| Baltimore Detective Killed A Day Before Testifying In Federal Case Against Fellow Cops Posted: 22 Nov 2017 09:06 PM PST  The Baltimore police detective who was fatally shot in the line of duty last week was scheduled to testify in a federal case against officers indicted earlier this year, the Baltimore Police Department confirmed Wednesday.
|
| North Korean defector recovering after daring escape Posted: 23 Nov 2017 09:21 AM PST  As the North Korean soldier who made a daring escape across the DMZ recovers, six servicemen, including three Americans, were honored for their bravery in facing North Korean fire.
|
| Anti-Pipeline Activist Found Guilty After Being Barred From Mentioning Climate Change Posted: 23 Nov 2017 01:07 PM PST  After a short trial lasting just a day and a half, climate activist and retiree Leonard Higgins was found guilty on Wednesday of a serious felony charge for his role in the "valve turner" protest last year that resulted in the brief shutdown of a tar sands pipeline in Montana.
|
| U.S. Afghanistan General: We've Reached Stalemate Against Taliban Posted: 23 Nov 2017 03:00 AM PST  In an exclusive interview with NBC News, General John Nicholson discusses the U.S. strategy against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and why he's confident he maintains Trump's trust.
|
| Cows rain down on drivers after crash in Utah Posted: 23 Nov 2017 08:29 AM PST  Drivers in Riverdale, Utah experienced some unexpected bumps on their morning commute when cows began raining down on them from the road above. The freeway ramp was temporarily closed in the aftermath, as crews attempted to clear the scene of cattle. The driver was speeding in the 45-mph (72-kph) area, Riverdale Police Lieutenant Mike Loveland told The Independent.
|
| Al Franken Issues Another Apology: 'I Crossed A Line' Posted: 23 Nov 2017 07:03 PM PST  issued another apology Thursday after two more women came forward to accuse him of inappropriate touching.
|
| Search for missing submarine concluded Posted: 22 Nov 2017 09:00 PM PST  Argentine navy says the last sound heard from the submarine was most likely an explosion, and the families of the 44 crew members have been told their loved ones are most likely dead.
|
| After Backlash, Tennessee Town Drops Planned Ban On Drag Shows Posted: 22 Nov 2017 11:05 AM PST  A Tennessee town's controversial plan to ban drag shows is dead on arrival.
|
| The Latest: Zimbabwe opposition not invited to inauguration Posted: 23 Nov 2017 08:44 AM PST  HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — The Latest on Zimbabwe's political turmoil (all times local):
|
| Woman raises £200,000 for homeless man who rescued her with his last £15 Posted: 24 Nov 2017 04:26 AM PST  A New Jersey woman has helped raise more than $290,000 (£210,000) for a homeless man who spent his last $20 (£15) to help her get home when she became stranded. Kate McClure was driving to Philadelphia in October when she ran out of fuel and decided to leave her vehicle to walk to the nearest petrol station. "My heart was beating out of my chest," she explained. "I pulled over as far as I could, and got out of the car to head to the nearest gas station. That's when I met Johnny." Johnny Bobbitt Jr has been living on the streets of Pennsylvania's largest city for the past 18 months and spends every day sitting on the side of the road holding a sign asking strangers for help. "He saw me pull over and knew something was wrong," Ms McClure recalled. "He told me to get back in the car and lock the doors. A few minutes later, he comes back with a red gas can. Using his last $20 to make sure I could get home safe. Kate McClure and Johnny Bobbitt Jr. Credit: GoFundMe "Johnny did not ask me for a dollar, and I couldn't repay him at that moment because I didn't have any cash, but I have been stopping by his spot for the past few weeks. "I repaid him for the gas, gave him a jacket, gloves, a hat, and warm socks, and I give him a few dollars every time I see him. "He is such a great guy, and talking to him each time I see him makes me want to help him more and more." Inspired by his act of kindness, she and her boyfriend, Mark D'Amico, decided to start a GoFundMe page with goal of raising $10,000 (£7,500) to help get the former marine veteran back on his feet. "With the money, I would like to get him first and last month's rent at an apartment, a reliable vehicle, and 4-6 months worth of expenses," she said. "He is very interested in finding a job, and I believe that with a place to be able to clean up every night and get a good night's rest, his life can get back to being normal." She added that Johnny "is beyond humbled by the amount of support and love he has received over the last few days". He said the donations would "change his life". Ms McClure said the worldwide support has been "unreal". Newlyweds stop to help homeless man with act of kindness
|
| The Best Chance To Defeat Roy Moore May Be For The Democratic Party To Lie Low Posted: 24 Nov 2017 05:50 AM PST  Democrats are salivating at the chance to pick up a Senate seat in the Deep South.
