yonhap news agency reported, nearly three years after the disaster killed more than 300 people and dealt a crippling blow to now-ousted president Park Geun-Hye. "As of 3:45 am (1845 GMT Wednesday), part of the Sewol's structure, which is believed to be its stabilizer, can be seen above the water with the naked eye," an official from the Oceans and Fisheries Ministry was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency. The vessel was lying more than 40 metres (130 feet) below the waves off southwestern South Korea and the operation, originally scheduled for last year, had been pushed back several times because of adverse weather.
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| Wisconsin man who threatened to kill Obama loses appeal Posted: 22 Mar 2017 12:25 PM PDT ![Wisconsin man who threatened to kill Obama loses appeal]( "Wisconsin man who threatened to kill Obama loses appeal") The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago on Wednesday rejected Brian Dutcher's request that his January 2016 jury conviction be set aside because of a lack of evidence. Dutcher, 56, of Tomah, said he had been unable to carry out his threat, having been armed only with a slingshot, and no one took him seriously. Dutcher had written on Facebook that he planned to attend a July 2, 2015 event in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where Obama was giving a speech, and hoped to "get a clear shot at the pretend president.
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| Rick Perry, the man in charge of America’s nukes, weighs in on Texas A&M student election Posted: 23 Mar 2017 07:58 AM PDT  Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, the man in charge of America's supply of nuclear weapons, took the time Wednesday to criticize Texas A&M's election for student body president. Perry's complaint was about the process by which Bobby Brooks, who would become the first openly gay student president in the university's history, won the election last month. Brooks finished 750 votes behind Robert McIntosh, the son of a prominent GOP fundraiser, but McIntosh was disqualified after he was found to violate a campaign finance rule over some glow sticks used in a campaign video. McIntosh had overcome an earlier disqualification stemming from anonymous charges of voter intimidation when the Student Government Association's Judicial Court dismissed those complaints after an investigation.
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| GOP Sen. Roberts: I ‘deeply regret’ quip about insurance coverage for mammograms Posted: 23 Mar 2017 12:11 PM PDT  Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., speaks at Secretary of Agriculture nominee Sonny Perdue's confirmation hearing. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., expressed remorse Thursday for making a sarcastic comment implying that coverage for mammograms shouldn't be a requirement for the GOP's insurance plan. Mammograms are essential to women's health & I never intended to indicate otherwise," he tweeted.
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| Justice Department Sees Drop In Cases Against Corrupt Officials Posted: 22 Mar 2017 02:07 PM PDT  Government corruption has been in general decline over the past two decades, but the trend might've been difficult for the average American to notice.
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| White House ‘confident’ about health care vote despite delay Posted: 23 Mar 2017 01:46 PM PDT  The White House said a House floor vote on the GOP health care bill was postponed simply for scheduling reasons on Thursday and officials remain "confident" it will pass. Shortly after news of the delay broke, White House principal deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters the vote was put off to avoid holding it in the wee hours of Friday morning. "We are going to start the debate tonight on the vote as planned," Sanders said.
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| Jewish youth arrested in Israel over anti-Semitic threats abroad Posted: 23 Mar 2017 06:48 AM PDT  A Jewish youth was arrested in Israel on Thursday on suspicion of making dozens of anti-Semitic threats in countries around the world, police said. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the suspect was "a resident of the south (of Israel) from the Jewish community". "The investigation began in several countries at the same time, in which dozens of threatening calls were received at public places, events, synagogues and community buildings that caused panic and disrupted events and activities in various organisations," a police statement said.
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| Puerto Rico governor, bondholders divided on PREPA deal Posted: 22 Mar 2017 01:04 PM PDT ![Puerto Rico governor, bondholders divided on PREPA deal]( "Puerto Rico governor, bondholders divided on PREPA deal") Puerto Rico's governor told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday the island's struggling power utility, PREPA, could undergo an in-court restructuring process akin to U.S. bankruptcy if a consensual deal with creditors cannot be achieved. Governor Ricardo Rossello said at a U.S. House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing his administration would prefer a consensual deal to bankruptcy, as lawmakers questioned him about delays in completing a $9 billion restructuring at PREPA. The hearing showcased growing discord between Rossello's administration and PREPA's creditors, which seemed to concern the committee in charge of leading Congress' response to Puerto Rico's ongoing crisis.
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| EMILY’s List: An unprecedented 10,000 women have told us they want to run for office, thanks to Trump Posted: 22 Mar 2017 11:44 AM PDT  EMILY's List announced Wednesday that more than 10,000 women have reached out to the group since Hillary Clinton lost the presidential election to say they want to run for office, a record number in such a short time for the group. "Over ten thousand women isn't a ripple — it's a wave," said EMILY's List president Stephanie Schriock in a statement.
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| Trump supporter: My husband is being deported Friday Posted: 23 Mar 2017 12:34 PM PDT  As a popular Indiana restaurant owner faces deportation under President Trump's immigration directives, his family becomes the latest in a series of Trump supporters to find campaign promises affecting their lives. According to a report from Indiana Public Radio, Roberto Beristain's family said he's expected to be deported on Friday and has already been moved from the detention facility in Wisconsin where they had been visiting him. Beristain is the owner of Eddie's Steak Shed in Granger, Ind., which he purchased from his sister-in-law earlier this month after eight years of working at the restaurant.
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| Can you tally up world progress? Posted: 22 Mar 2017 02:28 PM PDT ![Can you tally up world progress?]( "Can you tally up world progress?") When the cold war ended a quarter century ago, and with it the division of the world into two "camps," the United Nations decided to start measuring the progress of humanity as a whole. The hope behind such alternative indicators is that an attempt to measure something might help reveal what causes it or could push it along.
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| White House all in before crucial health care vote: 'There is no Plan B' Posted: 22 Mar 2017 01:05 PM PDT  On what could be the eve of a crucial health care vote and with the reported numbers still seemingly unfavorable, the White House remained confident that the American Health Care Act would pass the House on Thursday. "Piece by piece, member by member, we're getting there, and we're getting much closer," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Wednesday of gathering the votes necessary to repeal Obamacare. The White House team did have some success on Wednesday, flipping Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., to a "yes" vote after assuring him that they supported his proposed amendment, which would deny health care credits to undocumented immigrants.
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| Think your groceries are expensive? Japan has $27,000 melons. Posted: 23 Mar 2017 08:40 AM PDT  Imagine going into a high-end luxury store filled with sparkling display cases, security at every turn and an attentive staff and finding not expensive jewelry but...fruit encased in the glass. In Sembikiya, Japan's oldest fruit shop, fruit is treated and sold like an elaborate gift. And this is no ordinary fruit. Sembikiya sells anything from heart-shaped watermelons to ping-pong ball sized "Ruby Roman" grapes to giant strawberries that are a bit more expensive than your average box of sad market fruit. SEE ALSO: People can't believe a supermarket is selling a single boxed strawberry for $22 Words can't describe how delicious this Melon was. #GinzaSembikiya #Sembikiya by mango… http://t.co/7zPrWz6VU7 pic.twitter.com/eNNBohRVYR — InstaKyoto (@InstaKyoto) April 4, 2015 A post shared by @puapupupu on Jan 31, 2017 at 4:50pm PST According to CNN, cultivating these luxury fruits involves meticulous and labor-intensive practices. Although the way Japanese farmers grow these beauties is a secret, it was revealed that sometimes it takes 45 days to grow one strawberry and usually sell for 500,000 yen ($4,395) each. The strawberries even have a special name - Bijin-hime, which means "beautiful princess". ONE STRAWBERRY is $4,395. And if you think that's just a bit beyond your fruit budget, in 2016 a premium Hokkaido cantaloupe sold for a record $27,240 (3 million yen) at an auction. Expensive fruit isn't unique to Sembikiya, though. According to the Semikiya website, fruit is given as gifts to people who are important to you on special occasions. Soyeon Shim, dean of the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told CNN, Besides being a symbol of respect, the Japanese see fruit in spiritual terms, regularly offering it to the gods at home alters. A post shared by ingingkiku (@ingingkiku) on Oct 23, 2016 at 4:21am PDT A piece of fruit this magnificent isn't sold in some regular cardboard box. The fruit is wrapped in packaging that, of course, matches is luxury. CNN reports that single strawberries are sold in packages that resemble jewelry boxes, while melons are sold in ornate wooden boxes. A post shared by Cecilia Schena (@ceciliaske) on Aug 7, 2016 at 4:32am PDT To consumers, according to CNN, the expense represents quality and some say that they even taste better than normal-priced fruit. Seeing as though one strawberry is more than four month's rent, we'll stick to our small, slightly mushy, questionable fruit. We'll admire these from afar. [H/T: CNN] WATCH: This nail polish is made from prosecco — making you both sparkly and tipsy
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| 7 Richard Simmons Quotes We Love Posted: 22 Mar 2017 03:41 PM PDT  Richards Simmons took the fitness world by storm over three decades ago, with his inspiring story of weight loss and believing in himself. Watch the video to revisit all the times he reminded us to love yourself.
