| Trump finally hews to ritual of meeting troops in harm's way Posted: 27 Dec 2018 10:25 AM PST  JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Maryland (AP) — President Donald Trump once opined that it wasn't "overly necessary" for him to visit troops in danger zones abroad. But with the lights of Air Force One out and window shutters drawn, the president did just that, slipping into Iraq at night to greet U.S. service members and show that his norm-busting presidency would hew at least to this tradition.
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| Indonesia rescuers scramble to reach isolated tsunami-struck towns Posted: 26 Dec 2018 07:05 AM PST  Indonesian search and rescue teams Wednesday plucked stranded residents from remote islands and pushed into isolated communities desperate for aid in the aftermath of a volcano-triggered tsunami that killed over 400. The disaster agency cautioned residents to stay clear of the coast, as fresh activity at the Anak Krakatoa volcano, which sits in the middle of the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, threatened to spark another tsunami. The agency also said that wind was blowing "ash and sand" from Anak Krakatoa to the nearby towns of Cilegon and Serang on Java, and advised residents to wear masks and glasses if they had to venture outdoors.
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| From delivery to eco-friendly packaging and tons of recalls: A look at 2018's food trends Posted: 26 Dec 2018 07:22 AM PST  Food recalls, green packaging and fast-food delivery were big industry news this past year, according to experts.
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| UK defence minister says he has grave concerns about Huawei: Times Posted: 27 Dec 2018 05:23 AM PST  British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said he had "grave concerns" about Chinese company Huawei providing technology for Britain's planned 5G telecoms networks, the Times newspaper reported on Thursday. Huawei, the world's biggest producer of telecoms equipment, is facing intense scrutiny in the West over its ties to the Chinese government and concerns its equipment could be used by Beijing for spying. Williamson said a closer examination of security threats was needed before Huawei could be allowed to participate in the upgrade of Britain's mobile network, becoming the first senior British minister to have aired such concerns, the Times said.
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| More holiday travel troubles: Airlines waive fees ahead of winter storm. Posted: 27 Dec 2018 03:46 AM PST  Airlines are waiving ticket change fees for travelers due to fly to, through or from several airports in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota
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| Daughters hide precious voicemail in Christmas teddy bear for their dad Posted: 26 Dec 2018 05:05 PM PST  Some Christmas gifts will bring you to tears. North Carolina-based Twitter user Melia, who goes by @meliatinnin, said her dad had kept the treasured voicemail on his phone, but his daughters found a different way to preserve it. "My dad refuses to get an iphone because a voicemail from his mom that passed away won't transfer from an android," she tweeted, "so me and my sister put it in a bear.
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| 14-year-old girl dies in fall from scenic Arizona overlook Posted: 27 Dec 2018 04:56 PM PST  Authorities say a girl visiting Arizona has died from what appears to be an accidental fall at the Horseshoe Bend Overlook.
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| German police probe curious case of 9-year-old's unwelcome Christmas gifts Posted: 26 Dec 2018 05:09 PM PST  Many children know the heart-sinking moment when they tear off the bright wrapping of their coveted Christmas gift to reveal the wrong colour trainers or an ill-favoured toy. Having dialed the emergency services hotline on Tuesday, the child explained to police that he had not received any of the gifts he had requested for Christmas. "The officers arrived and found a very angry little boy," said a spokesman from the local police in Zetel, in northwestern Germany, according to the Nordwest Zeitung newspaper.
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| How to Avoid Sneaky Car Rental Fees Posted: 26 Dec 2018 02:14 PM PST  When Stan Carpenter picked up his car from Dollar Car Rental during a trip earlier this year, he thought he knew what he'd have to shell out. But two months later, he received a letter from Dolla...
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| What does it mean if the hole in the ISS was drilled from the inside? Posted: 26 Dec 2018 11:36 AM PST ![What does it mean if the hole in the ISS was drilled from the inside?]( "What does it mean if the hole in the ISS was drilled from the inside?") There isn't much contest for the most bizarre space news story of the year. If anyone were to give away such an award it would definitely be handed to the bizarre saga of the leak that spontaneously appeared in the hull of a Soyuz spacecraft that was attached to the International Space Station several months ago. Now, with the ship itself safely back on Earth and the portion of the spacecraft that held the hole jettisoned during reentry, it's up to Russia to determine how the hole was created, when, and by whom. The country's investigation into the strange incident has seemed messy to any outside observer, with statements from officials coming fast and furious in the days following the hole's discovery and then tapering off rapidly with no resolution. This week, Russian cosmonaut Sergei Prokopyev told reporters that the hunt for the truth was in the hands of the Russian space program, but he also stated definitively that the hole was created from the inside. Okay, so the hole was drilled from inside the spacecraft and wasn't drilled into the interior from the exterior, but what does that mean and is it important? Well, at the moment it doesn't mean a whole lot, especially if you place any weight on early statements from Russian officials who believed the damage was created during the spacecraft's manufacturing process. Ships like Russia's Soyuz go through extensive testing and inspection before they're allowed to be strapped onto a rocket and shot into space. Everything has to be pretty much perfect for a ship to be cleared to take human passengers, and the fact that the hole wasn't addressed during the inspection and verification process is obviously peculiar. Early on, rumblings out of Russia suggested that maybe one of the ISS crew members (a NASA astronaut, perhaps) had drilled the hole in order to cut a mission short so a sick crew member could return. Those assertions were quickly shot down by the crew and Russia rapidly denied suggesting that anyone aboard the ISS was responsible. Assuming the damage was created when the ship was still on Earth, the fact that it was drilled from the inside might not mean all that much. The hole, which was apparently hidden with a low-quality patch job, ultimately posed no threat the crew, but it's still a nasty mark on Russia's Soyuz program which NASA and other international space groups have relied on to get scientists into space.
