Stocks on track for best January in 30 years

The S&P 500 and the Dow are each up more than 7% this month. Those mark the biggest gains since January 1987 and January 1989, respectively.

The S&P 500 is on track for its best monthly overall gain since October 2015, according to Jodie Gunzberg, head of US Equities at S&P Dow Jones Indices.

Stocks have surged in recent weeks because of relatively strong corporate earnings, continued optimism about the US economy and a big shift in the Federal Reserve's interest rate plans for the rest of this year.

The Dow has been led by nearly 20% surges in blue chips Boeing (BA), IBM (IBM) and Goldman Sachs (GS). Each reported good fourth-quarter results and healthy outlooks.

Tech stocks have surged as well, largely because of solid earnings. The Nasdaq has gained 10% since the start of the year. FAANG stocks Facebook (FB) and Netflix (NFLX) each spiked nearly 30% this month on the back of robust earnings and outlooks.

Amazon (AMZN), which will report its results after the closing bell Thursday, has shot up nearly 15%. Google owner Alphabet (GOOGL), which reports February 4, is up nearly 10%.

Even Apple (AAPL), which started the year with a shocking sales warning that sent its stock plunging, is now up 6.5% this month after its latest results weren't as bad as investors feared.

Follow the latest moves in the markets

But stocks really took off after Fed chair Jerome Powell indicated on January 4 that the central bank would be "patient" when it comes to any future rate hikes. Powell reiterated that stance Wednesday, which pushed the Dow up 435 points.

For now, optimism about the US economy trumps other lingering worries — including the ongoing US-China trade war, as well as the economic slowdown in China, Brexit uncertainties and Italy's recession.

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Speaker John Bercow isn't sorry for championing 'dissident' voices in Brexit debate

In a rare media interview, John Bercow told CNN that it was not his job to "prescribe one route or another" as Prime Minister Theresa May struggles to get her Brexit deal through a divided Parliament. But he said his job was to give a voice to rank-and-file MPs, even if that caused trouble for the government.

Some hardline Brexiteer MPs say Bercow is biased against them, and feel that he opposes Britain's departure from the EU.

But Bercow, taking CNN on a tour of his historic apartments in the Palace of Westminster, saying a good Speaker would pay no attention to "moaning" government ministers.

Bercow described his role as more of a facilitator of the views of ordinary lawmakers. "In grappling with the biggest current issue facing us, Brexit: No resolution of the matter has yet been attained. It is a concern and it isn't something that the Speaker can determine. The Speaker can to try and help the House to decide on such issues and give it the freedom to breathe, if I can put it that way."

This role was particularly important, he said, as the current UK government does not enjoy an overall majority in the House of Commons. "In circumstances where there is a minority government the Speaker still has and perhaps even more so to be conscious of the need to give the House as a whole the chance to express its will."

Bercow has been accused of upending parliamentary procedure by allowing certain motions laid down by the government to be amended. He acknowledged it was a "challenge" to select the right amendments for debate.

"There is a limited amount of time, you can't chose every topic," Bercow said, adding that he listened to his advisers, the clerks of the House of Commons. "Does an amendment, let us say, have a large number of signatories? And if so, that might make it worthy of selection. Does it have cross party support? As you would say in the United States, can a member reach across the aisle?|

But he told CNN that he was not motivated by a desire to favor any particular outcome.

"It's not for the Speaker, let's say in the context of Brexit, to prescribe one route or another, and I think the record shows I've always been keen to give a voice to the dissident minority in the House of Commons rather than in any sense to side with the majority," he said.

Bercow's penchant for florid language has made him a recognized face as Brexit debates make headlines around the world. "Order, order," he yells over bellowing MPs. He often criticizes lawmakers for "chuntering from a sedentary position" -- meaning they heckle while seated.

"The Prime Minister must -- and WILL -- be heard," he often complains during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions. And most memorably, he yells at the top of his voice to announce a vote: "DIVISION! CLEAR THE LOBBIES!"

Bercow told CNN he prefers to deploy humor to keep control of the most boisterous debates. "If people are determined to make a huge noise, if there is an absolute cacophony, it's not possible for one person to overcome it," he said, saying it was important to "be a little patient, and combine carrot and stick."

He likened his role to one of a referee at a soccer match. "I'm a regular at my club with my son, season-ticket holder at Arsenal. There are 60,000 people in crowd, who think they know better than the referee." The Speaker is in a similar position, he said.

One innovation introduced by Bercow is the granting of "urgent questions" or UQs -- forcing government ministers to come to the House of Commons at short notice to answer questions on controversial issues of the day.

"Very often governments find that very inconvenient and some complain. The best ministers don't, the best ministers in the Labour government, Jack Straw being a very good example, never complained if I granted a UQ to him."

"In more recent years somebody like [Conservative] Michael Gove is an immensely capable minister... never complains if an urgent question is granted. He's adroit, he's dexterous, he knows his responsibility and he can look after himself. There are some ministers who complain, but it is up to the Speaker, frankly to stand up for the rights of the House of Commons institutionally and those individual members individually."

Even before the Brexit debate, Bercow has been a controversial figure. He has been accused of bullying -- claims he denies -- and a report into the culture in the House of Commons said claims of harassment were not properly dealt with.

Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the House of Commons -- the minister in charge of government business -- says he once called her a "stupid woman." He denied the allegation when Leadsom raised it with him in the House of Commons.

Bercow did not address the issue in his interview with CNN.

