Mail.com

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — A California man is expected to plead guilty Thursday to providing the high-powered rifles used to kill 14 people in the San Bernardino terror attack. Enrique Marquez Jr. is due to appear in federal court in Riverside after signing a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Marquez, 25, of Riverside is the only person criminally charged in the December 2015 attack that also left 22 people wounded at a meeting of San Bernardino County employees. Husband-and-wife assailants Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik were killed in a gunfight with authorities later that day.   Continue reading “Guilty plea expected involving San Bernardino terror attack”

Mail.com

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Two civilians were killed in an al-Shabab mortar attack outside Somalia’s presidential palace during a handover ceremony for the country’s new leader, police said Thursday, a sign of the enormous challenges facing the man who has promised his government will make security a priority.

At least three mortars slammed into a nearby residential area during the ceremony for President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, also known as Farmajo, Capt. Mohamed Hussein said. The explosions could be heard near the end of the handover ceremony, startling those attending.   Continue reading “2 dead as al-Shabab claims mortar attack near Somalia palace”

Mail.com

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian authorities announced two more arrests Thursday in the death of the North Korean leader’s half brother, whose apparent assassination this week unleashed a wave of speculation and intrigue: a pair of female assailants, a broad-daylight killing and a dictator-sibling out for blood.

Investigators were still piecing together details of the case, including the widespread assumption that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dispatched a hit squad to kill his estranged half brother, Kim Jong Nam. Known for his love of gambling and casinos, Kim Jong Nam had lived abroad for years, aware he was a hunted man.   Continue reading “3 arrested in NKorean’s death in Malaysia; autopsy completed”

RT

Beijing has warned Washington against actions which would challenge China’s “sovereignty and security,” following reports that the US is planning naval patrols in the disputed South China Sea.

Speaking at a news briefing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that tensions in the waters have stabilized, due to the hard work of Beijing and Southeast Asia countries.   Continue reading “Beijing warns Washington against naval patrols in disputed S. China Sea”

RT

Russia won’t give Crimea back to Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in response to White House comments that Donald Trump expects Moscow to “return” the peninsular.

“We don’t return our territories. Crimea is a territory of the Russian Federation,” Zakharova said at a weekly news briefing on current foreign policy issues.   Continue reading “‘Our land’: Russia tells US that Crimea won’t be ‘given back’ to Ukraine”

Mail.com

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian police arrested a woman Wednesday in the apparent assassination of Kim Jong Nam, the North Korean leader’s exiled half brother who South Korean spies say once begged his sibling to spare his life.

The astonishing killing, which reportedly came at the hands of two female assassins, set off waves of speculation over whether North Korea had dispatched a hit squad to kill a man known for his drinking, gambling and complicated family life.   Continue reading “Woman arrested in killing of N. Korean leader’s half brother”

Mail.com

NEW YORK (AP) — It was one of New York City’s most enduring mysteries: A sandy-haired, 6-year-old boy who vanished on his way to school. A fruitless search that scared a generation of parents. A family that fought for years to hold one man accountable, only to be told someone else was to blame.

Some questions remain in the 1979 disappearance of Etan Patz, but a jury decided Tuesday that it had enough evidence to convict a former convenience store clerk of luring the boy into a basement and killing him, after a first trial ended with a hung jury.   Continue reading “Mystery of Etan Patz’s disappearance ends in conviction”

RT

As concerns over Greece and its debt mount, Athens has reportedly decided to call in Rothschild, one of the oldest financial firms in the world, to navigate the country’s long-running creditor stand-off and avert default.

According to the Financial Times, Greek authorities hope to finalize the appointment before crunch debt talks with eurozone finance ministers on February 20. The date has been described as the last chance for a bailout review with the upcoming elections in Europe likely to dominate the EU agenda.   Continue reading “Greece plans to hire Rothschild as debt adviser”

Mail.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former wrestling entertainment executive Linda McMahon is on track to secure Senate confirmation to be the next leader of the Small Business Administration. The Senate has been split mostly along party lines on most of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet choices. But McMahon has faced little resistance after assuring lawmakers that she believes the SBA should continue as a Cabinet-level, stand-alone agency and that she would be a strong advocate for small business within the new administration.   Continue reading “Former wrestling executive Linda McMahon on track to SBA”

Mail.com

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese electronics and energy giant Toshiba Corp. said Tuesday that its chairman is resigning to take responsibility for problems that will result in a 713 billion yen ($6.3 billion) loss in its nuclear business.

Toshiba warned, however, that unaudited financial results it announced may change “by a wide margin.” It earlier delayed reporting its official financial results by a month, citing auditing problems related to the losses in its nuclear business. That sent Toshiba stock tumbling 8 percent in Tokyo trading.   Continue reading “Toshiba chairman steps down over huge nuclear business loss”

Mail.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen faces two tasks when she delivers her semiannual testimony to Congress starting Tuesday: As always, she’ll sketch a picture of how she expects the economy to fare in coming months and how the Fed’s interest rate policy may unfold.

