| Venezuelan general deserts Nicolas Maduro in highest ranking military defection to hit regime Posted: 02 Feb 2019 05:20 AM PST  A general from the Venezuelan air force has announced he no longer recognises Nicolas Maduro as the country's president, in what appears to be the highest ranking military defection to hit the regime. In a video circulating on social media on Saturday ahead of mass protests planned in Caracas, General Francisco Esteban Yanez Rodriguez says he has disavowed the "dictatorial" authority of Mr Maduro and now recognises Juan Guaido, the self-declared interim president, as Venezuela's leader. Wearing military uniform, Gen. Yanez identifies himself as director of strategic planning in the high command of the Venezuelan air force. His role and identity corresponds with that listed on the force's website. The general claims that 90 per cent of the country's armed forces "are not with the dictator, they are with the people of Venezuela". "The transition to democracy is imminent," he says, urging Venezuelans to come out peacefully into the streets in support of Mr Guaido. Gen. Yanez also calls on members of the armed forces not to protect Mr Maduro, saying that if they are afraid of backing Mr Guaido openly due to internal threats, they should "stay at home". "The people have already suffered enough", he says, describing repression and deaths from hunger and lack of medicines. "Do not repress (them) any more." Mr Maduro has two planes on standby to flee the country, the general claims, adding "he should go". "The time for democracy is now," he concludes. It is not clear when or where the two minute video was filmed, nor where Gen. Yanez is now. The Associated Press said they had reached him on a Colombian mobile phone number. General de División del Alto Mando de la Aviación Militar, Francisco Esteban Yánez RodrÃguez, reconoce a Juan Guaidó como presidente encargado. "Me manifiesto por una Venezuela democrática, por la patria de nuestros hijos y la tragedia que vive nuestro pueblo". #2Febreropic.twitter.com/3YfgnTsFlY— Venezuela al Dia (@venezuelaaldia) February 2, 2019 The defection is hugely significant as until now, the high command has remained outwardly steadfast in its loyalty to Mr Maduro. On January 21, a small group of soldiers in the Cotiza neighbourhood of Caracas announced that they were rising up against Mr Maduro's government, calling on the people to take to the streets. However the rebellion was swiftly put down. After Mr Guaido, head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, swore himself in as president in front of a Caracas rally on January 23, General Vladimir Padrino Lopez, the country's defence minister, and other members of the top brass, took to the airwaves to pledge their allegiance to Mr Maduro. The Venezuelan defence attache in Washington released a video last week saying he now supported Mr Guaido. But Gen. Yanez is the first active general to defect. The United States, Canada and a host of Latin American countries have recognised Mr Guaido as interim president, saying that presidential elections last May were not free and fair. Several European countries, including the UK, have given Mr Maduro a deadline of midnight on Sunday to call fresh elections, saying they will also recognise Mr Guaido as leader if he does not do so. Mr Guaido has called for supporters to protest in Caracas on Saturday, while a rival rally celebrating the 20th anniversary of the rise to power of Hugo Chavez, Mr Maduro's predecessor, is also to be held.
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| Photos: Deadly storm slams California with flooding rainfall, damaging winds Posted: 02 Feb 2019 09:56 PM PST  The strongest Pacific storm of this winter season slammed California with heavy rain, significant snowfall, high winds and travel disruptions on Saturday.
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| The Polar Vortex Looks Absolutely Chilling From Space Posted: 01 Feb 2019 02:06 PM PST  The purple is below 40.
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| Boko Haram kill 6 in southeast Niger Posted: 02 Feb 2019 06:34 AM PST  Boko Haram islamists have shot dead six people in a village in south Niger, near the border with Nigeria, a local official said Saturday. "Six people were killed Friday night by Boko Haram at Bague Djaradi," a village in Toumour commune, the official told AFP, adding the assailants were on foot.
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| Deutsche Bank Denied Trump Loan During 2016 Campaign, NYT Says Posted: 02 Feb 2019 12:22 PM PST ![Deutsche Bank Denied Trump Loan During 2016 Campaign, NYT Says]( "Deutsche Bank Denied Trump Loan During 2016 Campaign, NYT Says") Trump's request was rejected by the bank's top management committee, which at the time included future Chief Executive Officer Christian Sewing, according to three unidentified people cited by the Times. Among its concerns was that if Trump won the election and eventually defaulted, the bank would have to choose between not collecting the debt and seizing assets of the U.S. president, the newspaper said. The Trump Organization sought a loan against its Miami resort to pay for work on a golf property in Turnberry, Scotland, according to two of the people.