|
| Vietnam prosecutes bank officials in corruption crackdown Posted: 23 Nov 2017 09:58 PM PST ![Vietnam prosecutes bank officials in corruption crackdown]( "Vietnam prosecutes bank officials in corruption crackdown") Vietnam has prosecuted five former officials of the unlisted Dong A Bank for violating rules that "lead to serious consequences", police said on Friday, part of a widening investigation involving the Ho Chi Minh City-based lender. Energy and banking firms are at the heart of a sweeping crackdown on corruption in the communist state, a campaign that made global headlines this year when Germany accused Vietnam of kidnapping a Vietnamese businessman in Berlin. The troubled, partly private Dong A Bank is among several lenders under scrutiny of the authorities who say they want to tackle corruption, including abuse of power and violation of lending rules.
|
| Drug-maker Teva set for major layoffs in Israel, US: report Posted: 23 Nov 2017 10:12 AM PST  Pharmaceutical giant Teva is preparing to sack thousands of employees in Israel and the United States, including one quarter of its Israeli workforce, a business newspaper said Thursday. Israel-based Teva, the world's biggest manufacturer of generic drugs, will sack 25 percent of its 6,860 employees in Israel and more than 10 percent of its 10,000-strong workforce in the US, Calcalist daily said. Teva shares in the United States have taken a plunge this year as the company has faced harsh financial woes.
|
| Chef José Andrés Prepares 40,000 Thanksgiving Meals In Puerto Rico Posted: 23 Nov 2017 09:37 AM PST  As Americans give thanks this Thanksgiving, celebrity chef José Andrés is busy giving back, by preparing what he estimated as 40,000 Thanksgiving meals for Puerto Ricans.
|
| Russia's New Stealth Torpedoes Have a Neat Trick: They Can Pretend to Be Giant Fish Posted: 24 Nov 2017 05:13 AM PST  This is what U.S. ship captains will scream too late, if Russia has its way. Russia is promising to develop smart mini-torpedoes that are noiseless, leave no wake—and creep through the water at two to three miles per hour. The project is still in the conceptual stage, Aliyev told Russian news agency RIA Novosti [Google English translation here].
|
| Police Storm Detention Center As Australia Slammed Over 'Humanitarian Crisis' Posted: 22 Nov 2017 07:17 PM PST  Law enforcement officials in Papua New Guinea moved to evict hundreds of asylum seekers from a former detention center on Manus Island after the Australian government closed it late last month.
|
| Donald Trump posts bizarre reply to tweet accusing him of stoking racism Posted: 23 Nov 2017 07:10 AM PST  "Trump's rage-tweets about LaVar Ball are part of a pattern," Greg Sargent, the author of the opinion piece tweeted. Ten minutes later, he sent another "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" tweet, this time as a post to all his followers rather than a reply.
|
| Ships, aircraft search Philippine Sea for 3 missing in crash Posted: 22 Nov 2017 07:54 PM PST  TOKYO (AP) — U.S. and Japanese ships and aircraft were searching in the Philippine Sea on Thursday for three sailors missing since a U.S. Navy aircraft crashed a day earlier.
