What Happens When You Report Sexual Harassment?

By NILO TABRIZY and DREW JORDAN from NYT U.S. http://ift.tt/2D2KECQ

A Peruvian Chef Makes a Striking Los Angeles Comeback

By DAN SALTZSTEIN from NYT Travel http://ift.tt/2BZKcbA

A Catskills Inn Gets a Modern Makeover

By AMY THOMAS from NYT Travel http://ift.tt/2BpFr7R

Not Everyone Is Jolly About Christmas Trees in the Lobby

By RONDA KAYSEN from NYT Real Estate http://ift.tt/2C3DSA5

‘I Was Not Going to Accept It’: After Captivity, Blind Syrian Forges Path to U.S.

By KENNETH R. ROSEN from NYT N.Y. / Region http://ift.tt/2pigbPj

3 Months After The Hurricane, One-Third Of Puerto Rico Is Still Without Power

More than 90 days after Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico, around one-third of the U.S. territory remains without power.

Moscow: U.S. arms supply to provoke Kiev to use force in Eastern Ukraine - RIA

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Washington's decision to supply armaments to Ukraine will provoke Kiev to use force in the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, Russia's RIA state news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin as saying on Saturday.

from Reuters: World News http://ift.tt/2BoR5iZ

Houston woman accused of killing friend, taking baby as her own

A Houston woman who police said stabbed her friend to death, stole the mother's six-week-old baby girl and tried to pass the infant off as her own was arrested on Thursday, the same day authorities said they had found the missing child alive. Erika Miranda-Alvarez, 28, apparently took the baby to hide from her boyfriend and family that she had a miscarriage, police said. Due to deliver in January, she came home on Tuesday with the stolen infant, telling family that she delivered early.

More than 70 firefighters tackle blaze at London Zoo

LONDON (Reuters) - More than 70 firefighters tackled a blaze at London Zoo on Saturday after a fire broke out at a cafe and shop at the attraction although no animals were reported injured.

from Reuters: World News http://ift.tt/2D2513d

Shots fired at DMZ as North Korean soldier defects to South

By Haejin Choi and Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean guards fired warning shots across the heavily militarized border with North Korea on Thursday as a soldier from the North defected in thick fog, complicating efforts to ease tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs. A South Korean defense ministry official said up to 20 warning shots were fired as North Korean troops approached too near the "military demarcation line" at the demilitarized zone (DMZ), apparently in search of the missing soldier. Thursday's defection came about five weeks after a North Korean soldier suffered critical gunshot wounds during a defection dash across the border.

Baby Found Safe After She Was Allegedly Kidnapped By Woman Who Suffered Miscarriage

Carolina Flores, 33, was a mother of four.

White House aide says Trump hired all the right people, even the ones he fired

Despite the numerous firings and resignations in Donald Trump’s first year in office, a White House aide denies there were any mistakes in hiring.

Chaos behind them, chaos ahead, Republicans savor a moment of triumph

Paul Ryan, as 2017 wound down, looked like a man who had dodged a meteor strike. The Republican House speaker from Wisconsin, in fact, looked like a man who had been relieved of a great weight at his weekly press conference in the final days of his party’s push to pass a massive tax cut through Congress. Most days were consumed with the tweet-inspired chaos that has become the norm in Donald Trump’s Washington.

UN votes 128-9 to reject US decision on Jerusalem

The UN General Assembly on Thursday adopted by a decisive vote of 128 to nine, with 35 abstentions, a motion rejecting the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. President Donald Trump had warned ahead of the vote in the 193-nation assembly that "we're watching" and threatened reprisals against countries backing the measure, which reaffirms that the status of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations. Seven countries -- Guatemala, Honduras, Togo, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and the Marshall Islands -- joined Israel and the United States in opposing the measure.

Almost 9 Million People Enroll In Obamacare, Despite Trump's Sabotage Attempts

Health insurance enrollment on the federal Obamacare exchange marketplaces is down from last year.

Eric Schmidt stepping down as chair of Alphabet board

Google's parent company Alphabet on Thursday announced that Eric Schmidt will step down as chairman, remaining on the board but shifting into a role as a technical advisor. "In recent years, I've been spending a lot of my time on science and technology issues, and philanthropy, and I plan to expand that work," Schmidt said in a release. Schmidt's stint as executive chairman is to end at a regularly-scheduled board meeting next month, according to Alphabet.

Chicago police say Facebook 'secret groups' traffic in guns and drugs

Announcing the arrests at a news conference, Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson initially criticized Facebook as being unhelpful during a 10-month investigation by his department. Police did not detail charges facing the 50 men and women arrested through Thursday, but said there were "dozens and dozens" of private Facebook groups being used for illegal drug and weapons transactions. Arrest warrants for 18 more suspects have been signed, and most have prior criminal histories, police said.

