| Trump spends Christmas Eve shutdown 'all alone,' tweeting his frustrations Posted: 24 Dec 2018 11:26 AM PST  'Twas the night before Christmas, and in the White House the president was firing off a ferocious tweet storm.
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| The Latest: Queen Elizabeth sends condolences to Indonesia Posted: 24 Dec 2018 07:54 AM PST  TANJUNG LESUNG, Indonesia (AP) — The Latest on a tsunami that hit along Indonesia's Sunda Strait (all times local):
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| Destruction of tunnels from Lebanon 'nearly done': Netanyahu Posted: 25 Dec 2018 10:13 AM PST  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that the Israeli army's operation to locate and destroy cross-border tunnels dug by Hezbollah from Lebanon was near completion. "The IDF (Israeli army) briefed us on its actions in neutralising the tunnels," Netanyahu said.
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| Pope Francis issues plea for peace in the Middle East in Christmas Day address Posted: 24 Dec 2018 05:15 PM PST  Pope Francis has used his traditional Christmas Day address urging people to overcome their religious and cultural differences to end conflict in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere in the Middle East. Delivering his sixth "Urbi et Orbi" address to 50,000 people gathered in Saint Peter's Square on Tuesday, the pope said Jesus Christ had given the world "fraternity" and differences should not be seen as a "detriment or a danger" but "a source of richness". "My wish for a happy Christmas is a wish for fraternity," the pope said. "All of us are brothers and sisters in humanity." Just days after Donald Trump, the US president, announced he would withdraw American troops from Syria and urged Saudi Arabia to help rebuild the country, the pope called for an urgent political solution that would allow millions of Syrian refugees to return home. "May the international community work decisively for a political solution that can put aside divisions and partisan interests, so that the Syrian people, especially all those who were forced to leave their own lands and seek refuge elsewhere, can return to live in peace in their own country," the pope said. "Urbi et Orbi" means "to the city and the world". Pope Francis waves after delivering the "Urbi et Orbi" message from the main balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica Credit: REUTERS/Max Rossi The 82-year-old pontiff delivered his message as thousands of pilgrims gathered in brilliant sunshine to celebrate the birth of Christ amid tight security at the Vatican. Last week police in southern Italy arrested a Somali man suspected of having been a member of Islamic State and who had threatened to bomb churches in Italy, including St. Peter's Basilica. After appealing for peace in Syria, the pope also called for a resumption of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians and a political solution in Yemen. Members of the Swiss Guard were present during the "Urbi et Orbi" message at the Vatican Credit: REUTERS/Max Rossi "My thoughts turn to Yemen, in the hope that the truce brokered by the international community may finally bring relief to all those children and people exhausted by war and famine," the pope said. Francis also turned his attention to other hotspots in the world, calling for further rapprochement on the Korean Peninsula and peace in Ukraine which he said was "yearning to regain a lasting peace that is slow to come". He also appealed for "social harmony" in Venezuela and reconciliation in Nicaragua. The pope's concern for migrants and refugees was not overlooked. He called for an end to conflict in Africa "where millions of people are refugees, or displaced or in need of humanitarian assistance and food security". Pope Francis prays in front of a Nativity scene Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP On Christmas Eve the pope expressed his concern about the widening gap between rich and poor and the damage caused by "insatiable greed". "An insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when, paradoxically, a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily bread needed to survive," the pope said.
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| Mega Millions drawing could deliver biggest Christmas lottery gift ever Posted: 25 Dec 2018 01:28 PM PST  Americans who included Mega Million tickets on their holiday shopping lists have a shot at winning more than $300 million in Tuesday's drawing, the largest Christmas Day jackpot in the history of the multi-state lottery. The grand prize has grown to $321 million after a nine-week spell without a winner. Combined with a $294 million Powerball jackpot up for grabs on Wednesday, the holiday week could deliver prizes worth more than $600 million.