Speaking generally, he said he was immune to criticism from the government benches. "If the Speaker is the sort of person who is going to be cowed or intimidated by a ministerial rant or a letter sent by way of complaint, well that person isn't fit to be Speaker. So I hope I always treat people with respect but I'm not going to be intimidated by some moaning minister in any government."

Off-camera, Bercow named his favorite American was Martin Luther King. On Bercow's official crest -- designed when he became Speaker -- he includes the motto "All are equal" -- in English, not Latin, as well the rainbow as symbol of equality and pink triangles denoting his championing of LGBT rights.

When he was elected Speaker in 2009 -- then a Conservative MP -- Bercow thought Parliament looked "male, pale and stale." He saw his job as to preserve traditions but also to bring it up to date to better reflect modern society.

Being Speaker used to be a dangerous job -- seven of his predecessors have been executed. A 5ft 5in tall he is often referred to as the shortest Speaker. Bercow pointed out that three Speakers were shorter than him -- but only after they were beheaded.

After being Speaker for almost a decade and re-elected by his fellow MPs four times, how long will he remain? "Not indefinitely." There was "no fixed plan" for his departure, he said.

In centuries past the Speaker could -- and did -- go on to become Prime Minister, but that is not a career path followed by recent incumbents. Bercow said he is looking for role that would be fun -- educational in character, perhaps in the charity or sport sectors. He will have to earn a living for some time for his wife and three children.

How has Bercow changed? "If I'm really honest with you I'd say when I started I was abrasive and not very good at using humor, and some of my critics would say that to this day."

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Man arrested after alleged sexual assault at Atlanta nightclub is streamed on Facebook Live

Dominique Williams, 34, turned himself in Tuesday after police obtained a warrant for his arrest on a charge of aggravated sodomy, Atlanta police said in a statement.

According to a police report dated January 20, the alleged assault was reported by a woman who said she had seen an incident streamed on Facebook Live which showed "a black female being groped on her chest and possibly being raped from behind" as she screamed "'no, stop.' "

Officers were unable to find the alleged victim when they arrived at Opera nightclub later that night, according to the incident report. An officer then looked at the video and saw it had been recorded about an hour prior to officers' arrival, the report said.

"In the video you can clearly hear the female saying, 'stop, please somebody help me,' " the incident report states.

CNN does not identify victims of alleged sexual assault, but the woman's attorney, L. Chris Stewart, said Williams' arrest was a "vindication" for her.

Attorney: No evidence of assault

An attorney for Williams, Shequel Ross, said in a statement posted to her Instagram account prior to his arrest that there is "no evidence that supports that Mr. Williams raped or sexually assaulted" the alleged victim.

"Our client and his innocent family members have endured harassment as a result of this rush to judgement (sic) without reviewing facts." Williams remained in custody Thursday afternoon.

The Facebook video was taken down shortly after the alleged assault. A spokesperson for the company told CNN that Facebook does "not allow content that depicts sexual violence or assault."

The nightclub addressed the incident in a brief statement on its Facebook page the day after it was reported, saying it was cooperating with police and "will continue to aid and support their investigation in any way we can."

CNN has requested further comment from the club and its attorney but has not heard back.

'Bystander culture'

Media reports about the alleged assault also sparked demonstrations outside the club. According to CNN affiliate WGCL, days after the alleged assault, a group of men and women showed up and began chanting the victim's name.

One of the demonstration's organizers, Sabrina Peterson, told CNN the protest was against "bystander culture," referring to people in the club who could have helped the alleged victim but did not.

"It just hurt me to my core," Peterson said. "That could have been me. That could have been any amount of people."

Local promoter and radio host Su Solo told WGCL the alleged assault made her "sick to my stomach."

"I just don't understand when we got to a point when 'no' isn't enough," she said. "Even on camera. Even on camera you're bold enough to be on film. This is a bold time for predators, but I also think that the culture is shifting. I think women have become way more independent than we were before."

CNN's Justin Gamble contributed to this report.

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Incidents of sexual assault at military academies up by nearly 50%, Pentagon says

The Department of Defense estimates that 747 cadets across all military academies experienced unwanted sexual contact last year, compared with an estimated 507 cadets in 2016.

The figures do not represent reported assaults. They are taken from an anonymous survey of cadets and midshipmen at the three military academies.

"Among all female cadets and midshipmen, 15.8% experienced unwanted sexual contact in the past year in the survey, an increase from 12.2% in 2016," according to the Pentagon. "Similarly, 2.4% of men experienced unwanted sexual contact in the past year compared to 1.7% in 2016."

The study, based on surveys submitted to each academy, is conducted every two years by the Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office.

The report notes that while the prevalence of sexual assault has increased, the number of incidents reported remains at nearly the same level as 2016.

The academies received a total of 117 reports of sexual assault involving cadets and midshipmen in the 2017-2018 academic year, five more than in 2016.

"The climates at the academies have yet to inspire the moral courage required for students to reject and combat these disruptive elements," the report summary says.

"This (is) a leadership issue. Leaders establish culture, enforce standards, and ensure the safety of those entrusted to their care. Academy leaders continue to receive high survey marks from students in terms of making honest and reasonable efforts to stop sexual assault and sexual harassment," it adds.

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Did the Fed cave to Wall Street and Washington?

In mere weeks, the Fed went from signaling two interest rate increases in 2019 to suggesting it could be done with rate hikes altogether. Fed chief Jerome Powell went from saying the balance sheet is on "autopilot" to opening the door to adjusting the policy.

