| Iran Sets 60-Day Nuclear Countdown Unless Europe Delivers Trade Posted: 08 May 2019 07:35 AM PDT  The move is likely to inflame tensions with President Donald Trump's administration, which walked away from the landmark nuclear deal a year ago and imposed strict sanctions that squeezed Iran's economy, triggered a currency collapse and ushered in shortages of consumer goods. Iran's appeal was addressed to European signatories to the agreement, which are struggling to reconcile Trump's hardline stance on Iran with their promise to continue trading and engaging with the energy-rich nation. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo responded cautiously to Iran's announcement.
|
| At least 2 handguns used in school shooting near Columbine Posted: 08 May 2019 08:39 AM PDT  HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (AP) — Two high school students used at least two handguns in the shooting at a charter school that killed one of their classmates and injured eight others in a Colorado community that just weeks ago marked the 20th anniversary of one of the nation's worst school shootings, authorities said Wednesday.
|
| In Rare Bipartisan Move, Reps. Adam Schiff and Devin Nunes Threaten to Subpoena DOJ for Mueller Files Posted: 07 May 2019 04:25 PM PDT  Aaron P. Bernstein/ReutersThe House Intelligence Committee's Democratic chairman and Republican ranking member are threatening to hit the Justice Department with a rare bipartisan subpoena if the department doesn't hand over testimony and briefing materials produced by Special Counsel Robert Mueller during the Russia investigation.In a letter dated April 25, Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-CA) wrote to Attorney General Bill Barr, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and FBI Director Christopher Wray to complain that the "Department of Justice and the FBI failed to keep the Committee 'fully and currently informed'" of foreign intelligence and counterintelligence information obtained in the course of Mueller's investigation. Schiff and Nunes expressed concerns that the Department and Bureau also failed to the address the committee's prior request for Mueller to testify before the committee."In addition to the complete unredacted report, the Committee's request includes all classified and unclassified evidence and information obtained or generated by the Special Counsel's Office that may relate to foreign intelligence or counterintelligence matters," the letter states.The request also includes information regarding "efforts by the Russian government to contact Americans in furtherance of Russian intelligence objectives," and says it is "unique and distinct from the House Judiciary Committee's independent interest in obtaining the unredacted report and underlying evidence."Schiff and Nunes set a May 2 deadline, warning that "the Committee will have no choice but to resort to compulsory process on Friday, May 3 to compel production of documents responsive to the Committee's request" if the deadline is not met. Reached by phone on Tuesday, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) told The Daily Beast that the committee has now started to proceed through the compulsory part of the process. "The extraordinary thing is that it's bipartisan," Khanna said. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) told The Daily Beast the House committee's letter was necessary because "we need to know if there's an ongoing threat to our national security." "The Mueller Report found 200 pages of contacts between Donald Trump's campaign and the Russians. But not once did it say these disturbing contacts ceased," he said.Read more at The Daily Beast.
|
| Woman says she was drugged at Jake Paul's party, police report Posted: 06 May 2019 04:42 PM PDT  A woman was allegedly drugged during Jake Paul's house party on Saturday, according to an investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Detectives are looking into a "possible single occurrence of unwillful impairment."A guest reported to police that she may have blacked out after "something was put in her drink," a police spokesperson told BuzzFeed. The complaint came the day after Paul hosted a birthday party for the rapper Desiigner.> View this post on Instagram> > Tell Ya @jakepaul> > A post shared by Desiigner (@lifeofdesiigner) on May 5, 2019 at 2:09pm PDT"Detectives are in the beginning stages of information gathering for the incident," the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in an emailed statement to Mashable. "The Sheriff's Department treats allegations such as these seriously, and will use all known resources to investigate." In addition to the police report, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson confirmed to BuzzFeed that they responded to three separate calls to Paul's Calabasas mansion on Saturday night. Two of the calls were related to two "sick" people who were brought to a nearby hospital between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. and another was because a guest jumped onto a nearby property and scared an elderly woman. The woman fell and was treated for "moderate injuries" at a local hospital, CBS Los Angeles reports.Paul's older brother Logan Paul was also in attendance and videos from the party were shared on social media. > View this post on Instagram> > A post shared by I love @jakepaul (@jakeysgucci) on May 5, 2019 at 12:20am PDTFurther speculation was fueled by a post in a closed Facebook group for mothers in the area. The Facebook user claimed her daughter and multiple other young women were drugged and ended up "incoherent" at the local hospital. In a screenshot obtained by the Daily Dot, the apparent Facebook post also claimed guests had to "sign a disclaimer at the door." The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department did not confirm or deny allegations that multiple women were drugged, but urged anyone who has additional information to contact the Malibu/Lost Hills station at (818) 878-1808, or anonymously alert L.A. Crimestoppers at (800) 222-TIPS. WATCH: YouTube inks streaming deal with Major League Baseball
|
| Dow, stocks end slightly down after an earlier jolt from Trump's trade threat to China Posted: 06 May 2019 02:28 PM PDT  Stocks closed lower Monday, paring earlier losses after President Donald Trump threatened over Twitter to hike tariffs on Chinese imports.
