Exchange students say U.S. high schools easier and puzzle over all the sports

A funny thing happened on the way to making U.S. high schools harder: The rest of the industrialized world made theirs even harder.

A new survey of foreign exchange students who spent time in U.S. high schools last year finds that nine in 10 of them think school back home is more challenging. And the percentage who think so has grown.

That's according to a new study out Wednesday from the Brookings Institution's Brown Center on Education Policy. Researcher Tom Loveless in 2001 surveyed foreign exchange students, then revisited the questions in 2016. He found that the new crop of students believe more strongly that school here is easier than in their native country - and that students here don't work as hard.


 LeBron James tried to wear silly-looking sunglasses against Wizards

LeBron James  who suffered a scratched cornea against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday  nearly made a bold - and apparently illegal - decision ahead of Saturday's matchup with the Washington Wizards. To protect his eye  which was reportedly sensitive to light  the Cleveland Cavaliers star tried to don a pair of ridiculous-looking sunglasses in the game. However  as the 32-year-old was modeling them ahead of the game for teammate Richard Jefferson's Snapchat  the NBA reportedly put the kibosh on James's highly questionable choice. According to CSN's Chris Miller  the league "did not approve" of the shades  which look an awful lot like a standard pair of Oakleys.


Back Channel to Trump: Loyal Aide in Trump Tower Acts as Gatekeeper

In business, as a candidate and now as president, Mr. Trump has valued loyalty as the defining attribute in family, aides or Republicans in Congress. He does not always get it, as the defection of the Freedom Caucus last week on the health bill he was trying to pass made abundantly clear.

But Mr. Trump can always count on Ms. Graff's allegiance, and that has made Ms. Graff, from her office in Trump Tower, a major figure in the operations of the White House for a simple reason: She is believed to have a direct line to the president.

With her deep Queens accent and unerring deference to her boss (she has always referred to him as Mr. Trump or, usually, as Mr. T), Ms. Graff, 64, is a familiar voice to New York's business leaders, the nation's political reporters and now old associates hoping to circumvent the normal channels of communication to reach Mr. Trump.


 Wells Fargo profits hit by legal costs

US bank Wells Fargo has reported a fall in quarterly profits after setting aside funds for potential costs related to its fake accounts scandal. Third quarter profit fell 2% to $5.64bn (£4.6bn) from $5.8bn the year before. The scandal saw bank employees open as many as two million accounts without customers' knowledge or permission in order to meet aggressive sales targets. In September  the bank was fined $185m over the illegal accounts and this week Wells Fargo boss John Stumpf resigned. Wells Fargo has fired about 5 300 employees in connection with the scandal. The bank  which faces numerous federal and state investigations  said expenses rose in part due to anticipated litigation costs. Third-quarter fixed costs increased to $13.3bn from $12.9bn in the previous quarter.


AT&T pulls ads from YouTube, other Google sites

AT&T doesn't want its name showing up next to videos promoting intolerance and hate. As a result, the carrier on Wednesday said it's pulling ads from YouTube and other Google "non-search platforms."

"We are deeply concerned that our ads may have appeared alongside YouTube content promoting terrorism and hate," the company said in an email. "Until Google can ensure this won't happen again, we are removing our ads from Google's non-search platforms."

Rival Verizon told USA Today that it has also pulled its ads.


Chrissy Teigen

Patricia Arquette and more react to United Airlines leggings incident  "After United Airlines barred two girls from boarding a flight this weekend because they were wearing leggings  which the company said is part of their policy for relatives and friends of employees who travel for free on standby  actors and activists have taken to social media to criticize the airline's choices in the incident. Activist Shannon Watts first tweeted the incident early Sunday  writing  "A @united gate agent isn't letting girls in leggings get on flight from Denver to Minneapolis because spandex is not allowed?" Watts is a mother of five and the founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. After major news outlets picked up reports of the incident in Denver  a spokesman for the airline confirmed the report to ABC News  adding that two teens weren't allowed on the flight because leggings are "not in compliance with dress code policy for company benefit travel  a program that lets the airline's workers and their families travel for free, but within certain guidelines. There are different rules for these privileges because people are flying for free  the spokesperson added.


 The House just voted to wipe away the FCC's landmark Internet privacy protections

Congress sent proposed legislation to President Trump on Tuesday that wipes away landmark online privacy protections  the first salvo in what is likely to become a significant reworking of the rules governing Internet access in an era of Republican dominance.  In a party-line vote  House Republicans freed Internet service providers such as Verizon  AT&T and Comcast of protections approved just last year that had sought to limit what companies could do with information such as customer browsing habits  app usage history  location data and Social Security numbers. The rules also had required providers to strengthen safeguards for customer data against hackers and thieves.


Shanghai Shenhua: Fire erupts at big-spending Chinese club's stadium

A blaze has ripped through part of big-spending Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua's home stadium. Black smoke billowed from the Hongkou Stadium Tuesday as fire tore through one end of the 33 000-seater arena. No injuries were reported by local media  and no explanation given as to the cause of the fire  which started at 08.30am local time.


 Bruno: Convicted of murdering ex-girlfriend

goalkeeper makes controversial return to soccer  After serving seven years in prison for killing his ex-girlfriend and feeding her to dogs  Brazilian goalkeeper Bruno Fernandes de Souza is controversially back in the game  signed by Boa Esporte for two years. Fans and sponsors of the Brazilian second-division side quickly denounced the move but so far Boa Esporte isn't backing down. In a lengthy post on its Facebook page  Boa Esporte's president  Rone Moraes da Costa  says the team isn't committing any crimes by signing the 32-year-old who formerly played for one of Brazil's most famous clubs -- Flamengo -- and was tipped to line up for the national team at the 2014 World Cup on home soil.


