| Florida Survivors Defend Sheriff Against Republican Calls To Oust Him Posted: 26 Feb 2018 07:16 AM PST  Students who survived the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, earlier this month don't blame Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel for missing various red flags in the shooter's behavior.
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| Full Klobuchar: Rural Voters 'Ready to do Some Background Checks' Posted: 24 Feb 2018 10:45 PM PST  In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) says that she would like to see Sen. Toomey's background check legislation come up for a vote.
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| The Supreme Court Should Honor Dr. King's Legacy On Labor Rights Posted: 25 Feb 2018 05:01 AM PST  In the early days of April 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, to join in a protest with 1,300 city sanitation workers who had gone on strike after two of their colleagues were killed on the job.
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| Florida school shooting: Sheriff says armed officer's failure to intervene in Parkland was 'not my responsibility' Posted: 26 Feb 2018 04:53 AM PST  In the wake of the shooting, Donald Trump called for teachers to be armed, saying "gun-adept" teachers, coaches, and other school workers would be able to deter school shooters. Mr Peterson has resigned rather than face suspension and possible dismissal. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel refusing to resign telling @nbc6: "I gave him a gun.
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| NRA Blasts 'Cowardice' Of Corporate Partners Turning Away From Gun Group Posted: 24 Feb 2018 04:48 PM PST  The list of companies choosing to sever ties with the National Rifle Association kept growing this week as young anti-gun activists captured national attention with impassioned calls for gun law reform after a Florida school shooting left 17 dead.
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| PNG troops respond to major 7.5 quake as aftershocks feared Posted: 25 Feb 2018 08:29 PM PST  Papua New Guinea sent troops and rescue workers Monday to respond to a powerful earthquake in the Pacific nation's mountainous interior, with unconfirmed reports of fatalities and warnings of aftershocks and landslides. Assessment teams were heading to affected areas near the 7.5-magnitude quake's epicentre, which the US Geological Survey said was some 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of Porgera in Enga province. "It is advisable to stay out of multi-story buildings, to be aware of the potential of landslides, and to be prepared to move to open ground in the event that an aftershock is felt," the chief secretary to the government, Isaac Lupari, said in a statement.
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| British skier dies in French Alps while skiing off-piste Posted: 25 Feb 2018 05:46 AM PST  A British skier has died in the French Alps after he and two friends plunged hundreds of feet from a ridge while skiing off piste. In a separate incident, a 13-year-old boy died when both he and his brother fell off a cliff after they got lost while skiing with their family. The Briton, who has not been named, was with two friends in the resort of Oz-en-Oisans on Saturday when they decided to leave the marked slopes. Police said that all three men were in their 20s and were experienced skiers. "They were following ski tracks but they got lost when the tracks came to an end," a spokesman for the gendarme mountain rescue unit, based in nearby Grenoble, told the Telegraph. "They saw a marked slope in the distance and were trying to get to that. But the area they had to go through was very unstable, made up of ridges and a mixture of snow and rocks," he said. All three ended up falling, but not at the same time. The man who died fell somewhere between 100 and 200 metres, said the officer. "It looks like he died instantly. His body rolled down the ridge, bashing off rocks several times before it came to a halt," said the spokesman. One of two other skiiers emerged unscathed from his fall, while the other suffered minor injuries. They were later taken to safety by a gendarme mountain rescue team. Police did not give the men's names. In a separate incident, a 13-year-old French boy was found dead at the foot of a cliff after both he and his brother - who survived - fell from the precipice the night before after getting lost while skiing with their family in Avoriaz. The boys had wandered off piste on Saturday and, as night fell, ended up in a forest whose trees concealed the 490-foot cliff which they fell off. The younger brother, aged 10, spent the night in sub-zero temperatures beside his dead brother at the foot of the cliff. Rescuers eventually found the boys at dawn on Sunday. The younger brother was said to be be injured but in a stable condition. Earlier this week, a young British skier was killed after smashing into a tree at Les Diablerets, a Swiss ski resort, on the edge of a piste while on holiday with his family.
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| UN unanimously demands a 30-day cease-fire across Syria Posted: 24 Feb 2018 03:54 PM PST  UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a resolution Saturday demanding a 30-day cease-fire across Syria "without delay" to deliver humanitarian aid to millions and evacuate the critically ill and wounded.
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| Drunken Man Rides Horse Onto California Freeway, Police Say Posted: 25 Feb 2018 04:16 PM PST  "No, you may not ride your horse on the freeway"
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| Stunning Photos Capture The 2018 Olympics' Closing Ceremony In All Its Glory Posted: 25 Feb 2018 10:18 AM PST  The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, went out with a bang on Sunday, with its closing ceremony featuring an array of fireworks, light shows, roller-blading pandas, K-pop musicians and ― of course ―some of the world's top athletes.
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| Oakland Mayor Warns City Of Upcoming Immigration Raids After Receiving Intel Posted: 25 Feb 2018 01:16 AM PST  The mayor of Oakland on Saturday night warned the city's residents of potential raids being conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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| Manafort asks U.S. court for release to attend New York funeral Posted: 24 Feb 2018 05:30 PM PST ![Manafort asks U.S. court for release to attend New York funeral]( "Manafort asks U.S. court for release to attend New York funeral") In a filing in federal court in Washington, Manafort said his father-in-law died on Saturday and that he would like to travel from his Virginia home to Long Island, New York, to attend the wake, funeral and burial services. Manafort has been charged with conspiring to launder money, lying on his tax returns and failing to register as a foreign agent for lobbying work for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine, among other charges.
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| When nature takes over: Abandoned America overgrown Posted: 25 Feb 2018 10:50 AM PST ![When nature takes over: Abandoned America overgrown]( "When nature takes over: Abandoned America overgrown") Photographer Johnny Joo has travelled the United States photographing overgrown derelict sites from fairgrounds to shopping malls.
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| Ivanka Trump: 'I Believe My Father' On Sexual Misconduct Allegations Posted: 26 Feb 2018 06:39 AM PST  Ivanka Trump, daughter and adviser of President Donald Trump, says she sides with her father when it comes to the more than a dozen women who have accused him of sexual misconduct.
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| United Airlines, Hertz and MetLife Among Companies Cutting Ties With the NRA Posted: 24 Feb 2018 11:01 AM PST  The announcements come following Twitter's trending hashtag, #BoycottNRA.
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| Suspect in killing of Filipina maid interrogated in Lebanon Posted: 24 Feb 2018 07:25 PM PST  BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanese authorities in Beirut are interrogating a man suspected in the death of a Filipina maid whose body was found stuffed in a freezer in Kuwait, security and judicial officials said Saturday.
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| Correction: School Shooting-Florida story Posted: 26 Feb 2018 08:09 AM PST  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — In a story Feb. 22 about the Florida school shooting, The Associated Press misquoted Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel in some versions of the story when he spoke about the families of the victims. He said, "I've been to their homes where they're sitting shiva," not "where they sit and shiver."
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| California Democrats Decline To Endorse Dianne Feinstein For Re-Election Posted: 25 Feb 2018 08:26 AM PST  The California Democratic Party rebuked its senior senator early Sunday by declining to make an endorsement in the state's U.S. Senate race.
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| Christian leaders shut Jerusalem's Church of Holy Sepulchre in protest at Israel imposing taxes Posted: 25 Feb 2018 03:46 AM PST  Christian leaders are taking the rare step of closing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, built at what is said to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion, in protest at Israeli tax policies which they say unfairly target the Christian community. Leaders of the Catholic, Greek, and Armenian denominations said they were indefinitely closing the church, home to Christianity's holiest sites, because of a "systematic campaign" by Israeli authorities. The move is the first time the church has been closed since 1990, when it was shut in protest at Israeli settlers taking over a Christian building, and it was not clear when its 1,000-year-old doors will open again. "This reminds of us all of laws of a similar nature which were enacted against the Jews during dark periods in Europe," the churches said. The Christian denominations said they were protesting against the decision by Jerusalem city government to start levying taxes on church properties and a proposed bill in the Israeli parliament that would make it harder for them to sell property. More than 500,000 Christian tourists visit Israel every year Credit: THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images The Christian churches are some of the largest landowners in the city and the mayor of Jerusalem has it is unfair that they do not pay full taxes on their vast property holdings. Church bank accounts have been shut down as officials pursue what they say are unpaid debts. Israeli ministers are also considering a bill which would stop them selling land in Jerusalem to property developers, raising the prospect that people who live on the land would be forced out of their homes. The Greek Orthodox church in particular has been making vast land sales in recent years. Several of the sales have been at low prices, prompting allegations that corrupt deals were taking part behind the scenes. The church has strenuously denied these accusations. Control of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is shared between the Catholic, Greek and Armenian churches, as well as two smaller denominations. In a joint statement released on Sunday, the leaders of the three largest denominations said the moves by Jerusalem city government and Israeli minsters were part of a "systematic and offensive campaign". Benjamin Netanyahu presents Israel as a defender of Christians Credit: GALI TIBBON/AFP/Getty Images "These actions breach existing agreements and international obligations which guarantee the rights and the privileges of Churches within the Holy City of Jerusalem and their relationship with the civil authorities," they said. "As a measure of protest, we decided to take this unprecedented step of closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Together with all Heads of Churches in the Holy land we stand united, firm and resolute in protecting our rights and our properties." There was no immediate comment from Israeli authorities. The churches, which have existed for more than a millennium, have a complicated relationship with the 70-year-old Jewish state. Israel prides itself as a protector of Christianity at a time when Christians face widespread persecution and violence in the Middle East. More than 500,000 Christian tourists visit Israel each year and tourism is a major part of the Israeli economy. "I'm proud that Israel is a country in which Christians not only survive, but they thrive," Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last year at Christmas. However, most of the churches' local adherents are Palestinians and the churches often speak out about the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the disastrous humanitarian situation in Gaza. The two sides also clash regularly over property rights and the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and in east Jerusalem. The current confrontation appears to be the most serious conflict between the churches and the Israeli state in decades. Donald Trump stopped at the church during his visit to Jerusalem last year and it is usually a key part of any itinerary for tourists visiting the ancient city.
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| Dunkin' Donuts unveils Girl Scout cookie-flavored coffee Posted: 25 Feb 2018 03:20 PM PST  Not sure whether to drink coffee or eat Girl Scout cookies? No need to make that tough decision any longer.
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| Romanians march in support of anti-corruption chief Posted: 25 Feb 2018 01:27 PM PST  Thousands of Romanians braved freezing temperatures on Sunday to show their support for the popular head of the country's anti-corruption investigation body, who the left-wing government is trying to oust. Justice Minister Tudorel Toader from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) launched a procedure on Thursday to sack Laura Codruta Kovesi, the chief prosecutor of the DNA anti-corruption body, accusing her of being "authoritarian". About 3,000 protesters gathered near the government building in capital Bucharest, according to news agency Agerpres, chanting "Codruta, don't forget, we are with you", and "Justice not corruption".
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| China’s Lurch Toward One-Man Rule Under Xi Jinping Should Worry Us All Posted: 26 Feb 2018 12:17 AM PST  On Sunday, the ruling Communist Party moved to scrap presidential term limits
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| All The Best Moments From The 2018 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony Posted: 24 Feb 2018 11:08 PM PST  The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, drew to a colorful conclusion on Sunday.
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| The Latest: Sheriff: Lawmaker's letter 'riddled' with errors Posted: 24 Feb 2018 07:36 PM PST  NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on the backlash against the National Rifle Association after a deadly school shooting in Florida (all times local):
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| Former RNC Chair Fires Back At Claim He Was Only Hired Because He Was Black Posted: 24 Feb 2018 11:10 AM PST  Former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele blasted Friday a leading conservative's speech that claimed that he had only been hired because he is black as "painfully stupid."
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| Fire breaks out in overhead storage on Chinese aircraft Posted: 26 Feb 2018 04:42 AM PST  A fire broke out in the overhead storage of a Chinese passenger jet moments before it was scheduled to take off. Flight attendants and a passenger threw water and juice over a bag in the luggage compartment as it was engulfed in heavy smoke and flames. The fire was thought to have been triggered by a power bank that was being carried in the bag, reports said. The owner was taken away by police for questioning. All the passengers were forced to disembark the Boeing 777 following the fire, which happened while the plane was parked on the tarmac at Guangzhou Airport in southern China. It was scheduled to fly to Shanghai. The passengers and crew were taken to a different aircraft which took off just after 3pm, three hours after the original flight was scheduled to depart. Fire caused by portable charger on China Southern flight in Guangzhou was put out promptly, while passengers were relocated to another plane pic.twitter.com/HYwShVN1t3— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) February 25, 2018 The power charger was not in use when the fire started, Chinese media said. The video of the fire was shared widely on Chinese social media, where many were commenting on why only bottles of water and juice were used to extinguished the flames. "Don't they have proper fire extinguishers on planes," said one comment on Sina Weibo, China's version of Twitter. The fire on the aircraft Credit: Weibo However, other observers said the crew reacted to the fire correctly. "Using water is standard operation procedure," said a Tweet from ChinaAviationReview, which tweets updates on Chinese aviation news. "Water is actually better than… extinguisher in case of lithium battery fire." Chinese airlines allow lithium batteries to be taken onto aircraft in hand luggage, but they are not allowed to be packed in checked-in luggage. Additional reporting by Christine Wei
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| The 50 Most Delish Spring Soups Posted: 26 Feb 2018 07:40 AM PST |
| Greek anarchist group smashes windows at Novartis office in Athens Posted: 25 Feb 2018 12:30 PM PST  Greek self-proclaimed anarchists threw paint and smashed windows at the entrance of the Athens headquarters of Swiss drugmaker Novartis on Sunday, police said. About 30 people were involved in the attack at 0515 local time (0315 GMT), a police official said. In a statement published on the Internet, the Rouvikonas group said the attack was linked to a probe into allegations of bribery by the drugmaker to doctors and public officials.
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| Philippine officials meet nationals in Kuwait amid labour row Posted: 25 Feb 2018 02:32 AM PST  A delegation of Philippine labour officials were in Kuwait City Sunday to assess the impact of a new ban on Filipinos working in the emirate, a source of much-needed remittances. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this month announced a departure ban for Filipinos planning to work in Kuwait, after the murder there of 29-year-old Joanna Demafelis. Philippine Deputy Minister of Labour and Employment Ciriaco Lagunzad said the delegation was looking at the side effects of the ban, which will likely impact many families dependent on remittances from relatives who work in Kuwait.
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| Argentina fires on Chinese vessel 'fishing illegally' Posted: 25 Feb 2018 11:27 AM PST  BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina's coast guard said it fired on a Chinese boat illegally fishing in its waters before embarking on an almost eight hour chase to capture it.
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| Napolitano: Written answers would be a victory for Trump Posted: 26 Feb 2018 07:50 AM PST  White House legal team is considering ways President Trump could testify before Mueller. Fox News senior judicial analyst provides insight into the investigation.
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| Michelle Obama To Release 'Deeply Personal' Memoir In November Posted: 25 Feb 2018 11:15 AM PST  Former first lady Michelle Obama announced new details Sunday about her much-anticipated memoir.
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| Russia moves to block British UN resolution to condemn Iran over Yemen arms Posted: 25 Feb 2018 10:40 AM PST  Negotiations continued on Sunday over a United Nations Security Council vote slated for Monday morning on a British-drafted resolution that would commit to future action against Tehran and condemn Iran for providing missiles and drones to the Houthi rebels in Yemen. However, over the weekend Russia submitted a rival text, aimed at blocking action against Iran. Yemen has been engulfed by civil war since 2015, when the Houthis clashed with forces loyal to government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. A multinational coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in March 2015, and Saudi-led airstrikes have been met by sporadic missile attacks from Houthi forces at Saudi Arabia. This month, independent experts from the UN found that ballistic missiles fired from Yemen into Saudi Arabia in 2017 were made in Iran and introduced into Yemen after the 2015 arms embargo. Tehran has denied sending weapons. A fighter from the separatist Southern Transitional Council on February 25, 2018, at the site of two suicide car bombings Credit: AFP The UN embargo was accompanied by a demand that the Houthis, who control the capital, Sana'a, "immediately and unconditionally end violence, withdraw forces from areas they have seized, [and] relinquish all arms" and respect the legitimate government. Diplomats said Russia could veto the British text, allowing for a vote on its own draft resolution. The Russian version proposes to extend the sanctions against Yemen, but makes no mention of the UN report's findings on Iran and possible action targeting Tehran. It maintains the UN's findings on the origins of the Houthi missiles are inconclusive. The US has been vocal in its condemnation of what it has long claimed is Iranian intervention in Yemen. Nikki Haley briefs the media in front of remains of a ballistic missile Credit: REUTERS/Yuri Gripas In November, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley showcased recovered missile debris fired from Yemen at a military base in Washington, describing it as "terrifying" and saying the weaponry "might as well have had 'made in Iran' stickers" on it. Since the war began more than 10,000 people have been killed, the World Health Organization has recorded over a million cases of cholera, and 130 children are estimated to die of starvation every day. On Sunday, medical sources said a mother and three of her children have died of their wounds from a double suicide bombing outside the headquarters of an anti-terror unit in Yemen's port city of Aden, bringing the death toll to 12. Saturday's attack was claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).
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| Couple Shipwrecked Overnight Rescued After Writing 'HELP' in the Sand Posted: 24 Feb 2018 01:05 PM PST  They said 17-foot high waves washed them overboard.
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| California hiker found after 6 days missing in Yosemite park Posted: 25 Feb 2018 03:43 PM PST  YOSEMITE, Calif. (AP) — A well-prepared California hiker missing for six days in the icy backcountry of Yosemite National Park was found in good health after an extensive search, officials said.
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| 'Emperor' stocks soar in China as Xi cleared for indefinite reign Posted: 26 Feb 2018 12:35 AM PST  SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese speculators pounced on stocks with "emperor" in their name on Monday, after the ruling Communist Party set the stage for President Xi Jinping to stay in office indefinitely. The party proposed on Sunday to remove a constitutional clause limiting presidential service to just two terms in office, boosting prospects of Xi remaining in power after the end of an all but certain second term set to start next month. ...
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| Maverick climber calls off 'suicidal' solo bid to summit K2 Posted: 26 Feb 2018 07:57 AM PST  Russian-Polish climber Denis Urubko has called off his attempt to summit K2 alone during winter, a post on his former teammates' Facebook page said Monday, after a weekend drama saw him begin what another climber had called a suicide mission. "Denis Urubko, according to his convictions regarding the end of the winter season, decided to leave the Winter Expedition on K2," the statement said.
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| America Will Never Win the War in Afghanistan Posted: 25 Feb 2018 04:53 PM PST  It is difficult to see how the present troop force in Afghanistan would be able to accomplish what one nearly seven times as large could not. According to an in-depth investigation conducted by BBC News reporters in late 2017, the Taliban fully control four percent of Afghanistan's districts and "have an active and open physical presence" in 66 percent of the remaining ones. There are currently fourteen thousand U.S. troops stationed there, up from 8,500 when President Trump took office, and the Army is recommending that the president authorize the deployment of an additional one thousand troops.
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| Colleges: Student protesters shouldn't worry about admission Posted: 24 Feb 2018 04:22 PM PST  As some high school students face the threat of disciplinary action for participating in gun control demonstrations, dozens of colleges and universities are sending them a reassuring message: It won't affect their chances of getting into their schools.
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| Walmart Inc (WMT) Stock Is At a Crossroads Posted: 26 Feb 2018 05:00 AM PST ![Walmart Inc (WMT) Stock Is At a Crossroads]( "Walmart Inc (WMT) Stock Is At a Crossroads") A disappointing fourth-quarter earnings report sent Walmart Inc (NYSE: WMT) stock tumbling 10 percent last week, as WMT had its worst single day of trading since January 1988. Now that the dust has settled on Walmart's horrible quarter, analysts and investors must determine whether the latest numbers are an aberration or the beginning of a new trend. Most of the headlines from the fourth-quarter earnings report focused on a dramatic slowdown in online sales growth, which dropped from 50 percent in the third quarter to just 23 percent in the fourth quarter.
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| Nigeria says 110 girls unaccounted for after Boko Haram attack Posted: 25 Feb 2018 10:23 AM PST  By Felix Onuah ABUJA (Reuters) - One hundred and ten girls are missing after an attack on a school in northeast Nigeria by suspected Boko Haram insurgents, the information ministry said on Sunday, in what may be one of the largest abductions since the Chibok kidnappings of 2014. Boko Haram, whose name translates as "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language widely spoken in northern Nigeria, has killed more than 20,000 people and forced two million to flee their homes in a violent insurgency that began in 2009. President Muhammadu Buhari, the 75-year-old former military ruler elected in 2015 after vowing to crush Boko Haram, has described the disappearance of the girls after Monday's attack in the town of Dapchi, Yobe state, as a "national disaster".
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| Woman Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison After Shopping With Dead Baby in Her Bag Posted: 24 Feb 2018 11:56 AM PST  The woman, who was 17 at the time, callously referred to the child in messages
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