| The Latest: Philanthropists die in South Dakota plane crash Posted: 26 Dec 2018 02:57 PM PST  SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The Latest on a small plane that crashed in a South Dakota city (all times local):
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| Israeli raids inside Syria since 2013 Posted: 26 Dec 2018 11:57 AM PST  Israel has carried out numerous raids inside war-torn Syria since 2013, targeting regime forces and their allies Iran and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah. In January 2013 Israeli planes hit a surface-to-air missile site and military complex near Damascus suspected of holding chemical agents, according to a US official. Israel later implicitly confirms the strike -- its first since the start of the Syrian war in 2011.
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| U.S. Justice Ginsburg released from hospital after cancer surgery Posted: 26 Dec 2018 07:25 AM PST  U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 85, has been released from the hospital after undergoing cancer surgery, a court spokeswoman said.
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| Stocks surge, with the Dow gaining 1,000 points, on oil rally and strong holiday sales Posted: 26 Dec 2018 04:05 PM PST  Stocks roared back on Wednesday, with the Dow surging more than 1,000 points after strong holiday sales, rally in oil market.
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| North, South Korea Open Rail Project Despite Sanctions Barrier Posted: 25 Dec 2018 11:13 PM PST ![North, South Korea Open Rail Project Despite Sanctions Barrier]( "North, South Korea Open Rail Project Despite Sanctions Barrier") Long-stalled plans to restore rail links severed by the Korean War were revived in historic summits by North Korea leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in earlier this year. While South Korea said the Security Council granted an exemption to United Nations sanctions Tuesday to allow the ceremony to proceed, additional relief would be needed to start construction. "The result of the North and South Korean railway and road project depends on our nation's mental strength and will.
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| Holiday cheer hits retail, with strongest seasonal sales in 6 years Posted: 26 Dec 2018 02:28 PM PST  Holiday sales were up 5.1 percent to $850-plus billion in 2018 and online sales grew 19.1 percent, according to data Mastercard released Wednesday.
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| Woman chases down porch pirate, gets package back Posted: 26 Dec 2018 10:20 AM PST  A Colorado woman chased down a porch pirate and got her package back.
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| 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country vs. 2019 Ford F-150 Limited vs. 2019 Ram 1500 Limited Posted: 26 Dec 2018 08:15 AM PST |
| US lawsuit blames Lion Air crash on Boeing's 'dangerous' airplane Posted: 26 Dec 2018 10:56 AM PST  A lawsuit filed in Chicago blames Boeing for the deadly Lion Air crash off the coast of Indonesia that killed all onboard, claiming the manufacturer's airplane was "unreasonably dangerous," a US law firm announced Wednesday. The suit, filed Monday in the Midwestern city where Boeing is based, alleges the two-month-old plane's safety system improperly engaged and pilots were not adequately instructed by the plane manufacturer on how to respond. Lion Air Flight 610 vanished from radar 13 minutes after taking off from Jakarta on October 29, crashing into waters off the north coast of Indonesia's Java Island and killing all 189 people onboard.
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| Venezuela calls U.S. comments on Guyana dispute 'interventionist' Posted: 25 Dec 2018 10:05 AM PST  Venezuela's foreign ministry on Tuesday described as "interventionist and disrespectful" U.S. comments on a weekend incident in which the country's navy stopped two ships exploring for oil for Exxon Mobil off Guyana's coast. In response to the event, the U.S. State Department said Venezuela had behaved "aggressively" and called on the country to "respect international law and the rights of its neighbors." "It is evident that the U.S. government is interfering in a matter that is not at all incumbent upon it, with the goal of promoting corporate interests closely linked to the Washington ruling elite," the foreign ministry said in a statement. Socialist President Nicolas Maduro has accused the United States of plotting to invade Venezuela and overthrow his government, while Washington has placed sanctions on Venezuela's debt and members of Maduro's government over accusations of corruption, human rights violations and election-rigging.
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| How Student Loan Debt is Different From Other Types of Debt Posted: 26 Dec 2018 06:00 AM PST ![How Student Loan Debt is Different From Other Types of Debt]( "How Student Loan Debt is Different From Other Types of Debt") Ignoring student loan debt does not make it go away. Student loans, like all consumer debt, are taken out with the expectation that the borrower will pay them back. All consumer debt can be broken down into two main types, either secured or unsecured.
