generation/preprocessing/5.jsonl

{"text":"US leads boycott of UN talks to ban nuclear weapons\n\n\nUnited Nations, New York (CNN)US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced Monday that the United States and almost 40 other nations would not participate in the first-ever talks on an international treaty to ban nuclear weapons.\n\nFlanked by ambassadors from about 20 nations, including nuclear powers United Kingdom and France, Haley couched the decision not to attend the talks, which began Monday, in personal terms.\nAs a mom and daughter, \"there is nothing I want more for my family than a world with no nuclear weapons,\" the former South Carolina governor said. \"But we have to be realistic."}
{"text":" Scarlett Johansson opens up about 'Ghost in the Shell'\n\nActress Scarlett Johansson opened up about her new film  \"Ghost in the Shell  addressing the controversy surrounding her being cast as the heroine and discussing the difficulties of being a woman in Hollywood, in an interview with Good Morning America\" anchor Michael Strahan that aired today. Johansson said that when \"Ghost in the Shell\" was first brought to her attention it \"seemed incredibly daunting  adding that her daughter was still very young, and my head space was not at all like  in the 'Ghost in the Shell.'\" \"But I thought  gosh  it's really hard to turn down the opportunity to be front and center for something that has such a built-in fanbase that's like  so dedicated and totally obsessed  the actress said. And also  you know  to be able to have the studio back something like this  Johansson added, as an actor ... as a woman  it's rare. I hope it's not always so rare  but it is.\""}
{"text":"Why Superman is missing in the 'Justice League' trailer\n\nAfter the full \"Justice League\" trailer dropped on Saturday  many fans had one major question: \"Where is Superman?\" Some said the clip  which features the likes of Batman  the Flash  Aquaman and Wonder Woman  isn't complete without the Man of Steel. Although he hasn't yet made an appearance in the \"Justice League\" trailers (the first one was released last year at Comic-Con)  Henry Cavill  who plays Superman  is listed on IMDB in the \"Justice League\" cast. So  he's coming back somehow. Furthermore  the clip from this weekend was the first to feature Amy Adams  who plays Clark Kent's love interest  Lois Lane. If you recall from \"Batman v Superman  the Flash travels back in time and mentions Lois is the key to something. Another teaser at the end of Dawn of Justice\" was the floating dirt on Superman's grave. This was director Zack Snyder's best effort to tell fans he's most definitely coming back. Snyder so far has been mum about these important details. Snyder did  however  speak to USA Today over the weekend and touched on the imminent comeback of one of the greatest heroes in comic book history. \"It's hard to have a 'Justice League' without Superman. That's how I feel about it  he said. It was always a super-intriguing concept to me to have this opportunity to have him make that sacrifice but also have him be this  in a weird sort of way  the why of 'Justice League:' What do you do now with him? What does the team think? What does the world need? All that comes into play. It's fun for us but it'll be interesting for audiences what we do with him.\""}
{"text":"Ex-US Attorney Barbara McQuade will teach law at Michigan\n\nFormer U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade will teach at University of Michigan law school.\n\nThe school said Tuesday that McQuade will teach criminal law, criminal procedure and national security law. She has undergraduate and law degrees from Michigan.\n\nMcQuade says helping today's students develop a deep understanding of the legal system \"has never been more important.\"\n\nShe was chief federal prosecutor in eastern Michigan for seven years, after 12 years as an assistant U.S. attorney. The Trump administration last week told all U.S. attorneys appointed by President Barack Obama to step down."}
{"text":"WWE star Paige reveals self-harm thoughts after leaked video scandal\n\nWWE star Paige has revealed she wanted to physically harm herself after explicit images and videos of her were leaked online. The two-time Divas champion  real name Saraya-Jade Bevis  admitted she thought of hurting herself during the period of controversy. \"I made a big mistake  the 24-year-old English wrestler said. Huge. I put trust in the hands of someone that took advantage of a young girl years ago. \"It was my mistake and I'll always take responsibility. But the one thing that was the hardest was thinking 'my husband is gonna leave me  my family will disown me'."}
{"text":"Amazon to buy Middle East online retailer Souq\n\nAmazon has made its first move into the Middle East after agreeing to buy the region's largest online retailer  Souq.com  for an undisclosed amount. Souq was launched in 2005 and offers more than 8.4 million products. It sells across 31 categories including consumer electronics  fashion  health and beauty  household goods and baby. \"Amazon and Souq share the same DNA. We're driven by customers  invention and long-term thinking  said Amazon senior vice-president Russ Grandinetti. Some reports have suggested Amazon is paying about $650m (£517m) for the company. The deal was revealed a day after Emaar Malls, the operator of Dubai's biggest mall, made an offer of $800m (£636m) for Souq."}
{"text":"Hillary Clinton, Mocking and Taunting in Debate, Turns the Tormentor\n\n\nShe mansplained him. \"Let me translate that if I can,\" Hillary Clinton said dryly after Donald J. Trump talked up his tax plan.\n\nShe interrupted him. When Mr. Trump boasted of the gilded Las Vegas hotel that bears his name, Mrs. Clinton leaned into her microphone. \"Made with Chinese steel,\" she quipped with a smile.\n\nShe mocked him. After Mr. Trump said President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had \"no respect\" for her, Mrs. Clinton slyly posited why Mr. Putin seemingly preferred Mr. Trump: \"He'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States,\" she said."}
