| Vatican spokesman and his deputy resign, capping difficult year for Pope Francis Posted: 31 Dec 2018 06:58 AM PST  The Vatican spokesman and his deputy resigned on Monday over disagreements on strategy, ending a year of upheaval in the Holy See's communications structure. A brief Vatican statement gave no reason for the resignations. Spokesman Greg Burke, an American, tweeted that he and his Spanish deputy, Paloma Garcia Ovejero, had quit to let Pope Francis appoint a new team in what was a "time of transition". A Vatican source said both Burke and Ovejero had wanted more autonomy from the Vatican department that oversees all communications, known as the Dicastery for Communications. They quit two weeks after Pope Francis appointed a personal friend, Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli, to become editorial director of all Vatican communications. The source said it was believed to be the first time both posts had changed hands simultaneously, underscoring the differences of opinion. "Paloma and I have resigned, effective Jan. 1. At this time of transition in Vatican communications, we think it's best the Holy Father is completely free to assemble a new team," Burke tweeted. The 59-year-old former Rome-based reporter for Fox News joined the Vatican in 2012 as an advisor in its Secretariat of State and become spokesman in 2016. He is a member of the conservative Catholic group Opus Dei. Ovejero, 43, a former reporter for the Spanish radio network COPE, was one of the few high-ranking women in the Vatican. Paloma Garcia Ovejero, deputy Vatican spokesperson, resigned abruptly along with Greg Burke Credit: Tiziana Fabi/AFP During Burke and Ovejero's tenure, the top two jobs in the Vatican press room were, unusually, held by non-Italians. Tornielli is now the third-ranking person in the communications department but his closeness to the pope, whom he has known since before the pontiff's election in 2013, will likely make him particularly influential. Monday's resignations capped a year of tensions in Vatican communications. Monsignor Dario Vigano resigned as overall head in March after a scandal over a doctored letter, a public relations fiasco two months after the pope warned of the dangers of fake news. Vigano released part of a letter by former Pope Benedict that was to have remained private, using it to promote a book on the theology of Pope Francis. A promotional photo for the book released by Vigano blurred a part of the letter in which Benedict declined to write an introduction, saying he was unhappy with one of its contributors. Vigano was replaced in July by Paolo Ruffini, ex-head of a Catholic television station. The Vatican said Alessandro Gisotti, an Italian journalist who has handled the Vatican's social media, would be interim spokesman.
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| Donald Trump, Democrats deadlocked on government shutdown as 2019 approaches Posted: 31 Dec 2018 07:41 AM PST  No meetings or formal negotiations are scheduled between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats.
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| California inmate who walked away from San Quentin is caught Posted: 29 Dec 2018 04:16 PM PST  SAN QUENTIN, Calif. (AP) — California authorities on a nearly four-day manhunt for an inmate who walked away from San Quentin State Prison captured him Saturday.
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| Bangladesh PM says 'conscience is clear' as opposition claims election rigged Posted: 31 Dec 2018 06:49 AM PST  Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday rejected calls for a new vote after being declared landslide winner in an election marred by deadly violence that the opposition slammed as "farcical" and rigged. Hasina's ruling Awami League party and its allies won 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament, with the main opposition securing only six seats. Hasina, who gets a record fourth term, swept aside opposition protests over clashes between rival supporters that left at least 17 dead and allegations of ballot box stuffing and intimidation.
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| Origin of virus that hobbled newspapers still unclear Posted: 30 Dec 2018 04:02 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (AP) — The origins of a suspected computer attack that disrupted the Los Angeles Times and Tribune Publishing newspapers remained unclear Sunday after causing delivery delays and being brought to the attention of federal investigators.
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| U.K. Says Work Still Needed on EU Brexit Backstop Reassurances Posted: 31 Dec 2018 04:24 AM PST  May "has been in contact with European counterparts over the break and you can expect more of that to continue this week," her spokeswoman, Alison Donnelly, told reporters in London on Monday. The premier is seeking assurances from the EU on the so-called backstop arrangement for the post-Brexit Irish border. It's a fallback arrangement to ensure the border stays open even if the EU and U.K. can't devise a future trade deal.
