US considering sending more troops to Syria

An official with the U.S. Defense Department has said that the Pentagon is mulling over the possibility of sending more special operations troops to Syria to take the fight with ISIS straight to the source.

Shoppers switching to online sales

Retailers are reporting that online sales of merchandise has begun to have a major impact on Black Friday sales. This year appears to mark a turning point, Black Friday sales were down, but the huge amount of online shopping more than made up for it, turning this season into a major success so far for many retailers.

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.

Today is Thanksgiving Day, in the United States, a national holiday since 1863, when Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a day for giving thanks all across the nation. It has since become a holiday prelude to the Christmas season, a time for family get-togethers, eating turkey, watching football and gearing up for the onrush of holiday shopping.

World awaits Russian response after Turkey downs fighter jet

Tensions ran high yesterday after it was announced that the Turkish military had shot down a Russian fighter plane, claiming it had violated Turkish air space and Russian officials denied that accusation. Russian President Putin called the downing a "stab in the back" and now it is not clear if he plans to retaliate, a move that could easily escalate into yet another war in the Middle East.

ACLU files lawsuit against Indiana governor for barring Syrian refugees

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in federal court yesterday against Indiana governor Mike Pence to challenge his authority to block Syrian refugees from settling in that state.

Argentina elects new President

Argentine voters have elected Mauricio Macri as their new president, marking the end of a political dynasty that has been running the country for 12 and a half years.

Largest insurer threatens to pull out of ObamaCare

United Health Group, the largest insurance provider in the U.S. announced yesterday that it is considering withdrawing from ObamaCare after this next year, noting that it has lost money since it began offering exchanges under the program. The move would force hundreds of millions of people to find another provider.

Latest ISIS video hints at threat to New York City

A video released yesterday believed to be made by members of ISIS contained images of different places in New York City interspersed with video of a man constructing explosive devices--an apparent attempt to cause fear for people in the city. Police have been put on high alert.

CDC reports alarming increase in STDs

The U.S. Center for Disease Control issued a report yesterday underlining what it describes as an alarming increase in number of STD infections across the country. They suggest the increase is due in part to decreased funding of STD programs over the past decade and includes a rise in gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis.

More governors saying no to Syrian refugees

In the aftermath of the terrorist attack on Paris, 18 governors in the U.S. are making announcements about their opinion on the U.S. accepting Syrian refugees--some have called for a reversal by President Obama, while others have said flat out that they will no let any of the refugees settle in their state. Most of the governors on the list are Republican. Others have noted that governors do not actually have the legal authority to bar refugees.

French bomb ISIS capital

French fighter jets dropped bombs, yesterday, on several targets in Raqqa, Syria, the capital of what ISIS calls its caliphate--it is not known if the campaign was effective or not, as the city has gone "dark" since ISIS took over. The bombing campaign came two days after the terrorist attacks on Paris and likely represents the beginning of a stepped-up initiative by the French to defeat the radical Islamic group.

Multiple terrorist attacks across Paris in one night

Downtown Paris became a war zone of sorts last night as at least six attacks were carried out on civilians across the city by unknown assailants. Hostages were taken and some killed in a music hall, gunmen shot people in nightclubs and restaurants and set off bombs outside of a stadium holding a soccer match. President Hollande declared a state of emergency for the entire country, closing borders and asking everyone in Paris to stay home. Thus far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

CDC survey shows 1 in 45 children in US have autism

One of several surveys conducted by the CDC recently indicated that one out of every 45 children in the U.S. has some form of autism, a number significantly higher than expected. It is not known if the rise in the rate of autism is due to increased accounting, or if if more children are actually getting the disorder.

Republicans hold another debate

The eight leading candidates for the Republican nomination for president held another debate last night, this time in Milwaukee, and hosted by Fox Business Network and the Wall Street Journal. The debate was noticeably more issue focused this time around, giving the candidates an opportunity to more clearly define their platforms.

Appeals court ruling puts Obama's immigration plan in doubt

A ruling by a federal appeals court has created a major setback to President Obama's immigration plans and may lead to deportation challenges heading to the Supreme Court.

Group claims mustard gas used in Syrian war

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is claiming that it has proof that mustard gas was used in the town of Marea, Syria, approximately two months ago. The group doesn't know which side used the gas, but claims that at least two adults were exposed to the gas and one baby died. Governments around the world, including the U.S., have proclaimed that they will not abide such use, thus if one or the other side begins to use it, it could mark mean other countries could become involved in the war in a more direct way.

Consumer Reports lists 20 least reliable cars

Consumer Reports has created a list of the least reliable cars on the market today. Fiat-Chrysler has more models on the list than any other, while Lexis remains the most reliable brand.

Facebook passes GE to become 7th most valuable company

Facebook's market value surged to $306.4 billion dollars as of yesterday, making it the 7th most valuable company in the S&P 500. The rise in value has shocked the financial world since its slow start after the 2012 IPO, gaining in value every year since, despite claims by analysts that the stock would falter. The rise has been attributed to a surprising steady increase in revenue.

US officials suggest bomb may have been put on down plane in Sinai

A team of U.S. intelligence experts has found evidence that a bomb might have been put on the plane that crashed into the Sinai desert prior to departure from Sharm el-Sheikh airport, but did not divulge the nature of the evidence.

Ohio voters vote no against marijuana

Voters in Ohio voted against legalizing marijuana in that state by a very wide margin yesterday, slowing the tide of states and local municipalities moving towards allowing people to use the drug legally. Ohio was seen as a bellwether of sorts and some believed that if the ultra-conservative state legalized the drug, than most others would follow.

Study finds toddlers using tablet computers

A new study conducted by a team at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia has found that toddlers as young as one were using tablet computers and approximately two thirds of four year old's had their own tablet and could use it by themselves. They suggest that tablet computers are replacing television for pree-school age children.

Chipotle closes stores in Washignton and Oregon due to E. coli scare

Chipotle has temporarily closed dozens of stores in Washington and Oregon after 22 cases of E. coli were traced back to the restaurant chain in those two states.

US launches new round of airstrikes in Syria

The U.S. military has launched a new round of airstrikes in ISIS occupied Hasakah Province in Syria as part of an effort to assist resistance forces on the ground retake lost territory.