This week the state’s largest utility, PG&E Co., is expected to file for bankruptcy protection due to its potential liabilities.
U.S. Imposes Sanctions On Venezuelan State Oil Monopoly
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says payments from U.S. refiners will go into an escrow account until Juan Guaidó or another leader replaces President Nicolás Maduro.
U.S. Charges Chinese Telecom Giant Huawei, Asks Canada For CFO Extradition
The administration appears to have decided to make an example of the company’s CFO. She is the daughter of Huawei’s founder, and the company is seen as an arm of China’s power around the world.
Ex-Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Says He Wouldn’t Be A Spoiler In Race For White House
Schultz said that his intention would be to stop the president from winning re-election. “Nobody wants to remove and, in a sense, fire President Trump more than me,” the billionaire businessman said.
Tech Industry Confronts A Backlash Against ‘Disruptive Innovation’
Silicon Valley is rethinking the implications of technology that disrupts entire industries, while the man who coined the term “disruptive innovation” stands by its basic goodness.
Funeral Held For 2-Year-Old Boy Who Fell Into Borehole In Spain
Julen Roselló disappeared on Jan. 13 near the village of Totalán in Málaga province. “All of Spain shares in the infinite sadness of Julen’s family,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said.
Does The World Need A New Buzzword — ‘Syndemic’ — To Describe 3 Big Crises?
A new report in ‘The Lancet’ uses a not-too-familiar term to describe looming global problems that appear to be interconnected.
Government Shutdown Cut Into Economic Growth, CBO Says
A report says the shutdown reduced federal spending by $18 billion, although most of that will be recouped now that the government has reopened.
After Hearing U.S. Veteran Had No Family, Huge Crowd Attends His Funeral In Texas
Scores of people turned up for Joseph Walker’s funeral Monday — not because they knew him, but because they knew the Vietnam-era veteran was at risk of being buried without anyone attending.
‘Merci Suárez’ Wins Newbery Medal, and ‘Hello Lighthouse’ Draws Caldecott
The world of children’s books gave out its most prestigious prizes Monday at the American Library Association’s conference in Seattle. Works by Meg Medina and Sophie Blackall won the headline honors.
A Fainting Spell After A Flu Shot Leads To $4,692 ER Visit
A 39-year-old man fainted after getting a flu shot at work, so his colleagues called 911. The man turned out to be fine, but the trip to the emergency room cost him his annual deductible.
The Mountain Goats Announces Dungeons & Dragons-Inspired Album
The album’s lead single “Younger” reads like a mini-epic, and ends on an unexpected, but wholly awesome saxophone outro — the sort of instrumental backing you’d want to commence a hero’s journey.
Out-Of-Work Appalachian Coal Miners Train As Beekeepers To Earn Extra Cash
In West Virginia, mining jobs have been declining for years, and there have been few other options to make a living. The Appalachian Beekeeping Collective is hoping to help turn that around.
South Korea Will Interview Thousands Of Athletes After Rape And Abuse Allegations
A recent wave of physical and sexual abuse accusations reveals entrenched problems in the competitive training culture of one of Asia’s rising sports powers, sports and rights experts say.
Brazil Dam Disaster: 60 People Are Dead, With Hundreds More Missing
The dam that collapsed last week held more than 3 billion gallons of mud and mine waste. A mine worker says he heard a loud sound — and when he turned, he saw a “mountain of mud” sweeping toward him.
How California’s Worst Oil Spill Turned Beaches Black And The Nation Green
In 1969, oil from an offshore well left beaches in Santa Barbara, Calif., coated with crude and littered with dead birds. The country’s reaction helped create the modern environmental movement.
Mailing Just Got More Expensive: Forever Stamps See Biggest Price Increase Ever
The cost of a stamp is up 10 percent as the U.S. Postal Service tries to offset billions of dollars in losses. Some packages will cost more to send too.
Federal Employees Return To Work, But Fears Of Another Shutdown Loom
While the reopening of the government is welcome news for many federal workers, some express trepidation that they’ll face the same predicament after Feb. 15.