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| Sherman, T-34 and Cromwell: These Three Allied Tanks Won World War II Posted: 29 Dec 2018 05:00 PM PST  Allied tanks were engineered for mass production and to handle routine battlefield tasks well, rather than being over-engineered to survive the heaviest guns or penetrate the thickest armor.
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| Vatican spokesman, deputy resign amid crisis period for pope Posted: 31 Dec 2018 10:35 AM PST  VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican spokesman, Greg Burke, and his deputy resigned abruptly Monday amid an overhaul of the Vatican's communications operations and a crisis period in Pope Francis' papacy.
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| The 16 Most Beautiful Highways for Road Trips Posted: 31 Dec 2018 05:00 AM PST |
| Kevin Spacey to plead not guilty to sex-crime charge on Nantucket Posted: 31 Dec 2018 09:28 AM PST  The actor will plead not guilty to groping a teen boy on Nantucket but he doesn't want to do in person at his arraignment.
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| 4-year-old undergoes surgery after swallowing magnets from popular toy Posted: 31 Dec 2018 08:27 AM PST  Mother issues warning to parents after she says her son had to have part of his colon and intestines removed after swallowing 13 tiny magnets from a toy.
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| After Mattis, Shanahan takes Pentagon helm at critical time Posted: 30 Dec 2018 06:05 PM PST  Patrick Shanahan, who on Tuesday becomes the acting US secretary of defense, takes the helm of America's massive military machine at a critical time. Shanahan is moving up from his position as deputy defense secretary to the top spot following the resignation of Jim Mattis, who quit over long-running -- and ultimately irreconcilable -- disagreements with President Donald Trump. Little known outside business and Washington circles, Shanahan will be thrust onto the world stage at a time of tumultuous changes and unpredictable foreign policy moves under Trump.
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| Hundreds flee Islamist attacks in northeast Nigeria to seek refuge in Maiduguri Posted: 29 Dec 2018 12:50 PM PST  An uptick in attacks by Islamists and the resulting upheaval in the region comes in the run up to an election in which President Muhammadu Buhari will seek a second term. A faction of Boko Haram, Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA), which split from the insurgency in 2016 claimed responsibility for an attack on a military base in Baga, a town in eastern Borno state, which the Nigerian army said took place on Wednesday evening. The fight to control Baga - a strategic town as it borders Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon - forced hundreds to seek safety in Maiduguri, some 200 km (124 miles) to the south.
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| California authorities seek motive in triple slaying Posted: 30 Dec 2018 02:08 PM PST  ORCUTT, Calif. (AP) — California authorities are trying to determine why a Central Coast man stabbed and beat his sister, mother and a third person to death in their home.
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| Heads up: Israeli woman stumbles upon Roman busts Posted: 30 Dec 2018 09:56 AM PST ![Heads up: Israeli woman stumbles upon Roman busts]( "Heads up: Israeli woman stumbles upon Roman busts") An Israeli woman walking near ancient ruins noticed a head sticking out of the ground, leading to the uncovering of two Roman-era busts, archaeologists said Sunday. The life-size sculptures, carved in limestone, were found in the northern city of Beit Shean earlier this month, with the Israel Antiquities Authority dating them to the late Roman period, some 1,700 years ago. The well-preserved busts are of men, one of them bearded, sculpted in the Oriental style that was becoming fashionable at the end of the Roman period, according to Eitan Klein, deputy head of the IAA's theft prevention unit.
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| Tourists throng Egypt pyramids after bombing, but future clouded Posted: 29 Dec 2018 11:34 AM PST  Crowds of tourists stared in awe at the towering pyramids of Giza near Cairo Saturday undaunted by a nearby bomb attack a day earlier that killed holidaymakers from Vietnam. A roadside bombing claimed the lives of three tourists and their Egyptian guide Friday when it ripped through the bus they were on as it travelled near the world-famous attraction. The attack comes as Egypt's vital tourism sector has begun to recover after years of instability and jihadist violence that scared visitors away.