President Trump climbs into an 18-wheeler and pretends to be a trucker

That's the role the president briefly assumed Thursday when he climbed into the drivers seat of a Mack 18-wheeler parked on the South Lawn of the White House.

Trump, who wore an "I Love Trucks" button on his lapel, tried his best to emulate a truck driver: He enthusiastically pumped his fists, made a series of facial expressions that lit up the Twittersphere, and excitedly tooted the big rig's horn at least six times.

And Trump clearly didn't run out of gas: following his spirited session of trucker role play, he met with truckers and CEOs from the American Trucking Association to discuss healthcare.


Girls Who Code Closing Computer Science Gender Gap

It's time to close the gender gap. One of the largest gaps is in one of the most high-demand and well-paid careers: computer science. Girls Who Code is a club dedicated to evening out the playing field and now it is coming to Coos Bay.

"Currently women pose only 18 percent of the computer science field," said Cayce Hill, youth liaison for Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board, and also a senior at Marshfield High School. "By 2020 there will be 1.4 million job openings and women will only fill 3 percent of that demand. That's worse than it was in the 1980s, and that gap is growing larger.


School Choice Fails to Make a Difference

This is the kind of news that school-choice advocates and skeptics alike need to pay attention to: The Economist magazine reports that a team of academic economists found that students who won a lottery in Louisiana to receive vouchers to go to the public or private school of their choice did worse than students who didn't win the lottery.

This outcome flies in the face of the predictions of many economists, who often tout school choice as a way to improve the U.S. educational system while also increasing equality of opportunity. Economists typically assume that people are rational and well-informed, and will make decisions that benefit them. If giving students and their parents more school choice hurts the students academically, then something is seriously wrong with the theory.


6-year-old got gun at LA-area school; families kept in dark

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. -  Authorities learned a 6-year-old brought a gun to an elementary school outside Los Angeles, but parents of other students didn't learn about it for nearly two weeks.

The student's grandmother found the firearm in his backpack earlier in March. The Sun newspaper reported (goo.gl/3spf8z) that the child said he received it from another student in the Cucamonga School District, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Los Angeles.


_Impossible Foods to supersize production of lab-grown burger

It's not easy to sink your teeth into one of Impossible Foods' lab-grown meatless hamburgers. After all, you can only get them at eight US restaurants.

On Wednesday, though, the company said it will bring its Impossible Burger to 1,000 eateries by year's end. To make that happen, the firm is opening a factory the size of a city block. The goal is to make at least 1 million pounds of faux burger meat every month.

"You can think of this as the birthplace of a whole new industry that's going to transform the food system," said Pat Brown, the former Stanford biochemistry professor who founded Impossible Foods in 2011 and serves as CEO.


A Google computer victorious over the world's 'Go' champion

On Saturday, a Google computer clocked its third consecutive victory over Lee Se-dol, the long-reigning global champion of the world's most complex board game. That win makes the machine the clear winner in a best-of-five series.

The achievements of the Google DeepMind computer, AlphaGo, are considered a significant advancement in artificial intelligence.

"To be honest, we are a bit stunned," said Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, after AlphaGo's third win. "We came here to challenge Lee Se-dol, as we wanted to learn from him and see what AlphaGo was capable of.


Samsung Galaxy Note 7 banned on all U.S. flights due to fire hazard

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones will be banned from all airline flights after nearly 100 incidents of the devices overheating and sometimes injuring owners, the Transportation Department announced Friday.

The Federal Aviation Administration previously urged travelers not to turn on the phones, pack them in checked luggage or charge them during a flight. The new ban is effective at noon Saturday, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said.

"We recognize that banning these phones from airlines will inconvenience some passengers, but the safety of all those aboard an aircraft must take priority," Foxx said.


 Ford to invest $1.2bn in Michigan plants

Ford has said it will spend $1.2bn (£1bn) as part of a planned upgrade of three Michigan plants. It said $850m will be spent on retooling its factory in Wayne where Ford plans to build Bronco and Ranger models. In addition  Ford will create 130 jobs at its Romeo engine parts plant  it said in a statement. In January  the US car giant said it would cancel a $1.6bn plant it had planned to build in Mexico. US President Donald Trump  who put pressure on Ford over its planned Mexico investment  tweeted earlier on Tuesday: "Big announcement by Ford today. Major investment to be made in three Michigan plants. Car companies coming back to US. JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!" Ford's US investment announcement is largely in line with a previous agreement it reached with the United Auto Workers union.


How 'Bones' bred a new generation of female scientists

Fox's "Bones" is coming to an end on Tuesday having produced 246 episodes of often-gory crime cases  cracked by a team led by the brilliant Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel). For some female viewers of the long-running series  the show has been about much more than entmt; it's encouraged them to pursue a career in science. Morgan O. John is one of them. She's a "bonehead" -- a term of endearment used by fans of the show to describe themselves as a collective -- but also anything but. The 22-year-old is just months away from completing a double major in anthropology and French at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth  Texas. Growing up in what she describes as " a very  very  very  isolated rural town in Southwest Louisiana  many head to work or the nearest community college after graduating from high school and live quiet  uncomplicated" lives.


Schools in rural areas shifting toward a 4-day week

For once, both teachers and their students agree that less school is a good thing. Or at least less frequent school.

A dynamic shift has begun in rural school districts across the United States, with many considering -- and in some cases implementing -- a four-day school week. The reason is to bring down costs and enrich the learning environment with extracurricular development for pupils.

The trend has been increasingly popular in the Mountain West region of the country, with 88 districts in Colorado, 30 in Oregon and nearly half of all school districts in Montana shifting to a four-day week, according to The Atlantic.


Tax reform the next big ticket item on Trump's legislative agenda

The morning after President Donald Trump failed to deliver on his campaign promise to repeal and replace Obamacare, he reassured the country a new plan will be on the way.