|
| Venezuela opposition seeks to pay PDVSA bond interest to stave off creditors Posted: 07 May 2019 03:30 PM PDT  Venezuela's National Assembly, led by opposition leader Juan Guaido, on Tuesday authorized an interest payment on an overdue bond, in a bid to keep the country's crown jewel overseas asset out of creditor hands. The $71 million interest payment will be paid on state oil company PDVSA's 2020 bond, which is backed by shares in its subsidiary, U.S. refiner Citgo Petroleum.
|
| Deceased pets recovered from plane in Florida river Posted: 06 May 2019 02:19 PM PDT  JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Deceased pets have been recovered from a chartered jet that ran into a river at a Florida military base.
|
| Palestinians say truce reached with Israel to end deadly escalation Posted: 06 May 2019 10:12 AM PDT  Palestinian leaders in Gaza agreed to a ceasefire with Israel on Monday to end a deadly two-day escalation in violence that threatened to widen into a fourth war between them since 2008. Egypt brokered the agreement to cease hostilities from 4:30 am (0130 GMT), an official from the strip's Islamist rulers Hamas and another from its allied group Islamic Jihad said on condition of anonymity.
|
| Full spec sheet for Google’s upcoming Pixel 3a smartphone just leaked Posted: 06 May 2019 12:51 PM PDT  With the smartphone market arguably saturated with premium devices that are practically indistinguishable, handset makers are now making a concerted effort to roll out thoughtfully designed smartphones at far more affordable price points. We saw it recently with the Galaxy S10e and soon we'll see Google get in on the action with the rumored Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, more affordable versions of the company's flagship Pixel 3 line. As tends to be the case with forthcoming Android devices, there have been no shortage of rumors regarding the Pixel 3a. Just a few days ago, for instance, pricing plans for the 3a leaked and revealed that the 64GB versions of the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL will cost $399 and $479, respectively. With Google I/O set to kick off tomorrow, we'll have the official rundown on the Pixel 3a soon enough; but if you're the impatient sort, we've got you covered. The entire Google Pixel 3a spec sheet leaked earlier today and includes a number of interesting tidbits you may have missed. Originally brought to light via Roland Quandt on Twitter, the leak reveals that the Pixel 3a will feature a 5.6-inch 2,220 x 1,080 pixel OLED display. Hardware wise, the Pixel 3a will ship with 4GB of RAM, a 3,000mAh battery, a Titan M security chip, and will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor. Camera wise, the rear camera will include a 12.2 megapixel shooter with optical and electronic image stabilization. The front-facing camera, meanwhile, will be an 8 megapixel shooter. With respect to video, the Pixel 3a will be able to capture footage in 4K at 30fps. Interestingly enough, Pixel 3a promotional materials leaked as well and include references to a fast-charging battery, long battery life, Night Vision mode, Portrait mode and more. The full spec sheet for Google's Pixel 3a can be viewed below: https://twitter.com/rquandt/status/1125454760725962755
|
| Pompeo briefs Iraqi leaders on U.S. security concerns over Iran Posted: 08 May 2019 01:42 AM PDT  U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Tuesday and met Iraq's prime minister and other top officials to discuss the safety of Americans in Iraq and explain U.S. security concerns amid rising Iranian activity. The visit came two days after U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said the United States was deploying the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and a bomber task force to the region because of a "credible threat by Iranian regime forces".
|
| These Brunch Cocktails Are What Your Mom Really Wants For Mother's Day Posted: 07 May 2019 11:44 AM PDT |
| Congress could hold AG William Barr in contempt. How often does that happen? Posted: 07 May 2019 12:42 PM PDT  Past cases of contempt of Congress have involved a top White House lawyer, an attorney general and an IRS official.
|
| The Latest: American among those killed in Russia plane fire Posted: 06 May 2019 04:53 PM PDT  MOSCOW (AP) — The Latest on the deadly plane fire at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport (all times local):
|
| ‘The View’ Confronts Crenshaw for Defending Trump on Charlottesville: ‘Why Do You Apologize for Him?!’ Posted: 06 May 2019 10:54 AM PDT  Appearing on The View on Monday, Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) was challenged by hosts Joy Behar and Sunny Hostin when he claimed that President Trump never referred to white nationalists or neo-Nazis as "very fine people" during his response to the deadly 2017 Charlottesville rally.Towards the end of his multi-segment Monday morning interview, the Texas Republican was asked about his vocal criticism of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN). Crenshaw, in case you forgot, helped spark conservative outrage against Omar last month, resulting in increased death threats against her when he attacked her for out-of-context remarks about 9/11.Meghan McCain asked Crenshaw why he felt Democrats were "reluctant to call [Omar] out," prompting the GOP congressman to reply that it was because "we're playing a team sport today.""We just had a long discussion about how Republicans feel about Trump," Crenshaw added. "I think you're seeing the same issues play out on the Democrat side with somebody on their own team and they're not sure how to handle it even though might, behind closed doors, disagree with what she's saying."Co-host Joy Behar then jumped in, noting that Omar is a new congresswoman before contrasting conservatives' reaction to her with the president's Charlottesville response."On the right, what we have is the President of the United States in Charlottesville saying there are good people on both sides and people are yelling 'Jews will not replace us.' There are not good people on both sides," she exclaimed.Crenshaw interrupted, claiming that "in the same sentence" the president said that he was "definitely not referring to white nationalists." (This, however, is not entirely true, as the president insisted there were "very fine people" on the side of a rally organized entirely by white supremacists and neo-Nazis.) "Why do you apologize for him?!" Behar shot back, causing Crenshaw to double down on his defense, telling her she needed to "read what he actually said."Hostin, meanwhile, claimed that Trump didn't admonish white supremacists in the same sentence but rather in a fumbling later statement. As they continued to argue about whether or not Trump condemned white nationalists, McCain rallied to Crenshaw's defense, saying she didn't "think it matters" because "bigotry and any kind of statements like these should be called out."As for Crenshaw's assertion that Trump said he wasn't referring to white nationalists during his Aug. 15, 2017 remarks, this really comes down to hair-splitting and not looking at the comments in a larger context."Excuse me, they didn't put themselves down as neo-Nazis, and you had some very bad people in that group," Trump said at the time. "But you also had people that were very fine people on both sides."Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here
|
| Anadarko calls Occidental takeover offer 'superior' to Chevron's Posted: 06 May 2019 07:39 PM PDT  US oil group Anadarko said Monday that Occidental Petroleum's takeover bid is "superior" to Chevron's, amid a fierce battle over the company's assets in the shale-rich Permian Basin in Texas. After initially siding with Chevron, Anadarko reopened talks when Occidental raised its share price. Last week, Occidental also upped its cash offer to $38 billion.
|
| New York prosecutors allege sex cult leader was 'predator' Posted: 07 May 2019 07:06 PM PDT  "The defendant took advantage of them emotionally and sexually," Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Hajjar said in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn. ... He compared himself to Einstein and to Gandhi." But defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told jurors that all the women joined Nxivm voluntarily and that Raniere was merely a tough taskmaster, not an abusive criminal mastermind. Control can make gold medal winners." Raniere, 58, is accused of recruiting women to join his group, Nxivm, and then exercising total dominion over them - forcing them to have sex with him, restricting their diets and branding them with his initials.
