| Israel readies to raze Palestinian murder suspect's home Posted: 10 Feb 2019 03:21 AM PST  The Israeli army said Sunday it had started preparations to demolish the West Bank home of a Palestinian suspected of killing an Israeli woman. "Overnight, troops operated in Hebron, where the suspect in the murder of Ori Ansbacher is from," the army said in an English-language statement. The suspect was arrested over the weekend and has not yet been charged.
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| This Week: Job openings, consumer prices, Coca-Cola results Posted: 11 Feb 2019 05:02 AM PST  A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators coming up this week:
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| Top Border Negotiators to Meet Monday as Shutdown Looms, Aides Say Posted: 11 Feb 2019 06:27 AM PST  With government funding set to expire on Friday for some agencies, the top Democrats and Republicans on the House-Senate panel holding negotiations will attempt to get the talks back on track: Representative Nita Lowey and Senator Patrick Leahy, both Democrats, and Representative Kay Granger and Senator Richard Shelby, both Republicans. Lawmakers may decide that a stopgap funding extension past Friday is necessary.
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| A Yale University newspaper editor is urging students to spy on white-male classmates Posted: 09 Feb 2019 12:41 PM PST  Isis Davis-Marks encourages her fellow students to collect information on their white-male classmates to potentially ruin their future careers in a Yale Daily News op-ed.
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| Virginia leader accused of rape will have to resign if claims are true: governor Posted: 10 Feb 2019 10:43 AM PST  In a CBS interview to be broadcast on Monday, Governor Ralph Northam said he had learned from the controversy that erupted on Feb. 1 when a racist photo surfaced from his medical school yearbook, and that as a former pediatrician he could help Virginians heal. Virginia also needs someone who is strong, who has empathy, who has courage and who has a moral compass," Northam told CBS "This Morning" co-host Gayle King. "And that's why I'm not going anywhere." According to excerpts of the interview provided on Sunday by CBS, Northam was asked about allegations of sexual crimes, including rape, that have been made by two women against Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, a fellow Democrat and the state's second-highest elected official.
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| Facebook criticised for promoting 'legal loophole' in US gun ownership laws Posted: 10 Feb 2019 12:08 PM PST  Facebook has been criticised by a gun safety group for taking millions of dollars in advertising money to promote a legal "loophole" that allows Americans to obtain "concealed carry" weapon permits without any physical training. The social network's own records show at least $3.7 million has been spent since May advertising the so-called "Virginia loophole". It enables would-be gun carriers to get permits in a few minutes by answering 10 simple questions on their mobile phone, without ever actually touching a firearm, or meeting an instructor. A company promoting the controversial scheme has been designated a "political advertiser" by Facebook, and has become the third biggest spender, after Donald Trump and Beto O'Rourke. They are far ahead of other big political advertisers, including Democrat 2020 front-runner Kamala Harris, and the oil giant ExxonMobil. David Chipman, senior policy adviser at the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said: "A company has choices to make, to look if it's in the interests of their company to support people carrying guns that haven't been trained to use them. "I would just want them [Facebook] to make that decision with eyes wide open. You don't get that training by answering multiple guess questions on the internet." Mr Chipman, a former SWAT team officer, and a concealed carry permit holder, added: "I would not be surprised if they [Facebook] had no idea what is happening. Their lawyers were probably satisfied nothing illegal was occurring." The situation grew out of the gun-friendly state of Virginia, where it is legal for non-residents to obtain a concealed carry licence by taking a test online. Due to reciprocity agreements with other states those licences can be obtained by people sitting at computers, or on their smartphones, in 30 other states, around 70 per cent of America. The rules in their home state may be much more stringent. For example, thousands of people in Texas alone have obtained