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| Trump visits U.S. troops in Iraq, his first trip as president to a combat zone Posted: 26 Dec 2018 11:49 AM PST  Trump made a surprise visit to Iraq amid controversy over his planned troop withdrawal in Syria.
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| A dream destination for every month in 2019 Posted: 26 Dec 2018 05:02 AM PST ![A dream destination for every month in 2019]( "A dream destination for every month in 2019") Whether you're seeking warmth, airfare deals or a can't-miss event, there's a perfect vacation for you to go on any time of year.
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| Nations count cost of 2018 climate disasters Posted: 27 Dec 2018 09:30 AM PST  Climate change-induced disasters cost nations at least $100 billion in 2018, a watchdog said Thursday, warning the spate of deadly wildfires, floods and superstorms was "a shadow" of things to come if greenhouse gas emissions aren't slashed. This year is set to be the fourth hottest on record and as planet-warming carbon and methane levels in the atmosphere continue to rise, extreme weather events such as the devastating blazes that destroyed swathes of California are likely to become far more common. "2018 showed the catastrophic threat that climate change presents the world.
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| Instagram 'back to normal' after bug triggers temporary change to feed Posted: 27 Dec 2018 10:33 AM PST  The momentary change sparked a widespread outrage among users on Twitter, with several comparing it to Snapchat's unpopular redesign. "The Instagram update is so trash it's worse than the Snapchat update," @samfloresxo tweeted. "We quickly fixed the issue and feed is back to normal," Instagram said in an emailed statement.
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| Israeli army says it destroys another Hezbollah tunnel Posted: 26 Dec 2018 11:40 AM PST ![Israeli army says it destroys another Hezbollah tunnel]( "Israeli army says it destroys another Hezbollah tunnel") JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military on Wednesday destroyed another cross-border tunnel it says was built by Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, sending a loud explosion throughout the volatile area.
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| Black Man Records White Neighbor Telling Him He Doesn't Belong in His Own Apartment Building Posted: 26 Dec 2018 04:59 PM PST  "I felt violated," said Chika Okafor, who had been waiting with a friend in the lobby of own apartment building
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| Nissan's Carlos Ghosn, Still in Jail on Financial Irregularity Charges, Faces New Claim Involving Payments to a Saudi Businessman Posted: 27 Dec 2018 10:03 AM PST  New charges in Japan mean the former Nissan, Renault, and Mitsubishi chief has now been arrested three times.
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| Former Obama National Security Council member accuses Trump of confusing Iraq US troop visit with a campaign rally Posted: 26 Dec 2018 09:02 PM PST  Former Hillary for America National Finance Committee member Al Mottur and GOPAC chairman David Avella weigh in on the president's surprise visit to U.S. troops in Iraq.
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| Was Grace Kelly's Rover P6 really sabotaged? Posted: 27 Dec 2018 02:54 AM PST  While it remains well documented that Princess Grace of Monaco died after her Rover P6 3500 plunged off a mountain pass, what's less well-known are the mysterious circumstances thereafter. Some claim the Rover was sabotaged, but is there evidence of such a claim?
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| Why are Trump and Congress still getting paid amid a partial government shutdown? Posted: 27 Dec 2018 12:55 PM PST  Many Americans might not want to see Congress get paid amid a shutdown, but any change would require getting over a big hurdle: the U.S. Constitution.
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| In-Depth Photos of the 2019 Mazda CX-5 2.5T Signature Model Posted: 27 Dec 2018 10:23 AM PST |
| Israeli official confirms Syria airstrikes as Russia objects Posted: 26 Dec 2018 10:13 PM PST  JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli security official on Wednesday confirmed responsibility for overnight airstrikes in Syria, saying the air force had hit a series of targets involved in Iranian arms transfers to the Hezbollah militant group.