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| Steady, Not Strong as Southeast Asia Faces Growth Risks in 2019 Posted: 25 Dec 2018 01:00 PM PST  The Federal Reserve is set to keep everyone on edge as it navigates an even trickier interest-rate path in 2019, while the trade war between the U.S. and China is already hurting exports in the region. The Philippines might eke out a small gain in growth in 2019, if their bets that inflation will diminish come to fruition. "Asean growth and inflation look set to soften in 2019," said Tamara Henderson at Bloomberg Economics.
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| 'You Hold the Line.' James Mattis Sends Last Christmas Message to U.S. Troops Posted: 26 Dec 2018 12:00 AM PST  The retired Marine General will no longer be Secretary of Defense from Jan. 1
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| Alleged victim of Spacey sexual assault filmed part of incident Posted: 26 Dec 2018 05:13 PM PST  A young man who accused Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting him at a seaside restaurant near Boston in 2016 filmed part of the incident, according to court filings obtained by AFP. If found guilty, Spacey could face up to five years in jail. Spacey then allegedly invited him back to his place, along with some other friends.
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| Russia says the mysterious hole in its Soyuz rocket may have been sabotage Posted: 25 Dec 2018 10:42 AM PST  We already knew that Russia was in the midst of an incredibly deep investigation into the origins of a strange hole that was found in a part of its Soyuz space vehicle earlier this year. The part of the ship that was damaged is no more -- it was jettisoned during reentry and burned up -- but samples taken from the damaged area are now being studied by Russian authorities as they try to explain how such a thing happened. Sergei Prokopyev, one of the cosmonauts that rode back down to Earth last week aboard the Soyuz craft, told reporters at a new conference that the investigation is still ongoing. Samples gathered during a recent spacewalk should hopefully be the final piece to whatever puzzle officials are trying to piece together. Russia's handling of the investigation has the full support of NASA, but it's worth noting that the country's messaging hasn't exactly been consistent in the days, weeks, and months following the discovery of the hole. Initially thought to be damage sustained by a tiny space rock, once the hole was determined to be manmade a whole lot of finger pointing ensued. Russia's Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin seeded the idea that the hole was created while the spacecraft was docked to the ISS, hinting that it might have been the work of someone on board. Those theories were squashed rather quickly and, in the days after the crew found the leak, word out of Russia suggested a culprit may have already been found. Those unofficial threads never materialized into anything more concrete, and we've now been waiting months for Russia to announce what it has found during the lengthy investigation. Russia's early assertion that the hole was some kind of sabotage, perhaps during the manufacturing process, is an incredibly serious allegation. It's unclear what punishment one or more individuals might face if the country determines that someone intentionally tried to harm its cosmonaut crew (not to mention NASA astronauts), but now that ship itself is back on solid ground we might learn more before long.
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| 5 Fitness Deals To Help You Get in Shape in 2019 Posted: 26 Dec 2018 06:53 AM PST  Hit your New Year's fitness goals with these discounted workout tools and subscriptions.
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| Guatemalan boy becomes second child to die in U.S. custody in December Posted: 26 Dec 2018 04:24 AM PST  The boy and his father were in CBP custody on Monday when a Border Patrol agent noticed the child showing signs of illness, CBP said in a statement. The father and son were taken to the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo, New Mexico, where the boy was diagnosed with a common cold and fever, and eventually released by hospital staff. The father and son were not identified, and the agency said it would release more details "as available and appropriate." Guatemalan officials have been notified of the death, CBP said.
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| 'My second family': French protesters band together for Christmas Posted: 25 Dec 2018 02:42 AM PST  The protests against President Emmanuel Macron may have eased in the run-up to Christmas, but dozens of demonstrators camped out at roundabouts across France are vowing to keep up the pressure, with no plans to head home for the holidays. Devilled eggs, foie gras and a traditional buche de Noel cake for dessert: "We wouldn't have all this if we celebrated Christmas at home," said Xavier, a 44-year-old at a roundabout in Somain, northern France.
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| Turkey Plans Meeting on Possible Patriot Purchase, Official Says Posted: 26 Dec 2018 03:34 AM PST ![Turkey Plans Meeting on Possible Patriot Purchase, Official Says]( "Turkey Plans Meeting on Possible Patriot Purchase, Official Says") The Presidency of Defense Industries is expected to hold a preliminary discussion on a possible purchase of the American system, the official said, asking not to be identified because he wasn't authorized to disclose the meeting plans. Turkey's presidency confirmed the planned meeting but wouldn't say what was on the agenda. Although a detailed assessment is unlikely at such an early stage, the discussion itself reflects the rapid detente between Ankara and Washington that's currently underway after years of strain that culminated with since-lifted U.S. sanctions on Turkey.