|
| Sexual Misconduct Allegations Are Forcing Democrats to Face Up to the Politics of Predation Too Posted: 22 Nov 2017 11:23 PM PST  Allegations against Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota and Rep. John Conyers of Michigan are putting Democrats in hot water over how to respond
|
| US gymnastics doctor at London 2012 Olympics pleads guilty to abusing athletes Posted: 22 Nov 2017 11:17 AM PST  The US gymnastic team's doctor during the London 2012 Olympics has pleaded guilty to seven counts of sexual assault after claims he abused young athletes. Lawrence Nassar, who has since stepped down from the role, said he was "horribly sorry" for his crimes during a court appearance on Wednesday. Three of America's 'Fierce Five' gymnastics squad that won team gold in the 2012 Olympics in the UK have publicly claimed they were abused by Nassar. McKayla Maroney, one of the five, said last month: "It started when I was 13 years old, at one of my first National Team training camps, in Texas, and it didn't end until I left the sport. "It happened in London before my team and I won the gold medal, and it happened before I won my silver [in vault in London]." McKayla Maroney, the US gymnast Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas, who both won gold in the London games, have also made abuse claims against Nassar. Nassar was involved with the American gymnastics team for more than three decades and worked at four separate Olympic Games. The charges he pleaded guilty to relate to his practice at Michigan State University, where prosecutors said 125 victims have come forward alleging abuse. Three of his victims were under 13 years old, and the others were between 13-15 years of age. He faces at least 25 years in prison. He appeared in handcuffs in court and said he prayed for his victims. "I want them to heal. I want this community to heal," Nassar said.
|
| Lebanon's Jumblatt criticizes Saudi over Hariri Posted: 24 Nov 2017 03:36 AM PST  Top Lebanese Druze politician Walid Jumblatt on Friday criticized the way Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri had been treated by "some Saudi circles", the first time he has appeared to direct blame at Riyadh over Hariri's resignation this month. Jumblatt also condemned Iranian "dictates", an apparent response to a statement by the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards this week that disarming of the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah was out of the question. Lebanese officials say Saudi Arabia put Hariri under effective house arrest in Riyadh and forced him to declare his resignation on Nov. 4.
|
| Chavez cousin to lead Citgo, PDVSA's arm in US Posted: 22 Nov 2017 05:48 PM PST  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday named Asdrubal Chavez -- a cousin of late leader Hugo Chavez -- to lead Citgo, the state oil company's US affiliate. "He's straight off to be Citgo president, to restructure it, to get it back, to strengthen Citgo," Maduro said in a speech broadcast on VTV state television. Asdrubal Chavez held the critical oil ministry portfolio from 2014-2015.
|
| US woman raises more than $100,000 for homeless man who used last $20 to buy her petrol when she ran out Posted: 23 Nov 2017 05:11 AM PST  Kate McClure, 27, was driving on the I-95 interstate motorway in Philadelphia when she noticed she had an empty tank. Ms McClure promised to return to pay Johnny back and later set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for him. "That's when I met Johnny.
|
| Cold War drama caught on video as N. Korean soldier escapes Posted: 22 Nov 2017 08:12 PM PST  SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — It's 3:11 p.m. on a cold, gray day on the North Korean side of the most heavily armed border in the world, and a lone soldier is racing toward freedom.
|
| British Black Friday Was Once Again A Wonderfully Civilized Occasion Posted: 24 Nov 2017 03:53 AM PST  Shoppers in Britain appear to be shunning the chaos of Black Friday.
|
| Group Lobbying To End Trophy Hunting Ban Is Alarmingly Close With Ryan Zinke Posted: 23 Nov 2017 07:28 AM PST  WASHINGTON — Along with receiving thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Safari Club International while running for Congress, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke spoke at the hunting advocacy group's 2016 veterans breakfast, had a notable photo-op with its director of litigation on his first day as head of the Interior Department, and dined with its vice president in Alaska earlier this year.
|
| 'Roommate From Hell' Who Allegedly Contaminated Fellow Student's Belongings Appears in Court Posted: 22 Nov 2017 10:42 AM PST !['Roommate From Hell' Who Allegedly Contaminated Fellow Student's Belongings Appears in Court]( "'Roommate From Hell' Who Allegedly Contaminated Fellow Student's Belongings Appears in Court") Brianna Brochu, 18, was besieged by protesters as she left court Tuesday.
