| House panel chairman gives IRS April 23 deadline on Trump taxes Posted: 13 Apr 2019 12:23 PM PDT  In an April 13 letter that appeared to move Democrats closer to a federal court battle against the Trump administration, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal warned the IRS that failure to comply with his request for six years of Trump's individual and business returns by April 23 would be interpreted as a denial. The Trump administration has already missed an initial April 10 deadline for providing the tax records, which Neal first set when he made his request on April 3.
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| Ukraine president holds 1-man 'debate' before runoff vote Posted: 14 Apr 2019 09:05 AM PDT  KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko stood next to an empty lectern bearing his election rival's name and used a solo appearance at Ukraine's largest sports stadium Sunday to lash out at the race's inexperienced front-runner as a "virtual candidate."
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| Israeli spacecraft crashes into pieces attempting moon landing, dashing hopes of making history Posted: 14 Apr 2019 09:59 AM PDT  The lander named Beresheet ("In the beginning" in Hebrew) was attempting to become the first privately funded mission to land on the moon.
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| Sanders's Medicare for All Goes Too Far Posted: 15 Apr 2019 05:30 AM PDT  It would outlaw most forms of private health insurance and eliminate all out-of-pocket costs -- something that Medicare doesn't now do. Sanders's plan wouldn't replace private health care with a government-run system like the U.K.'s National Health Service.
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| Tell USA TODAY: Which 2020 candidate is standing out to you and why? Posted: 14 Apr 2019 04:00 AM PDT ![Tell USA TODAY: Which 2020 candidate is standing out to you and why?]( "Tell USA TODAY: Which 2020 candidate is standing out to you and why?") Join the national conversation by sending us a letter at letters@usatoday.com for a chance to get your thoughts published at USA TODAY.
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| An F-35 Will Never be Alone: Russia Seems to Warn America's Stealth Fighter Posted: 14 Apr 2019 08:00 AM PDT  This is perhaps the most aggressive illustration of a new Russian rhetorical approach. In a move that would raise eyebrows even by Cold War standards of political saber-rattling, the Russian Embassy in Washington seemed to threaten America's F-35 fighter with Vietnam-era propaganda footage.(This first appeared earlier in the year.)Last month, the official handle of the Russian Embassy in the US tweeted the following update:> 'If a Russia... ever was to see an F-35 inside its airspace', we would love to send Chief of Staff of the @usairforce Gen. David L. Goldfein 'message with two words' — 'remember Vietnam' > 'An F-35 will never be alone'As observed by Foxtrot Alpha, the tweet is a direct reference to a recent Brookings Institution lecture given by Air Force chief of staff Gen. David Goldfein. During his talk, General Goldfein gave this assessment of the F-35's capabilities:"If a China or a Russia or another adversary on the globe ever were to see an F-35 inside their airspace," Goldfein said. "I would love to send them all messages with two words — 'we're here. "It's not 'I'm here,'" he said. "An F-35 will never be alone."
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| The politically correct attack on Ilhan Omar Posted: 14 Apr 2019 02:16 PM PDT  Rep. Omar's failure to focus-group test her description of 9/11 left her open to an attack that is becoming all too common: Language is increasingly deployed to advance an argument rather than convey meaning.