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| 'Cowards & traitors': Vandals deface Confederate monument in North Carolina Posted: 26 Dec 2018 07:33 AM PST  A Confederate monument in North Carolina has been vandalized again.
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| Trump is third American president to visit Iraq Posted: 26 Dec 2018 11:43 AM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump made an unannounced trip to Iraq on Wednesday to meet U.S. troops. It's the sixth time that a U.S. president has visited Iraq.
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| Photos and DNA tests as Indonesians search for lost relatives Posted: 26 Dec 2018 05:51 AM PST  Grief-stricken Indonesians queued with photos or waited on DNA tests Wednesday, to find out if their missing loved ones were among bodies being held in a hospital morgue after a devastating tsunami tore families apart. "I'm scared," said Tubagus Cecep, 63, as he waited nervously at a hospital in devastated Carita for test results on a body he fears could be that of his son.
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| Amazon’s Alexa suffers outages on Christmas Day as device appeared to cope with onslaught of new users Posted: 26 Dec 2018 05:11 AM PST  Amazon's Alexa suffered outages on Christmas Day as the smart devices appeared to struggle with the onslaught of new users. Owners took to social media to vent frustration at their malfunctioning gadgets, reporting the unsatisfactory responses they had been getting from Alexa. These included the virtual assistant, which can play music, make calls, answer questions and control smart home devices, saying that she was "having trouble understanding" and asking users to "please try a little later". Amazon's customer services channels, which were inundated with messages from disappointed customers about the Alexa breakdown, explained yesterday morning that problems were an "ongoing issue" which could take 12-24 hours to resolve. The tech giant did not state what had led to the mass breakdown, but customers speculated that the service was struggling to cope with thousands of new users who were given either Alexa or Amazon's Echo Dot 2, the wireless smart speaker, as a Christmas present. Dan Green wrote on Twitter: "[It] seems that your servers weren't ready for the massive influx of new Echo's being registered today. "When the waiting list for new Dot's is two months you'd have thought the geek squad would have been prepared" Others joked that "everybody deserves at least one day off" over Christmas, but "perhaps today was not the day" for the virtual home assistant to pick. By 12.50pm on Christmas Day, Amazon Help, the tech giant's customer services Twitter account, said: "Hi, over the past two hours some Echo devices in Europe have had intermittent connections." It added that the issues "have now been resolved and the Alexa Service is working normally". An Amazon spokesperson said: "For a short period [on Tuesday] morning we had an issue that intermittently impacted some Alexa customers' ability to interact with the service. The Alexa service is now operating normally."
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| No One Wants to Spend Christmas Like Mom-to-Be Amy Schumer Did Posted: 26 Dec 2018 09:47 AM PST  Amy Schumer shared her miserable Christmas with followers on Instagram – including a video of her getting sick on the side of a road.
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| Trump praises Treasury Secretary Mnuchin but hits Fed again on rate rises Posted: 26 Dec 2018 05:07 AM PST  Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after a Christmas video conference with U.S. troops deployed abroad, Trump also said U.S. companies were "the greatest in the world" and presented a "tremendous" buying opportunity. Asked if he has confidence in Mnuchin, Trump said: "Yes, I do. The S&P 500 has lost about 19.8 percent from its Sept. 20 closing high, just shy of the 20 percent threshold that commonly defines a bear market.
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| 16 Famous Authors’ Houses Worth Seeing Posted: 26 Dec 2018 05:00 AM PST |
| US holiday shopping season best in six years: report Posted: 26 Dec 2018 06:59 AM PST  Sales during the U.S. holiday shopping season rose 5.1 percent to over $850 billion in 2018, the strongest in the past six years, according to new data.
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| Didn't get what you want for Christmas? How to return, exchange or sell unwanted holiday gifts Posted: 26 Dec 2018 08:37 AM PST  Instead of settling for a duplicate Christmas gift or ugly sweater you'll never wear, you can return, exchange or sell your unwanted holiday gifts.
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| Trump offers holiday greetings to US troops Posted: 25 Dec 2018 08:59 AM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday wished U.S. troops stationed around the country and the world a merry Christmas.