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| Snopes pulls out of fact-checking partnership with Facebook Posted: 01 Feb 2019 02:22 PM PST  The statement did not elaborate but Snopes vice president Vinny Green told the media education group Poynter the partnership was excessively labor intensive, requiring manual updates to fact checks by its staff of 16. Snopes said it agreed to partner with Facebook "without financial benefit to ourselves," but added that it faces increasing financial difficulties. Snopes partnered with Facebook in 2016 on fact-checking and has been one of many global organizations that have agreements with the social network to help it fight misinformation.
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| Trump wants U.S. military in Iraq to 'watch Iran': CBS interview Posted: 03 Feb 2019 08:16 AM PST  The Republican president lamented "endless wars" in Syria and Afghanistan in an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation" and made clear he wants to reduce the costly U.S. military presence in those countries despite warnings against such moves from his military advisers and spy chiefs. The United States could rely heavily on intelligence work in Afghanistan, he said, and respond to developments in Syria from U.S. bases in neighboring Iraq. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have sent weapons and thousands of soldiers to Syria to help shore up the rule of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a 7-year civil war there.
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| Meghan Markle wrote uplifting notes on bananas bound for sex workers in need Posted: 02 Feb 2019 08:58 AM PST  Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is giving back to the community and adding her own personal touch along the way. On Friday, she and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, visited the One25 organization in Bristol, which works to "reach out to women trapped in or vulnerable to street sex-work, supporting them to break free and build new lives away from violence, poverty and addiction." During the unplanned visit, the Duchess helped volunteers pack bags of food for women in need. As they went about the work, she spontaneously decided to leave an uplifting, handwritten note in each package. "Do you have a Sharpie marker? I have an idea," she can be heard asking in a video shared by reporter Omid Scobie. She then proceeded to write empowering affirmations on the skins of bananas. > During their visit Meghan asked for a sharpie to write messages of affirmation on items of food that will tonight be handed out to women by @One25Charity's mobile van service. She was inspired by a cafeteria manager at a school in Virginia who had done the same last year. pic.twitter.com/AZwuhSKTzA > > -- Omid Scobie (@scobie) February 1, 2019 SEE ALSO: 14 of the biggest royal family moments from 2018 The Duchess explained she was inspired to write messages like "You are loved," "You are strong," "You are special," and "You are brave" on the bananas after seeing someone do a similar project in the United States. Image: Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images Image: TOBY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty Images "I saw this project that someone had started somewhere in the States, this school lunch program, where on each of the bananas she wrote an affirmation or something to make the kids feel really empowered," she explained to volunteers at the One25 organization, noting how she thought the small gesture was lovely. The Duchess appeared to be really enjoying her time at One25, even joking that she's "in charge of the banana messaging." > While packing lunches for @One25Charity's outreach service, The Duchess of Sussex had an idea to write positive messages on banana skins... pic.twitter.com/Fwm6arfc25 > > -- Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) February 1, 2019 Meghan and Harry also met with many of the people who work to make One25 successful, and One25 CEO Anna Smith told BAZAAR.com how grateful she was for the visit. > During their visit they met with volunteers, drop-in coordinators, mentors and execs from the charity. CEO Anna Smith: "The women we support are often hidden from society and this visit shines a light on the enormous challenges they face and the incredible strength they have." pic.twitter.com/oGOTYim8LG > > -- Omid Scobie (@scobie) February 1, 2019 "That really touched me--and I'm not even a royalist," Smith said about Meghan's banana notes. "She was just watching the food being packed up and suddenly decided she wanted to write these beautiful messages on every banana they had there." "She had clearly listened and heard what we are all about -- that we don't judge, we simply offer the service and unconditional love. She totally got it." ## WATCH: Meghan Markle is the reigning queen of Google
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| Ralph Northam: Virginia governor 'said racist yearbook photo wasn't him' after refusing to resign Posted: 02 Feb 2019 12:11 PM PST  Virginia governor Ralph Northam is refusing to resign despite overwhelming pressure from within his Democratic party and has told at least one lawmaker that he now does not think that a racist photo in his 1984 yearbook includes him, Democratic party officials said. Mr Northam publicly apologised on Friday for the medical school yearbook photo and acknowledged that he appeared in the image, which is of one man in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan robe.