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| Second dramatic day for global stocks ends on high note Posted: 27 Dec 2018 01:56 PM PST  A wild Christmas week ride in global markets continued on Thursday as stocks rallied from significant losses to post gains for the day. For the second consecutive session, early weakness in markets turned to strength by the time U.S. stocks closed as investors shuffled their portfolios. "We had a very wild ride today," said David Kelly, chief global strategist for JP Morgan Chase & Co's asset management unit, on a conference call.
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| 8 Ways to Earn Miles Without an Airline Credit Card Posted: 26 Dec 2018 11:44 AM PST ![8 Ways to Earn Miles Without an Airline Credit Card]( "8 Ways to Earn Miles Without an Airline Credit Card") Airline credit cards are a great way to earn miles with your favorite frequent flyer program. You can get miles if you provide your frequent flyer number when you book your trip and pay out of pocket. Each airline has a different rate for which you'll earn miles, and how much you earn can depend on your status with the airline, the type of fare, the ticketing airline and the operating airline.
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| Tesla charging stations to cover all of Europe in 2019 Posted: 27 Dec 2018 03:41 AM PST  Tesla's CEO-influencer Elon Musk has a habit of making major announcements on social media, particularly via Twitter, and yesterday was no different. Further down in the thread, he even announced that the station expansion will make its way into Africa in 2020.
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| Child says still believes in Santa after Trump's 'marginal' quip Posted: 26 Dec 2018 03:35 AM PST  President Donald Trump set off a Christmas social media storm when he questioned whether a seven-year-old was too long in the tooth to believe in Santa Claus. The child, Collman Lloyd, from Lexington, South Carolina, told the Post and Courier newspaper she was still a believer. Twitter had lit up after Trump, capping a week of plunging stocks, a government shutdown and the U.S. defense chief's unceremonious departure, cast doubt on the cherished childhood fantasy.
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| Japan to resume commercial whaling next year after pulling out of IWC Posted: 25 Dec 2018 10:00 PM PST  Japan said on Wednesday it was withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission and would resume commercial whaling next year, in a move expected to spark international criticism. The announcement had been widely expected and comes after Japan failed in a bid earlier this year to convince the IWC to allow it to resume commercial whaling. "We have decided to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission in order to resume commercial whaling in July next year," top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters. "Commercial whaling... will be limited to Japan's territorial waters and exclusive economic zones. We will not hunt in the Antarctic waters or in the southern hemisphere," Mr Suga added. Tokyo has repeatedly threatened to pull out of the body, and has been regularly criticised for catching hundreds of whales a year for "scientific research" despite being a signatory to a moratorium on hunting the animals. Mr Suga said Japan would officially inform the IWC of its decision by the end of the year, which will mean the withdrawal comes into effect by June 30. Leaving the IWC means Japanese whalers will be able to resume hunting in Japanese coastal waters of minke and other whales currently protected by the IWC. But Japan will not be able to continue the so-called scientific research hunts in the Antarctic that it has been exceptionally allowed as an IWC member under the Antarctic Treaty. The withdrawal means Japan joins Iceland and Norway in openly defying the IWC's ban on commercial whale hunting. Whale sashimi is pictured at Japanese whale meat restaurant in Tokyo Credit: Reuters Japan has hunted whales for centuries, and the meat was a key source of protein in the immediate post-World War II years when the country was desperately poor. But consumption has declined significantly in recent decades, with much of the population saying they rarely or never eat whale meat. Whale hunting has become a rare thorny subject in Japan's otherwise largely amiable foreign policy, with international opposition only serving to make conservatives dig in deeper in support of the tradition. Many members of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's conservative Liberal Democratic Party are supporters of whaling, and he himself comes from a constituency where whale hunting remains popular. Tokyo argues that whaling is an important part of Japan's traditions, and Mr Suga said the withdrawal would allow fishermen to "pass our country's rich whaling culture onto the next generation." In September, Tokyo sought to convince the IWC to allow it to resume commercial whaling, arguing that stocks of certain species were now sufficient to support renewed hunting. A minke whale is unloaded at a port after a whaling for scientific purposes in Kushiro Credit: AP But the bid failed, with strong opposition from anti-whaling nations - led by Australia, the European Union and the United States. Activist groups slammed the decision, with Greenpeace calling it a "sneaky" announcement. "The declaration today is out of step with the international community, let alone the protection needed to safeguard the future of our oceans and these majestic creatures," said Sam Annesley, executive director at Greenpeace Japan. The IWC, established in 1946 to conserve and manage the world's whale and cetacean population, introduced a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986. Tokyo has long exploited a loophole allowing whales to be killed for "scientific research" and says it is trying to prove the population is large enough to sustain a return to commercial hunting. It makes no secret of the fact that meat from the expeditions ends up on dinner tables. "There have been no concessions from countries who only place importance on the protection of whales," Mr Suga said. "At the IWC general meeting in September this year, it became evident once again that those supporting the sustainable use of whale stocks and those supporting protection cannot co-exist, leading us to this conclusion."
