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Venezuela president Maduro increases minimum wage by 300 per cent as inflation approaches 2 million per cent

Venezuela‘s president has raised the country’s minimum wage by 300 per cent as part of routine wage increases as his government battles hyperinflation. Nicolas Maduro increased the minimum wage to 18,000 bolivars, around £5.20, per month amid an economy suffering from annual inflation nearing two million per cent. Mr Maduro announced his economic plans at the start of his second, disputed, term on Monday, as calls increased for him to surrender power.

Bid to keep U.S. sanctions on Russia's Rusal fails in Senate

Senators voted 57-42 to end debate on the measure, as 11 of Trump's fellow Republicans broke from party leaders to join Democrats in favor of the resolution, amid questions about Trump's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. To keep the administration from lifting the sanctions, the measure must pass both the House and Senate and muster the two-thirds majority needed in both chambers to override an expected Trump veto. Many members of Congress have been questioning the U.S. Treasury Department's decision in December to ease sanctions imposed in April on the core businesses of Deripaska - Rusal, its parent, En+ , and power firm EuroSibEnergo - watering down the toughest penalties imposed on Russian entities since Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

American CEO Who Narrowly Avoided 9/11 Among 14 Killed in Nairobi Terrorist Attack

Jason Spindler was a U.S. citizen based in Kenya

The Latest: Grandfather: Suspect 'backed off from crowds'

BARRON, Wis. (AP) — The Latest on the kidnapping of 13-year-old Jayme Closs (all times local):

SoCal storms continue Wednesday with threat of flooding, mudslides

The rain is continuing to fall across Southern California Wednesday, with flooding and mudslides possible in vulnerable burn areas.

What happens to the 62,500 students with special needs during Los Angeles teachers' strike?

The disruption triggered by the strike that began Monday in the nation's second-largest school district could set back thousands of other children with developmental disabilities who need special education and consistency, parents told USA TODAY.

Who's behind the egg that broke the Instagram world record?

By now, you've heard about the egg, which surpassed a photo of Kylie Jenner's daughter, Stormi, on Sunday as the most-liked post on Instagram.  But who did the egg? Whose dumb but ultimately successful idea was this? > View this post on Instagram > > A post shared by EGG GANG (@world_record_egg) on Jan 4, 2019 at 9:05am PST Here's what we know so far: ## 1\. The egg account holder goes by "Henrietta." Henrietta is, according to a report from BuzzFeed News, a "chicken from the British countryside." ## 2\. The account holder, however, claims to live in London. "I'm an individual living in London," the account holder told The Independent earlier this week. They also revealed that they only have 400 followers on their personal Instagram account. ## 3\. The egg's name is Eugene, allegedly. In some interviews, the account holder goes by the name Eugene, bypassing the whole "Henrietta" schtick entirely. ## 4\. The person who did the egg was participating in dry January at the time. Nothing breeds creativity like suddenly not drinking. ## 5\. Fans of the egg are called the "Egg Gang." Sure. ## 6\. The egg account follows 928 accounts and two hashtags. The hashtags are #WSHH -- WorldStarHipHop -- and #FatBoySSE, who is a rapper from New Jersey. > View this post on Instagram > > A post shared by Supreme Patty (@supremepatty) on Jan 14, 2019 at 5:20pm PST ## 7\. Supreme Patty is a suspect. So far, the only public figure to have implied responsibility for the egg is Supreme Patty, an Instagram star who smokes hot sauce and is known for squeezing lemon juice into his own eyes. While Patty didn't claim he did the egg outright, one of his friends did say so in a TMZ interview. (This is, of course, to be taken with a lemon-sized grain of salt.) For what it's worth, we do not think Supreme Patty did the egg. It's more likely that he's just capitalizing on the big meme of the moment. He did get an egg tattoo, though, so kudos on committing to the bit. And the egg does follow him on Instagram. We've reached out to Supreme Patty and will update this post if we hear back. ## 8\. Okay, the egg account says it's not Supreme Patty. In an Instagram story posted on Tuesday, @world_record_egg claimed the TMZ story was bogus. "We're still anonymous. Fake news," they wrote. Image: Instagram So we guess it's not Supreme Patty. Stay tuned for more egg updates. This story is developing ... UPDATE: Jan. 16, 2019, 1:34 p.m. ET This story was updated to include information regarding the egg's Instagram Story as well as the hashtags it follows. ## WATCH: A teenager crashed their car doing the "Bird Box" challenge

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand moves toward launching 2020 presidential campaign

The New York Democrat announced her intentions on CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" ahead of a trip to Iowa this weekend.