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| Group defends article on Henry Ford's anti-Semitic views Posted: 02 Feb 2019 11:18 AM PST ![Group defends article on Henry Ford's anti-Semitic views]( "Group defends article on Henry Ford's anti-Semitic views") DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit-area historical group is protesting a mayor's decision to stop it from sending out the latest issue of its publication, which delves into Ford Motor Co. founder Henry Ford's anti-Semitism.
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| Snow to whiten western US as cold air takes hold into Tuesday Posted: 03 Feb 2019 03:23 AM PST  A sweep of cold air will allow for snow across the mountains and even the lower elevations of the western United States early this week.
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| The Constitution Lets Roger Stone Speak . . . at His Own Risk Posted: 01 Feb 2019 09:55 AM PST  If I were the prosecutor on Roger Stone's case, I'd be delighted that he continues to speak out publicly. Capitol Hill has finally started to take notice of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's brass-knuckles investigative tactics: Rather than call defense counsel to arrange Stone's surrender on charges of misleading Congress that have been expected for months, Mueller had dozens of well-armed agents swarm Stone's home as if it were Osama bin Laden's compound. In his latest rant, Stone deduces that "Russian collusion" is Mueller's pretext not just to nail to him, but to impeach both President Trump and Vice President Pence, then install Speaker Nancy Pelosi and, finally, Hillary Clinton as president.
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| Trump on border wall standoff: Democrats doing a disservice to this country Posted: 01 Feb 2019 07:12 PM PST  Pelosi, Schumer refuse to compromise on border security; reaction from North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows and Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett.
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| On home turf, Cory Booker defends his record and urges rivals to 'bring it' Posted: 01 Feb 2019 05:23 PM PST  Within seven hours after launching his White House bid, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey ran straight into many of the main questions surrounding his candidacy.
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| U.S. judge mulls gag order on talkative Trump adviser Stone Posted: 01 Feb 2019 01:17 PM PST  U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson said during a hearing in Washington she is considering a gag order for both Stone and the prosecution, citing a number of "extrajudicial statements by the defendant" and noting that "this is a criminal proceeding and not a public relations campaign." Stone was charged with making false statements to Congress, obstruction of an official proceeding and witness tampering in an indictment secured by Mueller, who is investigating Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. election and whether Trump's campaign conspired with Moscow. Jackson said if she does impose a gag order, Stone would still be free to talk to the media about issues unrelated to the case.
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| 7 Ways to Profit From Payment Stocks Posted: 01 Feb 2019 01:49 PM PST ![7 Ways to Profit From Payment Stocks]( "7 Ways to Profit From Payment Stocks") Bank of America's best payment stocks to buy. In a new report, Kupferberg says long-term structural growth drivers in the payments industry are as strong as ever. Here are Bank of America's seven top payment stocks to buy.
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| Russia angry, Europe worried after US announces treaty exit Posted: 01 Feb 2019 11:24 AM PST  MOSCOW (AP) — Russian politicians accused the United States on Friday of undermining global security by ending compliance with a nuclear arms treaty, while NATO said Russia was at fault for the pact's demise and European countries watched with dismay.
