Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Bounty hunters and fugitive shoot each other dead in Texas
Apple WWDC 2017 Preview: A Siri Speaker Plus Software
WWDC tends to be a software-focused event, but Apple may be announcing several new devices at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 5. There's a remote possibility we'll get a sneak peek of the iPhone 8, but based on recent reports, there's a much better chance we'll see a revamped a new Siri-powered speaker that will compete against Amazon's legion of Alexa speakers, a revamped 10.5-inch iPad Pro and an update to Apple's MacBook lineup. Apple CEO Tim Cook will kick off WWDC 2017 on June 5.
WWDC tends to be a software-focused event, but Apple may be announcing several new devices at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 5. There's a remote possibility we'll get a sneak peek of the iPhone 8, but based on recent reports, there's a much better chance we'll see a revamped a new Siri-powered speaker that will compete against Amazon's legion of Alexa speakers, a revamped 10.5-inch iPad Pro and an update to Apple's MacBook lineup. Apple CEO Tim Cook will kick off WWDC 2017 on June 5.
By David Ingram RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday she suspects President Donald Trump's campaign gave guidance to Russian government propaganda efforts during last year's U.S. presidential campaign, leveling her most serious charge yet against the person who defeated her. The former Democratic presidential candidate, appearing at a tech conference near Los Angeles, said propaganda spread on sites such as Facebook helped cost her the election, and she urged Silicon Valley firms to move faster to stop false stories. Trump has said that there was no collusion between his campaign and Russia.
Dakota Access pipeline expected to begin shipping Thursday
Macron vows to renegotiate sale of French shipyard
Saint-Nazaire (France) (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that his government would seek to renegotiate the sale of the STX France shipyard to Italy's Fincantieri, in order to "guarantee job preservation" at the site. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire will negotiate "a new shareholding structure" for the sale "in the coming weeks", Macron said during a visit to the Saint-Nazaire shipyard, the last gem in France's once-thriving shipbuilding industry.
The blast, at the start of the holy month of Ramadan, was one of the deadliest seen in Kabul, killing 80 people and wounding another 463, Deputy Interior Minister Murad Ali said. A huge crater was caused at the blast site close to the German embassy compound, tearing the front off a building facing the street and shattering windows and blowing off doors in houses hundreds of meters away. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said some embassy staff had been injured and at least one local security guard was killed.
Saint-Nazaire (France) (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that his government would seek to renegotiate the sale of the STX France shipyard to Italy's Fincantieri, in order to "guarantee job preservation" at the site. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire will negotiate "a new shareholding structure" for the sale "in the coming weeks", Macron said during a visit to the Saint-Nazaire shipyard, the last gem in France's once-thriving shipbuilding industry.
Death toll climbs from mudslides and floods in Sri Lanka
The death toll from mudslides and floods in Sri Lanka has climbed past 200, with 96 others missing, the government said Wednesday. The Disaster Management Center said 203 people were confirmed dead. More than 77,000 have been displaced and over 1,500 homes destroyed since rains began inundating the southern and western areas of the Indian Ocean island nation last Friday.
Alerted by authorities in Pennsylvania, officers of the Metropolitan Police Department detained a man from the state, identified as Brian Moles, 43, at around 1 am at the hotel a short distance from the White House. In his car, they recovered an AR-15 semi-automatic assault style rifle, a handgun and ammunition, police chief Peter Newsham told a news conference. "The officers and our federal partners… averted a potential disaster in the nation's capital," Newsham said.
The death toll from mudslides and floods in Sri Lanka has climbed past 200, with 96 others missing, the government said Wednesday. The Disaster Management Center said 203 people were confirmed dead. More than 77,000 have been displaced and over 1,500 homes destroyed since rains began inundating the southern and western areas of the Indian Ocean island nation last Friday.
Senior US official reduced to very awkward silence when asked about Saudi Arabia's attitude to democracy
A senior US foreign affairs official gave one of the most awkward press conference responses ever witnessed in response to a question about Saudi Arabia’s attitude to democracy. Having served as US Ambassador to Jordan and Iraq – and been in Al Anbar Province in 2004, as it became the deadliest region for US forces in Iraq – Stuart Jones might have been considered more than able to fend off questions about Saudi Arabia’s apparent lack of enthusiasm for elections. Instead the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East Affairs Bureau, freshly returned from accompanying President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Saudi Arabia, seemed completely stumped by the relatively straightforward reporter’s question.
Emirates, the Middle East's largest airline, faced fierce criticism in Taiwan Wednesday after it reportedly banned cabin crew from wearing the island's flag on their uniforms due to pressure from China. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had lodged protests with Emirates in both Dubai and Taipei. The airline's cabin crew traditionally wear the flag pin of their own country on their uniforms.
A senior US foreign affairs official gave one of the most awkward press conference responses ever witnessed in response to a question about Saudi Arabia’s attitude to democracy. Having served as US Ambassador to Jordan and Iraq – and been in Al Anbar Province in 2004, as it became the deadliest region for US forces in Iraq – Stuart Jones might have been considered more than able to fend off questions about Saudi Arabia’s apparent lack of enthusiasm for elections. Instead the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East Affairs Bureau, freshly returned from accompanying President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Saudi Arabia, seemed completely stumped by the relatively straightforward reporter’s question.
Deadly Cyclone Mora heads for Bangladesh and India
Large explosion rocks Afghanistan's capital
Unease about white supremacist activity in Portland deepened after the fatal stabbings of two men who tried to shield young women from an anti-Muslim tirade, and some people worry that the famously tolerant community could see a resurgence of the hostilities that once earned it the nickname "Skinhead City."
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
McDonald's has made an Australian burger hack an official menu item
Seems like McDonald's has been keeping track of how you've been messing with its food. It's figured out that plenty of Aussies have been swapping out the Big Mac's beef patties with chicken ones. So it did the only logical thing, and put the often-requested burger on the menu. SEE ALSO: Five Guys beat In-N-Out as best burger chain, proving there really is no justice in the world Predictably it's called the Chicken Big Mac, and features all the other ingredients you'd get on the burger — lettuce, cheese, special sauce, on a sesame seed bun — but with McChicken patties instead. Image: mcdonald's australiaOf course the Chicken Big Mac isn't a purely an Australian thing. The Chicken Big Mac is sold in Qatar, Egypt, the UAE and the Netherlands — but for the rest of the world you'll have to spend a little more time explaining your order. Also launching in Australia are these Cheeseburger Shaker Fries, which is a seasoning that combines the taste of "beef, onions, pickle, ketchup, mustard and cheese" — you know, like a cheeseburger. Shaker Fries are oddly a big thing Down Under, which we can prove by a dude who was selling a bag and a sachet of the seasoning for A$1,000 (US$744) back in 2014. "It's very limited edition," Vandi Huynh told
The City at the time. "It comes out less frequently than the Olympics, like once every six years." We wonder how much his bag and sachet would fetch now. Image: mcdonald's australiaYep, Australians are also pretty weirdly obsessed with fast food too. WATCH: Someone has invented a simple wheelchair that gives users the freedom to move upright
Seems like McDonald's has been keeping track of how you've been messing with its food. It's figured out that plenty of Aussies have been swapping out the Big Mac's beef patties with chicken ones. So it did the only logical thing, and put the often-requested burger on the menu. SEE ALSO: Five Guys beat In-N-Out as best burger chain, proving there really is no justice in the world Predictably it's called the Chicken Big Mac, and features all the other ingredients you'd get on the burger — lettuce, cheese, special sauce, on a sesame seed bun — but with McChicken patties instead. Image: mcdonald's australiaOf course the Chicken Big Mac isn't a purely an Australian thing. The Chicken Big Mac is sold in Qatar, Egypt, the UAE and the Netherlands — but for the rest of the world you'll have to spend a little more time explaining your order. Also launching in Australia are these Cheeseburger Shaker Fries, which is a seasoning that combines the taste of "beef, onions, pickle, ketchup, mustard and cheese" — you know, like a cheeseburger. Shaker Fries are oddly a big thing Down Under, which we can prove by a dude who was selling a bag and a sachet of the seasoning for A$1,000 (US$744) back in 2014. "It's very limited edition," Vandi Huynh told
The City at the time. "It comes out less frequently than the Olympics, like once every six years." We wonder how much his bag and sachet would fetch now. Image: mcdonald's australiaYep, Australians are also pretty weirdly obsessed with fast food too. WATCH: Someone has invented a simple wheelchair that gives users the freedom to move upright
Police: Punch, drunk driving mom cause crash killing girl, 6
By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's communications director is leaving the job, the White House said on Tuesday, as the president considers wider staff changes to try to contain political damage from investigations into Russia and his presidential campaign. Mike Dubke confirmed reports he had resigned, saying in a statement, "It has been my great honor to serve President Trump and this administration." Dubke, who had been in the job just three months, gave no reason for leaving. Trump, who returned to Washington on Saturday after a nine-day trip to the Middle East and Europe, has been expected to shake up staff to tackle the firestorm over investigations into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and communication between Russia and Trump's campaign and transition team.
Justice Department probing N.J. town over mosque denial as another town settles
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation on a New Jersey city's rejection of a planned mosque, a spokesman confirmed on Tuesday. The U.S. Attorney's office in New Jersey, in conjunction with members of the department's civil rights headquarters in Washington, D.C., is examining whether officials in Bayonne, New Jersey, properly denied plans to build a mosque, according to Matthew Reilly, a spokesman for the New Jersey office. The Bayonne Muslims, the group seeking to construct the mosque, filed a federal lawsuit against the city last week.
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation on a New Jersey city's rejection of a planned mosque, a spokesman confirmed on Tuesday. The U.S. Attorney's office in New Jersey, in conjunction with members of the department's civil rights headquarters in Washington, D.C., is examining whether officials in Bayonne, New Jersey, properly denied plans to build a mosque, according to Matthew Reilly, a spokesman for the New Jersey office. The Bayonne Muslims, the group seeking to construct the mosque, filed a federal lawsuit against the city last week.
Android creator unveils new phone, home assistant device
By Stephen Nellis SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Andy Rubin, the co-creator of the Android mobile phone operating system, has launched a new company called Essential Products to sell a high-end smartphone and a home assistant device. Palo Alto-based Essential said the new Essential Phone features an edge-to-edge screen, a titanium-and-ceramic case and dual cameras. The phone sells for $699 and will run the Android operating system.
By Stephen Nellis SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Andy Rubin, the co-creator of the Android mobile phone operating system, has launched a new company called Essential Products to sell a high-end smartphone and a home assistant device. Palo Alto-based Essential said the new Essential Phone features an edge-to-edge screen, a titanium-and-ceramic case and dual cameras. The phone sells for $699 and will run the Android operating system.
Miss. teen: He 'loved me enough to take some bullets for me'
An Oregon Republican has suggested bringing in a private militia to defend conservatives against what he called “increasing political polarisation ”. James Buchal, chair of the Multnomah County GOP, said that Republicans need added protection for threats against their free-speech rights. Mr Buchal’s suggestion, first reported by The Guardian, comes on the heels of a stabbing in Portland, in which two men died trying to defend Muslim women from hate speech by an alleged extremist.
White House Communications Director Mike Dubke has resigned. Axios, which first reported the news, said he handed in his resignation May 18 but offered to stay through President Trump’s first foreign trip to ensure a smooth transition. In a letter to friends and associates, Dubke cited personal reasons for leaving.
Deaths from Alzheimer's disease are on the rise in the United States, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Researchers at the CDC found that, in recent years, the rate of death from Alzheimer's disease increased by more than 50 percent, from about 16 deaths per 100,000 people in 1999 to 25 deaths per 100,000 people in 2014. The increasing number of deaths from Alzheimer's is partly due to the growing number of older adults in the United States, as Alzheimer's disease most commonly affects adults ages 65 years and older, the CDC researchers said.
China is behaving like a 'bully' in South China Sea: McCain
By Colin Packham SYDNEY (Reuters) - China is behaving like a "bully" with its militarization of islands in the South China Sea, Republican U.S. Senator John McCain said on Tuesday, activity Washington must confront with its allies to find a peaceful solution. In a speech in Sydney, McCain said China was asserting itself globally, best illustrated by militarizing artificial islands in the South China Sea, a claim repeatedly rejected by Beijing. McCain's comments are set to escalate tensions between the United States and China just days before delegates from both countries are scheduled to attend a regional security conference in Singapore.
Yoshie Oka, the first person to raise the alarm outside Hiroshima that the Japanese city had been hit by an atomic bomb, has died aged 86, media and acquaintances said Tuesday. Oka was 14 years old on August 6, 1945 and working in Hiroshima as a communications operator at an underground command centre of the Imperial Japanese Army. After the bomb fell, she contacted another military unit in the city of Fukuyama east of Hiroshima, local media including public broadcaster NHK reported.
By Colin Packham SYDNEY (Reuters) - China is behaving like a "bully" with its militarization of islands in the South China Sea, Republican U.S. Senator John McCain said on Tuesday, activity Washington must confront with its allies to find a peaceful solution. In a speech in Sydney, McCain said China was asserting itself globally, best illustrated by militarizing artificial islands in the South China Sea, a claim repeatedly rejected by Beijing. McCain's comments are set to escalate tensions between the United States and China just days before delegates from both countries are scheduled to attend a regional security conference in Singapore.
Yoshie Oka, the first person to raise the alarm outside Hiroshima that the Japanese city had been hit by an atomic bomb, has died aged 86, media and acquaintances said Tuesday. Oka was 14 years old on August 6, 1945 and working in Hiroshima as a communications operator at an underground command centre of the Imperial Japanese Army. After the bomb fell, she contacted another military unit in the city of Fukuyama east of Hiroshima, local media including public broadcaster NHK reported.
Bomb explodes outside Baghdad ice cream, killing 13
Japanese household spending dropped again in April, official figures showed Tuesday, as consumers kept a tight hold on their purse strings despite years of government efforts to boost spending. The fresh data attests to what analysts believe is a broader picture of the world's third largest economy -- it is picking up steam overall but tepid consumption continues to act as a drag. Japan's prospects have been improving on the back of strong exports, with investments linked to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics also giving the economy a shot in the arm.
Two Venezuelan opposition leaders were wounded on Monday by security forces dispersing protests in the capital Caracas against President Nicolas Maduro, according to one of the leaders and an opposition legislator. Maduro's adversaries have for two months been blocking highways and setting up barricades in protests demanding he call early elections and address an increasingly severe economic crisis that has left millions struggling to get enough to eat. Fifty-nine people have died in the often violent street melees, which Maduro calls an effort to overthrow his government.