{"text":" Toshiba's Westinghouse files for US bankruptcy\n\nWestinghouse  Toshiba's US nuclear unit  has filed for US bankruptcy protection. The US firm has struggled with hefty losses that have thrown its Japanese parent into a crisis  putting the conglomerate's future at risk. Westinghouse has suffered huge cost overruns at two US projects in Georgia and South Carolina. Toshiba said the bankruptcy would not affect Westinghouse's UK operation  which employs more than 1 000 workers. However  the firm warned that the writedown of its US nuclear business could see Toshiba's total losses last year exceed 1 trillion yen ($9.1bn; £7.3bn)  almost triple its previous estimate. The Japanese government confirmed on Wednesday that it was aware of Toshiba's plans."}
{"text":"No new threat led to airline laptop limits, officials say\n\nU.S. and British officials said Tuesday the decision to bar laptops and tablets from the cabins of some international flights wasn't based on any specific threat but on longstanding concerns about terrorists targeting jetliners.\n\nUnimpressed, some travelers and civil liberties groups denounced the ban, raising concerns that included lost worktime on long flights and worries that checking laptops in baggage will make them more vulnerable to theft.\n\nUnder the new bans, electronic devices larger than smartphones, such as laptops, tablets and gaming devices, will have to be checked on some international flights. American officials announced the U.S. ban early Tuesday, and the British followed later in the day after discussions between the countries."}
{"text":"School Starts Too Early In The Morning, State Lawmaker Says\n\nIf Senator Anthony Portantino gets his way, California will be the first state in the nation to ensure that teenagers can go to school without sacrificing a good night's sleep. This week he introduced SB328, a bill that would require California school districts to start middle and high school classes no earlier than 8:30 a.m.\n\n\"Every year we discuss as parents, educators, and legislators, best practices and interests of the children and education,\" says Portantino. \"Well, data is clear: starting the school day later improves the quality of education, health, and welfare of our children. So let's do it."}
{"text":"Donald Trump Won't Say if He'll Accept Result of Election\n\nIn a remarkable statement that seemed to cast doubt on American democracy, Donald J. Trump said Wednesday that he might not accept the results of next month's election if he felt it was rigged against him - a stand that Hillary Clinton blasted as \"horrifying\" at their final and caustic debate on Wednesday.\n\nMr. Trump, under enormous pressure to halt Mrs. Clinton's steady rise in opinion polls, came across as repeatedly frustrated as he tried to rally conservative voters with hard-line stands on illegal immigration and abortion rights. But he kept finding himself drawn onto perilous political territory by Mrs. Clinton and the debate's moderator, Chris Wallace."}
{"text":"Instagram adds two-factor authentication, security features\n\nInstagram just made your account harder to hack.\n\nOn Thursday, Instagram added two-factor authentication to the photo- and video-sharing social network, increasing security measures for its 600 million active users.\n\nYou can activate two-factor authentication by going to your settings and turning on the feature.\n\nTwitter, Facebook and Google already offer two-factor authentication."}
{"text":"Fossil has a ton of new smartwatches coming out later this year\n\nFossil Group is going all-in on connected watches. The company previously announced that it planned to release 300 new smartwatches, hybrid watches and fitness trackers across multiple brands in 2017. Fossil is now making good on that promise and has shown off a variety of new models at the Baselworld watch and jewelry expo in Switzerland.\n\nLater this year we will see new smartwatches from brands like Diesel, Emporio Armani, Fossil, Michael Kors and Misfit. All of the watches will run the new Android Wear 2.0 operating system and be powered by a Snapdragon Wear 2100 chip. Fossil has also said they will feature high-resolution full-AMOLED displays. Other details such as mobile payments or cellular connectivity weren't announced."}
{"text":" EU Blocks Deutsche Boerse's $14 Billion Takeover of London Stock Exchange\n\nEuropean Union regulators dealt a final blow to Deutsche Boerse AG's planned takeover of London Stock Exchange Group Plc  a symbolic block on EU-U.K. integration on the same day Britain formally serves notice of its decision to quit the EU. The $14 billion deal to create Europe's biggest exchange would have harmed competition in the soon-to-be 27-nation EU by creating a de facto monopoly for clearing bonds and repurchase agreements  the European Commission said in an emailed statement Wednesday. The decision  flagged last month by LSE  thwarts Deutsche Boerse's expansion just five years after the EU also banned a proposed tie-up with NYSE Euronext. \"The commission cannot allow the creation of monopolies and that is what would have happened in this case  Margrethe Vestager, the EU's antitrust commissioner, told reporters in Brussels. LSE was not prepared\" to sell a small unit that would have removed concerns that the combined firm could have weakened rival Euronext NV. EU regulators have become increasingly tough on big deals  demanding weighty concessions to eliminate overlapping businesses amid concerns that a combined firm could dominate an industry and increase prices. While this is the second time that Vestager has formally blocked a merger  several transactions have been ditched over antitrust opposition."}