"ObamaCare will explode and we will all get together and piece together a great healthcare plan for THE PEOPLE. Do not worry!" Trump tweeted. Vice President Mike Pence issued a similar response during a speech in Charleston, West Virginia, a state where Trump was very popular in the 2016 election but that has a population that is heavily dependent on Medicaid for health care coverage.


Fruit-shaped sensor 'can improve freshness'

A new fruit-shaped sensor could help cargo companies to keep fruit fresher in transit, researchers say.
The device - which mimics the size, shape and composition of real fruit - is packed in with produce in transit and closely monitors its temperature.
It comes in orange, apple, banana and mango varieties, and alerts firms to problems with their cooling processes, allowing them to take action.
It could also lead to fresher fruit for consumers, researchers said.
The project, which is still at the trial stage, is being conducted by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa).


 This is how badly Saudi Arabia needs its big oil IPO to go well

Saudi Arabia gave Saudi Aramco a huge gift this week by slashing the tax rate on the national oil company to 50% from 85%. The kingdom stressed that the drastically reduced tax rate  which is retroactive to the start of 2017  would be offset by dividends and investment profits. The enormous tax relief will also add tens of billions of dollars to Aramco's coffers at a time of growing concern over how much the world's largest oil company is actually worth. While Saudi Arabia has said Aramco could be valued at $2 trillion in an expected 2018 IPO  some analysts believed that price tag was too generous. Saudi Arabia badly needs the Aramco IPO to go smoothly because it would generate a cash windfall at a time when plunging oil revenue has blown a hole in its once-vaunted budget.


Harvard Law, Moving to Diversify Applicant Pool, Will Accept GRE Scores

Harvard Law School, moving to open its doors to a larger, more diverse pool of applicants, said on Wednesday that it would accept the graduate record examination, known as the GRE, for the admission of students entering its fall 2018 class.

The law school, whose alumni include senators, chief executives, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and President Barack Obama, is the second accredited law school in the United States to accept the GRE for admission. It follows the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, which made the change a year ago.


Trump targets tech's H-1B visa hiring tool

SAN FRANCISCO - President Trump's relationship with Silicon Valley has always been volatile at best, but it seems things soon may get even more contentious.

The CEOs of Microsoft, Apple, Netflix, Uber, Airbnb and Tesla Motors noted the policy was affecting their own employees working here legally, and would jeopardize their competitive quest for talent. Google CEO Sundar Pichai was among the first to condemn the order, noting that it impacted nearly 200 employees, risking stranding some abroad.

Administration officials have drafted a new executive order aimed at overhauling, among other things, the H-1B work-visa program that technology companies have long relied on to bring top foreign engineering talent to their U.S.-based locations.


In Second Debate, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Spar in Bitter, Personal Terms

Donald J. Trump and Hillary Clinton collided in an almost unremittingly hostile debate on Sunday night, a 90-minute spectacle of character attacks, tawdry allegations, and Mr. Trump's startling accusation that Mrs. Clinton had "tremendous hate in her heart."

In a remarkable political maneuver, Mr. Trump said Mrs. Clinton had smeared women who accused her husband, Bill Clinton, of sexually assaulting or harassing them, seeking to salvage his presidential candidacy after explosive reports about his past lewd comments about women.

Tense at first, and then increasingly angry as he grew more comfortable on the attack, Mr. Trump noted that three of Mr. Clinton's accusers were sitting in the audience.


 Brexit boost: Qatar will invest another $6 billion in U.K.

The gas-rich Gulf state has already invested about £40 billion ($50 billion) in Britain  where it owns a string of trophy assets including the Harrods department store and the Shard -- western Europe's tallest building. Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani said Qatar would spend another £5 billion ($6.3 billion) over the next 3 to 5 years on energy  infrastructure  real estate and other sectors. The news comes as Prime Minister Theresa May prepares to trigger the official EU exit process on Wednesday. "We are looking beyond the boundaries of our own continent  ready to embrace all the opportunities of this new era  said Liam Fox, U.K. secretary of state for international trade.


 London Stock Exchange-Deutsche Boerse deal blocked by EU

EU regulators have blocked London Stock Exchange's £21bn merger with German stock exchange Deutsche Boerse. The European Commission said the deal would have created a "de facto monopoly" for certain financial services. The merger would have combined Europe's two largest stock exchange operators. London Stock Exchange Group said it "regrets" the commission's decision  as the deal would have created a "world-leading" financial markets firm. It warned last month that the deal was unlikely to receive EU approval over concerns that it would limit competition. The firm  which operates the UK and Italian stock exchanges  had offered to sell its France-based clearing house to deal with those concerns. However  the European Commission decided that this remedy did not go far enough. Margrethe Vestager  the commissioner in charge of competition policy  said: "The European economy depends on well-functioning financial markets.


 Snapchat 'will be bigger than Twitter

Yahoo and AOL with advertisers'  "Snapchat could become more popular with advertisers than Twitter  Yahoo and AOL within three years  with the messaging app company forecast to be bring in revenues of more than $3bn (£2.4bn) a year by the end of 2019. That bullish forecast is based on advertisers targeting the hard-to-reach youth audience that Snapchat has seemingly cornered. More than half (51%) of video users on the app are under 24  compared with 23% for Facebook and 17% for Google's YouTube (17%)  according to Ampere Analysis. Brands are also keen to see a true rival emerge to challenge Facebook and Google  which have recently come in for heavy criticism for their advertising practices. The two web giants currently account for 58% of the $141bn global mobile ad market.


Educators Prepare for Immigration Agents at the Schoolhouse

In January, New York City's schools chancellor, Carmen Fari�a, sent a letter home to students' families, reassuring them that the city was not keeping records of their immigration status and that immigration agents would not be roaming schools unfettered.

But that has not kept the questions from coming, said Maite Junco, a senior adviser at the city's Education Department.