Procter & Gamble’s Toxic Sanctimony

Recognized around the world as a symbol of manly civility for more than a century, Gillette will now be remembered as the company that did itself in by sacrificing a massive consumer base at the altar of progressivism. In case you hadn’t seen or heard: Parent company Procter & Gamble launched a Gillette ad campaign blanket-demonizing men as ogres and bullies. At home and at work, in the boardroom, on the playground, and even while barbecuing in the backyard, Gillette sees nothing but testosterone-driven trouble.

U.S.-bound Honduran migrant caravan grows as Trump argues for wall

A new U.S.-bound caravan of Honduran migrants grew to nearly 1,000 people as it neared the Guatemalan border on Tuesday, a Honduran official said, while U.S. President Donald Trump seized on news of the group to try to drum up support for a border wall. Honduran Deputy Foreign Minister Nelly Jerez told reporters that there were between 800 and 1,000 people traveling together and headed toward the Agua Caliente border crossing into Guatemala. Central American migrant caravans heading toward the United States have inflamed the debate over U.S. immigration policy, with Trump using the groups to seek backing for his plan to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

A look at large-scale extremist attacks in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Here is a look at large-scale extremist attacks in Kenya over the years:

American anchor for Iranian TV is arrested on visit to US

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A prominent American anchorwoman on Iranian state television has been arrested by the FBI during a visit to the U.S., the broadcaster reported Wednesday, and her son said she was being held in a prison, apparently as a material witness.

Saudi urges 'fair' energy transition, defends oil

Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia called Tuesday for a "fair" and gradual global energy transition as it unveiled an ambitious domestic renewable energy programme. Experts say energy output from renewables, especially solar and wind, is growing faster than anticipated, threatening to displace oil, gas and coal as the world's main sources of power. "Balancing greenhouse gas emissions will take decades," he said at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

Hottest vehicles at Detroit auto show: Shelby GT, electric SUV, Kia SUV

The Ford Shebly GT 500, Toyota Supra and Kia Telluride generate buzz at the Detroit auto show.

Los Angeles teachers strike for second day as mayor seeks to restart talks

Some 30,000 Los Angeles teachers on strike for higher pay, smaller classes and more staff walked picket lines in the rain for a second day on Tuesday as Mayor Eric Garcetti embraced their cause while trying to nudge the two sides back to the bargaining table. The walkout, with teachers garbed mostly in red braving two days of rainy weather to stage mass rallies downtown, has shattered 30 years of labor peace by Los Angeles teachers but has not completely idled schools.

Venus-Jupiter conjunction: Set your alarm for this celestial meet-up on Tuesday morning

Jupiter and Venus will shine bright together before dawn on Tuesday in an astronomical event known as a conjunction.

May Faces Worst Government Defeat in 95 Years in Brexit Vote

Prime Minister Theresa May is set to see her Brexit deal rejected in the biggest Parliamentary defeat for a British government in 95 years after her last minute pleas for support appeared to fall on deaf ears. At least 70 of her Conservative Party, as well as sometime allies in the Democratic Unionist Party, are publicly pledged to join opposition Members of Parliament in voting against her agreement Tuesday. May postponed a vote before Christmas in the hope of winning over Parliament with new concessions from Brussels over the so-called backstop intended to ensure the post-Brexit Irish border stays open, but EU leaders’ letters of reassurance were treated with scorn in the House of Commons Monday.

F-22 vs. F-35: Which Stealth Fighter Wins in a Shootout?

The U.S. Air Force’s original plan was for the F-22 to be its high-end air superiority fighter while the F-35 was designed to be primarily an air-to-ground strike aircraft, but one which could defend itself.

Pelosi tells Trump to postpone State of the Union over record-long government shutdown

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, has asked Donald Trump to postpone his annual State of the Union address amid a government shutdown now into its 26th day. The move could deny the president the grandeur of the annual platform, which he is likely to use to criticise Ms Pelosi and Democrats over the shutdown. Democrats have said they will not sanction $5.7bn (£4.4bn) funding for Mr Trump’s proposed border wall which the president has made a central demand for reopening the government.

PG&E ex-CEO receives $2.5 million in severance as company announces plans for bankruptcy

The ex-PG&E CEO resigned Sunday ahead of the utility's impending bankruptcy due to potential liability for its role in recent California wildfires.