{"text":" London Stock Exchange 'working hard' on Deutsche Boerse merger\n\nThe London Stock Exchange has said it is continuing to \"work hard\" on its planned merger with Deutsche Boerse. Earlier this week  the LSE said the deal could collapse as it was unlikely to get European Commission clearance. The commission had ordered the LSE to sell its 60% stake in MTS  a fixed-income trading platform. The LSE had called the request \"disproportionate\". The LSE's latest comments came as the exchange reported an increase in profits for 2016. Excluding restructuring costs and businesses it has sold or closed  LSE said profit before tax rose to £623.1m for the year from £516.4m a year ago. \"The group has worked hard on our proposed merger with Deutsche Boerse  which received formal approval from both sets of shareholders  the firm said."}
{"text":"Russia Can Wait for $70 Oil Before Returning to Arctic Waters\n\nRussia can wait for a sustained recovery in oil prices before drilling again in Arctic waters  relying for now on less costly regions even as rival producer Norway accelerates development of its northerly fields. \"We estimate production costs for the Russian Arctic offshore in the range of $70 to $100 a barrel  Energy Minister Alexander Novak said by email. These reserves are our backup stock  he said before the International Arctic Forum in Russia's Arkhangelsk, which starts Wednesday."}
{"text":"Katy Perry pays tribute to fan killed in an auto accident\n\nKaty Perry has paid special tribute to an 18-year-old superfan who died in a car accident. According to ABC affiliate KTBS-TV in Shreveport  Louisiana  18-year-old Katie Bell died this past weekend when she lost control of her car and collided head-on with another vehicle. The other driver was also killed. \"We see you angel and we love and will miss you  Perry tweeted on Tuesday morning. KC's  light a candle for Katie. Rest In Peace.\" She included one of Bell's videos in her tweet. News of Bell's death apparently inspired the hashtag #RIPKatycatKatie -- Perry fans call themselves \"KatyCats\" -- and Perry herself took notice. To further honor Bell  Perry changed her name on her Twitter profile to Bell's hashtag."}
{"text":"Even Preschoolers Face Racial Bias, Study Finds\n\n\nRacial bias against black students begins long before they get to their teens - it starts in preschool, according to a study released today from the Yale Child Study Center.\n\nThe study was conducted as a two-part experiment: in the first part, educators watched black and white children together, and in the second, they read vignettes on misbehaving students. In each situation, they were asked to identify and rate bad behavior.\n\nThe researchers showed 135 teachers a video of four children playing - a black boy and girl and a white boy and girl - and asked them to look for potentially problematic behavior. Here's the catch: there was no challenging behavior in any of the videos."}
{"text":" No\n\nyou can't pay your interns with free food  \"Finding people to work is challenging  particularly for restaurants. Pret a Manger  a U.K. based sandwich shop chain is no different. To meet this challenge  executives there decided to try something new: a one-week internship for about 500 teenagers to  according to a company statement in the Guardian  \"get exposure to aspects of our business including food production  customer service  social responsibility [care for the homeless] and financial control.\"  It seemed like a good and much needed idea–particularly in the U.K. where finding low-skilled labor is projected to becomeincreasingly difficult as the effects of Brexit takes hold and fewer EU nationals make their way to England. \"British schools and parents don't always take careers in the hospitality industry seriously  but they really ought to  the company wrote in its blog."}
{"text":"Toronto Cancels U.S. Class Trips Due To Trump Travel Ban Concerns\n\nCanada's largest school board has barred all future field trips to the United States because of concerns that some students could get caught up in President Donald Trump's travel ban. And a girls chorus in California just became the latest U.S. institution to ditch an overseas trip for the same reason. \n\nThe Toronto District School Board wrote in a letter to principals Thursday that its decision was passed unanimously at a meeting held the previous night, amid concerns for protecting student safety and embracing values of equity and inclusion. Trustees also feared that border problems could scuttle trips at the last minute for students who often fundraise for many months to pay for travel."}
{"text":"Amazon Prime Air drone completes its first US public delivery\n\nAmazon Prime Air said Thursday it shipped its first package out in public in the US this week, marking another small step toward its goal of filling the skies with delivery drones.\n\nThe e-commerce giant's drone delivery arm has been testing flights for years, though due to federal regulations hasn't undertaken any US flights outside of its private land until now.\n\nOn Monday, an autonomous drone delivered several bottles of sunscreen, about four pounds in all, to MARS 2017, an Amazon-hosted conference in Palm Springs, Florida. The entire flight took place in the controlled airspace of the Palm Springs Airport."}
{"text":" What to expect from Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' public memorial\n\nOn Saturday  the public gets a chance to say a final farewell to Carrie Fisher and her mother  Debbie Reynolds  who died one day apart late in December. The memorial will be held at the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn Cemetery Hollywood Hills at 1 p.m. PT. Fans can attend on a first-come  first-served basis  and when the hall fills up  they'll be able to stand outside and watch the service on screens. Can't make it to California? The whole thing will be live-streamed on Reynolds' website. Reynolds' son  Todd Fisher  told Variety not long ago that the memorial was what his mother would have wanted. \"She was very connected to her fans and felt they were a part of her  he said. Todd Fisher also said that a video of a song that James Blunt wrote as a tribute to his sister will be released on the day of the memorial. Blunt and Carrie Fisher were good friends; before he found fame with his hit You're Beautiful  he actually lived with her. It might rip your heart out  Fisher said of the song."}
