Australians head to the polls Saturday in election overshadowed by Trump
Australia heads to the polls on Saturday in an election overshadowed by President Trump. Will concerns over Trump's policies drive an outcome similar to what happened in Canada's elections?
6 Books On Shortlist To Win Oddest Title Prize
The competition coordinator of Britain's Diagram Prize says, "You can't judge a book by its cover, but I think people do." The winner will be announced March 22.
Sequester Cuts Free Some Immigration Detainees
Reaction is coming in after the Obama administration's unusual move releasing immigration detainees due to budget cuts. An Arizona sheriff is blasting the sequestration gridlock for undermining the safety of local communities. Immigrant rights groups, however, say it shouldn't take a budget crisis to do what they think is right.
The Hermit Pope Who Set The Precedent For Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI leaves office this week, the second pope to resign voluntarily. The first was Celestine V, a hermit who quit in 1294, after a brief and disastrous stint. Some scholars say Dante damned Celestine as a coward in his Inferno. Yet his example, legally and spiritually, played a major role in Benedict's departure.
Woman's Doorstop Is 450 Million Years Old
Betty LeMaster took her 10-pound rock to Middle Tennessee State University to have it checked out. According to the Daily News Journal, testing revealed her doorstop is fossilized coral.
Loaded Words: How Language Shapes The Gun Debate
The debate currently raging over guns goes beyond a disagreement over policy. Advocates on both sides literally disagree on the terms of the discussion — as in, the words they use to describe it. They know that the specific phrases they use tap into deeply held values in the people who hear them.
Whistling Man Is A Nuisance In Portland, Maine
Residents of Portland, Maine, said they found Robert Smith a little too cheerful. He had a habit of whistling while standing outside of homes and businesses. A city ordinance lists whistling as disorderly behavior with a fine of up to $500. The Portland Press-Herald reports Smith has agreed to whistle only while in motion.
Female Sherpa Makes Record Climbs
Few can say they've reached the summit of Mt. Everest. Even fewer can say they've done it twice. And only one woman can say she's done it twice in one month.
'Time Is Ripe' For U.S. To Support Syrian Opposition
As John Kerry undertakes his first foreign trip as Secretary of State, the challenges before him are great — especially the war in Syria. He holds a town hall meeting Tuesday in Berlin, which will give us a look at his style and public-diplomacy skills — areas where his predecessor Hillary Clinton excelled.
Witnesses To Take The Stand In BP Trial
A federal judge will hear testimony Tuesday in a civil suit over who is to blame and who should be financially liable for the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. On Monday, the court in New Orleans heard more than eight hours of opening statements from lawyers for the government and several defendants.
Manhattan Boasts Valuble Air Rights
Developers paid more than $40 million for the empty space above Christ Church on Park Avenue at 60th Street. The New York Times reports zoning laws allow for a structure taller than the church to be built on its land, and the church can transfer its unused development rights to an adjoining property . The church's new neighbor is expected to be a 51-story tower, with apartments expected to fetch $8,000 per square foot.