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| What If Winter Lasted for Years Like It Does on 'Game of Thrones'? Posted: 15 Apr 2019 06:08 AM PDT  Winter is not coming to the northern hemisphere -- and we have our planet's tilt to thank.Earth's axis is slightly tilted as it rotates around the sun. This means that the sun's rays don't hit our planet equally: If the rays directly hit the northern hemisphere, it spells winter for the southern hemisphere, and vice versa. Because the Earth is titled, as it orbits the sun, certain latitudes of the planet receive more or less sunlight during each season. [5 Real-Life Inspirations for 'Game of Thrones' Characters]But what if the seasons -- and specifically, winter -- lasted for years on our planet like they do on "Game of Thrones"?It depends on how it happened, said Christopher Walcek, a senior research associate at the University of Alabany's Atmospheric Sciences Research Center. In other words, to answer the question, you'd need to know what caused winter to last for years.It could happen (though it wouldn't) if our planet fell into an orbit farther from the sun (nope) or stopped orbiting entirely in mid-February (this might happen… just kidding).Let's say the latter happened, and the northern hemisphere wound up permanently tilted away from the sun.In that case, in the northern hemisphere, the days would be short, the nights would long -- and you'd have a high frequency of snow storms. Because the warmer weather wouldn't roll around to melt the snow, it would begin to accumulate, Walcek told Live Science.After just a couple of years, lingering winter weather would cause major ecosystem changes, he said.Deciduous trees and plants that normally sprout in the spring wouldn't do so; this would have ramifications for the rest of the food chain. "Bears and squirrels wouldn't be able to eat and would starve, deer would similarly be culled," Walcek said.As animals adjusted to reduced sunlight and availability of energy, "populations of [every species] would be reduced to a much lower level," he said.For example, many animals spend the months of winter preserving their energy through various means as food becomes scarce.Take frogs and turtles. They survive the winter season by lowering their metabolic rate so that they don't need to eat. These animals pretty much become "behaviorally inactive" during this time, said Jon Costanzo, an adjunct professor of biology at Miami University. But "there are limits to how long they can survive without feeding," he said.If winter went on and on, frogs and turtles would deplete their energy reserves and, being unable to feed, die of starvation. Or, metabolic waste products that accumulate in the body during the winter would build up, reaching toxic levels."Frogs and turtles that live in seasonally cold places are very well-adapted to survive the winter, even a particularly long one," Costanzo told Live Science. "However, it is doubtful that they could survive a hibernation that lasts multiple years."Winter in Westeros is long, but it does usually end after a couple of years. But what if our world just got stuck on winter, and the cold lasted for millennia?That would look like an ice age, Walcek said. But even ice ages have seasons, so let's imagine a seasonless ice age.Within hundreds of thousands of years, huge ice sheets and glaciers would form over massive parts of land, and would plow over villages and valleys, the researcher said. "If you stop [the Earth's rotation] in the middle of February, here in the northern hemisphere, probably within about a thousand years you'd see huge ice sheets form over Europe and over Canada."Places like New York City would likely be on the edge of an ice sheet. There would be "huge changes to the whole food chain of every animal and plant," Walcek said. People would take more to hunting, leaving behind hopes of growing plants under packs of snow, he said.But physics won't allow this to happen so... happy spring!Editor's note: This article was corrected on April 14 to clarify that the Earth's tilt does not change as it rotates the sun. * Photos: 33 Stunning Locations Where 'Game of Thrones' Was Filmed * Move Over, 'Game of Thrones,' Here Are 9 Real-Life 'Dragons' * Winter: The Coldest SeasonOriginally published on Live Science.