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| Here Are All the Stores Open and Closed on New Year's 2019 Posted: 31 Dec 2018 03:01 AM PST  Including hours for grocery stores and more
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| Defective bracket discovered on collapsed jetway bridge at Baltimore-Washington International Airport Posted: 31 Dec 2018 07:20 AM PST  Investigators discovered a defective metal bracket on the jetway that partially at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, injuring six people.
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| Low mileage 1976 Subaru Brat sells for high dollar price Posted: 29 Dec 2018 10:46 AM PST  With only 2500 miles on the clock, this classic BRAT is in great condition and has just changed hands for more than $46,000
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| House Democrats Chart Path in Standoff Over Government Shutdown Posted: 31 Dec 2018 08:23 AM PST  The plan is to pass two separate bills on Thursday, one reopening eight of the nine closed departments through September 2019 and another temporarily reopening the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 8, two House Democratic aides said. The new Congress convenes Thursday with Democrats in control of the House. On Sunday, Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby said the Senate won't vote on any House Democratic spending bills unless Trump says he supports them.
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| Syria deaths at wartime low in 2018 as Assad made gains Posted: 31 Dec 2018 07:54 AM PST  BEIRUT (AP) — Nearly 20,000 people were killed in 2018 in Syria's war, the lowest annual death toll since the war began nearly eight years ago, a group that closely tracks the conflict said Monday.
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| Volunteers strive to stave off shutdown chaos at US parks Posted: 31 Dec 2018 02:57 AM PST  Sabra Purdy is just back from Joshua Tree National Park in southern California, which was crammed with tourists. It is high season, and to prevent chaos from the partial shutdown of the US federal government, she put on her gloves, cleaned toilets and picked up trash. The result: hundreds of thousands of federal workers were sent home without pay, including 21,383 employees of the National Park Service (NPS), responsible for 418 facilities nationwide, including national parks, monuments, historic sites and even the White House.
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| Missouri man fatally shoots girlfriend, her kids, her mother Posted: 30 Dec 2018 11:56 AM PST  A St. Louis-area man shot to death his girlfriend, her two young children and her mother in the home they all shared, authorities said Saturday. He exchanged gunfire with officers as he fled and was captured several hours later in a convenience store, covered in blood and wounded.
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| Detailed Photos of the 2019 McLaren Senna Supercar Posted: 31 Dec 2018 08:31 AM PST |
| Ask the Captain: What airplanes did you fly in your career? Posted: 30 Dec 2018 06:00 AM PST ![Ask the Captain: What airplanes did you fly in your career?]( "Ask the Captain: What airplanes did you fly in your career?") Prior to becoming an aviation safety consultant, and USA TODAY columnist, John Cox flew a wide variety of commercial airplanes.
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| Amazon to build more Whole Foods stores to boost reach of Prime Now service Posted: 30 Dec 2018 02:20 PM PST ![Amazon to build more Whole Foods stores to boost reach of Prime Now service]( "Amazon to build more Whole Foods stores to boost reach of Prime Now service") When Amazon acquired Whole Foods for $13.4 billion back in June of 2017, many people found the move a bit curious. Now, about 18 months later, Amazon's plans with the popular supermarket chain are finally starting to crystallize. A few months ago, for example, Amazon announced that Prime members would able to receive discounts on Whole Foods purchases, with some items available at a generous 50% discount. And now comes word via The Wall Street Journal that Amazon is planning to expand the cumulative number of Whole Foods stores across the country. The reason? It will significantly expand the pool of Prime subscribers who will be able to take advantage of Amazon Prime Now, the company's free two-hour delivery service. "The push would bring Whole Foods to more suburbs and other areas where the natural grocer is quickly adding customers since the merger," the Journal explains. "That is a shift from the layoffs and slowing store growth Whole Foods experienced for several years before Amazon bought it in 2017..." Notably, Amazon is reportedly contemplating adding stores to areas that currently lack a Whole Foods presence, with areas in Idaho and Utah being two such examples. Of course, as with all things Amazon, everything can seemingly be tied back to Amazon Prime, which currently boasts more than 100 million subscribers. Over the past few years, Amazon has significantly increased the number of benefits afforded to Prime subscribers. This, of course, should be expected given that the price of a Prime subscription this year jumped from $99 to $116. All that said, free two-hour delivery from Whole Foods is undoubtedly a nice perk that will certainly keep current Prime subscribers happy and potentially sway prospective Prime subscribers to pull the trigger. And in a rare instance where the word "synergy" might appropriately be used, Amazon anticipates that the move will "attract new customers to Whole Foods and draw them back more often."