In effect, the Fed slammed on the brakes.

The speed and extent to which the Fed reversed itself is striking. The 180-degree turn led to immediate speculation that the central bank is surrendering to pressure from Wall Street. Recall that fears of an overly aggressive Federal Reserve helped send markets plummeting in November and December.

"It is difficult to read the outcome of the January FOMC meeting as anything other than the Fed capitulating to recent market volatility," Barclays chief US economist Michael Gapen wrote in a note to clients.

Charlie McElligott, cross-asset macro strategist at Nomura, said the Fed "utterly 'bent the knee' to the stock market."

"Equity prices now set policy I guess and not the other way," McElligott wrote to clients.

Not surprisingly, Wall Street liked what it heard. The S&P 500 rallied 1.6% on Wednesday, notching its first advance on a Fed decision day since Powell took the helm.

Worse, others worry the Fed is caving to Washington. Last year, President Donald Trump launched relentless attacks on Powell for raising rates too quickly. Rumors even swirled that Trump could do the unthinkable: fire Powell.

Trump cheered Wednesday's market rally, calling it "tremendous news!"

"For the first time I can recall, it appears that a sitting president has pressured a Federal Reserve Chairperson into an abrupt policy change," said Ian Winer, a former market strategist at Wedbush Securities who is now an advisory board member at Drexel Hamilton. "This precedent now brings into question the long-held assumption that the FOMC is independent of political whims."

Powell: Fed will 'never' take politics into account

Powell strongly denied the Fed is taking outside forces into consideration.

"Honestly, my only motivation is to do the right thing for the economy and the American people. This situation calls for patience," Powell told reporters on Thursday.

Asked if the Fed had "just caved" to the president's demands, Powell insisted that the central bank will "never" take political considerations into account -- or even discuss them.

"We're human. We make mistakes. But we're not going to make mistakes of character or integrity," Powell said.

Of course, there are legitimate economic reasons why the Fed is shifting course.

First, economic growth, especially overseas, is clearly slowing down. US GDP growth is expected to decelerate significantly in 2019. Italy's economy has stumbled into a recession. Germany's barely avoided one. And China is facing its most serious slowdown in a decade.

Secondly, inflation is not out of control. That likely gives the Fed the luxury of staying on the sidelines to see how the US economy responds to the global turmoil. The last thing the Fed wants to do is snuff out the second-longest economic expansion in American history by being inflexible.

'Oozed dovishness'

Still, some economists don't believe the fundamentals have deteriorated enough to justify the Fed's reversal. They argue that Wall Street was simply throwing a temper tantrum at the end of last year.

The official government jobs report isn't out yet, but ADP said the United States added a robust 213,000 private-sector jobs in January.

And Goldman Sachs is calling for GDP growth to rebound from 1.7% in the first quarter to 2.4% in the second quarter. That's hardly recession territory.

"The Fed's statement yesterday oozed dovishness, for no apparent reason," Ian Shepherdson, chief economists at Pantheon Macroeconomics, wrote to clients on Thursday. "What has changed?"

Importantly, the Fed statement removed a reference to "further gradual increases" in rates. Instead, the Fed pledged to be "patient" as it weighs "future adjustments."

By swapping "increases" with "adjustments," the Fed is implying that "the next move could be up or down," Gapen wrote.

Brilliant or dangerous?

Powell's patience could be a master stroke if inflation stays in check and growth slows significantly. By pausing, the Fed could engineer a soft landing for the American economy and keep the expansion alive.

But some fear that the Fed could be setting itself up for failure.

If the economy and inflation accelerate later in 2019, the Fed may have to aggressively raise interest rates to prevent overheating. That could set off another storm in financial markets, and perhaps the economy. (Not to mention the president's Twitter feed.)

"We worry that the Fed has traded near-term support for financial markets and the economy for another round of volatility later this year," Gapen wrote.

Shepherdson agrees because he expects the headwinds facing the economy to diminish soon.

"The risk of a policy mistake is rising," he wrote.

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Now's the time to save big on the Google Home line

Amazon's popular Echo Dot might be on back order, but Google isn't letting that ruin the smart speaker party. The core line of Google Home devices is getting some pretty deep discounts at Target. The Google Home, Home Mini and the top-of-the-line Home Hub are all on sale.

All of these smart speakers are powered by the Google Assistant. You can get questions answered, set timers or alarms, play music from a variety of services, control your smart home and even play games with them. Google is continuously updating what the Assistant knows, and new third parties continue to link up with the platform.

The pint-sized Google Home Mini is 41% off, at just $29, and is available in chalk, charcoal, coral and aqua. Availability of specific colors is likely to vary in store and online, but the sale price is available from all locations.

The Google Home speaker still packs a punch, and it's a bigger one at $89. It might look like an air freshener, but it gets loud and has multiple microphones so you can still call the Assistant while blasting music.

A Google Home Hub for $99 is a terrific deal. It's Google's first Assistant device to be paired with a screen, and the experience is solid. Since it links up with Google's many services, you can get alerts for your morning commute, see the weather forecast, control your smart home and, of course, watch YouTube videos.

If you've been waiting to add another smart speaker to your home or to start a Google ecosystem, now is a great time.

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Frost quakes, snow squalls and other strange weather terms we're learning this week

The chances of Donald Trump declaring a national emergency at the border just went way up

Republican-led Senate to admonish Trump with vote on Middle East troop pullout

The measure needs 60 votes to pass. GOP leaders expect most of their 53 Republicans to vote for it, but it remains unclear how many Democrats will since many are broadly supportive of bringing troops home, even if they are skeptical of the way Trump's wants to rapidly pull out.

That said, several Democratic senators and aides told CNN they expected the measure to get enough votes to break a filibuster.

The vote comes as Republicans are deeply skeptical about Trump's approach to foreign policy and wary he is pulling America off the world stage at a time US leadership is needed most. They don't want to withdraw troops from countries where threats from terrorists remain strong, despite ongoing efforts that have diminished their power.

"I've been clear about my own views on these subjects," McConnell said during a floor speech. "I believe the threats remain. ISIS and al Qaeda have yet to be defeated. And American national security interests require continued commitment to our missions there."

The amendment is non-binding but carries a blunt message to the commander-in-chief: "The on-going fight against these groups, without effective, countervailing efforts to secure gains in Syria and Afghanistan, could allow terrorists to regroup, destabilize critical regions, and create vacuums that could be filled by Iran or Russia to the detriment of United States interests and our allies," that amendment states.

Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the second-ranking GOP leader, said Wednesday the public rebuke of Trump's national security policies was needed because efforts to persuade him privately had failed.

"I think a number of our members, as you know, talk to the President on fairly regular basis and have articulated to him that they think the policies that the wants to employ with regard to Syria, for example, are not the right ones. That's being conveyed," Thune said.

Thune was also critical of Trump attacking his intelligence chiefs who testified this week that Trump's public comments on a variety of national security issues were out of step with their professional assessments.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said he would support McConnell's amendment. He said of the message it sends to Trump: "That we're a coequal branch of government and have coequal responsibility for foreign relations."

The amendment is attached to a Middle East policy bill, known as the Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act, which wraps together five bills into one package. It includes new sanctions against Syria's central bank and individuals providing support for the Syrian government. It boosts military support for Israel and Jordan, two US allies that are Syria's neighbors. And makes it easier for states and localities to approve laws to combat the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.

Democrats are divided on the BDS component of the bill, some saying it impinges on free speech rights of Americans to support boycott efforts against Israel for its treatment of Palestinians and other concerns.

They complain that the Republicans purposefully added that provision to a package that otherwise has bipartisan support to put political pressure on Democrats.

"They have taken a bill that had broad -- maybe unanimous bipartisan support -- and tried to turn it into a political weapon," said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat in a floor speech Tuesday. "In the process, they are doing a great disservice to the American people and to all of us who value the tradition of strong bipartisan support for our friend and ally, Israel."

A final vote on the overall bill is not expected before next week.

For the second straight day, McConnell blasted unnamed Democrats for filibustering his amendment, and suggested Democrats -- particularly those making a presidential run in 2020 -- were reluctant to vote for a measure that opposed bringing troops back home, something that's a priority for many Democratic voters.

"I guess some Senate Democrats didn't want to vote on these important subjects. Perhaps it could have put some of my colleagues with aims beyond the Senate at odds with parts of the far left," McConnell said.

But Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, predicted Wednesday that many Democrats would vote for the measure.

"I think we do agree with the President that the quicker we can get out of Syria the better, but it has to be with a plan, and if it is not with a plan, then it would be a huge mistake," Tester said.

Potential 2020 candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders said he opposes the McConnell troops pullout amendment but also opposes the way Trump is pulling troops out without consulting allies and having a sensible withdrawal.

"We've been there for too long and we've got to get out," Sanders said. "My concern is, what McConnell is saying is 'let's maintain the status quo.' We've been in Afghanistan for 18 years, maybe we'll be there another 18 years, I don't know. That doesn't make any sense to me, so I'm going to vote 'no' on that. On the other hand, while Trump is talking about getting us out, he's doing it -- as usual -- in an abrupt way, without consulting with our allies, without developing a mechanism for a sensible withdrawal. So, I have problems with what Trump is doing. But I certainly have problems with what McConnell is proposing."

CNN's Jeremy Herb contributed to this report.

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Just got laid off? Do these 5 things before you leave

January was particularly brutal for journalists. Buzzfeed announced it was reducing its workforce by 15%. Verizon cut about 7% of media division staff. And Gannett, the nation's largest newspaper chain, slashed dozens of jobs across the country.

Hearing the news that you've just been laid off can be a devastating blow. If you end up on the wrong side of a pink slip, give yourself a minute to collect your thoughts. But before you take your severance check and walk out the door, make sure you're getting everything you deserve and protecting your interests.

1. Ask about all your pay

Find out when you will receive your last paycheck, and make sure it's the correct amount.

Next, look into your unused vacation days. While there is no federal law that requires unused vacation to be paid out at termination, and state laws differ, many companies will pay you for accrued unused vacation days. Others explicitly say they won't. So dig up your employee handbook and make sure you know exactly what you're entitled to.

2. Hold off on signing for your severance

Don't sign anything right away. First you want to make sure you know exactly what you're signing. Plus, you might be able to negotiate for more.

"You are stunned," said Donna Ballman, an employee attorney in Florida. "Losing your job is as devastating as losing a family member — the trauma is real. You wouldn't sign something the minute you find out you lost a family member."

Severance agreements are designed to protect the company, noted Gregg Zeff, an employment lawyer in Philadelphia. They can include nondisclosure agreements and clauses that strip the company of any wrongdoing and prohibit a worker from suing.

"When you get a package, unless it's everything you wanted and more, you should contact a lawyer — there is no one protecting you," Zeff said.