But lawmakers are sure to press her also to spell out how the Fed might react to the ambitious economic program President Donald Trump is preparing to unveil soon. The proposals are expected to include deep tax cuts, stimulus spending, trade actions and deregulation. Investors will be eager to hear whatever Yellen says about them — or doesn’t say.   Continue reading “Congress to grill Yellen amid uncertainty over Trump’s plans”

RT

An Indian man desperate to avoid paying overweight baggage fees smuggled 12 bars of gold, weighing a total of 1.2kg, in his rectum. Airport security discovered the man’s golden secret when they noticed him walking suspiciously.

The 36 year old from Tamil Nadu in southern India arrived in Hyderabad Airport on Saturday on a flight from Singapore.   Continue reading “Golden retrievers: Indian officials remove 12 bars of precious metal from man’s rectum”

Mail.com

OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on problems with an emergency spillway at the nation’s tallest dam (all times local): 11:50 p.m. A California National Guard official says they will provide eight helicopters to assist with emergency spillway reconstruction at the nation’s tallest dam located about 150 miles northeast of San Francisco.

Adjunct General David S. Baldwin said at a news conference late Sunday that the helicopters will also be available for search and rescue Monday near the Oroville Dam. He added that the California National Guard put out a notification to all 23,000 soldiers and airmen to be ready to deploy if needed.   Continue reading “The Latest: National Guard to assist with dam repair”

Mail.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — Embattled national security adviser Michael Flynn’s fate as one of President Donald Trump’s senior aides is uncertain following reports that he discussed U.S. sanctions with a Russian envoy before Trump’s inauguration.

A top White House official sidestepped repeated chances Sunday to publicly defend him. The president, who spent the weekend at his private club in Florida, has yet to comment on Flynn’s status. Nor has Vice President Mike Pence, who previously denied that Flynn had discussed sanctions with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the U.S.   Continue reading “Embattled national security adviser’s fate uncertain”

Mail.com

Heavy, wet snow is once again blanketing the Northeast just days after the biggest storm of the season dumped up to 19 inches of snow on the region. Winter storm warnings are in effect into Monday from upstate New York to Maine, where blizzard conditions and 2 feet of snow are possible.

Hartford, Connecticut, could get 4 to 8 inches of snow, the Boston area 6 to 10, Portsmouth, New Hampshire 12 to 18 and 16 to 24 in Portland, Maine, according to the National Weather Service, which also warned of strong winds and coastal flooding.  Continue reading “Heavy, wet snow once again blanketing Northeast”

RT

The future of Mississippi’s death penalty is uncertain. Lethal injections of drugs run the risk of soon being found unconstitutional, so a lawmaker is proposing the state opt for nitrogen gassing instead. Or firing squad. Or electrocution.

The future of Mississippi’s death penalty is uncertain. Lethal injections of drugs run the risk of soon being found unconstitutional, so a lawmaker is proposing the state opt for nitrogen gassing instead. Or firing squad. Or electrocution.  Continue reading “Execution, Mississippi-style: Bill approving firing squad, gassing or electrocution passes”

RT

Salafism is advancing in Belgium, a leaked report from the country’s coordination body for threat assessment says, adding that Wahhabi TV stations and online media operate freely while radical literature can be found in most Islamic bookshops.

The report by the Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis (OCAM), a special body which works in cooperation with security and intelligence agencies to assess the level of terrorist threat in Belgium, was leaked by De Standaard newspaper on Wednesday.    Continue reading “Radical Islam is spreading across Belgium, Salafists preach via TV & online media – report”

Mail.com

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Trial opens Thursday in Las Vegas for six defendants accused of illegally wielding weapons to block a federal round-up of cattleman and states’ rights advocate Cliven Bundy’s cows nearly three years ago.

Prosecutors are expected to tell the U.S. District Court jury the six men deserve prison for what could amount to the rest of their lives for conspiring with Bundy in what their indictment characterizes as “a massive armed assault against federal law enforcement officers.”   Continue reading “Las Vegas trial starting for 6 in Bundy ranch standoff”

ABC News

Yoandri Pavot applied just in time for a visa under a recently scrapped U.S. policy that had long welcomed doctors from Cuba who defected while on assignment in third countries.

Pavot and other Cuban doctors arriving this week in Miami under the now canceled policy called the Cuban Medical Professionals Parole said they’re relieved to be arriving despite uncertain times for immigrants under the Trump administration. But they’re anxious about colleagues left behind.   Continue reading “Last Cuban doctor defectors arrive in US after policy change”

RT

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has indicated that it will file a lawsuit against a 2015 outage on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The four-hour long blackout was the worst in the exchange’s history.

The NYSE is bracing for a civil lawsuit from the SEC after a botched technology upgrade paralyzed the exchange for about four hours in July 2015. In an announcement on Tuesday, Intercontinental Exchange, the NYSE’s parent company, confirmed that it had received a Wells Notice that states the SEC’s intention to sue.   Continue reading “New York Stock Exchange faces lawsuit over 2015 blackout”