|
| 25+ Mother's Day Desserts That Are Better Than A Gift Posted: 07 May 2019 02:58 PM PDT |
| Apple’s new iPhone 11R design just leaked for the first time Posted: 08 May 2019 06:26 AM PDT  Apple's next-generation iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max smartphones have been leaking like crazy lately. We've gotten all sorts of detail from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the most accurate Apple insider in the world, and it's obviously safe to say that the info he shared is accurate. Then we saw the actual designs leak courtesy of CAD files that were stolen from the Foxconn factory where Apple's new iPhone models will be manufactured. These new renders basically confirmed everything we had heard, that the new iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max will look just like the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, but they'll have a new triple-lens camera arrays on the back of each phone.The iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max are Apple's flagship smartphones for 2019, so they're obviously the most talked about models right now. When it comes to popularity and sales, however, it's practically guaranteed that the third new 2019 iPhone model will top both of the flagships. The iPhone 11R, or whatever Apple ends up calling it, is expected to be priced in line with the current iPhone XR, just as Apple's iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max are seen carrying the same price tags as the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max do now. With pricing that soars as high as $1,500, it's no wonder that the iPhone XR outsells its flagship counterparts.Just like the iPhone 11 and 11 Max, the iPhone 11R will apparently also get a minor design refresh in 2019. And now, a new leak seemingly shows us Apple's final iPhone 11R design for the first time.Twitter user OnLeaks is the often the source of unreleased smartphone renders based on CAD files that have been stolen from computers at Foxconn's factory. Since they're based on files that come straight from the entity tasked with building all of these smartphones, these renders almost always end up being accurate depictions of unreleased handsets. OnLeaks is once again the source of these new renders, and they were shared in partnership with an Indian gadget blog called Pricebaba.As you can see in the render above, the front of the iPhone 11R appears completely unchanged as compared to the iPhone XR. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise, of course, since the exact same thing can be said of the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max. And as is the case with the iPhone 11 and 11 Max, the back of the iPhone 11R is also the same aside from one huge difference.Apple's mid-range iPhone 11R is not expected to have the same triple-lens rear camera as its pricier counterparts, but it seemingly will have a similar square camera bump. This is in line with earlier rumors we've heard. Rather than housing three lenses, an LED flash, and a rear-facing microphone, the camera bump on the iPhone 11R will hold two lenses along with the flash and mic.A video showcasing the leaked iPhone 11R design is embedded below, and more renders can be found on Pricebaba.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xetWpPkPmLA
|
| Pilot cites lightning strike; American among dead in Moscow crash that killed 41 Posted: 06 May 2019 01:29 PM PDT  The Aeroflot captain who landed a fiery Superjet 100 says a lightning strike and full fuel tanks may have led to the inferno that killed 41 people.
|
| New threats by Trump on trade take bigger toll on U.S. farmers Posted: 06 May 2019 11:28 AM PDT  Already reeling from the president's trade war with China, U.S. farmers received more bad news on Monday.
|
| House Democrats Are Prepared to Hold William Barr in Contempt of Congress. What Does That Mean? Posted: 07 May 2019 11:58 AM PDT  Democrats want to hold William Barr in contempt of Congress after the DOJ failed to deliver an unredacted copy of Robert Mueller's report
|
| Qatar to send money for West Bank, Gaza after Israel truce Posted: 07 May 2019 09:56 AM PDT  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Qatar on Tuesday said it is sending $480 million to Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip after a cease-fire deal ended the deadliest fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants since a 2014 war.
|
| Scientists Figured Out How to Make Neural Networks 90 Percent Smaller—but Just as Smart Posted: 07 May 2019 06:37 AM PDT ![Scientists Figured Out How to Make Neural Networks 90 Percent Smaller—but Just as Smart]( "Scientists Figured Out How to Make Neural Networks 90 Percent Smaller—but Just as Smart") Now that AI can get the job done without the dead weight, the applications could be huge.