You might be able to negotiate a better severance package, if you have some leverage.

"If your negotiation is 'please be nice to me,' sometimes that works," said Ballman. "Better yet, look for some potential claims you might have that could give you leverage to negotiate."

Ask for the reasoning of the layoffs and review who is getting eliminated: Are all the workers over age 50 getting laid off? Were you told it was a "last in, first out" situation, but you've been there for a decade, and are pregnant?

If you think you're being singled out due to race, age, sex or national origin, Ballman advised noting the ways you believe you've been treated differently. Any potential discrimination claims can bolster negotiations for a better severance package.

Always ask for a copy of anything you signed to keep for your own records.

If the company isn't willing to budge on the numbers in the severance package, there are other things you can ask for, according to Jay Zweig, a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner law firm. He suggested asking for a letter of recommendation, outplacement services or a set period of time for how long your company email or voicemail will remain functional.

3. Make sure you're eligible for unemployment

If you were laid off without cause, you will likely qualify for unemployment insurance.

Sometimes, a company might ask an employee to resign during layoffs. Don't do that unless the severance package is worth it to you, advised Ballman.

While state laws vary, resigning can make you ineligible to collect unemployment benefits in some states.

And don't hesitate to file for unemployment insurance.

"The process takes some time, so you do not want to delay that process," said Nancy Karas, a business consultant and a coach at outplacement services firm GetFive.

"People feel bad about taking unemployment, but you shouldn't — you have earned it. It is temporary, and it is a base to help you move forward."

Keep in mind though, some states don't allow you to get unemployment insurance while you're receiving severance pay.

4. Make sure you're health insurance is covered

Ask how long your health insurance plan will remain in place. You're likely already covered through the end of the month at least, but then you need to find out what your continuity options are.

"A lot of companies try to cut off the day you are fired, but unless it's the last day of the month, they shouldn't be doing that because you probably paid through the month," said Ballman.

Some companies will offer extended health insurance along with severance pay. But if you are losing your health insurance, most employers have to send you a COBRA notice. COBRA allows former employees to continue their health insurance plan for a set period of time, but they will be paying 100% of the premium. Eligible employees can get up to 18 months of coverage. You can also shop for an individual health care plan on the state or federal exchanges.

5. Take your savings with you

If you have a company sponsored 401(k), you have a few options for what to do with it after your exit.

You can roll the money into an IRA, which can offer more flexibility than a company plan.

Sometimes you can also roll over the older 401(k) into your new employer's plan and keep all your savings in one place.

There's also the option of taking a cash distribution, but be prepared to be hit with hefty penalties and tax consequences if you aren't of retirement age.

Funds in a health savings account (HSA) are yours to keep after you leave the company, and you might be able to continue adding money to it after the lay off, as long as you have an HSA-eligible health plan.

A flexible spending account is another story. You can't use money in an FSA or contribute more after you've parted ways with your employer, but you might still be able to file a claim for whatever money is left in your account. Ask your employer what your options are.

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How did this mountain form on Mars? The Curiosity rover investigates

Now, a team of researchers has repurposed one of the rover's instruments to help determine how Gale Crater and 16,404-feet-tall Mount Sharp formed. The findings are detailed in a study published Thursday in the journal Science.

This set of accelerometers, called rover inertial measurement units, was recalibrated. Accelerometers are also used in smartphones to help determine motion and orientation.

The device is meant to detect the rover's movements on the Martian surface and assist with navigation, but the researchers were able to use it to measure variations in gravitational fields as the rover navigated the crater and Mount Sharp's lower slopes.

As Curiosity roved the dusty basin of Gale Crater, the instrument sensed that the sediment underneath is porous. It had been believed that the floor of Gale Crater was once buried beneath miles of rock, but the porous finding disproves that.

"What we were able to do is measure the bulk density of the material in Gale Crater," said Travis Gabriel, study co-author and graduate student at Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration, in a statement.

Mount Sharp is even more confounding to researchers than the crater because its peak is taller than the rim of the crater. This led to the idea that the crater had been full of sediment and what we see today is the result of erosion. Another competing idea is that the sediments collected in the crater and helped form Mount Sharp.

There are other craters on Mars with central peaks, raised by the impact that formed the crater. But Mount Sharp's upper layers appear to be easily eroded and more likely to be made of sediment than rock.

Researchers have ways of weighing mountains. By collecting the measurements of small variations in gravitational fields, or gravimetry, the density of the subsurface materials composing a mountain can be detected.

The porous rocks beneath the crater's surface have a low density. If they were buried deeper and compacted, they would have a higher density. This helped the researchers determine that the crater was filled by only a fraction in the past.

"The lower levels of Mount Sharp are surprisingly porous," Kevin Lewis, lead study author and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said in a statement. "We know the bottom layers of the mountain were buried over time. That compacts them, making them denser. But this finding suggests they weren't buried by as much material as we thought."

This adds more evidence to the idea that Mount Sharp formed as a freestanding mound in the crater.

"There are still many questions about how Mount Sharp developed, but this paper adds an important piece to the puzzle," said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity's project scientist, in a statement. "I'm thrilled that creative scientists and engineers are still finding innovative ways to make new scientific discoveries with the rover.

Gabriel added, "This is a testament to the utility of having a diverse set of techniques with the Curiosity rover, and we're excited to see what the upper layers of Mount Sharp have in store."