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| North Korea ordered to pay parents, estate of student $500M Posted: 24 Dec 2018 09:05 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge ordered North Korea to pay more than $500 million in a wrongful death suit filed by the parents of Otto Warmbier, an American college student who died shortly after being released from that country.
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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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| Beto O'Rourke slams Donald Trump on government shutdown as talk about 2020 run intensifies Posted: 24 Dec 2018 01:00 PM PST  Even Ted Cruz's campaign manager says Beto O'Rourke is in a class by himself among the contenders for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
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| Winter storm in the West could hamper post-Christmas travel Posted: 24 Dec 2018 06:13 PM PST  The low pressure system is bringing snow and rain to the West but then continues across the nation throughout the week
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| Nearly 30 people killed in brazen attack in Kabul Posted: 24 Dec 2018 01:43 PM PST  KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A suicide bomber and extremists armed with assault rifles and explosives attacked a government building in the Afghan capital in an eight-hour-long siege that left 29 people dead and more than 20 wounded, authorities said. It ended when the three gunmen were killed.
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| How the 14,000 Migrant Children in Federal Custody Will Spend Christmas Posted: 24 Dec 2018 01:43 PM PST  For many, it will be their first Christmas away from home
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| Mystery firm reportedly takes subpoena fight potentially tied to Mueller investigation to Supreme Court Posted: 24 Dec 2018 01:22 PM PST  Politico reports that an unidentified firm presented an application to Chief Justice John Roberts asking for a stay of a federal appeals court ruling that turned down the company's effort to block a grand jury subpoena for records
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| See differences as asset, not danger, pope says in Christmas message Posted: 25 Dec 2018 05:53 AM PST  Security has been tight around the Vatican for the Christmas season, with military jeeps stationed at key access routes and tourists undergoing metal detector and bag searches. Last week police in southern Italy arrested a Somali man suspected of having been a member of Islamic State and who had threatened to bomb churches in Italy, including St. Peter's. In his address, in what appeared to be a reference to the shrill political climate in a number of countries, Francis called for "fraternity among people with different ideas, yet capable of respecting and listening to one another".
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| Detained China lawyer to stand trial on Boxing Day Posted: 24 Dec 2018 02:16 AM PST  A Chinese human rights lawyer charged with state subversion over two years ago will make a court appearance the day after Christmas, his wife said Monday. Li Wenzu, who last week shaved her head in protest of her husband's indefinite detention, posted on Twitter that Wang Quanzhang would be going to trial in two days in the northern city of Tianjin. "On December 24, 2018, Christmas Eve, I found out: the trial starts the day after Christmas," Li wrote.
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| U.S. military tracking Santa despite partial government shutdown Posted: 24 Dec 2018 02:14 PM PST  The partial U.S. government shutdown is not preventing the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) from tracking Santa Claus as he embarks on his global trek to deliver Christmas gifts to children across the world, the command said on Monday. A holiday tradition, which allows parents and children to track Santa Claus online on his globe-trotting journey, will continue on Christmas Eve even though NORAD receives funding from the Department of Defense. NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian command responsible for aerospace and maritime control and warning missions, is "on duty 24/7, 365 days a year…committed to protect the citizens of both our countries," the agency said in a statement.
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| Oil, Populist Leaders and the Dollar: Guide to Emerging Market Risks in 2019 Posted: 24 Dec 2018 01:59 AM PST  "The theory is dead simple: emerging-market assets have already bombed, so the downside, if things get worse, is much lower and if things recover they have greater potential to perform," said Anthony Peters, an independent analyst, formerly at Blockex Ltd., who's long covered developing nations. Investors will be carefully watching the U.S. Federal Reserve after Chairman Jerome Powell wasn't as dovish as they'd hoped in comments that followed the central bank's interest-rate increase on Dec. 19.
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| Report: Israeli attack near Syrian capital wounds 3 soldiers Posted: 25 Dec 2018 03:05 PM PST  BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli warplanes flying over Lebanon fired missiles toward areas near the Syrian capital of Damascus late Tuesday, hitting an arms depot and wounding three soldiers, Syrian state media reported, saying that most of the missiles were shot down by air defense units.
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| Delta flight makes emergency landing on Alaskan island due to 'a potential engine issue' Posted: 25 Dec 2018 02:45 PM PST ![Delta flight makes emergency landing on Alaskan island due to 'a potential engine issue']( "Delta flight makes emergency landing on Alaskan island due to 'a potential engine issue'") Delta Air Lines passengers faced a Christmas Eve scare when a Seattle-bound flight made an emergency landing on a small Alaskan Island.
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| Poker player turns $5 bet into $1 million at Borgata in Atlantic City Posted: 24 Dec 2018 07:37 PM PST  A man playing poker at an Atlantic City casino won $1 million on a $5 bet.
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| Why the Ferrari F50 is the most underrated supercar Posted: 25 Dec 2018 03:00 AM PST  The Ferrari F50 often lives in the shadow of the F40 and Enzo, but this lightweight supercar deserves its own place in history
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| Here Are All the Stores Open and Closed on Christmas 2018 Posted: 24 Dec 2018 02:45 AM PST  Including Walgreens and CVS
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| Drone detectors now deployable across UK: minister Posted: 24 Dec 2018 10:58 AM PST  British Security Minister Ben Wallace said Monday the government can now deploy drone detection systems nationwide, after days of device sightings caused chaos at Gatwick Airport and criticism of the government response. "We are able to now deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat this threat," Wallace said in a statement.
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| Analysis: One by one, Trump's 'Axis of adults' leaving Posted: 23 Dec 2018 09:22 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — Last year, during one particularly frenetic stretch in Donald Trump's presidency, a top Republican senator said there were three men guarding the country from chaos: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, White House chief of staff John Kelly and then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
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| Queen calls for Christmas calm in Brexit storm Posted: 24 Dec 2018 01:54 AM PST  Queen Elizabeth II will call for respect and civility in a Christmas message delivered with Britain badly divided over its impending exit from the EU. Tuesday's annual television appearance gives the 92-year-old monarch a rare chance to share some personal thoughts about Brexit. The queen will not make an overt reference to Britain's departure from the European Union after 46 years on March 29, according to extracts released by Buckingham Palace.
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| Russia: Hole drilled from inside Int'l Space Station capsule Posted: 24 Dec 2018 08:11 AM PST  MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian cosmonaut who explored a mysterious hole in a capsule docked to the International Space Station said Monday that the opening was drilled from inside the spacecraft and Russian law enforcement agencies are investigating what caused it.
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| Syrian army reinforced close to front with Turkish-backed forces Posted: 25 Dec 2018 10:42 AM PST ![Syrian army reinforced close to front with Turkish-backed forces]( "Syrian army reinforced close to front with Turkish-backed forces") Syrian government troops backed by Russian forces have sent extra troops toward the city of Manbij in coordination with the militia that controls it, a militia spokesman said, as Turkish-backed Syrian rebels said they were preparing to attack it. The deployment was coordinated with the U.S.-backed militia in Manbij, the spokesman for the Manbij Military Council said. "The battle will soon start," Major Youssef Hamoud, spokesman for the National Army, the main Turkish-backed rebel force in the area, told Reuters.
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| Stocks Pushed to the Brink of a Bear Market on Christmas Eve Posted: 24 Dec 2018 10:49 AM PST  Compared with its intraday high on Sept. 21, the gauge is down 20 percent. "Even if 20 percent is just a psychological number, it is psychologically very important," Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at the Independent Advisor Alliance, said by phone. "We've been trading like we're already in a bear market for the past few weeks.
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| Flyers take to social media to share Christmas Eve travel woes Posted: 24 Dec 2018 09:47 AM PST  Travelers didn't hold back on Twitter this Christmas Eve, detailing everything from minor travel annoyances to delayed and canceled flights.
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| Pope urges more 'sharing and giving' in Christmas mass Posted: 24 Dec 2018 01:24 PM PST  Pope Francis on Monday assailed the "insatiable greed" of today's consumerism, calling on people in his Christmas homily to make "sharing and giving" more a part of their lives. "Mankind became greedy and voracious," the leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics said in an address to thousands of followers in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. "In our day, for many people, life's meaning is found in possessing, in having an excess of material objects," he said.
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| Nissan executive linked to Ghosn case released on bail Posted: 25 Dec 2018 07:07 AM PST  Japanese authorities Tuesday released on bail a Nissan executive accused of a key role in the financial misconduct case involving auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn, who remains in detention. Greg Kelly, wearing a casual zip-up jacket and looking tired, walked out of the Tokyo Detention Centre more than a month after his arrest and got into a waiting taxi without speaking to the media.
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| Russia-US relationship 'practically non-existent', Moscow's UN ambassador says Posted: 25 Dec 2018 05:22 AM PST  Russia-US relations are "practically non-existent" with little prospect of improvement while Donald Trump is president, Moscow's UN ambassador has said. Vassily Nebenzia said the current situation between the two superpowers was bad not only for Washington and Moscow but also for the rest of the world. "Given the vulnerabilities that drift around this administration, I don't see too bright prospects for improving [relations] any time soon," Mr Nebenzia said in a wide-ranging interview.
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| The top iPhone and iPad apps on App Store Posted: 25 Dec 2018 03:35 PM PST ![The top iPhone and iPad apps on App Store]( "The top iPhone and iPad apps on App Store") App Store Official Charts for the week ending December 23, 2018:
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| Every Dog at Missouri Animal Shelter Finds Forever Home in Time for Christmas Posted: 24 Dec 2018 11:54 AM PST  Every dog at St. Charles City Animal Control was adopted over the weekend, clearing the shelter just in time for Christmas.
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| Elon Musk promises Tesla will pay customers who miss federal tax credit Posted: 24 Dec 2018 07:15 AM PST  'Tesla will cover the tax credit difference' on cars not delivered before Jan. 1.
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| Analysts Say Brace for a Steeper Plunge as Shutdown Drags On Posted: 24 Dec 2018 06:49 AM PST  Analysts and strategists say investor sentiment is weakening further amid the federal government shutdown, with no quick end in sight. Mattis's resignation could be a "material negative event" for 2020 budget negotiations, Credit Suisse analyst Robert Spingarn said on Dec. 21, noting that Mattis enjoyed broad bipartisan support.
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| Scientists find galactic fossil of the Big Bang Posted: 24 Dec 2018 05:46 AM PST ![Scientists find galactic fossil of the Big Bang]( "Scientists find galactic fossil of the Big Bang") Mexico, Dec. 24 (Notimex).- A group of astronomers discovered one of the only three known fossil clouds in the Universe, which will offer new data on the formation of the first galaxies. The cloud of orphan gas that formed after the Big Bang was discovered in the distant Universe, through the optical telescope of the WM Keck Observatory in Maunakea, Hawaii. The discovery of the galactic fossil was carried out by PhD student Fred Robert and Professor Michael Murphy at the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. "Everywhere we look, the gas in the universe is contaminated by the waste of heavy elements from exploding stars," Robert said. However, he explained, this particular cloud seems pristine, not polluted by stars, even 1,500 million years after the Big Bang. "The most convincing explanation is that it is a true relic of the Big Bang," he said. According to the WM Keck Observatory, the other two known fossil clouds were discovered in 2011, however, it is now possible to inspect these fossil relics, said Michael Murphy. "That will tell us exactly how rare they are and will help us understand how some stars and galaxies formed gas in the early universe and why some do not," he said. NTX/ICB/MAG/JCG
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| The Latest: Pope: Choose simplicity over Christmas greed Posted: 24 Dec 2018 11:34 PM PST  VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Latest on Christmas Eve observances at the Vatican (all times local):
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| Tokyo stocks plunge in Christmas rout Posted: 25 Dec 2018 01:35 AM PST  Tokyo stocks plunged on Tuesday as the few Asian markets open on Christmas suffered a holiday rout on fears about the US economy and a government shutdown in Washington. Tokyo markets, which were closed on Monday for a national holiday, plummeted at the open on Tuesday, with the Nikkei closing down five percent -- over 1,000 points. It was the worst finish since April 2017 and followed a brutal holiday-shortened session on Wall Street that saw US stocks sink for a fourth straight session.
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| President Trump tells 7-year-old child it's 'marginal' to still believe in Santa Claus Posted: 24 Dec 2018 07:55 PM PST  "Are you still a believer in Santa?" President Trump said to a child calling in to the federal government's official "Santa Tracker".
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| China accuses Britain, EU of hypocrisy over Canada detention concerns Posted: 24 Dec 2018 04:49 AM PST  Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Saturday Canada will maintain a high-level campaign in the coming days to seek support from allies as it pressures China to free the two detained Canadians, who China says are suspected of endangering state security. Freeland spoke a day after the United States joined Canada in calling on Beijing to release the pair, who were held after Canadian authorities arrested a senior Chinese executive on a U.S. extradition warrant. Britain and the European Union have also expressed support for Canada.
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| Santa gets pushed out as China's leaders emphasize tradition Posted: 24 Dec 2018 04:54 PM PST  SHANGHAI (AP) — It took less than 24 hours for all the Christmas trees, lights and bells to disappear from a 27-story shopping and office complex in the Chinese city of Nanyang.
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| Minnesota Attorney General sues Comcast for allegedly overcharging customers Posted: 24 Dec 2018 08:07 PM PST ![Minnesota Attorney General sues Comcast for allegedly overcharging customers]( "Minnesota Attorney General sues Comcast for allegedly overcharging customers") We know this will come as a shock to many of you, but the cable giant Comcast has become synonymous among the general public with price hikes that squeeze customers for every extra cent available, and then some. Indeed, the company has even been raising prices as much as it can at what you could argue is exactly the wrong time -- a period when a growing number of customers are cutting the cord, saying goodbye to traditional pricey cable packages and going all-in on Internet-based TV. And now, along comes Minnesota's attorney general, who on Friday filed a lawsuit against Comcast/Xfinity that lays a host of allegations at the company's feet, like the notion that it's overcharged thousands of customers for TV packages and even failed to come through on promised gift cards. ABC News reports that the state's attorney general Lori Swanson took more than two years to investigate the company before filing the suit because of what she says was a lack of cooperation from Comcast. Also, Swanson contends that Comcast started doing business as Xfinity some years ago to get out from under the poor reputation among customers that the Comcast brand enjoys. Her suit, among other things, asks a court to force Comcast to stop what Swanson contends are deceptive business practices. From ABC's reporting: Swanson "said Comcast often promises customers fixed prices for a year or two for cable packages, then tacks on 'an array of undisclosed fees' that can jack up the bill by 30 percent or more. Comcast then raises those fees, Swanson said, pointing out that a fee charged to most customers for regional sports has gone up 700 percent since 2015, from $1 a month to $8 this year. That's an additional $84 a year. "'It's hard to shop around for cable services if the company is playing hide-the-ball on fees,' Swanson told reporters." The report goes on to note Swanson pointing to other customers who got charged for equipment and services they didn't order -- some who got charged for those things even after turning them down. And that Comcast had failed to give thousands of customers promotional gift cards worth up to $300 in exchange for signing up with the company. Comcast, of course, disputes the allegations in the suit. Explains company spokeswoman Jill Hornbacher in a statement: "We fully disclose all charges, fees and promotional requirements. The facts do not support the Minnesota Attorney General's allegations and we'd like nothing more than to work collaboratively with the Minnesota Attorney General's Office; however, they've raised complaints about matters that date back several years and have largely ignored our efforts to work together to address them." As the ABC report notes, Comcast also recently agreed to settle a case with similar allegations in Massachusetts. Comcast agreed as part that settlement to take steps including absorbing $950,000 in refunds or debt cancellations for more than 20,000 subscribers.
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