|
| Beware: This new robocall scam could cost you big time Posted: 07 May 2019 06:03 PM PDT  It seems that robocallers have have begun to evolve a bit, as media coverage brings increased scrutiny and potential regulatory action in response to their practices. Now that consumers are starting to get wise to the barrage of robocalls and the myriad spam calls that flood their phones on the daily, robocallers have increasingly found themselves less able to trick unsuspecting consumers into actually answering their phones and engaging with them. Which is why they've moved on to a new strategy -- the one-ring call.It's a significant enough move on their part that the Federal Communications Commission has already decided to issue a warning to consumers about this new tactic, hoping you'll be able to avoid it. So what is it, exactly?Just like the name implies, the idea is for the robocaller to let the phone ring just once. Hoping that you'll have heard it, and your curiosity will overtake you enough to want to call back and ask whether someone just called you from this number. (Narrator: Don't do it.)Anecdotally, many people have started reporting this scam as seeming to originate from Sierra Leone, given the frequency of calls that include Sierra Leone's 232 country code in their number. The FCC's warning specifically mentions other calls coming from Mauritania, in Africa."These calls are likely trying to prompt consumers to call the number back, often resulting in per minute toll charges similar to a 900 number," the FCC's warning explains. It goes on to note that "News reports have indicated widespread overnight calling in New York State and Arizona."Generally, the One Ring scam takes place when a robocaller calls a number and hangs up after a ring or two. They may call repeatedly, hoping the consumer calls back and runs up a toll that is largely paid to the scammer."In order to help fight back, the FCC is recommending consumers file a complaint with the FCC (by visiting www.fcc.gov/complaints) if you get one of these calls. Another thing you can do, if you never make international calls, is to consider talking to your phone company about blocking outbound international calls to prevent accidental toll calls. All of this is, of course, in addition to not returning these calls in the first place if you get them.The fact that robocallers are evolving is certainly worth keeping an eye on, because the problem remains a particularly acute one across the US. One that regulatory action has so far seemed completely ineffective in making a dent in. A recent estimate from YouMail, for example, estimated that US consumers were hit with about 4.9 billion robocalls just in April alone.
|
| EU-Iran trade vehicle unlikely to meet anti-money-laundering norms: U.S. Posted: 07 May 2019 10:19 AM PDT  France, Britain and Germany have set up the special purpose vehicle called Instex, a conduit for barter-based trade with Iran, in an effort to protect at least some of Iran's economy from sweeping U.S. sanctions and keep alive a big-power nuclear deal that Washington is about to quit. The three European Union members have been trying to get Iran to keep its commitments under the deal to cut back its nuclear program - which Washington distrusts - by helping it to circumvent the trade sanctions that Washington has reimposed.
|
| Third parent pleads guilty in college admissions scandal: This one paid $400K to get son into Georgetown Posted: 07 May 2019 01:56 PM PDT  Stephen Semprevivo pleaded guilty Tuesday to paying $400,000 to Rick Singer to get his son into Georgetown University, part of a nationwide scandal.
|
| A grim preview of a trade war takes shape Posted: 06 May 2019 12:22 PM PDT  In what could be a grim preview of how investors might react to a full-out trade war between the world's two largest economies, shares in multinational corporations sank Monday after President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs on China.
|
| Florida's Gillum calls bill to limit voting by ex-convicts a 'poll tax' Posted: 06 May 2019 02:07 PM PDT  Andrew Gillum, the Tallahassee mayor who last November lost a close race to become Florida's governor, sharply criticized new restrictions placed on voting by people with felony convictions at a congressional hearing on Monday. "The unfortunate thing" about Florida, Gillum said, was that "we almost look directly at how we disenfranchise as many people as we possibly can," citing alleged attempts to close polling sites and dismiss absentee ballots. Gillum made his comments at a Monday hearing of the Committee on House Administration devoted to voting rights in Florida.
|
| Presidential hopeful Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) wants national gun owner registry Posted: 06 May 2019 10:17 AM PDT  Senator Cory Booker put forth a national licensing proposal calling for all gun owners to obtain federal firearms licenses.
|
| Cinnabun Cake, Mimosa Fruit Salad, and More Breakfast-In-Bed Recipes Your Mom Will Love Posted: 07 May 2019 02:48 PM PDT |
| Backers 'failed to follow through' in abortive uprising, Guaido tells AFP Posted: 06 May 2019 05:36 PM PDT  Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said Monday that backers who had pledged support for his abortive uprising last week had "failed to follow through" to dislodge President Nicolas Maduro. The 35-year-old National Assembly chief has branded Maduro a usurper over his controversial re-election last year, and in January declared himself acting president, plunging Venezuela into a political crisis that deepened its already grave economic woes. Guaido, however, expressed the hope that the army would eventually come on board.