{"text":"Renegotiate Nafta? Mexicans Say Get On With It\n\nFor more than two decades  free trade has been at the heart of Mexico's relationship with America  responsible for pumping a stream of vehicles  audio components and avocados north and cheap corn  cattle and software south. To the nation's leaders  it was central  vital  nonnegotiable. At least until President Trump came along  promising to upend nearly $500 billion in annual trade between the two countries if it could not be re-engineered more in America's favor. Now  the Mexico's leaders have a new priority: urging their American counterparts to hurry up and get on with it. While free trade has long been an article of faith in Mexico  uncertainty over the fate of the North American Free Trade Agreement is hitting the country hard."}
{"text":" Aircraft orders increase tenfold in a year in boost for UK manufacturing\n\nThe global aerospace industry enjoyed a surge in aircraft orders in February  putting it on track for another record year of deliveries and boosting the UK economy. The number of commercial aircraft ordered by airlines jumped to 43 last month from just four in February 2016  according to ADS  the industry trade association. The figures are based on orders for the planemakers Airbus  Boeing  Canada's Bombardier  the Chinese state-owned firm Comac and Russia's Irkut. Growth was driven mainly by demand for single-aisle planes designed for short-haul travel. The industry delivered 100 aircraft to customers over the month  with a value of up to £2bn to the UK economy. This value is from research and development and the manufacturing that take place in the country. Airbus employs about 15 000 people in the UK and makes the wings for its planes at its factory in Broughton  north Wales."}
{"text":"Study: Inclusive Environment Key to Closing STEM Gap\n\n\nIn order to tighten the gender gap in certain male-dominated science, technology, engineering and math fields, educators must develop a more inviting culture, according to a study published in the October issue of Psychological Bulletin.\n\nThe study, \"Why Are Some STEM Fields More Gender Balanced Than Others?\" draws on previous works on STEM gender gaps to account for the specific gap in computer science, engineering and physics fields."}
{"text":" Michelle Pfeiffer says she's 'more open' to work now that her children are grown\n\nMichelle Pfeiffer is juggling a much busier schedule these days. Speaking with director Darren Aronofsky for Interview magazine  she said her Hollywood career was put on the back burner after she had children  but she's now ready to get back in the game. \"I've never lost my love for acting. I feel really at home on the movie set. I'm a more balanced person honestly when I'm working  Pfeiffer told Aronofsky. But I was pretty careful about where I shot  how long I was away  whether or not it worked with the kids' schedule. And I got so picky that I was unhirable.\" She's now an \"empty nester  she said; her daughter Claudia Rose Pfeiffer is 24 and son John Henry Kelley is 22. This has given her the ability to take on more roles. This year, she'll be seen in HBO's The Wizard of Lies\" alongside Robert De Niro  Aronofsky's \"Mother!\" and an adaptation of Agatha Christie's \"Murder on the Orient Express  which will also star Johnny Depp, Josh Gad and Penelope Cruz. She also starred in the indie film Where Is Kyra?\" which premiered earlier this year."}
{"text":" Slaven Bilic still has support of West Ham's owners\n\nWest Ham's owners still have faith in manager Slaven Bilic despite his team winning only three of their 11 games this year  according to Sky sources. Bilic's contract runs out in the summer of 2018 and recent results have made it less likely that he will be offered a new deal this summer. Co-chairman David Sullivan apologised to supporters 10 days ago after West Ham lost 3-2 at home to Leicester City.Sullivan said it was \"vital\" performances and results improved in the next three games against Hull City  Arsenal and Swansea City. West Ham's owners have a track record of staying loyal to their managers and there is a general acceptance at boardroom level that Bilic has had a lot to deal with this season."}
{"text":"Friedman confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Israel\n\n\nPresident Donald Trump's choice for ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday, overcoming strong opposition from Democrats.\n\nFriedman was approved 52-46 in a roll call vote, an unusual step. U.S. ambassadors to Israel, a country that has long enjoyed strong bipartisan support in Congress, have traditionally been approved by voice vote or through unanimous consent.\n\nFriedman, an Orthodox Jew with no diplomatic experience, was previously Trump's bankruptcy lawyer. In the past, he's downplayed the importance of a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict and raised funds for Israeli settlements built on land claimed by the Palestinians."}
{"text":"Immigration Controversy Could Drive Up College Costs\n\n\nThe University of Central Missouri is one of many higher-education institutions to express support for its Muslim students after President Donald Trump's executive order restricting travel by people from seven predominantly Muslim countries.\n\nLike many of the rest, it has reasons for feeling apprehensive that are not solely about empathy.\n\nThe university hosted more than 3,700 international students last year, most of them paying full tuition that helps subsidize domestic students. Losing even a portion of those - something there are signs may already be starting to happen nationwide - would have a significant financial impact that could ultimately drive up costs for Americans."}
