Westinghouse Electric is filing for bankruptcy

Toshiba 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.


A Tumultuous Beginning

It'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.

As 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.


 Broncos helmet found with Tom Brady's missing jerseys could belong to Von Miller

MVP 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.


Super Mario Run makes leap to Android

The wildly popular Super Mario Run smartphone game is now available for play on Android devices, Nintendo said Wednesday.

Nintendo said in a tweet that it made the game available for download at the Google Play store a little earlier than it expected.

The 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.


 Elton John celebrates 70th birthday with star-studded party

Elton 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.


Sex Toy-Wielding Students Protest Gun Law at University of Texas

Students 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.

The 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.

The 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.


Google allows users to share their locations in mapping app

Alphabet 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.

Within 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.

The 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.


Trump welcomes Merkel after bashing her on campaign trail

On 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.

Merkel, 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.

"Face-to-face talks are always much better than talking about each other," Merkel told reporters in Munich recently.


Facebook Messenger gets Reactions and Mentions

Facebook Messenger users can now show how they feel about individual messages with new Reaction emoji.

Like 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.


Meet James Robart, the judge who halted Trump's immigration ban

The 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.

Trump 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.

Robart, 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.


Alex Jones Apologizes for Promoting 'Pizzagate' Hoax

Alex 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.


Trump's Pick for Education Could Face Unusually Stiff Resistance

Nominees for secretary of education have typically breezed through confirmation by the Senate with bipartisan approval.

But 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.

Her wealth and her politics seem likely to make her confirmation hearing unusually contentious, and possibly drawn out.


 Eddie Lacy joins Seattle Seahawks on one-year deal

Seattle 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.


Brian Cox plays Postman Pat scientist

Professor 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.


 John Calipari Has a Winning Return to Memphis as Kentucky Tops U.C.L.A.

At 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."


 Demi Lovato does a perfect teen impression

Demi 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.


 Sir Paul McCartney on Lennon

Kanye 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.


 Dai Young tells Wasps backline to raise work rate against Leinster

Wasps' 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.


A surprise new iPhone is here -- and it's red

Apple (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.

The 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.

Apple also would not share how much money will be donated to Red through the sales of these special iPhones.


Twitter adds more anti-abuse tools

Twitter 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.
The company said it would act only on accounts that its computer algorithms had thrown up as being abusive.
"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.


 China's Tencent buys 5% stake in Tesla

Chinese 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.


Homeland Security suspends travel ban

Washington (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.

The 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.


First reactions to 'Pirates of the Caribbean 5' at CinemaCon

The 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.


Protesters Disrupt DeVos School Visit

Protesters on Friday morning attempted to thwart a visit to a District of Columbia middle school by newly confirmed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

"Stop DeVos and fund black futures," a group of around two dozen demonstrators chanted outside Jefferson Academy.

Demonstrators 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.


Nintendo Switch game console to launch in March for $299

The 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.

Nintendo 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.


American Airlines ties up partnership with China Southern

American 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.


As Bernie Ecclestone Departs

Formula 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."


http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/28/football/football-messi-argentina-ban/index.html

Argentina felt the loss of the suspended Lionel Messi as they were beaten 2-0 by Bolivia in La Paz in a key World Cup qualifying game. Barcelona star Messi was hit with a four-game ban by football's governing body FIFA and fined $10 000 just hours before the game after verbally abusing a match official in a win over Chile on March 24. He will also miss upcoming games against Uruguay  Paraguay and Venezuela. Barcelona released a statement Wednesday expressing its "surprise and indignation" at the FIFA Disciplinary Committee's decision  branding the length of the ban "unfair and totally disproportionate."


Amazon's Alexa adds Prime Now to its voice shopping

Running out of toilet paper will never be the same again.

Amazon on Tuesday said customers can now use Alexa to shop from its Prime Now rapid-delivery service. That means people in the over 30 US cities with Prime Now can call out to their Echo devices to shop for tens of thousands of items -- including diapers, dish soap, NyQuil and Doritos -- that will arrive in as little as two hours.

Also, alcohol delivery is available in Seattle, Amazon's hometown, and beer and wine are available in Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio. (Alcohol shipments require customers to show ID to the deliver worker.)


Hillsborough law' could imprison police officers who are not truthful

A proposed "Hillsborough law" requiring police forces and public authorities to be open and truthful in legal proceedings  including about their own failures  and that would give bereaved families the same resources as the police to make their case at future inquests is to be presented to parliament.  The 10-minute-rule bill will be introduced by Labour MP Andy Burnham on Wednesday. The public authority (accountability) bill would impose on public authorities and employees a duty to act with "transparency  candour and frankness". Individual officials would face a fine or maximum two-year term in prison for failing to do so  including for feeding misleading information to the media.


Jimmy Anderson hopes for injury-free England Test summer in runup to Ashes

England's all-time leading wicket-taker Jimmy Anderson remains confident his body can withstand the rigours of seven Tests in two months this summer but  as he turns 35 in July  accepts he has to take things "step by step". As a result  the Lancashire swing bowler is unable to look as far ahead as England's tour of Australia later in the year  which would be his fourth Ashes tour. Since missing England's final Test in India in December – the fifth Test he has missed through injury in England's past 11 – with the problematic shoulder that affected his year  Anderson spent January resting and has since undergone a full pre‑season with Lancashire  for whom he is available at the start of the season.


 UK retail sales shrug off Brexit fears with February rise

Britain's retailers received a respite from a two-month losing streak when spending in high street stores and online bounced back in February. The Office for National Statistics said retail sales volumes were up by 1.4% on January and 3.7% higher than in February 2016. Sterling rose on the currency markets after news of the rise was announced  but the ONS said the bounce back had failed to recoup all the ground lost in December and January. It noted that spending was being curtailed by higher petrol prices.In the three months to February – considered a better guide to the underlying trend than the monthly figure alone – sales were 1.4% lower than in the quarter ending in November.


Schumer: Trump showed 'basic lack of competence' on health care bill

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized President Donald Trump after the GOP-backed health care bill failed to garner enough support for a vote on the House floor Friday, saying the president showed two unhelpful traits during negotiations.

"The first is basic lack of competence," Schumer told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos during an exclusive interview on "This Week" Sunday. "You cannot run the presidency like you run a real estate deal. You can't tweet your way through it. You can't threaten and intimidate and say I'll walk away. It's more complicated.


 Basketball 'bible' auction sets sports memorabilia record

The first 13 rules of basketball sold Friday for more than $4 million  setting a record for the highest sales price for sports memorabilia  according to Sotheby's  which conducted the auction. The auction house had estimated that Dr. James Naismith's two-page "Founding Rules of Basketball" would bring less than half the $4 338 500 that David and Suzanne Booth bid for the 119-year-old document. "This is the birth certificate. It started here  said Selby Kiffer, Sotheby's vice president for manuscripts and books department. Naismith, a Canadian physical education instructor working at a New England YMCA, created the game of Basket Ball" so students could play a sport indoors in winter. Naismith had no idea his invention would catch on so rapidly after the YMCA movement introduced it on an international level.


 Uber to shut down Denmark operation over new taxi laws

Uber will shut down its operation in Denmark next month following the introduction of new taxi laws  the company has said  marking the latest European setback for the US ride-booking service. A company spokesman  Kristian Agerbo  said on Tuesday Uber "must take the consequences" of the rules  which among other things will require cabs to be fitted with seat occupancy sensors and fare meters.Uber suspends fleet of self-driving cars following Arizona crash. Uber has faced problems in cities including Madrid  Frankfurt  Paris and London  and is awaiting a decision from the European court of justice that could determine how it is regulated on the continent: as a transport service or a digital platform.


NASA test fires rocket engine for future Mars mission

NASA tested part of the rocket that will likely take humans to Mars at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi on March 23. The engines will power the agency's new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on future deep space missions.

This is the second RS-25 engine test for 2017 and the space agency has more planned. The engines will be part of the most powerful rocket in the world, according to NASA. Gary Benton, the product development manager for Stennis Space Center is in charge of testing of the rocket engines.

"Those engines generate about 520,000 pounds of thrust each," Benton said, before the test fire of the engine.