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| Nancy Pelosi ‘discusses antisemitism’ with Jeremy Corbyn at meeting during UK trip Posted: 14 Apr 2019 03:22 PM PDT  Senior US Democrat Nancy Pelosi has met with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, saying they discussed issues including Brexit and antisemitism.The speaker of the House of Representatives said she had a "candid" discussion with the opposition leader on Sunday at the beginning of her trip to the UK and Ireland."Pleased to have had a candid discussion with [Jeremy Corbyn] today about the direction of Brexit, Northern Ireland, Nato, acting boldly on climate, protecting human rights, and the necessity of forcefully confronting anti-Semitism & Islamophobia," Ms Pelosi wrote on Twitter.Mr Corbyn described the meeting as "open and wide ranging"."We discussed the need to protect the Good Friday Agreement, take action on inequality and the climate crisis, confront racism and promote peace," the Labour leader said on Twitter.Although Ms Pelosi specifically mentioned antisemitism in her post, the Labour leader did not do so in his.The Labour Party has struggled with reports of antisemitism among members over the last few years.A spokesperson for Labour told The Independent the meeting had been arranged for "a short while".Ms Pelosi, whose visit to the UK and Ireland is primarily focused on Brexit, also met with defected Labour MPs from the newly formed party Change UK.The 79-year-old said she had an "important discussion" with the politicians, who have been critical of Mr Corbyn, about why they left Labour."Important discussion with former Labour Party MPs [Mike Gapes], [Chris Leslie], [Ian Austin] to hear their perspective on Brexit, why they left the Labour Party, and the importance of standing unequivocally against antisemitism wherever it is found," she said.All three MPs posted on social media about the meeting and referred to the issue of antisemitism.Owen Jones, the British political commentator and activist, accused Ms Pelosi of mocking the Labour Party by meeting with its former MPs."The British Labour Party is being openly trolled by a US establishment hack who won't even defend [Ilhan Omar] as she is savaged by a racist President and his Muslim hating allies," he said.Ms Omar, a Muslim Democratic congresswoman, made a speech last month about Islamophobia in the US after 9/11.She is currently being criticised by right-wing US politicians, including Donald Trump, for her comments.On Saturday Ms Pelosi said she had taken steps to ensure the congresswoman's safety after Mr Trump retweeted a video attacking the Minnesota representative.She will meet with government ministers on Monday as she continues her UK visit.
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| View Photos of the I.D. Roomzz Electric SUV Concept Posted: 14 Apr 2019 04:15 AM PDT |
| New Zealand mosque shootings: Six in court on charges they sent attack images Posted: 15 Apr 2019 01:08 AM PDT  The charge of supplying or distributing objectionable material carries a penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment.
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| Military's Grip on Power Challenged by Sudan Democracy Protests Posted: 14 Apr 2019 12:57 AM PDT ![Military's Grip on Power Challenged by Sudan Democracy Protests]( "Military's Grip on Power Challenged by Sudan Democracy Protests") The moves on Saturday followed the decision of Defense Minister Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf to stand down as the head of the council less then two days after the military's overthrow of Omar al-Bashir's 30-year rule and just hours after veteran intelligence chief Salah Gosh resigned. "The coup-makers are in disarray," said Alex de Waal, executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts University in Massachusetts, and a Sudan expert.
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| Red Cross appeals for three staff missing in Syria since 2013 Posted: 14 Apr 2019 02:30 PM PDT ![Red Cross appeals for three staff missing in Syria since 2013]( "Red Cross appeals for three staff missing in Syria since 2013") The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) appealed on Sunday for information on the whereabouts of three employees abducted in Syria more than five years ago and last known to have been held by Islamic State. Breaking its silence on the case, the independent aid agency identified the three as Louisa Akavi, a nurse from New Zealand, and Syrian drivers Alaa Rajab and Nabil Bakdounes. U.S.-backed forces proclaimed the capture of Islamic State's last territory in Syria last month, eliminating its rule over a caliphate which it had proclaimed in Iraq and Syria in 2014.
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| Daimler faces probe over 'new cheating software' Posted: 14 Apr 2019 02:52 AM PDT  Daimler confirmed Sunday it was facing a regulatory probe after a report said German authorities have uncovered a previously unknown type of pollution trickery software allegedly installed by the car giant in some of its vehicles. The Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has initiated a formal hearing procedure, Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported. "We fully cooperate with the Federal Motor Transport Authority and are reviewing the facts," said Daimler in a statement.
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| World War II Facts: Lend-Lease Saved Countless Lives — But Probably Didn’t Win the Eastern Front Posted: 14 Apr 2019 12:00 AM PDT  Around 80 percent of the more than five million German military deaths in World War II occurred on the Eastern Front. This terrible conflict with the Red Army consumed great quantities of men and material until the Soviets decisively ended the war by capturing Berlin in May 1945.During that time, the Red Army underwent a radical transformation, having been decimated by Joseph Stalin's purges before Hitler's armies invaded on June 22, 1941, inflicting horrendous losses.But as the war progressed, the two sides effectively traded places, with the Red Army honing a mechanized "deep battle" doctrine that more closely resembled earlier German tactics — just as the German army fell into disarray as war-time casualties took their toll.All the while, the Western Allies provided enormous quantities of supplies and other aid under the Lend-Lease policy. The United States and the United Kingdom supplied more than 21 million tons of aid to the Soviet Union during the war, including thousands of tanks and warplanes.But the question of how much this aid affected the outcome of the war would become important not only for historians, but as a matter of national pride, as the Soviet Union went on to diminish Lend-Lease's role in helping turn the tide of battle. Western historians would, perhaps for similar reasons, overstate the role of the aid in Soviet success.