Curiosity's mission continues, and it's on the move again. It took its last "selfie" on the twisting Vera Rubin Ridge, a feature between the crater wall and Mount Sharp the rover has been exploring since September 17. Now, Curiosity will study clay minerals that may have helped form the lower levels of Mount Sharp.

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Columnist: 'We have not recovered' from the Great Recession

"We have not recovered," Leonhardt told David Axelrod on The Axe Files, a podcast from the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN.

"One of the mistakes that we make is looking at some metrics like GDP or the stock market, which have recovered, and pretending that we've recovered from the crisis. But if you look at what, to me, are more meaningful measures like Americans' net worth, like the percentage of people employed in good jobs, we have not recovered," he said.

The effects of the Great Recession, coupled with racism, led to the conditions under which President Donald Trump was elected, he argued.

"You have a significant number of voters in this country who swung from voting for Barack Obama in 2012 to Donald Trump in 2016 to the Democrats in 2018," he said. "I agree racism plays a role for some voters as well, but I just don't buy this notion ... that it's all racism and only marginally economics. I think it's both."

Although he said he worries that voters' frustrations with government could lead them to seek a strongman as leader or simply give up on government entirely, Leonhardt says he retains some optimism.

"A majority of Americans want the federal government to play a bigger role [in] providing affordable health care. They want a higher minimum wage," he said. "I actually do think on economic matters, there is a progressive, populist majority in this country."

Leonhardt sees social and cultural issues, not economic issues, as dividing the country into "half-and-half."

"America is just not as progressive on immigration (or) on abortion as the Democratic Party is," he said.

But Leonhardt believes Trump is "more vulnerable than many people may realize."

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Toddler suffered liver and lung injuries after falling into Florida zoo's rhino exhibit, report says

The 21-month-old also suffered contusions to her chest, back, abdomen and head during the New Year's Day incident, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report said. Photos from the incident show the baby in a hospital bed with a neck brace and breathing tube. Her right cheek, right hip and navel area are visibly injured.

The 29-page report released Wednesday includes an interview with the zoo supervisor in charge of the exhibit, who told investigators the girl "somehow fell backwards into the enclosure," perhaps after losing her balance. She landed on the ground behind one of the rhino's feet.

The "well-behaved" child had been petting and brushing the rhinos through the steel bars of the enclosure for about 10 minutes, according to the report.

There were three rhinos, who "were calm during the encounter," and three zebras in the enclosure. The rhinos were eating and were positioned sideways to make them easier to pet and brush, the report said.

"The parents were very good about holding onto the child," according to interviews with two supervisors at the exhibit. "Both parents were very mindful of the child and near her."

After his daughter fell into the enclosure, her father reached in and grabbed her. As he attempted to pull her back to safety, two female rhinos named Kibibi and Uzuri rammed her repeatedly with their noses and mouths, pressing her into the steel bars, the report said.

"It wasn't until the dad picked her up and she was in the rhino's field of view that the rhinos began getting nervous. Both rhinos backed up and were spooked and began pushing on the child," it said.

Zoo employees told investigators the girl was inside the enclosure for about 10 seconds, the report said. In the area where the girl fell through, the space between the bars is about 8 inches, the report said.

The girl's mother suffered a bruised arm trying to save the child, while the father endured scrapes and contusions after one of the rhinos struck his right arm. Their daughter was transported via helicopter to an Orlando hospital and spent five days there recovering from her injuries.

The exhibit is part of what the zoo billed as a close-up experience with white rhinos. The family was allowed to touch and brush the rhinos under the supervision of two zookeepers, the zoo said at the time.

The three family members, who are friends with one of the supervisors running the encounter that day, were the only people participating in the experience.

Following the incident, the father released a statement through Orlando Health thanking people for their concern about his family.

"Our daughter is in good care at Arnold Palmer Hospital (for Children) and is doing well. My wife was also treated for her injury and has been released from the hospital. At this time, we ask for privacy as we focus on our daughter's recovery."

The zoo, located in Melbourne, had offered rhino experiences -- with Kibibi, Uzuri and another male rhino -- daily since 2009 without any issues, it said. Officials suspended the rhino encounter and "all other premium experiences" pending a safety review, officials said.

"Probably, we'll add some horizontal pieces, which would prevent" people from slipping or squeezing between the vertical poles, said Keith Winsten, the zoo's executive director.

CNN's Tina Burnside and Nicole Chavez contributed to this report.

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What's the Green New Deal? Depends who you ask

The call to fight climate change through a massive jobs plan aimed at eliminating fossil fuels started with freshman New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has been name-checked by Democratic presidential contenders Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and now has the apparent endorsement from an unlikely source: billionaire Michael Bloomberg.

But what is the Green New Deal, exactly?

The idea has been around for years. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman mentioned the concept in 2007, and Barack Obama campaigned on "green jobs" and elements of his stimulus packages were meant to both alleviate unemployment while building low-carbon infrastructure. Even the United Nations put out a plan for a global green new deal in 2009, as the world ground its way through the crippling financial crisis.

The current iteration has no official definition, leaving room for advocacy groups and prospective presidential candidates to endorse the implied dual mission — stopping global warming and mitigating economic inequality — without getting into details. Its sudden ubiquity comes as Democrats look for a positive message that has nothing to do with opposition to President Donald Trump heading into the 2020 campaign.

"While the Green New Deal is going in the right direction, it means slightly different things to different people at this point," says Bill Snape, senior counsel at the non-profit Center for Biological Diversity, which is collaborating on efforts to create a common platform. "I think we're all committed to tying those loops together, but it's going to take some work."