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| NASA gets ever-closer to its encounter with a distant world 1 billion miles past Pluto Posted: 26 Dec 2018 03:00 AM PST  It's getting bigger. Last week, NASA released photos of the space exploration craft New Horizons gradually approaching an ancient, little-known object in deep space, called Ultima Thule. Ultima orbits the sun one billion miles past Pluto, and NASA expects to swoop close to the far-off object soon after midnight, on January 1, 2019. It will be humanity's farthest-ever encounter with another world. "What will Ultima reveal? No one knows," Alan Stern, the NASA planetary scientist leading the deep space mission, wrote last week. Ultima Thule getting bigger, and brighter.Image: nasaNASA suspects Ultima is a type of icy mass formed some 4.5 billion years ago, during the inception of our solar system. But since then, hovering in the profoundly cold outer reaches of the solar system, Ultima is presumed to have been preserved largely in its pristine, primeval state — allowing scientists to see the distant past. "In effect, Ultima should be a valuable window into the early stages of planet formation and what the solar system was like over 4.5 billion years ago," said Stern. Ultima is formally classified as a "Kuiper Belt Object," which is a ring of icy worlds that encircles the solar system beyond the last major planet, Neptune. It is a "region of leftovers from the solar system's early history," says NASA. SEE ALSO: The secretive lab that built 'the bomb' now scours Mars for signs of life Ultima has already proven somewhat mysterious. From previous images, scientists learned that Ultima probably has a weird, non-spherical shape. But as New Horizons travels closer, the pattern of light reflecting off off of Ultima, or its light curve, is inconsistent. With most other objects, these light patterns repeat as the objects spin. "It's really a puzzle," said Stern in a statement. Other New Horizons scientists mused that a dust cloud or moons "tumbling" around Ultima might be producing the strange light curve. But, there is one thing that's almost certain. On December 15, Stern's team concluded there were no obstructions between New Horizons — a triangular spacecraft 7 feet long and 9 feet tall — and Ultima Thule. Images of Ultima Thule from Dec. 2, 2018.Image: nasaStern told NASA that the deep space probe is now "Go" to closely approach Ultima. In the summer of 2015, New Horizons flew by Pluto. It captured unprecedented detail of the dwarf planet, its mountains, cliffs, and icy plains. The exploration craft flew 7,000 miles from Pluto's surface. But it will get much closer to Ultima Thule, swooping 2,200 miles above the little-known object. The first images are expected back early on New Years Day, about 30 minutes after the ball drops in Times Square. "The Ultima Thule flyby is going to be fast, it's going to be challenging, and it's going to yield new knowledge," said Stern. "Being the most distant exploration of anything in history, it's also going to be historic." We'll be watching. To watch the images come in during Ultima's approach, tune into a livestream from NASA TV beginning around 12:15 a.m. ET, Jan. 1, 2019. WATCH: Ever wonder how the universe might end?
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| Tokyo stocks dive more than 5% on fears over US economy Posted: 24 Dec 2018 07:43 PM PST  Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 index plunged more than five percent in morning trade Tuesday amid rising doubts about the US economy and fears sparked by a US government funding crisis. At the midday break, the Nikkei index was down 5.05 percent or 1,018.74 points at 19,147.45, after dipping to as low as 19,138.88 -- the lowest level since April 2017. The dollar fetched 110.13 yen in midday Tokyo time, down from 110.43 yen in New York on Monday and 111.38 yen in Asian trade on Friday.
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| Snow and Rain Across the U.S. Could Impact Post-Christmas Travel for Millions Posted: 26 Dec 2018 06:00 AM PST  Storms moving through much of the U.S. are predicted to create dangerous road conditions for millions of travelers
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| IS-claimed attack on Libya foreign ministry kills at least three Posted: 25 Dec 2018 04:39 PM PST  Suicide attackers stormed the Libyan foreign ministry in the capital Tripoli on Tuesday, killing at least three people including a senior civil servant in an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. A car bomb exploded near the ministry, prompting security forces to rush to the scene, said special forces spokesman Tarak al-Dawass. A suicide bomber then blew himself up on the second floor of the building while a second attacker died when a suitcase he was carrying exploded, he said.
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| The best-selling Instant Pot cooker is discounted today in all three sizes Posted: 25 Dec 2018 06:12 AM PST ![The best-selling Instant Pot cooker is discounted today in all three sizes]( "The best-selling Instant Pot cooker is discounted today in all three sizes") If you didn't get the Instant Pot you had been hoping for as a Christmas gift this year, it's time to give yourself the gift you've been waiting for. The Instant Pot Duo is the company's best-selling model ever, and it just so happens that it's on sale today on Amazon in all three sizes. That means you can pick up a 3-quart Instant Pot Duo Mini for just $67.99, the medium-sized Instant Pot Duo 60 is on sale for $76.49, and the large 8-quart Instant Pot Duo 80 is $50 off at just $89.99. That's $10 less than what the 6-quart model typically sells for, so you know it's a great deal. This is a limited-time sale though, so grab one while you still can. Here's more info from the product page: * Duo, the number 1 selling multi-cooker, combines 7 kitchen appliances in 1, Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Marker and Warmer, prepares dishes up to 70% faster to support your busy lifestyle * Features 14 Smart Programs - Soup, Meat/Stew, Bean/Chili, Poultry, Saute/Simmer, Rice, Multigrain, Porridge, Steam, Slow Cook, Keep Warm, Yogurt, Manual, and Pressure Cook. Now, your favorite dishes are as easy as pressing a button * Healthy, stainless steel (18/8) inner cooking pot made from food grade 304, no chemical coating, 3-ply bottom for even heat distribution, fully sealed environment traps the flavours, nutrients and aromas within the food * Built with the latest 3rd generation technology, the microprocessor monitors pressure, temperature, keeps time, and adjusts heating intensity and duration to achieve your desired results every time.Product Dimensions: 14.17 x 14.84 x 13.31 inches * UL and ULC certified with 10 safety mechanisms to provide you with added assurance, designed to eliminate many common errors.Accessories include, stainless steel steam rack with handles, rice paddle, soup spoon, measuring cup, condensation collector and recipe booklet * Power supply: 120V - 60Hz
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| Nissan's Kelly released on bail as Tokyo court rejects prosecutors' plea Posted: 25 Dec 2018 07:07 AM PST  Kelly and Carlos Ghosn, the automaker's ousted chairman, were detained upon arrival in Japan on Nov. 19 on suspicion of understating Ghosn's income in financial statements for several years. The arrests jolted the global car industry and strained Nissan's alliance with French car maker Renault SA. Ghosn remains in custody.
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| These vehicles will be killed in 2019: Say goodbye to Chevrolet, Ford, Nissan cars Posted: 26 Dec 2018 11:39 AM PST  Automakers, including General Motors and Ford, are killing vehicle models at a steady clip - largely because consumer preferences are changing.
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| Don't miss these 5 astronomy events coming in 2019 Posted: 26 Dec 2018 05:03 AM PST  The new year will bring several notable astronomy events that will be visible for many across the United States, including a rare celestial alignment that won't happen again until the 2030s.
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| Christmas revived in a village devastated by Islamic State Posted: 25 Dec 2018 05:07 PM PST  Tel Nasri was one of dozens of Assyrian Christian villages in northern Syria targeted by the jihadist group when it was near the peak of its power. Kurdish forces and local fighters seized the village a few months later, in May 2015, but nobody has returned. "I was born and raised in Tel Nasri, I'm still here and I'm staying," said Sargon Slio, 51, a farmer who stayed on with only his brother and two cousins.
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| Clashes in Yemen's Hodeida ahead of UN truce team meeting Posted: 26 Dec 2018 12:16 AM PST  Sporadic clashes erupted Wednesday in Yemen's flashpoint city of Hodeida, an AFP correspondent said, as a UN-led truce monitoring team was scheduled to convene for the first time. Government forces -- backed by a Saudi-led coalition -- and the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels exchanged gunfire in the latest breach of the ceasefire. A truce in Hodeida and its surroundings went into effect on December 18 but has remained shaky, with the two sides accusing each other of violations.
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| Why pay $50 for Philips Hue’s smart LED bulbs when these $17 bulbs are just as good? Posted: 26 Dec 2018 04:46 AM PST  I have Philips Hue smart LED lighting all throughout my home and I love it. To be honest though, every time I expand my setup and add new bulbs in new places, I kick myself a little for having committed to such an expensive solution. If you want to add smart lighting features to your home but you don't want to spend $50 a bulb, we've got just the thing. MagicLight WiFi Smart Light Bulbs cost just $17 each and they have all the best features from Philips Hue bulbs, including support for voice commands with Alexa and Google Assistant. Here's more info from the product page: * ✔ Compatible with Alexa & Google Assistant: Voice Control your MagicLight WiFi light bulb with your Amazon Echo or Echo Dot and Google Home Assistant * ✔ Works with IFTTT: DIY Your WiFi Light Bulb Depending on Various Events by Connecting it to IFTTT * ✔ Works with iOS/Android: Personalize Your WiFI Smart Lights to Match Your Mood, Control Your Smart WiFi Lights Bulb Remotely When You are not at Home * ✔ Various Scene Modes: Color Palette, Group Control, Sunlight, Music Mode, Timer, Sunrise, Sunset, Dimmable, MIC Function, DIY Mode, Scene Mode, Energy Saving...... * ✔ Application: This is a WiFi enabled light bulb, no hub required. Multiple lighting patterns, suitable for a showcase, residential, office, hotel, shop, exhibition room, landscaping, indoor, home etc.
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