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| Donald Trump to Boeing: Fix the 737 Max and 'REBRAND the plane with a new name' Posted: 15 Apr 2019 09:10 AM PDT  President Donald Trump is giving Boeing advice after the grounding of the 737 Max 8: Fix the plane, add features and rebrand it under a different name.
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| Will Chicago win their lawsuit against Jussie Smollett? Posted: 13 Apr 2019 11:27 AM PDT  Attorney Andrew Stoltmann says the city's lawsuit against Jussie Smollett is about embarrassing Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx.
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| 'Justice for Palestine' protesters interrupt Cory Booker's campaign kickoff speech Posted: 13 Apr 2019 01:02 PM PDT  NEWARK, N.J. — Cory Booker delivered a message of "love" and unity at his campaign's "hometown kickoff" on Saturday, but the New Jersey senator's speech was interrupted by pro-Palestinian activists shouting "Justice for Palestine."
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| 8 Killed, Dozens Injured As Strong Storms Sweep Southern U.S. Posted: 15 Apr 2019 04:03 AM PDT  Three children were among the dead
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| 10 deals you don’t want to miss on Sunday: $1 LED light bulbs, $10 wireless charger, Fire TV sale, more Posted: 14 Apr 2019 05:03 AM PDT ![10 deals you don't want to miss on Sunday: $1 LED light bulbs, $10 wireless charger, Fire TV sale, more]( "10 deals you don't want to miss on Sunday: $1 LED light bulbs, $10 wireless charger, Fire TV sale, more") Welcome to another special weekend edition of our daily deals roundups, where we dig through hundreds and hundreds of sales to find you the best of the bunch. Highlights from today's list include a killer sale that gets you Sylvania soft white LED light bulbs for just $1 each when you buy a 24 pack, a fast wireless charging pad in four different colors for just $9.99, the best-selling Bluetooth earbuds on Amazon for $16.99, $10 off the Fire TV Stick 4K and the Fire TV Stick, brand new current-generation Apple iPad tablets starting at just $250 instead of $330, a Bose TV sound bar for only $199, and more. Check out all of Sunday's top deals below.
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| Ex-Obama Lawyer Faces August Trial Over Lobbying Claims Posted: 15 Apr 2019 09:03 AM PDT  U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson at a hearing in Washington on Monday set a tight schedule of pre-trial deadlines to accommodate Craig's and the government's stated desire to wrap up the case quickly. The charges against Craig, 74, a former lawyer at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, arose from Mueller's two-year probe. Craig is the first prominent Democrat charged, and he pleaded not guilty last week.
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| See Photos of the 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Performance Package Posted: 15 Apr 2019 02:59 AM PDT |
| RPT-Wall St Week Ahead-Industrials' gains put to test as earnings ramp up Posted: 14 Apr 2019 06:00 AM PDT ![RPT-Wall St Week Ahead-Industrials' gains put to test as earnings ramp up]( "RPT-Wall St Week Ahead-Industrials' gains put to test as earnings ramp up") Investors betting on industrial stocks this year have been rewarded, with the group among the best-performing sectors so far, but that strength will be tested in the coming weeks as companies report results. Industrials have outperformed the broader market this year, thanks in part to optimism that the United States may soon have a trade deal with China, as well as expectations the Federal Reserve will not raise interest rates again any time soon. The S&P 500 industrials index is up more than 19% for the year so far, compared with a roughly 15% gain in the S&P 500.
