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Iran state TV presenter arrested by FBI and moved to Washington DC, say reports

An American-born journalist working for Iran‘s state TV broadcaster has reportedly been arrested after flying into the US. Press TV interrupted its broadcast on Wednesday to report Marzieh Hashemi was arrested after she arrived at St Louis Lambert International Airport on Sunday. The English-language Iranian broadcaster, citing family members, said its TV presenter and documentary film maker was taken into FBI custody and brought to Washington, DC.

Trump Denies Pelosi Plane to Visit U.S. Troops in Shutdown Spat

“In light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay, I am sure you would agree that postponing this public relations event is totally appropriate,” Trump said in a letter to Pelosi, a day after she suggested he postpone his State of the Union speech scheduled for Jan. 29.

'Humiliated': World media react to British PM's Brexit defeat

Britain is in "uncharted waters" after Prime Minister Theresa May was "humiliated" by the "crushing defeat" of her Brexit deal in parliament, according to scathing reactions in the British and world press on Wednesday. "May's Brexit deal dead as a dodo", Britain's biggest-selling newspaper The Sun said, with a mock-up picture of the PM as the extinct flightless bird, under the front page headline "Brextinct". The Daily Telegraph's front page read: "A complete humiliation".

More snow! Airlines expand change fees as new storms approach

Airlines are waiving change fees as two more winter storms are set to move across the Midwest, Ohio Valley and Northeast from Thursday into the weekend.

Celebrity's 'Chefs for Feds' kitchen feeds unpaid U.S. government workers

Maurice Wilson joined dozens of fellow federal workers in Washington on Wednesday at the opening of celebrity chef Jose Andres' emergency kitchen, grateful for a free lunch of egg sandwiches, quinoa bowls and tomato soup as the partial government shutdown dragged on. "Within another two weeks, I’m going to have to figure out a way to survive,” said Wilson, 59, who is working without pay at the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency of the District of Columbia. The "Chefs for Feds" kitchen, launched by restaurateur Andres' non-profit World Central Kitchen, is the latest example of how food providers across the country are stepping up efforts to feed unpaid federal workers.

Marriott is rolling out a brand new rewards program -- Here's everything you need to know

When you're a frequent traveler, it's almost self-sabotage to not join some

Mexican Airline Trolls Americans With Ad About Debate Over the Wall

Aeroméxico, Mexico’s large airline, is taking on the border debate in their own way: by trying to convince Americans to visit Mexico.

David Webb’s White Privilege

Areva Martin, a CNN “analyst” — whatever in hell that means anno Domini 2019 — was in the middle of a spirited exchange with the conservative talk-radio host David Webb about racial preferences in hiring. Webb argued — as conservatives of many different races argue! — that race should not be a factor in such decisions, which should be based strictly on qualifications. “That’s a whole ’nother long conversation about white privilege,” she sniffed.

Tulsi Gabbard apologizes, again, for past antigay views

A week after announcing her presidential candidacy, the representative from Hawaii releases a video apology.

President Trump Canceled Nancy Pelosi's Trip to Afghanistan Over the Shutdown Fight

One day after she essentially disinvited him from delivering his State of the Union

Brits in Spain see glimmer of hope in UK Brexit vote drubbing

Jávea (Spain) (AFP) - On the sun-drenched eastern coast of Spain where British pensioners and business-owners are uncertain for their futures as Brexit ticks closer, the crushing parliamentary defeat of Theresa May's EU divorce deal has sparked a glimmer of hope. "This might not happen," Lyle Starritt told AFP, the day after May suffered a historic drubbing in the House of Commons on Tuesday, when MPs rejected the deal she struck with the European Union. Britons interviewed by AFP, all of whom were keen on Britain staying in the EU, also said they were confident that even if Brexit takes place Madrid would preserve their rights, providing London reciprocates for Spaniards living in Britain.

California storms: At least five people killed after heavy rain and snow cause devastation

At least five people have died in severe rain and snowstorms that blanketed parts of California with at least five feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains this week, besides triggering flooding and mudslides, officials said. Forecasters expect the bitter weather to push eastwards into the Rockies and US Midwest through the weekend, while the California Highway Patrol said rain-slicked highways led to two fatal accidents that killed four people. A family of three, including a one-year-old baby, died in El Dorado County on Tuesday, after their car spun across a rain-soaked freeway to hit another car, the San Francisco Chronicle said.

Southwest Airlines flights canceled, delayed due to computer issue in Baltimore

A data connectivity issue with Southwest Airlines phones and computer systems Tuesday resulted in delayed flights to and from BWI.

In third year, U.S. women's marches turn to 2020 elections

Millions of people took part in the women's marches in Washington and other cities in the United States and abroad on Jan. 21, 2017, the day after the Republican president was sworn in. Vanessa Wruble, a co-founder of the original Women's March on Washington who left to start March On, a separate grassroots coalition, said the movement has evolved from being a reaction to Trump's presidency. Women's March, a national nonprofit organization that evolved from the initial Washington march, is using its #WomensWave marches in Washington and elsewhere on Saturday to roll out a 10-part policy platform that includes raising the federal minimum wage and protecting reproductive rights.

Sniffer dogs, bomb experts comb through Kenya attack site

Kenyan police aided by bomb experts and sniffer dogs on Thursday resumed their search of the Nairobi hotel complex struck by Islamists as police arrested nine more suspects over the attack which left 21 dead and 28 injured. A police source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were confident there were no more people trapped inside the hotel or surrounding office buildings after the 20-hour assault unleashed on Tuesday, during which some 700 civilians were rescued. Five gunmen with the Al-Qaeda-linked Somali militant group Al-Shabaab attacked the DusitD2 hotel and office complex on Tuesday afternoon.

Enes Kanter: Turkey 'seeking arrest' of New York Knicks player

Turkish prosecutors are seeking the arrest and extradition of New York Knicks enter Enes Kanter, accusing him pf being a member of an "armed terrorist group". Mr Kanter is accused of ties to Fethullah Gulen, who Turkish authorities allege is behind the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016, the Daily Sabah reported. Mr Gulen has repeatedly denied any involved in the failed coup.

Trump blocks Pelosi trip as tensions mount over government shutdown

In the meantime, the Trump administration continued to try to mitigate the shutdown's impact. The State Department said it would call its furloughed employees back to work next week for national security reasons. Pelosi had been scheduled to travel on a military aircraft as part of a congressional delegation to Belgium, where NATO is based, and Afghanistan to visit American troops stationed there.

What to Know About the 2020 Toyota Supra

It's the return of the almighty Supra, but this Japanese car has a German flair.

Snowstorms to be followed by Arctic outbreak in eastern half of nation

Following a pair of snowstorms set to deliver a one-two punch to the midwestern and northeastern United States into this weekend, the coldest air so far this winter season has its sights set on the eastern half of the nation.

The lone Democrat who voted against denouncing Rep. Steve King sees censure effort fizzle

The lone lawmaker who prevented the House of Representatives from unanimously denouncing Rep. Steve King, due to worries that the measure didn't go far enough, saw his censure effort against the Iowa Republican fizzle on Wednesday.

Procter & Gamble’s Toxic Sanctimony

Recognized around the world as a symbol of manly civility for more than a century, Gillette will now be remembered as the company that did itself in by sacrificing a massive consumer base at the altar of progressivism. In case you hadn’t seen or heard: Parent company Procter & Gamble launched a Gillette ad campaign blanket-demonizing men as ogres and bullies. At home and at work, in the boardroom, on the playground, and even while barbecuing in the backyard, Gillette sees nothing but testosterone-driven trouble.

Markets Right Now: Banks lead stock gains on Wall Street

NEW YORK (AP) — The latest on developments in financial markets (all times local):

Apple boss Tim Cook attacks 'shadow economy' of data in call for new privacy law

Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook has called for the US to introduce a national privacy law, attacking a “shadow economy” in which people’s personal data is bought and sold without their knowledge. Mr Cook said companies should have to collect as little data as possible and make it easy for people to delete the information that is held about them. It is the latest attempt from Apple to position itself as the steward of consumers’ privacy, and to draw a line between itself and companies such as Facebook and Google. Mr Cook said that people need to “win back their right to privacy” and that companies that sell data should have to register with the Federal Trade Commission, the US consumer watchdog. “I and others are calling on the US Congress to pass comprehensive federal privacy legislation - a landmark package of reforms that protect and empower the consumer,” Mr Cook wrote in Time Magazine. He singled out “data brokers”, companies that purchase, bundle up and sell data on individuals, such as credit reference agencies, saying that most people were unaware of how companies transact in their data. “Right now, all of these secondary markets for your information exist in a shadow economy that’s largely unchecked. Let’s be clear: you never signed up for that,” Mr Cook wrote. The US does not have a national equivalent to the UK’s Data Protection Act or the European privacy legislation, GDPR. Facebook, Amazon and Google have all said they would support a law, but failed to put forward any concrete proposals. Mr Cook said companies should aim to minimise the amount of data they collect and make it easier for people to delete or correct it. Mr Cook has played up Apple’s privacy credentials in recent months, as sales of its iPhones stumble and as Google and Facebook have been embroiled in repeated data controversies. Its privacy commitment has come under scrutiny, since Apple receives billions of dollars a year from Google to be the default search engine on the iPhone. Mr Cook has defended the deal, saying the company has built in controls to limit how much users can be tracked.

How to Avoid Common Car-Seat Installation Mistakes

A toddler, still strapped into a car safety seat, survived a fall out of a moving vehicle this week on a Minnesota road—providing a chilling reminder of the importance of proper car seat installa...

California mother charged in stabbing death of 2-year-old son

A Covina woman has been charged with stabbing her own 2-year-old son to death, officials said Wednesday.

Four U.S. troops reported among 16 dead in north Syria attack

A bomb attack claimed by Islamic State killed U.S. troops in northern Syria on Wednesday, weeks after President Donald Trump said group was defeated there.

UK PM May reaches out to rivals in Brexit deadlock

May said she was "disappointed" by Corbyn's decision and stressed that "our door remains open". Ian Blackford of the Scottish National Party (SNP) said his party would only participate if she were prepared to consider delaying Brexit, ruling out a "no deal" and the option of holding a second referendum. The prime minister is working to the tightest-possible deadline as Britain prepares to leave the bloc that for half a century defined its economic and political relations with the rest of the world.

BMW unveils 2020 7 Series sedan with controversial redesign

While the interior design and mechanics haven't significantly changed in the latest version of the BMW 7 Series, the exterior received a serious facelift that is leaving some fans confused and a few disappointed. BMW officially unveiled the latest 7 Series luxury sedan Wednesday with a redesign that the company says gives it a "confident presence" while some onlookers are giving it a mediocre review. The focal point of the new design is the inflated, trademark 7 Series kidney grille placed on a two-inch taller front end which has grown about 40 percent since the last generation, an expansion that already hasn't been welcomed very warmly.

The Latest: California storm cancels Santa Anita horse races

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Latest on California storms (all times local):

'Gingers unite!': Prince Harry bonds with 4-year-old redhead

Prince Harry got a big surprise on Monday when a 4-year-old red-head presented him with a special sign. 

Sears chairman prevails in bankruptcy auction for retailer with $5.2 bln bid- sources

Lampert's bid, boosted from an earlier $5 billion offer, prevailed after weeks of back-and-forth deliberations that culminated in an auction.

Trump told to ‘resign or be impeached’ if reports he instructed attorney Cohen to lie to congress are proven

Donald Trump is facing calls to “resign or be impeached”, if reports he instructed his former lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about talks to build a Trump Tower in Moscow can be verified. The president is under pressure after two law enforcement officials involved in special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian collusion in the 2016 US election claimed to have obtained evidence of possible obstruction. Several Democrats have urged Congress to seek clarification of what evidence the special counsel may hold on the matter, with one calling for Mr Trump to be removed if the claims, first published by Buzzfeed News, are proven.

Russia, US in war of words over arms treaty

Russia on Wednesday accused Washington of being uncooperative on efforts to save a crucial arms control treaty, only to be accused by the US of dishonesty. Tensions have raged for months over the fate of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF) signed in 1987 by then US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. US President Donald Trump has promised to walk away from the agreement and President Vladimir Putin threatened a new arms race, saying Europe would be its main victim.

Detroit auto show models -- the human ones -- embrace new role

Every year at the Detroit auto show, good-looking women -- and men -- are deployed by the carmakers to present their new vehicles. The "product specialists" still have picture-perfect smiles, but they also can tick off the features of each car and prices with such assurance that the iPads they carry for reference can seem merely decorative. Perched on stilettos, Priscilla Tejeda is working for Toyota.

Group of 247 immigrants arrested at US border

U.S. Border Patrol agents in New Mexico say a group of nearly 250 immigrants are in custody after turning themselves in to authorities at the Antelope Wells Port of Entry. (Jan. 17)

May Wins Confidence Vote and Opens Cross-Party Brexit Talks

U.K. leader Theresa May survived an attempt to oust her government and immediately opened talks with rival political parties in an attempt to break the Brexit deadlock, as time runs out to reach a deal. The prime minister fought off the threat of a national election and won the right to continue running the country when the House of Commons voted 325 to 306 against a motion of “no confidence” in her administration. May invited other party leaders, who back keeping much closer ties to the European Union, for talks tonight to discuss how to forge a compromise Brexit plan that Parliament can support.

Falling tree kills man as storm lashes California

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A falling tree killed a man in Oakland on Wednesday as a powerful storm lashed Northern California with high winds and rain, authorities said.

Apple, Amazon called out for "incorrect" Taiwan, Hong Kong references

TAIPEI/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - One of China's top government-linked think tanks has called out Apple Inc, Amazon.com Inc and other foreign companies for not referring to Hong Kong and Taiwan as part of China in a report that provoked a stern reaction from Taipei. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) said in a report this month that 66 of the world's 500 largest companies had used "incorrect labels" for Taiwan and 53 had errors in the way they referred to Hong Kong, according to China's Legal Daily newspaper.

Pelosi tells Trump to postpone State of the Union over record-long government shutdown

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, has asked Donald Trump to postpone his annual State of the Union address amid a government shutdown now into its 26th day. The move could deny the president the grandeur of the annual platform, which he is likely to use to criticise Ms Pelosi and Democrats over the shutdown. Democrats have said they will not sanction $5.7bn (£4.4bn) funding for Mr Trump’s proposed border wall which the president has made a central demand for reopening the government.

SAS soldier hailed as a hero after charging into gunfire to take down terrorists in Nairobi hotel

A member of the SAS helped save hundreds of lives when he charged into gunfire to rescue civilians trapped during a terrorist attack in Nairobi. A mission mounted by Kenyan forces on Wednesday ended a 20-hour assault on 14 Riverside, a luxury hotel and office complex in one of the city's most affluent districts, killing at least five of the perpetrators. The number of those killed at the DusitD2 complex rose to 21, with the discovery of six more bodies at the scene and the death of a wounded police officer, said Joseph Boinnet, inspector-general of Kenyan police. Twenty-eight people were hurt and taken to the hospital, he said. At least one Briton was killed and one other badly wounded, amid fears the true death toll could be higher after the Kenyan Red Cross disclosed that as many as 50 people remained unaccounted for. The unidentified SAS soldier, reportedly in Kenya to train and mentor local special forces, often appeared to be at the forefront of the operation, frequently pictured bringing civilians to safety.   The soldier, carrying his special forces C8 Diemaco rifle, enters the compound alongside Kenyan security forces Credit: AFP Although on non-combat deployment, he raced to the scene within the first hour of the attack, wearing body armour over civilian clothes and a balaclava to cover his face.  In one photograph from the scene, he carries the limp, bleeding body of a victim. Another shows the soldier bursting into the hotel complex with his special forces issue C8 Diemaco rifle drawn.  He reportedly worked with US Navy Seals, operating under Kenyan command, during the mission. British special forces, who regularly train the equivalent troops of foreign nations, are not meant to engage in any direct combat on such missions.  However, the Telegraph understands that no action is to be taken against the SAS man who acted in Kenya, and that his decision to involve himself in the life-saving operation is considered to be a fine example of the ethos of British Special Forces.    The SAS soldier evacuates an injured woman from the scene in Nairobi Five years ago in Nairobi a bungled security operation was blamed for prolonging a terror attack on the Westgate shopping mall, during which 67 people were killed. Lessons appear to have been learnt. On Wednesday multiple security units, acting under the command of the head of a feared paramilitary unit, mounted a sustained counterassault, clearing the complex building by building. It was unclear if other British personnel were involved. A second British security officer, stationed in a getaway vehicle outside the complex during the first phase of the counterattack on Tuesday afternoon confirmed his involvement but declined to give details, only saying: “We are part of an ongoing operation”.  More than 800 people were caught up in the incident, many of them either hotel guests or workers at the local headquarters of multinational corporations housed in the complex’s five office blocks. A British national named as Luke Potter was confirmed among the dead. An employee of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, set up by the philanthropist and Labour peer Lord Sainsbury, he had only recently arrived in Nairobi. Luke Potter, the British man among at least 14 people killed in a militant attack at a luxury hotel complex in Nairobi. Credit: PA At least one other Briton, believed to have been with Mr Potter, was among the wounded after suffering multiple gunshot wounds. She was described as being in a critical but stable condition by friends. Those still trapped in the latter stages of the siege told terrifying stories of their ordeal. Cherop Rotich, a secretary, said she had hidden in an office lavatory as gunmen prowled the corridor outside, kicking at doors and taunting their intended victims.  “I honestly thought I was not going to get out alive,” she said, shortly after being led out of the complex. Others told of how they fled restaurant tables and business meetings as the gunmen, with bandoliers strapped to their chests, fired at random.  Even when rescue came, the danger persisted. Survivors led out of the complex by police officers on Wednesday morning said they had come under sniper fire. Security forces help civilians flee the scene as cars burn behind Credit:  Ben Curtis/ AP Worried about the impact of terror attacks on Kenya’s tourism sector, government officials have a history of playing down the number of victims of terror attacks.  President Kenyatta has yet to fulfill a promise to hold a commission of inquiry into the 2013 Westgate attack, which saw accusations that army personnel sent in to kill the Jihadists instead engaged in a drunken looting spree before blowing up part of the mall to cover their tracks. Dominic Troulan, a former British special forces officer attached to the Foreign Office, engaged terrorists amid the chaos, helping to free many civilians. He was later awarded the George Cross. Mr Kenyatta on Wednesday pledged to hunt down those responsible for the attack, responsibility for which was claimed by al-Shabaab, a Somali Islamist outfit affiliated to al-Qaeda. “We will seek every person involved in planning, funding and executing this heinous act,” he said in a sombre address to the nation. Nairobi attack Under British and American tutelage, Kenyan intelligence gathering on al-Shabaab activities has improved in recent years. Last February, a mass attack on an unknown Nairobi target was thwarted after a vehicle filled with weapons and explosives was intercepted on the road from Somalia to the Kenyan capital. But there has been quiet criticism after recent warnings of an impending attack, passed onto Kenya by Western intelligence agencies, allegedly did not meet a sufficiently serious response. However, Kenyan security forces were placed on high alert in October after the country's intelligence service received reports of an impending attack on government buildings in Nairobi. A Kenyan security source said that the picture was unclear, however, and that the identity of targets kept changing. Yet it was also becoming apparent that the terrorists had staked out the Riverside complex for some time. Reuben Kimani, a barista in the hotel that bore the brunt of the attack, said he recognised one of the gunmen because he had served him coffee on several occasions.

Ford forecasts $112 mn Q4 loss amid restructuring costs

Ford said Wednesday it expected to post a $112 million loss in the fourth quarter of 2018 as the automaker implements a massive restructuring in the United States and Europe. For the full year, Ford will post a net profit of $3.7 billion, less than half the 2017 result. Adjusted earnings per share are expected to be $1.30 across the year, right at the lower end of its $1.30-1.50 estimate in October.