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| Trump's border wall 'not really a wall', says outgoing chief of staff John Kelly Posted: 30 Dec 2018 11:45 AM PST  Donald Trump's outgoing chief of staff on Sunday admitted the president's planned wall along the US and Mexico border would be more like a fence, as he gave his final interview before leaving office. General John Kelly, who leaves the administration on Wednesday after a rocky 18-month tenure, broke with the president on key areas during an intriguing exit interview with The Los Angeles Times newspaper. The two men have had a strained relationship in recent months. In September Gen. Kelly denied claims made in Bob Woodward's bombshell book, Fear, that he called the US leader an "idiot". On Sunday, it emerged that he fundamentally disagreed with the president's characterisation of illegal immigrants as criminals who are invading America. "We do have an immigration problem," the former Marine said while describing his role spending 15 hour days alongside Mr Trump as "bone-crushing". But he added: "Illegal immigrants, overwhelmingly, are not bad people," describing many migrants as victims of traffickers. "I have nothing but compassion for them, the young kids." Speaking of the wall, Gen. Kelly said that after consultation with border patrol agents it became clear that a continuous, opaque structure would not be suitable for stemming the flow of illegal immigrants. For a start, agents need to be able to see through any barrier to allow them to view those approaching from Mexico. "To be honest, it's not a wall," he said. "The president still says 'wall' - oftentimes frankly he'll say 'barrier' or 'fencing,' now he's tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it." "They said, 'Well we need a physical barrier in certain places, we need technology across the board, and we need more people.'" The US president's vision of what he called "a big beautiful wall" that "Mexico is going to pay for" became a rallying cry to his supporters during the 2016 election campaign. But halfway through his four-year term, he is still trying to secure most of the estimated $18 billion (£14.2bn) needed to fund it. The stalemate between Republicans and Democrats is at the heart of the current government shutdown now entering its tenth day.
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| 29 states have minimum wages above the federal level Posted: 30 Dec 2018 10:26 AM PST  The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour has remained the same since 2009. Since then, 29 states and the District of Columbia have set minimum wages above the federal level. Twenty states have minimum ...
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| Two killed in bombing in troubled south Philippines Posted: 31 Dec 2018 05:57 AM PST  Two people were killed and around 35 others wounded Monday after a bomb went off outside a shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Cotabato, police said. The explosion prompted officers to search the mall, leading to the discovery of another suspected bomb which they destroyed, said local police spokesman Chief Inspector Rowell Zafra.
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| New York's Times Square ready for New Year's close-up Posted: 31 Dec 2018 09:34 AM PST  Tens of thousands of revelers will jam into New York's Times Square on Monday to await the midnight descent of the glowing crystal ball that has marked the arrival of the new year in the famed Manhattan crossroads for more than century. Christina Aguilera, New Kids on the Block and Sting are among the musical performers who will entertain throngs filling the streets ahead of the ball drop, the focal point of New Year's Eve celebrations across the United States. This year, the Times Square Alliance, which promotes local businesses and organizes the event, has chosen to honor press freedom after a year in which media has come under attack around the world.
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| Why now is the perfect time to look over your IRAs, 401(k)s and other retirement accounts Posted: 30 Dec 2018 03:00 AM PST ![Why now is the perfect time to look over your IRAs, 401(k)s and other retirement accounts]( "Why now is the perfect time to look over your IRAs, 401(k)s and other retirement accounts") It's a good time to make sure you start the new year off on the right foot – especially when it comes to your retirement accounts.
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| Three ways to rock a smokey eye this New Year's Eve Posted: 31 Dec 2018 03:04 AM PST  Luckily, three of the best beauty vloggers in the business have come up with a trio of glamorous smokey eye looks for a beautiful end to 2018, complete with handy tutorials. Celebrity makeup artist and creative director of Lâncome Lisa Eldridge is putting a sophisticated spin on the party season with her 'Smokey Glam Makeup Look'. Fellow makeup artist to the stars Charlotte Tilbury has come up with a high-voltage party look that focuses on a dewy, glowing complexion and a bright gold metallic smokey eye with a flick of winged eyeliner.