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| 'A new level of inhumanity': Democrats denounce White House idea to release migrants in sanctuary cities Posted: 14 Apr 2019 09:30 AM PDT  The revelation late Thursday that the White House tried multiple times to pressure immigration authorities into releasing migrants on to the streets of sanctuary cities did go over well with Democrats, who denounced the Trump administration as cruel.
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| Your Air Force Can't Afford an F-35? Buy This Fighter Jet Instead Posted: 14 Apr 2019 03:00 PM PDT  Take a look. While complex high-end jet fighters like the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon dominate the headlines when it comes to the global fighter market, not every country needs or even wants a top-of-the-line warplane. While some nations—particularly those that have poor relations with the West—might opt for Russian or Chinese-built machines, there is a sizeable market for lower cost alternatives. It is this market that Sweden's Saab JAS-39 Gripen dominates.(This first appeared in 2015.)The JAS-39 is an excellent low cost fourth-generation fighter. Originally developed in Sweden the 1980s—part of the that nation's efforts at maintaining a neutral foreign policy stance—the Nordic machine is designed to be relatively cheap, easy to maintain and fight off any potential aggressor.Those traits have made the Gripen an attractive prospect for many nations including Brazil, South Africa, Czech Republic, Hungary and Thailand. More countries—deterred by the outrageous price tags of rival machines—are likely to jump onboard the Gripen bandwagon as more advanced derivatives of the Swedish jet enter production. Croatia, Finland and Bulgaria are but a few possibilities as they begin to look for replacements for ageing hardware.
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| Severe damage in the aftermath of a possible tornado Posted: 13 Apr 2019 01:27 PM PDT  A possible tornado in Franklin, Texas left a trail of destruction through this neighborhood.
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| Florida man attacked and killed by his cassowary, the ‘world’s most dangerous bird’ Posted: 15 Apr 2019 05:12 AM PDT ![Florida man attacked and killed by his cassowary, the 'world's most dangerous bird']( "Florida man attacked and killed by his cassowary, the 'world's most dangerous bird'") A 75-year-old man in Florida was killed by a cassowary, a large, flightless bird native to Australia and New Guinea.
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| UN envoy holds 'substantial' talks with Syria FM in Damascus Posted: 13 Apr 2019 05:53 PM PDT  The UN envoy for Syria held "substantial" talks Sunday in Damascus with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on efforts to find a political settlement to the country's eight-year-long war. "We have had very detailed substantial discussions," Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen told reporters after the meeting. State news agency SANA said Pedersen and Muallem discussed ongoing efforts to advance Syria's political process, including moves to form a committee tasked with drawing up a post-war constitution.
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| Trump says Boeing should fix, 'rebrand' grounded 737 MAX jet Posted: 15 Apr 2019 04:37 AM PDT  The FAA has been meeting with representatives from major airlines over the next steps after more than 300 Boeing 737 MAXs were grounded worldwide.
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| Pete Buttigieg Enters Presidential Race With a Message of Generational Change Posted: 14 Apr 2019 04:06 PM PDT  The South Bend mayor framed the 2020 election as a choice between America's future and its past.
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| Tornado hits central Texas town as severe storms forecast from Dallas to Birmingham, Alabama Posted: 13 Apr 2019 03:52 PM PDT  Severe thunderstorms, including strong tornadoes, damaging winds and very large hail, are likely from East Texas to western Alabama Saturday.