|
| Mom Allegedly Killed in Front of Family by Her Children's Dad Posted: 22 Nov 2017 11:23 AM PST  "He stood right there and he looked me dead in my face and unloaded the gun again on her," the victim's mother, Gloria Blaylock, told the Atlanta Journal Constitution
|
| Egypt mosque attack: At least 235 killed as militants shoot at fleeing worshippers after detonating bomb Posted: 24 Nov 2017 07:03 AM PST  Egypt was last night reeling from the bloodiest terror attack in its history after suspected Isil fighters slaughtered at least 235 people during prayers by detonating explosives inside a Sinai mosque and then killing the worshippers in a hail of gunfire. The terrorists struck a mosque in the remote town of Bir al-Abed in northern Sinai where hundreds of people had gathered for traditional Islamic prayers on Friday afternoon. The attack began with a powerful explosion at the al-Rawdah mosque and gunmen leapt out of four off-road vehicles to kill people as they fled. Security officials and witnesses said the attackers used their vehicles to cut off escape routes and opened fire on ambulances as they reached the scene. More than 100 were wounded. The gunmen appear to have escaped from the scene after the massacre before Egyptian security forces could arrive. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but suspicion fell on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's (Isil) affiliate in the Sinai desert, which has waged a bloody insurgency against the Egyptian military and the country's Christian minority. Map: Egypt mosque attack The worshippers at the al-Rawdah were mainly Sufis, who adhere to a mystic form of Islam. Isil considers Sufis to be heretics and has threatened them in the past. The town of Bir al-Abed is home to around 2,500 people, all members of the Sawarka tribe. In conservative rural areas of Egypt it is usually only men who attend Friday prayers. With an attack so large it is believed that a significant portion of all the men in the village were either killed or wounded on Friday. Abdel Qader Mubarak, a man originally from the village, said his entire family had been killed in the slaughter. "I can't talk, all my family are gone," he told The Telegraph. The massacre is the worst terrorist attack on civilians in modern Egyptian history, and its death toll outstripped the 224 deaths caused when suspected Isil militants blew up a Russian airliner shortly after it took off from Sharm el-Sheikh in 2015. The attack was the deadliest yet in the region Credit: Rassad News N Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypt's president, promised to respond with "brutal force" against the attackers. "We will remain steadfast and will fight back with an iron fist. This attack will only add to our persistence on overcoming the tragedy and we will win the battle against the forces of evil," Mr Sisi said. "The army and police will avenge our martyrs and return security and stability with force in the coming short period." Despite Mr Sisi's pledge, the security forces have struggled to contain the jihadist insurgency in Sinai and suffered heavy casualties. Donald Trump led a chorus of international condemnation of the attack. "Horrible and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent and defenseless worshipers in Egypt," he said on Twitter. "The world cannot tolerate terrorism, we must defeat them militarily and discredit the extremist ideology that forms the basis of their existence!" Egyptians gather outside the mosque, which is about 25 miles west of the North Sinai capital of El-Arish Credit: AFP Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, called the slaughter "a barbaric act". Jihadist groups have regularly attacked Christian churches in Egypt as part of an effort to deepen sectarian divides in the country. But attacks against mosques have been rare. Mobile phone footage purportedly taken from inside the mosque in the moments before the attack shows dozens of men, dressed mainly in white robes, sitting on the floor as they listened to a sermon. Suddenly, an explosion is heard nearby and the men leap to their feet in panic and confusion. Other footage shows men fleeing for their lives as they run out of the mosque and onto the street. Photographs showed rows of bodies, covered in bloodied sheets, lined up inside the mosque where they had been praying just a short time before. Suicide bombers attacked two Christian churches as worshippers were gathering on Palm Sunday in April of this year. At least 45 people were killed in the two attacks in Alexandria and and the city of Tanta. Four months before that, a suicide bomber killed another 29 people in a chapel next to a Christian cathedral in Cairo. After both bombings, Mr Sisi vowed that the Egyptian state would protect religious sites from attacks but so far the military has been unable to curb the campaign of violence.