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| The Latest: Northbound lanes of US 101 reopen, Caltrans says Posted: 02 Feb 2019 08:29 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on California storms (all times local):
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| Groundhog Day prediction is for an early spring but Twitter's not buying it this year Posted: 02 Feb 2019 07:25 AM PST  Punxsutawney Phil, the Pennsylvania groundhog we let decide our seasons for us, is officially predicting an early spring. On Saturday morning, the famous groundhog awoke at sunrise to celebrate Groundhog Day and did not see his shadow. This, his male handlers in top hats dramatically said, signals an early start to spring and an end to winter. But don't get too excited. JUST IN: Punxsutawney Phil sees no shadow, predicts early spring. pic.twitter.com/BsMser58Rt — NBC News (@NBCNews) February 2, 2019 Would an early spring be nice? Sure! Especially considering temperatures have recently reached record-breaking lows in states across the country. But with the ever-present threat of climate change on the brain, reactions to Phil's verdict this year were pretty mixed. SEE ALSO: Bored Midwesterners are throwing boiling water into the frigid wind during the polar vortex Considering several states in America just experienced a brutally cold polar vortex, some gleefully embraced and early spring without question. The groundhog didn't see his shadow, Spring is right around the corner #GroundhogDay pic.twitter.com/SzrEKWcoZK — Tom Eschen (@TomEschenJr) February 2, 2019 #PunxsutawneyPhil did NOT see his shadow this Groundhog Day, which means early spring! ���� pic.twitter.com/RzhRnMoiZr — Adrienne Green (@adrienne_wx) February 2, 2019 The groundhog didn't see his shadow ���� I 100% trust his opinion on the weather pic.twitter.com/O3MpDLSGCH — Charnay Pickett (@CharnayPickett) February 2, 2019 But other Twitter users who've simply been burned too many times were especially reluctant to believe Punxsutawney Phil's hopeful weather reports this year. With climate change dominating more and more headlines, many people began openly questioning this unconventional tradition, with some simply refusing to buy the rodent's hopeful weather forecast in 2019. Groundhog says early Spring. I don't know if I can trust him. pic.twitter.com/PMGj3tTIXR — Casey Wheeless (@WVLTCasey) February 2, 2019 You all don't trust the nations best scientists on climate but you trust a groundhog's mood to determine forthcoming weather this season? — Audrey.�� (@BettercallA) February 2, 2019 Love to live in the United States, where people will trust a groundhog to predict the weather but won't trust 97 percent of climate scientists — Delak (@Delak_Iloth) February 2, 2019 Why do we put so much trust in a rodent & weather patterns? Perhaps this groundhog isn't as trustworthy as we think he is..... — Camille (@camille_yoho) February 2, 2019 America: The country where we deny Climate Change but trust our forthcoming weather with a groundhog #GroundhogDay — Sidharth Rao (@Sid12Rao) February 2, 2019 why do we all trust this group of men in top hats to tell us if a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow or not and why does this decide if we get spring this year — Liv Durbin (@liv_durbin) February 2, 2019 Phil's been wrong before, and his 2019 prediction is also in dispute after Shubenacadie Sam — the famous groundhog in Nova Scotia — just saw his shadow and predicted we're not rid of winter quite yet. Perhaps groundhogs aren't the most reliable weather forecasters after all... so it seems we'll just have to keep our hats and gloves handy and see what the weather brings. And maybe put some more trust in the research-supported wisdom dispensed by meteorologists and climate scientists. WATCH: Tesla drivers are getting screwed by the polar vortex
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| Goldman Sachs may yank top execs' bonuses over 1MDB scandal Posted: 01 Feb 2019 02:45 PM PST  Investment bank Goldman Sachs said Friday it could withhold multi-million-dollar bonuses for former CEO Lloyd Blankfein and other executives as a result of the 1MDB corruption scandal. In a statement filed Friday with securities regulators, the company said stock awards for senior executives could be cut depending on how pending investigations into 1MDB turn out. The Justice Department in November charged two former Goldman bankers for their alleged roles in misappropriating 1MDB funds, one of the largest financial frauds ever.
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| Toyota, Nissan sales fall, but Fiat Chrysler, Honda post gains despite polar vortex Posted: 01 Feb 2019 11:01 AM PST  American car shoppers appeared largely unfazed by wintry weather and the government shutdown in January, as they kept buying vehicles at a good clip.
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| Judge considers gag order for Trump confidant Roger Stone’s criminal trial: ‘This is a criminal proceeding and not a public relations campaign’ Posted: 01 Feb 2019 02:56 PM PST  Roger Stone, the political strategist and long-time ally of Donald Trump, could be subjected to a gag order, the judge overseeing his case has said. The 68-year-old who is facing seven charges in connection with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, has made several high profile media appearances to discuss his case since his arrest last week. But US District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson admonished Mr Stone for treating his charges "like a book tour".
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| Vatican magazine denounces sexual abuse of nuns by priests Posted: 01 Feb 2019 11:27 AM PST  VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican's women's magazine is denouncing the sexual abuse of nuns by priests and the resulting scandal of religious sisters having abortions or giving birth to children who are not recognized by their fathers.
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| Congresswoman Gabbard to officially declare 2020 candidacy Posted: 02 Feb 2019 03:04 AM PST  Gabbard, 37, will officially launch her candidacy in Hawaii, where she has served as a congresswoman since 2013. A Samoan-American, she was the first Hindu elected to Congress. Gabbard then endorsed Sanders for president, becoming one of the few members of Congress to do so.