{"text":" UK banks asked to draw up plans to show they are prepared for Brexit\n\nThe Bank of England has asked UK banks  insurers and other financial institutions to draw up comprehensive plans for how they will deal with Britain's exit from the European Union  and will scrutinise them closely. Two days before Theresa May's government plans to trigger article 50 and begin two years of negotiation over the UK's departure  the Bank said City institutions would have to provide copies of contingency plans to reassure regulators that they were ready for \"a range of possible outcomes\". The Bank's financial policy committee (FPC) said after its last quarterly meeting: \"Risks to financial stability will be influenced by the orderliness of the adjustment to the new relationship between the UK and EU. The FPC will oversee contingency plans to mitigate risks to financial stability as the process unfolds."}
{"text":"Will Smith reunites with Fresh Prince of Bel-Air pals\n\nWill Smith has reunited with the cast from The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air - more than 20 years after the show ended its six-year run. Six members of the show posed for a photo  which was shared by Alfonso Ribeiro  who played Carlton in the hit 90s US show. In the Instagram post  Ribeiro wrote: \"Always amazing to spend an afternoon with my Fresh Prince family. \"Wishing that James Avery was still with us to make this complete.\" Avery  who played Uncle Phil  died in 2013. Smith and Ribeiro were joined by Tatyana Ali (Ashley)  Karyn Parsons (Hilary)  Daphne Maxwell Reid (Vivian) and Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey)."}
{"text":" Is Huck really dead on 'Scandal?'\n\nDon't bury him just yet Gladiators. The actor who plays Huck on \"Scandal\" has some words of hope for fans who were upset about last week's cliffhanger episode in which his character was shot multiple times. Guillermo Diaz is cautioning folks to remember \"Scandal\" is often full of surprises. The actor told entmt Tonight that the script in which Meg shot Huck \"just blew me away -- no pun intended.\" \"My reaction was I was in complete and utter disbelief but excited too  he said. It's such a great script  it's so juicy! As an actor I was just thrilled.\" Diaz said the show's creator Shonda Rhimes can be credited with bringing so much excitement."}
{"text":"Rapper Wiz Khalifa sparks outrage for visit to Pablo Escobar's grave\n\nAmerican rap artist Wiz Khalifa has kicked up quite the controversy on his visit to Colombia. During a trip to perform at a festival in Medellin  the celebrity posted pictures to his Instagram account of him apparently paying tribute to the late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. The rapper posted one photo of colorful flowers at the grave's headstone. Wiz Khalifa also posted several photos of him smoking what appears to be marijuana near Escobar's grave  as well as a picture of him posing outside of a property -- site of a bombing and attempt on Escobar's life in the '80s -- formerly owned by the drug lord  who died in a shootout with authorities in Medellin in 1993."}
{"text":"Westinghouse Electric is filing for bankruptcy\n\nToshiba has been hit with billions of dollars of losses from problems at Westinghouse's nuclear operations. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing allows Toshiba (TOSBF) to limit exposure to future losses at Westinghouse. The Japanese firm said in a statement Wednesday that Westinghouse will no longer be under its control and will be deconsolidated from its financial results. Westinghouse is what is left today of what was once a major industrial conglomerate that helped change the world during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Founder George Westinghouse  a prolific inventor  started making air brakes which greatly improved the safety of train travel and freight transportation. He was a key advocate of alternating electrical current that is still used around the globe today  rather than the direct current which had been pioneered by Thomas Edison."}
{"text":"A Tumultuous Beginning\n\nIt's been a rocky start for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos but Trump supporters see success. Newly-minted Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has had a tumultuous start to her tenure in the Trump administration.\n\nAs the president's most protested cabinet pick, DeVos botched her way through a Senate confirmation hearing that made her a punchline on many late-night television shows. She confronted a deluge of opposition from constituents around the country who wrote millions of letters and emails and jammed the phone lines of senators' offices. She was confirmed by the slightest margin in history, which required a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence."}
{"text":" Broncos helmet found with Tom Brady's missing jerseys could belong to Von Miller\n\nMVP Von Miller's Super Bowl 50 helmet may have been discovered alongside Tom Brady's missing jerseys in Mexico  according to Miller's team the Denver Broncos. The NFL announced on Monday that Brady's jersey from last month's Super Bowl LI  which the New England Patriots quarterback had reported missing after the match  had been found \"in the possession of a credentialed member of the international media\". The investigation  involving the FBI and other law enforcement agencies  also discovered Brady's Super Bowl jersey from two years earlier  and the surprises may not end there."}
{"text":"Super Mario Run makes leap to Android\n\nThe wildly popular Super Mario Run smartphone game is now available for play on Android devices, Nintendo said Wednesday.\n\nNintendo said in a tweet that it made the game available for download at the Google Play store a little earlier than it expected.\n\nThe release comes about three months after Super Mario Run, Nintendo's first-ever smartphone game, was launched on iOS in December. The game was an instant hit with Apple device users, racking up 40 million downloads in its first four days to become the fastest-selling iOS game in the history of the App Store."}
