Elyria

Model in Russian court apologizes for US election claim

MOSCOW (AP) — A Belarusian model and self-styled sex instructor who last year claimed to have evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election said Saturday that she apologizes to a Russian tycoon for the claim and won't say more about the matter.

Winter storm disturbs travel as it rolls toward U.S. Midwest, Northeast

A major winter storm was expected to clobber a large swath of the northern United States with heavy snow, gusty winds and frigid temperatures making travel difficult and dangerous starting on Friday and through the weekend, forecasters said. The storm system will dump 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) of snow in the Plains and Midwest on Friday night and Saturday and as it moves east at least a foot of snow in parts of the Northeast on Saturday and Sunday, the National Weather Service (NWS) said in several advisories. The system was expected to also bring freezing rain, wind gusts of 35 miles (56 km) per hour and quickly dropping temperatures that will to dip into the teens and even below zero Fahrenheit in several areas, the service said.

Trump attends repatriation of four Americans killed in Syria

Trump flew to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, where they walked slowly up the cargo ramp of the grey C-17 cargo plane that had brought home the remains. Trump and the rest of his delegation, which included senior army and navy officers, emerged from the plane after several minutes to stand at attention, saluting.

Furloughed workers in rural areas struggle to make ends meet in shutdown

Soy bean farmer affected by shutdown weighs in on border security crisis.

Mexican airline trolls Americans with brilliant ad

While the debate over immigration and a border wall between the United States and Mexico has helped grind the U.S. federal government to a halt, Mexico's national airline, AeroMexico, is trolling Americans with a new ad called "DNA Discounts." The ad features purported residents of Wharton, Texas, a town about 60 miles southwest of Houston, professing a variety of opinions about Mexico and its citizens. The ad also drops some knowledge about the long history of immigration from Mexico to the U.S., and notes that many in southern and southwestern states have a touch of Mexican DNA. Things get flipped when the airline reveals it's offering flight discounts to Americans, including those Wharton residents, based on the amount of Mexican DNA they have (i.e., 18 percent DNA equals an 18 percent discount). That certainly turns opinions around. As one recipient says, "I love discounts!" Of course, it's such a brilliant ad, it's hard to tell if those Wharton residents are real or just actors and if this whole DNA discount thing is real  or satirical. Aeromexico, which has gotten political before, isn't saying much, but we've reached out for comment and will update this post when we hear back.  Either way, it's a brilliant gambit that undermines the vitriol so many Americans have expressed at our neighbors to the south, and does so without ever directly mentioning the political turmoil, the wall, or even President Trump. Instead, it directs that energy at a sense of shared community, including the tagline, "There are no borders within us." Not a bad way to spread a powerful message.

First picture: Prince Philip car crash victim 'not getting enough support from Palace'