Some of that ambiguity will be resolved next week, when Ocasio-Cortez plans to introduce a resolution with Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markey that more clearly outlines a legislative definition of the Green New Deal, after weeks of consulting with other groups who are planning to sign on.

According to the Sunrise Movement, the group that staged sit-ins with Ocasio-Cortez in Nancy Pelosi's office in November and December in a failed bid to demand a select House committee on climate change, the plan will have three essential parts: Transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2030, guaranteeing jobs fighting climate change to everyone who wants one, and funneling much of the money that will be required to do the first two things into communities of color and those that will be most impacted by the ravages of global warming.

The resolution will be mostly symbolic, given that its proponents profess no hope that any part of it could become law under Trump. But it could be a powerful commitment device, as something other legislators can sign on to, and as a set of principles that activists can demand that candidates live up to.

"There's something powerful about the vagueness, and it creates a lot of alignment," says Varshini Prakash, the group's director. "The hard work is in defining it and ensuring that people are not just paying lip service and actually understand the substance behind it."

The key way in which Sunrise's vision differs from most others — and by which most other plans will fall short, in their estimation — is in the sheer scale of the effort.

While the group doesn't identify as socialist per se, part of its aim is to rehabilitate the image and role of government, so as to muster and deploy the kind of capital and intervene in the economy with the degree of forcefulness that will be needed to meaningfully affect the climate.

"If you look at all the major moments in American history that are on par with what we're talking about, it was a more activist government that cared about the interests of all people," Prakash says.

And how do they plan to pay for it? Nobody asks that when America has faced other national emergencies, they say, such as war and economic collapse. A carbon tax might help, as would a higher top marginal tax rate, but neither of those would be enough — the real answer is to print money, under the philosophy that inflation hasn't been a serious threat for decades and isn't going to start now.

That's the kind of approach that people like former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg likely aren't going to include in whatever plan they might come up with and label a "Green New Deal."

"I'm a little bit tired about listening to things that are pie in the sky, that we never are gonna pass, that we never are gonna afford," Bloomberg said while promoting his book at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire. "I think it's just disingenuous to promote those things. You gotta do something that's practical."

Bloomberg didn't elaborate on what proposals he saw as "pie in the sky," and said he was working on a more fleshed-out plan for a Green New Deal.

Former Reps. Beto O'Rourke and Julian Castro, as well as Harris, Warren and New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand have also all supported the idea of a Green New Deal. But none of them have put out specific plans explaining what they mean.

Those who have put out plans share the goals of transitioning to 100% renewable energy and creating lots of jobs, but differ on how they get there, and how quickly.

One very detailed report from the think tank Data for Progress would make the shift by 2035, through a combination of policies such as phasing out oil exports and internal combustion engines and public investments in electrified mass transit and reforestation. Another, from the Peoples' Policy Project, would massively scale up the Tennessee Valley Authority, essentially handing energy production over to the federal government.

A letter organized by the Center Biological Diversity and signed by 650 mostly environmental groups focuses on full enforcement of the Clean Air Act in order to regulate fossil fuels out of existence. A group called Elected Officials to Protect America has endorsed the basic Green New Deal goals, but plans to start with a campaign to prevent Saudi Arabia from buying up US water rights in order to ensure enough remains to fight climate change-fueled wildfires.

And groups that have traditionally worked at the intersection of climate and labor are staying quiet, given that several unions in the construction, oil, gas and coal sectors are having a hard time with the idea of giving up fossil fuels entirely.

"We have not endorsed the Green New Deal, and it's because it sounds to me that it's still something that's evolving," says Kim Glas, executive director of the Blue Green Alliance, a partnership of labor and environmental groups. "I think everybody is liking this conversation, and is waiting to see what the policy prescriptions are."

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Heart-shaped meteorite up for auction on Valentine's Day

Written by Emily Dixon, CNN

You might want to reconsider your Valentine's Day plans this year: A superior gift is about to go on sale, and it came all the way from space.

British auction house Christie's is soon to open online bidding on a heart-shaped meteorite, one that plummeted to Earth over Siberia in 1947.

According to Christie's, the meteorite once belonged to a colossal mass of iron that split from the asteroid belt 320 million years ago. It penetrated the Earth's atmosphere on Feb. 12, 1947, breaking into smaller meteorites and blazing over Siberia's Sikhote-Alin Mountains in a fireball "brighter than the sun."

Windows shattered, chimneys disintegrated and trees were ripped from the ground by the shock waves resulting from the explosion of the iron mass, while sonic booms reverberated nearly 200 miles away. A 20-mile smoke trail hung in the sky, while the meteorites that split apart from the main body produced almost 200 craters, some up to 85 feet wide, the auction house said on its website.

Online bids on the unusually shaped meteorite open on February 6. Credit: Christie's

Not all of the Sikhote-Alin meteorites are as desirable as the heart-shaped artifact up for auction, Christie's says. Those that broke away from the main mass when it exploded close to the ground are "jagged and twisted," more like shrapnel than a romantically shaped paperweight.

But the "Heart of Space," as Christie's terms it, probably split apart at a far higher altitude. As a result, it's somewhat more aerodynamic, and puckered with indentations known as regmaglypts.

Sarah Crowther, from the University of Manchester's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, told CNN that the specimen belongs to an uncommon group of iron meteorites known as IIAB. "There are currently 134 type IIAB iron meteorites, out of a total of over 60,000 known meteorites, so this type is fairly rare," Crowther said.

