NewsAssociated PressShutdown leads to delays in lawsuits against government
During the longest-ever government shutdown, the federal judiciary has remained open, allowing the wheels of justice to keep turning in most criminal cases. But many civil cases have come to a halt because the U.S. Department of Justice doesn't have enough attorneys working to handle them. Judges have granted the government delays after the Justice Department explained that without funding, its attorneys are barred from working on cases except in limited circumstances, including "emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property."
- NewsUSA TODAY
One person dies in a crash as winter snowstorm slams Midwest before sweeping East
At least one person has died in a crash on slick roads as a major winter storm moved across the nation's northern tier, bringing heavy snow and high winds to the Midwest on Saturday. The storm forced cancellations of hundreds of flights at Chicago airports and created a nightmare for many highway travelers, while severe thunderstorms cause damage in the Deep South. As the weekend snowstorm, driven by bitterly cold Arctic air, sweeps eastward, the National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings from the Dakotas to New England, cautioning that conditions in the Northeast “could approach blizzard criteria.” Ice was also a possibility in some areas in the storm's path.
- WorldReuters
Mexico fuel pipeline blast kills 71, witnesses describe horror
At least 71 people were killed after a pipeline ruptured by suspected fuel thieves exploded in central Mexico, authorities said on Saturday, as President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador defended the army despite its failure to clear the site before the blast. Forensic experts filled body bags with charred human remains in the field where the explosion occurred on Friday evening by the town of Tlahuelilpan in the state of Hidalgo, in one of the deadliest incidents to hit Mexico's troubled oil infrastructure in years. A number of people at the scene told Reuters that local shortages in gasoline supply since Lopez Obrador launched a drive to stamp out fuel theft had encouraged the rush to the gushing pipeline.
- PoliticsThe Independent
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responds to Aaron Sorkin's demand for newly elected Democrats 'stop acting like young people'
The youngest woman ever elected to Congress has responded to producer Aaron Sorkin's demand that the new intake of Democrats 'stop acting like young people' - saying if politicians do not show up and fight for them, they cannot expect their vote. Speaking on CNN, where he was promoting his Broadway production of To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway, the 57-year said he liked the newly elected young Democrats in Congress, but suggested they needed to act differently. “I really like the new crop of young people who were just elected to Congress.
- NewsYahoo News
Divided over leadership, but united in goals, women march and rally in New York
On Saturday, the day designated to mark the second anniversary of the Women's March, women in New York City could march, rally or protest in a variety of locations and under different auspices, but the messages, and even one of the messengers, weren't that different. In the past, New York City's march was led by Women's March Alliance, a grassroots organization unaffiliated with the national organization Women's March Inc., which organized the original rally in Washington in 2017. Spectators and supporters attend the Women's Unity Rally, hosted by a chapter of Women's March Inc., at Foley Square in New York City on Jan. 19, 2019.
BusinessUSA TODAYWhy the stock market is headed for a swift recovery
In my four earlier ones, I covered why December was lousy and why stocks are on the right side of a swift V-shaped recovery. U.S. stocks have climbed more than 10 percent since the market close on Christmas Eve. Assuming December 24 remains the bottom, this correction ended later in a calendar year than any correction or bear market ever.
NewsReutersStudents in Trump hats mock Native American; school apologizes
A Catholic school in Kentucky condemned a group of its students, many of whom wore "Make America Great Again" hats, after they were recorded harassing a Native American Vietnam veteran in a video that went viral on Saturday. The students from private, all-male Covington Catholic High School in northern Kentucky were in Washington for an anti-abortion rally on Friday when they were filmed surrounding Nathan Phillips and mocking the Native American's singing and drumming. One teen in particular is seen standing in front of Phillips, staring into his face with a smile.
WorldAssociated PressMerkel's Bavarian allies elect new head, ushering in new era
Chancellor Angela Merkel's Bavarian allies elected a new leader Saturday, a change that offers Germany's center-right a chance to move past their persistent bickering over recent years. The 52-year-old Markus Soeder was elected unopposed in Munich with more than 87 percent of the votes to lead the Christian Social Union. The CSU is the Bavaria-only sister party to Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, an independent-minded and sometimes-awkward ally despite the fact that they have a joint group in Germany's national parliament.
WorldAFPGhosn vows to stay in Japan if granted bail
Carlos Ghosn, the ousted Nissan boss detained in Tokyo on charges of financial misconduct, on Monday vowed to remain in Japan if granted bail and again proclaimed his innocence. The Tokyo District Court will later Monday consider the 64-year-old's latest petition for bail but has already rejected previous applications, judging Ghosn a flight risk who might seek to destroy evidence. "As the court considers my bail application, I want to emphasise that I will reside in Japan and respect any and all bail conditions the Court concludes are warranted," Ghosn said in a statement released by his US-based representatives.
- WorldThe Telegraph
Congo opposition leader declares himself president as court upholds election result
Congo's political standoff deepend on Sunday after the top court backed the contested presidential election victory of Felix Tshisekedi, then his main rival rejected the ruling, called for protests and declared himself leader. As Mr Tshisekedi's supporters celebrated the ruling in the streets of Democratic Republic of Congo's capital, runner-up Martin Fayulu said the decision had opened the way to a “constitutional coup d'etat”, raising fears of more violence. Rwandan President Paul Kagame - the chair of the African Union which has said it has “serious concerns” about the vote and called for the results to be delayed - was due to arrive in Kinshasa with an AU delegation to discuss the crisis on Monday.
- NewsAccuWeather
Severe storms to march across southern US on Saturday
While a winter storm churns to their north, residents of the southern United States are facing a severe weather danger on Saturday. As a strong cold front dives into the southern United States, it will clash with warm and humid air, causing the development of thunderstorms. Frequent lightning and small hail occurred in many storms, and some across Louisiana were severe enough to threaten tornado development.
- NewsTime
4 Arizona Women Convicted for Leaving Water for Migrants
Four aid workers were convicted Friday on charges connected to their efforts to leave food and water for migrants in an Arizona wildlife refuge along the U.S.-Mexico border. The volunteers, who are members of the faith-based humanitarian aid group No More Deaths, were caught on Aug. 13, 2017, by a Federal Wildlife officer as they left water jugs, beans and other supplies for migrants in Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a 50-mile border with Mexico. The judge, United States Magistrate Bernardo P. Velasco, ruled that three of the volunteers – Oona Holcomb, Madeline Huse and Zaachila Orozco-McCormick – were convicted of entering a national wildlife refuge without a permit and abandoning personal property or possessions.
- WorldBloomberg
U.S. Should Slow Syria Pullout to Contain Risks, Graham Says
The U.S.'s planned exit from Syria must be gradual or it risks letting the Mideast nation be overrun by Iran, Islamic State terrorists or Kurdish militants, Senator Lindsey Graham said. I believe it would be an absolute disaster to walk away from Syria and drop in Erdogan's lap armed elements of YPG that he considers to be terrorist and expect Turkey to deal with that and prevent ISIS from coming back,” Graham, a South Carolina Republican, told Bloomberg in an interview in Ankara. Addressing concerns by Turkey, a NATO ally, over Kurdish militant group YPG can dovetail with American objectives such as containing Iran and the jihadist group Islamic State, he said.
- BusinessThe Independent
E-cigarettes could be banned in US, FDA says
E-cigarettes and vaping products face an "existential threat" in the US if their use among young people continues to rise, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned. Scott Gottlieb spoke on Friday at a public hearing in Maryland focused on eliminating the use of "electronic cigarette and other tobacco product use" among American youth, at a time when the agency has threatened stores selling e-cigarettes to minors and seized thousands of documents from Juul Labs, the maker of a popular vaporising product, during a surprise inspection of the company's corporate headquarters. If the youth use continues to rise, and we see significant increases in use in 2019, on top of the dramatic rise in 2018, the entire category will face an existential threat,” Mr Gottlieb said.
- SportsCar and Driver
The First 1500 Toyota Supra Buyers Get This Special Launch Edition
This car, finished in matte gray with red mirror caps and matte black wheels, has a red interior. It also has a VIN ending in 20201, for the year of the Supra's reintroduction and a 1 for its status as first Supra off the production line. Pristine examples of the fourth-generation (A80) Toyota Supra have been selling for insane amounts of money lately, and Toyota surely would like the new 2020 Supra to become collectible, too.
- PoliticsThe National Review
Why Democrats Said No to Trump's Border Compromise
Lots of people are wondering just why Democrats rejected President Trump's plan to reopen government agencies even before he announced the plan. House speaker Nancy Pelosi called it a “non-starter,” and Senate Democratic whip Dick Durbin rejected it even though, as the Daily Caller noted, Trump's proposal to protect immigrant “Dreamers” from being deported “included everything” that Durbin had asked for “just over two years ago. The Washington Post editorial page, normally one of Trump's harshest critics, was puzzled by the Democratic intransigence: To refuse even to talk until the government reopens does no favors to sidelined federal workers and contractors.
PoliticsFOX News VideosWhat do Democrats not understand about the need for border security?
Former Border Patrol chief Mark Morgan explains how a wall is the solution to our border crisis.
ScienceAssociated PressUS spy satellite launched into orbit from California
A powerful Delta 4 Heavy rocket carrying a U.S. spy satellite lifted off Saturday from California. The rocket propelled the National Reconnaissance Office satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 11:10 a.m. Pacific time, arcing over the Pacific Ocean west of Los Angeles as it headed toward space.
WorldAFPThousands protest in Athens against Macedonian accord
Scuffles broke out in central Athens Sunday as tens of thousands of people protested a planned name change for neighbouring Macedonia that parliament is due to ratify this week. After some 30 masked youths tried to force the closure of the parliament building by throwing stones, riot police responded with tear gas volleys to break up the crowd there. Hundreds of buses, especially from northern Greece, had brought protesters in for the rally, on Syntagma square near the parliament.
- NewsUSA TODAY
Snow: Flight cancellations now stretch into Sunday
SATURDAY UPDATE: Flight headaches were on the rise Saturday as a potent winter storm moved from the Midwest into the Northeast. Airline cancellations were mounting, with some flights on Monday already off the books. All big U.S. airlines were waiving change fees at many airports in the storm's path.
- NewsThe Telegraph
Prince Philip 'could be sent on driving awareness course' as police investigate crash
The Duke of Edinburgh could be sent on a drivers' awareness course, it has emerged, as police continue to investigate a crash which left two women hospitalised. The Duke, 97, is understood to have no intention of giving up driving, having been photographed on public roads driving a new car less than 48 hours after the accident. Two women, aged 45 and 28, will also be asked for their recollections of the accident, after their Kia Carens collided with the Duke's Land Rover Freelander on the A149 on Thursday.
WorldReutersIsrael strikes in Syria in more open confrontation with Iran
The threat of open confrontation between arch-enemies Israel and Iran has long simmered in Syria, as the Iranian military has established a presence there since early in its civil war in support of President Bashar al-Assad against rebels Israel, regarding Iran as its biggest threat, has repeatedly attacked Iranian targets and those of allied militia, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, in Syria, aiming to push them far from its frontier. The Israeli military said its fighter jets had attacked the Iranian targets early on Monday, including munition stores, a position in the Damascus International Airport, an intelligence site and a military training camp. Israeli jets then targeted Syrian defense batteries after coming under fire, the Israeli military said, and the Defence Ministry of Russia, Assad's strongest ally, said four Syrian soldiers were killed and six wounded.
- LifestyleMashable
10 ways to make your binge-watch as comfortable as possible
In Binged, Mashable breaks down why we binge-watch, how we binge-watch, and what it does to us. Because binge-watching is the new normal. Binge-watching is basically an endurance sport, so you need to be sure you're prepared.
- BusinessBloomberg
Emerging-Market Equities Post Longest Rally in a Year: EM Review
Emerging-market equities rose for a fourth week last week as signs of easing trade tensions supported the appetite for riskier assets. Currencies dropped amid a stronger dollar. The following is a roundup of emerging-markets news and highlights for the week ending Jan. 20: Listen here to the Emerging Markets Weekly Podcast Highlights: Asia: EMEA: Latin America: --With assistance from Netty Ismail, Colleen Goko, Philip Sanders and Andrew Janes.
- BusinessTime
George W. Bush Calls for an End to Government Shutdown With a Secret Service Pizza Delivery
Former President George W. Bush made his feelings on the partial government shutdown known Friday with hand-delivered pizza to his secret service personnel as they continue to work without pay. Bush's Instagram account posted an image of him carrying pizza boxes to secret service agents and expressed his and former first Lady Laura Bush's appreciation for the agents and other federal employees. ?@LauraWBush and I are grateful to our Secret Service personnel and the thousands of federal employees who are working hard for our country without a paycheck,” he posted.