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| Why Did Judas Really Betray Jesus? Posted: 13 Apr 2019 07:32 PM PDT  Photo Illustration by Sarah Rogers/Photo GettyWith Easter right around the corner, Christians are thinking about the death and resurrection of Jesus. The events that took place during what is now called "Holy Week" certainly transformed the history of the world, but they also created a new villain: Judas. As one of Jesus' closest followers and friends you have to wonder what he was thinking when he betrayed Jesus. What did Judas know that we don't?For much of history, we have been led to think that Judas betrayed Jesus for a payout. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas received 30 pieces of silver for betraying Jesus. But in modern terms, that's the equivalent of about six weeks of work for a day laborer: not a huge amount, and certainly not enough money to compensate you for betraying someone you had spent years following. If you were already annoyed and planning on leaving the movement, then perhaps this sweetener could help push you further along the path to betrayal. But the general impression that Judas betrayed Jesus for the money doesn't make a great deal of sense. The Gospel of John, which is almost certainly the last of the canonical gospels to be written, doubles down on the idea that Judas was motivated by financial reward. John adds that Judas was a thief who had stolen from the common resources of the group. Some of the gospels introduce the idea of demonic inspiration and possession. According to Luke 22:3, it was during the final week in Jerusalem that the devil placed the idea of betraying Jesus into Judas's heart. This isn't just a literary flourish or theological window-dressing; the demonization of Judas has a long history in influencing how people, medieval Christian in particular, have thought about Jews in general. Add this to ahistorical scenes in which the Jews called for the crucifixion of Jesus and say that the blood of Jesus rests on them and their children, and the Jewish people end up as the villains of the piece. The intertwining of antisemitism, the passion narrative, and violence is one of the reasons that it is important we get the historical pieces of the passion narrative correct.If it wasn't about the money then, historically speaking, why did Judas do it? In truth, no one knows. But there are a number of historically and narratively responsible explanations.In the first place, Judas's betrayal of Jesus takes place at the tail end of a difficult few days for Jesus' followers. According to the Gospel of Mark, the first gospel to be written and thus the one closest to the actual events, Jesus and his followers spent an evening at the home of Simon the leper in Bethany two days before Jesus' arrest and crucifixion. As the group is at dinner, a woman comes in with a jar of extremely expensive perfume and pours it out on Jesus's head. Mark says that "some" of those who were present were angry at her actions and asked, "Why was the ointment wasted in this way? [It] could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." Mark does not say exactly which of the disciples are indignant, but immediately afterwards, we are told, Judas leaves to betray Jesus to the chief priests. If, as the Gospel of John writes, Judas was the group 'treasurer,' it would make sense that he was angered by this event. During his ministry Jesus and his followers lived close to what we could call the breadline. They received some financial support from his wider group of supporters (particularly women), and they could depend on friends and community members for occasional food and lodging, but life was hard. Organizing the group's limited funds and resources would have been a difficult task. In addition to which, Judas, like the other disciples, had left behind his family (whatever that looked like), home, and hopes of reliable employment when he had decided to follow Jesus. After years of struggling to make ends meet it might be frustrating to watch one's leader do something so wasteful. Modern readers (who, let's face it, know the ending when they first read the gospels) can see all the moments at which Jesus seems to be warning the disciples that he will be arrested and executed, and can therefore understand the scene as an anointing before death. But to the disciples none of this was immediately clear.Moreover, at this particular moment, the disciples had been waiting for something dramatic to happen. Like most first-century Jews living in Roman-occupied Judea and Galilee, they were awaiting the arrival of a messiah to overthrow the shackles of the oppressive Roman government and establish a new regime. While some first-century Jews thought the messiah would be a priestly figure, the assumption that the messiah would help liberate the people was extremely widespread. The disciples had similar expectations. At one point two of the other disciples—James and John, the sons of Zebedee—ask Jesus for positions of authority when that happens. At another moment Peter declares that he will not allow Jesus to die. None of the disciples have an accurate sense of what kind of messiah Jesus actually is; they all misunderstand his message. The week before Jesus is crucified, at the event we know as Palm Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem in triumph on the back of a donkey. The whole scene—with crowds assembled waving branches, a leader riding into the city, and the shouts of the people that Jesus comes in the name of the Lord—is reminiscent of a Roman Triumph, the celebratory ritual in which a great military leader was welcomed into the city in a procession. Everything about this moment suggests that Jesus is a political figure. Then Jesus proceeds to the Jewish Temple, where he overturns tables and throws out the money changers. To many people, but arguably especially the disciples, it seems as if things are about to happen. The revolution is beginning. But nothing like that actually happens; there's no rebellion. Jesus does not raise an army, organize troops, or even try to evangelize the pilgrims who were visiting Jerusalem for Passover. At this juncture, maybe Judas is tired and disappointed and just wants to go home and try to pick up the pieces of his life. Alternatively, perhaps he thinks he can force Jesus' hand and propel him towards a rebellion. If Jesus is arrested, one might imagine, maybe God will intervene. Perhaps Judas genuinely thinks that his actions will expedite the arrival of the Kingdom of God and is horrified at how things unfold? In either case, almost immediately after having betrayed Jesus, Judas regrets his actions and tries to return the money he was paid. In one version of the story, he commits suicide. Modern readers aren't the only ones to wonder about Judas' thought process and motivations. About 250 years after the death of Jesus, a group of Christians wrote a new history of Judas. The text is known as the Gospel of Judas, and when it was discovered and announced to the world in 2006 it caused something of a media firestorm. In this version of the Easter story, Judas is presented in a much more sympathetic light: he was on a kind of secret mission from Jesus. Jesus asked Judas to do this and even predicted that Judas would be "cursed for generations" as a result, but also promised him that one day he would be vindicated. The Gospel of Judas tells us absolutely nothing about the historical events that took place on the last few days of Jesus's life, but it does prompt the question: how did Judas' actions shape history? According to the Bible, it was the kiss of Judas that led to Jesus's arrest and execution, and without that Jesus might never have been crucified. In some ways, you might say, Christianity owes a lot to Judas.Read more at The Daily Beast.
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| UN says 120 killed since fighting broke out in Libya Posted: 14 Apr 2019 06:41 AM PDT  CAIRO (AP) — More than 120 people have been killed since a Libyan military commander launched an assault on the capital 10 days ago, igniting clashes with rival militias, the U.N. health agency said Sunday.
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| Renting flat-pack furniture? Ikea's push to go green Posted: 13 Apr 2019 08:08 PM PDT  Ikea will start renting and recycling furniture worldwide as part of an eco-friendly drive to address concerns its affordable, flat-pack business model leads to overconsumption and waste. Ingka Group, which operates 367 Ikea stores worldwide, earlier this year launched a pilot leasing furniture in four countries, a project it now plans to expand to all of its 30 markets. The idea is actually not that absurd, said Cecilia Cassinger, a professor of strategic communication at Sweden's Lund University.
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| Volkswagen Says This I.D. Roomzz Electric SUV Concept Will Be Out in 2021 Posted: 14 Apr 2019 04:15 AM PDT  The mid-size SUV is the sixth all-electric concept from the German automaker and will be part of a rollout of VW EVs that starts next year.
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| U.K. Conservative Party’s Splits Wide as Ever: Brexit Update Posted: 14 Apr 2019 03:38 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Follow @Brexit on Twitter, join our Facebook group and sign up to our Brexit Bulletin.
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| La. church fires: Documents claim suspect bought gas can before crimes Posted: 14 Apr 2019 10:50 AM PDT  Authorities used surveillance video, debit card purchases and cell phone data to tie Holden Matthews to three church fires, according to court records.
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| Here's How Much the Priciest Toll Roads, Bridges, and Tunnels Cost in the United States Posted: 15 Apr 2019 06:29 AM PDT |
| UPDATE 1-Trump wishes 'no ill will' with tweet on Muslim lawmaker -White House Posted: 14 Apr 2019 01:19 PM PDT ![UPDATE 1-Trump wishes 'no ill will' with tweet on Muslim lawmaker -White House]( "UPDATE 1-Trump wishes 'no ill will' with tweet on Muslim lawmaker -White House") President Donald Trump did not wish any harm in his Twitter post criticizing Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar's comments on the 9/11 attacks, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Sunday. "Certainly the president is wishing no ill will, certainly not violence towards anyone," Sanders told ABC News' "This Week" show. "But the president is absolutely and should be calling out the congresswoman for her, not only one-time, but history of anti-Semitic comments," she said.