|
| 'Explosion' dashes last hopes for missing Argentine sub with 44 aboard Posted: 23 Nov 2017 09:26 PM PST  Argentina's navy confirmed Thursday that an unusual noise heard in the Atlantic near the last known position of a missing submarine appeared to be an explosion, dashing the last hopes of finding the vessel's 44 crew members alive. Relatives of the missing sailors reacted with grief and anger to the news after holding out hope since the sub was reported overdue at its Mar del Plata base on November 17, two days after the explosion. "An anomalous, singular, short, violent and non-nuclear event consistent with an explosion," occurred shortly after the submarine's last communication, navy spokesman Captain Enrique Balbi told a news conference in Buenos Aires.
|
| A look at what some stores have planned for Black Friday Posted: 22 Nov 2017 11:11 AM PST  NEW YORK (AP) — With Black Friday having stretched into a November full of deals, stores will be stepping it up as holiday shopping begins in earnest.
|
| Russia takes Tokyo to task over defense alliance with Washington Posted: 24 Nov 2017 05:12 AM PST  By Polina Nikolskaya and Polina Devitt MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia is concerned that Japan is allowing Washington to use its territory as a base for a U.S. military build-up in north Asia under the pretext of countering North Korea, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday. Japan had wanted to focus on resolving a seven-decade old territorial dispute between the countries but Lavrov's comments on North Korea cast a shadow over the meeting.
|
| Zimbabweans Prepare to Greet Their New President Posted: 24 Nov 2017 02:49 AM PST  Exuberant Zimbabweans converged on a stadium for the presidential inauguration Friday of Emmerson Mnangagwa, who will become the country's second leader since independence from white minority rule in 1980.
|
| Man Dies From Cancer Hours After Being Charged With Murder Posted: 22 Nov 2017 10:23 PM PST  He had fatally shot a 27-year-old man in April, police said
|
| Twitter Users Shred Tomi Lahren Over 'Disrespectful' Colin Kaepernick D-Day Image Posted: 24 Nov 2017 12:09 AM PST  Tomi Lahren is catching heat online for sharing a picture in which football player Colin Kaepernick appears to be taking a knee during the D-Day landings.
|
| Democrats face hot-potato politics of sexual predation, too Posted: 22 Nov 2017 05:51 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have been quick to support the "me too" chorus of women — and some men — who have stepped up to allege sexual misconduct and name names. But now "me too" stains the Democrats, too, putting them in an awkward place as they calibrate how forcefully to respond.
|
| China launches national kindergarten probe after 'needle marks' on toddlers Posted: 24 Nov 2017 06:17 AM PST  China launched a nationwide investigation into its kindergartens on Friday after parents at a Beijing preschool said toddlers had apparent needle marks and were given mysterious pills -- sparking outrage days after another daycare scandal. Security personnel installed a cordon at the gate of the RYB Education New World kindergarten on Friday after dozens of curious onlookers crowded outside the high-end, bilingual Chinese-English nursery, which was still operating. A day earlier, furious parents had gathered in front of the gate to demand answers from RYB, which is run by a company that started trading on the New York stock exchange in September.
|
| How One Really Big Tank Helped Save Russia from Hitler Capturing Moscow Posted: 22 Nov 2017 07:07 PM PST  In the first six months of Operation Barbarossa, the brutal Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Panzer tanks overran hundreds of miles of Soviet territory and reached the outskirts of Moscow before winter weather and reinforcements from Siberia brought a halt to their advance. In a period when the Red Army seemed on the verge of collapse, a lumbering forty-eight-ton heavy tank that could absorb German tank shells like so many spitballs was one factor that bought it badly needed time. The Red Army was an early practitioner of mechanized warfare, with thousands of light T-26 and BT tanks in its operational units when Germany invaded.
|
| 6-Month-Old Quintuplets Dazzle in Christmas Card Photo Shoot Posted: 22 Nov 2017 10:57 AM PST  They were conceived through intrauterine insemination.
|
| Syria talks in Russia, Saudi Arabia aim to unify rival sides Posted: 22 Nov 2017 11:21 AM PST  MOSCOW (AP) — The leaders of Russia, Turkey and Iran on Wednesday discussed ways to promote a peaceful settlement in Syria, including the return of refugees, humanitarian aid and prisoners' exchange, while fractured Syrian opposition groups were meeting in Saudi Arabia in a bid to overcome their divisions and form a united front for Syrian peace talks in Geneva.