School administrators and parents who are worried about the Trump administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants want "details on exactly how the process works," Ms. Junco said.


Why Silicon Valley isn't fighting to save the Internet (yet)

We thought we'd never have to pull this out again  one member of the singing activist group said at a tech industry rally against President Trump in San Francisco earlier this month. Then the Grannies launched into their protest song: Say to Comcast  to Verizon and to AT&T: Hands off the Internet  it must be free." The chant stood out at the protest  as the gathering mostly focused on Silicon Valley's fight with Trump over the travel ban. It also stands out as one of the few moments since Trump's inauguration when net neutrality took center stage in Silicon Valley. The net neutrality rules  approved by the Federal Communications Commission in 2015  are intended to keep the Internet open and fair. The rules prevent Internet providers from playing favorites by deliberately speeding up or slowing down traffic from specific websites and apps.


 A Value Is Assigned to Tom Brady's Missing Jersey: $500

000  "How much is that missing Tom Brady Super Bowl jersey worth  anyway? According to the official police report  half a million dollars. The jersey Brady wore in the game vanished after the Super Bowl  leading to a deluge of press attention and a promise from the Texas lieutenant governor that the state would do all it could to recover it. The report by the Houston police lists the jersey as stolen property in the category "shirt/blouse/T-shirt." That is followed by an eye-opening figure under "value": $500 000. The amount is pertinent because  as the report notes  $300 000 or more makes the potential crime a first-degree felony. The Houston police told TMZ that the figure was determined by the complainant - Brady  "or one of his people." Tom Brady is listed on the report as the complainant  and his vitals of 6 feet 4 inches and 225 pounds are duly noted.


Netflix is testing a 'Skip Intro' button, and viewers love it

No more watching the same minute-long intro song and credits before every episode of "Orange is the New Black." Netflix told CNNMoney Friday that some Netflix members recently began seeing a "Skip Intro" button while streaming, but wouldn't say when it first appeared.

Netflix  spokesperson Smita Saran said the feature is one of "hundreds" of A-B tests that the company conducts each year to try out new features. "We're looking at what does or doesn't enhance the viewing experience," Saran said.


 Miami Open: Novak Djokovic joins Andy Murray in pulling out with elbow injury

World number two Novak Djokovic has pulled out of next week's Miami Open because of an elbow injury. The 29-year-old Serb is the second big name to withdraw from the event  after world number one Andy Murray did likewise for the same reason. Defending champion Djokovic apologised to fans who had bought tickets to see him play in Miami. He lost to Australian Nick Kyrgios in straight sets in the last 16 at Indian Wells last week. "My doctor has strongly advised against play because my elbow injury  that I keep carrying on for months  got worse in the past week  he said. I will do everything in my power to recover and do all the necessary therapy to be able to return on court as soon as possible." Briton Murray will extend his lead at the top of the world rankings to more than 4 000 points as Djokovic will lose the points he earned from winning in Miami last year. The Scot will lead the Serb by 3 090 points on Monday - but that will increase to more than 4 045 points at the beginning of next month.


 State of Sport: Amateur doping findings 'concern' sports minister

The extent of doping in amateur sport - revealed by a poll for the BBC - is a "concern"  says sports minister Tracey Crouch. A BBC State of Sport investigation found more than a third (35%) of amateur sports people say they personally know someone who has doped. Half said performance-enhancing substance use is "widespread" among those who play competitive sport. Crouch said doping was "absolutely unacceptable in any level of sport". She added: "I think there is still more that sports governing bodies can do on this front  working alongside UK Anti-Doping  to help promote clean sport." The investigation into doping in UK amateur sport also found 8% of amateur sports people said they had taken steroids  while 49% thought performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) were "easily available" among people who play sports regularly.


Sweden Warned Not to Return to High-Tax 70s as Incomes Squeezed

Don't return Sweden to the high taxes of the 1970s and 1980s. That warning comes from Sweden's state-funded economic think tank as the Social Democratic-led government has been raising taxes on workers  while planning to cut levies on pensioners and those collecting benefits. "There are big negative effects  at least in the longer term  of higher state income tax and the marginal tax rate  Urban Hansson Brusewitz, director-general at the National Institute of Economic Research, said in an interview Tuesday in Stockholm. Should things head in this direction too long it would be harmful for Sweden."


 Jeff Bezos tests giant robot suit

The Amazon (AMZN  Tech30) CEO tweeted a photo of himself testing out a giant mechanical robot suit at the company's exclusive MARS conference late Sunday night. The conference focuses on machine-learning  home automation  robotics and space. "Why do I feel so much like Sigourney Weaver?" Bezos asked the audience  referring to the actress's lead role in "Alien." The robot was designed by South Korean company Hankook Mirae Technology and is almost 14 feet tall  according to the company's website.


U.S. Travel Industry Fears a 'Lost Decade' Under Trump

Like many Washington lobby groups, the U.S. Travel Association was quick to congratulate the new president on his victory last November.

"We are encouraged that Mr. Trump's extensive business and hospitality background ...will make him a ready and receptive ear," the trade organization said. On the Republican's inauguration, the USTA's chief executive officer, Roger Dow, pledged the industry as a "capable, willing partner."

But almost immediately things started to go sideways. A steady drumbeat of news and policy proclamations seemed likely to damage America's $250 billion travel industry and its roughly 15 million U.S. employees.


Federal judge sides with Trump administration in travel ban case

(CNN)A federal judge in Virginia ruled in favor of the Trump administration Friday, declining to join other federal courts that halted the President's revised travel ban last week.

Two federal judges -- one in Maryland and one in Hawaii -- have blocked implementation of the core provisions of the travel ban, and it remains on hold nationwide. Drawing on a litany of then-candidate Donald Trump's statements about Muslims during the presidential campaign, both of the judges concluded that the new executive order likely violates the establishment clause of the Constitution by disfavoring Muslims.

