| Man who threw baby off bridge gets 70 years in prison Posted: 31 May 2017 01:48 PM PDT  MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut man who killed his 7-month-old son when he threw the boy off a 90-foot-high bridge, then survived the plunge himself, was sentenced to 70 years in prison Wednesday.
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| Sean Spicer says a ‘small group of people’ know what Trump’s ‘covfefe’ tweet meant Posted: 31 May 2017 01:30 PM PDT  The cryptic tweet containing the phrase "covfefe" that President Trump sent early Wednesday wasn't a typo, according to WH press secretary Sean Spicer.
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| Truck bomb kills at least 80, wounds hundreds in Afghan capital Posted: 31 May 2017 01:12 PM PDT  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.
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| Trump blasts Russia probe, touts ex-adviser Page over FBI, CIA Posted: 31 May 2017 12:36 PM PDT  By Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump sought to insert himself into congressional investigations on Russia on Wednesday, urging lawmakers to hear from one of his former advisers, Carter Page, to counter testimony by directors of the FBI and CIA. Trump has been dismissive of probes by the FBI and several congressional panels into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and potential collusion with his presidential campaign. In a series of morning tweets, the Republican president quoted a Monday letter from Page in which he asked to address the House Intelligence Committee promptly and referred to faulty testimony from U.S. intelligence officials.
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| Principal's Suicide in School Parking Lot Came Amid Adultery Allegations, Officials Say Posted: 31 May 2017 12:19 PM PDT  Dennis Reeves was allegedly having an affair with his secretary.
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| Pentagon missile defense program scores direct hit Posted: 31 May 2017 11:43 AM PDT  WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. interceptor scored a direct hit and appeared to result in the "complete obliteration" of a mock warhead over the Pacific Ocean in what the Pentagon said Wednesday was a realistic test that mirrored the missile threat from North Korea and Iran.
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| US-backed Syrian fighters reach gates of IS capital of Raqqa Posted: 31 May 2017 11:26 AM PDT  BEIRUT (AP) — U.S.-backed fighters on Tuesday reached the northern entrance of the Syrian city of Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State group, amid intense clashes and airstrikes on Raqqa's northern and eastern edges, opposition activists said.
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| Donald Trump ready to withdraw from Paris climate agreement, reports say Posted: 31 May 2017 11:09 AM PDT  Trump tweeted on Wednesday that he would reach a final decision in a few days, shortly after a wave of reports said he was about to exit the deal. Donald Trump is poised to withdraw from the Paris climate accord, according to multiple reports on Wednesday, in a move that would profoundly undermine the landmark agreement by nearly 200 countries to curtail global warming. Trump tweeted on Wednesday that he would reach a final decision in a few days, shortly after a wave of reports that he was about to exit from the deal.
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| For second time, U.S. to withdraw from major climate treaty, this time the Paris Agreement Posted: 31 May 2017 10:50 AM PDT  For the second time since 2000, the U.S. is poised to pull out of a major climate treaty that the country itself fought hard for. Unlike the last time this happened with the Kyoto Protocol in 2001, however, the Paris Climate Agreement, which President Donald Trump is preparing to pull the U.S. out of, is widely viewed as the last, best chance the world has to avoid potentially catastrophic global warming. Also unlike Kyoto, the new agreement is entirely voluntary, making a withdrawal even more extreme. Scientists think that global climate change, if left unchecked, could bring withering droughts, more intense storms, devastating sea level rise, and more frequent and severe heat waves to many parts of the globe. SEE ALSO: U.S. could be 'left behind' if Trump exits the Paris Climate Agreement In removing the country from the Paris Climate Agreement, which went into force in 2016, the Trump administration would fulfill the worst fears of climate advocates and international allies worldwide. It would also leave the U.S. as an island of climate recalcitrance worldwide, joining only Syria and Nicaragua in rejecting the treaty. And considering that Nicaragua stayed out because its diplomats viewed the agreement as too timid, that means the U.S. is in a climate denial alliance only with Syria. Officials celebrate the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement in December 2015.Image: Mori/AP/REX/ShutterstockIn other words, even the governments of Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un signed this agreement. With the Paris agreement pullout, which multiple news reports, citing White House officials, say is coming this week, the U.S. will effectively cede leadership on climate and renewable energy to China, India and other rapidly developing economies that are investing billions in solar, wind and other renewable technologies. A Paris withdrawal also ignores the calls of business leaders ranging from the CEOs of Google, Apple, Salesforce, and Microsoft to well-known personalities like Elon Musk of SpaceX. It also would overrule the arguments put forth by the Trump's own daughter, presidential advisor Ivanka Trump, who was widely reported to be in favor of the agreement. Trump said in a tweet on Wednesday morning that he will be announcing his decision this week, implying that his mind is already made up but that the announcement is still being planned. The tweet also implies that Trump's decision is based on his view of how the agreement will affect the U.S. economy, rather than the country's standing in the world. I will be announcing my decision on the Paris Accord over the next few days. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017 However, numerous economic studies have shown that unchecked global warming will have a huge negative effect on the economy, dwarfing the costs of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Climate change is projected to put a major dent in U.S. economic output by the middle of this century, with even bigger losses projected throughout the developing world. For example, a 2015 study published in the journal Nature found that U.S. gross domestic product could drop 5 percent by 2050 without climate action. The Paris Agreement commits the world to keeping global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, above preindustrial levels through 2100. It is the first treaty to bring developing and developed countries together to commit to taking action on global warming after decades of acrimonious negotiations over who was more responsible for climate change and who should pay for its damages. The U.S. is the world's second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, but the biggest historical emitter. Under Paris, former president Barack Obama's administration committed to slashing domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. The Paris agreement contains no mechanism to punish America (or any country, for that matter) for failing to meet its emissions goals or revising them. 2016 was the warmest year on record since 1880.Image: nasa gissThe voluntary and non-punitive nature of the agreement was a major reason why it was so successful in getting countries to sign onto it after decades of frustrating climate talks. However, Scott Pruitt, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and others in Trump's orbit nevertheless viewed the treaty as legally binding. This may have triggered the withdrawal, especially since Trump, along with many of his cabinet picks, does not believe that greenhouse gases are the main cause of global warming, which runs contrary to the scientific consensus on this issue. On Tuesday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer was asked whether Trump views fossil fuels as a contributor to climate change and responded: "Honestly, I haven't asked him that." Climate scientists widely view the 2-degree goal as ambitious — if not impossible to adhere to — given recent global warming trends. Studies have shown that unless massive cuts to greenhouse gas emissions are made worldwide beginning in the next few years, there may be little chance of meeting the Paris target. Trump has been under heavy pressure by conservatives and the fossil fuel industry to leave the agreement, while business interests in Silicon Valley, European leaders, and others have sought to keep the U.S. within the fold of this landmark treaty. Much depends on what happens next and exactly how the U.S. seeks to exit the agreement. If President Trump decides to withdraw from the agreement unilaterally, that would not be able to take place until 2020 at the earliest. However, there are speedier ways of doing this, albeit more extreme. Also, a U.S. departure could spur other nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions pledges, which in turn would make global warming more severe since it would increase the concentration of greenhouse gases worldwide. Assuming the Trump administration follows through with a Paris Agreement withdrawal, it would also be a staggering repudiation of Obama's legacy of environmental protection. Without Obama's hands-on involvement throughout his second term, the treaty would not have been adopted. It would also ignore the will of the American people, with polling showing that majorities in every state — including those represented by anti-Paris senators — favor remaining in the agreement. Trump is scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the former CEO of ExxonMobil, on Wednesday. Tillerson is thought to be in favor of staying in the Paris Agreement, though it appears Trump's mind was already made up going into the meeting. WATCH: It's official, 2016 was Earth's warmest year on record
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| Death toll climbs from mudslides and floods in Sri Lanka Posted: 31 May 2017 10:29 AM PDT ![Death toll climbs from mudslides and floods in Sri Lanka]( "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.
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| Coal stocks fall; U.S. exit from climate deal may hurt, not help Posted: 31 May 2017 10:11 AM PDT  By Rodrigo Campos and Nichola Groom NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. coal company shares slumped alongside renewable energy stocks on Wednesday after reports that President Donald Trump plans to pull the United States from a global accord on fighting climate change. The market reaction reflects concerns, raised by some coal companies in recent months, that a U.S. exit from the Paris Climate Agreement could unleash a global backlash against coal interests outside the United States.
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| Eyeing growth boost, Kenya opens Chinese-built railway Posted: 31 May 2017 09:51 AM PDT  Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday inaugurated a Chinese-built railway, the country's biggest infrastructure project since independence that is aimed at cementing its role as the gateway to East Africa. Dancers and a military band entertained passengers and dignitaries from Kenya and China shortly before they, and Kenyatta, were to take the maiden journey from a gleaming new terminal in the port city of Mombasa to Nairobi. "Today we celebrate one of the key cornerstones to Kenya's transformation to an industrialised, prosperous, middle-income country," Kenyatta said at the launch.
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| Donald Trump to withdraw US from Paris Agreement on climate change, sources claim Posted: 31 May 2017 09:34 AM PDT  Donald Trump is to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement on climate change, White House sources have claimed. The US is currently one of the largest emitters of carbon dioxide in the world, so if President Trump was to pull the country out the landmark pact to reduce such carbon emissions it would be a major blow to a deal that aims to help avert the worst effects of climate change. Following a number of reports in US media about the move, Mr Trump tweeted that he would be announcing "my decision on the Paris Accord over the next few days" followed by his campaign slogan "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!".
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| Know Your Options to Reduce Student Loan Payments Posted: 31 May 2017 09:20 AM PDT ![Know Your Options to Reduce Student Loan Payments]( "Know Your Options to Reduce Student Loan Payments") The Student Loan Ranger receives many questions from readers. On occasion, we like to share some queries that other borrowers are likely to relate to .
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| San Francisco-bound flight diverted due to lithium battery fire Posted: 31 May 2017 08:50 AM PDT  FAA officials say a San Francisco-bound flight from JFK was diverted to Grand Rapids due to a lithium battery fire from a passenger's laptop.
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| More Americans want to impeach Donald Trump than approve of his job performance, new poll finds Posted: 31 May 2017 08:30 AM PDT  More Americans want to impeach Donald Trump than approve of his job performance, a new poll says. The number of American voters who want Congress to impeach the president has risen to 43 percent, up from 38 percent last week, according to a new Politico/Morning Consult poll. "If President Trump was hoping his foreign trip would shift the conversation away from scandals, he may be out of luck," Kyle Dropp, Morning Consult's co-founder and chief research officer, said.
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| Powerful bomb kills dozens in Kabul, Afghanistan Posted: 31 May 2017 07:57 AM PDT ![Powerful bomb kills dozens in Kabul, Afghanistan]( "Powerful bomb kills dozens in Kabul, Afghanistan") A powerful bomb hidden in a sewage tanker exploded in the morning rush hour in the center of the Afghan capital on Wednesday, May 31, police said, killing at least 80 people, wounding hundreds and damaging embassy buildings.
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| Dozens arrested after health-care protest in North Carolina Posted: 31 May 2017 07:42 AM PDT  RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The head of the North Carolina NAACP was among more than 30 people arrested Tuesday during a demonstration against Republican lawmakers' refusal to expand Medicaid coverage — the latest in a long string of protests the NAACP and members of the Moral Monday movement have waged since the GOP returned to power in 2013.
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| Portland man accused of fatal train stabbing has outburst in court Posted: 31 May 2017 07:23 AM PDT  Jeremy Joseph Christian, 35, was in Multnomah County courtroom Tuesday afternoon for his first court appearance on two counts of felony aggravated murder and other charges for the Friday attack. Authorities say Christian started verbally abusing two young women, including one wearing a hijab. As Christian walked into the courtroom he yelled out: "Free speech or die, Portland! You got no safe place.
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| Girl, 7, found critically injured after domestic incident in Olney section of Philadelphia Posted: 31 May 2017 07:08 AM PDT  Philadelphia Police are investigating how a 7-year-old girl who is hospitalized in extremely critical condition became unresponsive in her home.
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| Aleksandar Vucic sworn in as Serbia's next president Posted: 31 May 2017 06:49 AM PDT  BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Aleksandar Vucic was sworn in as Serbia's president on Wednesday, pledging to work for peace and stability in the war-weary Balkans while strengthening the country's armed forces.
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| Taiwan backlash over Emirates flag ban Posted: 31 May 2017 06:32 AM PDT  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.
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| Japan's factory output rises 4.0 percent in April: govt Posted: 31 May 2017 06:15 AM PDT  Japanese factory output rose 4.0 percent in April from the previous month, official figures showed Wednesday, bolstering data indicating the world's third-largest economy is finally seeing moderate expansion. The positive reading comes after it factory output fell 1.9 percent in March, according to data released by the ministry of economy, trade and industry. The ministry also reviewed upwards its prospects for factory output in May from a 3.7 percent fall to a 2.5 percent fall, and expects output will rise 1.8 percent in June.
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| Senior US official reduced to very awkward silence when asked about Saudi Arabia's attitude to democracy Posted: 31 May 2017 05:59 AM PDT  A question about Saudi Arabia's attitude to democracy has reduced a senior US foreign affairs official to giving one of the most awkward press conference responses ever witnessed. Having served as US Ambassador to Jordan and Iraq, having 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.
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| Bigelow Aerospace, Time To Put Up Or Shut Up About UFOs Posted: 31 May 2017 04:44 AM PDT  Bigelow Aerospace founder and president Robert Bigelow recently spoke with '60 Minutes' and discussed his long-held belief that alien UFOs have and are visiting Earth. But he's not just another UFO enthusiast, Bigelow has privatized piles of relevant evidence. Whatever he knows, he should tell us.
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