non-resident Virginia licences, which are then valid in their home state. Had they sought a Texas licence they would have needed to spend four hours being trained in a classroom, and demonstrate proficiency loading and shooting on a firing range. Travis Bond, a firearms instructor in Dallas, told local television there: "It's not smart at all. It's crazy in my view." The adverts on Facebook, thousands of them, urge users to "Jump on the LEGAL LOOPHOLE" which is "STILL IN EFFECT FOR NOW!". They tell people to "BEAT THE BAN! before "GUN-GRABBING DEMOCRATS" change the law. With little background gun knowledge The Telegraph passed the test, consisting of 10 multiple choice questions, in a few minutes without even watching the accompanying instruction video. Facebook lobbyist, and former UK deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg Credit: CHRIS J RATCLIFFE One of the questions was: "True or false - you should not use drugs or alcohol before or while shooting". A qualification certificate can then be downloaded for a charge of $65 and sent off to Virginia State Police. The adverts appear to have contributed to a surge in people getting the permits online. Virginia State Police records show 8,760 were issued in 2017, 25 per cent up from the year before. The $3.7 million has been spent, on more than 16,000 adverts, by Concealed Online, a California-based company which put together the online test and profits from the fees paid by those getting permits. It has an 'F' rating, the lowest, with the Better Business Bureau, which said it had "failed to resolve underlying cause(s) of a pattern of complaints". On its website the company says would-be concealed carry permit holders can "do the whole thing on your cell phone or computer, its that easy". It says the test is "beyond simple" and "you never need to fire a gun, much less touch one. All you need is an internet connection". The website also warns that "secret factions in the US government are making it harder for you to enjoy your Second Amendment rights". The company did not immediately return a request for comment. It has previously pointed out that it follows the law and has done nothing wrong. Facebook's guidelines allow adverts for "safety courses for firearm training or licences". They ban "adverts promoting the brandishing of firearms" and the sale of weapons. The social network said it had reviewed the "Virginia loophole" adverts and they did not violate its policies. They were classed as "political advertising" because they included "advocacy" related to an issue of national importance, specifically guns. A Facebook spokesperson said it was "transparent" about adverts it accepts. That was shown by the fact it had opened its "Ad Archive" to the public. The archive includes records of spending by all political advertisers, along with copies of their adverts. The transparency push followed Russia's attempts to use Facebook to influence the 2016 election. Facebook said it has a "high standard" for political adverts and they have to be authorised. The spokesperson added: "Our goal is to increase transparency on Facebook and prevent foreign interference in elections. This is why we have implemented the authorisation process, including requiring a 'paid for by' disclosure, and released a searchable Ad Archive. "Separately, we do not allow weapon sales in ads on Facebook, which is outlined in our advertising policies."
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| Lawyer denies tabloid blackmailed Amazon boss Bezos Posted: 10 Feb 2019 02:21 PM PST  A lawyer denied Sunday allegations by Jeff Bezos that the National Enquirer tabloid had tried to extort and blackmail him, insisting that embarrassing photographs were obtained from a "reliable" source. "What happened was the story was given to the National Enquirer by a reliable source that had been given information to the National Enquirer for seven years prior to the story.
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| Trump's Afghan envoy intensifies peace efforts with Taliban Posted: 10 Feb 2019 09:38 AM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration's special envoy for Afghanistan is returning to the country after stops in Europe and the Middle East for an extended diplomatic tour aimed at pushing a U.S. peace initiative.
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| Virginia scandal: Why politicians shouldn't always be purged over past blackface incidents Posted: 11 Feb 2019 09:20 AM PST  Every decades-old instance of blackface does not deserve the gong and the hook. Especially when civil rights are at stake, as they could be in Virginia.