A mother of two whose wrist was broken when the car she was in collided with Prince Philip’s Land Rover has told friends she is “unhappy” with the way Buckingham Palace has handled the accident. The Telegraph can reveal that Emma Fairweather, 45, was the passenger in the Kia car last Thursday when it struck the Duke of Edinburgh’s Land Rover near the Queen’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Ms Fairweather has since complained of feeling “overwhelmed” by the experience of being involved, firstly, in a crash and, secondly, in one involving the husband of the monarch. Friends and relatives described Ms Fairweather as a “warm and caring woman”, as well as a devoted mother of two teenage children. They said she had told of how “she still has not been cleared” by doctors as fit and well after suffering the injury to her wrist. Others have claimed Ms Fairweather, as well as the 28-year-old female Kia driver who suffered cuts to her knee, had felt “unhappy” because they said they had been “advised” by police not to talk about the collision. No-one from Norfolk Police was available for comment on Saturday. The younger woman’s nine-month-old baby was in the back of the Kia and survived without any injuries after the vehicle struck the Duke’s two-tonne car on the A149 sending it rolling across the road. Ms Fairweather has told friends she is unhappy with how Buckingham Palace handled the crash There was no suggestion the car was speeding. The two women and the Duke were breathalysed but neither was over the drink drive limit. A source has since confirmed that the Duke took and passed a police eyesight test, as part of the ongoing investigation. Four people had to help the visibly shaken prince out of the Freelander. Others went to the aid of the two women  and baby in the Kia amid fears that smoke coming from vehicle could lead to an explosion or fire. A source who knows Ms Fairweather and spoke on condition of anonymity said the mother of two was “frustrated” with how the episode had been handled as she was caught up in a crash that has made headlines around the world. The woman explained: “She said, ‘It’s suddenly become so overwhelming that I’m quite tempted to simply go home. I’m just wondering if I’m out of my depth and should retreat.” While Ms Fairweather has not yet elaborated on exactly why she felt unhappy, there has been considerable dismay locally that the police took a day to reveal that a nine-month-old baby was also in the Kia vehicle. The scene of the crash last week Buckingham Palace revealed earlier that “contact had been made privately with the passengers in the other car and well-wishes had been exchanged”, however it remains unclear whether the prince made that approach or if it been an aid. Meanwhile, some locals have complained that it required an accident involving a member of the Royal Family on a notorious stretch of the A149 to prompt the council to lower the speed limit from 60mph to 50mph. Among those killed on the road is Sandra Greenacre, a 51-year-old police community support officer, who died after being involved in an accident on her way to work in 2013. Her son, Danny Child, 27, from King’s Lynn, told The Telegraph: “Personally, I feel like it is disrespectful to everyone who has had a road traffic collision on the A149. "It’s been an issue for the last five to six years but now a royal has had a crash something has been done. I just feel like it’s disrespectful.” It is not the first time the prince has been involved in a collision. In January 1996, Prince Philip, then 74, was involved in an accident in Brandon, Suffolk, while travelling from Sandringham. Both vehicles were damaged in the prang. Ms Fairweather also told friends how she had been moved by the “numerous” family members and former neighbours eager to ensure she was safe and well. The Duke of Edinburgh returned to the road in a new car on Saturday Credit: Geoff Robinson One neighbour in Kings Lynn, where Ms Fairweather lived for three years before moving out last year, said she was a “wonderfully warm” woman and a “fantastic mother” who was seen regularly walking her dog. “She will be terribly shocked to be caught up in this whole thing. I can’t imagine how she feels about it all,” he said. Ms Fairweather had lived in a two-up-two down semi-detached house, along with her two teenage children, Alex, a 19-year-old fine art student at York University, and a teenage son. It is understood Ms Fairweather summoned a relative, Samantha Fairweather, 38, to the scene of the accident to comfort her. They were photographed alongside the prince’s Land Rover which had rolled onto its side, as well as the Kia car in a hedge. The Duke was reported to have said “I’m such a fool” to a member of the public who had helped him out the car. Victoria Warne, 72, who stopped at the scene with her husband, Roy, 75, said the prince “looked so worried”, adding: “I’m such a fool.” It is understood a bidding war has broken out among tabloid news outlets for Ms Fairweather’s account of the crash and her treatment by the authorities in the aftermath. Additional reporting by Helena Horton and Mike Wright.

What is open and closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

Federal offices usually closed on the third Monday of every January to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

'We'll Have No Other Option Than Declaring Bankruptcy.' How the Shutdown Could Impact Government Workers for Months

'It just feels like such a betrayal,' says one impacted government contractor

Winter storm forces airline cancellations, road troubles

DETROIT (AP) — A plane carrying 129 people skidded Saturday from a slick Chicago runway and a plow driver was killed when his truck rolled over outside Kansas City following a winter storm that covered many parts of the Midwest in snow and ice.

Donald Trump's week of living dangerously

From bad economic news to the ongoing government shutdown to bombshell reports that he directed his lawyer to lie to Congress, it has been a week to forget for the president.

Israel demolishes home of accused Palestinian killer

Israeli forces demolished the West Bank home on Friday of a Palestinian accused of the fatal September stabbing of an Israeli-American. Residents of the town of Yata, near the flashpoint city of Hebron, said that troops arrived at the home of Khalil Jabareen and were met by stone-throwing Palestinians. The Israeli army said the structure destroyed was an apartment where Jabareen lived.

Tesla to cut thousands of jobs, sees smaller fourth-quarter profit

It needs to cut 7 percent of workers, lower its costs to make cheaper Model 3.

Chevy Pulls Commercial Claiming Superior Reliability

A consumer group challenges the automaker's small-print disclaimer-who's right?

Women’s March Leader Refuses to Acknowledge Israel’s Right to Exist

Embattled Women’s March co-chairwoman Tamika Mallory refused to acknowledge the state of Israel’s right to exist during a recent interview on PBS’s The Firing Line and seemed to suggest that, unlike Palestinians, Israelis were not “native” to the region. Mallory, who has been forced in recent days to confront questions about her association with notorious anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan, acknowledged during the interview that “all people have the right to exist” but would not address the legitimacy of the Israeli state. The Women’s March lost the support of the Democratic National Committee and a host of other prominent liberal groups this week after Mallory defend her past praise for Farrakhan during a Monday appearance on The View.

Netflix tidying guru sparks charity shop boom

A Netflix tidying guru has sparked a charity shop boom, as branches of Salvation Army, Scope and the British Heart Foundation have said she has led to increase in donations. It comes as decluttering expert Marie Kondo has rapidly risen to fame with her "KonMari" household organisation method, which promises to provide not only a de-cluttered house, but also a clean mind.  Through her hit Netflix show she is teaching those with messy tendencies to get their homes in order by throwing out old and unwanted items to create a calmer home environment. Many people following the craze claim her various techniques have helped their mental health, and are adamant that a clean and organised home helps them feel calm.  Charity shops across the country said they had seen donations of clothes double over the past few weeks since Ms Kondo's show was released on the streaming service.  Marie Kondo, the author of the international best-seller, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up," became famous for advising readers to transform their lives by sifting through all their belongings, one by one, embracing those that "spark joy" and bidding a fond but hasty farewell to the rest Credit: Natsuno Ichigo They say they are able to identify items which have come from people who have watched the show as they are folded according to her "signature fold", which sees items placed upright to reduce creasing. For example, according to the method socks should be lain flat as a pair, with one sock on top of the other. The toe is folded inward about an inch from the top, then into to the centre, and then in half so it stands upright. A branch manager for disability charity Scope also said she was able to recognize items donated by KonMari fans due to their immaculate presentation on arrival at the store, adding that the folding hack had led to more donations due to more space being available inside plastic sacks.  The Salvation Army said that although shops usually experience an increase in donations after Christmas, shop managers had seen a larger than usual volume of donations.   It comes amid a decline in charity shops across the UK with numbers down by more than 100 in first half of 2018, according to Third Sector magazine. Yorkshire and Humber was the only region that saw more charity shops open than close, it said.  Charity shops have come under criticism in recent years for pricing items for middle class bargain hunters, rather than the poorest people in society who rely on cheap second hand clothing to dress themselves.

Weekend winter storm sweeping from Midwest to New England

CHICAGO (AP) — A winter storm started sweeping across the Midwest on Friday, leading to slick roads and runways, as it inched its way toward New England, where it was forecast to dump up to 2 feet (0.61 meters) of snow.

Trump to Renew Wall Demand With Incentives for Democrats

The person would not discuss what Trump plans to offer to the Democrats who now control the U.S. House, beyond saying that it may have something to do with immigration. Although Trump has hinted that he might declare a national emergency to bypass Congress and fund the wall if other options failed, he does not plan to so on Saturday, according to the person, who was granted anonymity to discuss the announcement beforehand. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders declined to say what would be in the announcement, which Trump planned to make at 3 p.m. in Washington.

Merkel's Bavarian allies elect new head, ushering in new era

BERLIN (AP) — 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 New 2020 GMC Sierra HD Will Be a Reskinned Silverado HD

As usual, the GMC will come with extra chrome and an in-your-face grille.

Six suspects in court over Nairobi hotel attack

Six suspects, including a Canadian national, appeared in a Kenyan court on Friday in connection with a radical Islamist attack on a Nairobi hotel complex that left 21 dead. A magistrate granted a request from the prosecution to detain four men and one woman for 30 days while investigations continue. The suspects are accused of "possible involvement" in the almost 20-hour siege of the DusitD2 hotel and office complex by a suicide bomber and four gunmen who were killed by security forces, a court document said.

TSA officers open up about what the government shutdown is doing to their families

Shutdown threatens the financial security of TSA agents across the country, including at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

Asia's richest man to take on Amazon boss Jeff Bezos in India's booming e-commerce sector

Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man, is set to take on Amazon's Jeff Bezos in India as the billionaire magnate launches his own rival e-commerce venture in the world's second most populous country. Reliance Industries, the Mumbai-headquartered conglomerate owned by Mr Ambani, is drawing up plans to roll out its online shopping services to 1.2m retail businesses in western India as competition to grab a share of India’s fast-developing e-commerce industry intensifies. Mr Ambani, who controls a $43 billion fortune in petrochemicals, energy, telecoms and textiles, is planning a push into the e-commerce space by adopting new technologies such as augmented reality to create an “immersive shopping experience” and compete with the likes of Amazon and homegrown competitor Flipkart. The e-commerce plans from the businessman will involve the combination of his mobile network operator Jio, which has 280m subscribers, with his additional mobile phone and physical retail ventures. Reliance Retail, first launched in 2006, serves over 3.5m customers per week through a network of local shops, supermarkets and wholesale cash and carry outlets in more than 6500 Indian cities and towns. It currently owns over 13m square feet of retail space, though a new wave of online retail in India is taking the company into new territory. The trio of Reliance Industries’ businesses will combine to bring Indian merchants online. “Jio and Reliance Retail will launch a unique new commerce platform to empower and enrich our [1.2m] small retailers and shopkeepers in Gujarat,” Mr Ambani said at an event on Friday. Technology intelligence - newsletter promo - EOA In India, e-commerce has seen mass adoption as smartphone penetration and improved internet connectivity through 4G networks has boosted consumer appetite beyond cities like New Delhi and Mumbai. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation, a subsidiary trust of India’s department of commerce, the online retail market is expected to grow to $200bn by 2026, up from $38.5bn in 2017. Online retail sales for 2018 are expected to rise as much as 31pc to $32.7bn, with growth being driven by more companies looking to tap into the Indian market. So far, India's booming e-commerce market has largely been a duopoly between Amazon and Flipkart, a domestic rival based in the southern technology hub of Bangalore which was started by two former Amazon employees. Wal-Mart paid a $16bn to acquire a controlling share in Flipkart last year in the biggest foreign direct investment in India's history. Flipkart has also received billions of dollars in funding from Softbank of Japan and Tiger Global. Amazon, which first launched its online retail platform in India more than five years ago with a limited selection of products on offer such as books and films, has committed $5bn to its Indian operation. But the two US-controlled companies which dominate the market - Amazon and Flipkart - are facing  growing pressure. With a general election due in May, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently unveiled new rules designed to protect small shopkeepers from online competition by restricting the level of discounting which the online giants can offer customers. Mr Ambani sought to harness concerns that India should support the emergence of domestic champions in e-commerce. "Today, we have to collectively launch a new movement against data colonisation. For India to succeed in this data-driven revolution, we will have to migrate the control and ownership of Indian data back to India - in other words, Indian wealth back to every Indian," he said.  Amazon is continuing to expand its Indian operation, where it is currently advertising for 660 open roles in its Bangalore office alone - the second most worldwide after Seattle. The company also has 450 open positions in Hyderabad, according to media reports.

Airlines already canceling flights into Monday from Winter Storm Harper

Flight headaches were on the rise Saturday as a winter storm moved toward the Northeast. Cancellations spiked into the thousands, with more likely.

Non-zero tolerance: DHS is still separating families at the border

Since President Trump suspended his administration’s zero-tolerance family separation policy, immigration officials have continued to separate immigrant children and parents — at steadily increasing rates.

Top US Navy officer urges China to avoid confrontations

TOKYO (AP) — The U.S. Navy's top officer said he urged China to follow international rules at sea to avoid confrontations and insisted Friday that ships should be able to pass safely though disputed areas of the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.

Calabasas campground murder: Family of Tristan Beaudette file $90M claim over his death

The family of the man shot and killed while camping with his daughters at Malibu Creek State Park has filed a $90 million claim over his death.

Trump missile defense review calls North Korea 'extraordinary threat'

The open acknowledgment in the Missile Defense Review of U.S. plans to counter Russian and Chinese technological advances likely will alarm those nations. It marked a departure from the approach taken by Republican Trump's Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, to tamp down concerns by major nuclear powers about expanding U.S. missile defenses. "Our goal is simple: To ensure we can detect and destroy any missile launched against the United States - anywhere, anytime, anyplace," Trump said at the Pentagon.

Omaha airport reopens after Southwest Airlines plane goes off runway

The airport tweeted out a statement Friday afternoon about the incident, and followed up with several additional tweets.

Tesla announces 7 percent cut to workforce

Elon Musk's electric car manufacturer Tesla announced Friday it is cutting its workforce by about seven percent as it works to meet its timetable for producing the Model 3. Musk said in a blog post that Tesla is making the staff cut as it aims to reach more customers who can afford its vehicles. "Attempting to build affordable clean energy products at scale necessarily requires extreme effort and relentless creativity, but succeeding in our mission is essential to ensure that the future is good, so we must do everything we can to advance the cause," Musk wrote.

The Winter Show Modernizes the Antique Fair with Creative, Colorful Booths—and an App

Last night's colorful, lively opening party was proof of antiques' staying power

Save $34 on the Instant Pot of air fryers

It has now gotten to the point where I actually cannot remember what life was like before I got my Oster Dura Ceramic Air Fryer. Seriously, I use it at least once a week. It's by far the best air fryer we've ever tested here at BGR, but it's also so much more than that. It's a roaster, a grill, it can saute, and it can even bake. It's basically the Instant Pot of air fryers, and it's back in stock right now on Amazon. This model will cost $160 if you buy it direct from Oster, but Amazon's offering it right now for just $129, or $125.95 if you clip the on-site coupon! Here's what you need to know from the product page: * This Oster air fryer air-fries to the perfect crispiness for the taste and texture of fried food, using only a tablespoon or less of oil for a healthier alternative * Hot air fryer has a titanium-infused coating that cooks food 30% faster and is 8 times more durable than regular nonstick coatings; it's also PTFE- and PFOA-free, and easy to clean * Dual cooking method uses a tilt motion, fan assisted convection, and radiated heat conduction- heating elements above and below the bowl-to expose food to circulating heat, and cook it evenly * LCD screen lets you set cooking time and temperature; unit shuts off automatically when food is done * Large, 3 liter capacity lets you cook more at a time

Arctic blasts threaten weekend blizzards, heavy snow and paralyzing ice storms

Heavy snows, strong winds expected from the Corn Belt to New England, with up to 40 inches of snow in some parts.

4 boys, ages 12 to 14, arrested for rape in Delaware

Police in Newark, Delaware are investigating a disturbing crime involving the rape of a girl by four boys all under the age of 15.

Correction: Trump-Russia Probe story

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a story Jan. 17 about comments made by President Donald Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, The Associated Press reported erroneously the number of Russians charged with interfering in the 2016 presidential election. It is 25, not 32.

Mnuchin Seeks China Tariff Relief, WSJ Says; Treasury Denies It

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is a proponent of easing up on tariffs, while U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has reservations about the idea, the newspaper reported Thursday, citing unnamed people close to the discussions. The Treasury Department disputed that reporting. Neither Mnuchin nor Lighthizer has made any recommendations with respect to tariffs or other parts of the negotiations with China, according to a Treasury spokesperson working with the administration’s trade team who characterized the talks as an ongoing process.

Canada dismisses China's warning of repercussions over Huawei ban

Canada's government on Friday dismissed China's warning of repercussions if Ottawa banned Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL] from supplying equipment to 5G networks, saying it would not compromise on security. China's ambassador to Canada issued the threat on Thursday as relations between the two nations continued to deteriorate after a senior Huawei executive was arrested in Vancouver last month on a U.S. extradition warrant. China has also detained two Canadians.

I carried my dying daughter to term. It was a lesson in love many didn't understand

We live in a culture that believes unlimited freedom of choice is what it means to be human. But what if real freedom is the ability to choose love?

Researchers come face to face with huge great white shark

HALEIWA, Hawaii (AP) — Two shark researchers who came face to face with what could be one of the largest great whites ever recorded are using their encounter as an opportunity to push for legislation that would protect sharks in Hawaii.

What Martin Luther King Jr. Said About Walls During His 1964 Visit to Berlin

"For here on either side of the wall are God’s children and no man-made barrier can obliterate that fact"

UPS driver saves dog from drowning in icy pond: 'She wasn't going to make it'

Ryan Arens stripped to his boxers to save the dog. After authorities arrived, Arens went on to finish his UPS route, delivering his last 20 packages.

Pursuing R. Kelly: Could he end up convicted of sex crimes like Bill Cosby?

The R&B star is fighting multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, but could he be charged with a crime and convicted?

PHOTOS: Protesters take part in third annual Women's March

Women marched in hundreds of U.S. cities and overseas on Saturday to mark the second anniversary of demonstrations that drew millions of protesters to the streets the day after Republican President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2017.

AP Analysis: Climactic events in 1979 shaped modern Mideast

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Revolutionaries in the streets give way to black-and-white images of blindfolded American hostages. Two enemies sign a peace deal after years of hostilities. And one of the world's two superpowers invades its southern neighbor, launching a bloody, decade-long conflict.