|
| Kamala Harris' bill seeks to ease burden on public defenders Posted: 08 May 2019 02:13 AM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California is introducing legislation, including a $250 million grant program, to ease the burden on public defenders around the country.
|
| Trump obstruction: More than 500 former prosecutors say president should face 'multiple felony charges' Posted: 07 May 2019 02:41 AM PDT  More than 560 former federal prosecutors have signed a letter saying Donald Trump should be charged with obstruction of justice.The statement claims there is "overwhelming" evidence of corrupt intent to block the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 election."Each of us believes that the conduct of President Trump described in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report would, in the case of any other person not covered by the Office of Legal Counsel policy against indicting a sitting President, result in multiple felony charges for obstruction of justice," the statement reads.US senator Richard Blumenthal said he was "proud" to add his name to the list of signatures, which includes officials who worked for both Democratic and Republican administrations stretching back to Dwight Eisenhower.He was joined by Bill Weld, a former US attorney who is standing against Mr Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, and Donald Ayer, a former deputy attorney general under George HW Bush. Mr Weld said the evidence "goes well beyond what is required to support criminal charges of obstruction of justice."The letter was drawn up in response to Attorney General William Barr's conclusion that the evidence was insufficient for a charge of obstruction of justice.It argues there is evidence that Mr Trump attempted to fire Mr Mueller, limit the scope of the investigation and prevent witnesses from cooperating with investigators."To look at these facts and say that a prosecutor could not probably sustain a conviction for obstruction of justice – the standard set out in Principles of Federal Prosecution – runs counter to logic and our experience," the letter says.The statement had gathered around 370 signatures by Monday afternoon and by Tuesday morning the total stood at 566, according to the list updated by the non-profit Protect Democracy project.It came as members of the House Judiciary Committee announced plans to vote on Wednesday on whether to hold Mr Barr in contempt of Congress for failing to meet a deadline to provide a copy of the full, unredacted report and its underlying evidence.
|
| Here's the Story Behind Ezra Miller's Insanely Eye-Popping 2019 Met Gala Optical Illusion Look Posted: 07 May 2019 08:23 AM PDT  Bow to the king of "Camp"
|
| Where teachers can get free food and discounts for Teacher Appreciation Week May 6-10 Posted: 08 May 2019 03:00 AM PDT  Teacher Appreciation Day is over but Teacher Appreciation Week continues. Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Del Taco and others have freebies and deals.
|
| Growing up in Windsor: what will life be like for baby Sussex? Posted: 07 May 2019 11:00 PM PDT  Only once Meghan has merged from the post birth fog, will she discover quite what a good move she has made to Windsor. She might be sleep deprived and sore and living in a building site but within a few miles of Frogmore, her newly renovated "forever home" is everything a new mother could need from organic supermarkets and luxury spas to Buggy Fit classes and cafes serving proper coffee. "New mums want to stay in touch with reality and get back into their favourite dresses and round here there are loads of stylish, outdoorsy ways of doing it," explains Sue Barnes of Lavender Green Flowers, a Windsor local who regularly does the flowers at events at the Royal palaces. Plus, Heathrow is only a short drive away – easy for when granny Doria flies in to help and, in case of emergencies, the Peter Jones nursery department is only 22 miles up the M4. There will presumably be times when Meghan will crave the bustle of city life but Barnes insists Windsor is a playground for new mums. "I can imagine them taking the baby on a slipper boat down the Thames with a picnic," she says. "Or he will play polo at Coworth Park while she relaxes in the spa and the baby sleeps in the crèche. Round here you can also attend society events such as the Royal Windsor Horse Show with your baby in tow, which Meghan will appreciate." If the Duchess is open to making new friends there will also be plenty of kindred spirits to hang out with, says local mother and parenting blogger Jodie Humphries. "It's so easy for new mums to make friends around here as many have, like Meghan, moved out of the Royal Borough for a better quality of life," she says. "We arrive as strangers but form strong friendships through local baby and toddler groups. It's really helpful to have a set of friends who are all experiencing similar things at the same time." The question is: will Meghan flit between Frogmore and five-star