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| Duke of Edinburgh car crash victim feels 'safer' now he's given up his licence Posted: 10 Feb 2019 09:08 AM PST  A woman who broke her wrist in a car crash involving the Duke of Edinburgh has said she feels "safer" now he has given up his driving licence. Emma Fairweather, 46, who was a passenger in a Kia Carens that collided with the Duke's Land Rover last month, said: "He's making the most sensible decision he can. It's a shame he didn't make it a bit sooner but it's the right thing to do." The Duke, 97, voluntarily surrendered his licence after "careful consideration", Buckingham Palace announced this weekend. It comes almost a month after the accident, in which his Land Rover was overturned on a crossroads near the Queen's Norfolk estate. The Duke said he was blinded by the sun before he pulled out of a sideroad into the path of an oncoming car. Norfolk Police have passed their file on the crash to prosecutors, although he is now unlikely to face action. Nick Freeman, the lawyer known as Mr Loophole for his successful defence of celebrities charged with traffic offences, said: "What would be the point in prosecuting a 97-year-old man who has dedicated the majority of his life to public service and who has already given up his licence? Emma Fairweather appears on ITV's This Morning Credit: ITV/PA "I'm not saying (the decision) was designed to achieve that but the net effect of it would render a prosecution a totally futile exercise. It would achieve nothing." Mr Freeman said a potential prosecution would have to be in the public interest. "If he had not given up his licence I think it's without doubt they would have gone down the prosecution route," he said. "They may have thought they had a duty to take him off the roads, they could have made him retake his test, but surrendering his licence scuppers any prosecution." Ms Fairweather, 46, a mother-of-two from Kings Lynn, Norfolk, told the Sunday Mirror: "Undoubtedly the roads will be safer now. It won't have been easy for him to make as it is a loss of independence. But he can work around it." She said she had done "nothing but cry" this week after having an op to screw a metal plate into her arm. The Duke's decision to relinquish his licence is in marked contrast to his attitude in the aftermath of the January 17 accident, when he took delivery of a replacement Land Rover and drove it on public roads without a seat belt. He later wrote to the victims to express his contrition.
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| Photos of Our New Long-Term 2019 Honda Insight Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:30 AM PST |
| Border wall negotiations hit hurdle as Democrats push for cap on number of ICE detainees Posted: 10 Feb 2019 03:36 PM PST  "The president is going to build the wall," Mulvaney said on "Fox News Sunday." "But this is going to get built with or without Congress."
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| Toppled Malaysian leader's 1MDB trial delayed Posted: 11 Feb 2019 03:01 AM PST  Former Malaysian premier Najib Razak's trial over a massive financial scandal that contributed to his government's downfall was postponed Monday, in a blow to slow-moving efforts to bring the disgraced politician to justice. Najib had been due to go on trial Tuesday for the first time over allegations linked to his involvement in the looting of Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB in a fraud that reverberated around the world. Billions of dollars were allegedly stolen by Najib and his cronies from 1MDB, which was set up to help develop Malaysia's economy, and spent on everything from high-end real estate to expensive artworks.
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| Brexit referendum spurs British companies into investing in EU: research Posted: 10 Feb 2019 05:18 PM PST  The 2016 Brexit vote spurred British companies into increasing investment in European Union countries sharply, likely at the expense of spending at home, an academic study showed on Monday. The referendum result led to a 12 percent increase in foreign direct investment transactions from Britain into the EU between mid-2016 and September 2018, researchers from the London School of Economics' Center for Economic Performance said. Although the authors could not be certain if this would have otherwise been spent in Britain, they cited business survey evidence and media reports that suggested spending often took place at the expense of British.
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| Saudi King Approves $3.1 Billion Plan to Ease Expat Fee Costs Posted: 09 Feb 2019 11:52 PM PST  Authorities will exempt some companies from paying the 2018 fees or reimburse those that have already paid, according to the official-Saudi Press Agency. To qualify for the aid, businesses need to have made strides in hiring more Saudi nationals. The fees were introduced in 2018 as part of a drive to increase non-oil government revenue -- a key goal of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's economic transformation plan -- but have drawn fire from business owners in a country accustomed to cheap foreign labor.
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| More storms in store for snow-socked Pacific Northwest Posted: 11 Feb 2019 01:18 AM PST  SEATTLE (AP) — Pacific Northwest residents, more accustomed to rain than snow, found themselves digging out yet again as a fresh round of storms moved over the area, with an additional punch to come early this week.