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| 5 dead in vehicle, knife attack at British Parliament Posted: 22 Mar 2017 10:04 PM PDT  LONDON (AP) — A knife-wielding man went on a deadly rampage in the heart of Britain's seat of power Wednesday, plowing a car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge before stabbing a police officer to death inside the gates of Parliament. Five people were killed, including the assailant, and 40 others were injured in what Prime Minister Theresa May condemned as a "sick and depraved terrorist attack."
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| Florida nightclub shooting victims sue gunman's employer, widow Posted: 22 Mar 2017 12:23 PM PDT ![Florida nightclub shooting victims sue gunman's employer, widow]( "Florida nightclub shooting victims sue gunman's employer, widow") More than 50 victims and survivors of the June 2016 massacre at a Florida nightclub sued the gunman's employer and widow on Wednesday, blaming them for failing to prevent the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The lawsuit filed in the U.S. Southern District of Florida accused the security firm that hired shooter Omar Mateen of ignoring his comments supporting violence prior to the rampage that killed 49 and injured dozens at a gay nightclub in Orlando. The lawsuit accuses Mateen's widow, Noor Salman, of conspiring in the attack by assisting with his purchase of firearms and surveillance of the Pulse nightclub.
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| Texas Dad Throws His Daughter a $6 Million Party Posted: 22 Mar 2017 05:00 PM PDT  One girl's Sweet 16 cost her dad a sweet $6 million!
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| Japan PM Abe accused of giving cash to nationalistic school Posted: 23 Mar 2017 07:59 AM PDT  TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe donated 1 million yen ($9,000) through his wife to a school run by a group of ultranationalist educators, the group's leader told Parliament on Thursday, while also suggesting there was "political influence" in a land-buying scandal involving the school.
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| Man held for driving car at crowd in Belgium's Antwerp Posted: 23 Mar 2017 01:31 PM PDT  Belgian security forces arrested a man Thursday after he drove into a shopping area at high speed in the port city of Antwerp, officials said. Authorities found a rifle and bladed weapons in the car after the suspect, identified by prosecutors as 39-year-old Mohamed R., tried to flee and was detained in the northern city. The man was "under the influence of something" but it was not clear what substance, a source close to the investigation told AFP.
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| Delay on GOP health care vote: Bill 'too conservative' and 'not conservative enough' Posted: 23 Mar 2017 02:13 PM PDT ![Delay on GOP health care vote: Bill 'too conservative' and 'not conservative enough']( "Delay on GOP health care vote: Bill 'too conservative' and 'not conservative enough'") House Speaker Paul Ryan thought he had found the "sweet spot" in the Republican health care plan – a bill that would appeal to both GOP conservatives and moderates. Despite intense coordination with the White House and the president's personal involvement on the GOP bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, the speaker was forced to delay the bill for lack of Republican votes. If Speaker Ryan is unable to forge a compromise that will bring him to victory, it will be a huge blow to the Republican agenda, to his speakership, and to President Trump.
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| Laptop ban sparks ire among Mideast travellers Posted: 22 Mar 2017 12:29 PM PDT  Travellers across the Middle East expressed frustration Wednesday at a ban on large electronic devices for flights to the United States and Britain that has sparked confusion and speculation. From Saturday, passengers on flights to the United States and Britain from major hubs in Turkey and the Arab world will have to check in any device larger than a smartphone, including laptops and tablets. The United States and Britain have cited intelligence indicating passenger jets could be targeted via explosives planted in electronic devices.