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| 12 Shopping Apps and Sites to Score the Best Price Posted: 01 Feb 2019 11:46 AM PST ![12 Shopping Apps and Sites to Score the Best Price]( "12 Shopping Apps and Sites to Score the Best Price") If you want to forgo driving from store to store to find the best grocery deals, use the free Basket app to save on your next shopping trip. You can even help other grocery shoppers pinpoint the best bargains by listing the products and the corresponding store discounts you find through the app. You may associate Walmart with deeply discounted prices, but neglecting to take the extra step of comparison shopping is a mistake.
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| Papa John's wants to sell equity stake in the company, report says Posted: 01 Feb 2019 12:36 PM PST ![Papa John's wants to sell equity stake in the company, report says]( "Papa John's wants to sell equity stake in the company, report says") After offers to acquire the pizza empire fell below expectations, Papa John's is reportedly considering selling equity in the embattled company.
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| Rep. Ilhan Omar calls for tax of 70, 80 or 90 percent on the wealthiest Americans Posted: 02 Feb 2019 05:33 AM PST  Minnesota Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar says the one percent must pay their fair share.
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| Virginia governor 'deeply sorry' for racist yearbook photo Posted: 01 Feb 2019 11:12 PM PST  "Earlier today, a website published a photograph of me from my 1984 medical school yearbook in a costume that is clearly racist and offensive," Northam said in a statement Friday. The photo, which was carried by various US media outlets, depicts two people, one in blackface, the other dressed in a Ku Klux Klan robe and hood. Northam did not specify which outfit he was wearing in the image, which has prompted calls for him to resign -- including from several Democratic presidential hopefuls.
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| This video shows the hilarity of teaching parents how to use technology Posted: 02 Feb 2019 05:00 AM PST  This is One Good Thing, a weekly column where we tell you about one of the few nice things that happened this week. * * * While there are plenty of differences between Millennials and Gen Z, as digital natives we can all relate to one thing -- being the in-house IT department for our parents. We've all been there: When your mom wants to change her Facebook profile pic, you're the expert. But one wrong click and suddenly -- you've broken her entire phone, all her photos are gone, and it's somehow your fault. SEE ALSO: Facebook to teens: Plz laugh at these old memes YouTuber Gus Johnson captures this hilarious juxtaposition of youth frustration versus parental struggle in his video titled "helping mom use the ipad." Watching the video threw me straight back into circular conversations I've gone through with my own mom, who's a big fan of calling all Apple products "iPods," and referring to everything from the remote, to her phone, as "el tiki-tiki." In the sketch, the son, named Sven, attempts to show his mother how to navigate apps like Facebook and YouTube. Hilariously accusatory, the mother cries out, "Where did all my stuff go?" and "Get me back to Facebook!". Sven, like most of us teaching our parents technology, barely has any time to explain before the mom accidentally touches something and goes into a tizzy. When the mother frantically yells "don't tell me, just show me!" and then a second later, "don't show me, just tell me!"-- I felt it in my soul. Gus Johnson's other sketch videos on his channel are worth the watch, as many of them also focus on the cringe-inducing realness of everyday life. Highlights include not wanting to wear a jack in winter, cracking your joints, and how every cat acts at 3 AM. ## WATCH: 6 tech myths that live on in 2019
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| Isis 'could reclaim territory in months' after US military withdraws, Pentagon warns Posted: 01 Feb 2019 02:23 PM PST  Isis could regain its lost territory in a matter of months after troops withdraw from Syria, according to a draft Pentagon report. Donald Trump announced last month that the US would withdraw 2,000 US troops from Syria on the grounds the militant group no longer pose a threat. It claims Isis is determined to rebuild a physical caliphate, NBC News reported.
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| The Best Valentine’s Day Gift for a Bookworm + 4 More Clever Finds Posted: 01 Feb 2019 02:37 PM PST  A roundup of what we've been reading and needing this week
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| Gabbard plans rally after rocky presidential campaign launch Posted: 01 Feb 2019 01:47 PM PST  HONOLULU (AP) — U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard expects to kick off her presidential campaign with a rally in her home state of Hawaii this weekend.