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| 6 Reasons You're Getting a Smaller Social Security Check Posted: 11 Feb 2019 07:49 AM PST ![6 Reasons You're Getting a Smaller Social Security Check]( "6 Reasons You're Getting a Smaller Social Security Check") Most workers are eligible to create a my Social Security account and get a personalized estimate of their future Social Security payments at various ages. -- Medicare Part B premiums withheld. Read on to find out more about the reasons your Social Security payments could be reduced.
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| Duke of Edinburgh voluntarily surrenders driving licence as police pass on crash file to CPS Posted: 09 Feb 2019 11:04 AM PST  The Duke of Edinburgh has given up driving as police passed their file on his crash near the Sandringham estate to prosecutors, it emerged on Saturday. Buckingham Palace announced that the 97-year-old duke voluntarily surrendered his driving licence after "careful consideration". It comes almost a month after he was involved in a crash on a crossroads near the Queen's Norfolk estate in which his Land Rover was overturned. The collision left the female passenger of a Kia Carens with a broken wrist, while a woman driver and nine-month-old baby boy escaped unharmed from their smoke-filled car. Norfolk Police have been investigating the crash for three weeks, interviewing witnesses to decide whether it was in the public interest to bring about a prosecution. On Saturday the force said it had sent the file onto the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The Duke at the scene of the crash on the Queen's Sandringham Estate last month Credit: George Glass A spokesman for Norfolk Police said: "Norfolk Police can confirm that the 97 year old driver of the Land Rover involved in the collision at Sandringham on Thursday 17 January 2019 has today voluntarily surrendered his licence to officers. "We will follow the standard procedure and return the licence to the DVLA. "The investigation file for the collision has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for their consideration." A CPS spokesperson added: "We review each file carefully before a decision is made and will take this development into account." The Duke has already appeared to accept responsibility for the accident, saying in a letter to having been dazzled by the sun. On Saturday, Buckingham Palace said: "After careful consideration The Duke of Edinburgh has taken the decision to voluntarily surrender his driving licence." At the time of the crash, legal experts said that if he surrendered his licence, the Duke would not be required to appear in court. It is a marked change of heart from the Duke's original reaction to the crash, which saw him take delivery of a replacement Land Rover the day after the crash and drive it out on the roads around Sandringham without a seatbelt. The accident, on January 17, saw the Duke pulled out of his car through the sunroof after it "tumbled" across the A149 and ended on its side. Emma Fairweather, who was injured in a car crash involving the Duke of Edinburgh Credit: PA The following day, he attended the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn for closer examination, with palace aides saying he had "no injuries of concern" despite reports of him bleeding. The Duke later wrote to the driver and passenger of the other car, telling Emma Fairweather, who broke her wrist: "I would like you to know how very sorry I am for my part in the accident at the Babingley cross-roads. "I have been across that crossing any number of times and I know very well the amount of traffic that uses that main road. "It was a bright sunny day and at about three in the afternoon, the sun was low over the Wash. "In other words, the sun was shining low over the main road. In normal conditions I would have no difficulty in seeing traffic coming from the Dersingham direction, but I can only imagine that I failed to see the car coming, and I am very contrite about the consequences. "I was somewhat shaken after the accident, but I was greatly relieved that none of you were seriously injured. "As a crowd was beginning to gather, I was advised to return to Sandringham House by a local Police Officer. I have since learned that you suffered a broken arm. I am deeply sorry about this injury. "I wish you a speedy recovery from a very distressing experience."