Apple's Devices Lose Luster in American Classrooms

Apple is losing its grip on American classrooms, which technology companies have long used to hook students on their brands for life.

Over the last three years, Apple's iPads and Mac notebooks - which accounted for about half of the mobile devices shipped to schools in the United States in 2013 - have steadily lost ground to Chromebooks, inexpensive laptops that run on Google's Chrome operating system and are produced by Samsung, Acer and other computer makers.

Mobile devices that run on Apple's iOS and MacOS operating systems have now reached a new low, falling to third place behind both Google-powered laptops and Microsoft Windows devices, according to a report released on Thursday by Futuresource Consulting, a research company.


Sarah Wiltshire and Asha Francis on juggling motherhood with sporting ambition

Midnight feeds  training sessions  netting goals and nappy changes are all things athletes Sarah Wiltshire and Asha Francis are juggling with their newborn babies. Less than seven weeks after giving birth to daughter Alexa-Rose  25-year-old striker Wiltshire will spend her first Mother's Day on the football pitch playing for Cambridge United Women. "She will be there with my mum and that will mean a lot to me because they are my two favourite ladies  Wiltshire told BBC Sport. She seems to be sleeping every time that I play or train  but at some point she will have to watch." Meanwhile  versatile Team Bath attacker Francis  31  will spend part of Mothering Sunday coaching the netball Superleague club's feeder side before returning home to her five-month-old daughter Paige and three-year-old Elise. Francis  a former England and Singapore international  returned to action in Britain's top-flight competition less than five months after giving birth to her second daughter.


State Department tightens scrutiny for certain foreigners

Washington (CNN)Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sent four cables directing embassies worldwide to identify certain groups that should get extra scrutiny when they apply for visas, including screening of applicants' social media, according to US officials.

The cables were sent after President Donald Trump signed a revised executive order restricting travel from most Muslim countries on March 6.
The State Department cables, all marked "sensitive" but not classified, direct embassies to convene security and intelligence working groups to determine "a list of criteria identifying sets of post applicant populations warranting increased scrutiny.


Tomb Raider: First pic of Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft released

It's dusty work being a Tomb Raider  as the first picture of Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft reveals. The Swedish Oscar-winner takes over from Angelina Jolie in the latest film to be drawn from the popular video game franchise. Described as a reboot  the film is said to be an origins tale drawn from the plot of the Tomb Raider game released in 2013. Directed by the fabulously named Roar Uthaug  it's due out in March 2018. Vikander  who won an Oscar for The Danish Girl  describes Lara as "a truly iconic character" who acts as "a model for many young women". "She's trying to carve out her place in the world and connect her future with her past  the 28-year-old told Vanity Fair. Norwegian director Uthaug said the film - which also stars Dominic West as Croft's father - would focus not only on Lara's strength and physical accomplishments but her humanity".


Survey: Most Freshmen Are Not Emotionally Prepared for College

High school students spend years taking classes that will help them tackle the rigors of college courses.

But according to a new national survey, most freshmen were unprepared for campus life in one important way: emotionally.

The First Year College Experience survey, conducted by Harris Poll for The JED Foundation, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, and The Jordan Porco Foundation, found that 60 percent of freshmen said they wished they had "more help getting emotionally ready for college.


Ex-Fox News CFO offered immunity in Roger Ailes investigation

The federal investigation stemming from sexual harassment allegations made against former Fox News chief Roger Ailes took a dramatic turn on Tuesday with a report that prosecutors have offered a former network executive immunity. Mark Kranz  Fox News' chief financial officer until his retirement last August  has been offered immunity from prosecution in exchange for his cooperation with the investigation  two sources with knowledge of the matter confirmed to CNNMoney. The investigation centers on questions about whether 21st Century Fox misled investors by hiding payments to Fox News employees who alleged that they were sexually harassed by Ailes. As CFO  Kranz was directly involved in preparing the company's financial statements and is thus potentially a key witness in the investigation  the sources said. Kranz's lawyer declined to comment on the matter. Spokespeople for the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York  which is handling the investigation  also declined to comment.


Chris Pratt responds to body shamers telling him he's too thin

Big or small  Chris Pratt has heard it all. These days  the "Guardians of the Galaxy" star  37  is taking flak for being too thin  but he's not taking it lying down. Pratt  who has been documenting the healthy snacks he's eating while filming "Jurassic World 2" in a series of "What's My Snack" Instagram videos  fired back -- in his usual tongue-in-cheek manner -- after some followers apparently suggested he looked too thin. "So many people have said I look too thin in my recent episodes of #WHATSMYSNACK  he wrote on Instagram Thursday. Some have gone as far as to say I look 'skeletal.' Well  just because I am a male doesn't mean I'm impervious to your whispers. Body shaming hurts."


Benedict Cumberbatch welcomes 2nd son

People confirmed that the couple welcomed a second son  Hal Auden Cumberbatch  on March 3. Cumberbatch has not yet commented on the birth  and his rep has not responded to a request for comment from ABC News. The "Doctor Strange" star announced in October that he and his wife  a theater director  were expecting their second child.  "Everyone is absolutely thrilled  his rep told E! News at the time. Cumberbatch, 40, and Hunter, 38, were married in February 2015, following a short engagement. That June, Hunter gave birth to their first child, Christopher Carlton Cumberbatch. Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter are delighted to announce the arrival of their beautiful son. We would kindly ask everyone to respect the family's privacy during these next few precious weeks  his rep said upon Christopher's arrival.


White House keeps up sanctuary cities pressure with funding threat

Washington (CNN)Attorney General Jeff Sessions outlined Monday how the Trump administration will use federal funds to crack down on "sanctuary cities" and states that choose not to comply with federal immigration laws, as it has threatened to do since January.

The comments came after the Trump administration has made a concerted effort to pressure the so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions as part of its aggressive push to enforce immigration laws.
The term refers to jurisdictions like major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia that have policies in place that limit cooperation in enforcing federal immigration laws and protect local immigrant populations.


Wells Fargo introduces cardless ATMs across U.S. in digital push

Starting on Monday, Wells Fargo & Co depositors can withdraw money using a smartphone at any branded ATM, the latest sign of U.S. lenders moving away from traditional brick-and-mortar banking.

Jonathan Velline, Wells Fargo's head of ATM and branch banking, said that the San Francisco-based bank decided to apply the smartphone technology to all of its 13,000 cash machines after piloting the idea in select locations across the country.

Bank of America Corp and JPMorgan Chase & Co are among the big banks that have announced digital upgrades to their ATM infrastructure, but Wells Fargo is the first U.S. bank to roll out cardless machines across its entire network.


Phone device tests male fertility with 98% accuracy, study shows

A new smartphone attachment can evaluate a man's semen and determine his level of fertility with up to 98% accuracy, a new study has showed.

The new technology -- consisting of an external accessory in which sperm samples are inserted and an app that analyzes them -- could make testing as straightforward as a home pregnancy test, the scientists say. The new technology is still a few years away, but the team behind it hopes this new form of testing will make infertility testing both easier and cheaper for men, avoiding the need for them to go to a clinic.


Microsoft Aims to Build on 'Minecraft' Success

The Nov. 1 launch of a "Minecraft" version tailored for the classroom is exciting educators and parents alike.

"Phenomenal" is how Mark Minghella describes the test version of "Minecraft: Education Edition," the new iteration of the popular building game.

"I've got an overwhelmingly ... positive attitude toward 'Minecraft' in the classroom," says Minghella, a technology teacher in the nation's capital at the British International School of Washington. He says he was familiar with "Minecraft" thanks to his two kids. "It's actually being used for education purposes and not just for students to play games." Minghella says the game can help students understand the concepts involved with building a sustainable community, as well as how to work collaboratively, overcome obstacles and prioritize tasks.


John Wall breathes some life into Wizards' trip to Cleveland

The Northeast Ohio sun remained hidden while the Washington Wizards were in town and the temperature required heavy outerwear. But John Wall still felt fine. He said his weary bones felt fresh. Those nagging pains  miraculously healed. The migraine headache from earlier in the week  gone. These good vibes fueled Wall's performance - a career-best shooting start followed by his 47th double-double of the season - in the Washington Wizards' 127-115 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. After the win  Wall explained how the lure of the West Coast road trip was the only prescribed medicine that he needed.