{"text":" Elton John celebrates 70th birthday with star-studded party\n\nElton John knows how to throw a party  and he didn't disappoint when he turned 70 on Saturday night. The English singer gathered his friends  family and many A-listers to fete him inside Red Studios in Los Angeles. The evening was hosted by Rob Lowe and featured performances by Stevie Wonder  Lady Gaga  Ryan Adams and more. At one point during the party  Wonder performed his iconic rendition of \"Happy Birthday\" with help from Lady Gaga. Other celebrities attended the gala  which also served as a benefit for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Hammer Museum at UCLA. Neil Patrick Harris  Jon Hamm  Heidi Klum  Dakota Johnson  Jennifer Tilly and Katy Perry were all spotted at the party."}
{"text":"Sex Toy-Wielding Students Protest Gun Law at University of Texas\n\n\nStudents wielded thousands of sex toys at the University of Texas-Austin in protest of the hotly-debated conceal carry law that took effect Wednesday on campuses across the Lone Star State.\n\nThe law allows concealed handgun license holders, who must be at least 21 years old, to carry handguns on campus, including in dorms, classrooms and campus buildings.\n\nThe reasoning behind the sex toy protest, according to organizer and recent alumnus Jessica Jin, was to fight absurdity with absurdity: Under current Texas law, a person can be arrested in some circumstances for the open carry of a sex toy."}
{"text":"Google allows users to share their locations in mapping app\n\nAlphabet Inc's Google announced on Wednesday that it will revamp its popular maps app to allow users to share their locations, in order to boost engagement on a product of increasing strategic importance to the search giant.\n\nWithin the next week, users worldwide will be able to share where they are in real time on devices running both Google's Android operating system and Apple Inc's iOS software, Google said. The feature is part of an array of new tools aimed at boosting the effectiveness of Google Maps, which analysts say is critical to the company's ambitions in commerce and transport.\n\nThe location-sharing feature is aimed at helping people find each other in crowded places, such as concerts and conferences, and users will retain control over who they share their whereabouts with and for how long, said Google executive Jen Fitzpatrick, who leads Google Maps."}
{"text":"Trump welcomes Merkel after bashing her on campaign trail\n\n\nOn Friday, Merkel presses ahead with the new, arriving in Washington for her first face-to-face encounter with Trump after months of preparation and one postponement due to snow. Analysts and White House officials alike say Friday's sit-down will be Trump's most important meeting with a foreign leader since the Republican businessman took office in January.\n\nMerkel, who spoke to Trump by phone in January, pushed for an in-person meeting in order to begin developing the personal ties that she hopes will lead to effective cooperation down the road, according to a German official familiar with her planning.\n\n\"Face-to-face talks are always much better than talking about each other,\" Merkel told reporters in Munich recently."}
{"text":"Facebook Messenger gets Reactions and Mentions\n\n\nFacebook Messenger users can now show how they feel about individual messages with new Reaction emoji.\n\nLike the emoji available when reading posts on the social network, the Messeger Reactions announced Thursday just require you to press and hold any message to access a pop-up set of love, smile, wow, sad, angry, yes and no emojis. If multiple people react in a group chat, with a single tap you'll be able to see a list of how each person felt about your message."}
{"text":"Meet James Robart, the judge who halted Trump's immigration ban\n\n\nThe federal judge who blocked President Trump's immigration ban spent more than 30 years in private practice before taking the bench, giving up a lucrative career that saw him representing breweries, energy companies and Southeast Asian immigrants.\n\nTrump tweeted Saturday morning that he thought U.S. District Senior Judge James Robart's temporary restraining order was \"ridiculous,\" and declared it would be overturned.\n\nRobart, who Trump demeaned as a \"so-called judge,\" was appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush in 2004 after receiving unanimous support from the U.S. Senate."}
{"text":"Alex Jones Apologizes for Promoting 'Pizzagate' Hoax\n\nAlex Jones  a prominent conspiracy theorist and the host of a popular right-wing radio show  has apologized for helping to spread and promote the hoax known as Pizzagate. The admission on Friday by Mr. Jones  the host of \"The Alex Jones Show\" and the operator of the website Infowars  was striking. In addition to promoting the Pizzagate conspiracy theory  he has contended that the Sept. 11 attacks were inside jobs carried out by the United States government and that the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown  Conn.  was a hoax concocted by those hostile to the Second Amendment. The Pizzagate theory  which posited with no evidence that top Democratic officials were involved with a satanic child pornography ring centered around Comet Ping Pong  a pizza restaurant in Washington  D.C.  grew in online forums before making its way to more visible venues  including Mr. Jones's show. And its prominence after the election drew attention to the proliferation of false and misleading news  much of it politically charged  that circulated on platforms like Facebook  Twitter and YouTube."}
{"text":"Trump's Pick for Education Could Face Unusually Stiff Resistance\n\nNominees for secretary of education have typically breezed through confirmation by the Senate with bipartisan approval.\n\nBut Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald J. Trump's choice for the post, is no typical nominee. She is a billionaire with a complex web of financial investments, including in companies that stand to win or lose from the department she would oversee. She has been an aggressive force in politics for years, as a prominent Republican donor and as a supporter of steering public dollars to private schools.\n\nHer wealth and her politics seem likely to make her confirmation hearing unusually contentious, and possibly drawn out."}
{"text":" Eddie Lacy joins Seattle Seahawks on one-year deal\n\nSeattle Seahawks have confirmed the capture of former Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy with Jamaal Charles also scheduled to visit. Seattle have been linked with a host of running backs since free agency began last Thursday and NFL Insider Ian Rapoport has confirmed that Charles will still visit the Pacific North West this week. The capture of Lacy on a one-year deal gives the player the chance to prove he is over his injury problems and potentially give Seattle a fearsome looking running back line-up. Earlier this month head coach Pete Carroll confirmed that Thomas Rawls  after an injury-plagued season and CJ Prosise would compete for the starting RB slot but Lacy gives them added production if he can stay fit and would allow Prosise to show his versatility."}
{"text":"Brian Cox plays Postman Pat scientist\n\nProfessor Brian Cox may know his way around a black hole and a Higgs boson particle  but how will he fare on Postman Pat's home turf of Greendale? Find out this week when he appears on the CBeebies cartoon show as Professor Ryan Farrow  a space expert friend of Greendale's resident inventor Ted Glen. The professor's arrival is especially big news for Pat  who's always wanted to be an astronaut. Postman Pat and the Space Suit airs on Wednesday at 07:25 BST. Pictures have been released of Brian holding models of Postman Pat and his black and white cat Jess - as well as one of how he'll appear himself in animated form."}
{"text":" John Calipari Has a Winning Return to Memphis as Kentucky Tops U.C.L.A.\n\nAt halftime  Kentucky Coach John Calipari relayed a set of instructions to his players. \"Guys  are you watching this game?\" he recalled asking them. \"They said  'Yeah.' I said  'Good. Then  you know we're playing through De'Aaron Fox. The rest of you take a back seat.'\" Sometimes  basketball is simple. Such was the case for Kentucky on Friday night at FedEx Forum. Fox  a freshman guard  was halfway through eviscerating U.C.L.A. in a South regional semifinal of the N.C.A.A. tournament  and Calipari reminded his players to continue feeding him the ball. The second-seeded Wildcats heeded that message in an 86-75 victory that put them one game from the Final Four. On Sunday afternoon  Kentucky will play top-seeded North Carolina in the regional final. \"I'm looking forward to the game just because I like my team  said Calipari, adding: I'm jacked up. I'll sleep tonight because I'm old and I'm tired.\""}
{"text":" Demi Lovato does a perfect teen impression\n\nDemi Lovato does  like  a totally legit impression of a teen. Lovato appeared on \"The Tonight Show\" Monday night an took part in Jimmy Fallon's reoccurring \"Ew!\" skit. The requirements included wearing a ridiculously sparkly top  pigtails and locking lips with a pillow plastered with singer Ed Sheeran's face. The pillow was dubbed a \"crush cushion\" by Fallon's character in the skit. While Lovato practiced her smooching skills with her Sheeran pillow  Fallon puckered up to a pillow featuring \"Extra\" host Mario Lopez's face."}
{"text":" Sir Paul McCartney on Lennon\n\nKanye and his own musical legacy  \"Sir Paul McCartney's final album of the '80s  Flowers in the Dirt  is regarded as one of his best of the decade. He teamed up with new musicians  new producers and a new songwriting partner in the form of Elvis Costello and it inspired his first world tour in 10 years. Now  as the record is re-released  complete with previously unheard demos  Sir Paul speaks to BBC 6 Music's Matt Everitt about collaborating with Costello  Kanye West and Michael Jackson - but why he'll never work with anyone better than John Lennon. Sir Paul also reveals he's working on a new album with Adele's producer  and what he thinks his musical legacy will be."}
{"text":" Dai Young tells Wasps backline to raise work rate against Leinster\n\nWasps' star-studded backline have been urged to show more \"belly for the fight\" if they intend to transform the club from great entertainers into title winners. No team in England has scored more tries than the Premiership leaders but the head coach  Dai Young  has warned his squad that scintillating attack alone will not earn a European semi-final at Leinster's expense on Saturday. The range of crowd-pleasing talent at Wasps' disposal behind the scrum is almost reminiscent of the Harlem Globetrotters  with Kurtley Beale  Willie le Roux  Christian Wade and Danny Cipriani capable of electrifying a game at any moment. Young  though  has no desire to be seen as the Kevin Keegan of rugby union coaching  applauded for the spectacular way his side attack but without any trophies to show for it."}
{"text":"A surprise new iPhone is here -- and it's red\n\nApple (AAPL, Tech30) unveiled Tuesday a special red version of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, to commemorate the 10-year partnership between the tech giant and Red, an organization that helps fights AIDS. The special edition iPhones, which feature a red aluminum body, will come in 128GB and 256GB models starting at $749.\n\nThe red phones will be available in stores and online starting Friday for a \"limited\" time, though Apple declined to provide specific details about the timeframe.\n\nApple also would not share how much money will be donated to Red through the sales of these special iPhones."}
{"text":"Twitter adds more anti-abuse tools\n\n\nTwitter has introduced more measures aimed at cutting down on the amount of abuse on the platform. Users will be able to limit what they see from certain types of account, particularly ones with no profile picture or information. Such accounts are often set up by trolls.\nThe company said it would act only on accounts that its computer algorithms had thrown up as being abusive.\n\"Since these tools are new, we will sometimes make mistakes, but know that we are actively working to improve and iterate on them every day,\" said Ed Ho, Twitter's vice-president of engineering in a blogpost."}
{"text":" China's Tencent buys 5% stake in Tesla\n\nChinese tech giant Tencent has spent $1.78bn (£1.4bn) on buying a 5% stake in electric carmaker Tesla. Tencent  best known for its WeChat mobile app  has been investing in a number of sectors  including gaming  entmt  cloud computing and online financing. Tesla said the stake was passive  meaning Tencent would not get a say in how the US firm was run. Shares in Tesla rose 2.3% in early trading following the announcement. Tesla's range of electric cars has included the Model S and the Roadster  which was billed as the world's first electric sports car. The company also specialises in battery storage  and  through its SolarCity subsidiary  residential solar panels."}
{"text":"Homeland Security suspends travel ban\n\n\nWashington (CNN)President Donald Trump's government moved swiftly Saturday to comply with a federal judge's order halting his travel ban -- even as Trump himself denounced the judge -- but readied its legal defense of the controversial executive action.\n\nThe Department of Homeland Security announced it has suspended all actions to implement the immigration order and will resume standard inspections of travelers as it did prior to the signing of the travel ban. But it said the Justice Department -- which is expected to file an emergency motion to stop the order -- needed to challenge the ruling \"at the earliest possible time."}
{"text":"First reactions to 'Pirates of the Caribbean 5' at CinemaCon\n\nThe Walt Disney Studios unveiled the fifth installment in their \"Pirates of the Caribbean\" franchise \"Dead Men Tell No Tales\" Tuesday night at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Initial reactions from those in attendance  including press  theater owners and exhibitors  were largely positive  celebrating a return to form for the franchise and the well-done VFX. Official reviews are under embargo until May 22. The swashbuckling film sees the return of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa and introduces a new young cast including Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario. Javier Bardem plays a ghostly villain with a vengeance as they all search for the trident of Poseidon on the high seas. Orlando Bloom also returns as Will Sparrow  who hasn't been in a \"Pirates\" film since 2007's \"At World's End.\" \"Dead Men Tell No Tales\" is the first \"Pirates\" film since 2011's \"On Stranger Tides\" and the first to be directed by Joachim R?nning and Espen Sandberg. To date  the franchise has grossed over $3.73 billion worldwide for the studio  and there is some pressure on this fifth film to continue the enormous successes of the previous films while also redeeming its lagging reputation."}
{"text":"Protesters Disrupt DeVos School Visit\n\n\nProtesters on Friday morning attempted to thwart a visit to a District of Columbia middle school by newly confirmed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.\n\n\"Stop DeVos and fund black futures,\" a group of around two dozen demonstrators chanted outside Jefferson Academy.\n\nDemonstrators reportedly blocked the path of a vehicle they believed DeVos was in, as well as her actual car. \"I tried to block her vehicle when it came in by physically standing in front of it silently,\" an activist with Showing Up for Racial Justice explained in a video posted to Periscope."}
{"text":"Nintendo Switch game console to launch in March for $299\n\nThe Nintendo Switch video game console will sell for about $260 in Japan, starting March 3, the same date as its global rollout in the U.S. and Europe. The Japanese company promises the device will be packed with fun features of all its past machines and more. Nintendo is promising a more immersive, interactive experience with the Switch, including online playing and using the remote controller in games that don't require players to be constantly staring at a display.  \n\nNintendo officials demonstrated features such as using the detachable remote controllers, called \"Joy-Con,\" to play a gun-duel game. Motion sensors enable players to feel virtual water being poured into a virtual cup."}
{"text":"American Airlines ties up partnership with China Southern\n\nAmerican Airlines and China's biggest carrier by passengers  China Southern  have agreed a strategic partnership. The US airline will buy $200m (£159m) worth of shares in the Chinese firm and the two will \"seek to increase cooperation\". China Southern is the latest of China's top airlines to bring in an investor from outside the mainland. The deal should offer American Airlines more possibilities to tap into China's growing aviation market. China is one of the biggest sources of tourists to the US  with Chinese carriers aggressively expanding their fleets and range of overseas destinations to cater to the strong growth in traveller numbers."}
{"text":"As Bernie Ecclestone Departs\n\nFormula One Enters New Era  \"When the inaugural race of the 2017 Formula One season starts in Melbourne  Australia  on Sunday  it will mark the first time in 43 years that Bernie Ecclestone will not be running the racing series. He was swept aside in late January when the Liberty Media Corporation  the Colorado-based company whose chairman is John C. Malone  completed its purchase of a 35.5 percent stake of Formula One. So while Ecclestone  86  was an outsize personality who often dominated the headlines  occasionally overshadowing what was happening on the track  this season's questions are all about the changes to the cars  whether the Mercedes team really can win the drivers' and constructors' championships for a fourth year in a row  and what the new owners have in store for Formula One. Formula One Management is now run by Chase Carey  the former executive vice chairman of 21st Century Fox  who said when he was appointed chief executive that the business  and the sport  has not reached full potential. He said the races need to be more of a spectacle  becoming \"21 Super Bowls  with weeklong extravaganzas with entmt and music that capture a whole city.\""}