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| Every New Hybrid Car Available in 2019 Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:39 AM PST |
| Where the investigations related to President Trump stand Posted: 10 Feb 2019 09:07 PM PST  A look at where the investigations related to President Donald Trump stand and what may lie ahead for him:
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| Brother of Lauren Sanchez reportedly is source of Bezos' leaked texts, photos Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:53 AM PST  The brother of former Los Angeles news anchor Lauren Sanchez reportedly leaked texts and photos shared between her and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
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| Venezuelan military official drops allegiance to Maduro Posted: 09 Feb 2019 06:20 PM PST  An active-duty Venezuelan army colonel who is a military doctor has dropped his allegiance to President Nicolas Maduro, backing opposition leader Juan Guaido instead. "Ninety percent of us in the armed forces are really unhappy," said Colonel Ruben Paz Jimenez said in a video released Saturday. A week ago, Air Force General Francisco Yanez also dropped his allegiance to Maduro.
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| Israel arrests Palestinian over killing of Israeli woman Posted: 09 Feb 2019 10:42 AM PST ![Israel arrests Palestinian over killing of Israeli woman]( "Israel arrests Palestinian over killing of Israeli woman") Israeli security forces arrested a Palestinian man on Saturday suspected of killing an Israeli woman found dead two days ago in a forest on the outskirts of Jerusalem, police said. The Israeli Shin Bet internal security service and police said in a statement that the 29-year-old Palestinian suspect was seized over the killing of the 19-year-old woman during a raid in the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Shin Bet said the suspect left his home in the Palestinian city of Hebron carrying a knife, saw the victim in the forest and killed her.
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| More snow for storm-buried Pacific Northwest Posted: 10 Feb 2019 04:28 PM PST  SEATTLE (AP) — Pacific Northwest residents who are more accustomed to rain than snow were digging out from a winter storm and bracing for more on Sunday.
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| Teen arrested after hit-run leaves Thousand Oaks school employee in critical condition Posted: 09 Feb 2019 11:47 PM PST  A teen has been arrested for running over a woman at Thousand Oaks High School and fleeing the scene.
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| The 2020 BMW Alpina B7 Is the Fastest Sedan You Can Buy Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:33 AM PST  Alpina's latest luxurious creation will top out at 205 mph.
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| The Latest: Warren brings her populist message to campaign Posted: 10 Feb 2019 03:39 AM PST  LAWRENCE, Mass. (AP) — The Latest on Sen. Elizabeth Warren and the 2020 election (all times local):
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| Differences Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Posted: 11 Feb 2019 06:56 AM PST ![Differences Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes]( "Differences Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes") How much do you know about diabetes? Diabetes is one of the more common diseases in the U.S. -- more than 30 million in the country have it as of 2015, according to the 2017 National Diabetes Statistics Report, a publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Millions of people don't know they have diabetes.
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| Venezuela's Guaido warns military on blocked aid Posted: 10 Feb 2019 02:42 PM PST  Caracas (AFP) - Opposition leader Juan Guaido, recognized by some 50 countries as Venezuela's interim president, warned the military Sunday that blocking humanitarian aid from entering the country is a "crime against humanity."
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| Factbox: Brexit - What will happen in the British parliament on February 14? Posted: 10 Feb 2019 03:41 AM PST ![Factbox: Brexit - What will happen in the British parliament on February 14?]( "Factbox: Brexit - What will happen in the British parliament on February 14?") The British parliament is set to hold a debate on Brexit on Feb. 14 but this is not a re-run of a vote last month on whether to approve the exit deal Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiated with the European Union. May will make a statement to parliament on Feb. 13 updating lawmakers on her progress so far in seeking changes to her deal. The debate on Feb. 14 will be on a motion -- a proposal put forward for debate -- about Brexit more generally.