spa hotels – or brave the Windsor playgroups? Windsor's Buggy Fit crowd meets weekly on the Long Walk - but will Meghan join them? Meghan's guide to being a new mum in Windsor The post birth boot camp Meghan has installed a gym and yoga studio at Frogmore, and will presumably ship in private trainers to come to the house – maybe Chloe Hodgson, who takes the pilates classes at Soho Farmhouse, or Notting Hill-based postnatal yoga guru Tara Lee. She might also take ballet barre and legs, bums and tums classes at the Cliveden Club, the private members club and gym attached to the five-star hotel where she stayed the night before her wedding. And then there are Her Majesty's horses to canter around the Great Park – great for toning the post birth core. She would do well, though, according to Humphries, to pull down her baseball cap and mingle in with the Buggy Fit crowd, which meets weekly on the Long Walk, a few minutes from Frogmore. For this she will need to ditch the traditional royal pram in favour of a sporty buggy such as a BOB Revolution Flex or, if it's twins, a Bugaboo Donkey. The new mum friends Her friends the Clooneys live 20 minutes away at Sonning – Amal's twins are now nearly two, so she can teach Meg the basics – and Elton John and his two children live in Old Windsor. Anna Friel is also a local Windsor mum and over at Henley-on Thames, mother-of-four Sascha Wrottesley, whose father Urs Schwarzenbach is a local polo patron and is a great mate of Prince Charles, will be able to introduce Meghan to the local polo mums. Meanwhile in Virginia Water are pop star Jessica Taylor, who is married to Kevin Pietersen, and TV presenter Kirstie Gallagher both with two children. If she's prepared to brave the local baby classes, however (see below), she will meet a raft of other local mums, and can bond over coffee and cake in the cafe at the Windsor Farmshop or on breezy walks in the Great Park. We'd say unlikely, but the option is at least there. The baby classes There is so much on offer for babies around Windsor that Meghan could risk over stimulating Baby Sussex: baby massage in Maidenhead , Hartbeeps sensory sessions in Windsor and two soft plays, the Jelly Lounge and the Little Gym in Windsor. For older babies Humphries recommends Concertini, live concerts for babies at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead. "My little boy went to his first concert when he was around six months," she says. Perhaps most appropriate for Meghan will be Yoga Babes at the Positivity Centre next to Cliveden. "It's postnatal exercises for mum and groovy moves to nursery rhymes for baby," Humphries explains. Me time When Meghan wants to escape the house for some 'me time', she should stroll to the Savill garden in Windsor Great Park, says Humphries, which has a great café and stunning scenery. Cliveden will undoubtedly become another favourite with its spa café serving healthy meals and tranquil sitting areas. There is no shortage of baby classes in Windsor Credit: Paul Edwards/PA Wire Not only do they do lovely afternoon teas and two-hour restorative flotation therapies (£185), there is also a playground in the National Trust estate for when the baby gets a bit older too. She might bump in to Cliveden regulars Poppy Delevigne and Gabby Logan. Date night Once they feel up to it they will be able book a discreet table at numerous fancy restaurants near Frogmore – the Fat Duck and Royal Oak are 15 minutes away at Bray and both the Waterside Inn and Skindles can be accessed by boat. "Or the Barn at Coworth Park, is relaxed chic and serves amazing food and is out of the spotlight," says local parenting blogger Melanie Kentish. Brad Pitt has stayed at Coworth and it was where former Dr Who star Matt Smith introduced his girlfriend Lily James to polo. The Sussexes also have a sentimental connection as Harry stayed here on the eve of their wedding. Family outings There will surely be family picnics on the lawns at Guards Polo, where Harry regularly plays and cream teas at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, a favourite with the Pony Club set including dressage star Laura Tomlinson, Harry's cousins Lady Louise Windsor and Zara Tindall – her youngest, Lena, will be a partner in crime for Baby Sussex – and Jessica Springsteen, Bruce's champion showjumper daughter. "It's smart but also very family orientated," Barnes says. And then there's Henley Royal Regatta, where Harry can catch up with his "wet bob" school chums. Harry might also suggest they go Carters Steam Fair, a traditional fairground, where he rode on the dodgems as a child. "It's a great place to go if he wanted to show Meghan some British traditions," Humphries says. School stress It may feel like much too soon to be talking schools but places are coveted at Asquith Nursery - one of the best nurseries in Windsor, according to Kentish, while Puddleduck Preschool, which has a similar vibe to Westacre Montessori, the small nursery on the Sandringham Estate where Prince George