"The price does seem high for an iron meteorite," she added. Other fragments of the same meteorite retail for far less: "In the range of $1-$4 per gram," she said, "whereas even the lower end of the estimated price range for this is almost $30 per gram."

What's responsible for the high value of the meteorite? "The shape, the regmaglypts and the size of the sample," Crowther said.

Bids open on the meteorite, obtained from New York's Macovich Collection of Meteorites, on February 6 and conveniently close on February 14. It's a slightly bigger commitment than a heart-shaped box of chocolates, however: The auction house expects it to sell for somewhere between $300,000 and $500,000.

If Valentine's Day is really about conspicuous displays of affection (and wealth), what better way to do it?

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Over 3,000 more US troops headed to southern border

The additional forces will allow the Department of Defense to fulfill a Department of Homeland Security request for assistance that acting Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan approved earlier this month.

President Donald Trump confirmed that additional troops would be sent via a tweet on Thursday.

"More troops being sent to the Southern Border to stop the attempted Invasion of Illegals, through large Caravans, into our Country. We have stopped the previous Caravans, and we will stop these also," Trump wrote.

The combined active duty force at the border is expected to be slightly smaller than the mission's peak of 5,900 troops.

The Pentagon had previously said that the new troops would be involved in "mobile surveillance and detection, as well as concertina wire emplacement between ports of entry."

The Department of Homeland Security is "tracking" three caravans en route to the United States, "one of which is over 12,000 people in the latest estimate," Under Secretary of Defense for Policy John Rood told the House Armed Services Committee Tuesday.

Defense officials have told CNN that the new mobile surveillance would include troops manning mobile observation posts and vehicles that would involve the troops radioing Customs and Border Protection personnel to intercept any detected illegal activity.

US Customs and Border Protection "has requested that an additional 150 miles of concertina wire be emplaced no later than March 31," Rood and the Director of Operations for the Joint Staff Vice Adm. Michael Gilday wrote in a joint statement to the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.

By the end of November, the military had already placed over 10 miles of wire obstacles in Texas, Arizona and California.

This effort is separate from the White House-led effort to potentially use existing Pentagon funds and personnel to help build new sections of a border wall.

US troops will also continue to provide aviation support to Customs and Border Protection, which has historically involved US military aircraft flying CBP personnel to locations along the border.

The approximately 2,300 active-duty troops currently deployed to the border were originally scheduled to come home on December 15 but their deployment was extended to the end of January at the request of DHS. Officials say that many but likely not all of those troops will now stay until September.

The cost of that deployment was estimated at about $132 million, however that estimate was based on an original end date of January 31.

Additionally, Trump had previously ordered the deployment of National Guard forces to help secure the border. There are about 2,200 National Guardsmen assigned to that mission. That deployment, which also is scheduled to end in September, is estimated to cost $550 million.

The Pentagon has declined to say where the money to pay for the deployments is coming from.

Deploying active-duty troops for border security has been questioned by lawmakers.

"The deployments to the border seem to conflict with the (Defense) Department's stated efforts to rebuild readiness," Rep. Adam Smith, the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said Tuesday.

"This deployment to the southern border seems to exacerbate that problem by further disrupting unit training cycles," he added.

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Woman says her elderly mother with Alzheimer's was left outside a care facility at 2 a.m.

Long Beach resident Costanza Genoese Zerbi said her mother, Savina Genoese Zerbi, 84, was taken from the Regency Palms assisted living facility to the emergency room at the College Medical Center on January 12 after she made suicidal comments.

Hours after Zerbi arrived at the ER, her daughter said, the hospital put her in a cab back to the Regency Palms, where she arrived about 2:15 a.m. on January 13.

Security video shows the elderly woman wearing a bathrobe and sandals and carrying a large envelope. She tries to open the front door unsuccessfully, then pounds on it several times before she walks away.

Another security video shows her pacing up and down a dark alley before returning to the door. Her daughter said she was eventually let into the assisted care facility around 3 a.m. It's unclear who let her into the facility.

Daughter will meet hospital officials

Costanza Zerbi said she has filed a complaint with the California Department of Public Health against College Medical Center for sending her mother back to the care facility in a cab.

"My mom has the cognitive abilities of a toddler," she told CNN affiliate KCAL. "It's like taking a child and dumping him on the street in the middle of the night -- it's insane. It's criminal."

Savina Zerbi turned down an offer to assist with transportation and asked to be taken home, the hospital said, according to the affiliate. It added that a relative and the care facility were told she was being discharged.

Costanza Zerbi said her mother was especially vulnerable because she'd just started living at the assisted care facility and was having a hard time adjusting to her new life.

The reason for the complaint against the hospital is not to sue but to create awareness and ensure the hospital improves how it handles patients like her mother, she said.

"I would just like to see the hospital operate in a more responsible way," she said.

CNN has called Regency Palms, College Medical Center, and the California Department of Public Health, but has not heard back.

The California Department of Public Health told the Long Beach Press-Telegram that details on ongoing investigations are kept private until the investigation is complete.

The College Medical Center defended its actions, saying it complies with regulations on patient discharge, but will discuss the concerns with Zerbi's family, KCAL reported.

The daughter plans to meet hospital officials February 11. She said her mother remains at Regency Palms.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, a general term for the loss of memory and intellectual abilities. It is a slow-moving disease that starts with memory loss and ends with severe brain damage.

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