 Hedge fund exec whose former firm was linked to Madoff jumps to his death

Charles Murphy was found dead on the fourth-floor terrace of the Sofitel hotel on Monday  according to a police source. "We are extremely saddened by this news  said John Paulson, the president of Paulson & Co., a separate hedge fund where Murphy worked at the time of his death. Charles was an extremely gifted and brilliant man  a great partner and a true friend." Murphy once worked for Fairfield Greenwich  which invested about $7 billion with Madoff and was later sued by investors who lost money. The fund agreed to an $80 million settlement. Madoff was arrested in December 2008 for running the world's largest Ponzi scheme and defrauding investors of $20 billion. He pleaded guilty to fraud charges. Now 78  he is serving 150 years in a federal prison in North Carolina.


AQAP trying to hide explosives in laptop batteries, official says

Washington (CNN)Intelligence obtained in recent weeks found that an al Qaeda affiliate was perfecting techniques for hiding explosives in batteries and battery compartments of electronic devices, according to a US official.

The discovery that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was looking to exploit batteries and their compartments in laptops and other commercial electronic devices led the United States and United Kingdom to ban devices larger than a cellphone from certain flights, the US official told CNN.
A US official told CNN that intelligence shows growing capability from ISIS, al Qaeda in Syria and al Shabaab as well AQAP.


 The writing on the wall

A new exhibition explores the history of modern urban graffiti - from its roots in the inner cities of Philadelphia and New York  through to the present day global graffiti movement. Masters of Invention - at the Lettering Arts Centre in Suffolk - looks at the emergence of simple personal tags in the late 1960s  to highly intricate contemporary forms of this urban art. It is curated by Errol Donald - a former graffiti artist whose work below was displayed in the UK's first exhibition dedicated to graffiti  in Bristol  more than 30 years ago.


5-year-old wins Oklahoma spelling bee, heading for nationals

TULSA, Okla. -  A 5-year-old girl is bound for the Scripps National Spelling Bee after becoming the youngest winner of a regional competition in Oklahoma.

Edith Fuller won the Tulsa-area contest by correctly spelling jnana (juh-nah-nuh). Merriam-Webster defines the word as meaning knowledge acquired through meditation in the Hindu tradition.

The Tulsa World reports (http://bit.ly/2mcFYmD ) Edith beat out more than 50 other elementary and middle school students Saturday. Edith is home-schooled and represented the TBC Home Education Fellowship in the bee.


Banks and Tech Firms Battle Over Something Akin to Gold: Your Data

The big banks and Silicon Valley are waging an escalating battle over your personal financial data: your dinner bill last night  your monthly mortgage payment  the interest rates you pay. Technology companies like Mint and Betterment have been eager to slurp up this data  mainly by building services that let people link all their various bank-account and credit-card information. The selling point is to make budgeting and bookkeeping easier. But the data is also being used to offer new kinds of loans and investment products. Now  banks have decided they aren't letting the data go without a fight. In recent weeks  several large banks have been pushing to restrict the sharing of this kind of data with technology companies  according to the tech firms. In some cases  they are refusing to pass along information  like the fees and interest rates they charge. Both sides see big money to be made from the reams of highly personal information created by financial transactions.


Bill O'Reilly apologizes after making racially charged joke about congresswoman

Fox News host Bill O'Reilly apologized Tuesday after coming under fire for mocking a black congresswoman's hair. During an appearance on "Fox & Friends  O'Reilly reacted to a clip of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) delivering a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives. I didn't hear a word she said  O'Reilly said of Waters. I was looking at the James Brown wig." "If we have a picture of James Brown -- it's the same wig  he added. The remarks were widely denounced as both racist and sexist on Twitter, where O'Reilly's name was trending Tuesday morning and afternoon. In a statement Tuesday afternoon, O'Reilly expressed regret for the remarks. As I have said many times  I respect Congresswoman Maxine Waters for being sincere in her beliefs  he said. I said that again today on Fox & Friends calling her 'old school.' Unfortunately  I also made a jest about her hair which was dumb. I apologize."


Ellison: Democrats 'stand ready' to work with Republicans

Washington (CNN)Democratic lawmakers "stand ready" to work with their Republican counterparts following the failure of GOP efforts to repeal Obamacare, Rep. Keith Ellison said Monday.

Speaking on CNN's "New Day" with Chris Cuomo, the Minnesota Democrat and deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee said he and his party are prepared to collaborate with Republicans on issues like drug prices, infrastructure and tax reform.
"If the Republicans have suddenly realized they have to work with us, I think that's a good thing," Ellison said.


Hillary Clinton To Deliver Wellesley College's 2017 Commencement Address

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will return to her alma mater, Wellesley College, to deliver the school's 2017 commencement speech this spring, Wellesley's student newspaper reports.

The former first lady and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee graduated from the women's liberal arts college in 1969. As a student there, she served as head of the Young Republicans Club and president of the College Government Association.

This year's event will be Clinton's third time addressing the school's graduating class.


Mo Farah: Doctor who gave controversial supplement infusion to face MPs

The doctor who treated Mo Farah with a controversial infusion has been summoned to give evidence to MPs. The infusion of the legal supplement L-carnitine  given to Farah in 2014 before a major race  is being looked at by the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) to determine whether rules were broken. Dr Robin Chakraverty carried out the treatment on the instruction of Farah's American coach Alberto Salazar. He will appear before the Culture  Media and Sport Committee on 19 April. MPs have also asked to speak with UK Athletics' head of endurance Barry Fudge as part of their ongoing investigation into doping in sport. Fudge works closely with Farah and Dr John Rogers  a medic for the British athletics team who reportedly raised concerns about Salazar's methods.


Macron and Le Pen Spar

Anticipating French Election Runoff  "With more than three weeks still to go before the first round of voting  Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron are already campaigning like they were the only candidates left in the race to become France's next president. With most recent polls suggesting anti-euro Le Pen and the centrist Macron are more than five points ahead of their nearest challenger for the two slots in the May 7 runoff  the front-runners traded barbs over the weekend as the other candidates faded into the background. Macron called Le Pen a "a liar" over a pledge to eliminate immigration  while the nationalist portrayed her rival as a puppet of the French elite. On Europe 1 radio on Monday  she said he's soft on migration.


 Rory McIlroy: Muirfield women membership saga was 'obscene'

hey finally voted to accept women as members  but Rory McIlroy says the need for Muirfield golfers to have a second ballot on the issue was "obscene" and "horrendous." The Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers  the club based at the East Lothian links  voted 80.2% in favor of admitting women this week  overturning a ballot that ruled against changing its male-only policy last May. The course was removed from the British Open rota as a result  but reinstated again this week. "In this day and age  where you've got women that are like the leaders of certain industries and women that are heads of state and not to be able to join a golf course? I mean  it's obscene. It's ridiculous  McIlroy told a news conference ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational event in Florida. So  they sort of saw sense. I still think that it got to this stage  is horrendous."


 Pharrell the musical: Coming to a screen near you

He's familiar as an award-winning music producer and singer-songwriter but what is known about Pharrell Williams' early life? If the answer is "not much"  that could soon change as Williams' youth is to inspire a big-screen musical  according to The Hollywood Reporter. Williams  43  will produce Atlantis - described as Romeo and Juliet with songs. Broadway director Michael Mayer will act as the project's guiding hand. Mayer is best known for productions such Spring Awakening  for which he won a Tony award  as well as American Idiot  based on the music of Green Day. Atlantis' writer will be Martin Hynes  who is currently working on the fourth Toy Story film.


Appeals court refuses to reinstate Trump's travel ban

A federal appeals court Thursday refused to let President Trump reinstitute a temporary ban on travelers from seven majority-Muslim nations, ruling that it violates the due process rights of people affected without a sufficient national security justification.

The unanimous verdict quoted a 75-year-old Supreme Court precedent that said courts have a duty "in time of war as well as in time of peace, to preserve unimpaired the constitutional safeguards of civil liberty.


