President Obama leads mourners in singing “Amazing Grace” as he delivers a eulogy for the Rev. Clementa Pinckney during funeral services in Charleston, S.C., June 26, 2015. Pinckney was one of nine victims of a mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Ever since the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, presidents have been judged on the successes they notch during their first 100 days.
More than two dozen Democratic lawmakers have announced they intend to skip Donald Trump’s inauguration this week to protest the president-elect’s plans for the country. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., told Yahoo News she decided she couldn’t celebrate Trump’s inauguration because of his comments during the campaign about temporarily barring Muslims from entering the country and his vow to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Lee was among a growing handful of Democratic lawmakers who objected last week to the certification of the Electoral College results on the House floor.
A pendant unearthed at one of the most infamous Nazi death camps may hold a connection to Anne Frank, researchers say. The triangular pendant was discovered by researchers excavating the remains of the Sobibór death camp in Poland, and appears identical to one that belonged to Anne Frank, said officials at Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial on Sunday. Its owner has been identified as Karoline Cohn, a Jewish girl who is thought to have been killed at Sobibór.
Australia said on Monday it was "deeply disappointed" Japan had continued whaling in the Southern Ocean after anti-whaling activists published a photograph of a dead whale, and two days after Australian and Japanese leaders discussed the issue. Australia has long opposed Japanese whaling and the contentious issue was raised in talks between Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Sydney on Saturday, sources familiar with the discussions said. "The Australian government is deeply disappointed that Japan has decided to return to the Southern Ocean this summer to undertake so-called 'scientific' whaling," Australian Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg said on Monday.
The latest in a string of brutal prison massacres involving suspected gang members in Brazil has killed 26 inmates, most of whom were beheaded, officials said Sunday. The bloodbath erupted Saturday night in the overcrowded Alcacuz prison in the northeastern state of Rio Grande do Norte. Similar violence at other jails in Brazil left around 100 inmates dead in early January.
Bahrain on Sunday carried out its first executions since an Arab Spring uprising rocked the country in 2011, putting to death three men found guilty of a deadly bomb attack on police. The executions of the Shiite men drew swift condemnation from human rights groups and sparked intense protests by opponents of the Sunni-ruled government, who see the charges as politically motivated. Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in several predominantly Shiite communities to protest the executions.
The mind-body connection is more than just a catchphrase: A new study finds that increased levels of stress are indeed linked to greater risk of a heart attack or stroke. Researchers found that the people in the study who had more activity in an area of the brain that regulates the body's response to stress and fear, called the amygdala, were more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those with less activity in the amygdala, according to the study. "This study identifies, for the first time in animal models or humans, the region of the brain that links stress to the risk of heart attack or stroke," lead study author Dr. Ahmed Tawakol, a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a statement.
Linguist Zhou Youguang, the man who helped invent the Pinyin system used for writing Chinese worldwide before becoming an outspoken critic of the communist government died on Saturday in Beijing. Zhou, who was probably China's oldest dissenter, died Saturday at his house in the country's capital, a day after having celebrated his 111th birthday, state media said. Zhou is commonly known as the "father of Pinyin", a system for transliterating Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet introduced in the 1950s and now used by hundreds of millions of language learners in China, as well as abroad.
A SpaceX Falcon rocket blasted off from California on Saturday, returning the company to flight for the first time since a fiery launchpad explosion in September. The 230-foot (70-meter) rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 9:54 a.m. PST (1754 GMT) to deliver 10satellites into orbit for Iridium Communications Inc. "It's a clean sweep – 10 for 10," SpaceX launch commentator John Insprucker said after the satellites were released.SpaceX founder and entrepreneur Elon Musk's ambitious flight plans had been grounded since the September 1 explosion during fueling ahead of a pre-flight test in Florida. About 10 minutes after Saturday's launch, the first stage ofthe rocket, which had separated from the rest of craft,successfully touched down on a platform in the Pacific Ocean, a feat previously accomplished by four other returning Falconrockets.
President Barack Obama delivered an emotional farewell speech Tuesday to the nation in his hometown of Chicago. (left to right) Malia Obama and her mother Michelle Obama joined President Barack Obama as he delivered
The outgoing CIA director charged on Sunday that Donald Trump lacks a full understanding of the threat Moscow poses to the United States, delivering a public lecture to the president-elect that further highlighted the bitter state of Trump's relations with American intelligence agencies. John Brennan's pointed message on national television came just five days before Trump becomes the nation's 45th president amid lingering questions about Russia's role in the 2016 election even as the focus shifts to the challenges of governing. "Now that he's going to have an opportunity to do something for our national security as opposed to talking and tweeting, he's going to have tremendous responsibility to make sure that U.S. and national security interests are protected," Brennan said on "Fox News Sunday," warning that the president-elect's impulsivity could be dangerous.
Leave it to a group that calls itself the Citizen Sleuths to uncover a new lead in the 45-year hunt for D.B. Cooper. The three amateur scientists have found rare-Earth elements on the JCPenney tie the infamous skyjacker left behind when he jumped out of a commercial airplane on a blistering night in 1971, with $200,000 in unmarked bills, a parachute, and a raincoat. The sleuths say the elements could indicate Cooper was an engineer or manager in the aerospace industry.
By Ju-min Park and Se Young Lee SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's special prosecutor said on Sunday it will take into account the economic impact of whether to arrest Samsung Group leader Jay Y. Lee in connection with an influence-peddling investigation involving the president. The office also delayed by one day, until Monday, its decision on whether to seek the arrest of Lee, the third-generation leader of South Korea's largest conglomerate, or chaebol, citing the gravity of the case. The special prosecution had said it would make a decision on Lee by Sunday.
Bishop Eddie Long, a controversial megachurch pastor, has died at the age of 63 after a battle with an aggressive cancer, according to his Atlanta church. Long had been reportedly battling health issues for the past few months and In September 2016, Long
Japan pledged new patrol boats and $1.1 billion in aid to Vietnam Monday as part of a sprawling package targeting maritime and security affairs to bolster ties in the face of regional powerhouse China. Hanoi and Tokyo are locked in separate standoffs with Beijing over territorial claims in disputed regional waters, pushing the two countries closer in recent years. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced the six new vessels and the 130 billion yen loan package during a two-day visit to Vietnam, which is also aimed at boosting business ties with the fast-growing communist nation.
The eagle has landed — on chickens and rare birds, with talons at the ready. The resurgence of the bald eagle is one of America's greatest conservation success stories. Federal protections mean farmers can do little to keep them away, said Ken Klippen, a poultry scientist and former farmer who heads the National Association of Egg Farmers.
In fact, there are so many new features that it’s impossible to remember them all, which is why we often publish collections of lesser-known tips and tricks. A perfect example is this collection of 5 iPhone features only power users know about — we always want to help people get the most out of their smartphones. What you might not know, however, is that there’s already a dark mode feature hidden inside your iPhone browser. Night Shift is a nifty new feature Apple introduced in iOS 10 that reduces the amount of blue light emitted by an iPhone or iPad display at night.
By Isabel Coles MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi special forces battled Islamic State militants in districts near the Tigris river in Mosul on Monday as they sought to bring more of the east of the city back under government control. At least three Islamic State suicide car bombs targeted Iraqi forces in Andalus. In an online post, Islamic State said it had carried out a "martyrdom operation" in the area.
Whoever coined the phrase, “Behind every great man is a great woman,” must have been referring to Martin Luther King Jr’s wife, Coretta Scott King. While Martin Luther King Jr. is often regarded as the most influential and impactful activist in American history, his wife’s track record for sparking change is just as impressive. Not to mention, Coretta Scott King was also one of the biggest driving forces behind her husband's civil rights movement.
After 10 weeks, dozens of tweets and one rollicking news conference, Donald Trump's transition into the White House has left little doubt that the man Americans elected in November is the president they'll get. The immense responsibilities of the office and the daunting decisions that await Trump when he takes office Friday have not appeared to change the confrontational, divisive Republican. Just days away from his inauguration, Trump is still litigating old campaign fights and picking new ones with intelligence agencies and Rep. John Lewis, the Georgia Democrat and civil rights movement veteran.
From the outside, there's nothing much to say about this nondescript, hulking building in downtown Detroit, once the cradle of American industry. Watches, handbags, appointment books and other accessories carrying the "Made in Detroit" label are turned out here, while the bikes -- made from parts designed in neighboring Wisconsin -- and turntables, a new product, are assembled at the flagship store located nearby. Detroit suffered hugely from the decline of US manufacturing and especially the difficulties facing the "Big Three" -- auto giants General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler.
Isaac Wayne Wilson, 37, was arrested after he was discovered in a parking lot near the Islamic Center of Eastside, where a fire broke out in the middle of the night. Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett said Wilson was arrested on suspicion of second degree arson, and on an outstanding warrant for felony first degree malicious mischief in Seattle. Police and fire agencies received several calls alerting them to a fire at the center around 2:45 a.m. Firefighters found heavy fire on the first and second floors, Fire Chief Mark Risen said, adding that firefighters quickly prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the building.
Nicolas Degennes, creative director of makeup and color at Givenchy, has been inspired by the nature and texture of ink for the brand's spring/summer 2017 makeup collection, due out in January at Givenchy stockists. Color is on the agenda at Givenchy this spring, with a collection inspired by the nature and texture of ink, which can be used to mark bold lines or leave light washes of color. As a result, the "Points d'Encrage" collection features shades that may look bold and intense at first glance, but which leave a sheer, translucent hint of a shade when applied.
Hundreds of people turned out for the funeral of Rwanda's last king, Kigeli V, in the country's former royal capital Nyanza on Sunday. Kigeli was buried in his homeland after his body was repatriated from Washington on Monday. Kigeli actually died in October at the age of 80 but his funeral was delayed by a court battle between his relatives, arguing over where he should be buried -- in the US or his place of birth.
The owners of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced Saturday that they will close the 146-year-old show in May. Kenneth Feld, the chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment, which owns the circus, said declining attendance combined with high operating costs are the reasons for closing. Ringling Bros. has two touring circuses this season: "Circus Extreme" and "Out of This World." The final show for "Circus Extreme" will be in Providence, Rhode Island, on May 7, and the other will close after a performance in Uniondale, New York, at the Nassau County Coliseum on May 21.