But Virginia-based US District Judge Anthony Trenga was not persuaded that Trump's past statements automatically mean the revised executive order is unlawful, especially given the changes it made from the first version.


Samsung's new AI assistant will take on Siri and Alexa

Samsung is preparing to launch a digital assistant called "Bixby," the latest product to result from the tech industry's obsession with artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.
Bixby will be featured on the new Galaxy S8, Samsung's head of research and development Injong Rhee said in a blog post.
The S8 launches in New York next week.
Samsung is banking on the S8 to help it recover from last year's embarrassing Note 7 debacle. The company killed off the flagship device after a recall and various fixes failed to stop some Note 7s from overheating and catching fire.


 House sends bill rolling back Internet privacy protections to Trump

Congress sent proposed legislation to President Trump on Tuesday that wipes away landmark online privacy protections  the first salvo in what is likely to become a significant reworking of the rules governing Internet access in an era of Republican dominance.  In a party-line vote  House Republicans freed Internet service providers such as Verizon  AT&T and Comcast from restrictions approved just last year that had sought to limit what companies could do with information such as customer browsing habits  app usage history  location data and Social Security numbers. The rules had also required providers to strengthen safeguards for customer data against hackers and thieves.


You've Been Accepted to Columbia. Oops, Our Error.

When an applicant to the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health got an email on Wednesday saying it was "delighted to welcome" her, she said she was overcome with euphoria.

She began sobbing, and her body shook.

"I couldn't even control my body," said the applicant, a 23-year-old for whom Columbia was the No. 1 choice. "My teeth even started chattering. I didn't even know that could happen."

That jubilation lasted only about 75 minutes, however, as a second email arrived informing her - and 276 other prospective students - that the acceptance notices had been sent in error.


Congress Moves to Strike Internet Privacy Rules From Obama Era

WASHINGTON - Republican senators moved Thursday to dismantle landmark internet privacy protections for consumers in the first decisive strike against telecommunications and technology regulations created during the Obama administration, and a harbinger of further deregulation.

The measure passed in a 50-to-48 vote largely along party lines. The House is expected to mirror the Senate's action next week, followed by a signature from President Trump.

The move means Verizon, Comcast or AT&T can continue tracking and sharing people's browsing and app activity without permission, and it alarmed consumer advocates and Democratic lawmakers.


Woman arrested three times as she tries to see President Trump

(CNN)A woman arrested late Tuesday night after she allegedly attempted to gain entry to the White House has been arrested two more times nearby. Police said she has told them she was there to speak to President Donald Trump.

Marci Anderson Wahl, 38, of Everett, Washington, was arrested by the US Secret Service near the south grounds of the US Treasury Building early Sunday, said a Washington Metropolitan Police Department spokesman.
According to the Secret Service, officers responded to an alarm around 2:15 a.m. and reportedly saw Wahl trying to scale a fence.


 Wilfried Zaha hits back at Southgate's 'timescale' claim over England selection

Wilfried Zaha has rejected Gareth Southgate's suggestion that he had imposed a timescale to be selected again by England  effectively holding the national team to ransom  and has defended his right to instead represent the country of his birth  Ivory Coast. The Crystal Palace forward  who had been capped by England in friendlies against Sweden and Scotland during Roy Hodgson's tenure as manager  was infuriated by Southgate's comments in the aftermath of the World Cup qualifying victory against Lithuania on Sunday. Zaha issued a statement through his representative  Will Salthouse of Unique Sports Management  on Tuesday and implied disappointment that England's recently appointed permanent manager had made public details of a meeting held with the winger in December.


 Millions of UK workers at risk of being replaced by robots

study says  "More than 10 million UK workers are at high risk of being replaced by robots within 15 years as the automation of routine tasks gathers pace in a new machine age. A report by the consultancy firm PwC found that 30% of jobs in Britain were potentially under threat from breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI). In some sectors half the jobs could go. The report predicted that automation would boost productivity and create fresh job opportunities  but it said action was needed to prevent the widening of inequality that would result from robots increasingly being used for low-skill tasks. PwC said 2.25 million jobs were at high risk in wholesale and retailing – the sector that employs most people in the UK – and 1.2 million were under threat in manufacturing  1.1 million in administrative and support services and 950 000 in transport and storage.


Google commits $50 million to close the education gap

There are 130 million students around the world who haven't learned basic math or reading, even after being in school for several years, according to UNESCO.

Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, wants to whittle down that number. Over the next two years, it's giving $50 million in grants to nonprofits focused on improving education in developing countries using tech-based learning tools, the company said Tuesday. There are nine grantees so far, and Google.org intends to give grants to nonprofits in 20 countries by the end of the year.


 F1: Resurgent Ferrari finally takes fight to Mercedes

The champagne flowed  cheers rang out and "il Tricolore" flags were enthusiastically waved. But behind the scenes there was probably a huge collective sigh of relief. Sebastian Vettel's win at Sunday's Australian Grand Prix has been a long time coming for Ferrari -- Formula One's most successful team. The 16-time world champion hadn't won in Melbourne since 2007 and its last victory of any description came back in 2015  when Vettel won the Singapore Grand Prix.


 Lauren Jeska jailed for Alexander Stadium stabbings

A fell-running champion has been jailed for 18 years for stabbing three UK Athletics staff at a major arena. Lauren Jeska  a transgender athlete  admitted trying to murder Ralph Knibbs at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium. The "cool  calculated attack" came amid a dispute over her eligibility to compete as a female. Birmingham Crown Court heard that Jeska  42  stabbed Mr Knibbs in the head and neck  leaving a 2cm hole with "blood pumping out".


Reese Witherspoon posts heartfelt message on 6th wedding anniversary

Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon took to Instagram on Sunday to post a heartfelt anniversary message to her husband of six years  agent Jim Toth. "Six years ago I was lucky enough to marry this wonderful man. He makes me laugh everyday and supports me in everything I do. Happy anniversary  JT! Here's to many more!" she wrote next to a picture of the happy couple watching the sunset on the beach. The "Big Little lies" star married Toth in 2011 in California. They are parents to son Tennessee  4. It's been a big week in other ways for Witherspoon  as she celebrated her 41st birthday. "On top of the world from all of your sweet birthday wishes!" she wrote in an earlier post. "There's nothing better than celebrating my birthday with my wonderful kids!" she added in another Insta pic.


 'Bates Motel' slashes into 'Psycho' in final season

There's a fine line between creative risk-taking and sacrilege when dealing with well-known properties. While "Bates Motel" might not have committed the latter  it has seemingly sacrificed the right to bill itself as a prequel to "Psycho." The A&E series always appeared to come with a built-in expiration date  facing the danger of running out of real estate as it chewed through story related to Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 horror classic. The contemporary setting also made the proceedings less spooky  what with cellphones and other modern devices that alter the dynamics of  say  being alone in the basement with a murderer dressed like his mom. Still  the announcement of a fifth and final season that would overlap with the movie actually created some excitement: after an ill-advised remake  this offered an alternate window into the story  including how these events unfolded from the perspective of Norman/Norma Bates.


On 'Day Without Women,' Two Districts Cancel School

School districts in Virginia and North Carolina are telling students to stay home on Wednesday, on a nationwide day of protest called "A Day Without Women," because so many staff members do not plan to show up for work.

In Alexandria Public Schools in Northern Virginia, more than 300 staff members have asked for the day off, prompting district officials to take the extraordinary step of canceling class. In a note on its website, the superintendent said its 18 schools would not have enough teachers on Wednesday.

"This is not a decision that was made lightly," the superintendent, Alvin L. Crawley, said, adding that "it is not based on a political stance or position.


 Maria Sharapova claims she 'fought for truth' as tennis doping ban return nears

Maria Sharapova said she feels vindicated by the reduction of her doping suspension  adding that she "fought hard for the truth" as she prepares to return to tennis after a 15-month ban . Russia's former world No1 was initially barred for two years after testing positive at the 2016 Australian Open for meldonium  a medication she had been taking for 10 years within the rules  but that was reclassified as a banned drug. She will return at April's Porsche Grand Prix thanks to a wildcard entry and says she feels she has got her "day job back".


Baseball Is Practically a Water Sport to the Mets' Granderson

Even for 10 minutes  Curtis Granderson can't restrain himself. On a recent morning here in spring training  before the start of his 12th full major league season  he was talking about how  at age 36  he will handle the rigors of chasing down balls in center field. As he talked  he asked for a brief timeout and reached for the 12-ounce water bottle he had left on the floor beside his locker. This was his sixth bottle of the day  and it wasn't yet noon. There would likely be another six before the day was done. "You always see him just crushing water  said his fellow outfielder Michael Conforto, who is 12 years younger than Granderson. Granderson drinks by the sip. He values that over chugging because he believes it gives his body a constant flow of essential fluids. He is also a firm believer in room-temperature water, because he can't drink as much when the water is cold. Thus, a 24-pack of 12-ounce bottles is always adjacent to his locker.


Students Experiment With Drones for 4-H National Youth Science Day

More than 100,000 K-12 students across the country experimented with engineering, coding and design in the 4-H National Youth Science Day "Drone Discovery Challenge" Wednesday.

Students worked in groups overseen by volunteers to explore the science behind drones and apply it to real-world problems. Younger students experimented with drone engineering and design, while high schoolers learned about computer coding for remote sensors and unmanned flight.

Students didn't experiment with actual drones. To keep costs down, they used items from a 4-H kit, like a paper plate and foam airplane, to learn about the concepts of flight and remote sensing. The only real technological item is the remote sensor.


 Doping in sport: Drug use 'fast becoming a crisis'

Drug use at every level of sport is "fast becoming a crisis" according to UK Anti-Doping - responding to a BBC poll into doping in amateur sport. It found more than a third (35%) of amateur sports people say they personally know someone who has doped  and 8% said they had taken steroids. Half believe performance enhancing substance use is "widespread" among those who play sport competitively. Ukad chief Nicole Sapstead described the figures as "incredibly alarming". A BBC State of Sport investigation into doping in UK amateur sport also found that 49% thought performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) were "easily available" among people who play sports regularly.


In age of Trump, Obama is the new tabloid darling

Donald Trump might be the original tabloid president, but while he works long hours in Washington making phone calls from the Oval Office and wreaking havoc on Twitter, the gossip pages and fashion blogs are spilling a lot of ink chronicling his predecessor.

Buoyed by their celebrity, the Obamas still attract attention when they're spotted on the street. But freed from the constraints of the office, their fans are now running into them on vacation, at lunch or outside SoulCycle. And those sightings, captured via iPhone camera and shared on social media, have become fodder for regular coverage in traditional gossip columns, on friendly left-leaning blogs, and in fashion magazines eager to assess the president's post-White House wardrobe.


Schwarzenegger taunts Trump over approval rating

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger continued his very public feud with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, releasing a video taunting the president over his falling approval ratings.

"The ratings are in, and you got swamped," Schwarzenegger said. "Wow, now you're in the 30s? But what do you expect when you take away after-school programs for children and Meals on Wheels for the poor people?


 Lawrence Okolie: Olympian wins in 20 seconds on professional debut

Rio 2016 Olympian Lawrence Okolie took just 20 seconds to score a knockout win on his professional debut. The 24-year-old British cruiserweight caught compatriot Geoffrey Cave with two solid right hands. The bout followed Anthony Crolla's points defeat by Jorge Linares at Manchester Arena. "Sorry to everyone that missed me fighting  Okolie tweeted. The good news is a Won by KO in 20 seconds!! Bad news is I'm back in the cage for now." London-based Cave  33  has now lost all three of his professional fights. Okolie competed at heavyweight and lost to Cuban Erislandy Savon at the last-16 stage at the Rio Olympics. He hopes to become a world champion within four years and is scheduled to fight on the undercard of Ricky Burns' super-lightweight unification bout with Julius Indongo on 15 April.


 Chelsea make Arsenal's Alexis Sánchez their No1 summer transfer target

Chelsea have made Arsenal's Alexis Sánchez their main summer transfer target and Antonio Conte has discussed the possibility of bringing the Chilean to Stamford Bridge with the club's hierarchy. The Italian manager is in talks with Chelsea over a new contract and  as part of that  summer transfers have been discussed. Conte has submitted to the club's recruitment team  effectively headed by the director Marina Granovskaia and technical director  Michael Emenalo  a list of players he would like to sign  with Sánchez and a left-sided defender among the priorities.


 BrewDog threatened lawsuit against plan for bar with 'punk' in name

BrewDog threatened legal action to prevent a bar from using the term "punk" in its name  it has emerged  a day after the brewer blamed "trigger-happy" lawyers for a similar dispute that sparked a social media backlash. The brewer  which has been a vocal critic of the behaviour of large corporations  raised an objection to plans by music promoter Tony Green to open a bar in Leeds called Draft Punk. Green  who says the name was a tongue-in-cheek reference to French dance music act Daft Punk  said the "intimidating" threat contravened the punk movement spirit that BrewDog claims to espouse.


Lewis Hamilton believes he can beat Sebastian Vettel to world title

Britain's Lewis Hamilton says he is confident he can beat Sebastian Vettel to the world title this year despite defeat at the Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton finished second to the German in the season opener in Melbourne after losing the lead following pressure from the Ferrari driver's superior pace. Hamilton said: "It is going to be a close race. I truly believe we can beat them. It's great to see Ferrari there. "It's good we had this close battle. I'm looking forward to the next." Hamilton led from pole position but struggled for pace in the opening laps and after an early pit stop was held up by Red Bull's Max Verstappen  allowing Vettel to get ahead. Hamilton said: "I wouldn't say I'm happy. But all things in perspective. To see where we have come from  with massive rule changes and to come here and be battling so close for a win and missing out marginally  there are a lot of things to be proud of. "We could have won the race but I gave it everything I could and you can't do more. Take the strength of the weekend."


Ban aimed at electronics in cabins of some US-bound flights

The U.S. government is temporarily barring passengers on certain flights originating in eight other countries from bringing laptops, iPads, cameras and most other electronics in carry-on luggage starting Tuesday.

The reason for the ban was not immediately clear. U.S. security officials would not comment. The ban was revealed Monday in statements from Royal Jordanian Airlines and the official news agency of Saudi Arabia. A second U.S. official said the ban will affect nine airlines in total, and the Transportation Security Administration will inform the affected airlines at 3 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday.


 Brazil 3-0 Paraguay: Philippe Coutinho and Neymar book World Cup spot

Philippe Coutinho and Neymar scored as Brazil qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia with a dominant 3-0 win over Paraguay on Tuesday. Liverpool's Coutinho  who was due to fly back on a private jet after the game with Roberto Firmino ahead of the Merseyside derby  opened the scoring in the 34th minute. Neymar capped an eventful evening with a goal in the second half before Marcelo added a late third. Barcelona forward Neymar  captaining the side  missed a penalty and saw an effort chalked off for offside on an evening when he was routinely on the end of rough treatment from the Paraguay defenders. Their 10th win of the qualifying campaign sees Brazil become the first country to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.


Solar-powered 'skin' could make prosthetics more real

Many people try to stay out of the sun. But if a new type of solar-powered electronic skin makes its way onto prosthetics, wearers will definitely want those rays shining on their limbs.

Researchers are already working to create smart skin that embeds sensors that mimic the tactile feedback of human skin, making it possible for amputees to feel pressure, temperature and even dampness. But how to power the futuristic material?

A team from the University of Glasgow in the UK has come up with a version that harnesses the sun's rays. Because it produces its own energy from a natural source, the engineers say, the electronic skin would operate longer than similar materials powered by batteries or tethered to a power source that would also limit portability, clearly a key feature of any everyday prosthetic or touch-sensitive robot on the go.


 Gold Set to Soar to $1

500 as Inflation Makes a Comeback  "Gold is poised to rally to levels last seen four years ago as rising inflation and negative real interest rates combine to boost demand  according to Incrementum AG  which says that the precious metal may be in the early stages of a bull market. Prices may climb to $1 400 to $1 500 an ounce this year  said Ronald-Peter Stoeferle  managing partner at the Liechtenstein-based company  which oversees 100 million Swiss francs ($101.5 million). Spot bullion -- which was at $1 249 on Wednesday -- last traded at $1 400 in September 2013.


Judge rejects Stein's request for hand recount in Wis.

MADISON, Wis. - Green Party candidate Jill Stein paid $3.5 million Tuesday to clear the way for Wisconsin's presidential vote recount but had a judge reject her lawsuit to require all Wisconsin counties to do the recount by hand.

Dane County Circuit Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn said the effort to force the hand recount, which was backed by Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign, did not meet the state's legal standard for prohibiting the use of machines in the recount, saying that the two campaigns did not show a hand recount, though more thorough, was necessary or show there was a clear and convincing evidence of fraud or other problems.

Bailey-Rihn said there were good reasons to do a hand recount but no legal basis for her to mandate it.


 George Michael portrait by Damien Hirst sells for $580

000  "A portrait of the late George Michael by artist Damien Hirst has sold for just under half a million pounds at a charity auction. The money raised from the sale of Beautiful Beautiful George Michael Love Painting will go to HIV/Aids charity The Goss-Michael Foundation. The charity was founded by Michael and his former partner Kenny Goss. Goss posted an image of the artwork on Instagram  writing: "Amazing result of $580 000 (around £461 011)." He described Damien Hirst as a "superstar"  adding: "Thank you Damien!" The canvas went under the hammer in Dallas  Texas  at the MTV Re:define charity gala. Michael  who enjoyed a lucrative pop career as one half of duo Wham before embarking on a successful solo career  died on Christmas Day last year at the age of 53.


First on CNN: Border wall ask: $1 billion for 62 miles

Washington (CNN)The Trump administration wants the first $1 billion of border wall funding to cover 62 miles -- including replacing some existing fencing along the southern border.

The documents describe exactly where the administration hopes to put its first installment of the border wall, as it described its modest 2017 funding ask.

The $999 million requested by the White House in its budget supplement for just defense and border security spending would cover just 48 miles of new wall, according to justification documents from the Department of Homeland Security obtained by CNN.

The documents describe exactly where the administration hopes to put its first installment of the border wall, as it described its modest 2017 funding ask.


Machine Learning Opens Up New Ways to Help Disabled People

CC rules require TV stations to provide closed captions that convey speech, sound effects, and audience reactions such as laughter to deaf and hard of hearing viewers. YouTube isn't subject to those rules, but thanks to Google's machine-learning technology, it now offers similar assistance.

YouTube has used speech-to-text software to automatically caption speech in videos since 2009 (they are used 15 million times a day). Today it rolled out algorithms that indicate applause, laughter, and music in captions. More sounds could follow, since the underlying software can also identify noises like sighs, barks, and knocks.


Ivanka Trump Set to get West Wing Office as Role Expands

Ivanka Trump, who moved to Washington saying she would play no formal role in her father's administration, is now officially setting up shop in the White House.

The powerful first daughter has secured her own office on the West Wing's second floor - a space next to senior adviser Dina Powell, who was recently promoted to a position on the National Security Council. She is also in the process of obtaining a security clearance and is set to receive government-issued communications devices this week.

In everything but name, Trump is settling in as what appears to be a full-time staffer in her father's administration, with a broad and growing portfolio - except she is not being sworn in, will hold no official position and is not pocketing a salary, her attorney said.


Uber Self-Driving Car Tests Resume Three Days After Crash

Uber Technologies Inc.'s self-driving cars were back on public roads Monday, three days after a crash in Arizona put the company's testing program on hold.

The ride-hailing company resumed testing in San Francisco Monday morning, and planned to restart the program in Tempe, Arizona, and Pittsburgh later in the day, according to an Uber spokeswoman.

One of Uber's Volvo self-driving SUVs was involved in a high-impact crash on Friday in Tempe. The vehicle was not responsible for the incident and there were no injuries, Tempe police said. Another car failed to yield for the Uber car, causing the autonomous vehicle to flip on its side, according to the police report.


Jason Witten signs new four-year deal with Dallas Cowboys

Dallas tight end Jason Witten has signed a four-year contract extension that virtually guarantees the 14-year veteran will spend his entire career with the Cowboys. The deal Witten signed on Tuesday runs through to 2021 and leaves the final year of the two-time All Pro's current contract intact. The extension has a maximum value of $29m with no new guaranteed money and gives the Cowboys the flexibility to restructure and create about $4m in salary cap space. Witten  who turns 35 in May  is one of two tight ends in NFL history with at least 1 000 catches and 10 000 yards receiving. The other is Tony Gonzalez  who retired in 2013 after 17 seasons.


Google Maps can tell your friends exactly where you are

If you've ever tried to meet up with friends at a big expanse like Central Park or Golden Gate Park, you know it can be a pain to find the exact spot where they're hanging out.

Google wants to help.

The search giant on Wednesday unveiled a new feature for Google Maps called "location sharing" that lets you reveal your exact location to a contact for a certain period of time -- from 15 minutes to 3 hours, or until you turn off the feature.

You can also share a driving or walking route if you're going from one place to another, and your friends will be able to see your progress on the map.


Let there be light: German scientists test 'artificial sun'

Scientists in Germany flipped the switch Thursday on what's being described as "the world's largest artificial sun," a device they hope will help shed light on new ways of making climate-friendly fuels.

The giant honeycomb-like setup of 149 spotlights - officially known as "Synlight" - in Juelich, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Cologne, uses xenon short-arc lamps normally found in cinemas to simulate natural sunlight that's often in short supply in Germany at this time of year.


 Roger Federer beats Frances Tiafoe on return to Miami Open

Roger Federer beat American teenager Frances Tiafoe in his first match at the Miami Open for three years. The Swiss  35  defeated the 19-year-old qualifier 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 to take his 2017 record to 14 wins and one loss. Federer  who won has won the Australian Open and Indian Wells titles this year  missed Miami through illness in 2016. Top seed Stan Wawrinka beat Horacio Zeballos 6-3 6-4  while women's fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska was thrashed 6-0 6-3 by Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. "It's quite tough conditions  raining and really windy today  Swiss Wawrinka said. It's really windy on the court  so it's never easy. I'm happy with the way I was moving  the way I was playing and my attitude in general was really positive  so it's a great match." Federer picked up where he left off in Indian Wells  winning his first 20 service points on the way to overcoming an impressive effort from Tiafoe  the world number 101.


 Elon Musk creates Neuralink brain electrode firm

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has launched Neuralink  a start-up which aims to develop technology that connects our brains to computers. A report from the Wall Street Journal  later confirmed in a tweet by Mr Musk  said the company was in its very early stages and registered as a "medical research" firm. The company will develop so-called "neural lace" technology which would implant tiny electrodes into the brain. The technique could be used to improve memory or give humans added artificial intelligence.