The Latest: UN Security Council condemns Kenya attack

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The Latest on the extremist attack on a hotel complex in Nairobi, Kenya (all times local):

Huawei boss Ren Zhengfei denies espionage allegations in rare public announcement

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei has broken a lengthy silence to hit back at criticism levelled at the Chinese telecoms giant by western countries in recent months, claiming that the firm is not aiding Beijing in espionage. Mr Ren, who has not spoken to the foreign press since 2015, said that his company has “never received any request from any government to provide improper information”. The chief executive made the public appearance following the arrest of his daughter and Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver two months ago, who is alleged to have violated US sanctions on Iran. Huawei is the world’s biggest provider of telecoms equipment and will be a key partner for companies working to build next-generation 5G mobile networks. The company has come under fresh pressure after a Huawei executive arrested in Poland was accused of spying. Huawei has since sacked the employee. The arrest comes after months of heightened scrutiny from the likes of the US, Australia, Japan and the UK, which have raised questions about the cyber security risks posed by the telecoms firm. Technology intelligence - newsletter promo - EOA “I love my country, I support the Communist Party. But I will not do anything to harm the world,” Mr Ren told journalists in Shenzhen on Tuesday. “I don’t see a close connection between my personal political beliefs and the businesses of Huawei.” The Huawei boss doubled-down on his defense, saying that his company does not have regular contact with the political regime and would refuse any requests from the Chinese government for sensitive information.  Huawei has also found support from the Chinese government amid a backlash from western countries. During a briefing in Beijing on Monday, Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the allegations of security threats posed by Chinese companies were being used to suppress their growth in international markets. “We urge relevant parties to cease the groundless fabrications and unreasonable restrictions toward Huawei and other Chinese companies, and create a fair, good and just environment for mutual investment and normal cooperation by both sides’ companies,” she said. Ms Hua added that those using "security reasons to hype, obstruct or restrict" Chinese company ties with other countries would be hurting their own interests.

What Ford and Volkswagen's Tie-Up on Trucks Means for the Ranger in America

Ford and VW formalize an alliance to build pickups and vans, but don’t expect the Amarok to make it to the U.S.

Turkish prosecutor seeks extradition of NBA's Kanter over Gulen links: Anadolu

Turkish prosecutors are seeking the extradition of New York Knicks center Enes Kanter over his links to the U.S.-based cleric accused of orchestrating a failed coup in 2016, state-owned Anadolu news agency said. Kanter, a vocal critic of President Tayyip Erdogan, was indicted by a Turkish court last year over alleged membership of an "armed terrorist group" after being contacted repeatedly by people close to Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen. Anadolu said on Tuesday prosecutors had sought the issue of a "red notice" for Kanter, an Interpol request to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition.

No One Is More Elated About Meghan Markle Than This Kid

This kid had the most relatable reaction ever

U.S. House, including Steve King, votes to condemn his racist statements

King, a Republican who represents a conservative district in Iowa, gave a media interview earlier this month in which he questioned why "white supremacy" is considered offensive. King himself voted in favor of the resolution, which referred to his remarks, because he said his comments were taken out of context and he too condemns white supremacy and racism. "The words are likely what I said, but I want to read them to you the way that I likely said it," King said, who then read them aloud.

40 mph mudslides, floods, blizzards, 6 feet of snow, 110 mph winds: California nightmare

Mudslides and flooding were closing roads in California as heavy rains and snow were forecast deep into the week.

Two Republicans Push ‘Border Bonds’ to Let Americans Finance a Wall

Representatives Steven Palazzo of Mississippi and Andy Harris of Maryland, both members of the House Appropriations Committee, introduced the Border Bonds for America Act of 2019 -- a law that would allow Americans to buy such securities from the U.S. The money would be put in a trust fund and used just to build a wall along the nearly 2,000 mile (3,200 kilometer) border. The tactic echoes the Liberty Bond program, which appealed to Americans’ sense of patriotism to raise funds during World War I.

UK PM May reaches out to rivals in Brexit deadlock

May said she was "disappointed" by Corbyn's decision and stressed that "our door remains open". Ian Blackford of the Scottish National Party (SNP) said his party would only participate if she were prepared to consider delaying Brexit, ruling out a "no deal" and the option of holding a second referendum. The prime minister is working to the tightest-possible deadline as Britain prepares to leave the bloc that for half a century defined its economic and political relations with the rest of the world.

Correction: Venezuela-Maduro's Challenger story

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — In a story Jan. 14 about the head of Venezuela's congress, The Associated Press erroneously spelled the family name of Juan Requesens.

LAUSD teachers strike day 3: Everything you need to know

The LAUSD and United Teachers Los Angeles have yet to reach a deal. Here's everything you need to know about the ongoing teachers strike.

What to Know About the 2020 Toyota Supra

It's the return of the almighty Supra, but this Japanese car has a German flair.

Enes Kanter: Turkey 'seeking arrest' of New York Knicks player

Turkish prosecutors are seeking the arrest and extradition of New York Knicks enter Enes Kanter, accusing him pf being a member of an "armed terrorist group". Mr Kanter is accused of ties to Fethullah Gulen, who Turkish authorities allege is behind the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016, the Daily Sabah reported. Mr Gulen has repeatedly denied any involved in the failed coup.

Delta growth to slow further in first quarter as shutdown weighs

Delta Air Lines Inc on Tuesday forecast a further decline in revenue growth per mile flown in the first quarter, hit by a partial government shutdown.

GOP condemnation rises over Rep. Steve King's white supremacy comment; House to vote on rebuke

The House was scheduled to vote on a formal rebuke of Rep. Steve King, who has received bipartisan condemnation for his comments on white supremacy.

Barr Say He, Not Mueller, May Write the Public Report on Russia Probe

“I will commit to providing as much information as I can consistent with the regulations” on special counsels, Barr, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Justice Department, said Tuesday in the first of two days of hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Barr, 68, has been through the confirmation process before and served as attorney general in the 1990s.

You’ll want to eat this giant M&M cookie right out of the pan

Welcome to Best Bites, a twice-weekly video series that aims to satisfy your

US, Canada promise 'unbiased' process for Chinese executive

The United States and Canada on Wednesday promised an "unbiased" legal process for a Chinese executive whose arrest in Vancouver at US request has riled Beijing. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland discussed the arrest Tuesday in a phone call in which they also voiced concern about the "arbitrary detentions" of Canadians in China, the US State Department said. "They noted their continued commitment to Canada's conduct of a fair, unbiased and transparent legal proceeding and US extradition request with respect to Ms. Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei," a State Department statement said.

Netflix Price Hike Points to the Changing Math of Cord Cutting

Here's some bad news for those looking forward to the season 3 premiere of “Stranger Things”: The demogorgon isn't the only thing on the rise. Netflix is planning to boost prices for all of its m...

Boeing's F-15X Could Be a Killer in the Sky (But It Won't Have Stealth)

Is that a problem?

Atlanta airport says ready for Super Bowl crush despite shutdown

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), already the world's busiest, expects to see an additional 125,000 passengers ahead of the Feb. 3 game and is bringing in reinforcements to meet the additional numbers, said Elise Durham, the airport's director of communications. More than 1,800 volunteers will help passengers navigate the airport while additional customer engagement agents will be on hand to assist people entering and exiting the city, she added. Durham said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the federal agency responsible for airport security screening, had committed additional resources for the Super Bowl, before the government shutdown.

Say it ain't snow: 2 winter storms, then an Arctic blast from the 'fractured' polar vortex

Any hopes we had for a mild end to January appear over. A pair of winter storms will dump snow and ice across the central and eastern U.S. over the next several days.

Trump Citizenship Question on 2020 Census Blocked by Court

The ruling comes after a two-week trial in Manhattan that the government sought more than a dozen times to derail. The Supreme Court may have the last word, though the court will have to move quickly to let the Census Bureau meet its June deadline to start printing the questionnaire. Critics of the question -- “Is this person a citizen of the United States?” -- said it was an attempt by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to promote a Trump administration effort to undercount Hispanics and other minorities.

Panic Ensues as Terrorists Attack Upscale Hotel Complex in Nairobi

Extremists stormed a luxury hotel in Kenya’s capital on Tuesday, setting off thunderous explosions and gunning down people at cafe tables in an attack claimed by Africa’s deadliest Islamic militant group. A police officer said at least 15 had died.

Deadly IS-claimed suicide attack hits US forces in north Syria

A suicide attack killed four US personnel in northern Syria Wednesday, costing Washington its worst combat losses in the war-torn country since 2014 as it prepares to withdraw. The bombing, claimed by the Islamic State group, comes after US President Donald Trump's shock announcement last month that he was ordering a full troop withdrawal from Syria because the jihadists had been "largely defeated". The Pentagon said "two US servicemembers, one Department of Defense (DoD) civilian and one contractor supporting DoD were killed and three servicemembers were injured while conducting a local engagement in Manbij".

Markets Right Now: Banks lead stock gains on Wall Street

NEW YORK (AP) — The latest on developments in financial markets (all times local):