Donald Trump approves deal for US to sell sniper rifles to Ukraine, angering Russia

The Trump administration has approved the export of lethal small arms including a multimillion dollar sniper rifle deal, ramping up its support for Ukraine in the simmering conflict with Russia-backed separatists. Moscow condemned the move as likely to escalate violence. The state department said on Wednesday it had approved a license for US manufacturers to sell .50 caliber firearms and smaller weapons to Ukraine, including assault rifles, combat shotguns, silencers, military scopes and flash suppressors. Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the license was “nothing new” since Ukraine has previously purchased small amounts of such weapons. But The Washington Post reported that the state department had approved a license for the $41.5 million commercial sale of .50 caliber Barrett M107A1 sniper rifles and ammunition to Ukraine. During a trip to eastern Ukraine this week, soldiers told The Telegraph they were outgunned by separatist snipers. The sale could complicate hopes for new peace talks and lead to further casualties in the war, which has claimed more than 10,300 lives.   Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova speaks during a press briefing this month Credit: Mikhail Japaridze/TASS via Getty Images On Thursday, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said by selling Kiev the sniper rifles and other arms, Washington was encouraging “massive bloodshed” in eastern Ukraine and becoming an “accomplice to murder”.  The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe has reported at least 1,000 ceasefire violations a day this month, although a contact group between the OSCE, Ukraine and Russia on Wednesday agreed a new ceasefire attempt for 23 December. The US congress authorised the export of lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine in a law signed in 2014, but Barack Obama's administration refrained from delivering the arms. The US government is still not directly supplying weapons to Ukraine, and the export of the much-sought Javelin antitank missiles has not been approved. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson speaks during a visit to Ukraine in July Credit: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters Donald Trump reportedly approved the sniper rifle license following a memo by defence secretary Jim Mattis and secretary of state Rex Tillerson, who have, unlike Mr Trump, harshly condemned Russia's actions in the region. The commander of a Ukrainian frontline position near Svitlodarsk told The Telegraph this week that his unit had no sniper rifles or heavy machine guns even though they're targeted by separatist snipers. Government troops have complained of equipment shortages. When the commander, who would give his name only as Gennady, was informed during the interview that separatists had moved toward the unit's positions, he could only tell his men to keep an eye on them. “They're digging a bunker on the other bank of the lake, but it's too far too shoot,” he explained. Ukrainian soldiers unload ammunition and supplies on the frontline near Luhanske Credit: Anatoliy Stepanov/For The Telegraph A soldier outside Avdiivka said a separatist sniper had killed another member of his unit last week.  The M107A1, which is known as an anti-materiel rifle because it can penetrate light armour and buildings, reportedly has an effective range of nearly 2,000 yards and is comparable to top Russian .50 caliber rifles. 

Elderly Couple Caught With $336,000 Worth of Marijuana That Was 'For Christmas Presents'

The couple had 60 pounds of marijuana in their car

Amtrak engineer remarked on train speed 6 seconds before crash: NTSB

(Reuters) - Six seconds before an Amtrak train derailed off a bridge and onto a highway near Seattle, the engineer remarked that the train was speeding, U.S. investigators said on Friday. The engineer then applied the brakes but apparently not the emergency brake, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a statement after retrieving and reviewing data from the data recorder and inward- and outward-facing cameras. Monday's crash south of Seattle killed three people and sent about 100 others to hospitals.

Chaos behind them, chaos ahead, Republicans savor a moment of triumph

Paul Ryan, as 2017 wound down, looked like a man who had dodged a meteor strike. The Republican House speaker from Wisconsin, in fact, looked like a man who had been relieved of a great weight at his weekly press conference in the final days of his party’s push to pass a massive tax cut through Congress. Most days were consumed with the tweet-inspired chaos that has become the norm in Donald Trump’s Washington.

Elderly couple arrested with 27kg of marijuana they planned on giving as Christmas presents

An elderly couple is facing felony charges in Nebraska after police pulled them over and discovered the unwrapped Christmas presents they planned on delivering to their friends and family in Vermont and Boston were actually just 60 pounds of marijuana. Patrick Jiron, 80, and Barbara Jiron, 83, were on their way east from their home in northern California to visit family for the holidays when they were pulled over by sheriff deputies in York County, Nebraska. The deputies, after catching the whiff of the strong scent of marijuana, say that they asked the driver about the smell, and were told that there was contraband in the truck.

Firefighters tackle blaze at London Zoo

LONDON (Reuters) - More than 70 firefighters were tackling a blaze at London Zoo on Saturday after fire broke out at the attraction's cafe and shop, the fire brigade said.

from Reuters: World News http://ift.tt/2BFCkN2

Judge questions whether Gates fundraiser broke gag order

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former presidential adviser Rick Gates, on house arrest in the federal Russia probe, didn't even have to leave his home this week to provoke the judge handling his case.

The road not taken for Donald Trump

An alternative history of the first year of the Trump presidency.

After Alabama, Pollsters See Reasons To Expect A Democratic Surge

Even before Democrats’ victory in last week’s Alabama Senate election, there were signs that Republicans may be in trouble in the year ahead.