Be Mine? Nope. SweetHeart Candies Hard To Find This Valentine’s Day
The popular SweetHearts will be tougher to find this Valentine’s Day. The company that used to make the candy went out of business. Its new owners aren’t ready to start making new batches yet.
Got Anger? Try Naming It To Tame It
While many people believe that how we feel and express anger is hard-wired, some scientists suggest our experience and culture help shape it. One way to get a handle on it may be to personalize it.
Dyslexia Made Henry Winkler Feel ‘Stupid’ For Years. Now, He’s A Best-Selling Author
The Emmy-winning actor is lesser known for his work writing for children. But he calls his book series, about the adventures and struggles of a dyslexic child, his proudest accomplishment.
Survivors Mark Holocaust Remembrance Day On 74th Anniversary Of Auschwitz Liberation
Former prisoners gathered at the site of the former concentration camp to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Police Arrest Louisiana Man Suspected Of Killing Parents, Girlfriend And 2 Others
Dakota Theriot allegedly killed three people near Baton Rouge before later killing his parents. A local sheriff called the rampage “one of the worst domestic violence incidents I’ve seen.”
Amid Renewed Violence In Myanmar’s Rakhine State, Arakan Army Returns To Spotlight
Since December, clashes between Myanmar security forces and the insurgency group have been on the rise. At least 30 have died and thousands have been displaced.
To Keep African Swine Fever Out, Denmark Is Planning A Southern Boar(der) Fence
The 40-mile fence is being built to protect Denmark’s $5 billion pig industry from possible infection by wild boars. But critics doubt the fence will work, and warn it may adversely affect wildlife.
Brewing In The Desert: Sake Finds An Unlikely Home In Arizona
With the popularity of sake declining in Japan, makers have been looking to America for new markets. Now, a Japanese sake master has brought his recipe to Arizona and is winning international awards.
This Diet Is Better For the Planet. But Is It Better For You, Too?
Less than a half-ounce of red meat per day: That’s how much a new report says we should eat to meet nutritional needs and help save the planet. Americans on average now eat four to six times as much.
Who Is Venezuela’s Juan Guaidó?
The 35-year-old politician declared himself acting president this week, and has been recognized as the country’s president by the Trump administration.
ISIS Claims Responsibility For Bombing Of Philippines Cathedral; At Least 20 Dead
Two bombs exploded at a Roman Catholic cathedral in the Philippines during Sunday services. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Michel Legrand, Oscar-Winning Composer Who Lived ‘Surrounded by Music’, Dies At 86
The musician worked across genres, collaborating with American stars like Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand.
Journalists Raise Money, Post Jobs And Buy Beers For Peers After A Week Of Layoffs
After Buzzfeed, Gannett and Verizon’s media group announced job losses this week, journalists across the country banded together to offer support.
Naomi Osaka Of Japan Secures Her Second Grand Slam Title With Australian Open Victory
The 21-year-old player stumbled in the second set, but recovered in the third. “I felt like I didn’t want to have any regrets,” she said of the match.
Trinidadian Kids Taken Away To ISIS Reunite With Mom, Thanks To Help From A Rock Star
After four years in Syria, two brothers returned home to Trinidad this week, following an extraordinary intervention by their mother, a renowned human rights lawyer and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd.
Fatal End To An Alleged Game Of Russian Roulette For St. Louis Police Officer
Katlyn Alix, 24, died early Thursday morning from a gunshot to the chest, according to a police statement. She was off-duty. Another officer, Nathaniel Hendren, faces felony charges.
Amid Chaos Venezuelans Struggle To Find The Truth, Online
As Venezuela grapples with a major political crisis, people there are struggling with misinformation online. WhatsApp, a popular messaging app, has been used to spread both rumors and news reports.
LGBT Navajos Discover Unexpected Champions: Their Grandparents
LGBT Navajo youth are three times as likely to attempt suicide as their non-Native counterparts. Some are finding unexpected allies among elders whose tradition embraces the “two spirited.”