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| Game of Thrones Meets International Relations: A Match Made In Heaven? Posted: 13 Apr 2019 12:57 PM PDT  George R. R. Martin, author of the acclaimed A Song of Ice and Fire book series which has been brilliantly adapted for television as HBO's Game of Thrones, is fond of invoking a quote by William Faulkner that, "The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself." While both Thrones and its literary inspiration have done a masterful job portraying such conflict, fans of the series have been equally if not more transfixed by the external conflicts erupting around Martin's characters. Game of Thrones' depiction of a sprawling and intricate multiparty struggle for political and military control of the continent of Westeros has produced a depiction of war, diplomacy, and political intrigue that is as compelling as it is brutal.While Thrones' violence, sex, witty banter, and ice zombies have proven more than sufficient to capture the imagination of the casual television viewer, it is the show's rich portrayal of complex political questions that has helped attract many students and practitioners of foreign policy to the series. Despite its fictional medieval setting, Game of Thrones has provided an excellent lens through which to examine theoretical debates and global problems facing contemporary international relations scholars. With Thrones about to begin its eighth and final season this Sunday, it seems fitting to look back and appreciate the series' deft handling of the very debates that regularly play out in the pages of publications like the National Interest.
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| 2 children dead, many homes damaged as storms slam the South Posted: 14 Apr 2019 02:30 PM PDT  Powerful storms that rolled across the South on Saturday spawned at least two suspected tornadoes, damaged homes and killed two children in Texas, authorities said.
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| Modi says India undermined Pakistan nuclear threat Posted: 14 Apr 2019 06:01 AM PDT  Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday that India had called Pakistan's nuclear bluff in recent cross-border air strikes that almost triggered a new war between the nuclear-armed rivals. Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have made national security the focus of their campaign for a national election now being held. The prime minister told an election rally that an air strike inside Pakistan in February had shown that warnings hostilities could escalate into nuclear conflict were false.
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| SNL Brutally Mocks ‘Princess of Arizona’ Meghan McCain Posted: 13 Apr 2019 09:33 PM PDT  NBCJust in time for the release of the new tell-all book Ladies Who Punch, Saturday Night Live went in on The View hard this week. "You're watching The View," an announcer said at the top of the sketch. "Let's get ready to rumble!" Introducing herself as Whoopi Goldberg, Leslie Jones began by saying, "I'm as surprised as you that this show is a fit for me." She went on to introduce the day's "hot topic" as President Trump's firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and asked Cecily Strong's Abby Huntsman for her thoughts. "You want to start with me?" a surprised Huntsman asked before struggling to balance her "human mother" and "conservative daughter" sides. "Did I talk too long, Whoopi?" she asked when she was done.But the sketch saved the most scathing portrayal for Aidy Bryant's Meghan McCain, who, as in real life, immediately started a shouting match with Kate McKinnon's Joy Behar, forcing Goldberg to intervene by squirting a water bottle at them. "Can I just say something as the princess of Arizona?" McCain asked. "There is a crisis at the border, and the border is right up in my Arizona, which was founded on sunburnt women selling turquoise jewelry, not rando Mexicans. And that's not racist because my makeup artist is gay." As Behar tried to weigh in, McCain shot back, "Can you let me talk because it's actually your job to listen to me!" "OK, stop it. We're not going to do this," Goldberg said. "This is The View. We're five best friends with nothing in common." Later, they welcomed host Emma Stone as "vixen of anti-vax" and former View co-host Jenny McCarthy. "My doctor is Google," she said. "My science is Twitter, and my religion is Donnie Wahlberg." "What the left fails to understand is that vaccinations are a personal liberty issue," McCain chimed in, launching another fight. "Can I punch you in the face?" Behar asked, removing her earrings as Goldberg spritzed her in the face once more. It was just barely crazier than the real thing. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here
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| From Toyota Highlander to Lincoln Corsair, 9 cars to watch at New York auto show Posted: 14 Apr 2019 10:09 AM PDT  Lincoln Corsair, Toyota Highlander, Hyundai Sonata among new cars at New York s
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