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| 11 good dogs FaceTiming with their humans Posted: 10 Feb 2019 11:49 AM PST  It's a scientifically proven fact that dogs love you. Yes, you! It's also known that dogs experience homesickness whenever we're away for too long. Oof, ouch, you hear that? That's the sound of my heart breaking into a million pieces. SEE ALSO: The weird and wonderful world of relaxation videos for dogsBut you know what's incredibly healing? Seeing people utilize apps like FaceTime to chat with their furry friends. Finally, a near perfect use of smartphone technology. Below are some examples of the most uplifting interactions between humans and dogs over video call. 1\. A couple of good boys right here> my girlfriend fell asleep and me n the dog jus been talkin... pic.twitter.com/ZDqsx69syb> > -- sam (@spicegirlsam) February 6, 2019 2\. Omw to steal your girl> it's been plenty time my boyfriend left his phone and his dog be comin out of no where pic.twitter.com/3WBtmBLKgB> > -- a$aindollpothead (@babyybenjiis) February 7, 2019 3\. Look at all the love in her eyes! > View this post on Instagram> > A post shared by Sadie Leigh Bennet (@sadie.b.the.doodle) on Jun 21, 2017 at 7:15pm PDT 4\. Patience is a virtue> View this post on Instagram> > A post shared by Zorro & Zita (@zorro_the_jack) on Jun 25, 2017 at 9:41am PDT 5\. A real family man> This is my dog realizing hes fting with me & my family because were away on vacay and look how happy he got. pic.twitter.com/ywXpE651iQ> > -- Edz (@deeeameddie) January 16, 2017 6\. Oh no, my heart 7\. Even celebs FaceTime their doggos> View this post on Instagram> > A post shared by ✌️ (@tomholland2013) on Oct 30, 2017 at 5:51am PDT 8\. Don't worry girl, she'll be back soon> OKAY SO IM AT COLLEGE AND I WATED MY DAD PUT MY DOG ON FACETIME AND AS I WAS SAYING HI TO HER AND SHE LOOKED DOWN THE STAIRS TO SEE IF I WAS HOME BC SHE HEARD MY VOICE THROUGH THE PHONE...MY HEART BROKE (sorry there's no sound lol) pic.twitter.com/IF4FR3yN5R> > -- gillian♡ (@gillcalbi) February 7, 2019 9\. Now this is true friendship> My bff and I made our dogs FaceTime each other. pic.twitter.com/kYMN2DAyBi> > -- Kelli Gunn (@jabroniii92) February 6, 2019 10\. She's right there! > My mom put the phone down and had me talk to my dog on FaceTime so then he crawled into my bed thinking I was home STOP IT HURTS pic.twitter.com/WXtVlfA2Jo> > -- kenz (@mykenziegaarza) February 6, 2019 11\. A family who FaceTimes together> my mom broke her ipad so we use fb messenger to facetime with my nephew and my dog knows the ringing noise so he just sits and waits for them to pop up on the screen pic.twitter.com/KGwI4s9NFg> > -- ㅤً (@wantyoutilidie) February 5, 2019While these interactions are peak Wholesome Content™, don't blame your pup if they're unresponsive over the phone -- scientists say that dogs have a harder time recognizing their owners' faces over small screens. A dog's sensory input is also much more attuned to your scent and tone of voice than visual images. According to a HuffPost article, dogs also process visuals 25 percent faster than humans. So when Fido looks at the screen, they may only be seeing a jerky, fuzzy picture of your face. That shouldn't stop you from FaceTiming your pet if you want to see their beautiful face, though. If you're worried about your best bud being homesick, know that if they can hear your voice, they most likely know it's you. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be in the corner, crying over all the love dogs have in their hearts for us. WATCH: Dogs are eating edibles in record numbers
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| Seattle is having its snowiest February in 70 years – and more is on the way Posted: 10 Feb 2019 10:31 PM PST  After a weekend snowstorm pummeled normally mild Seattle, making this month the city's snowiest February since 1949, more is on the way.
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| The Latest: Synagogue shooting suspect pleads not guilty Posted: 11 Feb 2019 06:41 AM PST  PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Latest on the arraignment for the suspected Pittsburgh synagogue shooter (all times local):
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| Shoplifter extortion case against Walmart, other retailers is dismissed Posted: 09 Feb 2019 11:50 AM PST  In a decision late on Friday, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, found no proof of a nationwide conspiracy to steer accused shoplifters into paying $400 up front or $500 in installments for the classes from Utah-based Corrective Education Co, and admitting guilt, to avoid prosecution. Koh said the three plaintiffs, who were accused in 2017 of shoplifting from Walmarts in Florida, Georgia and Texas, did not show that the retailers had specific knowledge of a conspiracy. "The only alleged commonality each of the defendants have with one another is CEC, whom plaintiffs have chosen not to sue," Koh wrote.