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| Exclusive: Top U.S. insurer to cover Amgen, Eli Lilly migraine drugs, exclude Teva Posted: 01 Feb 2019 06:44 PM PST  Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's rival migraine headache preventer is excluded on one list and patients can pay more for it in some cases on a second list, the note said. As with rival PBMs Express Scripts and CVS Health Corp, OptumRx's lists of covered drugs, or formularies, cover tens of millions of consumers who receive their healthcare from employers and health insurers. About 39 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches, according to the Migraine Research Foundation, and global migraine drug sales could reach $8.7 billion by 2026, according to analytics firm GlobalData.
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| Remember how Hershey's Kisses lost their tips? Well, now there's a fix Posted: 01 Feb 2019 01:09 PM PST  The missing tips are returning to Hershey's Kisses in 2019. Proper, fully formed Kisses will be rolling out soon, a Hershey spokesman says.
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| In U.S. Midwest, 19F feels like heat wave after days of brutal cold Posted: 01 Feb 2019 12:23 PM PST  In Chicago, where the mercury dipped as low as minus 22 Fahrenheit (minus 30 Celsius) earlier this week, temperatures of 19F (minus 7C) on Friday morning felt positively balmy for some in the nation's third-largest city. "Today's wonderful because it's not below zero," said Mary Crissie, 47, who said she closed her deli franchise in the Loop, Chicago's downtown financial district, on Wednesday. "The Loop was a ghost town." Temperatures from southern New England to the Upper Midwest should reach the mid-40s to low 50s Fahrenheit through the weekend and Monday, forecasters said, after a record-breaking cold snap that stopped mail deliveries in some parts of the Midwest and shuttered schools and businesses.
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| Rose Leslie knows Jon Snow’s fate on ‘Game of Thrones,’ and seemingly doesn’t like it Posted: 02 Feb 2019 01:09 PM PST ![Rose Leslie knows Jon Snow's fate on 'Game of Thrones,' and seemingly doesn't like it]( "Rose Leslie knows Jon Snow's fate on 'Game of Thrones,' and seemingly doesn't like it") We know you're probably getting sick of these teases by now that hint at an epic final season of Game of Thrones without revealing really anything in the way of details. Only how gobsmacked the participating actors confess to feeling once the cameras stopped rolling. Still, this revelation from Kit Harington during a recent British radio interview is surely going to raise your eyebrows and cause you to wonder what it means. Obviously, we're not about to spoil what ultimately happens to Kit's character, fan favorite Jon Snow. However, Kit has told one person -- his wife and former GoT co-star, Rose Leslie, who played the wilding on a couple seasons and famous accused him of not knowing anything. Rose, it seems, did not like what she was told. During a recent interview with KISS' breakfast crew hosts, Harington said he told his wife Jon Snow's fate sometime last year "and she wouldn't talk to me for about three days. And she'd asked!" Continued Harington during the interview: "It's quite nice walking around, which will only happen for a few months before everyone's seen it, knowing. I know and no one else does. I know how it wraps up. I think it's gonna be groundbreaking." An Uproxx piece Friday offers a little more from the Harington interview: "Harington isn't sure whether he's happy with the ending, because 'I don't think it's about happy or sad really. I'm satisfied with what they did, but I don't know whether I'll be really satisfied until I see it.' "The Thrones cast has been surprisingly forthcoming about how the public will relate to the series finale, with (Sophie) Turner, among others, accepting that it won't be for everyone. 'There will be some people who are disappointed, I'm sure, because they will want certain people to end up in certain places,' she previously confessed, while Ian Glen (Ser Jorah) said, 'You cannot please everyone.' Including Ygritte, apparently." So there you have it. That's certainly an interesting reaction, as we wait for the final season to premiere on April 14. By the way, Kit telling his wife his big secret might remind you of this earlier piece of ours, in which we noted that Sophie Turner has likewise told a few people how Game of Thrones ends. Miraculously, none of the people who've been told the secrets have spilled the beans as of yet.
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| Struggle for control of Venezuela returning to the streets Posted: 01 Feb 2019 08:30 PM PST  CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Momentum is growing for Venezuela's opposition movement led by lawmaker Juan Guaido, who has called supporters back into the streets for nationwide protests Saturday, escalating pressure on embattled President Nicolas Maduro to step down.