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| Will General Motors resurrect the GMC Envoy? Trademark filing raises speculation SUV may be brought back. Posted: 30 Dec 2018 11:25 AM PST ![Will General Motors resurrect the GMC Envoy? Trademark filing raises speculation SUV may be brought back.]( "Will General Motors resurrect the GMC Envoy? Trademark filing raises speculation SUV may be brought back.") General Motors has filed for a trademark on the name Envoy, raising speculation that it will resurrect the once popular GMC SUV.
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| Illegal immigrant arrested in the murder of California police officer Ronil Singh had been previously arrested for DUI Posted: 29 Dec 2018 12:45 PM PST  Former FBI assistant director Steve Pomerantz says that law enforcement is at the greatest risk of coming into contact with illegal immigrants who are serial criminals.
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| Syria's Assad authorizes Iraqi forces to strike IS in Syria Posted: 30 Dec 2018 09:15 AM PST  DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad authorized Iraqi forces on Sunday to attack the Islamic State group inside Syria without waiting for permission from authorities in Damascus, the state news agency SANA said, as the two allies coordinate their fight against extremists ahead of a planned U.S. withdrawal from Syria.
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| The Economists, Military, Moralists & Politicians Running Brazil Posted: 29 Dec 2018 11:00 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Traditionally, Brazilian presidents offered ministerial positions to politicians in return for their parties' support in Congress. But with politics-as-usual deeply discredited in the wake of successive corruption scandals, Jair Bolsonaro is trying a different tack. The new government consists of roughly four separate groups, only one of which is explicitly political.
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| Police teargas 'yellow vest' protesters in Paris Posted: 29 Dec 2018 03:26 PM PST  Police fired tear gas at "yellow vest" demonstrators in Paris on Saturday but the turnout for round seven of the popular protests that have rocked France appeared low. Several hundred people wearing the symbolic hi-visibility vests had gathered near the offices of several state-run television stations and the BFM TV channel in the centre of the capital shouting "Fake news" and calling for the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron. Protesters spilled onto tram lines and lobbed projectiles at police who replied with tear gas grenades and detained several people.
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| 8th Largest Mega Millions Jackpot in History Up for Grabs on New Year's Day Posted: 30 Dec 2018 01:24 PM PST  The jackpot climbed to $415 million in a drawing set to take place Tuesday
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| Hardline cleric Larijani named to head powerful Iran body Posted: 30 Dec 2018 10:22 AM PST ![Hardline cleric Larijani named to head powerful Iran body]( "Hardline cleric Larijani named to head powerful Iran body") Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani - the chief of Iran's hardline judiciary who has been blacklisted by Washington - was named on Sunday as the new head of the powerful Expediency Council, state television reported. The council is intended to resolve disputes between parliament and a watchdog body, the Guardian Council. Larijani, 57, was appointed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who also made him a member of the Guardian Council, which vets laws and elections for compliance with Iran's Islamic constitution, state television reported.
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| Dow outlook: Why I'm optimistic about the stock market for 2019 Posted: 30 Dec 2018 09:04 AM PST  I was too optimistic in 2018. That makes me even more optimistic for 2019. When most folks expect bad times, stocks usually shine the following year.
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| 2 million in Times Square for New Year's? Experts say no way Posted: 31 Dec 2018 07:41 AM PST  NEW YORK (AP) — Ryan Seacrest and Anderson Cooper will be there. Snoop Dogg, too.
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| Disney, Verizon Fios reach agreement to avoid blackout of ESPN, other channels Posted: 30 Dec 2018 02:48 PM PST ![Disney, Verizon Fios reach agreement to avoid blackout of ESPN, other channels]( "Disney, Verizon Fios reach agreement to avoid blackout of ESPN, other channels") Verizon and Disney were in a standoff over ESPN and other Disney channels staying on Fios TV, which has 4.5 million TV subscribers in the eastern U.S.
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