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| Donald Trump's Cheap Oil Dream Can Still Come True Posted: 09 Feb 2019 10:00 PM PST  The price rally that greeted the new year has fizzled out as renewed concerns about demand growth outweigh the tightening of oil supply through OPEC cuts and U.S. sanctions. U.S. production growth has stalled — for now — and President Donald Trump's sanctions on oil flows from a second OPEC producer (Venezuela joins Iran on the naughty step) will cut supplies even further. The flow of OPEC crude to the U.S. fell to the lowest in five years in January, according to data from the cargo-tracking and intelligence company Kpler.
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| Afghan lawmaker says airstrikes kill 21 civilians Posted: 10 Feb 2019 01:53 AM PST ![Afghan lawmaker says airstrikes kill 21 civilians]( "Afghan lawmaker says airstrikes kill 21 civilians") KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Airstrikes in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province have killed 21 civilians, including women and children, a lawmaker from the region said Sunday.
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| US angers China after sailing two warships close to disputed South China Sea islands Posted: 11 Feb 2019 12:33 AM PST  China's foreign ministry expressed anger on Monday after two US warships sailed near islands claimed by China in the disputed South China Sea. The ships entered the waters without China's permission, ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing. Beijing and Washington are locked in a trade war and the two sides are trying to hammer out a deal ahead of a March 1 deadline when US tariffs on $200 billion (£155 billion) worth of Chinese imports are scheduled to increase to 25 per cent from 10 per cent. Escalating tensions between the US and China have cost both countries billions of dollars and roiled global financial markets. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the two guided-missile destroyers traveled within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing's efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. Ambrose: China - US trade war China claims almost all of the strategic South China Sea and frequently lambasts the US and its allies over naval operations near Chinese-occupied islands. China and the US have repeatedly traded barbs in the past over what Washington says is Beijing's militarization of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs. China defends its construction as necessary for self-defense and says it is the United States that is responsible for ratcheting up tensions in the region by sending warships and military planes close to islands Beijing claims. Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan have competing claims in the region. Fears have grown in recent months that the US-China trade dispute is just one element in a bilateral relationship that is fast cooling across the board, with top US administration officials sharply criticizing Beijing for everything from human rights abuses to cyber espionage in the US. The two countries are also at odds over regional security, including Washington's overtures to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own. Sign up for your essential, twice-daily briefing from The Telegraph with our free Front Page newsletter.
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| Senator Klobuchar joins Democratic presidential field Posted: 10 Feb 2019 01:34 PM PST  Klobuchar becomes the fifth U.S. senator to announce her candidacy, and the fourth woman in the chamber. Klobuchar, 58, now in her third six-year term as a senator for Minnesota, will seek to position herself as a contrast to Trump, who is expected to be the Republican candidate in the November 2020 election, focusing on both policy differences but also style and tact. "I stand before you as the granddaughter of an iron ore miner, the daughter of a teacher and a newspaperman, the first woman elected to the United States Senate from the state of Minnesota, to announce my candidacy for president of the United States," Klobuchar said.
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| Rep. Tim Ryan: I am not for releasing violent offenders Posted: 10 Feb 2019 10:12 AM PST  Ohio Democrat Rep. Tim Ryan says he and other Democrats would not support the release of violent offenders from ICE detention facilities.
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| Waffle House is taking reservations, but only for Valentine's Day Posted: 11 Feb 2019 05:53 AM PST  To set the mood, Waffle House will put out white tablecloths and dim the lights. They'll even offer a special menu for Valentine's Day customers.
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