Russian foreign ministry: Moscow ready to cooperate with U.S. on Afghanistan - RIA

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Moscow stands ready to cooperate with the United States on Afghanistan, Russia's Foreign Ministry official said in an interview with RIA state news agency published on Saturday.

from Reuters: World News http://ift.tt/2zjcB70

For More Than 300 Afghan Children, Many Older Than 5, Home Is Mother’s Cellblock

By ROD NORDLAND from NYT World http://ift.tt/2l1i6Cd

10 promises Trump kept in 2017

Donald Trump in 2017 moved from being a chaos candidate to a chaos president. He shoots for the moon (literally), routinely says things that aren’t true, and often makes pledges that generate enormous attention but very little follow-through. Many of his signature policy efforts have been tied up in or blocked by the courts, his campaign is under investigation by the FBI, and his approval rating is at historic lows for a first-year president.

Jordan Peele Tweets 'Get Out' Joke About Meghan Markle And Prince Harry

Jordan Peele just made a perfectly dark joke about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Christmas plans that will make any “Get Out” fan cackle.

Elderly Couple Caught With $336,000 Worth of Marijuana That Was 'For Christmas Presents'

The couple had 60 pounds of marijuana in their car

Tropical Storm in Philippines Kills Scores and Leaves Dozens Missing

By FELIPE VILLAMOR from NYT World http://ift.tt/2BCAA7g

5 ways Donald Trump has failed to 'drain the swamp'

One year into his first term, however, Trump’s pledge to root out Washington corruption has not exactly yielded the quick and easy results his slogan promised. Perhaps as a result, a new poll finds a sharp jump over the past 12 months in the number (44 percent) of Americans who think that most or all of the officials in the current administration are corrupt. A man holds up a “Drain the Swamp in Washington DC” sign as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump attends a campaign event at the airport in Kinston, N.C., Oct. 26, 2016.

Russian Foreign Ministry says latest U.S. sanctions are 'grotesque'

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The latest U.S. sanctions imposed on five Russians and Chechens are grotesque and groundless, and Moscow will hit back with tit-for-tat sanctions, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday. The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday imposed the new sanctions on the five people, including on Chechen Republic head Ramzan Kadyrov, for alleged human rights abuses. (Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Alison Williams)

The Latest: Nestle says it will follow California water laws

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on California regulators ruling on Nestle water claims (all times local):

The road not taken for Donald Trump

An alternative history of the first year of the Trump presidency.

10 promises Trump kept in 2017

Donald Trump in 2017 moved from being a chaos candidate to a chaos president. He shoots for the moon (literally), routinely says things that aren’t true, and often makes pledges that generate enormous attention but very little follow-through. Many of his signature policy efforts have been tied up in or blocked by the courts, his campaign is under investigation by the FBI, and his approval rating is at historic lows for a first-year president.

Donald Trump's decision on Jerusalem condemned by UN general assembly despite US 'bullying' over vote of censure

The United Nations general assembly has voted overwhelmingly to condemn Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in a rare emergency session of the global body. The 193-nation general assembly approved the resolution by a massive margin, with 128 nations in favour, and nine against. There were 35 abstentions. Mr Trump threatened on Wednesday to withhold aid to any country which defied the threats. Referencing tomorrow's UN vote criticizing the US embassy move. In the words of the President, "Let them vote against us, we'll save a lot." http://pic.twitter.com/eUGWD4cCBR— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) December 20, 2017 Mali withdrew their sponsorship of the resolution, in response to the US threats of retaliation. But the majority of countries shrugged off the US bullying tactics and, throwing salt into the wounds in Washington, US allies including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and South Africa added their names at the last minute to the document condemning the decision. UN vote to condemn Trump recognising Jerusalem as capital of Israel The resolution was vetoed by the United States in the 15-member UN security council on Monday, but the US cannot veto a general assembly resolution. Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the UN, used her speech ahead of the vote to emphasis that the United States is the single largest contributor to the UN and its agencies, and said that in return it expected support for its decision.  "The arguments have already been made. The decision was in accordance to US law dating back to 1995. The decision does not prejudge any final status agreement. The decision does nothing to harm peace efforts," she said. "The United States will remember this day when it was singled out in the United Nations for the act of exercising our sovereignty. "America will put our embassy in Jerusalem. It is what the American people want us to do. "This vote will make a difference at how America looks at the UN, and how we look at countries who disrespect us at the UN." Inside the United Nations general assembly hall, where on Thursday a rare emergency meeting was held to discuss Jerusalem But Riyad al-Maliki, foreign minister of the Palestinian Authority, told the assembly: "We meet today not due to any animosity towards the United States, but because of a decision that counts as an aggression. "The decision will not affect the status of Jerusalem. Rather it affects the status of the United States as a mediator of peace." He said they had ignored warnings about inflaming tensions, and described the decision as "illegal" and "provocative". On the eve of the vote, Mrs Haley had sent a letter warning countries against voting to censure the US, and said that the US will be "taking names". “The president will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those countries who voted against us. We will take note of each and every vote on this issue,” she wrote. Mr al-Maliki picked up on her words on Thursday, telling the assembly: "History records names. It records names of those who voted for what was right." The vote is non-binding, but carries political weight. Only 10 such emergency sessions have been convened since 1950, and the last time was in 2009, to discuss occupied East Jerusalem and Palestinian territories.