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| Hackers still threaten a remote wipe of iPhones, despite Apple’s statement Posted: 23 Mar 2017 02:37 PM PDT 
After news had emerged earlier this week that a hacker group called Turkish Crime Family (TCF) is holding millions of Apple ID accounts for ransom, Apple said that its servers and databases were not hacked. Instead, the company said that hackers may be using user databases acquired from massive data breaches that affected other parties, such as LinkedIn. Since the initial disclosure, the TCF reached out to media to provide additional details about their anti-Apple quest, explaining some of their reasoning behind the attack.
In an email from a TCF domain to BGR that was likely distributed to other members of the media, the hackers say they're still committed to unleashing the attack come April 7th, unless Apple pays up. The message, which reads like an ad-hoc press release coming from a hackers startup — the email does come from a "press" email account — explains that the report that said the hackers want $75,000 in ransom is false. The hackers also claim that all the communication with Apple was done via ICQ, and all the chats were kept private. "[We] requested $100,000 for each of our members which is 7 in total or $1 million worth in iTunes vouchers for instant resale at 60% of the original gift card value + Some private stuff that we have agreed not to publicize as we believe it may ruin Turkish Crime Family and Apple relations," the hackers say. "The second thing is worth more to us than money." The hackers say that Apple will force users to reset their passwords to stop them and avoid "serious server issues and customer complaints." The TCF group claims it can reset some 2,550 iPhones per minute per server, which amounts to over 38 million accounts per hour. As for the number of affected accounts, it was bumped "from 519 million to 627 to then 717 million." A Twitter account for the group mentioned that 200 million iCloud accounts will be factory reset. https://twitter.com/turkcrimefamily/status/844225625909051393 Why are they targeting Apple? Well, strangely enough, this appears to be some sort of retaliation for the recent measures the Department of Justice has taken against the four hackers that breached Yahoo in 2014, an attack that may have affected more than 500 million users. "We're doing this because we can, and mainly to spread awareness for Karim Baratov and Kerem Albayrak which both are being detained for the Yahoo hack and one of them is most probably facing heavy sentencing in America," the hackers said. "Kerem Albayrak on the other hand is being accused of listing the Yahoo database for sale online." The group says this isn't a political attack, and that the TCF is a new criminal organization with a lot of resources and power. "This is just the start," they say. They even have a media department. The attack on Yahoo was actually a military operation conducted by Russia, the FBI's investigation proved, so it's strange to see the hackers claim this isn't political. Is this threat real? That remains to be seen. I think it's rather unlikely for this massive remote iPhone wipe to happen. Not because Apple confirmed its servers were not hacked but because of this whole messy PR campaign coming from the hackers. But fo yourself a favor and change your Apple ID password especially if you've been using it for any of the online services that were hacked in recent years.
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| Tillerson’s Push for Safe Zones in Iraq and Syria Faces Questions, Obstacles Posted: 22 Mar 2017 10:39 AM PDT  Allies and activists oppose sending refugees back into a war zone
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| Hot air balloons over Turkey's Cappadocia Posted: 23 Mar 2017 06:16 AM PDT ![Hot air balloons over Turkey's Cappadocia]( "Hot air balloons over Turkey's Cappadocia") Since 1988, hot air balloons have filled the skies over the historic Cappadocia region in Nevsehir, Turkey, contributing to the region's tourism industry. Cappadocia is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its chimney rocks, hot air balloon trips, underground cities and boutique hotels carved into rocks.
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| Pharmacist guilty of fraud, not murder, in U.S. meningitis outbreak Posted: 22 Mar 2017 12:00 PM PDT ![Pharmacist guilty of fraud, not murder, in U.S. meningitis outbreak]( "Pharmacist guilty of fraud, not murder, in U.S. meningitis outbreak") By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) - The co-founder of a now-defunct Massachusetts compounding pharmacy was found guilty of racketeering and fraud but cleared of murder on Wednesday for his role in a 2012 meningitis outbreak that killed 64 people across the United States. Barry Cadden, who was a co-owner and president of New England Compounding Center, was convicted by a federal jury in Boston after a two-month trial centered on an outbreak linked to the company's drug that sickened 753 people in 20 states. The outbreak was the largest U.S. public health crisis involving a pharmaceutical drug.
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| California races nature, clock to make key dam repairs Posted: 23 Mar 2017 12:11 PM PDT  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California is not just fighting nature as it attempts to repair the damaged main spillway at the nation's tallest dam, pounded last month by surging storm waters. It's also racing the clock.
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| Amber Alert issued after car stolen w/ 2 boys inside in Cathedral City Posted: 24 Mar 2017 12:26 AM PDT  An Amber Alert was issued Thursday for two boys - ages 1 and 2 - who were inside a car that was stolen by a suspect in Cathedral City.
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| Germany set to deport native-born potential terrorists Posted: 22 Mar 2017 11:38 AM PDT ![Germany set to deport native-born potential terrorists]( "Germany set to deport native-born potential terrorists") In a move without precedent in German history, the country will soon deport two German-born men accused of having discussed terrorist activity. On Tuesday, the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig threw out a case saying that the men, one an Algerian national and the other a Nigerian citizen, should not be deported because there was no proof they had committed a serious offense. In so doing, it cleared the way for deportations that the state government of Lower Saxony ordered last month, when it described the pair as a threat to national security.
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| Laptop ban creates turbulence for airline profits Posted: 23 Mar 2017 08:52 AM PDT  A carry-on ban by Washington and London for laptops on flights from some airports will hit the profits of affected airlines, especially the lucrative business class segments of Gulf carriers, analysts said Thursday. Washington decided to ban electronic devices bigger than mobile phones on direct flights to the United States from 10 airports in seven Middle Eastern countries and Turkey.
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| The Latest: Mayor: Sword killing 'unspeakable human tragedy' Posted: 22 Mar 2017 03:35 PM PDT  NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on the sword attack death of a black man in what police say was a racially motivated killing (all times local):
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| Ex-head of Colorado Republicans charged with voter fraud Posted: 22 Mar 2017 03:46 PM PDT ![Ex-head of Colorado Republicans charged with voter fraud]( "Ex-head of Colorado Republicans charged with voter fraud") By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - A Colorado talk radio host who once chaired the state Republican Party and has accused Democrats of widespread voter fraud has been charged with forging his ex-wife's signature on a mail-in ballot in the 2016 election, court records showed on Wednesday. Steven Curtis, 57, who served as state GOP boss from 1997 until 1999, is charged with one felony count of forgery and one misdemeanor count of tampering with a mail-in ballot, according to a criminal complaint filed in Weld County District Court. The case stems from an inquiry lodged with the Weld County Clerk and Recorder's Office by Curtis's former spouse, Kelly Ireland, who contacted the agency in October to check on the status of her voter registration after the couple split.
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| WikiLeaks releases CIA hacks of Apple Mac computers Posted: 23 Mar 2017 09:53 AM PDT  The Central Intelligence Agency is able to permanently infect an Apple Mac computer so that even reinstalling the operating system will not erase the bug, according to documents published Thursday by WikiLeaks. In its second release allegedly from the CIA's arsenal of hacking tools, WikiLeaks also said that it appears the US spy agency has been able since 2008 to insert it bugs onto new and unused iPhones by intervening in Apple's supply and distribution network. The release follows the initial publication on March 9 by the anti-secrecy group of thousands of pages of instructions and code from what it called the entire CIA arsenal of hacking tools.
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| Take that! Pyongyang lambastes Trump as too much like Obama Posted: 22 Mar 2017 06:09 PM PDT  TOKYO (AP) — North Korea has a criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump he probably wasn't expecting: He's too much like Barack Obama.
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| Uncertain fate of Obamacare causes some hospitals to halt projects, hiring Posted: 23 Mar 2017 05:12 AM PDT ![Uncertain fate of Obamacare causes some hospitals to halt projects, hiring]( "Uncertain fate of Obamacare causes some hospitals to halt projects, hiring") Hospitals typically lay out multi-year operating plans that prioritize investments, such as new clinics, medical wings, technology or other projects that help draw in more patients and increase revenue. Denver Health Medical Center, for example, opened a new $26.9 million clinic in the city's southwest in 2016 to provide care to an area lacking in health services and saw more patients within six months than it had expected over two years. The health system planned to build or remodel five more facilities based on the new clinic's success.
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