YouTube automates sound effect captions with AI

YouTube has used algorithms to automatically caption speech for eight years now in an effort to make its billions of videos more accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing. While the feature was pretty rough at first, it has significantly improved it over time, getting "closer and closer to human transcription error rates," Google said in its developers blog. Since speech is just one part of the audio picture, though, YouTube has launched automatic sound effect captioning for the first time.

For now, the system can just show three classes of sounds: Applause, music and laughter.


Schools Use Technology to Improve Gym Classes

Physical education teachers at Parker Middle School are noticing a little extra hustle from their students.

When a volleyball rolls across the gym floor during drills, several students chase after it. Sometimes they start doing jumping jacks between relay races.

"It's all about turning their wrist monitors red," said Heather Karns, a physical education teacher for the General McLane School District.

The monitors are part of a technology program the school started using about six weeks ago to help students exercise more efficiently in gym class. The monitors, which look like wrist watches, keep track of each student's heart rate and calories burned.


Administration Sets New Rules for Federal Child Care Program

The Obama administration set new standards and quality control measures for the federal child care subsidy program Friday, requiring states to perform criminal background checks on educators and to conduct annual unannounced inspections at child care centers.

The rules come in the wake of Congress approving and the president signing a sweeping update to the Child Care Development Block Grant, the federal program that provides subsidies to working families for child care.


Need to reach Trump? Call Rhona.

When longtime friends and associates of President Donald Trump want to reach him, they don't go directly to the White House. Instead, they call the woman who's been the gatekeeper at Trump Tower for a quarter century: Rhona Graff.

Since Trump took office in January, Graff has become a conduit for those who want to quietly offer advice, make personnel suggestions or get on the president's calendar when he's at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The list includes investor Ken Langone and Hank Greenberg, the chairman & CEO of CV Starr whose assistant recently went to Graff about trying to set up a lunch with Trump, according to a person with knowledge of the call.


Toyota teams up with Microsoft to bring voice recognition to cars

Toyota owes Microsoft a big ol' "thank you" when it comes to the future of the automaker's connected cars.

Microsoft will license a good deal of its connected car patents to Toyota, Automotive News reports. Toyota will have access to a number of intellectual properties covering operating systems, voice recognition, artificial intelligence and gesture control. It has not been disclosed how much money Toyota paid for this access, but it probably wasn't cheap.


Pence: Congress wasn't ready to repeal, replace Obamacare

Vice President Mike Pence said Congress "just wasn't ready" to repeal and replace Obamacare, joking that supporters of the House Republican health care plan could have used some WWE superstars.

Speaking in Charleston, West Virginia, following a listening session with local small business owners, and joined by Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon, the former CEO of the WWE, said Trump worked "tirelessly" to get Congress to pass the American Health Care Act.

"I got to tell you, I was inspired by President Trump's determination and commitment to keep his promise to the American people," Pence said.


Sources: FBI investigation continues into 'odd' computer link between Russian bank and Trump Organization

(CNN)Federal investigators and computer scientists continue to examine whether there was a computer server connection between the Trump Organization and a Russian bank, sources close to the investigation tell CNN.

Questions about the possible connection were widely dismissed four months ago. But the FBI's investigation remains open, the sources said, and is in the hands of the FBI's counterintelligence team -- the same one looking into Russia's suspected interference in the 2016 election.
One U.S. official said investigators find the server relationship "odd" and are not ignoring it. But the official said there is still more work for the FBI to do. Investigators have not yet determined whether a connection would be significant.


Wi-Fi Microscopes Help Texas Students With Science

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) - Once students began opting to trade in precious recess time for more time in the classroom, Teri Gonzalez knew the school's investment had paid off.
"If it helps them to begin nurturing that love for science, I'm willing to allow them more time to learn," the fifth-grade teacher at Magee Elementary School said.

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times (http://bit.ly/2gdcS3V) reports the investment comes in the form of 57 Wi-Fi microscopes purchased by officials at the school for its K-5 student curriculum.


 Planet Earth leads field with nine Bafta Craft nominations

Planet Earth II was a hit with viewers when it aired last year - and now it seems to have wowed Bafta as well. The BBC One nature documentary has received nine nominations ahead of its annual Craft Awards  which celebrate behind the scenes talent in television. Netflix drama The Crown follows with seven nominations  while the BBC's The Night Manager gets six. The winners will be announced on 23 April  three weeks ahead of the Bafta Television Awards on 14 May. Here's a rundown of which programmes are up for what.


 Teen with cancer dies days after Beyonce FaceTimes with her

Ebony Banks  the Houston teen battling a rare form of cancer  has died -- just days after her wish to speak to her idol Beyonce was fulfilled. A spokesman for Alief Independent School District  where Banks was a student  confirmed that she passed away early Sunday morning. "I understand she had a smile on her face till the very end  spokesman Craig Eichhorn told ABC News. Hours later, the students at Alief Hastings High School, from which Banks had recently graduated and where she was a member of the color guard for four years, organized a candlelight vigil in the band practice lot. Members of the color guard held their candles up in the air and swayed along to the song Halo" by Beyonce.


First lady Melania Trump touts equality at International Women's Day luncheon

Washington (CNN) First lady Melania Trump spoke about equality, freedom and the responsibility women have to help each other achieve success at an invitation-only luncheon honoring International Women's Day Wednesday at the White House.

"As an immigrant myself, having grown up in a communist society, I know all too well the value and importance of freedom and equal opportunity -- ideals which this great nation was founded and has continued to strive towards throughout its history," Trump said according to her prepared remarks obtained by CNN from Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, senior adviser and chief strategist to the first lady.


 Liverpool hire jet for return of Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino

Liverpool are taking no risks in their preparations for Saturday's Merseyside derby by hiring a private jet to return Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino from international duty in Brazil. The influential attacking duo are preparing to play in Brazil's World Cup qualifier against Paraguay in São Paulo on Tuesday. The game is scheduled to start at 9.45pm local time – 1.45am on Wednesday BST – leaving them only two full days to prepare for Everton's visit in the 12.30pm kick-off. Liverpool's owner  Fenway Sports Group  has sanctioned the rental of a jet to enable Coutinho and Firmino to return to training with Jürgen Klopp's squad on Thursday.


Clinton's emotional concession: This is 'painful and will be for a long time'

Hillary Clinton ended her historic presidential campaign Wednesday, saying it is "painful and will be for a long time," as she urged for a peaceful transfer of power.

"Donald Trump is going to be our president," she said in her concession speech. "I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans," Clinton told a room of emotional aides and supporters, who gave her an extended round of applause.

"We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America and always will. And if you do, then we must accept this" election outcome, she added. "We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead.


YouTube reverses some restrictions on gay-themed content

The YouTube video shows two women, dressed in suits and ties. They smile; they sniffle back tears; they gaze into each other's eyes. They are reading their wedding vows to one another.

The four-minute video titled "Her Vows" contains no nudity, violence or swearing. There's no revealing clothing. No one is engaging in activities that have a "high risk of injury or death." And yet, YouTube had deemed the video unsuitable for people under 18.

YouTube acknowledged Monday that it might have made a mistake, saying in a tweet, "Some videos have been incorrectly labeled and that's not right. We're on it! More to come." The restriction on the vows video was lifted by Monday afternoon.


GPS device to prevent false Everest claims by climbers

Nepal will provide GPS tracking devices to some mountaineers who attempt to scale Mount Everest this year to prevent them from making false summit claims and to track climbers in distress, an official said on Monday.

Climbers who reach the 8,850-metre (29,035-feet) Everest summit must produce photographs showing them at the top as proof of their ascent, as well as a report from their liaison official who stays at base camp.

The government banned an Indian couple from mountaineering in Nepal for 10 years last year after they faked a photograph to show them atop the world's tallest peak.


The oldest Vespa in existence is up for auction

If you dream of zipping around Rome on a classic Vespa like Audrey Hepburn, then listen up. The world's oldest Vespa is up for auction.

The scooter is from Piaggio's "0 Series" with the serial number 1003, making it the third prototype of 60 made by the famous company.

Because the first two have since gone to scooter heaven, 1003 is now the oldest Vespa. When the auction is over, the deep-pocketed owner won't win just a museum piece, because this Vespa still runs.


Poll: Trump's approval rating dips to new low of 37 percent

President Donald Trump's approval rating has dipped to a new low of 37 percent in the Quinnipiac University poll.

A majority of American voters surveyed by Quinnipiac between March 16 and 21 - 56 percent - said they disapprove of the president's job performance. Quinnipiac's last survey, on March 7, had Trump's standing at a slightly better 41 percent approve, 52 percent disapprove rating.

In more bad news for Trump in the most recent survey, 60 percent of voters said they believe he is dishonest; 55 percent said he does not have good leadership skills; and 57 percent do not think he cares about average Americans.


Tesco to pay £129m fine over accounting scandal

Tesco is to pay out £235m to settle investigations by the Serious Fraud Office and Financial Conduct Authority into the 2014 accounting scandal that rocked Britain's biggest retailer. It will pay a fine of £129m as part of a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the SFO  although this deal requires court approval. The DPA relates to Tesco subsidiary Tesco Stores Ltd. The supermarket group has separately agreed with the FCA to pay about £85m in compensation to investors affected by a trading statement on 29 August 2014 that overstated profits. Tesco will also pay legal costs associated with the agreements and said the total exceptional charge was expected to be £235m.


Neil deGrasse Tyson goes supernova on Trump budget

(CNN)Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson believes President Donald Trump's first proposed budget could make America "weak," "sick" and "stupid."

"The fastest way to Make America Weak Again: Cut science funds to our agencies that support it," he tweeted Sunday as part of a social media rampage against the President. "The fastest way to Make America Sick Again: Cut funding to the National Institutes of Health.


Sienna Miller on why her new role is not 'just a wife'

If there's one thing Sienna Miller has in common with the character she plays in exploration epic Lost City of Z  it's that she's not afraid to air her views  loud and clear. So much so that she altered a script when she thought Nina Fawcett was appearing as too much of a stereotypical "wife" - with the director framing the scrawled-on piece of paper. The film - based on a true story - is about explorer Percy Fawcett  played by Charlie Hunnam  and his quest to find a mysterious lost city in the heart of the Amazon. His first mission in 1906  accompanied by surveying partner Henry Costin (played by Robert Pattinson)  sees them return with apparent evidence that this previously undiscovered community exists. Percy is drawn to return again and again  while his wife supports him and raises their family.


Brexit talks will fail without compromise: José Manuel Barroso

Brexit negotiations are on course to fail unless both Britain and the European Union ditch their winner-takes-all approach to the coming talks  the former president of the European commission José Manuel Barroso has said. With just days to go before Theresa May formally notifies Brussels of the UK's intention to leave the EU  Jean-Claude Juncker's predecessor said the two sides were playing a dangerous game. The UK's prime minister has said she believes "no deal is better than a bad deal"  and some in her cabinet have openly talked up the prospect of walking away from the negotiating table.


California Upholds Auto Emissions Standards

Setting Up Face-Off With Trump  "California's clean-air agency voted on Friday to push ahead with stricter emissions standards for cars and trucks  setting up a potential legal battle with the Trump administration over the state's plan to reduce planet-warming gases. The vote  by the California Air Resources Board  is the boldest indication yet of California's plan to stand up to President Trump's agenda. Leading politicians in the state  from the governor down to many mayors  have promised to lead the resistance to Mr. Trump's policies. Mr. Trump  backing industry over environmental concerns  said easing emissions rules would help stimulate auto manufacturing. He vowed last week to loosen the regulations. Automakers are aggressively pursuing those changes after years of supporting stricter standards.


 Laptop cabin ban 'ineffective' says IATA

The US and UK ban on laptops in cabin baggage on certain flights will not be an effective security measure  the International Air Transport Association has said. In a strongly worded speech  IATA chief executive Alexandre de Juniac said the ban also caused commercial distortions. The US ban was brought in as an anti-terrorist precaution. It covers inbound flights on airlines operating out of 10 airports in the Middle East  North Africa and Turkey. The British ban is similar but applies to different airlines. Airline passengers on 14 carriers are subject to the ban on inbound direct flights from Turkey  Lebanon  Jordan  Egypt  Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.


German Power Spat With Denmark Holds Up Single Market Trade

A long-running squabble between Denmark and Germany over power cables linking the countries has cut the amount of electricity Nordic producers can supply to Europe's biggest market to the lowest level in 17 years.  Germany cut import capacity from mainland Denmark by 89 percent on average last year  the most since a power market between the nations started in 2000. It's a consequence of Chancellor Angela Merkel's unprecedented Energiewende: the shift to wind and solar power mean surges in renewable energy production make it hard for the nation's grids to handle its own electricity  let alone imports.  The dispute is undermining the European Union's goal of breaking down national barriers for power to boost energy security and cut costs through more cross-border trading. Talks between Germany and Denmark have floundered  with no resolution emerging from their latest meeting on the matter in Berlin last week.


Roger Federer beats Roberto Bautista Agut as Stan Wawrinka loses to Alexander Zverev

Roger Federer saw off Roberto Bautista Agut at the Miami Open to remain on course for back-to-back Masters titles but top seed Stan Wawrinka is out Federer has begun 2017 with some of the best  and most unexpected  form of his career and after claiming Masters title number 25 at Indian Wells just over a week ago  he remains on course for number 26 this weekend having equalled his best start to a season (16-1) with a 7-6 7-6 triumph. The Swiss did not have everything his own way against Bautista Agut  needing a couple of tie-breaks to see off the Spanish 14th seed in just under two hours.


Following YouTube gaffe, AT&T, Verizon may pull most of their ads from Google

After their ads appeared next to extremist content on YouTube, telecom companies AT&T and Verizon said they were going to pull their ads from the video site. But the fallout may go further than just YouTube.

Google's Chief Business Officer Phillip Schindler issued an apology on the company's blog on Monday, saying the practice is unacceptable. "We know that this is unacceptable to the advertisers and agencies who put their trust in us," Schindler wrote in the blog statement.


Millie Bobby Brown taking a 'rest' between appearances and 'Stranger Things' filming

Millie Bobby Brown has been promoting "Stranger Things" seemingly nonstop lately and is now taking some time for herself. Brown  who plays the mysterious Eleven on the hit Netflix series  posted an apology to fans on Instagram after having to cancel an appearance. "I have had to cancel a Comic Con last minute  which is something I've never  never done  and I'm planning on never doing again  Brown said in the video. I just think I've worked too hard and I have to rest  as I've had a really long shoot and I'm still filming 'Stranger Things.'" The 13-year-old has been seen hitting a string of red-carpet and high-profile events  often alongside her fellow cast members.


 Indian Wells: Roger Federer beats Stan Wawrinka to win BNP Paribas Open

Australian Open champion Roger Federer beat Stan Wawrinka 6-4 7-5 in an all-Swiss final to win the BNP Paribas Open - his fifth Indian Wells triumph. World number 10 Federer claimed the first set before being broken for the first time at this year's tournament in the first game of the second set. Wawrinka  the world number three  went 2-0 ahead before Federer won three games in a row on his way to the title. Elena Vesnina beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-7 (6-8) 7-5 6-4 in the women's final. Federer becomes the oldest champion in the tournament's history  surpassing Jimmy Connors  who was 31 when he triumphed in 1984. This was the 23rd meeting between Federer  an 18-time Grand Slam winner  and Wawrinka. Federer  35  has beaten his compatriot  who was in tears at the end  20 times. "This has been a fairy tale week  said Federer. It's a beautiful feeling. Maybe it's not as surprising as Australia but it's still great to back it up by winning in America.


Apple cuts prices on lower-end iPads, releases red iPhones

Apple is cutting prices on two iPad models and introducing red iPhones, but the company held back on updating its higher-end iPad Pro tablets.

A much-speculated 10.5-inch iPad Pro didn't materialize, nor did new versions of existing sizes in the Pro lineup, which is aimed at businesses and creative professionals. The new devices are mostly refreshes of existing models. Apple unveiled them through press releases Tuesday rather than a staged event, as it typically does for bigger product releases.


STEM Students Create Winning Invention

STREAMWOOD, Ill. (AP) -- It's a small generator that could power a small light, but the invention could pay some big dividends for a group of Streamwood High School students.

Their wind-powered generator idea won the state competition in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest, which encourages teachers and students to solve real-world issues using classroom skills in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The 16 students will compete this spring for 10 national finalist slots and ultimately a prize of up to $200,000.


Survey Finds College Applications from International Students Down

Colleges and universities in the U.S. could see a sharp decline in enrollment of international students if initial figures from a survey are an early indicator of what's to come.

Nearly 40 percent of responding U.S. institutions are reporting a drop in international student applications, particularly from students in the Middle East, according to initial findings from a survey of 250 schools. Declines are also reported for students from China and India at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.


 Sean Spicer tells reporter to 'stop shaking your head'

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told a reporter to "stop shaking your head" during an exchange at his daily press briefing Tuesday. Spicer appeared annoyed by April Ryan  Washington bureau chief for American Urban Radio Networks  when she asked what President Trump's administration would do to revamp its image following reports of its ties to Russia. Spicer objected to the premise  saying: "I appreciate your agenda here. At some point  report the facts." He said there has been no proven collusion between Trump associates and Russian officials over interference in last year's election  quipping that "if the president put Russian salad dressing on his salad tonight  somehow that's a Russian connection." Spicer said Ryan appeared "hell-bent" on projecting her own image of the White House when she asked what Trump might be doing to repair a relationship with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice  who did not support his campaign and was meeting with the president later this week. "Please stop shaking your head again  Spicer said to Ryan. He said the president was fulfilling a promise to build bridges with both supporters and opponents.


Supreme Court Expands Rights for Students with Disabilities

In a unanimous decision with major implications for students with disabilities, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that schools must provide higher educational standards for children with special needs.

The 8-0 ruling in the Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District case states that schools must do more than provide a "merely more than de minimis" education for students with disabilities and instead must provide them with an opportunity to make "appropriately ambitious" progress in line with the federal education law.

"When all is said and done," wrote Chief Justice John G. Roberts, "a student offered an education program providing a 'merely more than de minimis' progress from year to year can hardly be said to have been offered an education at all.


 How a Red State City Fell in Love With Muslim Immigrants

Every week  hosts Dan Moss and Scott Lanman bring you a jargon-free dive into the stories that drive the global economy. Post-industrial Midwestern America helped propel Donald Trump to the nation's top job. You've heard that a hundred times. But did you hear about St Louis? A wave of Bosnian refugees  many of them Muslim  arrive in the city  starting in the mid-1990s. The result: a surge in business and job creation  revitalization of the community and help in the transition from a manufacturing to a service economy. Sadik Kukic tells Dan and Michelle about his journey from Balkan concentration camps to a pillar of the local community: He's now president of the Bosnian Chamber of Commerce. What could be more American?


Yahoo Reveals Massive Breach of Data from 500M Accounts

Popular web portal Yahoo said today that it believes a "state-sponsored actor" stole information relating to some 500 million user accounts from its network at the end of 2014.

But Yahoo only learned about the breach "in the last few weeks," a source familiar with the matter told ABC News.

The stolen information, according to Yahoo, could include names, email addresses, dates of birth, telephone numbers, password information, and possibly the question-answer combinations for security questions, which are often used to reset passwords.


Why Green Party Presidential Candidate Jill Stein Doesn't Want Either Clinton or Trump in the White House

Jill Stein, the presidential candidate for the Green Party, says she would be unhappy with either mainstream party candidate -- Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump -- in the White House.

"No doubt, I will feel really terrible if Donald Trump becomes president. But I will also feel really terrible if Hillary Clinton becomes president," Stein told ABC News Political Director Rick Klein and Deputy Political Director Shushannah Walshe on this week's "Powerhouse Politics" podcast.

"Because, unfortunately, many of the really scary things Donald Trump talks about, Hillary Clinton in fact has already done," Stein added, referring to Clinton's positions on Libya and affairs in the Middle East.


Arne Duncan Blasts Trump Administration Over Transgender Guidance

Former Education Secretary Arne Duncan has blasted the Trump administration's decision to repeal guidance that sought to ensure transgender students have access to a bathroom that matches their gender identity.

"This week's decision by the Trump administration to withdraw guidance to school communities about how to protect transgender students reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the federal role in protecting the civil rights of students," Duncan and Catherine Lhamon, former assistant education secretary for civil rights, wrote in an op-ed in the The Washington Post. "Worse yet, it confuses states and school districts, and puts real, live children at greater risk of harm.


Frankfurt Is Cheapest Brexit Option for Housing Bankers

Brexit bankers fleeing London take note: Frankfurt is the cheapest major financial center in the European Union to live and work  according to property broker Savills Plc. The combined annual cost of renting an apartment and the per-employee office space expense totaled just under 30 000 euros ($33 000) in the German city  less than half that of Paris. Frankfurt is emerging as the favored destination for investment banks such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. that need hubs within the EU after Britain withdraws from the bloc.


This Teacher Has Personalized Handshakes For All 40 Of His Students

A 5th grade teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina knows education alone isn't necessarily enough to get his students excited for class. So he's using personalized handshakes instead.

Barry White Jr., an English teacher at Ashley Park PreK-8 School, gives personalized greetings (most of which are intermingled with dance moves) to all 40 of his students. News of his interactions originally went viral in September when the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District posted the video to their Facebook page.


Universities Push Back Against Trump on Immigration

Colleges and universities are pushing back against President Donald Trump's immigration-limiting executive order, promising to protect students and faculty even as they struggle to fully comprehend what the order means for community members who hail from the seven predominantly Muslim countries to which it specifically applies.

"We believe this executive order is fundamentally inconsistent with the values that are the bedrock of Boston University and, indeed, of our pluralistic, welcoming society," Boston University President Robert Brown said in a statement Sunday.


Are Autonomous Cars Ready to Go It Alone?

Training wheels for autonomous vehicles come in the shape of a human behind the wheel. But when you remove the safety driver from a robotic car, two tons of metal is let loose.

Just last week, California's Department of Motor Vehicles announced that it plans to allow companies to test autonomous cars on its roads without on-board backup drivers before the end of the year. The cars would be required to have a remote operator capable of keeping an eye on the car, but nevertheless, as the Guardian correctly points out, the news feels like a defining moment for the technology. Has it matured enough to finally let us place our faith in the ability of the robot?


 Channel 4 'could move out of London'

Proposals on whether to move Channel 4 out of London will be considered as part of a government consultation. Plans to privatise the TV company have been shelved  but where it spends its money is also under review  Culture Secretary Karen Bradley has announced. She said the government wants "the benefits of this national asset to be spread far and wide  not just in London". Channel 4 said a "substantial relocation would be highly damaging". The government carried out an 18-month review of the publicly-owned channel  which has more than 800 staff but fewer than 30 based outside central London. Ms Bradley will outline the consultation plans at the Nations and Regions Media Conference in Salford on Wednesday.


DWTS': First couple eliminated is...

The first celeb booted from "Dancing With the Stars" was criticized for being "so stiff." Unfortunately Chris Kattan can't help that because of a crippling injury in his past. The former "SNL" star shared in a video on the show Monday night that he had broken his neck 14 years ago and has had multiple surgeries since then which affect his range of motion. "Part of what I used to do was physical comedy  but now I can't  Kattan said with tears in his eyes. It's really sad when somebody says  'I miss the old Chris.' That sucks to hear." His dance partner  Witney Carson  was also moved to tears after Kattan showed her an x-ray of his back with all the surgical pins he has. "It's crazy that somebody can have that happen to them  and then be brave enough to try something like this  she said.


 NYC apartment featuring David Bowie's piano on the market for $6.5 million

The chance to play the late David Bowie's piano while enjoying unobstructed views of Central Park in a New York City apartment could be yours for $6.495 million. A three-bedroom  two-and-a-half-bath apartment once owned by Bowie and his wife  Iman  went on the market on Monday. The couple sold the apartment  located in the Essex House on Central Park South  in 2002  10 years after they wed. Bowie's Yamaha piano was included in the 2002 sale and has remained in the apartment ever since. The current sellers  who did not buy the apartment from Bowie and Iman  are keeping the tradition alive by including the piano in the listing price. "I would imagine it is hard to move but I think it's really a great catch for buyers  the apartment's exclusive agent, Bernice Leventhal of the Corcoran Group, told ABC News. The 1,877-square-foot home is used as a pied-à-terre by its current owners. It features a limestone foyer, walk-in closet, two master-sized bedrooms and a master bath with a rain shower and heated floors.


 Olivia Newton-John hints at possible reunion with John Travolta for 40th anniversary of 'Grease'

Good news for fans hopelessly devoted to "Grease" stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Newtwon-John told Britain's The Mirror that a reunion could be in the works next year to mark the 1978 film's 40th anniversary. The Australian actress and singer  68  confirmed that she and Travolta have been discussing ideas for a reunion  but she didn't divulge any details. Speaking ahead of the Fame Awards at Hard Rock Live in Las Vegas  where she was receiving the Icon Award  Newton-John told The Mirror  "We are thinking up ways. Nothing to announce yet." "Forty years anniversary of 'Grease ' which I can't believe  she continued. Time goes so fast. It is so exciting." Marking the 40th anniversary could be one of Newton-John's last performances before she retires from 50 years in show business. "As time goes on I think of doing less and having more time off  she said. But it wouldn't be the first time the thought has crossed her mind. Every year for the last 20 years  I thought I was retiring and then somebody would say  'How about this?' and it's like  'Oh  that looks fun ' or 'How about this?'" Newton-John admitted. "Things that I would never think about."


 Shailene Woodley reaches deal to avoid jail over pipeline protest

US actress Shailene Woodley has reached a plea deal over her involvement in the protest against the Dakota Access oil pipeline. Woodley  star of the Divergent series  was one of 27 people arrested at the site last October. She has now signed a document agreeing to plead guilty to misdemeanour disorderly conduct  which would mean she would avoid jail. The pipeline project has been highly controversial and drawn huge protests. Native Americans say it will desecrate sacred land and damage the environment.


Trump calls Democrats 'losers' after GOP health bill failure

President Donald Trump spoke out Friday afternoon after Republicans pulled the Obamacare overhaul he had endorsed, criticizing Democratic opposition to the bill and passing off the responsibility for its failure.

"I've been saying for the last year and a half that the best thing we can do politically speaking is let Obamacare explode," said Trump, who supported the plan and spent much of the past week personally lobbying for its success.

The American Health Care Act was pulled from an anticipated vote Friday afternoon after it became apparent the bill did not have enough votes to pass.


Texas Must Broaden Death-Penalty Exemption, High Court Says

A divided U.S. Supreme Court said Texas must broaden its death-penalty exemption for people who are intellectually disabled, ruling that the state was violating the Constitution by using outdated medical standards.

The 5-3 ruling could mean a new sentencing hearing for Bobby James Moore, 57, who was convicted of fatally shooting James McCarble during a 1980 grocery store robbery in Houston.

Writing for the majority, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said that, while states have some flexibility to determine who's ineligible for the death penalty, they can't completely disregard current medical standards.


How does nutrition affect children's school performance?

As politicians debate spending and cuts in President Donald Trump's proposed budget, there have been questions about the effects of nutrition programs for kids.

From before birth and through the school years, there are decades-old food programs designed to make sure children won't go hungry. Experts agree that the nutrition provided to millions of children through school meal programs is invaluable for their health.


White House attacks Clintons in pushback against Manafort allegations

White House press secretary Sean Spicer attacked former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in response to a report raising concerns about former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's connections to Russia.

"So an individual...who worked with a Russian entity a decade ago is subject to rampant media speculation all day long, even though the Clintons had more extensive ties," Spicer said, as he attempted to characterize a double standard.


 Alec Baldwin says he nearly passed on playing Donald Trump on 'SNL'

Alec Baldwin has revealed that he almost passed on playing Donald Trump on "Saturday Night Live." The actor told Vanity Fair for its April cover story that he originally passed on "SNL" producer Lorne Michaels' offer to play Trump but changed his mind after a film role fell through. "I was supposed to do a film. And the people who were doing the film were supposed to escrow money to guarantee that I would get paid  he said in a video accompanying the cover story. And they didn't put the money in escrow. And that's when I hung up and said I'm not going to go do the movie and I'm going to go do the thing with Lorne. And I think to myself  'What if I hadn't done that?' ... It's turned out to be this incredible opportunity." Baldwin's impression has been so popular that he has parlayed it into an upcoming satirical book and made his record 17th appearance as host of "SNL" earlier this year. He talks about playing Trump  working with "SNL" stars Kate McKinnon and Tina Fey  and starring in the best role of his life in his new memoir "Nevertheless  due out next month. Vanity Fair published an exclusive excerpt.


The Teacher Shortage Crisis Is Here

As students headed back to school this year in and around Tampa, Florida, thousands of teacher positions had yet to be filled. It followed a year in which tens of thousands of teachers were hired on emergency or temporary credentials to help fill empty slots around the country - 900 of them in Oklahoma alone. And in Arizona, which has one of the highest teacher turnover rates in the country, school districts routinely report having unfilled teaching positions three months into the school year.

The teacher shortage crisis is here, at least according to a new report from the Learning Policy Institute, and it stands to get worse.


 Former IndyCar and Nascar driver David Steele killed during Florida race

Sprint car veteran David Steele has died during a race in Florida. Desoto Speedway officials said in a Facebook post on Saturday night that track owners and staff were saddened by the crash. The statement says Steele was trying to win his 100th race in Florida. "Desoto Speedway owners and staff are saddened by tonight's passing of David Steele in the Sprint car feature  the post read. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends who were all in attendance  to see him try to win his 100th Florida race." A Manatee County Sheriff's Office report says Steele was driving a sprint car when his vehicle's left front wheel struck the right rear wheel of another car  causing Steele's vehicle to go up in the air  spin 180 degrees and hit the retaining wall. Medics attempted to treat him but he was pronounced dead. He was 42.


Amazon has more budget phones to sell you

Take a handful of budget phones. Cut their price even more. Voila -- you've got another hit on Amazon.

The online retailer said Thursday that it's building on the popularity of its discounted phones program, called Prime Exclusive Phones, by adding two more devices to the lineup. Prime customers in the US can now preorder the Motorola Moto G5 Plus starting at $185, at least $45 below full retail price, or the Alcatel A30 for $60, at $40 off, Amazon said. These discounted prices, available only to Prime members, come thanks to ads Amazon slaps on the devices' lock screens.


Healthier Cereals Snare a Spot on New York School Menus

The New York City public school system has quietly replaced breakfast cereals made by the Kellogg Company, the titan whose name is virtually synonymous with cereal, with those from a small California upstart called Back to the Roots.

The switch, which follows a student taste test that began last spring, adds menu options that are lower in sugar and sodium and higher in whole grains. Coming in the nation's largest school system, and potentially spreading to other large districts that collaborate with New York in bulk purchases, it is one of the biggest signs to date of the inroads that small food companies are making into the mainstream.


Melania Trump hires communications director

(CNN)First lady Melania Trump is tapping a key member of the White House communications staff for her East Wing team -- deputy press secretary Stephanie Grisham will serve as the first lady's communications director, the White House announced Monday.

Grisham was the director of traveling press during President Donald Trump's campaign, responsible for securing and running the campaign's press plane, which traveled independently in a separate plane from the candidate. She was one of the early members of the campaign's press operation, working Trump events around the country during the beginning stages of the campaign before leaving her job in Arizona to join Trump's team full-time. She was known fondly by reporters on the campaign trail for her no-nonsense approach to working with the press.


Biden: Trump should apologize for Obama wiretap claim

Joe Biden said President Donald Trump should apologize to former President Barack Obama for his accusation that the Obama administration wiretapped Trump Tower.

"Any gentleman would," the former vice president said.

Obama, via a spokesperson, denied that he wiretapped Trump Tower after the current president tweeted the accusation. FBI Director James Comey this week also testified that there's no evidence the Obama administration surveilled Trump during the leadup to the e2016 election


Hillary Clinton's Team to Join Wisconsin Recount Pushed by Jill Stein

WASHINGTON - Nearly three weeks after Election Day, Hillary Clinton's campaign said on Saturday that it would participate in a recount process in Wisconsin incited by a third-party candidate and would join any potential recounts in two other closely contested states, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

The Clinton campaign held out little hope of success in any of the three states, and said it had seen no "actionable evidence" of vote hacking that might taint the results or otherwise provide new grounds for challenging Donald J. Trump's victory. But it suggested it was going along with the recount effort to assure supporters that it was doing everything possible to verify that hacking by Russia or other irregularities had not affected the results.


Walking Dead' star Lauren Cohan on season 7 finale: 'It's heartbreaking'

Lauren Cohan  who has played farm girl-turned-fighter Maggie since season 2 of "The Walking Dead  isn't giving away any spoilers for the season 7 finale. But she does acknowledge that it will be heartbreaking." "You're certainly in for a lot of emotion  she told HarpersBazaar.com in a new interview. [It's] incredibly bittersweet  beautiful and heartbreaking." As any fan of the show knows  AMC's zombie apocalypse drama has always been heartbreaking -- evidenced in this season's premiere when two of the show's beloved cast members fell victim to Negan  played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. As always  the cast held a traditional sendoff  or so called "death dinner  for their fallen cast members. It's funny when I stop to think about calling them death dinners. It's such a frequent part of our lingo that I forget how absurd it is  like spying on your own funeral  Cohan explained. We've had some of our best nights together at them. There's always a lot of tears  but we also have bonfires and play games and get to tell the family member leaving how much we love them -- and  you know  completely embarrass them."


 Real Madrid may not be willing to pay £100m for Eden Hazard

says Ramon Calderon  "Real Madrid are in a "very good situation" financially but may not be willing to pay £100m to sign Chelsea's Eden Hazard  says former president Ramon Calderon. The Spanish giants want to sign Hazard  according to Sky sources  but talks between the clubs have not taken place and the forward is under contract until June 2020. A report in Spanish newspaper Marca on Tuesday morning claimed Chelsea would be willing to sell the forward to Real. The Blues do not comment on what they regard as media speculation and rumour and declined to offer a response to that report. However  Calderon claims any potential move would depend on the wishes of the Belgian and says that would be key if the Champions League holders were to take the 26-year-old to the Bernabeu. When asked if Real would break the transfer record  Calderon told Sky Sports News HQ: "I don't know but I guess if Chelsea are going to let him go they will have to ask for a lot of money.


How Companies and Colleges Can Get the U.S. Back to Work

Last Friday, the Labor Department announced that the U.S. economy had enjoyed a record 76 consecutive months with job gains. Yet at the same time, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that 5.6 million jobs remain unfilled because of a pernicious "skills gap" -- or mismatch between employers' needs and workers' abilities. In a Business Roundtable survey, 45 percent of C-suite executives say hiring is particularly difficult in so-called STEM fields, those requiring expertise in science, technology, engineering and math.

College graduates themselves are no less concerned: A national survey commissioned by Northeastern University found that just 14 percent of recent college graduates believe their education prepared them to work with artificial intelligence and robotics -- innovations poised to transform the American workplace.


Emma Thompson felt 'too fat' to live in LA

British actress Emma Thompson has said she never moved to Los Angeles because she felt she was deemed "too fat" when she visited. "It is a strange place and I couldn't live there  she told Swedish chat show Skavlan. The Oscar winner also condemned the pressure on actresses to be thin. The anorexia - there are so many kids  girls and boys now  and actresses who are very  very thin  who are into their 30s  [and] simply don't eat  she said. The star also revealed she threatened to quit working on 2008 film Brideshead Revisited in reaction to a co-star who had been told to shed the pounds. She said: The producers said to her  'Will you lose some weight?'. She was absolutely exquisite. "I said to them  'If you speak to her about this again  on any level  I will leave this picture. You are never to do that'.


Brazil qualify for 2018 World Cup after Coutinho and Neymar down Paraguay

Brazil have become the first team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup  maintaining their proud record as the tournament's only ever-present side with a little help from Lionel Messi's foul mouth and lightly regarded Peru. The five-times champions beat Paraguay 3-0 on Tuesday for their eighth successive win in the South American qualifying competition. That in itself was not enough to confirm their participation in Russia but Peru's surprise 2-1 win over Uruguay in a later game guaranteed Brazil a top-four finish.


Cristiano Ronaldo into all-time top 10 international goalscorers

Cristiano Ronaldo's 71st goal for Portugal took him into the all-time top 10 in international history. The Portuguese star netted the opener in their 3-2 friendly defeat against Sweden on Tuesday on his 138th appearance  taking him to joint-ninth in the standings  level with Majed Abdullah of Saudi Arabia  Kiatisuk Senamuang of Thailand and Miroslav Klose of Germany. He still has some way to go to catch all-time leader Ali Daei  however  who netted 109 times for Iran in 149 caps. Ronaldo's goal also took him to joint-third with Klose in the European list  behind the legendary Hungarian pair of Ferenc Puskas (84)  and Sandor Kocsis (75).


Betsy DeVos's Education Hearing Erupts Into Partisan Debate

WASHINGTON - At her confirmation hearing on Tuesday to be education secretary, Betsy DeVos vigorously defended her work steering taxpayer dollars from traditional public schools, arguing that it was time to move away from a "one size fits all" system and toward newer models for students from preschool to college.

The hearing quickly became a heated and partisan debate that reflected the nation's political divide on how best to spend public money in education.


 Jake Gyllenhaal opens up about 'Life' and his friendship with Ryan Reynolds

The Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal opened up about his role in the new sci-fi thriller "Life" in an interview with "Good Morning America" anchor Michael Strahan that aired today and also spoke out about his friendship with co-star Ryan Reynolds. In "Life  Gyllenhaal plays Dr. David Jordan, who is leading a crew on a mission to discover life on Mars. He said his character looked at humanity ... and was a real cynic." "He'd seen a lot of tough stuff as a doctor. I think he worked in war-torn areas and stuff  Gyllenhaal said of his character, adding that he maybe hoped that space would be as we all hope  the new frontier." "It was interesting to play a character like that  because I feel the same way sometimes about things that are going on down here  he said. But I think being here and staying here  particularly in this country  you know  now and in the world  is the most important thing." Gyllenhaal added that he would not go into outer space even if he could  saying  "I'd like my feet on the ground  you know."


We all know why the right is angry at Tomi Lahren

Conservative darling-turned-pariah Tomi Lahren is getting a crash course on what the right thinks of women. Lahren  a 24-year-old known for her video monologues delivered in a brash  self-aggrandizing tone  rose to quick prominence within right-wing media. She's young  blond  opinionated and conservative  and unafraid to use sex appeal as a cudgel. "It seems feminists are all about freedom of expression so long as the females are overweight or transgender  she says in one video. Being a young, attractive, conservative woman also gave her cover to make the kind of startlingly cruel comments that would have sunk other careers -- suggesting, for example, that Syrian refugees fleeing for their lives (and the lives of their children) were cowards who wouldn't stay to defend their country. Americans stand up and fight for faith  family and freedom  reads the text overlaid on an image of herself, which she tweeted. Syrians run away."


Scientists Bristle at Trump Budget's Cuts to Research

Before he became president, Donald J. Trump called climate change a hoax, questioned the safety of vaccines and mocked renewable energy as a plaything of "tree-huggers."

So perhaps it is no surprise that Mr. Trump's first budget took direct aim at basic scientific and medical research.

Still, the extent of the cuts in the proposed budget unveiled early Thursday shocked scientists, researchers and program administrators. The reductions include $5.8 billion, or 18 percent, from the National Institutes of Health, which fund thousands of researchers working on cancer and other diseases, and $900 million, or a little less than 20 percent, from the Department of Energy's Office of Science, which funds the national laboratories, considered among the crown jewels of basic research in the world.


NASA Finds Water on Mars

In a groundbreaking discovery, NASA astronomers announced today they have found strong evidence that water flows on the surface of Mars. The finding makes it much more likely that life may exist or could have existed on the planet.

"We see features that look like gullies formed by flowing water and the deposits of soil and rocks transported by these flows," said Michael Malin, principal investigator for the Mars Orbiter Camera on the Mars Global Surveyer spacecraft at Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego. Malin and co-author Ken Edgett conclude in their study, to be published next week in the journal Science, that the streaks must have been formed by seeping water.