|
| Thanksgiving: Tribe whose ancestors ate with Pilgrims revives lost language after prophetic dreams Posted: 23 Nov 2017 06:59 AM PST  A native American tribe whose ancestors famously ate a Thanksgiving meal with the US's first European colonisers, are working to revive a forgotten language after one of their members had a series of prophetic dreams. The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, which is based in and around Cape Cod in Massachusetts, have started immersion classes for youngsters to teach them the language that was lost for decades. It's more than I could have ever expected in my lifetime," Jessie "Little Doe" Baird, the tribe's vice chairwoman, told the Associated Press.
|
| Lifeline for Merkel as opposition revolt over coalition position Posted: 22 Nov 2017 10:59 AM PST  A possible way out of Germany's political crisis appeared on Wednesday in the form of a growing rebellion in the second largest party over its leader's refusal to enter coalition talks with Angela Merkel. Martin Schulz was confronted with open revolt in his Social Democratic Party (SPD) from MPs who want him to throw a lifeline to Mrs Merkel — and drive a hard bargain for the party's support. Other senior voices in the SPD are calling for it to agree instead to prop up a Merkel-led minority government from the outside in the national interest. Analysts warned that a minority government in Germany could be bad for Britain, with Mrs Merkel forced to seek approval from parliament over every stage of Brexit negotiations. "Merkel is basically open to a compromise, but in a minority government she wouldn't have the leeway to make a deal," said Prof Matt Qvortrup of Coventry University. Germany faces the prospect of new elections unless Mrs Merkel can find some way to form a government after the collapse of coalition talks with the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and the Green Party. Profile | Martin Schulz Mr Schulz has come under intense pressure to reverse his decision to take the SPD into opposition following its worst ever result in September's election. He is already facing tough talks with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday in a bid to break the impasse. The president, himself a former SPD leader, is said to be furious at the party's stance. But it became clear on Wednesday that Mr Schulz is also facing a rebellion from with the party over his refusal to consider talks. At an internal party meeting on Tuesday night, more than 30 MPs spoke out against Mr Schulz's position, and demanded he took a more flexible approach. "The SPD is fully aware of its responsibility in the current difficult situation," Mr Schulz said, striking a more conciliatory tone. "I am sure that we will find a good solution for our country in the coming days and weeks." But questions are now being asked over whether his position as party leader is secure, after a number of senior MPs from the party broke ranks to criticise his stance. "The SPD should not rush to call for new elections but should take the conversation with the president seriously," said Johannes Fechner. Chart: Germany is badly fragmented and perhaps ungovernable. It is not getting better. "We have to consider the conditions under which we would agree to go into coalition," said Bernd Westphal. "Making hurried decisions now will bring nothing," said Johannes Kahrs. "Before we go to the voters, we have to explore all possibilities." Mr Schulz faces an annual vote to confirm him as party leader next month, and his position is not secure. He has insisted that the party has nothing to fear from new elections, but many of his MPs disagree with him — and some are openly briefing that he isn't the man to lead the party into them. Mr Schulz led the SPD to its worst ever result in September, and current polls suggest the party could do even worse in new elections. Sources in the party say they have been fielding phone calls from supporters asking if they're "crazy". Leading voices in the party have proposed supporting a Merkel minority government from the outside as a compromise. "We see no basis for a coalition at the moment, so we have to look at other options," Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel said. "If no coalition is possible, a minority government is conceivable," Matthias Miersch said. Germany has not had a minority government since the Second World War, and there are deep misgivings over the idea — not least because it was a series of minority governments in the 1930s that led to the rise of the Nazis. Mrs Merkel said this week she would prefer new elections. But it is not up to her: under the German consitution, only President Steinmeier has the power to call new elections or appoint a minority government. If Mrs Merkel can negotiate a new coalition or a deal to prop up a minority government, she will have pulled off one of the great political escapes. There were predictions the collapse of talks could mean the end of her career, but so far her party has rallied around her. There was a lone call on Wednesday from the local youth wing of the party in Düsseldorf for her to resign, but so far there has been no move from within the parliamentary party to unseat her.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment