Lafayette

Could soccer moms swing the House? Democrats hope so.

Remember the “soccer moms”? That 1990s term for politically moderate suburban women has fallen out of usage lately, but they’re still around, and a key voting bloc in the upcoming midterms. Frustrated with Washington and turned off by President Trump, they could deliver Congress to the Democrats in November. Or not.

Boyfriend Of Missing Phoenix Teen Kiera Bergman Arrested

The on-again, off-again boyfriend of Kiera Bergman, a missing Arizona

Customers Rally After Yelp Reviewer Calls Cafe's Gay Pride Flag 'Disgusting'

An anti-gay review on Yelp that called a restaurant in Dorchester,

Yahoo News explains: What's the other cause impacting global warming?

The authors of the study predict a 58 percent chance that the next few years will be “anomalously warm,” with a 69 percent chance that earth’s oceans will be too. The study found that that warming trend is not just the result of a steady increase in human-made climate change driven by emissions of greenhouse gases. The study used data from 10 climate-change models and found that natural variabilities were the cause of a global warming “hiatus” in the early 2000s.

Pope condemns 'atrocities' of US clerical child abuse

Pope Francis condemned Monday the "atrocities" revealed by a far-reaching US report into clerical child sex abuse in the state of Pennsylvania issued last week. "In recent days, a report was made public which detailed the experiences of at least a thousand survivors... the abuse of power and of conscience at the hands of priests," the pope said in a letter made public by the Vatican. A devastating US grand jury report published last week decried a systematic cover-up by the Catholic Church.

Families Separated Since Korean War Reunite In North Korea

Families divided during the Korean War tearfully reunited for the first time

Argentine Police Officer Breastfeeds Malnourished Baby in Kind Gesture

She went above and beyond the call of duty.

Malaysia's Mahathir cancels China-backed rail, pipeline projects

KUALA LUMPUR/BEIJING (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Tuesday that the Chinese-funded $20 billion East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project and a natural gas pipeline project in Sabah will be canceled for now, according to media reports. Mahathir made the comments while addressing the media in Beijing during his five-day trip to China. The Prime Minister's office confirmed the comments Mahathir made to reporters in Beijing.

Elon Musk says he has 'no option' but to work so hard at Tesla that his personal life is ruined

Elon Musk says he is unable to work proper hours, even if his habits are causing him serious damage in his personal life. The Tesla boss has been called on by people including Arianna Huffington, who said that he needed to adopt a healthier work-life balance. The comments came after Mr Musk conducted a wide-ranging interview with the New York Times in which he detailed the stress of running his company and the ways it was ruining his personal life.

'National Disgrace!': Trump escalates attack on Mueller as jury mulls Manafort's fate

President Trump on Monday escalated his attack on Robert Mueller’s Russia probe, labeling the special counsel “disgraced and discredited” and Mueller's investigators a “National Disgrace.”

Pregnant Woman Suspected Husband Might Be Cheating Before He Allegedly Killed Her: Friend

A pregnant woman found dead in Colorado last week had suspected her husband,

Good Samaritans rescue two people, dog from sinking car

Witnesses say the vehicle crashed through a marina railing in Long Beach, California, and into the water.

Alligator Kills Woman Walking Dog In South Carolina: Police

A woman died Monday morning in a suspected alligator attack on Hilton Head

France's Total has officially left Iran: oil minister

French energy giant Total has officially quit its multi-billion-dollar gas project in Iran, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said on Monday, following the reimposition of US sanctions. "Total has officially left the agreement for the development of phase 11 of South Pars (gas field)," he told parliament's news agency ICANA, adding that it had been more than two months since the French firm announced it would leave. Zanganeh also appeared before parliament to underline the dire state of Iran's oil and gas facilities, which he said were "worn out" and in need of renovation that Iran could not afford.

More Russian Hacking Uncovered Ahead Of Midterms — This Time Targeting Conservatives

Microsoft announced Tuesday that it had uncovered -- and thwarted -- fresh

North Carolina: protesters pull down Confederate statue at university

Police stand guard after the Confederate statue known as ‘Silent Sam’ was toppled by protesters. Police are investigating after the controversial “Silent Sam” Confederate statue on the campus of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill was toppled by protesters. Local TV reported that more than 300 people gathered at the Peace and Justice Plaza close to campus at about 7.30 on Monday evening before marching to the Confederate statue’s base and calling for its removal.

Arctic’s strongest sea ice breaks up for first time   

The thickest sea ice in the Arctic has started to break up, opening waters north of Greenland that are normally frozen, experts have warned. One meteorologist described the phenomenon - recorded for the first time this year - as “scary”. Scientists said it could prove catastrophic for polar bears and seals, threatening their survival. The sea off the north coast of Greenland had long been known as “the last ice area” because it was expected to be the last place to remain frozen, given it had the oldest and thickest ice. Others said it could force scientists to revise their theories about which part of the Arctic will withstand global warming the longest. The sea off the north coast of Greenland had long been known as “the last ice area” because it was expected to be the last place to remain frozen, given it had the oldest and thickest ice. But now scientists are warning that the ice has broken up twice this year, due to warm winds and heatwaves in the northern hemisphere. The thick old sea ice will have been pushed away from the coast, to an area where it will melt more easilyThomas Lavergne, Norwegian Meteorological Institute The changes could force scientists to revise their theories about which part of the Arctic will withstand global warming the longest. Professor Peter Wadhams, who heads the Polar Ocean Physics Group at Cambridge University, said the trend would also have “serious” consequences for wildlife - and could prove catastrophic for polar bears and seals. “The north coast of Greenland, with its very steep cliffs, is a denning area for polar bears,” Prof Wadhams said. “They dig holes in the snow and come out in the spring and go hunting. But if the pack ice has moved offshore they come out hibernation and are left without an area to hunt. “They can’t swim very far. If this becomes a permanent feature with ice away from the coast, polar bears won’t have any ice to hunt on. You would lose the polar bear habitat,” he told The Independent. Ruth Mottram of the Danish Meteorological Institute said: “Almost all of the ice to the north of Greenland is quite shattered and broken up and therefore more mobile.” “Open water off the north coast of Greenland is unusual. This area has often been called ‘the last ice area’ as it has been suggested that the last perennial sea ice in the Arctic will occur here. The events of the last week suggest that, actually, the last ice area may be further west.” How fast is the Arctic ice melting? | Meet the British scientist who risked polar bear attacks and plagues of mosquitoes to find out Walt Meier, a senior research scientist at the US National Snow and Ice Data Center, said: “The ice there has nowhere else to go so it piles up. On average, it’s over four metres thick and can be piled up into ridges 20 metres thick or more. This thick, compacted ice is generally not easily moved around. “However, that was not the case this past winter (in February and March) and now. The ice is being pushed away from the coast by the winds.” Thomas Lavergne, a scientist at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, described satellite pictures of blue water penetrating white ice as “scary”. Even if the water closes over in a few days, the harm will be done, he told The Guardian. “The thick old sea ice will have been pushed away from the coast, to an area where it will melt more easily.”

Russia says U.S. refusal to rebuild Syria a ploy to slow refugee return

Russia will help Lebanon return refugees to neighboring Syria, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday, accusing the United States of impeding the general repatriation process by declining to assist in Syria's reconstruction. Lavrov also called on opposition groups in the rebel-held Syrian province of Idlib to distance themselves from the Nusra Front group, formerly the local branch of al Qaeda.

Fox News Regular Claims Trump's Omarosa 'Dog' Comment Was A Compliment

Need proof that Donald Trump apologists will come up with any crazy excuse to

Rep. Duncan Hunter and His Wife Charged With Using $250,000 in Campaign Funds for Personal Expenses

The 48-page indictment alleges the money was taken between 2009 and 2016

Missouri Teen Killed On Birthday Just An Hour After ‘I Made It To 17’ Facebook Post

A Missouri teenager was senselessly killed after posting to Facebook about how

Shots fired at US embassy in Ankara, no casualties

Gunshots were fired at the US embassy in Ankara early on Monday, without causing any casualties, Turkish and American officials said as tensions spiked between the two NATO allies. Six shots were fired at the embassy with three bullets hitting the iron gate and exterior wall, the Ankara governor's office said, indicating there were "no casualties". Turkish police detained one suspect in connection with the attack, the state-run Anadolu news agency, without providing any details.

No One Lost the South China Sea (And No One Will)

America's excessive involvement in the South China Sea has forced China to deploy more defensive equipment in the area. What happens now?

Cause of death sought for 55-foot-long whale washed ashore on Massachusetts beach

A dead, 55-foot-long whale has washed ashore on a Massachusetts beach. The giant fin whale likely died at sea, officials told local news outlets, noting that it had been spotted floating in the water about eight miles offshore before it arrived. It showed no outward signs of trauma, Tony LaCasse, the New England Aquarium’s media relations director, told reporters, adding that facility's marine mammal team and experts from the International Fund for Animal Welfare were still investigating why it died.

The Latest: Suspect, a 2-year employee, fired on co-workers

MISSOURI CITY, Texas (AP) — The Latest on deadly workplace shooting near Houston (all times local):

Talks with India the way forward, says Pakistan's new foreign minister

Khan, who took office as Pakistani Prime Minister at the weekend, has proposed talks to resolve a long-standing dispute over the Kashmir region. Speaking ahead of the first meeting of Khan's cabinet, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said it was vital to resume talks, which have made little progress in recent years, between the nuclear-armed neighbors who have fought three wars since 1947. Qureshi said Modi had written to Khan congratulating him on his victory and suggesting the two countries "open talks".

Trump Speechwriter Fired After He's Linked To White Nationalist Event

A White House speechwriter for President Donald Trump was fired last week

Elizabeth Warren’s Far-Reaching New Bill Aims To Actually Drain The Swamp

WASHINGTON ― Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) unveiled a sweeping plan on

British Woman Survives 10 Hours at Sea After Falling off Cruise Ship

She floated and sang to keep herself awake.

Angel mom slams media coverage of illegal immigrants

Mary Ann Mendoza, whose son was murdered by an illegal immigrant, says victims' stories are being silenced by the press to support their anti-ICE agenda.

Famously Thicc, High-Maintenance Cat Finds New Human As Extra As He Is

Bruno is off the market, guys.

Small plane crashes on Phoenix street; pilot, passenger dead

PHOENIX (AP) — A homemade plane crashed in a Phoenix intersection Monday, killing the pilot and the sole passenger, authorities said.

Taliban Rockets Were Fired Toward Afghanistan's Presidential Palace During Holiday Speech

No injuries were reported

US warns of more sanctions coming against Russia

A senior Treasury official warned Tuesday that the United States has more economic sanctions on Russia in the pipeline, after the US blacklisted two Russian companies for trading with North Korea. "Absolutely ... You will continue without a doubt to see more from this administration," Sigal Mandelker, US Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence told a Senate hearing when asked if more sanctions were forthcoming. "We have imposed major costs on Russia," she told the Senate Banking Committee.

Husband and Wife Die After Being Caught in Riptide off New Hampshire Beach

Michael and Laura Cote were both unconscious when they were pulled from the water at the Seabrook shore about 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

58 people shot in Chicago over weekend as police hit out at 'cowardly' violence

Chicago police have hit out at "cowardly" and "senseless" gun crime after at least 58 people were shot in another violent weekend across the city. Six people were killed from the shootings that took place from Friday to Sunday night, Chicago Police Department (CPD) Superintendent Eddie Johnson said at a press conference. Tom Ahern, the assistant director of news affairs and communications at CPD reported that a three-year-old boy was among those wounded as a result of the shootings from the weekend.

Democrats Suing To Stop GOP Congressman Calling Himself A ‘Farmer’ On Ballot

A California Democrats group wants to stop Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) from

Indonesian Buddhist woman imprisoned for complaining mosque too loud

An Indonesian court sentenced a Buddhist woman to 18 months in prison for blasphemy on Tuesday, after she was accused of insulting Islam for complaining that neighborhood mosque was too loud. Meiliana, a 44-year old ethnic Chinese Buddhist had complained the Muslim call to prayer, repeated five times a day, was being played too loudly at the mosque near her house in North Sumatra. Indonesia has the world’s largest population of Muslims and sizable Buddhist, Christian and other religious minorities.

Venezuela's shopkeepers take fright at Maduro's latest moves

Venezuela on Monday slashed five zeros from prices as part of a plan President Maduro says will tame hyperinflation but critics see as pushing the country deeper into crisis. Store owners, meanwhile, are wrestling with an anguishing decision: close up shop, or hit customers with steep price hikes to pay for a 60-fold increase to the minimum wage. David Pollard reports.

APNewsBreak: Alaska Natives believed whale hunt was legal

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Indigenous hunters in Alaska initially believed they were legally hunting a beluga whale when they unlawfully killed a protected gray whale with harpoons and guns after the massive animal strayed into a river last year, a federal investigative report said.

Melania Trump's Anti-Cyberbullying Tweet Does Not Go Over Well

Melania Trump's "Be Best" campaign continues to receive an icy reception.

Moscow signs military cooperation pact with C. Africa

Moscow and the Central African Republic signed a military cooperation agreement on Tuesday, less than a month after three Russian journalists were killed in the strife-torn CAR while probing alleged Russian mercenaries. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his CAR counterpart Marie-Noelle Koyara signed the document on the sidelines of defense expo Army-2018 outside Moscow, Russian agencies reported. The deal "will help strengthen ties in the defense sphere," Shoigu was quoted as saying after the ceremony.

This Is How South Africa Could Become the Next Zimbabwe

Forced land redistribution was tried eighteen years ago by Zimbabwe and it did not go well.

Texas doctor who raped sedated patient will not serve jail time

Shafeeq Sheikh was instead sentenced to 10 years’ probation and ordered to register as a sex offender. Five female and seven male jurors had recommended the sentencing after deliberating for 14 hours at the Harris County Family Law Center in Houston, Texas. State law required Judge Terry Flenniken is required by the state's law to follow the recommendation, the Houston Chronicle reported.