General news

• Facebook investor class-action suit to move forward

  30-12-2015 23:51 via news.yahoo.com
  
  A US judge has cleared a class-action suit against Facebook from investors claiming the social network failed to fully disclose its risks at the time of its 2012 share offering. In a ruling posted this week, Judge Robert Sweet certified the class-action suit which claimed Facebook failed to provide adequate information to all its investors. In the case led by teacher and other public employee pension funds, the plaintiffs claim Facebook withheld key financial information ahead of the initial pub
  
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• US mosque arson suspect says was regular worshipper

  30-12-2015 23:49 via news.yahoo.com
  
  A suspect charged over an arson attack on a Texas mosque told investigators he was a regular worshipper there, praying five times a day seven days a week, according to his charge sheet. Houston resident 37-year-old Gary Nathaniel Moore was arrested on Wednesday and appeared in the Harris County district court on a felony charge of arson, the Houston Chronicle reported. According to the charge sheet, reproduced in the report, the suspect had been the last to leave the mosque at 2:00 pm after pray
  
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• U.S. record high floods keep rising

  30-12-2015 23:43 via rss.cnn.com
  
  Even if it doesn't rain another drop in Missouri, Kathy Wunderlich's home in West Alton may still get flooded.
  
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• Ebola staff given New Year honours

  30-12-2015 23:38 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Doctors and nurses involved in the fight against the world's worst outbreak of Ebola have been recognised in the New Year Honours list.
  
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• Homes evacuated as Storm Frank hits UK

  30-12-2015 23:32 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Hundreds of homes are evacuated and thousands without power across parts of Scotland, England and Northern Ireland as Storm Frank brings more flooding misery.
  
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• McCoy knighted in New Year Honours

  30-12-2015 23:30 via bbc.co.uk
  
  AP McCoy is knighted, Heather Rabbatts is made a dame, while Denis Law, Sue Barker and Chris Froome are also honoured.
  
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• Clinton: ISIS is committing 'genocide'

  30-12-2015 23:30 via rss.cnn.com
  
  Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that ISIS is committing genocide against Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East.
  
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• Grizzly bear deaths rise as Yellowstone population grows

  30-12-2015 23:29 via news.yahoo.com
  
  CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The number of grizzly bear deaths or removals in the Yellowstone region climbed to an all-time high in 2015, but biologists say they're not worried about the animal's long-term survival in the area.
  
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• Turkey detains 2 IS suspects over New Year plot as Europe fears attacks

  30-12-2015 23:27 via news.yahoo.com
  
  Turkish police on Wednesday detained two Islamic State suspects accused of plotting to attack New Year's Eve celebrations, as jittery European capitals readied to see in 2016 under tight security. In a sign of the widespread anxiety just weeks after the deadly Paris terror assaults, Brussels cancelled its festivities and fireworks, while Moscow said it would close off Red Square to the public. Paris itself announced that 11,000 police, soldiers and firefighters would be patrolling the French cap
  
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• Terror threats around the world

  30-12-2015 23:25 via rss.cnn.com
  
  Federal and local security officials are tightening security in high-profile locations tied to New Year's celebrations, including New York's Times Square and the Rose Bowl festivities near Los Angeles.
  
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• U.S. preparing sanctions on Iran over ballistic missile program: sources

  30-12-2015 23:21 via news.yahoo.com
  
  President Barack Obama's administration is preparing new sanctions on international companies and individuals over Iran's ballistic missile program, sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that the potential sanctions would target about 12 companies and individuals in Iran, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates for their suspected role in developing Iran's ballistic-missile program. U.S. officials have said the Treasury Department retains
  
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• Oklahoma, Clemson took different paths to playoff

  30-12-2015 23:20 via news.yahoo.com
  
  MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — From a protest in the spring to travel woes in the fall, Oklahoma coped with plenty of distractions on its way to the Orange Bowl.
  
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• Jeb Bush cancels $3M in TV ads

  30-12-2015 23:19 via rss.cnn.com
  
  Jeb Bush's campaign is drastically shifting its resources from the airwaves to the field, scrapping large advertising buys in early-voting states in hopes of reviving his floundering bid for the presidency.
  
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• Banned driver dies after crashing into Secret Service car

  30-12-2015 23:16 via news.yahoo.com
  
  CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — An unlicensed driver trying to pass a car on a snowy New Hampshire road died after crashing head-on into a car carrying four Secret Service agents on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's protective detail, police said Wednesday.
  
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• Bill Cosby in court on first sex charge

  30-12-2015 23:13 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Prosecutors charge US comedian Bill Cosby with indecent assault over an alleged incident in 2004 - the first criminal case after a slew of accusations.
  
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• Latest: Flooding closes 3 historic sites in Illinois

  30-12-2015 23:12 via news.yahoo.com
  
  ST. LOUIS (AP) — The latest developments on flooding in the Midwest (all times local):
  
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• Terror alert halts Brussels fireworks

  30-12-2015 22:59 via bbc.co.uk
  
  New Year fireworks and festivities are cancelled in the Belgian capital, Brussels, because of a terror alert, officials say.
  
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• Messi hits 500 in style, Ronaldo double saves Madrid

  30-12-2015 22:58 via news.yahoo.com
  
  Lionel Messi scored on his 500th Barcelona appearance as the European champions moved back to the top of the table with a 4-0 win over Real Betis as La Liga returned from a curtailed winter break on Wednesday. Atletico Madrid remain level on points with Barca thanks to two goals in the final two minutes from Angel Correa and Antoine Griezmann to emerge 2-0 victors at Rayo Vallecano.
  
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• Giants WR Beckham not changing his game, just how he reacts

  30-12-2015 22:58 via news.yahoo.com
  
  EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. isn't changing the way he plays, just the actions that led to his recent one-game suspension for multiple violations of safety-related playing rules.
  
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• See Bill Cosby arrive at court

  30-12-2015 22:55 via rss.cnn.com
  
  Bill Cosby has been charged with sexual assault in relation to a 2004 accusation in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
  
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• Belgium: We must defend our way of life

  30-12-2015 22:55 via rss.cnn.com
  
  Bars and restaurants around the Grand Place, the iconic, historical central square of Brussels, are emptier than usual at this time of year after Belgian police Monday night broke up a plot to target the square and other crowded spaces in Brussels during New Year festivities.
  
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• The Latest: All Chicago police patrol cars to have Tasers

  30-12-2015 22:51 via news.yahoo.com
  
  CHICAGO (AP) — The latest on Chicago police shootings, including one in 2014 in which an officer has been charged with murder for killing a teenager (all times local):
  
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• Mayor says Chicago police changes will focus on use of force

  30-12-2015 22:47 via news.yahoo.com
  
  CHICAGO (AP) — Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Wednesday that Chicago police must be better trained to distinguish between when they can use a gun and when they should use a gun, after a series of shootings by officers sparked protests and complaints that police are too quick to fire their weapons.
  
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• Pacquiao to fight Bradley in April - Arum

  30-12-2015 22:43 via news.yahoo.com
  
  Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring on April 9 in Las Vegas to take on Timothy Bradley for a third time, promoter Bob Arum said Wednesday. Top Rank promotions chief Arum confirmed to AFP that the bout was slated for the MGM Grand. While Pacquiao has spoken this year of retiring after an April bout to pursue his political career, Arum said he would not market the bout as Pacquiao's last.
  
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• Frantic US fight against record floods

  30-12-2015 22:40 via news.yahoo.com
  
  Soldiers and volunteers packed sand bags Wednesday in a frantic effort to stave off floodwaters in the US state of Missouri, where 13 people have been killed and several towns have been engulfed. The Mississippi River is already more than 14 feet (4.2 meters) above flood stage in some areas and is forecast to rise another eight feet before cresting on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. "We've never seen water this high," Missouri Governor Jay Nixon told CNN.
  
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• Official: California snowpack at 136 percent of normal

  30-12-2015 22:38 via news.yahoo.com
  
  ECHO SUMMIT, Calif. (AP) — The water content of the Sierra Nevada snowpack in drought-stricken California was 136 percent of normal Wednesday when officials took the winter's first manual survey — an encouraging result after nearly no snow was found at the site in April.
  
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• Fireworks canceled

  30-12-2015 22:38 via rss.cnn.com
  
  In the wake of the Paris terror attacks and an alleged foiled terror plot in Brussels, security throughout Europe has been bolstered ahead of New Year's Eve.
  
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• Timeline: Bill Cosby's career and accusations against him

  30-12-2015 22:34 via news.yahoo.com
  
  Bill Cosby, who personified the model American father through his long-running television program, "The Cosby Show," was charged on Wednesday with aggravated indecent assault over an alleged incident in 2004. It is the first criminal case involving the 78-year-old comedian after years of mounting accusations that Cosby drugged, and in numerous cases, sexually assaulted dozens of women in incidents dating back decades. Here is a timeline of Cosby's career: July 12, 1937 William Henry Cosby Jr. is
  
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• Chicago mayor overhauls police after shootings

  30-12-2015 22:32 via news.yahoo.com
  
  Embattled Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a major overhaul of the US city's police force Wednesday in the wake of fatal shootings which sparked mass protests. The US Department of Justice is investigating how Chicago police use force after the death of a black teenager who was shot 16 times as he was walking away from officers.
  
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• Miss Colombia calls Miss Universe mix-up a humiliation

  30-12-2015 22:23 via news.yahoo.com
  
  BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — The Colombian beauty queen who was briefly crowned Miss Universe is making the best of what she calls a humiliating situation.
  
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• U.S. preparing fresh sanctions on Iran: WSJ

  30-12-2015 22:13 via news.yahoo.com
  
  (Reuters) - The Obama administration is preparing to sanction nearly a dozen companies and individuals in Iran, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates for their role in developing Iran's ballistic-missile program, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing United States officials. Senior United States officials have said the Treasury retained a right under the nuclear agreement to blacklist Iranian entities allegedly involved in missile development as well as those that support international terro
  
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• Utah woman recounts 320-foot tumble off slick mountain road

  30-12-2015 22:12 via news.yahoo.com
  
  NORTH OGDEN, Utah (AP) — Sarah Crenshaw was edging along a familiar mountain road when her SUV hit a patch of black ice and slid over a precipice.
  
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• PSG end 2015 with victory against Inter in Qatar

  30-12-2015 22:10 via news.yahoo.com
  
  Teenager Jean-Kevin Augustin scored the only goal as Paris Saint-Germain rounded off a dominant 2015 with victory against Inter Milan in a friendly in Qatar on Wednesday. The result was just reward for PSG's dominant display although they were made to work by the Italian league leaders in a game that brought the curtain down on the French champions' four-day winter tour to Qatar. "We're very satisfied (with the tour)," said PSG coach Laurent Blanc.
  
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• Obama to talk trade in Germany in April: White House

  30-12-2015 22:04 via news.yahoo.com
  
  President Barack Obama will travel to Germany in April to talk trade with Chancellor Angela Merkel and promote US exports at a major industrial fair. Obama will attend the Hannover Messe, an annual technology show, and meet German officials to work on a trans-Atlantic trade pact, the White House said Wednesday. The Hanover fair, said to be the world's largest for industrial technology, will take place in the northern German city between April 25 and 29.
  
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• Chicago mayor plots changes to police policy after deadly shootings

  30-12-2015 22:04 via news.yahoo.com
  
  Chicago police will get new equipment and training to help them defuse tense situations and use the least amount of lethal force necessary, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said on Wednesday, seeking to soothe tensions in the city after weeks of protests over fatal police shootings. The number of Tasers, or electric stun guns that are generally not lethal, for the police department will be doubled to 1,400 so that every patrol unit that goes out at night has one, Emanuel said at a news conference. "Just becau
  
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• 'Affluenza' teen fighting extradition

  30-12-2015 22:03 via rss.cnn.com
  
  Ethan Couch and his mother are fighting to delay their return to Texas from Mexico, officials said Wednesday.
  
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• Vegas car-ramming suspect tests positive for marijuana

  30-12-2015 21:55 via news.yahoo.com
  
  A woman who repeatedly rammed her car into pedestrians in Las Vegas, killing one and injuring scores, has tested positive for marijuana, officials said Wednesday. Lakeisha Holloway -- whose three-year-old daughter was with her during the December 20 incident -- has been charged with murder and child abuse. Witnesses described a scene of mayhem as the 24-year-old repeatedly drove her car onto the sidewalk along the busy Las Vegas Strip, smashing into pedestrians who unsuccessfully tried to stop h
  
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• The Latest: Marshal: 'Affluenza' teen not expected back soon

  30-12-2015 21:51 via news.yahoo.com
  
  GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — The latest in the case of a Texas teenager serving probation for killing four people in a drunken-driving wreck after invoking an "affluenza" defense (all times local):
  
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• Pennsylvania prosecutor makes good on promise to charge Cosby

  30-12-2015 21:48 via news.yahoo.com
  
  A Pennsylvania prosecutor who campaigned for district attorney on the promise of becoming the first in the United States to charge comedian Bill Cosby with sexual assault fulfilled his pledge on Wednesday, a week before he officially takes office. Kevin Steele, a Democrat elected in November to serve as Montgomery County district attorney, announced a single felony charge against Cosby, who has been accused of drugging and sexually assaulting dozens of women dating back to the 1960's. "Reopening
  
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• Cosby charges prompt race and justice debate on social media

  30-12-2015 21:48 via news.yahoo.com
  
  By Angela Moon and Melissa Fares NEW YORK (Reuters) - The sexual assault case brought on Wednesday against comedian Bill Cosby rekindled a long-running debate on social media about race and the U.S. justice system. While sentiment on social media weighed heavily against Cosby, many of the hottest threads featured fierce debates over the often-diverging outcomes of U.S. criminal investigations depending on whether alleged perpetrators are white or black. Cosby is black.
  
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• Johnny Manziel in concussion program, likely to miss finale

  30-12-2015 21:45 via news.yahoo.com
  
  BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Johnny Manziel has been placed in concussion protocol, effectively ending his second NFL season.
  
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• Bill Cosby appears in US court on sexual assault charge

  30-12-2015 21:44 via news.yahoo.com
  
  US comedian Bill Cosby appeared in a Pennsylvania court on Wednesday to face a sexual assault charge over an incident that took place in 2004 -- the first criminal charge filed against the actor after dozens of women claimed abuse. "Mr Cosby is charged with aggravated indecent assault. This is a felony," Kevin Steele, assistant district attorney for the state's Montgomery County, told reporters earlier in Norristown, in the suburbs of Philadelphia.
  
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• The Latest: Emanuel says trust in Chicago police 'broken'

  30-12-2015 21:41 via news.yahoo.com
  
  CHICAGO (AP) — The latest on Chicago police shootings, including one in 2014 in which an officer has been charged with murder for killing a teenager (all times local):
  
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• Johnson lifts Auburn past Memphis 31-10 in Birmingham Bowl

  30-12-2015 21:40 via news.yahoo.com
  
  BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Jeremy Johnson came off the bench to run and pass for a touchdown, lifting Auburn to a 31-10 victory over Memphis on Wednesday in the Birmingham Bowl.
  
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• US says Iran launched 'provocative' rocket test near ships

  30-12-2015 21:39 via news.yahoo.com
  
  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. on Wednesday accused Iran of launching a "highly provocative" rocket test last week near its warships and commercial traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz, exposing how tensions between the two countries could escalate even after a landmark nuclear deal.
  
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• Mariota's season over, Titans say QB will not play at Indy

  30-12-2015 21:39 via news.yahoo.com
  
  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee quarterback Marcus Mariota's inaugural NFL season has ended two games early. Titans interim head coach Mike Mularkey said Wednesday it's "not worth the risk" of playing Mariota in the season finale Sunday at Indianapolis.
  
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• Tonya Pinkins quits NYC play, saying her role 'neutered'

  30-12-2015 21:36 via news.yahoo.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Bertolt Brecht's epic play "Mother Courage and Her Children" may be about the horrors of war, but a new off-Broadway production is revealing real conflict offstage, too.
  
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• Chicago mayor announces police reforms after fatal shooting

  30-12-2015 21:29 via news.yahoo.com
  
  Emanuel and Interim Police Superintendent John Escalante said the city would try to make interactions with police more conversational and less confrontational, and would double the number of Tasers available to police. Tasers are weapons that can deliver an incapacitating, non-lethal shock.
  
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• Prosecutor: Driver held in Vegas crash had pot in system

  30-12-2015 21:27 via news.yahoo.com
  
  LAS VEGAS (AP) — A woman accused of intentionally plowing a car into a crowd of pedestrians on a Las Vegas Strip sidewalk had marijuana in her system, but prosecutors said Wednesday that it's unlikely she will be charged with driving under the influence.
  
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• KaloBios, formerly led by Shkreli, files for bankruptcy

  30-12-2015 21:22 via news.yahoo.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — KaloBios, the troubled drugmaker taken over by Martin Shkreli last month, is seeking bankruptcy protection less than two weeks after his arrest for securities fraud.
  
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