began his school days is also highly sought after. Another Montessori option is Children of the World Montessori School, which has small class sizes and a large playground. Royal baby Sussex | Read more Little Sussex might go on to Upton House where Fergie and Andrew sent their girls or Bishopsgate prep, at the entrance to Windsor Park, which is popular with local yummy mummies. Perhaps the most obvious choice, though, is St George's, at the foot of Windsor Castle, founded in 1348 to educate the choristers of the chapel where the Sussexes were married. And then of course there's Harry's alma mater, Eton, just across the river – although Meghan might put her foot down at that. Mothers help If Baby Sussex starts making her life difficult she could call up Hummingbird Home Staff, which provides local maternity nurses, night nannies and sleep trainers. Of course leading baby experts from across Britain will also be on hand to dash to the Duchesses side: miracle breastfeeding consultant Clare Byam Cook, for example, and Magic Sleep Fairy Alison Scott-Wright. Lady Sophie Windsor, who is married to Harry's cousin Lord Fredrick Windsor, might suggest she consults sleep counsellor Andrea Grace, who helped with her children's sleep issues. Newsletter Promotion - Royal Appointment - in article Beating the baby blues Even for new mums like Meghan, with a luxury home and an entourage, motherhood can be lonely. "The key is to have realistic expectations and to surround yourself with people that make you feel confident," Humphries says. Parenting podcasts are a good way to feel connected during solitary night feeds or lonely days at home; Marina Fogle's Parenthood is a good one, as is Motherkind – or Scummy Mummies if Meghan is feeling less than perfect. And there's nothing like a good catch up with an old friend – or a new one. "Thankfully there is a great sense of community within Windsor," Kentish says. "Which wards off the loneliness that being a new mum can bring."
|
| US to send hospital ship to help with Venezuelan refugees Posted: 07 May 2019 05:00 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. Navy hospital ship will embark on another humanitarian mission to help countries cope with an influx of Venezuelans fleeing a deep economic and political crisis, the Trump administration announced Tuesday.
|
| All the new Search features Google just announced at I/O 2019 Posted: 07 May 2019 10:17 AM PDT  Google's annual developer conference got under way in earnest Tuesday in Mountain View, with Google I/O 2019 promising a slew of important news covering all aspects of the search giant's business -- everything from details about its newest handsets that leaked in the runup to the conference to the next version Android. Artificial intelligence and software have tended to come in for outsized emphasis at past conferences, but the company kicked things off with updates to its signature product, Search.The company just announced a new integration of your camera and AR features with Search, such as the ability to put 3D models right into your search results. The company showed off its usage for studying and academic purposes, but it will no doubt be especially useful for shopping and visualizing try-ons of clothes and other products you'd like to buy.As part of this presentation, Google also showed off a new camera capability coming to the Google Go search app for its cheaper devices. It's basically a bringing of Google's Lens feature to low-end handsets and can do everything from translating signs into different languages.Putting 3D models directly into Search results, meanwhile, is a continuation of Search's evolution from a box built around text input to a window into all of the myriad Google technologies and competencies that bubble under the service of most of the company's products. It will be interesting to see if the deeper integration of AR into search results from the world's dominant search engine makes AR much more ubiquitous than it is now. Probably not, given all of the caveats associated with this -- you can point your phone at this, and it will work, but not that -- but we'll see."it's one thing to read that a great white shark can be 18 feet long. It's another to see it up close in relation to the things around you," explains Google VP Aparna Chennapragada here. "So when you search for select animals, you'll get an option right in the Knowledge Panel to view them in 3D and AR."She continues: "We're also working with partners like NASA, New Balance, Samsung, Target, Visible Body, Volvo, Wayfair and more to surface their own content in Search. So whether you're studying human anatomy in school or shopping for a pair of sneakers, you'll be able to interact with 3D models and put them into the real world, right from Search."Definitely fitting that the company kicked off today's opening presentation with updates to the product the average person probably most closely associates with Google.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment