| Senate Democrats grill key Trump Justice Dept. pick about Russia Posted: 07 Mar 2017 10:35 AM PST  Rod Rosenstein, President Trump's nominee for deputy attorney general, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 7, 2017. WASHINGTON — Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee failed on Tuesday to gain assurances from Rod Rosenstein, President Trump's nominee for deputy attorney general, that he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Russia's influence in the 2016 election if he's confirmed.
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| In the age of Trump, can Democrats turn Orange County blue? Their first target is Darrell Issa Posted: 08 Mar 2017 02:00 AM PST  Republican Representative Darrell Issa enters Trump Tower in New York, Dec. 14, 2016. Democrats and Republicans don't agree on much these days. Since 2001, Issa has represented the coastal suburbs of northern San Diego and southern Orange counties.
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| Statue of Liberty goes dark on eve of International Women's Day Posted: 08 Mar 2017 09:48 AM PST  Twitter erupted after The Statue of Liberty went dark for two hours on the night before A Day Without A Woman. Many saw this as a symbol.
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| What WikiLeaks CIA Hack Means for You and Your Gadgets Posted: 08 Mar 2017 04:40 AM PST  The WikiLeaks revelation might be part of a Russian disinformation campaign meant to undermine the U.S. intelligence agencies in general, and to more immediately lend credence to President Donald Trump's allegations that former President Barack Obama spied on him. Some of the CIA hacking tools mentioned in the WikiLeaks dump are real.
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| Malaysia says it foiled attack on Arab royalty ahead of Saudi king's visit Posted: 07 Mar 2017 09:47 AM PST ![Malaysia says it foiled attack on Arab royalty ahead of Saudi king's visit]( "Malaysia says it foiled attack on Arab royalty ahead of Saudi king's visit") KUALA LUMPUR/DUBAI (Reuters) - Malaysia said on Tuesday that suspected militants from Yemen arrested late last month ahead of a visit by Saudi King Salman had been planning an attack on Arab royalty. A senior Malaysian police source said the four suspects belonged to Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi movement, which hails from a Shi'ite Muslim sect and has been fighting other Yemeni forces backed by a Saudi-led military coalition for two years. Malaysian police had previously said the men were suspected of links to militant groups including Islamic State, which is Sunni Muslim and known by the Arabic acronym Daesh.
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| A day without women? Teacher protest shuts US city schools Posted: 08 Mar 2017 12:53 PM PST  What does a day without women look like? The city of Alexandria, Virginia, just outside the US capital, found out on Wednesday as an avalanche of teacher requests for time off to mark International Women's Day forced it to close down its entire public school district. Alexandria's unprecedented decision -- announced two days ahead of time to give parents time to plan for the disruption -- appeared to be broadly well received in the progressive northern Virginia city.
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| ‘Of course they are’: Ben Carson defends calling slaves ‘immigrants’ Posted: 07 Mar 2017 07:36 AM PST  Ben Carson attempted to quell the outrage that erupted online after he referred to African slaves as "immigrants" during a Monday speech on the U.S. as the land of dreams and opportunity. During his debut speech as secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Carson discussed immigrants who entered the U.S. through Ellis Island to pursue a better life, and then he turned his attention to slaves forced to come to the country against their will. "There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships, worked even longer, even harder for less," the retired neurosurgeon said.
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| America Is Injuring Itself by Discouraging Foreign Visitors and Giving Up on Global Leadership Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:07 PM PST  The Trump administration's current approach will make the United States less rich, less safe, and less informed.
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| New Study Confirms Asia Is Rife With Bribery Posted: 07 Mar 2017 03:49 PM PST  Former South Korea President Park Geun-hye's impeachment by the country's parliament in December 2016 represented the most recent high-profile bribery scandal in Asia.
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| Deadly Mississippi train-bus collision Posted: 08 Mar 2017 04:52 AM PST ![Deadly Mississippi train-bus collision]( "Deadly Mississippi train-bus collision") A freight train smashed into a charter bus in a coastal Mississippi city on Tuesday, pushing the bus 300 feet down the tracks and leaving at least four people dead, authorities said. Rescuers spent more than an hour removing passengers, cutting through the bus's heavily damaged frame to extract the last two. The bus was apparently stopped on the tracks when the 52-car train, pulled by three locomotives, slammed into it, said Biloxi Police Chief John Miller.
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| Amid rising tensions, Iran tests Russian-built missile system Posted: 07 Mar 2017 08:01 AM PST ![Amid rising tensions, Iran tests Russian-built missile system]( "Amid rising tensions, Iran tests Russian-built missile system") Iran says it has successfully tested a Russian-made long-range missile, stoking anxieties as tensions between the nation and the United States continue to climb. A report Saturday from the official IRNA news agency claimed that Iran officials had successfully launched an S-300 System missile from in the nation's central desert during military tests. Recommended: How much do you know about Iran?
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| Hillary Clinton tweets an empowering message to young girls everywhere Posted: 08 Mar 2017 10:37 AM PST  Hillary Clinton has an unwavering belief that young women have the power to change the world. On Wednesday afternoon, the former Democratic presidential candidate, who has inspired young girls with her messages of hope and empowerment throughout the years, was moved by the adorable feminist photo that's been circulating on Twitter. SEE ALSO: Girls across the world: This is what 'being a woman' means to me The tweet is from the friend of a fourth grade teacher, one who clearly has some badass students determined to make a difference in her class. The friend shared a photograph of a tiny note found under a students' desk, written on a torn piece of paper in pencil. It reads: "Do you want to join a club for female empowerment. We are the leaders." My fourth grade teacher friend found this under one of her students' desks. <3 <3 <3 pic.twitter.com/7NSxIa6ujn — Elly (@SMLXist) March 6, 2017 Now please just sit back for a moment and stare at this note. If that isn't enough to propel you out into the world to stand up for what you believe in, I don't know what is. Filled with pride, Clinton shared the tweet—using a hashtag and emoji and all ( )—along with touching message to celebrate International Women's Day. On a day when women are both protesting and celebrating, Clinton said she's thinking about the young girl who wrote this note and "all the others like her out there." Clinton's tweet follows a moving speech she delivered during a charity luncheon for the nonprofit Girls Inc. in New York City on Tuesday. There, Clinton reiterated the importance of women's rights, along with the struggles that girls and young women face today. One thing's for sure, this fourth grader is on her way to shattering the glass ceiling. WATCH: Hillary Clinton in first speech since conceding says: 'Never, ever give up'
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| Storms, tornadoes rake Midwest as high winds fuel prairie fires Posted: 06 Mar 2017 08:14 PM PST ![Storms, tornadoes rake Midwest as high winds fuel prairie fires]( "Storms, tornadoes rake Midwest as high winds fuel prairie fires") By Timothy Mclaughlin CHICAGO (Reuters) - A line of thunderstorms packing hail and isolated tornadoes rumbled across the Midwest from Oklahoma to Minnesota on Monday as wind-fueled prairie fires forced thousands of people from their homes in Colorado and Kansas. Police and National Weather Service meteorologists reported some power outages but no initial major damage from the storms carrying winds of 60 miles per hour (96 kph) and hail 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter as they rolled east. A tornado touched down in Smithville, Missouri, a Kansas City suburb, damaging 10 to 12 homes and displacing a few families but causing no major injuries, Police Chief Jason Lockridge said.
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| Breaking the bank: Thai vets remove 915 coins from turtle Posted: 07 Mar 2017 01:29 AM PST  A sea turtle dubbed 'Piggy Bank' has had her fortunes restored after Thai vets removed 915 coins from her stomach -- a deposit built up after years of gulping down good luck pennies tossed into its pond. "There were 915 coins in her stomach, we removed them one by one," said Nantrika Chansue, a veterinarian in charge of Chulalongkorn hospital's aquatic research centre told AFP. "Piggy Bank is okay now but she will have to remain at the centre for up to two weeks," the vet added, saying it was the first surgery of its kind.
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| Mayor believes his Syrian refugee plan cost him re-election Posted: 08 Mar 2017 11:36 AM PST  RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) — A mayor who was handily defeated in his bid for a sixth two-year term said Wednesday that he believes his loss was due to his support for a plan to bring refugees from Syria and Iraq to the economically depressed Vermont city.
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| Avoid 3 Mistakes When Applying for Summer Financial Aid Posted: 08 Mar 2017 07:00 AM PST ![Avoid 3 Mistakes When Applying for Summer Financial Aid]( "Avoid 3 Mistakes When Applying for Summer Financial Aid") If you want to make the grade and do some successful summer studying, avoid making the following financial aid and student loan mistakes. Filing the wrong FAFSA: The first step to getting financial aid for college -- no matter which session you plan to enroll in -- is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you're currently in college, you likely not only know this, but you've also probably already completed this year's FAFSA.
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| Hyperloop One Reveals Images Of Progress At Nevada DevLoop Site Posted: 07 Mar 2017 11:15 AM PST  Hyperloop One has revealed photos of its nearly completed DevLoop test tube in Nevada.
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| Police Hunting Teenager Suspected of Killing 9-Year-Old Boy and Posting Images of His Body Online Posted: 07 Mar 2017 06:08 PM PST  A 19-year-old allegedly killed a boy, 9, and then posted video images of the child's body on the internet.
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| U.S. ship changed course toward Iranians on Saturday: Iran commander Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:30 AM PST ![U.S. ship changed course toward Iranians on Saturday: Iran commander]( "U.S. ship changed course toward Iranians on Saturday: Iran commander") A U.S. Navy ship changed course toward Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, a guard commander was quoted as saying on Wednesday while issuing a warning. A U.S. official told Reuters on Monday that multiple fast-attack vessels from the Revolutionary Guard had come within 600 yards (550 meters) of the USNS Invincible, a tracking ship, forcing it to change direction.
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| North Korea, Malaysia step up dispute over Kim's death Posted: 06 Mar 2017 08:23 PM PST  SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The bitter diplomatic dispute between North Korea and Malaysia over the poisoning death of leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother escalated dramatically Tuesday, with Pyongyang saying it had banned Malaysians from leaving North Korea.
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| US Justice nominee pressed to back special prosecutor for Russia affair Posted: 07 Mar 2017 11:26 AM PST  Democratic senators pressed President Donald Trump's nominee for deputy attorney general Tuesday to support the naming of a special prosecutor to probe Russian interference in US politics. Rod Rosenstein, who would decide the issue with the recusal of Attorney General Jeff Sessions over his own Russian contacts, argued that the issue remained hypothetical for now. Congressional committees are currently probing the Russia affair, and the appointment of a special independent prosecutor would mark a major escalation of the investigation.
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| Jihadist tunnels uncover Assyrian winged bulls in Mosul Posted: 07 Mar 2017 05:57 AM PST  Crawl through a labyrinth of narrow tunnels in near total darkness and suddenly they appear: two great winged bulls dating from the Assyrian empire found intact under the ground of Mosul. The jihadists dug the network of tunnels to plunder artefacts under a hill reputedly housing the tomb of the Prophet Jonah, the Nabi Yunus shrine which they dynamited in July 2014. "We fear it could all collapse at any time," entombing the treasures, said Layla Salih who is in charge of antiquities for Nineveh province.
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| Wikileaks reveals how CIA is targeting your iPhone, Android, and smart TV Posted: 07 Mar 2017 06:12 AM PST 
Wikileaks just dropped a massive collection of information detailing how the US government is attacking the devices that many of us use every single day in an effort to gain intel for its own purposes. Tactics for breaching iPhones, iPads, Android devices, PCs, routers, and even smart TVs are included in the leak, which has some serious privacy and security implications if even a fraction of it proves to be accurate.
Much the of the leak confirms what most people assume about the US government's ability to circumvent the built-in security features of computer software and mobile devices — for example, that the organization has many "zero day" exploits for computers running Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and more. The sheer power of the CIA's tools, according to the report, is really the story here. The CIA has developed automated multi-platform malware attack and control systems covering Windows, Mac OS X, Solaris, Linux and more, such as EDB's 'HIVE' and the related 'Cutthroat' and 'Swindle' tools.
The report also details the CIA's techniques that allow the agency to "penetrate, infest, and control both Android and iPhone software that has run presidential Twitter accounts" using zero day exploits that are not known to the security community at large. And it's not just the typical communications devices that are on the CIA's target list, according to the leak. Even Samsung smart TVs can be used to eavesdrop on conversations without anyone in the room knowing. The attack against Samsung smart TVs was developed in cooperation with the United Kingdom's MI5/BTSS. After infestation, Weeping Angel places the target TV in a 'Fake-Off' mode, so that the owner falsely believes the TV is off when it is on. In 'Fake-Off' mode the TV operates as a bug, recording conversations in the room and sending them over the Internet to a covert CIA server.
Wikileaks' report even suggests that the CIA was developing tools that could remotely control certain vehicle software and could allow the agency to cause "accidents" which would effectively be "nearly undetectable assassinations." The full details of the leak, which Wikileaks is calling "Vault 7" is available to peruse on the group's website.
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| San Diego-Los Angeles Fault Could Cause 7.4-Magnitude Earthquake Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:33 AM PST  The fault system, which runs mostly offshore but also on land, was earlier thought to be two separate faults, according to a study published Tuesday.
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| Boeing developing new mid-range plane to rival Airbus Posted: 07 Mar 2017 01:24 PM PST  Boeing is in talks with potential clients about developing a new plane to fit into a niche category now dominated by rival Airbus, a Boeing executive said Tuesday. "Boeing is actively engaged in discussions with customers about the 737 MAX 10X," Boeing's Randy Tinseth said in a company blog post. The new Boeing plane is expected to enter service in 2020, said Tinseth, vice president of marketing for Boeing's commercial division.
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| Afghan family detained in LA is freed but review is pending Posted: 07 Mar 2017 12:08 AM PST  SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — An Afghan family of five who traveled to the United States on special visas and were detained by immigration officials at the Los Angeles airport were released from custody, according to the U.S. government and the family's attorneys.
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| Four drug suspects killed as Philippine police resume drugs war operations Posted: 06 Mar 2017 09:59 PM PST ![Four drug suspects killed as Philippine police resume drugs war operations]( "Four drug suspects killed as Philippine police resume drugs war operations") Philippine police killed four suspected drug dealers in three separate incidents on Tuesday, a provincial police commander said, just hours after a relaunch of anti-drugs operations that the national police chief said he hoped would be "less bloody". The incidents were the first reported deaths of drug suspects since Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa announced the restart of operations he hoped would be less bloody "or even bloodless".
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| Here's the terrible reason even married people are having less sex Posted: 08 Mar 2017 09:38 AM PST  You might think the current flood of dating apps would mean people are having more sex than ever, but in fact for many, the exact opposite seems to be true. Gasp! A new study published by the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior and reported by the Washington Post found that people are having less sex overall than they were in the 1990s. The study, which used data from the giant General Social Survey, found that on the whole American adults in the early 2010s had sex nine fewer times per year than they did in the 1990s. When you spread that over 12 months, that's not exactly a heinous dry spell, thank goodness. Still, more sex is usually better than less. The decrease was seen across gender, race, region, education, and employment status. One reason for the drop? There are now more people without partners, who typically tend to have half the sex that those with partners do. But even married people (and those living with partners) aren't doing it as much. SEE ALSO: When it comes to sex, older people are just like the rest of us: Horny as hell There used to be what was called the "marriage advantage," meaning that those who were partnered up had more sex because they had a ready and willing partner at hand. But that has sadly disappeared. In 1990, married people had sex around 73 times per year, according to reports. By 2014, that was down to 55. Comparatively, that number for unpartnered people stayed level—about 59 times per year. Even with Match and OKCupid and Tinder, singles aren't really hooking up more than when you had to meet people the old-fashioned way. So why are the married among us failing to get busy with each other? The study suggests it may be because they're too busy doing other things, like sending work emails or playing games on their phone. After all, how many nights have you sat in bed combing through your feeds, oblivious to the person next to you? SEE ALSO: The best dating apps to get you laid We're also less happy overall, are more depressed, and are taking more antidepressants as a result. All of these things aren't exactly known for putting people in the mood. We do know, based on the data, that the decline isn't due to people working longer hours or consuming more porn. Of course, just because this is happening on average doesn't mean it has to happen to you. You can put the phone down and look at your partner again. And if you're single, you can pick up the phone and try to find a match who makes you want to do more than just look at your phone. WATCH: This ingenious toilet paper tray will keep your iPhone safe in the bathroom
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| Australia, Malaysia hope MH370 will be found one day Posted: 07 Mar 2017 11:52 PM PST  CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Australian government minister in charge of the suspended seabed search for the Malaysia Airlines jet told victims' families and friends at an anniversary church service on Wednesday that he remained hopeful that Flight 370 would be found.
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| Arrested Mexican 'dreamer' immigrant seeks new U.S. legal channel Posted: 07 Mar 2017 02:02 PM PST ![Arrested Mexican 'dreamer' immigrant seeks new U.S. legal channel]( "Arrested Mexican 'dreamer' immigrant seeks new U.S. legal channel") If they are successful on Wednesday, the case of Daniel Ramirez Medina, a so-called dreamer afforded some protection from deportation under an Obama-era program, could point a new way forward for thousands of people across the country threatened by stepped-up immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump. Under U.S. law, deportation cases must be heard by immigration courts but Ramirez hopes to establish an alternate legal challenge over his arrest. Immigration courts, which operate separately from the broader federal judiciary, have a huge backlog and immigration lawyers say it is difficult to win deportation challenges in them.
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| Montenegro jails more Serbs over coup plot Posted: 08 Mar 2017 11:58 AM PST  A Montenegrin court jailed a group of Serbian nationals Wednesday for five months over an alleged coup plot during October's election, the latest such sentences. The five struck a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty in exchange for light sentences, as another three of their compatriots did last month. "Five citizens of Serbia admitted to being part of a criminal organisation whose plan was to break into the parliament of Montenegro violently," with the aim of seizing it, the prosecutor said in a statement.
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| Mother of Columbine shooter gives TED Talk about mental health and violence Posted: 07 Mar 2017 06:42 PM PST 
On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold walked into Columbine High School with an elaborate plan to kill as many students as possible. Armed with knives, homemade bombs and an arsenal of high-powered guns -- including a TEC-DC9 and various sawed-off shotguns -- Harris and Klebold wreaked havoc at the school before they both committed suicide. When the dust settled, 12 students and 1 teacher were killed, with many more injured in the process.
The Columbine High School massacre, as it's known, could have actually been much worse. Thankfully, a good number of the homemade bombs used in the attack -- some of which were designed to kill and maim emergency responders -- didn't detonate as intended. More broadly, the massacre made headlines across the globe and sparked heated debates about contentious issues like gun control, suicide, bullying, school violence and mental health. Nearly 18 years later, many unanswered questions remain about the underlying motivations behind the attack, not to mention the mental states of both Harris and Klebold. Recently, though, Klebold's mother Sue has stepped into the public light in an effort to help make sense of the attack. Over the last year, Sue Klebold has sat down for interviews with publications like the Oprah's O Magazine where she discussed how the massacre has impacted her life. All the more interesting are Klebold's ruminations about and how she seemed to miss some warning signs she, with the benefit of hindsight, should have paid more attention to. Klebold also penned a book titled, "A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy." The book's description reads in part: "In A Mother's Reckoning, she chronicles with unflinching honesty her journey as a mother trying to come to terms with the incomprehensible. In the hope that the insights and understanding she has gained may help other families recognize when a child is in distress, she tells her story in full, drawing upon her personal journals, the videos and writings that Dylan left behind, and on countless interviews with mental health experts." More recently, Kelbold delivered a Ted talk where she touched on a few of the issues referenced in her book, including the "intersection between mental health and violence" as a means to "examine the link between suicidal and homicidal thinking." For anyone with an interest in the Columbine massacre specifically or some of the issues it brings to the forefront generally, the video is well worth watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXlnrFpCu0c
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| Mom Gives Man Trophy After He Is the First to Offer Her a Subway Seat in 2 Pregnancies Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:59 PM PST  And the award went to... Ricky Barksdale, of Harlem.
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| US, China lock horns on missile defense against NKorea Posted: 08 Mar 2017 10:27 AM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — If China was hoping for a concession from the U.S. after recently suspending coal imports from cash-poor North Korea, it got the opposite.
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| Parts of Vienna zoo close after bird flu virus found in dead pelican Posted: 08 Mar 2017 02:19 AM PST ![Parts of Vienna zoo close after bird flu virus found in dead pelican]( "Parts of Vienna zoo close after bird flu virus found in dead pelican") Parts of Vienna's Schoenbrunn Zoo have been closed to the public after the highly contagious H5N8 bird flu virus was found in a pelican that was put down this week, the zoo said on Wednesday. "We now have proof that it was infected with the H5N8 strain of bird flu," zoo veterinarian Thomas Voracek said in the statement.
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| A look back at women's rights movements Posted: 08 Mar 2017 06:38 AM PST ![A look back at women's rights movements]( "A look back at women's rights movements") March is Women's History Month. Take a look back at a history of women's rights movements from past to present. See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Tumblr
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| House GOP health bill adds up to big tax cut for the rich Posted: 07 Mar 2017 12:37 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Republicans' health care bill adds up to big tax cuts for the rich.
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| Casey Anthony Says She Doesn't Care About Others' Opinions Posted: 07 Mar 2017 02:44 AM PST  The 30-year-old was accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2008, only to be acquitted in 2011.
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| Iraqi forces retake government HQ, museum in Mosul Posted: 07 Mar 2017 12:21 PM PST  Iraqi forces said Tuesday they had seized the main government offices in Mosul and its famed museum as they made steady progress in their battle to retake the city's west from jihadists. The advances, which also included the recapture of three neighbourhoods, were announced on the third day of a renewed offensive against the Islamic State group in west Mosul -- the largest remaining urban stronghold in the "caliphate" IS declared in 2014. Supported by the US-led coalition bombing IS in Iraq and Syria, Iraqi forces began their push against west Mosul on February 19.
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| GOP appears divided over Obamacare replacement plan Posted: 07 Mar 2017 02:25 PM PST  Less than 24 hours after announcing its plan to replace Obamacare, the GOP scrambles to get its message right.
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| EU consumer agencies to join forces to press VW over dieselgate scandal Posted: 07 Mar 2017 12:30 PM PST ![EU consumer agencies to join forces to press VW over dieselgate scandal]( "EU consumer agencies to join forces to press VW over dieselgate scandal") By Alissa de Carbonnel BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European national consumer agencies plan joint action to seek compensation for Volkswagen drivers who bought emissions-cheating diesel cars on the strength of their green credentials, the European Commission said on Tuesday. At a meeting of the EU's 28 consumer protection authorities in Brussels, Dutch officials agreed to prepare "joint enforcement action" against the German carmaker, a spokesman for Europe's Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova said. "Commissioner Jourova encouraged the authorities to use all means at their disposal to protect European consumers," spokesman Christian Wigand said.
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| Love your Bible as you do your cellphone, Pope Francis tells pilgrims Posted: 07 Mar 2017 06:57 AM PST ![Love your Bible as you do your cellphone, Pope Francis tells pilgrims]( "Love your Bible as you do your cellphone, Pope Francis tells pilgrims") On Sunday, Pope Francis asked a crowd of pilgrims assembled in St. Peter's Square to consider precisely that question. How Christians treat their possessions speaks volumes to what they care about, Francis suggested. Recommended: How much do you know about Pope Francis?
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| Israel steps up battle against boycott movement Posted: 07 Mar 2017 12:07 PM PST  JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has stepped up its battle against outside supporters of an international boycott movement against the Jewish state with a new law that would bar entry to them.
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