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| US oil giants report strong profits despite volatile crude prices Posted: 01 Feb 2019 10:03 AM PST  US oil giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron reported strong annual profits on Friday, concluding with a solid fourth quarter despite a dive in crude prices at the end of the year. Exxon Mobil reported profits of $20.8 billion in 2018, up 5.8 percent from 2017, while Chevron notched annual earnings of $14.8 billion, up 61.2 percent, capping the best year in terms of earnings since 2014. Shares of both companies surged following the earnings releases, with fourth-quarter profits topping analyst expectations for both companies due in part to higher oil and gas output.
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| 'Willful Ignorance.' Inside President Trump's Troubled Intelligence Briefings Posted: 02 Feb 2019 09:22 AM PST  Briefers say President Donald Trump displays "willful ignorance" when presented with analyses generated by intelligence services.
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| Duterte Appears on Facebook Live to Dispel Rumors That He's Dead Posted: 03 Feb 2019 03:59 AM PST ![Duterte Appears on Facebook Live to Dispel Rumors That He's Dead]( "Duterte Appears on Facebook Live to Dispel Rumors That He's Dead") "For those who believe in the news that I passed away, then I request of you, please pray for the eternal repose of my soul," Duterte said in a Facebook Live post, via the account of his common-law wife Honeylet Avancena. Avancena posted the video of her and the 73-year-old leader at a table, as they discussed a newspaper article while he ate some snacks.
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| Palestinians, Israeli troops clash in West Bank, Gaza Posted: 01 Feb 2019 10:29 AM PST  JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinian protesters and Israeli troops skirmished Friday as hundreds demonstrated against violence by Jewish settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and thousands more against a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
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| What if Election Day were a holiday? Posted: 01 Feb 2019 01:57 PM PST  House Democrats introduced legislation to make Election Day a federal holiday. Here's how experts say it might change voter turnout.
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| In U.S. Midwest, 22F 'feels like spring' after days of brutal cold Posted: 01 Feb 2019 03:22 PM PST  CHICAGO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bone-chilling cold that paralysed a large part of the United States this week and caused at least 18 deaths eased on Friday as an errant Arctic air mass retreated, setting the stage for a warmer-than-normal weekend in areas of the Midwest and Northeast. In Chicago, where the mercury dipped as low as minus 22 Fahrenheit (minus 30 Celsius) earlier this week, temperatures of 22F (minus 5.5C) on Friday afternoon felt positively balmy for some in the nation's third-largest city. "It's got to be an almost 50 degree difference, it feels like spring," said one commuter heading home from Chicago's downtown financial district, wearing only a sweatshirt to keep warm.
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| Coq au vin Posted: 02 Feb 2019 10:00 PM PST  A coq au vin will always be a brilliant way to feed a crowd Рespecially when it's freezing outside. It's rich, luxurious and full of umami. Choose a starchy side to absorb the juices, whether mashed potatoes, gratin dauphinois or polenta. SERVES six INGREDIENTS 2 x 75cl bottles red wine 1.5kg whole chicken, jointed into 8-10 pieces 3 carrots, chopped into chunks 2 sticks celery, chopped into 5cm pieces 1 bulb of garlic, separated into cloves 20 baby onions or 10 baby shallots, peeled 1 bouquet garni (a bundle of parsley, thyme sprigs and bay leaf tied with kitchen string or in a strip of leek) 5 black peppercorns, crushed Olive oil, for cooking 250g pancetta or streaky unsmoked bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp 250g baby mushrooms Good handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped METHOD Pour the wine into a pan and heat to reduce it by half. This will boil off the alcohol and increase the intensity of the wine. Allow to cool. Place the chicken joints, carrots, celery, garlic, baby onions or shallots, bouquet garni and peppercorns in a bowl and pour over the wine. Leave this to marinate overnight, ideally for 24 hours. Drain the chicken and vegetables well, reserving the marinade and setting aside the chicken and veg separately. Pat the chicken pieces dry with kitchen paper and season them well. In a large pan or casserole large enough to hold the chicken, heat a tablespoon of oil and cook the chicken pieces to colour them and develop a crispy skin, turning them over. This takes about eight minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and add the marinated vegetables and bouquet garni. Saut̩ for four minutes until the vegetables have coloured. Add the chicken back to the pan, along with the bacon. Pour over the reserved marinade and cook at a low simmer with the lid on for 35-45 minutes. With 10 minutes to go, add the baby mushrooms. Finish with chopped parsley and serve from the pan. Recipes | Angela Hartnett's French bistro classics
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