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| Father charged in deaths of own children whose bodies were found buried behind home Posted: 27 Dec 2018 10:53 AM PST  Authorities say the teens' father, who recently played Santa at Walmart, is one of four people charged in his own kids' deaths.
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| Russia's Su-35 Fighter Needs an Enemy to Kill Posted: 26 Dec 2018 05:47 PM PST  You don't sell fighter jets unless you can prove their worth in the sky.
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| Robin Thicke shocks April Love Geary with proposal: See the sweet moment Posted: 26 Dec 2018 06:37 AM PST  Singer Robin Thicke and model April Love Geary are now engaged. The two share one child and are expecting another in 2019.
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| Pompeo to visit Colombia amid tensions with Venezuela Posted: 27 Dec 2018 02:13 PM PST  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet Colombian President Ivan Duque in the resort city of Cartagena next week, as tensions flare with neighboring Venezuela. Duque and Pompeo will seek to "continue strengthening the bilateral relationship and discuss the crisis provoked by the dictatorship in Venezuela" of President Nicolas Maduro, a statement from the Colombian president's office said Thursday.
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| Tesla's Musk says cave rescuer's defamation case should be dismissed Posted: 27 Dec 2018 09:47 AM PST  In a filing on Wednesday with the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Musk's lawyers said their client's comments about Vernon Unsworth were free speech protected by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment even if they lacked any factual basis. Musk on July 15 called Unsworth a "pedo guy" in a tweet to more than 22 million Twitter followers, a comment for which he later apologized.
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| NASA wants you to celebrate New Years with its New Horizons space probe Posted: 26 Dec 2018 07:05 PM PST  NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has been speeding through space since early 2006 and it's about to make what might be its most interesting flyby to date. After speeding past Jupiter and Pluto in the 12 years since its launch, the probe is about to have a very close encounter with a mysterious object in the outer Solar System called Ultima Thule. As luck would have it, it's going to meet its target on New Year's Day, and it's a pretty big deal for NASA. As we approach the probe's arrival at Ultima Thule, NASA is announcing its schedule of events related to the probe's flyby. The big show will begin on the afternoon of Monday, December 31st, and it'll kick off three days of news and briefings that will give us our best look yet at an extremely distant Solar System object. Here's the schedule of events that NASA has planned: As you can see, anyone who is staying up for the big ball to drop and kick off the new year on the East Coast will only have to wait a little while to catch live coverage of the New Horizons spacecraft's close approach to Ultima Thule. NASA will provide simulations of the flyby happening in real-time, but since a live feed from the spacecraft just isn't possible we'll have to wait a little while to see the actual images the probe captures. Later on New Years Day NASA will broadcast the signal acquisition from New Horizons, confirming that it gathered the data it was instructed to and building up some serious hype for the eventual reveal of the first images of the distant object. At 11:30 a.m. EST, NASA will hold a press briefing to show off whatever images and information the spacecraft has managed to send back, but that will really only be the tip of the iceberg for scientists. In the months to come, New Horizons will beam back a wealth of data that won't be available on day one. NASA will announced a"data download schedule" that will give us all a better sense of when to expect even more news about Ultima Thule.
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| The New Land Rover Defender Is Officially Coming to America and It Looks Like a Real Off-Roader Posted: 27 Dec 2018 07:00 AM PST  The reimagined SUV will go on sale in 2020 after debuting next year.
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| President Trump Makes Surprise Visit to Combat Zone for the First Time Following Syria Withdrawal Posted: 26 Dec 2018 04:21 PM PST  U.S. troops in Iraq battling ISIS will likely face additional challenges as a result of President Donald Trump's order to withdraw from Syria.
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| Good Samaritans Rewarded With $100 After Trying to Help Homeless Man Posted: 27 Dec 2018 12:36 PM PST ![Good Samaritans Rewarded With $100 After Trying to Help Homeless Man]( "Good Samaritans Rewarded With $100 After Trying to Help Homeless Man") YouTuber Brian Breach gave anyone who offered to help him $100.
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| Introducing the 5 Worst U.S. Fighter Jets of All Time (And Yes, the F-35 Made the List) Posted: 26 Dec 2018 12:32 AM PST  Let the debate begin.
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| Luxury hypercars we're waiting for in 2019 Posted: 26 Dec 2018 09:06 AM PST  The Aston Martin Valkyrie and McLaren Speedtail top the list of luxury hypercars that we're excited to -- hopefully -- see in 2019. News of the Aston Martin Valkyrie has been trickling in since 2017. Most recently, the company revealed the specs of its powerful engine, which is capable of 11,000 RPM and a top speed around 250 mph, thanks to the naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter 65° V12.
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